Canon/fanon and fanfic

[swordznsorcery]

There is a trend in fanfiction, which began many years ago. I noticed it in occasional stories back in the nineties, so I know it's been going at least that long - but lately it's become damn near ubiquitous. It has Face refusing to admit that he's been hurt, usually to the frustration of Hannibal and/or Maggie. Now we all know that Face likes to

Comments

[ostarella]

The "Silent Sufferer" is indeed a bit of fanon from forever ago. I have no idea where it originated (which author) but it seems to have gained a foothold even though it makes absolutely no sense whatever. (Much like quite a bit of fanon, actually.)

As to Dougie Kyle, he was one of the better villains - someone who really, really came close to being an equal to the team members in terms of abilities. Those types of villains were really few and far between, so it makes sense he'd be a favorite (although he does tend to be made more evil or maniacal - personally I'd prefer to keep him more realistic).

[swordznsorcery]

Thanks. I assumed it must be fanon. It's just that its huge popularity left me wondering if it might somehow have been more than that. It's incredible how it's taken over - and always twinned with the "Face is a poor, fragile child" trope, which drives me nuts!

As for Dougie Kyle, he was a good character, yes. Again, though, it's the ubiquity of the thing that bugs me. He turns up so often in fanfic, and scarily often with exactly the same plot. Dougie returns, kidnaps Face, tortures and/or rapes him (usually on camera, so Hannibal can watch) - and then Face (who's invariably dangling from the ceiling) manages to turn the tables on at least one of his captors, despite several broken ribs, severe internal injuries, and multiple flashbacks to Vietnam/his poor, damaged childhood.

Seriously, people. Variety is good!

[becky_black]

Considering it was letting Hannibal get under his skin and taking the job too personally that led to Kyle's downfall, you'd think he'd try to be more professional after that. Silly boy! When I used him in Reunion I didn't make him have a personal grudge against the team in that way, but they'd ruined his reputation, so he wasn't exactly unhappy to be hired to kidnap and hold them!

[swordznsorcery]

That's certainly believable. He is a character worth exploring further, and it is likely that he'd enjoy another shot at the team. I do like to think that he'd have learnt from their last encounter though, yes.

[veronica_rich]

Woobie-fying characters has a much longer and wider tradition in fanfic than just the A-Team variety. It's usually the prettiest one that gets the bulk of the treatment, in my many years of fandom experience.

[becky_black]

I love a woobie (uses icon of the one I consider King of the Woobies). But they don't have to change their character to be good woobies. I like to see the character I know and love getting a good kicking. ;-)

[veronica_rich]

See, my problem is after my experiences in the early POTC fandom, I mentally equate "woobie" now with "wet bitch," which I HATE. (In case you're curious - SO many writers were determined to make Will Turner into this weak, sobbing, abused man-pincushion way back in the day, and I think I was one of the few readers at the time who wondered if they'd seen another version of the first movie. Man, people loved those fics.)

[becky_black]

The kind of woobie I like is valiant but with a vulnerable side, like Face and especially like Archie Kennedy! Vulnerability definitely doesn't have to mean wet though. It annoys me when the writers overlook the valiant side. A good woobie suffers bravely, he doesn't snivel about it.

[culturevulture7]

Face would be the last person to not admit to being hurt, IMO. I mean, he can get so many women with cool injuries ;-) Plus, think about "Battle of Bel Air" where he's telling the guys about being thrown out the window - not shy about that.

I love "crazy ol' Dougie" but I don't want to read those stories you're describing...

[swordznsorcery]

Yes, I've been trying to think of times when he's been hurt, and it does seem he's not that shy about admitting it. "Children Of Jamestown", for instance, when he gets a pretty bad head injury, and tries to milk it for all it's worth!

And I sympathise. I could have done without reading them too!

[becky_black]

Maybe he milks it more when there's a girl around to minister to him. With just the guys around he's not going to have anyone gently dabbing his fevered brow. :D

[swordznsorcery]

I think that depends what story you're reading! "Face Is My Son!" trope Hannibal does quite a lot of dabbing of fevered brows, as well as cuddles, support during sobbing fits and nightmares, and back rubbing. Poor Face. It's not easy being so fragile. It's that terrible, damaged childhood that's done it. ;)

[becky_black]

I really have no idea where it comes from on the show. Templeton "I suppose a doctor's out of the question?" Peck doesn't seem likely to keep quiet about being hurt. If you read fanfic first and then watched the show you'd expect him to spend most of Without Reservations trying to go back to his table and finish his dinner. (Well, pretend to finish his dinner, since injury-concealing Face never eats either. Which is silly, with those problems he has with his blood sugar...)

I think the only time I had Face not tell Hannibal he was hurting was in Trackless Journeys, where he was doing it from a combination of sulking and machismo, rather than the "oh, I musn't burden the team with my injuries, nobody will care anyway, because I'm so worthless" etc. In a spoof fic I had the guys not taking him seriously when he was telling them he'd been stabbed and it was quite bad actually, because obviously Face would never actually tell them if was really hurt. :D

[swordznsorcery]

Heh. Actually, not being a fan of season five, I've not seen that episode since its original UK airing, so you could almost have got away with telling me that he does try to go back to his table! Those first two paragraphs made me laugh, though. There's a story currently running on ff.net which is updated almost daily. Two hundred and twenty-two thousand words last time I looked, and you've pretty much got it summarised there. It's... scary. It's like every Face cliché you've ever met in fanfic, all bolted together. I don't think she's blinded him yet, but it's surely only a matter of time!

(Sorry, author, if you're reading this, but it did tip the balance on the absurdity scales quite some time back).

[ostarella]

I know which one you're talking about - it's like they have a laundry list of fanon tropes and they're bound and determined to hit every one of them! I'm glancing through each new chapter just to see which one they're going with that day...

[veronica_rich]

Well, if their goal is just to get readers/hits, they're succeeding like mad ... ;-)