A couple of things
First, the quiz meme that's going around:
Mingle2.com: Free Online Dating70% GeekMingle2.com - Free Online Dating
Not as much as my boyfriend, but not bad, either. (Okay, I cheated a little on the Slashdot question, but after all, it only asked what the slogan was, not whether I knew it off the top of my head. I also counted tabs instead of windows for one question, but that's following the spirit, I don't think it's cheating.)
Also,
daruki wanted me to post this rant, so here it is:
We’ll start at the obvious jumping-off point: Kranna. Kranna is a difficult pairing to write well, because Anna is essentially an OC. She never showed up in the game, and her personality is never discussed at all, so there’s no canon basis to go on for characterization, other than making her the sort of person to whom Kratos would be attracted. It’s fortunate that a pairing needs no other justification besides being canon, because this one doesn’t really have any. Her being dead years before the game begins doesn’t really help writers much, either. The biggest argument against writing Anna is that because she's undefined, it's really easy to make her into the dreaded Canon-Sue. In spite of these writing difficulties, though, the love they had for each other absolutely must be taken into account when writing for Kratos at any point after her death.
Kranna is a good pairing mostly because it is incontestably canon. In order for a well-written Kratos romance fic to disregard this pairing entirely, it must be either pre-Anna or AU, because otherwise you absolutely must deal with the fact that Kratos loved Anna, and that they had a child together. During the game, Kratos demonstrates intense guilt and regret over her death, and grows angry when Kvar speaks badly of her, even after fourteen years, so it’s clear that his love for her was real.
-
Next, we have Kraine. One of Kraine’s biggest problems is exactly the opposite of Kranna’s: while there’s oodles of interesting characterization possibilities, the canon reflects very little actual interest between the two. They talk, certainly, but there’s no marked interest in one another, and Raine often seems a bit suspicious of Kratos (with good reason). Another barrier to this pairing is Kratos’ betrayal of the party. Raine’s primary task, her ultimate duty, is to protect the children. Kratos, in the Tower, betrayed and tried to kill them. This does not make for good relationship material. In addition, Kratos’ past relationship with Anna, who he doesn’t seem to have properly gotten over, and of whom Lloyd is a constant reminder, would be an issue that must be dealt with. There’s also the matter of Kratos leaving the planet on Derris-Kharlan at the end of the game, so if you want them to have a warm and fuzzy happily-ever-after, you have to bring Kratos back somehow.
Kratos and Raine are the only two adults in the party during the initial Journey of Regeneration, so it might well be expected that they would grow somewhat close during that time simply because of that fact. That situation might or might not translate into romance, but it certainly could. In addition, both of them have a tendency to put up a strong front while hiding their weaknesses away whenever possible. This could be a barrier to a relationship, but it also means that they could understand one another, and possibly even provide sanctuary when the strain of being strong constantly gets to be too much. They may not always agree, but it's very nice to have someone who understands what you're feeling when no one else around you can. Raine in particular, during the Journey, would probably feel more inclined to relax around Kratos than around any of the children, because he knows and can handle what's going on better than they can.
-
Finally, for the slashers, there’s Krauan. Despite evidence and open-ended possibilities, there is no proof whatsoever that Kratos and Yuan’s relationship was ever more than platonic. Friendship, certainly…it’s more than likely that they were as close as brothers at some point. But most of their interactions are distant, with a certain level of rivalry throughout the game. That’s understandable, since they’re on different sides, of course, but that’s a further indication that a relationship would be difficult to maintain between them. It would be just as easy to suppose that they had started out as close as brothers, then slowly grown apart over the long, bitter years spent under Mithos’ rule. As easily as their personalities could support each other, they could also be repulsed by each other's weaknesses, especially Yuan when considering Kratos' submission to Mithos. Furthermore, any intimate relationship they’d formed over those years would have been disrupted or somehow interfered with when Kratos fell in love with Anna; in fact, if such a relationship had existed at the time, there’s a chance he might have stayed away from her for Yuan’s sake, and since he obviously didn't, we are left to wonder. And of course, there’s still the fact that Kratos left the planet at the end of the game, although in this case Yuan may be said to have gone with him; there’s no mention of what happens to Yuan in the end.
However, Kratos and Yuan have known one another for over four thousand years; in that kind of timespan, it’s inevitable that some sort of bond would be created, even if they had started out as enemies, which they certainly didn’t. Furthermore, there’s the fact that they’re the only two people in any world who truly understand what it’s like to have lived for so long under Mithos’ rule. As far as relationship-building, it’s hard to beat that kind of mutual comprehension. They’ve certainly had enough time around each other to form some kind of relationship…at the very least one might easily assume a few drunken encounters during times of stress, or a bit of experimentation just for curiosity’s sake. In a way, it can sometimes be hard to believe that they haven’t been intimate. There’s also the more concrete evidence of the scene in Torent Forest, where fangirls still squeal daily over the sight of Yuan cradling Kratos in his arms. Yuan rushed there to save Kratos, even though he’d apparently spent most of the game trying to kill him, and that speaks to a significant degree of closeness. And their personalities themselves can mesh well; where Yuan can sometimes grow overly emotional when things get out of control, Kratos remains calm, and when Kratos doesn't see a point to fighting, Yuan reminds him of all they have to fight for.
----------
In conclusion: Kranna is canon. Both of the other two are possible and even likely. There are many barriers, but with proper treatment, those barriers can be overcome.
Also, because I felt like adding it, the 'Rants' section of my profile on fanfiction.net:
Kraine and Kranna fans please read!
I would like to make some statements regarding the rather vicious debate between fans of the pairings Kraine and Kranna.
First of all, I don't see why people have to be so nasty about it. Just because you don't share someone's opinion doesn't mean you have to be cruel about it. Respect people's opinions. Play nice. These aren't real people, remember, except for the life we give them by considering them as though they were.
Next, I will state for the record that I am a Kraine fan. Hear me out, purists, before you send angry emails. I like Kratos. I like Raine. I think that, under the right circumstances, they could be an interesting couple. I am not, and never have been, suggesting that Kratos should forget Anna. Clearly, that would be one of the barriers to any relationship they might have. But love is an unpredictable thing, and I believe that, given time (which Raine has plenty of), the past can be put to rest. And anyway, it's fanfiction. I'm willing to be open-minded, to accept multiple variations on the same character. I have seen Kratoses that will never love anyone other than Anna. I have seen Kratoses willing and able to move on and seek happiness in the future. They are equally true to the original.
Kraine fans! I am sick and tired of seeing Kraine fans who hate Anna! Kranna is canon. Deal with it! If you claim to love Kratos, you should respect him enough to have faith in his taste in women. If not that, then at least have some respect for the dead? I dislike character-bashing in general, and Anna-haters really, really get on my nerves. Kratos loved her; this should be enough of a reason to respect her in and of itself. I fully support Kranna at any point in any timeline when Anna is alive. No question there. It's only when she isn't around that other possibilities open up.
Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me! All comments will be responded to in kind; thoughtful comments with my own thoughts, flames with mockery. I'm pretty good at that, been taking lessons in snark from Yuan. Don't take my word for it, though; go ahead and flame. See how far it gets you. But remember one of the underlying themes of the game: Hatred only begets hatred.
New rant!
Dear Tales of Symphonia pairing-warriors and fanbrats:
What is up with the hate? Why are there pairing wars here, and why the character-bashing? It's bad enough that it happens in other fandoms, but guess what the primary message of our canon is? Tolerance! Statements like "Everyone has the same heart" abound, and the general message is that bad things happen when people hate other people for no good reason. So why do you do this? As I've said before in a forum, how could so many people have completely and utterly missed the point?!
Still trying to love,
A Renegade Fangirl
Mingle2.com: Free Online Dating70% GeekMingle2.com - Free Online Dating
Not as much as my boyfriend, but not bad, either. (Okay, I cheated a little on the Slashdot question, but after all, it only asked what the slogan was, not whether I knew it off the top of my head. I also counted tabs instead of windows for one question, but that's following the spirit, I don't think it's cheating.)
Also,
daruki wanted me to post this rant, so here it is:
We’ll start at the obvious jumping-off point: Kranna. Kranna is a difficult pairing to write well, because Anna is essentially an OC. She never showed up in the game, and her personality is never discussed at all, so there’s no canon basis to go on for characterization, other than making her the sort of person to whom Kratos would be attracted. It’s fortunate that a pairing needs no other justification besides being canon, because this one doesn’t really have any. Her being dead years before the game begins doesn’t really help writers much, either. The biggest argument against writing Anna is that because she's undefined, it's really easy to make her into the dreaded Canon-Sue. In spite of these writing difficulties, though, the love they had for each other absolutely must be taken into account when writing for Kratos at any point after her death.
Kranna is a good pairing mostly because it is incontestably canon. In order for a well-written Kratos romance fic to disregard this pairing entirely, it must be either pre-Anna or AU, because otherwise you absolutely must deal with the fact that Kratos loved Anna, and that they had a child together. During the game, Kratos demonstrates intense guilt and regret over her death, and grows angry when Kvar speaks badly of her, even after fourteen years, so it’s clear that his love for her was real.
-
Next, we have Kraine. One of Kraine’s biggest problems is exactly the opposite of Kranna’s: while there’s oodles of interesting characterization possibilities, the canon reflects very little actual interest between the two. They talk, certainly, but there’s no marked interest in one another, and Raine often seems a bit suspicious of Kratos (with good reason). Another barrier to this pairing is Kratos’ betrayal of the party. Raine’s primary task, her ultimate duty, is to protect the children. Kratos, in the Tower, betrayed and tried to kill them. This does not make for good relationship material. In addition, Kratos’ past relationship with Anna, who he doesn’t seem to have properly gotten over, and of whom Lloyd is a constant reminder, would be an issue that must be dealt with. There’s also the matter of Kratos leaving the planet on Derris-Kharlan at the end of the game, so if you want them to have a warm and fuzzy happily-ever-after, you have to bring Kratos back somehow.
Kratos and Raine are the only two adults in the party during the initial Journey of Regeneration, so it might well be expected that they would grow somewhat close during that time simply because of that fact. That situation might or might not translate into romance, but it certainly could. In addition, both of them have a tendency to put up a strong front while hiding their weaknesses away whenever possible. This could be a barrier to a relationship, but it also means that they could understand one another, and possibly even provide sanctuary when the strain of being strong constantly gets to be too much. They may not always agree, but it's very nice to have someone who understands what you're feeling when no one else around you can. Raine in particular, during the Journey, would probably feel more inclined to relax around Kratos than around any of the children, because he knows and can handle what's going on better than they can.
-
Finally, for the slashers, there’s Krauan. Despite evidence and open-ended possibilities, there is no proof whatsoever that Kratos and Yuan’s relationship was ever more than platonic. Friendship, certainly…it’s more than likely that they were as close as brothers at some point. But most of their interactions are distant, with a certain level of rivalry throughout the game. That’s understandable, since they’re on different sides, of course, but that’s a further indication that a relationship would be difficult to maintain between them. It would be just as easy to suppose that they had started out as close as brothers, then slowly grown apart over the long, bitter years spent under Mithos’ rule. As easily as their personalities could support each other, they could also be repulsed by each other's weaknesses, especially Yuan when considering Kratos' submission to Mithos. Furthermore, any intimate relationship they’d formed over those years would have been disrupted or somehow interfered with when Kratos fell in love with Anna; in fact, if such a relationship had existed at the time, there’s a chance he might have stayed away from her for Yuan’s sake, and since he obviously didn't, we are left to wonder. And of course, there’s still the fact that Kratos left the planet at the end of the game, although in this case Yuan may be said to have gone with him; there’s no mention of what happens to Yuan in the end.
However, Kratos and Yuan have known one another for over four thousand years; in that kind of timespan, it’s inevitable that some sort of bond would be created, even if they had started out as enemies, which they certainly didn’t. Furthermore, there’s the fact that they’re the only two people in any world who truly understand what it’s like to have lived for so long under Mithos’ rule. As far as relationship-building, it’s hard to beat that kind of mutual comprehension. They’ve certainly had enough time around each other to form some kind of relationship…at the very least one might easily assume a few drunken encounters during times of stress, or a bit of experimentation just for curiosity’s sake. In a way, it can sometimes be hard to believe that they haven’t been intimate. There’s also the more concrete evidence of the scene in Torent Forest, where fangirls still squeal daily over the sight of Yuan cradling Kratos in his arms. Yuan rushed there to save Kratos, even though he’d apparently spent most of the game trying to kill him, and that speaks to a significant degree of closeness. And their personalities themselves can mesh well; where Yuan can sometimes grow overly emotional when things get out of control, Kratos remains calm, and when Kratos doesn't see a point to fighting, Yuan reminds him of all they have to fight for.
----------
In conclusion: Kranna is canon. Both of the other two are possible and even likely. There are many barriers, but with proper treatment, those barriers can be overcome.
Also, because I felt like adding it, the 'Rants' section of my profile on fanfiction.net:
Kraine and Kranna fans please read!
I would like to make some statements regarding the rather vicious debate between fans of the pairings Kraine and Kranna.
First of all, I don't see why people have to be so nasty about it. Just because you don't share someone's opinion doesn't mean you have to be cruel about it. Respect people's opinions. Play nice. These aren't real people, remember, except for the life we give them by considering them as though they were.
Next, I will state for the record that I am a Kraine fan. Hear me out, purists, before you send angry emails. I like Kratos. I like Raine. I think that, under the right circumstances, they could be an interesting couple. I am not, and never have been, suggesting that Kratos should forget Anna. Clearly, that would be one of the barriers to any relationship they might have. But love is an unpredictable thing, and I believe that, given time (which Raine has plenty of), the past can be put to rest. And anyway, it's fanfiction. I'm willing to be open-minded, to accept multiple variations on the same character. I have seen Kratoses that will never love anyone other than Anna. I have seen Kratoses willing and able to move on and seek happiness in the future. They are equally true to the original.
Kraine fans! I am sick and tired of seeing Kraine fans who hate Anna! Kranna is canon. Deal with it! If you claim to love Kratos, you should respect him enough to have faith in his taste in women. If not that, then at least have some respect for the dead? I dislike character-bashing in general, and Anna-haters really, really get on my nerves. Kratos loved her; this should be enough of a reason to respect her in and of itself. I fully support Kranna at any point in any timeline when Anna is alive. No question there. It's only when she isn't around that other possibilities open up.
Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me! All comments will be responded to in kind; thoughtful comments with my own thoughts, flames with mockery. I'm pretty good at that, been taking lessons in snark from Yuan. Don't take my word for it, though; go ahead and flame. See how far it gets you. But remember one of the underlying themes of the game: Hatred only begets hatred.
New rant!
Dear Tales of Symphonia pairing-warriors and fanbrats:
What is up with the hate? Why are there pairing wars here, and why the character-bashing? It's bad enough that it happens in other fandoms, but guess what the primary message of our canon is? Tolerance! Statements like "Everyone has the same heart" abound, and the general message is that bad things happen when people hate other people for no good reason. So why do you do this? As I've said before in a forum, how could so many people have completely and utterly missed the point?!
Still trying to love,
A Renegade Fangirl