The Comfort of Unrealized Realities [Prompt Response]
TFA Slipstream
*Slipstream is in her quarters viewing an old episode of a Science-fiction program from Earth. The monitor is no big screen, but it is raised on a console table and large enough to display small details, including the now-dated quality of the video. Slipstream is seated in a straight-backed chair, tipped back on it's rear legs, with her own heels up on a shelf of the console. She is snacking on a plate of cookies.*
When I was avoiding bounty hunter and Guard detection on Earth and my brothers were no longer with me, my main comfort was watching Earth media. They have a lot of interesting programs, like shows with 'TV judges' settling disputes for individuals so ignorantly eager to have their fifteen minutes of fame that they will air all their grievances, potential flaws an propensity to color the truth on nationally broadcast show. I don't think I would ever agree to resolve my disputes in such a format, but if I did, I'd definitely have Ramjet appear as my witness. *laughs*
My favorite shows, however, are Sci-fi, be they dramas, comedies or even animated fare. Sometimes I'd watch fantasy genre stuff, but if it comes to a choice between Xena and Seven-of-Nine, I'll pick Seven. And that's one of the reasons I do like Science-fiction: they have interesting, competent, strong female characters. Even in the old serials, with their model rockets on strings, there were spirited female characters like Dale Arden and Wilma Dearing. Sure they got in trouble sometimes and needed a hero to rescue them, but they also had their chances to play rescuer, and to uncover so many interesting plots along the way. Princess Leia is a character in this same tradition: one of her early plots involves her being captive and in need of rescuing, but she's also a diplomat, a capable resistance fighter, and just a take-charge female who is not afraid to get dirty if it means saving her companions.
The Star Trek franchise had kind of a mix. In the earlier produced shows, the females tended to be alike to go-go dancers and receptionists! But the series progressed in a favorable way, especially when they would focus on the struggle of an 'alien' female to assimilate into the Federation. Don't get me started on how like the slaggin' Autobot regime the Federation is! I mean, practically the only thing that sets them apart is that the Federation is supposed to have this tolerance of alien cultures, but they sure have a lot of episodes about conflicting cultures! Anyway, I loved Seven!
She was from the Big Bad's side: one of the Borg, largely cybernetic. Even in that state, she was hotter than all the Federation females in their frumpy military uniforms. I find, if you watch enough of these shows, and their spandex, Lycra, leather and vinyl costuming of human actors, you can develop an appreciation for human aesthetics and understand which character is the 'hot chick'. But then the Doctor gave her a make-over - lots of make-over shows in Earth media, too - and she was just hot. Oh, I'm sure there is some human female somewhere complaining that she was too sexually objectified. No! I disagree; Seven rocked the cyborg corset and heels. It was empowering that she, used to assimilating others into her way of thinking, so almost-by-accident assimilated herself into the Federation crew so successfully just by changing her hair. All the males - and probably a number of females - totally forgot she was 'the enemy' and just thought her hot. Now that is using guile and a nice pair of heels to advantage! *giggles*
There are so many beautiful characters in these Sci-fi shows. I do not mean in the sense of human aesthetics, but that there is an attractive radiant core. These characters can be valiant warriors, or gifted scientists - or sometimes both like Dr. Sam Carter in Stargate - yet retain that quality of being somehow female. Accepted perhaps by the 'guys', even valued, yet not required to be male herself.
And, there are also very intriguing characters with female gender, but who are AI, or not fully human, such as Sharon Apple, or Synergy or Zoe Graystone. I am quite partial to the Major from Ghost in the Shell. These are of interest to me, like Seven, because they do not necessarily have 'sex' in the sense of physical organic bodies with female reproductive organs compatible with males of their species. They can be sexless...and yet they are...well, they are like me I suppose. And, that is what is comforting about Science-fiction shows, for me.
It is comforting to have - especially when hiding out on a planet dominated by small organics - some sense that there are others out there with the same troubles and challenges in their life. I'm not exactly the hero or the leader, or even one that others believe the largest threat, I'm the bad girl, I suppose.
Like Evil-lyn. She is an intelligent, cunning, female accomplice to a powerful warlord - and she has great fashion sense! She is not forced to wear pink. She is not relegated only to fighting the female in the opposing army - though she often does so - she can go up against the hero herself! And, if not for the laws of western animated children's television fare, she might have actually defeated He-man!
But one of my all time favorite female Science-fiction characters is nearly human; the radiant Aeryn Sun from Farscape. *Gestures to the episode she is currently watching which involves some kind of mist or steam seeping from vents and conduits into the interior of a spacecraft* Aeryn is a highly capable warrior and fighter pilot from a militaristic society with a mission to achieve peace in the galaxy, under their rule. You could say she had me at Hello, or when she first removed her helmet. *laughter*
There is nothing about her undeniably female person that is weak or over-emotional. She does not pine, or mope, even when she clearly is in love. She is capable instead of waiting, or making a difficult choice to leave until her intended can be with her on more suitable terms. And even when those she loves die, she does not cry and make a scene in front of others, but goes away to grieve properly and say her farewells...and then she pulls herself together and goes back to being a soldier. I wish I was as strong as Aeryn Sun.
Aeryn also has the curious distinction of being confronted by two equally original copies of her love interest, a Commander from Earth. At first I related to this in the sense that the one I was interested in seemed so different within the facts in my memory as compared to my present observation of him. Both were 'real' and both equally Him, yet they were distinct, and it hurt sometimes to just know of the differences. Since arriving in 'Nexusville', I have all new levels of appreciation for Aeryn's plight!
One would think I would be somehow discouraged after the fifth time. I know I keep saying I am over Him. But, again, the TV show is a comfort to me. Their fictional ability to traverse wormholes into various realized and unrealized realities is not so different from this multi-verse we are experiencing. So, when you think of five, in relation to infinite possibilities, there's still a really good chance that there is a universe where and when one of them is actually for me. And even though I am strong, and independent, and do not need Him, that chance that somewhere out there there may even be one is a constant comfort to me.
[ooc: Slipstream is physically in her quarters. "You" may already be there watching Sci-fi shows with her, or choose to politely ask for admittance, contact her virtually, or otherwise completely ignore. "You" here meaning any character, basically.]
*Slipstream is in her quarters viewing an old episode of a Science-fiction program from Earth. The monitor is no big screen, but it is raised on a console table and large enough to display small details, including the now-dated quality of the video. Slipstream is seated in a straight-backed chair, tipped back on it's rear legs, with her own heels up on a shelf of the console. She is snacking on a plate of cookies.*
When I was avoiding bounty hunter and Guard detection on Earth and my brothers were no longer with me, my main comfort was watching Earth media. They have a lot of interesting programs, like shows with 'TV judges' settling disputes for individuals so ignorantly eager to have their fifteen minutes of fame that they will air all their grievances, potential flaws an propensity to color the truth on nationally broadcast show. I don't think I would ever agree to resolve my disputes in such a format, but if I did, I'd definitely have Ramjet appear as my witness. *laughs*
My favorite shows, however, are Sci-fi, be they dramas, comedies or even animated fare. Sometimes I'd watch fantasy genre stuff, but if it comes to a choice between Xena and Seven-of-Nine, I'll pick Seven. And that's one of the reasons I do like Science-fiction: they have interesting, competent, strong female characters. Even in the old serials, with their model rockets on strings, there were spirited female characters like Dale Arden and Wilma Dearing. Sure they got in trouble sometimes and needed a hero to rescue them, but they also had their chances to play rescuer, and to uncover so many interesting plots along the way. Princess Leia is a character in this same tradition: one of her early plots involves her being captive and in need of rescuing, but she's also a diplomat, a capable resistance fighter, and just a take-charge female who is not afraid to get dirty if it means saving her companions.
The Star Trek franchise had kind of a mix. In the earlier produced shows, the females tended to be alike to go-go dancers and receptionists! But the series progressed in a favorable way, especially when they would focus on the struggle of an 'alien' female to assimilate into the Federation. Don't get me started on how like the slaggin' Autobot regime the Federation is! I mean, practically the only thing that sets them apart is that the Federation is supposed to have this tolerance of alien cultures, but they sure have a lot of episodes about conflicting cultures! Anyway, I loved Seven!
She was from the Big Bad's side: one of the Borg, largely cybernetic. Even in that state, she was hotter than all the Federation females in their frumpy military uniforms. I find, if you watch enough of these shows, and their spandex, Lycra, leather and vinyl costuming of human actors, you can develop an appreciation for human aesthetics and understand which character is the 'hot chick'. But then the Doctor gave her a make-over - lots of make-over shows in Earth media, too - and she was just hot. Oh, I'm sure there is some human female somewhere complaining that she was too sexually objectified. No! I disagree; Seven rocked the cyborg corset and heels. It was empowering that she, used to assimilating others into her way of thinking, so almost-by-accident assimilated herself into the Federation crew so successfully just by changing her hair. All the males - and probably a number of females - totally forgot she was 'the enemy' and just thought her hot. Now that is using guile and a nice pair of heels to advantage! *giggles*
There are so many beautiful characters in these Sci-fi shows. I do not mean in the sense of human aesthetics, but that there is an attractive radiant core. These characters can be valiant warriors, or gifted scientists - or sometimes both like Dr. Sam Carter in Stargate - yet retain that quality of being somehow female. Accepted perhaps by the 'guys', even valued, yet not required to be male herself.
And, there are also very intriguing characters with female gender, but who are AI, or not fully human, such as Sharon Apple, or Synergy or Zoe Graystone. I am quite partial to the Major from Ghost in the Shell. These are of interest to me, like Seven, because they do not necessarily have 'sex' in the sense of physical organic bodies with female reproductive organs compatible with males of their species. They can be sexless...and yet they are...well, they are like me I suppose. And, that is what is comforting about Science-fiction shows, for me.
It is comforting to have - especially when hiding out on a planet dominated by small organics - some sense that there are others out there with the same troubles and challenges in their life. I'm not exactly the hero or the leader, or even one that others believe the largest threat, I'm the bad girl, I suppose.
Like Evil-lyn. She is an intelligent, cunning, female accomplice to a powerful warlord - and she has great fashion sense! She is not forced to wear pink. She is not relegated only to fighting the female in the opposing army - though she often does so - she can go up against the hero herself! And, if not for the laws of western animated children's television fare, she might have actually defeated He-man!
But one of my all time favorite female Science-fiction characters is nearly human; the radiant Aeryn Sun from Farscape. *Gestures to the episode she is currently watching which involves some kind of mist or steam seeping from vents and conduits into the interior of a spacecraft* Aeryn is a highly capable warrior and fighter pilot from a militaristic society with a mission to achieve peace in the galaxy, under their rule. You could say she had me at Hello, or when she first removed her helmet. *laughter*
There is nothing about her undeniably female person that is weak or over-emotional. She does not pine, or mope, even when she clearly is in love. She is capable instead of waiting, or making a difficult choice to leave until her intended can be with her on more suitable terms. And even when those she loves die, she does not cry and make a scene in front of others, but goes away to grieve properly and say her farewells...and then she pulls herself together and goes back to being a soldier. I wish I was as strong as Aeryn Sun.
Aeryn also has the curious distinction of being confronted by two equally original copies of her love interest, a Commander from Earth. At first I related to this in the sense that the one I was interested in seemed so different within the facts in my memory as compared to my present observation of him. Both were 'real' and both equally Him, yet they were distinct, and it hurt sometimes to just know of the differences. Since arriving in 'Nexusville', I have all new levels of appreciation for Aeryn's plight!
One would think I would be somehow discouraged after the fifth time. I know I keep saying I am over Him. But, again, the TV show is a comfort to me. Their fictional ability to traverse wormholes into various realized and unrealized realities is not so different from this multi-verse we are experiencing. So, when you think of five, in relation to infinite possibilities, there's still a really good chance that there is a universe where and when one of them is actually for me. And even though I am strong, and independent, and do not need Him, that chance that somewhere out there there may even be one is a constant comfort to me.
[ooc: Slipstream is physically in her quarters. "You" may already be there watching Sci-fi shows with her, or choose to politely ask for admittance, contact her virtually, or otherwise completely ignore. "You" here meaning any character, basically.]