Title: The Long Road Author: scowilily Rating: R Pairing: Alan/Kevin Summary: The love story of Alan Bradley. Author's Note: How digital jazz turned into an experiment of one.
I was just re-reading your comment, and one or two more things popped into my head. I figured I'd share and see what you thought.
Clu protecting Flynn is, as I see it, a natural extension of their personalities as seen in the movie. In Legacy, Flynn isn't powerful enough or clever enough to outwit Clu in the war. Clu is stronger, more creative, and more temperamental/moody. Flynn is patient, sensitive, and wise (which isn't necessarily the same thing as creative or clever). So, if you put them together, it just seems natural that Clu would use his powers, even submit himself, for Flynn's sake.
I found your comparison of Alan/Clu to Flynn/Clu interesting, however. Outwardly, they really do parallel each other. But Flynn was counting on Clu to betray him before he offered forgiveness (hence the exchange with Quorra's disc), whereas Alan took a gamble... A pretty big gamble, I think, because there's the implication/possibility that Clu could trap Alan in the nightmare indefinitely.
Well, that's all for now :D I hope we can gab some more later.
Clu protecting Flynn is, as I see it, a natural extension of their personalities as seen in the movie. In Legacy, Flynn isn't powerful enough or clever enough to outwit Clu in the war. Clu is stronger, more creative, and more temperamental/moody. Flynn is patient, sensitive, and wise (which isn't necessarily the same thing as creative or clever). So, if you put them together, it just seems natural that Clu would use his powers, even submit himself, for Flynn's sake.
Yeah, I'd agree with this. No matter what you envision happening back in those days, I think it's obvious that Clu gave everything he had for Flynn -- that apple-flashback of his is just painful. I think it's more-or-less canon that he's the strongest thing on the Grid, also (Tron hit him. With a disc. He didn't care. QED.)
I also agree that Clu is clever, more so than Flynn (the pager was a hell of a lateral play!), but it's worth noting that he's very single-minded. Both Quorra and Rinzler manage to blindside him while he's attacking Sam, and the disc-swap trick only worked because Clu let Flynn remind him of "what he'd come for". Perhaps his occasional bouts of tunnel vision fall under "temperamental/moody", though. :P
Alan took a gamble... A pretty big gamble, I think, because there's the implication/possibility that Clu could trap Alan in the nightmare indefinitely.
Yeah. Alan made Clu hug him, whereas Flynn was only willing to open his arms. There's something in him that was afraid to make the first move, even at the end. I think that's the real tragedy, in a lot of ways. Flynn waited too long, and he and Clu only got it together at the last second, when they were both dying... maybe.
Excellent point :) Although that might be true of both Clu and Flynn, considering how freakin absorbed they get in their games. Wake up boys! Hello, there's others things going on. Weeee...
Perhaps his occasional bouts of tunnel vision fall under "temperamental/moody", though. :P
Maybe both traits are probably part of the same animal?
I was rewatching the film the other day and what struck me was how weird Clu could be. One moment he's all serious/grouchy, and the next BAM he's playful/laughing. It could be covering serious emotional trauma or something, but my gut said moody--like an artiste. Who knows with Clu, though O.o
Yeah. Alan made Clu hug him, whereas Flynn was only willing to open his arms. There's something in him that was afraid to make the first move, even at the end. I think that's the real tragedy, in a lot of ways. Flynn waited too long, and he and Clu only got it together at the last second, when they were both dying... maybe.
Oh Flynn makes me so sad. He's taking the brute force approach that countries like the U.S. have traditionally favored for regimes in the Middle East--let time and popular unrest erode the leadership. But it's Clu, for crying out loud... Your program--you know, the one you hugged and promised to do great things with when he was born. ;_;
Alan's a go-getter. I can't decide if that makes me happy or sad though LOL!!
I was rewatching the film the other day and what struck me was how weird Clu could be. One moment he's all serious/grouchy, and the next BAM he's playful/laughing. It could be covering serious emotional trauma or something, but my gut said moody--like an artiste. Who knows with Clu, though O.o
I agree that this is all part of the same trait. It seems like pure Flynn to me; he's very emotionally demonstrative, both in Tron '82 and in Legacy, and his moods seem to change pretty quick (like after Ram dies, or after he spots the Solar Sailer in Legacy). When things are going well, he's happy, and when they're not, he's not... add to that the fact that Clu is right in the middle of finally confronting his past and achieving his thousand-year dream, and I can see why he's all over the place.
Oh Flynn makes me so sad. He's taking the brute force approach that countries like the U.S. have traditionally favored for regimes in the Middle East--let time and popular unrest erode the leadership. But it's Clu, for crying out loud... Your program--you know, the one you hugged and promised to do great things with when he was born. ;_;
I think Flynn went just as overboard as Clu did, only in the opposite direction. Clu is convinced that the Perfect System will fix everything, even while star systems programs keep slipping through his fingers; Flynn is equally convinced that Zen will fix everything, even while the "revolution" he's waiting for is (let's be frank) three guys who can't beat a handful of Clu's fighters, not even with Quorra and Sam to help them.
I think Flynn and Clu both needed a good dose of balance. That's pretty much what Legacy is about for them: teaching each other that these opposing constructs they'd built up (perfection/order, Zen/chaos) weren't fully knowable, and weren't the only answer.
When things are going well, he's happy, and when they're not, he's not...
Oh, I agree. That observation definitely fits with canon. My muse pipes in here and says, "it's all the film's fault" because (as my husband and I frequently remind each other) we're talking about Tron. Tron isn't quite Spaceballs, but it's got about the same amount of credibility--especially the physics, don't even get me started there; they're films of entertainment and viewer gratification, not studies of character. Which makes my fic kind of perverse, but... I'm weird
dd to that the fact that Clu is right in the middle of finally confronting his past and achieving his thousand-year dream, and I can see why he's all over the place.
Yeah, it makes Clu one tough cookie to write, though. The artists manic moods I can understand... but manic moods are usually at least a couple of hours long, ya know? And then you smash that together with Flynn's zen-thing, like I did, and you're not quite sure what you have. Then throw in Alan for good measure. I crack up again just thinking about it...
I have it in my head to write another fic, this one Flynn/Clu... It may never get written because oh my god another one... and I definitely wouldn't start it until I finish this baby... but there's this concept I've got stuck in my head. Picture this: God and the Devil (not literally, but figuratively). Obviously, Clu is the devil. He's rebelled against God because God is messing shit up. God pwns his butt with some really lame ass trick, introduces him to the real world... That's when Clu discovers "God" is really a laid back hippie who likes to drink beer and play video games. Add to that a world which is lot more messy and nonsensical than the one Clu knew. Oh, yeah, and ditch magical superhero powers too. Man, what a writing opportunity... I think sex would pretty much be required to make it better for Clu. /laugh
Flynn is equally convinced that Zen will fix everything, even while the "revolution" he's waiting for is (let's be frank) three guys who can't beat a handful of Clu's fighters, not even with Quorra and Sam to help them.
Yeah, that's the problem with brute force. A brute force attack takes forever... a clever hack will always beats brute force. (Insert computer nerd sounds.) So, basically, Flynn will die and another couple thousand years might pass before the revolution comes to pass.
I think Flynn and Clu both needed a good dose of balance. That's pretty much what Legacy is about for them: teaching each other that these opposing constructs they'd built up (perfection/order, Zen/chaos) weren't fully knowable, and weren't the only answer.
Yeah. I'd also argue that the movie was about Kevin learning to be less self-absorbed. When Sam got there, he was just a pawn in the game (maybe a knight or a rook, whatever). But by the time he left, he and Quorra were pretty much the whole reason for his Dad's sacrifice.
What's sad is how much time Flynn/Clu wasted on things which weren't really important... If they'd just taken care of things at home, so to speak, it all might have turned out better.
Best. Icon. Ever, by the way.
Love that reflection in the apple XD
Can't wait for the HD-quality film. I'm so going icon-crazy then. As it is, I still managed to capture a couple of others decently... blood dropping off of Sam, doll Tron, etc.
Picture this: God and the Devil (not literally, but figuratively). Obviously, Clu is the devil. He's rebelled against God because God is messing shit up. God pwns his butt with some really lame ass trick, introduces him to the real world... That's when Clu discovers "God" is really a laid back hippie who likes to drink beer and play video games. Add to that a world which is lot more messy and nonsensical than the one Clu knew. Oh, yeah, and ditch magical superhero powers too. Man, what a writing opportunity... I think sex would pretty much be required to make it better for Clu. /laugh
ha, I'd love to read this! I'm a huge sucker for Clu-in-the-real-world stories.
I think this is one of the reasons why you can't blame Clu too much for the whole perfection thing: he lives in a computer. It's obvious that total perfection is unknowable in our world, but to someone who has only ever known a closed, digital system like the Grid, it must've seemed tantalizingly close.
Clu protecting Flynn is, as I see it, a natural extension of their personalities as seen in the movie. In Legacy, Flynn isn't powerful enough or clever enough to outwit Clu in the war. Clu is stronger, more creative, and more temperamental/moody. Flynn is patient, sensitive, and wise (which isn't necessarily the same thing as creative or clever). So, if you put them together, it just seems natural that Clu would use his powers, even submit himself, for Flynn's sake.
I found your comparison of Alan/Clu to Flynn/Clu interesting, however. Outwardly, they really do parallel each other. But Flynn was counting on Clu to betray him before he offered forgiveness (hence the exchange with Quorra's disc), whereas Alan took a gamble... A pretty big gamble, I think, because there's the implication/possibility that Clu could trap Alan in the nightmare indefinitely.
Well, that's all for now :D I hope we can gab some more later.
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Yeah, I'd agree with this. No matter what you envision happening back in those days, I think it's obvious that Clu gave everything he had for Flynn -- that apple-flashback of his is just painful. I think it's more-or-less canon that he's the strongest thing on the Grid, also (Tron hit him. With a disc. He didn't care. QED.)
I also agree that Clu is clever, more so than Flynn (the pager was a hell of a lateral play!), but it's worth noting that he's very single-minded. Both Quorra and Rinzler manage to blindside him while he's attacking Sam, and the disc-swap trick only worked because Clu let Flynn remind him of "what he'd come for". Perhaps his occasional bouts of tunnel vision fall under "temperamental/moody", though. :P
Alan took a gamble... A pretty big gamble, I think, because there's the implication/possibility that Clu could trap Alan in the nightmare indefinitely.
Yeah. Alan made Clu hug him, whereas Flynn was only willing to open his arms. There's something in him that was afraid to make the first move, even at the end. I think that's the real tragedy, in a lot of ways. Flynn waited too long, and he and Clu only got it together at the last second, when they were both dying... maybe.
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lolz. Funny but so true.
it's worth noting that he's very single-minded
Excellent point :) Although that might be true of both Clu and Flynn, considering how freakin absorbed they get in their games. Wake up boys! Hello, there's others things going on. Weeee...
Perhaps his occasional bouts of tunnel vision fall under "temperamental/moody", though. :P
Maybe both traits are probably part of the same animal?
I was rewatching the film the other day and what struck me was how weird Clu could be. One moment he's all serious/grouchy, and the next BAM he's playful/laughing. It could be covering serious emotional trauma or something, but my gut said moody--like an artiste. Who knows with Clu, though O.o
Yeah. Alan made Clu hug him, whereas Flynn was only willing to open his arms. There's something in him that was afraid to make the first move, even at the end. I think that's the real tragedy, in a lot of ways. Flynn waited too long, and he and Clu only got it together at the last second, when they were both dying... maybe.
Oh Flynn makes me so sad. He's taking the brute force approach that countries like the U.S. have traditionally favored for regimes in the Middle East--let time and popular unrest erode the leadership. But it's Clu, for crying out loud... Your program--you know, the one you hugged and promised to do great things with when he was born. ;_;
Alan's a go-getter. I can't decide if that makes me happy or sad though LOL!!
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I agree that this is all part of the same trait. It seems like pure Flynn to me; he's very emotionally demonstrative, both in Tron '82 and in Legacy, and his moods seem to change pretty quick (like after Ram dies, or after he spots the Solar Sailer in Legacy). When things are going well, he's happy, and when they're not, he's not... add to that the fact that Clu is right in the middle of finally confronting his past and achieving his thousand-year dream, and I can see why he's all over the place.
Oh Flynn makes me so sad. He's taking the brute force approach that countries like the U.S. have traditionally favored for regimes in the Middle East--let time and popular unrest erode the leadership. But it's Clu, for crying out loud... Your program--you know, the one you hugged and promised to do great things with when he was born. ;_;
I think Flynn went just as overboard as Clu did, only in the opposite direction. Clu is convinced that the Perfect System will fix everything, even while star systems programs keep slipping through his fingers; Flynn is equally convinced that Zen will fix everything, even while the "revolution" he's waiting for is (let's be frank) three guys who can't beat a handful of Clu's fighters, not even with Quorra and Sam to help them.
I think Flynn and Clu both needed a good dose of balance. That's pretty much what Legacy is about for them: teaching each other that these opposing constructs they'd built up (perfection/order, Zen/chaos) weren't fully knowable, and weren't the only answer.
Best. Icon. Ever, by the way.
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Oh, I agree. That observation definitely fits with canon. My muse pipes in here and says, "it's all the film's fault" because (as my husband and I frequently remind each other) we're talking about Tron. Tron isn't quite Spaceballs, but it's got about the same amount of credibility--especially the physics, don't even get me started there; they're films of entertainment and viewer gratification, not studies of character. Which makes my fic kind of perverse, but... I'm weird
dd to that the fact that Clu is right in the middle of finally confronting his past and achieving his thousand-year dream, and I can see why he's all over the place.
Yeah, it makes Clu one tough cookie to write, though. The artists manic moods I can understand... but manic moods are usually at least a couple of hours long, ya know? And then you smash that together with Flynn's zen-thing, like I did, and you're not quite sure what you have. Then throw in Alan for good measure. I crack up again just thinking about it...
I have it in my head to write another fic, this one Flynn/Clu... It may never get written because oh my god another one... and I definitely wouldn't start it until I finish this baby... but there's this concept I've got stuck in my head. Picture this: God and the Devil (not literally, but figuratively). Obviously, Clu is the devil. He's rebelled against God because God is messing shit up. God pwns his butt with some really lame ass trick, introduces him to the real world... That's when Clu discovers "God" is really a laid back hippie who likes to drink beer and play video games. Add to that a world which is lot more messy and nonsensical than the one Clu knew. Oh, yeah, and ditch magical superhero powers too. Man, what a writing opportunity... I think sex would pretty much be required to make it better for Clu. /laugh
Flynn is equally convinced that Zen will fix everything, even while the "revolution" he's waiting for is (let's be frank) three guys who can't beat a handful of Clu's fighters, not even with Quorra and Sam to help them.
Yeah, that's the problem with brute force. A brute force attack takes forever... a clever hack will always beats brute force. (Insert computer nerd sounds.) So, basically, Flynn will die and another couple thousand years might pass before the revolution comes to pass.
I think Flynn and Clu both needed a good dose of balance. That's pretty much what Legacy is about for them: teaching each other that these opposing constructs they'd built up (perfection/order, Zen/chaos) weren't fully knowable, and weren't the only answer.
Yeah. I'd also argue that the movie was about Kevin learning to be less self-absorbed. When Sam got there, he was just a pawn in the game (maybe a knight or a rook, whatever). But by the time he left, he and Quorra were pretty much the whole reason for his Dad's sacrifice.
What's sad is how much time Flynn/Clu wasted on things which weren't really important... If they'd just taken care of things at home, so to speak, it all might have turned out better.
Best. Icon. Ever, by the way.
Love that reflection in the apple XD
Can't wait for the HD-quality film. I'm so going icon-crazy then. As it is, I still managed to capture a couple of others decently... blood dropping off of Sam, doll Tron, etc.
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ha, I'd love to read this! I'm a huge sucker for Clu-in-the-real-world stories.
I think this is one of the reasons why you can't blame Clu too much for the whole perfection thing: he lives in a computer. It's obvious that total perfection is unknowable in our world, but to someone who has only ever known a closed, digital system like the Grid, it must've seemed tantalizingly close.
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