Ask Me: Justin and Iris Crowe (Carnivale)
Title: Ask Me
Author: Drea (d_generate_girl)
Spoilers: Seasons One and Two of Carnivale. I mean it. If you haven’t seen every episode of this show, you’re screwed. But hey, it’s not my fault that they’re all interconnected. Go blame DK.
Email: Phantomchick03@aol.com
Disclaimer: "The last thing we need is a bunch of mother-hens gum-flappin to the law about little Johnny seeing a titty show"
Step right up, ladies and gents . . . but you had better be of legal age in your place of residence. This is HBO, not network television, and I'm just reflecting the tone of the actual show. That means I get to talk about cursing, stripping, violence, sex, and all that fun stuff without getting in trouble.
But more than that, this essay's going to deal heavily with a big cultural no-no - canon incest. Yes, Justin and Iris are brother and sister. Yes, they have the same mother and father. No, I'm not going to pretend they're just overly affectionate. If Daniel Knauf could put it on TV every week, any fan seriously considering this pairing can damn well deal with the "ickyness".
Are we all clear? Do I need to bring out the big glowy black eyes and get ya'll back in line? No? Good.
~*~*~
Carnivale: "And to each generation was born a creature of light and a creature of darkness"
Let's get this clear right off the bat - I am not Daniel Knauf, creator and God of all things Carnivale. Neither am I attached to the show, its cast, or crew in any way. In a perfect world, Carnivale would still be on the air, shooting its third season, and I'd be one of the assistant writers and spend all day pestering DK to include more Justin/Iris scenes, but we can't always get what we want. DK is the Alpha and Omega of this show (along with the higher-ups at HBO), and he's the one holding all the cards.
To further clarify, the fact is I have no earthly idea what the entire COL/COD story is, and how the characters each play into it. I'm just a fan with entirely too much time on her hands and a distinct liking for the craziest pairings imaginable. I'll deal with Justin and Ben's destiny and the prophecies as much as I'm able, but if you've never seen this show, you'll be completely lost. In which case, you can go to HBO's website. They've got a pretty good primer for the show, and you can watch clips and stuff to bring yourself up to speed.
Cause lemme tell you, there's a lot to keep up with. You've got the Carnivale itself - with Samson, Jonesy, Ruthie, Lodz, Lila, and the Cooch family helping Ben figure out his extra-special Creature of Light powers. You've got the gang in Mintern, CA - with Iris, Norman, Stroud, Tommy Dolan, and Talbot-Smith pushing and shoving Justin along the way to his all-powerful Usherness. And then you've got the wild cards - Apollonia, Sofie, Scudder, and Management - switching sides so many times that we don't have a clue what their deal is.
Not to mention the Templars, Texas Rangers, convicts, migrants, Okies, dead people, fetuses in jars, and various carny freaks running around. And here you thought it was a nice safe show about a carnival. As you can see, there's quite a lot of creepiness in this show.
And who better to kick off this manifesto than the head of Casa de Creepy (tm Strega) in Mintern - Brother Justin Crowe?
~*~*~
Justin Crowe: "Pain is an unavoidable side effect"
"In my heart, I have killed men again and again, wishing for their deaths with loathsome desire born of malice and spite. I am an evil man. I am a sinful man. I am a man. But we can be saved, brothers and sisters, yes we can. Not through prayer, not through Bible study, but through blood and fire - the blood of atonement and the fire of resurrection." - Justin, "Hot and Bothered"
Brother Justin Crowe is a man of God. He’s an ordained Methodist minister who lives in California in the 1930s, and shares a house with his sister, Iris. Ever since their mother died in a train wreck and their father disappeared, it has always been Iris and Justin against the world. The best example of this is the use of their Russian names - Irina and Alexei - only to each other, and at times of great emotion. Those names are only for true family, and even Sofie instinctively knows Ben should not be referring to Justin as Alexei in "Outside New Canaan". Because for all intents and purposes, Alexei and Irina Belyakov do not exist to the outside world. They are Justin and Iris Crowe now.
As children, Justin and Iris spent a cold night on a riverbank, waiting for "a man of God" to rescue them, and their prayers were answered by Reverend Norman Balthus. Norman and his wife Rose raised the two kids, and their influence inspired Justin to become a minister. He went to seminary in St. Paul, MN, and now has a loyal congregation at First Methodist. He has been blessed with a gift for oratory, and his life’s story attracts national attention when radio host Tommy Dolan broadcasts it over KZAK. Justin ministers to countless migrants, whom the rest of society abhors, and due to a fire in the orphanage, his church has been rebuilt and grown exponentially to the size of a small town.
Sounds normal, doesn't he? Well, as normal as a six-foot-three preacher can be, right? Wrong. Our dear Justin is nowhere near normal. Suffice it to say, he is the latest in a long line of men with divine powers, called avatars. He inherited his avataric powers from his father, Lucius Belyakov, but unlike Lucius, Justin is no child of light. Justin is the latest heir to the title of "Creature of Darkness", and has exhibited avataric powers from a very early age.
What all that means is Justin is capable of screwing with people's minds. He can make you relive your worst sin against God (like puking up the coins you stole from an offering plate), and manipulate your own words against you. A very interesting quality for a man who constantly sins, repents, and sins again while being a master of the spoken word. Justin also has prophetic dreams that will make no sense (to him or the audience, for that matter) until nearly two years later.
These dreams generally include foreshadowing of events and people, along with a long-haired tattooed man called "the Usher". The Usher is not a nice guy, as he seems to spend most of his time chasing Scudder or Ben (depending on the season) through a cornfield and raping gypsy women. We find out in the beginning of the second season that Justin himself is the Usher. He spends a few nights in Chinatown getting tattooed so he can fulfill the prophecy - that he will cause the end of magic/Armageddon by contributing to the Trinity tests of the atomic bomb. It’s the good guys’ job to prevent that - we think.
So if you're the all-powerful Usher of Destruction, you'd think you wouldn't have such a problem with the sinning. And Justin sure does have a lot of sin on his conscience. His real problem is that he genuinely believes he is a good man, chosen specifically by God to do his work. And he tries to repent, using prayer, outright demands, and self-flagellation (the only thing that really creeps me out about Justin) to try and atone for what he's done.
Justin is a complicated man that no one will ever really figure out - no one except for Iris, that is. Justin’s sister is quite possibly the one person in the world that knows more about him than he himself does. In Iris’ eyes, he’ll always be her brother/child that she took care of all her life. And Justin’s behavior seems to support that depiction. As evil and destructive as he gets, there's still that scared little boy out on the river who wants nothing more than to be comforted and protected. And as perverse and wrong as he knows wanting Iris is, there's the simple fact that if not for her, Justin would have gone to hell and taken the world with him long ago.
Justin is played by the insanely talented and creepily sexy Clancy Brown, whom you’ve most likely heard, if not seen, in everything under the sun (and who is the reason I can no longer watch SpongeBob without breaking into fits of hysterical laughter).
~*~*~
Iris Crowe: "Pray to God . . . but row for shore"
"I'm going to hell. I know that. But if I am very, very fortunate, my brother will be there waiting for me with an embrace." - Iris, "New Canaan, CA".
Iris Crowe is Justin’s uber-competent and capable older sister, who, ever since the train wreck, has always taken care of Justin. She takes all the responsibility for him on herself, and worked for years as a domestic to put him through seminary. Iris is a proud woman, which is why it’s easy to see her refusing help. When we first met her, gazing devotedly at Justin in church in “Milfay”, I’ll admit to writing her off immediately as an overly pious church lady who’s got a kooky relationship with her much-more-overtly-interesting brother. I continued that way until I saw “The River”, which tells you all you need to know about Iris, Justin, and their interdependence. She is made to grow up much too fast, and care for her brother when their father abandons them and their mother dies. She becomes indebted to her brother when he murders a man that attacked her, and has known since his birth that Justin is more than just a human. And her "Pray to God, but row for shore" speech gets me every single time.
But Iris isn’t all duty and no fun. In the scene with Norman in the diner, in “After the Ball is Over”, she banters with Norman and pokes fun at both him and Justin. She spends some time drinking with Tommy Dolan in “The River”, and hilariously over-pronounces her words. It’s so rare that we see her relaxed and unguarded, because mainly she’s dealing with the ball o’angst that is Justin. She puts up with his childishness and is not above telling him off (most notably in “Hot and Bothered”, where she informs him blatantly that he’s acting like a child).
Iris doesn’t take much crap, which makes their relationship in the second season all the more confusing. The same woman who could shame Justin with a few words is suddenly walking on eggshells with him? One could assume that she’s simply scared of his rapidly-developing powers and his acceptance of being the Usher, but that doesn’t jive with what we know of Iris. In “Hot and Bothered”, she flat-out tells Justin that she knows he’s got powers and a destiny, and that it’s her job to help him along the way. She doesn’t seem surprised when confronted with visual evidence of his powers (“Milfay” and the coin-puking; “Tipton” and Val Templeton) and we find out in “The River” that she’s known he’s capable of murder since age six.
But while Justin’s first murder was done in her name, Iris’ first murder (as far as we know) was done in his. Her nature is more insidious - she’s his “enabler”, as DK puts it, and allows him to skip merrily along the path to darkness because she thinks he’s doing it in God’s name. She’s the one who torches the Dignity Ministry, and it’s really all Justin’s fault. As she puts it so infamously: “You needed martyrs. I gave them to you!”. She kills six innocent children because she knows their deaths will draw attention to Justin’s cause - and she’s exactly right. Money comes pouring in to allow Justin (once he gets back from his little wilderness trip) to build a newer, larger church that ends up taking over the entire valley and turning a migrant camp into a freaking city - New Canaan.
We know Iris is motivated almost entirely out of devotion to Justin, but it’s still not entirely clear why she stays with him after he makes it clear he neither wants nor needs her help. In Season 2 when he starts sniping at her, keeping secrets, and generally acting like a jackass to her, Iris still retains her deep and unshakable loyalty to Justin. This leads me to believe that while it’s clear that losing Iris would make Justin go off the deep end, Iris could ultimately survive without Justin. She would be distraught, and probably cry herself to sleep every night, but she could go on. Justin would go to hell and take the entire world with him if he lost Iris.
Iris is played by the very pretty and outrageously talented Amy Madigan. You probably remember her spazzing out and sliding into lockers as Kevin Costner’s wife in “Field of Dreams”, and for being married to Ed Harris.
~*~*~
Canon Support: "We're in this together"
". . . she is his only advocate. And he does love her in every way. But I thought at that point he just needed his sister to hold him, comfort him, reassure him, believe in him. He needed her to be Iris for him." - Clancy Brown (re: Iris' unspoken rejection in "Los Moscos")
The uber-screwy, yet ultimately important relationship between Justin and Iris is exemplified by two scenes in two very different episodes: the confrontation and kiss in “Day of the Dead” in Season One, and the “Ask Me” scene in “Creed, OK” in Season Two. They both deal with the consequences of Iris setting the Ministry fire in “Black Blizzard”, and everything you need to know about their relationship is explored in these scenes, especially the screwy little head games they enjoy playing.
First up is “Day of the Dead”, probably the shippiest episode in the entire series.
Okay, this takes place at the end of the first season. Justin has just come back from his little wilderness expedition (he thinks he's Jesus, it's a running theme), and found Tommy Dolan (a man he met on the road, and told his story to) has insinuated himself into the city of Mintern. He's rather cozy with Iris (which pisses Justin off to no end), and has been investigating the fire that burned down the Dignity Ministry, Justin's controversial church for the migrant workers. Tommy has leaped to the assumption that Justin burned down his own ministry, and has been pestering various people for the truth. And all this makes Iris very nervous.
It's nighttime, and Iris is informing Justin about Dolan's accusations. Justin waves her off, barely looking up from his book to say that Dolan has no proof. Iris pulls out her patented big-sister-means-business tone and tells him that Dolan has a police report that places their car at the scene of the fire. Justin replies that there are thousands of black Fords out there like the one they own, and he's got a point.
But Iris continues to plead with him, kneeling at the foot of his chair. It's obvious that she knows exactly how to manipulate Justin into taking her seriously - as she kneels in front of him, she places her hands on his knee and thigh. Physicality, their tool for resetting the balance. Watch any important scene between Justin and Iris, and whenever one feels as if they are losing ground, they will invade the other's personal space. By kneeling, she also puts the height advantage back with Justin - where it usually lies - and returns the literal upper hand to him, because it's blatantly implied that Justin likes a bit of submissive in his women. Justin, of course, recognizes this gesture for what it is, and places his reading and glasses aside, taking her hand in comfort, and an edge of gratitude.
He gets to his feet to head for the door, saying he's going to meet with Tommy Dolan. Iris protests that it won't do any good, but Justin simply replies "Oh, I believe it will". And hee, I heart how Clancy is playing around with his amusement at that line, putting a stress on the unspoken fact that Justin could simply pull his Jedi mind tricks on Dolan without a second thought. But Iris bursts his bubble by mentioning that Dolan's been hounding Norman with questions, and it's getting bigger than just the four of them:
Iris: Norman's even threatening to bring in the bishop.
Justin: Well, let the bishop come. We have nothing to hide.
Iris: Yes, we do.
Justin is rightfully sanctimonious at this point - bringing in the Bishop to deal with a crime he obviously didn't commit is laughable - but Iris brings him back to earth with a flat denial that yes, there's something else going on here. Here is the first hint of why Iris has been so vehemently pressing Justin to stop Dolan's investigating, and why she seems so off-kilter when anyone mentions the fire.
Justin: What are you saying? Iris . . .
Iris: I did it for you.
To quote Palahniuk, "we have now lost cabin pressure". And in case you're wondering why the hell she'd murder innocent children just to advance her brother's career, Iris kindly exposits for the audience.
Justin: But the children who died-
Iris: They were sacrificed, like the lambs of Abraham.
Justin: Sacrificed?
Iris: The road is clear now. We have Templeton's check, donations, money for a new church. Nothing can stop us now.
See? Justin's not the only one who can use biblical examples to justify his actions. And apparently, batshit crazy runs in the family, as Iris shows us that she will go as far to guarantee her brother's safety as he will go for hers. Her actions have given him money, prestige, power, and followers - it was what needed to be done, and those children died for a greater cause. It makes perfect sense when you're a woman used to giving everything for your brother - and it horrifies Justin. This probably tears down the pedestal he's put Iris on since he was a child - the wise, beautiful, sinless woman who could never be as evil as he is. Because that's at the heart of his feelings for her: he can commit as many sins as he likes, because it's his destiny to be evil, but she is innocent, a child of God.
This is certainly a moment of truth for Justin, and he doesn't like what he's hearing. His horror quickly turns to anger at Iris, and he grabs her roughly by the throat. His face is twisted in rage, and for one awful moment, he's got Iris (and the audience) believing he's going to kill (or at the very least, seriously harm) her. But, as we come to learn in episodes to come, Justin's got more than a bit of sadism in him, and pulls Iris to him, kissing her forcibly. This isn't a sweet, brotherly, or even loving kiss. It's punishing, and it's very clear he wants her to suffer. Unfortunately, you can't force the willing - and Iris, though frightened, can't keep herself from enjoying the kiss.
That doesn't sit too well with Justin, who really just wants an outlet for his rage. He shoves her away, and onto the couch, and that, more than anything, frightens Iris enough to make her scream for the first time. He approaches her, looming over her threateningly, and amazingly enough, Iris isn't crying or shaking. She's watching him, breath coming in pants. Not running or screaming or even telling him "Justin, no!". Simply watching him, and just before we fade out, she does something very interesting. She swallows, and tips her chin up - plainly conveying that he can do what he likes, that she'll go along with it. Which is pretty brave and trusting on her part, considering that Justin could still throttle her with one hand.
I really can't praise Clancy Brown and Amy Madigan enough during this scene. Every beat, every turn, every line and syllable is pitch-perfect. You never once (well, unless you're me, and randomly find Clancy's facial expressions hilarious) are taken out of the scene, or even question their interpretation of the script. They are just that damn good.
And then there’s “Creed, OK”, where Iris and Justin get their only shippy scene that season:
Iris: Why are you doing this? I’ve supported you. I’ve given you everything. You needed martyrs - I gave them to you!
Justin: I did not ask for-
Iris: You never ask! And you never have to ask! I’ve always known what you want, and I’ve always been the one to pay the price. But if you want me to do this, you’re going to have to ask. Go ahead, ask me to turn myself in. Ask me, Alexei.
Justin: I can’t!
We’re six episodes into season two, and it’s come time for Iris to pay up. Tommy Dolan has been investigating the fire for Justin, even though Justin already knows who set it. It seems like he’s willing to sacrifice her for the approval of his congregation and listeners, and Iris is reasonably upset by this. If he wanted to bring her to justice for this crime, he should have done it back when she first confessed to him. Iris believed Justin would not be able to sacrifice her that easily, and she was counting on that.
Yet not even a year later, Justin has changed so drastically that he seems perfectly willing to watch his sister be punished for something that admittedly made his dream possible. He has changed so much, become so cavalier to her, that she doesn’t even question it. The man who has killed for her, lied for her, and depended on her for everything has suddenly cut her off completely. She has no use to him now, because she has no avataric powers or knowledge, and cannot be as easily exploited as Stroud or the migrants. Her only hold over him is their connection as brother and sister (and probably as lovers), and that is what Iris draws on in this scene.
They’re out on the porch of their home in New Canaan, Iris sitting on the swing and Justin looming over her. She plays on his hubris by presenting herself submissively in the beginning, because Usher!Justin likes his women to be brainless and yielding to him. Foolish man. Anyway, over the weeks in S2, Iris becomes more and more withdrawn in response to Justin’s coldness. She displays that as the scene begins, but she is still Irina Belyakov, and she doesn’t hold her tongue for long. She demands for him to explain why he’s willing to give her up to the police when her actions have put him where he is today.
Justin, less pompous and self-important than he’s been all season, replies that he quite simply did not ask for her help. This is starting to sound more and more like an ongoing argument they’ve had over the years, and Iris has had just about enough of it. She is the one who changes the tone of the scene, rising to her feet to level the playing field again. She informs us that this isn’t the first time she’s risked herself for him, and it definitely registers with Justin. When Iris says “you never have to ask”, a faint smile tinged with regret crosses his face.
She approaches him, intruding on his personal space in a mirror of their “Day of the Dead” scene, reminding him that she’s always the one who sacrifices for his well-being. To his credit, Justin actually looks a little guilty as she chews him out. Her tone then changes - becomes more intimate when she tells him that if he wants her to take the fall, he’s going to have to make the request of her. She whispers her second demand into his ear, brushing fingers over his arm and upping the stakes. Her trump card is revealed when she brushes a kiss across his cheek and breathes “Ask me, Alexei” into his ear, knowing the use of his Russian name is going to crack him.
And Justin does not disappoint - though he does surprise both us and Iris. Tears glitter in his eyes as he rasps out his response - a simple “I can’t”. Verbose, prone-to-pontification Justin, reduced to so few words. Flat-out admitting he cannot bring himself to ask Iris to turn herself in, cannot ask her to sacrifice for him again.
~*~*~
Power Plays, Betrayal, and Head Games: “You have a destiny, and now is your time to fulfill it”
The dialogue of both the “Ask Me” scene and the confession scene is so simple, and with any other actors in the universe, there would be very little to like about either scene. But with Amy Madigan and Clancy Brown, everything takes on a completely different tone. And by “different”, I mean “awesome”. Yes, there’s subtext and amazing acting and their trademark secretive looks. But it’s really all about the power plays and head games they inflict on each other, and this is simply round two in the war over the Ministry fire. The third round is won by Justin, when he’s got Iris (and the audience) convinced he’s going to hand Iris over to the police at the church service, but turns around and sets up Tommy Dolan to save Iris.
And Iris fires right back in a shocking way - she betrays her brother. It begins slowly, Iris doing her familiar-to-the-audience routine of listening at doorways to hear what he and his toadies are planning. Then, when Justin’s attention turns to the young maid, Sofie, it becomes clear the reason Iris initially doesn’t like the girl - “she’s the daughter of that gypsy woman Justin became so obsessed with in St. Paul” - Justin's illegitimate child by Apollonia, whom it's plainly obvious Iris didn't care for. Iris does not tell her brother that the girl is his daughter, and as of the finale, Justin still has no clue. But he cannot help but notice the plotting Iris and Norman are doing behind his back, and doesn’t take it seriously. More fool he, because he gets a rude double wake-up call when Norman almost shoots him and Iris brings the Carnivale (the supporters of Justin’s enemy) into New Canaan. For a sum of 250 dollars, Iris buys her brother’s death. Unfortunately for her, Ben doesn’t quite succeed in killing Justin.
Yes, Justin may have won more battles, but as it turns out, Iris may end up winning the longer war. She got him to publicly demonstrate his refusal to harm her or give her up. She endures everything his all-powerful Usherness can throw at her - every barb (dried up old spinster indeed), every snub (he‘s still never caught her eavesdropping), every assertion of power (Ruthie was right, Justin’s a total prick for dragging Iris on the Ferris Wheel) - and at the end of the day, she’s still standing. Justin goes running through a cornfield, gets knifed by Ben for his trouble, and has to be brought back by Sofie (we're still scratching our heads over that one). Iris just cools her heels after being helped off the Ferris Wheel, and calmly watches the cornfield die as the Carnivale rolls out.
We don’t know how Justin/Iris would have played out in future seasons (thanks, HBO), but I like to think it would have involved more delving into their characters. An explanation of what kind of powers Iris inherited from their father, and how that affects Justin. More glimpses into their childhood. As well as a good, long, emotionally satisfying bout of reunion/make-up sex after Iris’ betrayal and Justin’s asshattery.
~*~*~
Why I Ship J/I: "You never have to ask"
Justin: This will be my New Canaan. Here, I will build a temple.
Iris: We will build it together. - “Los Moscos”
Incest is really the last great taboo left in shipping. Slash is practically hip right now, and even BDSM is being experimented with by the teenyboppers. What’s left to be explored? Incest has got so many wonderful dynamics to work with. Shame, guilt, religious and social issues, and of course, the "us-against-the-world" vibe. But don’t get me wrong, parent/child incest (like Justin/Sofie) squicks me something fierce. I don’t do that type of wrong. I'd rather explore the twisted dynamics that drive a sibling relationship into something closer - a brother and sister literally being each other’s everything, like Justin and Iris.
I ship because it's always been the two of them, and Iris can't not take care of Justin, whatever that might entail. Because despite his obvious efforts, Justin cannot make himself stop wanting her. He knows that by all rights, he is condemned to hell for loving her, but yet he has carried on this affair of sorts with her for almost thirty years. And lest you think he’s to blame for forcing her into the relationship, it’s plain to see that Iris has got loads of power over Justin that his physical and emotional hold on her can’t touch. I think the day that Justin actually physically harms Iris is the day we really need to worry about what Justin's becoming.
I ship for the little moments (even if they‘re more bitter than sweet). Tandem demonic lemonade drinking. “Uh, is that a new dress?”. Justin's shower-induced voyeurism. Iris walking into Justin’s room without knocking. “Privyet, Ira”. Cutting the sexual tension with a knife. “Gone With the Wind” homage shots and building it together. Eavesdropping on the stairs. Razor blades as communion wafers. “Justin, you'd better snap this little girl back in line”. Presenting a united front. Justin’s snazzy blue pajamas. “His will be done”. Iris’ boat oar. A simple man and a simple woman. “You are forgiven”. Iris driving Justin everywhere. Justin’s idea of wake-up calls. And “thou shalt be strong”.
But the main reason I ship is because DK has given us these rich, fully-developed-and-yet-mysterious characters. There's still so much to explore, as well as the big, unexplained questions. Why does Justin treat Iris so terribly in season two? When did Iris figure out that Justin wasn't quite human? Was their first kiss really in "Day of the Dead", and if not, what happened to make them so uncomfortable afterwards? Was Iris really a witness to the rape, or was it just a side effect of Sofie's visions? Why does Iris seem to turn against Justin in the end of season two (well, other than because of the shitty way he treats her)?
And it totally doesn't hurt that Clancy Brown and Amy Madigan have embraced this relationship completely, and give us scenes laced with sexual tension and chemistry out the wazoo. And we love them for it.
~*~*~
Fandom: "All right, children . . . let's shake some dust!"
Carnivale fandom is a paradox - there‘s over 6,000 fans out there that we know of, but very few who are active in the creative part of it. So there’s not too many places you can go for more info. Here’s the list I’ve compiled of my favorite sites, though:
General Show Sites:
Official HBO site - HBO’s official site, which has interesting character bios, loads of good-quality pics and episode synopses, and some cool behind-the-scenes features.
The Baggage Trailer - A forum site that’s pretty active, considering the show’s canceled. If you look at nothing else on this site, check out Thalidar’s “Gospel of Knaufias”, which is every single question DK’s ever answered about the show.
The Midway - Awesome audio and video clips. They’ve got show promos, DVD extras, commentaries, behind-the-scenes, soundtrack selections, and even more stuff that I haven’t explored yet.
CarnyCon - Best place on the Net. Why? Dan Knauf regularly drops in to chat with fans. How many show creators do you know that do that? Add in some cool behind-the-scenes pics, and fun little games, and you have my absolute favorite Carnivale site.
Fanfiction Sites:
Gay Paree - Gay Paree is the only official Carnivale fanfiction archive. It's on a bit of a hiatus, due to the cancellation, but the story archive's still open. It’s got some wonderful authors writing creative pieces of work in all pairings, not just J/I.
Fanfiction.Net - Also known as the Pit of Voles, because yeah, most of the work on there isn’t high quality. Surprisingly enough, the Carnivale pages aren’t too bad, and you’ll find a few authors (one or two of which are J/I friendly) who haven’t posted their work on Gay Paree yet.
Livejournal:
_crowehouse - Not to toot my own horn (oh, who am I kidding?), but this place is one of the only places for good J/I on the net. I’m co-mod, along with the wonderful Vorona, and this community is dedicated completely to Justin/Iris fic, meta, and poetry. Come on over and join up!
carnivale_icons - Lots of good stuff over here. I recommend anything by starryicons or raven_annabelle.
Yahoo Groups:
The justin_iris yahoo group - The original “Crowe House”, or as it’s known officially, “Ask Me”. 20 members strong, and still going. If you want a bunch of fellow crazies to hang around with, this is your place. Fanfiction, fandom discussion, fanvids, and just plain fangirling is the name of our game, and Dana and Julie are fantastic mods.
The CarnivaleHBO group - If you do nothing else, just join this group. It’s your one-stop shop for everything Carnivale. It’s about 5,000-or-so members strong, who spend all day discussing everything from avatar genetics to Dan Knauf’s new show on Showtime. Dan’s a member, and you’ll know it when he has something to say.
Vids:
Kate‘s Vids - “Missing”, by Evanescence, and “Mother Revolution" by Tori Amos (even though it's a Sofie vid) are my personal favorites. Everything is really amazing work, though. And, BTW, “Missing” got the Clancy Brown seal of approval. If that’s not enough to convince you to watch it, I don’t know what is.
Heather's Vids - She’s got a bunch of different ones on her site, but “My Immortal” by Evanescence is her only J/I to speak of. DK's actually seen her work, and endorses it wholeheartedly. And really, how many show creators do you know that watch fanvids?
Fic Recs:
Ashes, Ashes - by Nicole Clevenger. I first discovered her work in the Firefly fandom (dear holy God, she writes good Mal), and while skimming through her site, I happened upon her little collection of Carnivale work. This is Justin at his most empty - directly after the fire in "Black Blizzard" - and it just cuts like Iris' kitchen knife. Their relationship is not overt, but you get such a sense of their connection in this.
Assemblage Radient - by Vorona. This is, hands down, the most gorgeously written and in-character story I've ever read. V hooks her claws into Iris' head, and doesn't let go, and you just want to strangle her for leaving you hanging. There's so much about this story I love (Iris and Sofie's interaction, Justin's resurrection, the believable morning-after explanation for the murders, Justin and Iris' reunion), so please, just go read this. And pester her to finish it.
Between Them - by Bree. I usually won't read poetry, but this is one of my two exceptions. Bree has created for us in Rose a character we know only in canon by a short description (Norman's late wife), and she's managed to do it with such innocent phrases such as "I don't understand a word. I'm sure that's just the way they want it." I really wish she wrote more (hint, hint, cough, cough).
for the waters have come in unto my soul - by EllisBelle. Good God, Julie writes amazing Iris, weaving past, present, and future into this all-too-short story. This marks a lot of firsts in the pairing - the first usage of the song "Dark Eyes", which seems to have become popular fanon, the first usage of biblical inspiration for stories, the first exploration of Iris' self-destructive tendencies. It just flows.
How to Make His Breakfast the Morning After - by Violet. This is the other piece of poetry I'll read, because Vi takes one of the most speculated-upon scenes in the fandom, and practically gift-wraps Iris' take on it. I love how she gives every aspect of Iris' cooking the same attention a less-proficient author would give to dialogue or physical description. And gah, the amount of allusion and double-meaning she packs in. Beautiful.
Torrent: Part One - Static - by BroCroweGal. I know what you're thinking. Drea, what the hell are you doing reccing another WIP? I like my stories finished too, but trust me on this one. It's sheer brilliance. This story is one of those things that you go back and reread to see what you've missed, and Kate is Queen of the Cliffhangers. I adore the way she writes Justin - eternally caught between boy and man, always a bit of a six-year-old in Iris' eyes. And yowza, can she write a smut scene. I can safely say that she's got me in complete suspense as to where she's going to take this next.
Part Two - Pressure
Part Three - Tempest
Part Four - Deluge
Part Five - Isobar
Part Six - Surge
Part Seven - Haze
* Please try and ignore the crazy formatting Yahoo imposes upon all messages.
~*~*~
Conclusion: “I always said I’d follow the truth, no matter where it lead.”
I hope you’ve come away from this very long and wordy manifesto with some better idea of why someone would choose to ship these two, and what the fascination is for us. If you haven’t, I offer you one last-ditch effort, straight from the shippers’ mouths.
Vorona (rowforshore) put it best, over on her _crowehouse introduction:
There is nothing sexier than truly unconditional, mutual love and devotion, despite Justin's petulant attempts to break free of his sister in season two. Silly boy. The snarls and tangles he ties in their bond only serve to bind them tighter. They're a Gordian knot and he has no will to use his blade against it, or her . . . Incestuous as it is, their relationship is the only one on the show that could be called a holy union.
But I suppose I'd better give Mr. Verbose himself the final word:
“And together, brothers and sisters, together we shall build a shining temple, a kingdom that will last for thousands and thousands of years . . .” - Justin, “The Day That Was the Day”
Let’s shake some dust!
Notes: Loads of thanks and alcoholic drinks go to my fellow Horsemen - Dana and Vorona - for being so supportive and listening to my ramblings at 2 am (well, 10 pm Dana time). To Elizabeth, whose various pontifications lead me to actually consider writing this, so all blame lies with her. Also to Kate, Julie, Bree, Violet, Beth, and the rest of the gang over at Crowe House. CarnyCon LIVE 2006, gang! Screencaps are courtesy of raven_annabelle. All quotes belong to DK, HBO, or their credited authors, not me.
Author: Drea (d_generate_girl)
Spoilers: Seasons One and Two of Carnivale. I mean it. If you haven’t seen every episode of this show, you’re screwed. But hey, it’s not my fault that they’re all interconnected. Go blame DK.
Email: Phantomchick03@aol.com
Disclaimer: "The last thing we need is a bunch of mother-hens gum-flappin to the law about little Johnny seeing a titty show"
Step right up, ladies and gents . . . but you had better be of legal age in your place of residence. This is HBO, not network television, and I'm just reflecting the tone of the actual show. That means I get to talk about cursing, stripping, violence, sex, and all that fun stuff without getting in trouble.
But more than that, this essay's going to deal heavily with a big cultural no-no - canon incest. Yes, Justin and Iris are brother and sister. Yes, they have the same mother and father. No, I'm not going to pretend they're just overly affectionate. If Daniel Knauf could put it on TV every week, any fan seriously considering this pairing can damn well deal with the "ickyness".
Are we all clear? Do I need to bring out the big glowy black eyes and get ya'll back in line? No? Good.
~*~*~
Carnivale: "And to each generation was born a creature of light and a creature of darkness"
Let's get this clear right off the bat - I am not Daniel Knauf, creator and God of all things Carnivale. Neither am I attached to the show, its cast, or crew in any way. In a perfect world, Carnivale would still be on the air, shooting its third season, and I'd be one of the assistant writers and spend all day pestering DK to include more Justin/Iris scenes, but we can't always get what we want. DK is the Alpha and Omega of this show (along with the higher-ups at HBO), and he's the one holding all the cards.
To further clarify, the fact is I have no earthly idea what the entire COL/COD story is, and how the characters each play into it. I'm just a fan with entirely too much time on her hands and a distinct liking for the craziest pairings imaginable. I'll deal with Justin and Ben's destiny and the prophecies as much as I'm able, but if you've never seen this show, you'll be completely lost. In which case, you can go to HBO's website. They've got a pretty good primer for the show, and you can watch clips and stuff to bring yourself up to speed.
Cause lemme tell you, there's a lot to keep up with. You've got the Carnivale itself - with Samson, Jonesy, Ruthie, Lodz, Lila, and the Cooch family helping Ben figure out his extra-special Creature of Light powers. You've got the gang in Mintern, CA - with Iris, Norman, Stroud, Tommy Dolan, and Talbot-Smith pushing and shoving Justin along the way to his all-powerful Usherness. And then you've got the wild cards - Apollonia, Sofie, Scudder, and Management - switching sides so many times that we don't have a clue what their deal is.
Not to mention the Templars, Texas Rangers, convicts, migrants, Okies, dead people, fetuses in jars, and various carny freaks running around. And here you thought it was a nice safe show about a carnival. As you can see, there's quite a lot of creepiness in this show.
And who better to kick off this manifesto than the head of Casa de Creepy (tm Strega) in Mintern - Brother Justin Crowe?
~*~*~
Justin Crowe: "Pain is an unavoidable side effect"
"In my heart, I have killed men again and again, wishing for their deaths with loathsome desire born of malice and spite. I am an evil man. I am a sinful man. I am a man. But we can be saved, brothers and sisters, yes we can. Not through prayer, not through Bible study, but through blood and fire - the blood of atonement and the fire of resurrection." - Justin, "Hot and Bothered"
Brother Justin Crowe is a man of God. He’s an ordained Methodist minister who lives in California in the 1930s, and shares a house with his sister, Iris. Ever since their mother died in a train wreck and their father disappeared, it has always been Iris and Justin against the world. The best example of this is the use of their Russian names - Irina and Alexei - only to each other, and at times of great emotion. Those names are only for true family, and even Sofie instinctively knows Ben should not be referring to Justin as Alexei in "Outside New Canaan". Because for all intents and purposes, Alexei and Irina Belyakov do not exist to the outside world. They are Justin and Iris Crowe now.
As children, Justin and Iris spent a cold night on a riverbank, waiting for "a man of God" to rescue them, and their prayers were answered by Reverend Norman Balthus. Norman and his wife Rose raised the two kids, and their influence inspired Justin to become a minister. He went to seminary in St. Paul, MN, and now has a loyal congregation at First Methodist. He has been blessed with a gift for oratory, and his life’s story attracts national attention when radio host Tommy Dolan broadcasts it over KZAK. Justin ministers to countless migrants, whom the rest of society abhors, and due to a fire in the orphanage, his church has been rebuilt and grown exponentially to the size of a small town.
Sounds normal, doesn't he? Well, as normal as a six-foot-three preacher can be, right? Wrong. Our dear Justin is nowhere near normal. Suffice it to say, he is the latest in a long line of men with divine powers, called avatars. He inherited his avataric powers from his father, Lucius Belyakov, but unlike Lucius, Justin is no child of light. Justin is the latest heir to the title of "Creature of Darkness", and has exhibited avataric powers from a very early age.
What all that means is Justin is capable of screwing with people's minds. He can make you relive your worst sin against God (like puking up the coins you stole from an offering plate), and manipulate your own words against you. A very interesting quality for a man who constantly sins, repents, and sins again while being a master of the spoken word. Justin also has prophetic dreams that will make no sense (to him or the audience, for that matter) until nearly two years later.
These dreams generally include foreshadowing of events and people, along with a long-haired tattooed man called "the Usher". The Usher is not a nice guy, as he seems to spend most of his time chasing Scudder or Ben (depending on the season) through a cornfield and raping gypsy women. We find out in the beginning of the second season that Justin himself is the Usher. He spends a few nights in Chinatown getting tattooed so he can fulfill the prophecy - that he will cause the end of magic/Armageddon by contributing to the Trinity tests of the atomic bomb. It’s the good guys’ job to prevent that - we think.
So if you're the all-powerful Usher of Destruction, you'd think you wouldn't have such a problem with the sinning. And Justin sure does have a lot of sin on his conscience. His real problem is that he genuinely believes he is a good man, chosen specifically by God to do his work. And he tries to repent, using prayer, outright demands, and self-flagellation (the only thing that really creeps me out about Justin) to try and atone for what he's done.
Justin is a complicated man that no one will ever really figure out - no one except for Iris, that is. Justin’s sister is quite possibly the one person in the world that knows more about him than he himself does. In Iris’ eyes, he’ll always be her brother/child that she took care of all her life. And Justin’s behavior seems to support that depiction. As evil and destructive as he gets, there's still that scared little boy out on the river who wants nothing more than to be comforted and protected. And as perverse and wrong as he knows wanting Iris is, there's the simple fact that if not for her, Justin would have gone to hell and taken the world with him long ago.
Justin is played by the insanely talented and creepily sexy Clancy Brown, whom you’ve most likely heard, if not seen, in everything under the sun (and who is the reason I can no longer watch SpongeBob without breaking into fits of hysterical laughter).
~*~*~
Iris Crowe: "Pray to God . . . but row for shore"
"I'm going to hell. I know that. But if I am very, very fortunate, my brother will be there waiting for me with an embrace." - Iris, "New Canaan, CA".
Iris Crowe is Justin’s uber-competent and capable older sister, who, ever since the train wreck, has always taken care of Justin. She takes all the responsibility for him on herself, and worked for years as a domestic to put him through seminary. Iris is a proud woman, which is why it’s easy to see her refusing help. When we first met her, gazing devotedly at Justin in church in “Milfay”, I’ll admit to writing her off immediately as an overly pious church lady who’s got a kooky relationship with her much-more-overtly-interesting brother. I continued that way until I saw “The River”, which tells you all you need to know about Iris, Justin, and their interdependence. She is made to grow up much too fast, and care for her brother when their father abandons them and their mother dies. She becomes indebted to her brother when he murders a man that attacked her, and has known since his birth that Justin is more than just a human. And her "Pray to God, but row for shore" speech gets me every single time.
But Iris isn’t all duty and no fun. In the scene with Norman in the diner, in “After the Ball is Over”, she banters with Norman and pokes fun at both him and Justin. She spends some time drinking with Tommy Dolan in “The River”, and hilariously over-pronounces her words. It’s so rare that we see her relaxed and unguarded, because mainly she’s dealing with the ball o’angst that is Justin. She puts up with his childishness and is not above telling him off (most notably in “Hot and Bothered”, where she informs him blatantly that he’s acting like a child).
Iris doesn’t take much crap, which makes their relationship in the second season all the more confusing. The same woman who could shame Justin with a few words is suddenly walking on eggshells with him? One could assume that she’s simply scared of his rapidly-developing powers and his acceptance of being the Usher, but that doesn’t jive with what we know of Iris. In “Hot and Bothered”, she flat-out tells Justin that she knows he’s got powers and a destiny, and that it’s her job to help him along the way. She doesn’t seem surprised when confronted with visual evidence of his powers (“Milfay” and the coin-puking; “Tipton” and Val Templeton) and we find out in “The River” that she’s known he’s capable of murder since age six.
But while Justin’s first murder was done in her name, Iris’ first murder (as far as we know) was done in his. Her nature is more insidious - she’s his “enabler”, as DK puts it, and allows him to skip merrily along the path to darkness because she thinks he’s doing it in God’s name. She’s the one who torches the Dignity Ministry, and it’s really all Justin’s fault. As she puts it so infamously: “You needed martyrs. I gave them to you!”. She kills six innocent children because she knows their deaths will draw attention to Justin’s cause - and she’s exactly right. Money comes pouring in to allow Justin (once he gets back from his little wilderness trip) to build a newer, larger church that ends up taking over the entire valley and turning a migrant camp into a freaking city - New Canaan.
We know Iris is motivated almost entirely out of devotion to Justin, but it’s still not entirely clear why she stays with him after he makes it clear he neither wants nor needs her help. In Season 2 when he starts sniping at her, keeping secrets, and generally acting like a jackass to her, Iris still retains her deep and unshakable loyalty to Justin. This leads me to believe that while it’s clear that losing Iris would make Justin go off the deep end, Iris could ultimately survive without Justin. She would be distraught, and probably cry herself to sleep every night, but she could go on. Justin would go to hell and take the entire world with him if he lost Iris.
Iris is played by the very pretty and outrageously talented Amy Madigan. You probably remember her spazzing out and sliding into lockers as Kevin Costner’s wife in “Field of Dreams”, and for being married to Ed Harris.
~*~*~
Canon Support: "We're in this together"
". . . she is his only advocate. And he does love her in every way. But I thought at that point he just needed his sister to hold him, comfort him, reassure him, believe in him. He needed her to be Iris for him." - Clancy Brown (re: Iris' unspoken rejection in "Los Moscos")
The uber-screwy, yet ultimately important relationship between Justin and Iris is exemplified by two scenes in two very different episodes: the confrontation and kiss in “Day of the Dead” in Season One, and the “Ask Me” scene in “Creed, OK” in Season Two. They both deal with the consequences of Iris setting the Ministry fire in “Black Blizzard”, and everything you need to know about their relationship is explored in these scenes, especially the screwy little head games they enjoy playing.
First up is “Day of the Dead”, probably the shippiest episode in the entire series.
Okay, this takes place at the end of the first season. Justin has just come back from his little wilderness expedition (he thinks he's Jesus, it's a running theme), and found Tommy Dolan (a man he met on the road, and told his story to) has insinuated himself into the city of Mintern. He's rather cozy with Iris (which pisses Justin off to no end), and has been investigating the fire that burned down the Dignity Ministry, Justin's controversial church for the migrant workers. Tommy has leaped to the assumption that Justin burned down his own ministry, and has been pestering various people for the truth. And all this makes Iris very nervous.
It's nighttime, and Iris is informing Justin about Dolan's accusations. Justin waves her off, barely looking up from his book to say that Dolan has no proof. Iris pulls out her patented big-sister-means-business tone and tells him that Dolan has a police report that places their car at the scene of the fire. Justin replies that there are thousands of black Fords out there like the one they own, and he's got a point.
But Iris continues to plead with him, kneeling at the foot of his chair. It's obvious that she knows exactly how to manipulate Justin into taking her seriously - as she kneels in front of him, she places her hands on his knee and thigh. Physicality, their tool for resetting the balance. Watch any important scene between Justin and Iris, and whenever one feels as if they are losing ground, they will invade the other's personal space. By kneeling, she also puts the height advantage back with Justin - where it usually lies - and returns the literal upper hand to him, because it's blatantly implied that Justin likes a bit of submissive in his women. Justin, of course, recognizes this gesture for what it is, and places his reading and glasses aside, taking her hand in comfort, and an edge of gratitude.
He gets to his feet to head for the door, saying he's going to meet with Tommy Dolan. Iris protests that it won't do any good, but Justin simply replies "Oh, I believe it will". And hee, I heart how Clancy is playing around with his amusement at that line, putting a stress on the unspoken fact that Justin could simply pull his Jedi mind tricks on Dolan without a second thought. But Iris bursts his bubble by mentioning that Dolan's been hounding Norman with questions, and it's getting bigger than just the four of them:
Iris: Norman's even threatening to bring in the bishop.
Justin: Well, let the bishop come. We have nothing to hide.
Iris: Yes, we do.
Justin is rightfully sanctimonious at this point - bringing in the Bishop to deal with a crime he obviously didn't commit is laughable - but Iris brings him back to earth with a flat denial that yes, there's something else going on here. Here is the first hint of why Iris has been so vehemently pressing Justin to stop Dolan's investigating, and why she seems so off-kilter when anyone mentions the fire.
Justin: What are you saying? Iris . . .
Iris: I did it for you.
To quote Palahniuk, "we have now lost cabin pressure". And in case you're wondering why the hell she'd murder innocent children just to advance her brother's career, Iris kindly exposits for the audience.
Justin: But the children who died-
Iris: They were sacrificed, like the lambs of Abraham.
Justin: Sacrificed?
Iris: The road is clear now. We have Templeton's check, donations, money for a new church. Nothing can stop us now.
See? Justin's not the only one who can use biblical examples to justify his actions. And apparently, batshit crazy runs in the family, as Iris shows us that she will go as far to guarantee her brother's safety as he will go for hers. Her actions have given him money, prestige, power, and followers - it was what needed to be done, and those children died for a greater cause. It makes perfect sense when you're a woman used to giving everything for your brother - and it horrifies Justin. This probably tears down the pedestal he's put Iris on since he was a child - the wise, beautiful, sinless woman who could never be as evil as he is. Because that's at the heart of his feelings for her: he can commit as many sins as he likes, because it's his destiny to be evil, but she is innocent, a child of God.
This is certainly a moment of truth for Justin, and he doesn't like what he's hearing. His horror quickly turns to anger at Iris, and he grabs her roughly by the throat. His face is twisted in rage, and for one awful moment, he's got Iris (and the audience) believing he's going to kill (or at the very least, seriously harm) her. But, as we come to learn in episodes to come, Justin's got more than a bit of sadism in him, and pulls Iris to him, kissing her forcibly. This isn't a sweet, brotherly, or even loving kiss. It's punishing, and it's very clear he wants her to suffer. Unfortunately, you can't force the willing - and Iris, though frightened, can't keep herself from enjoying the kiss.
That doesn't sit too well with Justin, who really just wants an outlet for his rage. He shoves her away, and onto the couch, and that, more than anything, frightens Iris enough to make her scream for the first time. He approaches her, looming over her threateningly, and amazingly enough, Iris isn't crying or shaking. She's watching him, breath coming in pants. Not running or screaming or even telling him "Justin, no!". Simply watching him, and just before we fade out, she does something very interesting. She swallows, and tips her chin up - plainly conveying that he can do what he likes, that she'll go along with it. Which is pretty brave and trusting on her part, considering that Justin could still throttle her with one hand.
I really can't praise Clancy Brown and Amy Madigan enough during this scene. Every beat, every turn, every line and syllable is pitch-perfect. You never once (well, unless you're me, and randomly find Clancy's facial expressions hilarious) are taken out of the scene, or even question their interpretation of the script. They are just that damn good.
And then there’s “Creed, OK”, where Iris and Justin get their only shippy scene that season:
Iris: Why are you doing this? I’ve supported you. I’ve given you everything. You needed martyrs - I gave them to you!
Justin: I did not ask for-
Iris: You never ask! And you never have to ask! I’ve always known what you want, and I’ve always been the one to pay the price. But if you want me to do this, you’re going to have to ask. Go ahead, ask me to turn myself in. Ask me, Alexei.
Justin: I can’t!
We’re six episodes into season two, and it’s come time for Iris to pay up. Tommy Dolan has been investigating the fire for Justin, even though Justin already knows who set it. It seems like he’s willing to sacrifice her for the approval of his congregation and listeners, and Iris is reasonably upset by this. If he wanted to bring her to justice for this crime, he should have done it back when she first confessed to him. Iris believed Justin would not be able to sacrifice her that easily, and she was counting on that.
Yet not even a year later, Justin has changed so drastically that he seems perfectly willing to watch his sister be punished for something that admittedly made his dream possible. He has changed so much, become so cavalier to her, that she doesn’t even question it. The man who has killed for her, lied for her, and depended on her for everything has suddenly cut her off completely. She has no use to him now, because she has no avataric powers or knowledge, and cannot be as easily exploited as Stroud or the migrants. Her only hold over him is their connection as brother and sister (and probably as lovers), and that is what Iris draws on in this scene.
They’re out on the porch of their home in New Canaan, Iris sitting on the swing and Justin looming over her. She plays on his hubris by presenting herself submissively in the beginning, because Usher!Justin likes his women to be brainless and yielding to him. Foolish man. Anyway, over the weeks in S2, Iris becomes more and more withdrawn in response to Justin’s coldness. She displays that as the scene begins, but she is still Irina Belyakov, and she doesn’t hold her tongue for long. She demands for him to explain why he’s willing to give her up to the police when her actions have put him where he is today.
Justin, less pompous and self-important than he’s been all season, replies that he quite simply did not ask for her help. This is starting to sound more and more like an ongoing argument they’ve had over the years, and Iris has had just about enough of it. She is the one who changes the tone of the scene, rising to her feet to level the playing field again. She informs us that this isn’t the first time she’s risked herself for him, and it definitely registers with Justin. When Iris says “you never have to ask”, a faint smile tinged with regret crosses his face.
She approaches him, intruding on his personal space in a mirror of their “Day of the Dead” scene, reminding him that she’s always the one who sacrifices for his well-being. To his credit, Justin actually looks a little guilty as she chews him out. Her tone then changes - becomes more intimate when she tells him that if he wants her to take the fall, he’s going to have to make the request of her. She whispers her second demand into his ear, brushing fingers over his arm and upping the stakes. Her trump card is revealed when she brushes a kiss across his cheek and breathes “Ask me, Alexei” into his ear, knowing the use of his Russian name is going to crack him.
And Justin does not disappoint - though he does surprise both us and Iris. Tears glitter in his eyes as he rasps out his response - a simple “I can’t”. Verbose, prone-to-pontification Justin, reduced to so few words. Flat-out admitting he cannot bring himself to ask Iris to turn herself in, cannot ask her to sacrifice for him again.
~*~*~
Power Plays, Betrayal, and Head Games: “You have a destiny, and now is your time to fulfill it”
The dialogue of both the “Ask Me” scene and the confession scene is so simple, and with any other actors in the universe, there would be very little to like about either scene. But with Amy Madigan and Clancy Brown, everything takes on a completely different tone. And by “different”, I mean “awesome”. Yes, there’s subtext and amazing acting and their trademark secretive looks. But it’s really all about the power plays and head games they inflict on each other, and this is simply round two in the war over the Ministry fire. The third round is won by Justin, when he’s got Iris (and the audience) convinced he’s going to hand Iris over to the police at the church service, but turns around and sets up Tommy Dolan to save Iris.
And Iris fires right back in a shocking way - she betrays her brother. It begins slowly, Iris doing her familiar-to-the-audience routine of listening at doorways to hear what he and his toadies are planning. Then, when Justin’s attention turns to the young maid, Sofie, it becomes clear the reason Iris initially doesn’t like the girl - “she’s the daughter of that gypsy woman Justin became so obsessed with in St. Paul” - Justin's illegitimate child by Apollonia, whom it's plainly obvious Iris didn't care for. Iris does not tell her brother that the girl is his daughter, and as of the finale, Justin still has no clue. But he cannot help but notice the plotting Iris and Norman are doing behind his back, and doesn’t take it seriously. More fool he, because he gets a rude double wake-up call when Norman almost shoots him and Iris brings the Carnivale (the supporters of Justin’s enemy) into New Canaan. For a sum of 250 dollars, Iris buys her brother’s death. Unfortunately for her, Ben doesn’t quite succeed in killing Justin.
Yes, Justin may have won more battles, but as it turns out, Iris may end up winning the longer war. She got him to publicly demonstrate his refusal to harm her or give her up. She endures everything his all-powerful Usherness can throw at her - every barb (dried up old spinster indeed), every snub (he‘s still never caught her eavesdropping), every assertion of power (Ruthie was right, Justin’s a total prick for dragging Iris on the Ferris Wheel) - and at the end of the day, she’s still standing. Justin goes running through a cornfield, gets knifed by Ben for his trouble, and has to be brought back by Sofie (we're still scratching our heads over that one). Iris just cools her heels after being helped off the Ferris Wheel, and calmly watches the cornfield die as the Carnivale rolls out.
We don’t know how Justin/Iris would have played out in future seasons (thanks, HBO), but I like to think it would have involved more delving into their characters. An explanation of what kind of powers Iris inherited from their father, and how that affects Justin. More glimpses into their childhood. As well as a good, long, emotionally satisfying bout of reunion/make-up sex after Iris’ betrayal and Justin’s asshattery.
~*~*~
Why I Ship J/I: "You never have to ask"
Justin: This will be my New Canaan. Here, I will build a temple.
Iris: We will build it together. - “Los Moscos”
Incest is really the last great taboo left in shipping. Slash is practically hip right now, and even BDSM is being experimented with by the teenyboppers. What’s left to be explored? Incest has got so many wonderful dynamics to work with. Shame, guilt, religious and social issues, and of course, the "us-against-the-world" vibe. But don’t get me wrong, parent/child incest (like Justin/Sofie) squicks me something fierce. I don’t do that type of wrong. I'd rather explore the twisted dynamics that drive a sibling relationship into something closer - a brother and sister literally being each other’s everything, like Justin and Iris.
I ship because it's always been the two of them, and Iris can't not take care of Justin, whatever that might entail. Because despite his obvious efforts, Justin cannot make himself stop wanting her. He knows that by all rights, he is condemned to hell for loving her, but yet he has carried on this affair of sorts with her for almost thirty years. And lest you think he’s to blame for forcing her into the relationship, it’s plain to see that Iris has got loads of power over Justin that his physical and emotional hold on her can’t touch. I think the day that Justin actually physically harms Iris is the day we really need to worry about what Justin's becoming.
I ship for the little moments (even if they‘re more bitter than sweet). Tandem demonic lemonade drinking. “Uh, is that a new dress?”. Justin's shower-induced voyeurism. Iris walking into Justin’s room without knocking. “Privyet, Ira”. Cutting the sexual tension with a knife. “Gone With the Wind” homage shots and building it together. Eavesdropping on the stairs. Razor blades as communion wafers. “Justin, you'd better snap this little girl back in line”. Presenting a united front. Justin’s snazzy blue pajamas. “His will be done”. Iris’ boat oar. A simple man and a simple woman. “You are forgiven”. Iris driving Justin everywhere. Justin’s idea of wake-up calls. And “thou shalt be strong”.
But the main reason I ship is because DK has given us these rich, fully-developed-and-yet-mysterious characters. There's still so much to explore, as well as the big, unexplained questions. Why does Justin treat Iris so terribly in season two? When did Iris figure out that Justin wasn't quite human? Was their first kiss really in "Day of the Dead", and if not, what happened to make them so uncomfortable afterwards? Was Iris really a witness to the rape, or was it just a side effect of Sofie's visions? Why does Iris seem to turn against Justin in the end of season two (well, other than because of the shitty way he treats her)?
And it totally doesn't hurt that Clancy Brown and Amy Madigan have embraced this relationship completely, and give us scenes laced with sexual tension and chemistry out the wazoo. And we love them for it.
~*~*~
Fandom: "All right, children . . . let's shake some dust!"
Carnivale fandom is a paradox - there‘s over 6,000 fans out there that we know of, but very few who are active in the creative part of it. So there’s not too many places you can go for more info. Here’s the list I’ve compiled of my favorite sites, though:
General Show Sites:
Official HBO site - HBO’s official site, which has interesting character bios, loads of good-quality pics and episode synopses, and some cool behind-the-scenes features.
The Baggage Trailer - A forum site that’s pretty active, considering the show’s canceled. If you look at nothing else on this site, check out Thalidar’s “Gospel of Knaufias”, which is every single question DK’s ever answered about the show.
The Midway - Awesome audio and video clips. They’ve got show promos, DVD extras, commentaries, behind-the-scenes, soundtrack selections, and even more stuff that I haven’t explored yet.
CarnyCon - Best place on the Net. Why? Dan Knauf regularly drops in to chat with fans. How many show creators do you know that do that? Add in some cool behind-the-scenes pics, and fun little games, and you have my absolute favorite Carnivale site.
Fanfiction Sites:
Gay Paree - Gay Paree is the only official Carnivale fanfiction archive. It's on a bit of a hiatus, due to the cancellation, but the story archive's still open. It’s got some wonderful authors writing creative pieces of work in all pairings, not just J/I.
Fanfiction.Net - Also known as the Pit of Voles, because yeah, most of the work on there isn’t high quality. Surprisingly enough, the Carnivale pages aren’t too bad, and you’ll find a few authors (one or two of which are J/I friendly) who haven’t posted their work on Gay Paree yet.
Livejournal:
_crowehouse - Not to toot my own horn (oh, who am I kidding?), but this place is one of the only places for good J/I on the net. I’m co-mod, along with the wonderful Vorona, and this community is dedicated completely to Justin/Iris fic, meta, and poetry. Come on over and join up!
carnivale_icons - Lots of good stuff over here. I recommend anything by starryicons or raven_annabelle.
Yahoo Groups:
The justin_iris yahoo group - The original “Crowe House”, or as it’s known officially, “Ask Me”. 20 members strong, and still going. If you want a bunch of fellow crazies to hang around with, this is your place. Fanfiction, fandom discussion, fanvids, and just plain fangirling is the name of our game, and Dana and Julie are fantastic mods.
The CarnivaleHBO group - If you do nothing else, just join this group. It’s your one-stop shop for everything Carnivale. It’s about 5,000-or-so members strong, who spend all day discussing everything from avatar genetics to Dan Knauf’s new show on Showtime. Dan’s a member, and you’ll know it when he has something to say.
Vids:
Kate‘s Vids - “Missing”, by Evanescence, and “Mother Revolution" by Tori Amos (even though it's a Sofie vid) are my personal favorites. Everything is really amazing work, though. And, BTW, “Missing” got the Clancy Brown seal of approval. If that’s not enough to convince you to watch it, I don’t know what is.
Heather's Vids - She’s got a bunch of different ones on her site, but “My Immortal” by Evanescence is her only J/I to speak of. DK's actually seen her work, and endorses it wholeheartedly. And really, how many show creators do you know that watch fanvids?
Fic Recs:
Ashes, Ashes - by Nicole Clevenger. I first discovered her work in the Firefly fandom (dear holy God, she writes good Mal), and while skimming through her site, I happened upon her little collection of Carnivale work. This is Justin at his most empty - directly after the fire in "Black Blizzard" - and it just cuts like Iris' kitchen knife. Their relationship is not overt, but you get such a sense of their connection in this.
Assemblage Radient - by Vorona. This is, hands down, the most gorgeously written and in-character story I've ever read. V hooks her claws into Iris' head, and doesn't let go, and you just want to strangle her for leaving you hanging. There's so much about this story I love (Iris and Sofie's interaction, Justin's resurrection, the believable morning-after explanation for the murders, Justin and Iris' reunion), so please, just go read this. And pester her to finish it.
Between Them - by Bree. I usually won't read poetry, but this is one of my two exceptions. Bree has created for us in Rose a character we know only in canon by a short description (Norman's late wife), and she's managed to do it with such innocent phrases such as "I don't understand a word. I'm sure that's just the way they want it." I really wish she wrote more (hint, hint, cough, cough).
for the waters have come in unto my soul - by EllisBelle. Good God, Julie writes amazing Iris, weaving past, present, and future into this all-too-short story. This marks a lot of firsts in the pairing - the first usage of the song "Dark Eyes", which seems to have become popular fanon, the first usage of biblical inspiration for stories, the first exploration of Iris' self-destructive tendencies. It just flows.
How to Make His Breakfast the Morning After - by Violet. This is the other piece of poetry I'll read, because Vi takes one of the most speculated-upon scenes in the fandom, and practically gift-wraps Iris' take on it. I love how she gives every aspect of Iris' cooking the same attention a less-proficient author would give to dialogue or physical description. And gah, the amount of allusion and double-meaning she packs in. Beautiful.
Torrent: Part One - Static - by BroCroweGal. I know what you're thinking. Drea, what the hell are you doing reccing another WIP? I like my stories finished too, but trust me on this one. It's sheer brilliance. This story is one of those things that you go back and reread to see what you've missed, and Kate is Queen of the Cliffhangers. I adore the way she writes Justin - eternally caught between boy and man, always a bit of a six-year-old in Iris' eyes. And yowza, can she write a smut scene. I can safely say that she's got me in complete suspense as to where she's going to take this next.
Part Two - Pressure
Part Three - Tempest
Part Four - Deluge
Part Five - Isobar
Part Six - Surge
Part Seven - Haze
* Please try and ignore the crazy formatting Yahoo imposes upon all messages.
~*~*~
Conclusion: “I always said I’d follow the truth, no matter where it lead.”
I hope you’ve come away from this very long and wordy manifesto with some better idea of why someone would choose to ship these two, and what the fascination is for us. If you haven’t, I offer you one last-ditch effort, straight from the shippers’ mouths.
Vorona (rowforshore) put it best, over on her _crowehouse introduction:
There is nothing sexier than truly unconditional, mutual love and devotion, despite Justin's petulant attempts to break free of his sister in season two. Silly boy. The snarls and tangles he ties in their bond only serve to bind them tighter. They're a Gordian knot and he has no will to use his blade against it, or her . . . Incestuous as it is, their relationship is the only one on the show that could be called a holy union.
But I suppose I'd better give Mr. Verbose himself the final word:
“And together, brothers and sisters, together we shall build a shining temple, a kingdom that will last for thousands and thousands of years . . .” - Justin, “The Day That Was the Day”
Let’s shake some dust!
Notes: Loads of thanks and alcoholic drinks go to my fellow Horsemen - Dana and Vorona - for being so supportive and listening to my ramblings at 2 am (well, 10 pm Dana time). To Elizabeth, whose various pontifications lead me to actually consider writing this, so all blame lies with her. Also to Kate, Julie, Bree, Violet, Beth, and the rest of the gang over at Crowe House. CarnyCon LIVE 2006, gang! Screencaps are courtesy of raven_annabelle. All quotes belong to DK, HBO, or their credited authors, not me.