Your favourite character - Discussion

[marguerite_26]

Mods - let me know if this is not what you meant by “were you aware that anyone can start discussions and not just the mods?” :D (also - I couldn't find a tag that fit. sorry!)

I started this discussion yesterday on my LJ and it generated some great responses, but it was 90% non-Merlin, so I’ll offer it up for discussion here.I’ve been thinking

Comments

[archaeologist_d]

Merlin in Diplomatic Immunity.

Merlin's always been of interest to me even as a kid. So when they started showing Merlin on tv, I was immediately drawn to the naivete of the character. He was sweet and adorable and so very foolish about his magic. But as the series went on, I loved how he started to mature, growing more cautious about things but always with that touch of innocence about him

[marguerite_26]

Oh! interesting! I love your explanation. I haven't read the fic yet (I try to only read one WIP at a time, and The Student Prince ate my brain!), but I've read the summary each update you've made and gah! I'm kinda embarrassed to admit I've actually dreamt about it, even though I haven't read a word. *blush*

I totally get how compelling an older, more mature, a little jaded Merlin would be to write. And then making him still Merlin is fascinating.

Thanks for kicking off the discussion. :D

[archaeologist_d]

I loved trying to figure out how he would change with the things he went through and still make him Merlin. :D

The Student Prince ate my brain, too. I'm still going through withdrawal with it! As for mine, it's almost done, one more chapter and then maybe an epilogue so you might as well wait for slow writer me to finish. :D

[riventhorn]

Uther in The Musician

I find Uther to be a fascinating character. In this fic, I felt I was able to capture his deep love for Ygraine and also explore some of the insecurities that came with that love and why her death affected him so deeply.

Also (no, I can't pick just one! :), I really loved how Arthur developed in The Blue Danube

Yes, it's a crossdressing fic, and Arthur is the one in the dress, which at first seems totally OOC. But I think it captures some key elements of Arthur's character--that he has the courage to do things that go against ingrained social customs, that he yearns for love and support, and that he also longs for a different type of world at times.

[marguerite_26]

Uther is a very fascinating character. I quite love writing him and reading fics that pull him off well. It's incredibly hard to find an Uther that has the right balance. His characterisation from scene to scene is at times inconsistent in the series, but his motivations are pretty clear: love of Ygraine, Arthur and Camelot. And the lengths he will go to for those three are pretty intense. LOL.

I haven't read either fic you mentioned, but I'm very intrigued.

[riventhorn]

I think I lean towards writing a more sympathetic Uther because I feel a little sorry for him! I really liked in Sins of the Father, where you can see how he has completely convinced himself that his reasons for hunting down magic users are perfectly legitimate.

Perfect icon, too! The Blue Danube was my first crossdressing fic (a recently discovered kink, and I think we really need more of them :), and I also indulged my history geek and set it in 1920s London.

[marguerite_26]

I think Uther can be very sympathetic. He is motivated by hate, yes, but also love. He just has no 'moral compass' or a faulty one. LOL. Because he is King he justifies his need to be harsh, and can accomplish truly horrible things without answering to anyone.

Crossdressing is fun! *pets lovely kink*

[rodneyscat]

First of all, this is a great discussion subject imho and it fits in what we meant with topics members can post themselves. Thanks!

Secondly: Your tags look good to me. You could add the tags for 'actor: bradley james' and 'actor: colin morgan' since you include them in your question (or I could do it for you, but it's more a suggestion than a requirement so I rather leave it up to you).[/mod]

Now as a member: The first thing that came to my mind was Colin in 'And nobody wears a crown' by coffeejunkii, because she wrote my all time favorite characterization of Colin. He's got that delicious mix of sweet and tender on the one hand with a generous helping of mischievous. And I love how he deliberately doesn't give everything away about himself, kind of likes Bradley being all intrigued, but opens up and is honest when it's called for.

For Merlin I think my favorite characterization is in 'Setting down the lines' by phantomjam. Because in thatt Merlin is exactly that great combination of cheeky, chaotic and also sweetly playful and then (since this is a

[magog_83]

I love Setting Down The Lines - it absolutely felt like the person Merlin would grow into, and his relationship with Arthur felt very right too, quieter and more certain, but still with passion and affection and a healthy dose of snark :)

[marguerite_26]

First - YAY!

Second - hmm... I had left the tags blank so a friendly neighbourhood mod must have popped the right ones in. :D

Third - This wasn't a plea for recs, and yet I can't help wanting to read both of those now. :DDD They both sound like wonderful characterisations.

[rodneyscat]

Oh, take them as recs, definitely! As for the Arthur/Merlin future fic, I don't want to make a direct quote but look out for the part after this:

‘Only to yourself,’ Arthur says

That one has stuck with me ever since I read it. I can't get over how perfectly it describes Merlin the way I see him. It took my breath away, and when I reread that fic I linger a little extra over there.

[marguerite_26]

I'll share as well...

I haven't written a lot of Merlin fics, and haven't really fleshed out characters properly yet, but Arthur from Making Apologies is likely my favourite. I liked taking Arthur through a journey of self-discovery that we see glimpses of in the show but seems to flicker in and out depending on the plot of the episode.

Second to Arthur, is Uther in that same fic. Harsh, but not without reason and not without love for Arthur and Camelot.

[magog_83]

I was just re-reading that one this afternoon! I am always impressed with Arthur in that one. I don't think he's an Arthur I would be brave enough to write, because I tend to make all my characters a little too nice and nothing really bad ever happens - but really, honestly, given the way Arthur can be in the show, your Arthur in that fic is a very realistic, canon Arthur, because he does do the wrong thing, in fact he's thoughtless (and there's that great line where he realises how he's abused his right to tease Merlin by putting him in the situations that he does), and he's not 100% likeable - at least to begin with - so yeah, that to me is a characterisation that could easily be in the show (if they bothered to be consistant and follow through with realistic consequences).

[marguerite_26]

O RLY? how cool! Yes, Arthur starts off a full-on prat which was a huge risk for my first fic. LOL. But there is something so fascinating about Arthur feeling guilty and 'knowing himself' for the first time that I just had to explore it. I'm glad it worked for you. ♥

[riventhorn]

I really liked Uther in that story as well. Although sometimes I think blind rage can consume him, for the most part I see him as always having his reasons for doing things, even if they can be quite harsh and cold. I always love those moments in the show when he switches from being more kind to completely cold and terrifying. Like in Beauty and the Beast when even though he might be under a love spell, he can still calmly tell the Council that he'll have the next person who insults his wife executed. Or in Sins of the Father when after thanking Merlin, he adds in that bit about having Merlin hanged if he tells anyone.

[copperiisulfate]

This is awkward for me and a bit too much like self-promotion, but because you asked, I'll say hipster!Merlin in the world forgetting, by the world forgot, the fic I just finished for reel_merlin. He is far removed from the happy, smiley Merlin of canon because his "magic" hates him and he is a total music snob. I'm also pretty sure he was floating around in my head for a long time, looking for a home in a fic, so it was a relief to finally find him one. (Bonus: I also love neuroscientist!Morgana in here. She is my pride and joy).

With respect to other people's work: I absolutely adore the Arthur of In Time of Trial.

[marguerite_26]

I can easily see how a character can be an author's favourite even though he is far from canon. Sometimes fics require a character to wander away from canon in order to tell the story we want to tell, that doesn't make the character any less lovable (and very possibly more lovable because he is all your own!)

In Time of Trial does give a GREAT Arthur.

I asked the question the way I did because ppl often focus outward, and discuss their favourite characters of other ppls. but we look at our own work differently and our reasoning for liking a character can be very deep and unexpected. so while it is 'self promotion' in a way, it's also a catalyst for some great discussion. Thanks for participating.