OTP (One True Poll)

[gabrielleabelle]

* Check out the follow-up poll for this post. It's much more comprehensive. And longer (which means it's more fun).

I found this post (through metafandom, I believe) on OTPness to be interesting. Especially some of the ensuing discussion/disagreement. I was struck by what I saw as a huge definitional gap between some of the participants as to what having an

Comments

[streussal]

The first one doesn't really make sense to me for many canon, considering how characters often go through two or more relationships in the course of the series (especially in the Buffyverse). It also is odd to me, since it's not unusual for me to ship pairings that aren't canon and are extremely unlikely to ever get together in canon.

I assume you mean "exclusive preference" as "I only ship these two characters with each other" as opposed to "THIS IS THE ONLY THING I SHIP IN THE ENTIRE CANON". Because that's pretty rare for me.

I've seen people use OTP to mean that it's just their favourite pairing, not the only one they ship those characters in. I do that sometimes too, if asked about my OTP, since I have multi-shipping tendencies.

[eowyn_315]

The first one doesn't really make sense to me for many canon, considering how characters often go through two or more relationships in the course of the series (especially in the Buffyverse).

Yeah, exactly. I read that option and went, "Whaaaa? How is that even possible in most fandoms?"

I've seen people use OTP to mean that it's just their favourite pairing, not the only one they ship those characters in.

I'd say this is closest to me, because I do like other pairings (as well as Spike and Buffy in other pairings), but Spuffy is by far the majority of what I read and write.

[gabrielleabelle]

I thought the first one was odd, too, but it came up multiple times in the post I linked to. Though that's for Who fandom, which has significantly fewer canon ships than BtVS.

On the other hand, I can picture some of the more strident shippers only accepting their ship. Thing of Bangel vs Spuffy. You'll have a handful of hardline OTPers on either side who deny or attempt to invalidate the "enemy" ship.

The second poll option is a lot more broad and allows for a lot of variations like you described. For me, OTP is just a preference. A strong preference. One comment in the linked post described it like falling in love. I recognize that the Buffyverse has oodles of couples, but I fell in love with Buffy/Spike. They're my OTP. :)

[elisi]

Though that's for Who fandom, which has significantly fewer canon ships than BtVS.
*coughs* 47 years worth of history. 'Bout twenty million ships... (Defining a ship is a lot trickier though, hence all the hullaballoo.)

[svollga]

I find it interesting that though for other people and for discussions, I define OTP as a preference, for myself, I define it as a chosen canon ship I want to see after it started/was hinted on screen. I'm multishipper :)
I call my OTPs Buffy/Spike, House/Cuddy, Doctor/River, Jack/Ianto and other stuff that was clearly shown (or heavily hinted) on screen. All other, non-canon pairings, I prefer to call 'my favorites', but not OTPs.
But when discussing ships in general, I will use OTP as a term for perosnal preference of a person who has only one pairing, regardless of whether it's canon or not.

[gabrielleabelle]

Interesting. Obviously, the first poll option is dependent on a ship being canon, but the second isn't. And I've seen some people with non-canon OTPs. But I'm getting the feeling that what OTP means varies widely depending on who you talk to. :)

[kaguranne]

I've always seen someone declaring a 'ship as OTP to mean it's their favorite. Another problem with the first poll option is than many people's OTPs are obviously not canon (though obviously non-canon pairings may be more common in anime fandoms than tv ones).

[gabrielleabelle]

Very true. :)

[me_llamo_nic]

I have, like, three true pairings, but it's definitely the preference thing.

There are people who think the other way?

There are people in this world who have the raw nerve to think diffrently than ME?

...

This is almost as bad as that time I found out about the Sun.

[gabrielleabelle]

TTP?

I think exactly like you. In fact, I am you. You're hungry. Get some food.

[me_llamo_nic]

TTP?

Yes. One canon. All three featuring Buffy. Maybe I should simplify things by making it an OT4 instead...

In fact, I am you.

If you're me does that mean I'm Willow (as per your icons)?

It feels good to cross that one off my bucket list.

*noms on Cordy*

And the weirdest part? I'm ravenous. I literally just pulled dinner out of the oven. You really ARE me!

[gabrielleabelle]

Oh, you're the vamp!Willow to my nerdy!Willow.

...or maybe it's the other way around.

In any case, dinner was yummy.

[enigmaticblues]

You know, I think it's entirely possible to be okay with, or even to actively root for, a certain canon 'ship, while having a strong (or exclusive) preference for a completely different 'ship in fanon/fanfic. For example, I have a het 'ship that I really want to see in canon on Eureka, but I almost exclusively read/write a slash ship for the same show.

But there are people who will swear up and down that pairing A is the only possible canon pairing, and anyone who likes pairing B is delusional and stupid. And then folks who feel the same about pairing B will get just as pissy about pairing A.

Honestly, though, it's rare for me to have anything like an OTP, because I don't really buy the idea of soul mates, or that there's only one person out there who could make another happy. As much as I love Spike/Buffy, in the hands of a good writer, I could believe in Wes/Buffy, or Spike/Faith, or... Well. You get the picture.

[gabrielleabelle]

For me, OTP is less about believing that two characters should only be with each other. It's more about just liking those characters together to such a ridiculous extent, you have to give them a special name. :)