Canon vs. Fanon, part 10: Pre-series Daniel

[sg_fignewton]

Finally, the post so many of you have been nagging me about asking for: Pre-series Daniel!

Backstory is a crucial part of understanding and writing a character. When you consider some of the more iconic fictional characters, nearly all of them reference pivotal moments in the hero's childhood or past to help us understand the driving force behind

Comments

[nomadicwriter]

Many of us like to snark about Daniel's puzzling concept of "half a year," considering that he was unquestionably born on July 8th and 1969 took place in August.

I never quite understood the kerfluffle over this. It's not as if he's calculating, "at this moment in time, August 1969, my other self is four and half" - Jack's talking about a car that's out in 1969, and Daniel's all, 'um, dude, I was four and a half that year.' He's definitely talking in the general case rather than the specific, so it doesn't seem unreasonable that he would count to the turn of the year rather than the exact date.

I have noticed that very, very few fanfic authors have a positive view of Nick.

I have noticed that it's a very, very common point of view in fanfic that any reason whatsoever for not having/raising a child is a form of selfishness and/or irrational anxiety (never rational or justified anxiety) that the character must be educated out of

[sg_fignewton]

it's a more complex issue than "Nick is a nasty evil man who wouldn't take in his poor woobie grandson!"

That is a very intelligent point, and one that I never really considered. Daniel seems to have considered it, though, in that scene with Nick in his VIP room. Of course, as you say, the eight-year-old Daniel might not have recognized it.

Daniel is not just argumentative, but seems quite baffled by the idea that they expect him to accept an order without turning it into a debate.

Ooh, I love this! It makes ever so much sense. And Daniel is so used to keep arguing and arguing that when Hammond gives in to him, he kinda blinks with surprise about it. That's a wonderful insight.

As for the 1969 argument you have there... Ah, but snarking at Daniel is so much fun. :)

[moonshayde]

I never quite understood the kerfluffle over this. It's not as if he's calculating, "at this moment in time, August 1969, my other self is four and half" - Jack's talking about a car that's out in 1969, and Daniel's all, 'um, dude, I was four and a half that year.' He's definitely talking in the general case rather than the specific, so it doesn't seem unreasonable that he would count to the turn of the year rather than the exact date.

Oh thank you. This is actually how I have felt, but always had trouble vocalizing it.

And I love argumentative!Daniel.

[aurora_novarum]

I never quite understood the kerfluffle over this. It's not as if he's calculating, "at this moment in time, August 1969, my other self is four and half" - Jack's talking about a car that's out in 1969, and Daniel's all, 'um, dude, I was four and a half that year.' He's definitely talking in the general case rather than the specific, so it doesn't seem unreasonable that he would count to the turn of the year rather than the exact date.

As someone who does get in a "kerfuffle" over this, I just find it weird for someone to say they're four and a half for the entire year of 1969...that's just...odd.

Less odd if you're thinking specifically about summer of 1969...and Daniel's birth month wasn't established yet. Later canon just contradicts earlier canon in an amusing manner to me. ;-)

[nomadicwriter]

Well, I also think it was a deliberate choice on Daniel's part, in that saying he was "four and a half in 1969" makes him sound even younger than saying he turned five in the middle of 1969. And he was definitely needling Jack about how much older he is.

(It's kind of a shame Carter didn't get to freak Jack out with her 1969 age, because she was what, under a year? I would have dearly loved to see the reaction shot to that one.)

[aurora_novarum]

Touche!

Oh, yes, if Sam spoke up, that would've been funnier than funny. :-)

[sg_fignewton]

Oh, ::loves::

I can sooo see Daniel pointedly observing that Jack is more familiar with the era because he lived through it as a teen and Daniel... didn't.

And, heh for Sam. I agree, it would've been priceless!

[shutthef_up]

I'll just add my .02 quickly.

From Daniel's statement, "I was 8 years old, how could it be my fault?" to Nick's apology, it feels to me that this is a hurt that Daniel's gotten over. That, and he visited Nick frequently before Daniel entered the Stargate program. I tend to think that as an adult, he had a better grasp of the reasons - heck, he listed them to Nick! Doesn't mean it didn't hurt him as a child though, just that he seems to have come to terms with it.

Secondly, my personal 'fanon' is that Daniel's second (last?) set of foster parents died when he was a teen, just about to enter University. I also see him as a rather self-possessed, driven kid, who basically raised himself. Not a 'problem' child at all, other than probably being quite stubborn, but not stupid about it.

But again, that's just my personal backstory for the character and while it sort of forms a baseline for my characterization in fic, I've never based a story on it. I honestly don't have much interest in 'Young Daniel' stories.

[sg_fignewton]

I tend to think that as an adult, he had a better grasp of the reasons - heck, he listed them to Nick! Doesn't mean it didn't hurt him as a child though, just that he seems to have come to terms with it.

That's my take on it, too. Daniel is a little too well-adjusted to still be nursing hurt from Nick's "rejection" of him - especially since he kept in close contact until right before he went through the Gate.

Daniel being stubborn but not stupid about it? Are you sure that's not a contradiction? :)

And I think it's wise to have an idea, at least in your head, of your character's background - even if you never actually reference it in a fic. It goes back to that need for backstory.