DPP: Flip the Script
Aug. 6th, 2011 09:41 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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no_takebacksWow! You guys rose to yesterday's mood theme challenge like champions! There's almost 60 pics posted so far, so we're nearly halfway there (why are mood themes so enormous?! I am not so sure I even have 132 moods!) Feel free to keep it going and when we get them all, I'll zip and upload with instructions on how to install and all that jazz.
Now onto today's discussion....
Some truths seem to be kind of universally accepted about pilots even if never explicitly defined in canon. I remember when![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
stars_like_dust wrote the (oh-so-wonderful!) fic Artemis Rising, being surprised that she chose to write a Kara who had been sort of quietly pining/wanting Lee for a while (it's an Academy era fic). It worked wonderfully even though their dynamic had been flipped and it was an approach I hadn't seen before in many fics.
In EOJ, Lee wanted to cheat, Kara refused.
Lee is religious, Kara is not. (Alternatively, Lee believes in Earth, Kara doesn't.)
Lee and Dee muster out and settle on New Caprica. Kara and Sam stay with the fleet and she is promoted to command the Pegasus.
Lee and Dee get marriage tattoos, Kara and Sam don’t. And when Kara loses her ring at the bar, she has a drunken emo breakdown in the hallway.
Kara quits the fleet to be a civvie, while Lee remains Captain Apollo.
Now onto today's discussion....
Some truths seem to be kind of universally accepted about pilots even if never explicitly defined in canon. I remember when
stars_like_dust wrote the (oh-so-wonderful!) fic Artemis Rising, being surprised that she chose to write a Kara who had been sort of quietly pining/wanting Lee for a while (it's an Academy era fic). It worked wonderfully even though their dynamic had been flipped and it was an approach I hadn't seen before in many fics. To that end, here's a list of ideas to explore (many of which were contributed by the brilliant sci_fi_shipper) that turns canon or fanon dynamics on their ear. Discuss. Explore. Argue their possibility or validity. Be inspired. Can you make these changes work and still keep the pilots dynamic intact? Can you come up with others?
sci_fi_shipper) that turns canon or fanon dynamics on their ear. Discuss. Explore. Argue their possibility or validity. Be inspired. Can you make these changes work and still keep the pilots dynamic intact? Can you come up with others? Kara actively pining (wait--is that an oxymoron? Ha!) for Lee, and he is the emotionally unavailable, noncommittal one.
Kara toes the line, Lee's the rebel.
Dee only knows Kara and Lee are friends, CAG and Top Gun, and nothing more. But on Caprica, Helo sees Sam making eyes at Kara and tells him about her connection to Lee. He pursues her harder/anyway.
In EOJ, Lee wanted to cheat, Kara refused.
Lee is religious, Kara is not. (Alternatively, Lee believes in Earth, Kara doesn't.)
Lee and Dee muster out and settle on New Caprica. Kara and Sam stay with the fleet and she is promoted to command the Pegasus.
Lee and Dee get marriage tattoos, Kara and Sam don’t. And when Kara loses her ring at the bar, she has a drunken emo breakdown in the hallway.
Kara falls for Lee first...but then she meets his younger brother. (ooh evil. right?)
Kara quits the fleet to be a civvie, while Lee remains Captain Apollo.
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no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 02:56 pm (UTC)Ooh, I like this one and used it in fic once. I kind of applied Leoben's cycle of time ("maybe last time I was the interrogator and you the prisoner") to Kara and Lee. In another lifetime, she's the straight-laced one, and he the rebel. Maybe they keep switching. I still love this idea. It works for me because it's pilots across time. *sighs happily* Sometimes they get it right and are together, sometimes not. But, they keep finding each other in other timelines.
In EOJ, Lee wanted to cheat, Kara refused.
Ooooooh! That would be delicious. Would Lee be willing to pressure Kara to give up her principles? Would she give them up? If yes, what would that mean for them? If she didn't, what would that mean? Does Lee get to come to her and say, "If I leave Dee, will you leave Sam?" Oh, SNAP. Would she have left Sam if Lee asked her like that? Would she? I do not know!!! I automatically love this one. :-)
Kara quits the fleet to be a civvie, while Lee remains Captain Apollo.
Awww. Can she open a bar? I can see Kara being all Tim Riggins-like (FNL) and working a bar. What happens when Lee walks in? Is she jealous that she can still fly? Or is she past that?
I have another one. What if Lee was the little brother? And she failed him in basic flight? Then went on to serve on the Galactica with Zak? But she still loves Lee but HE HAS NO FEEL FOR FLYING.
You iz breaking my brainz!!!!
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 03:35 pm (UTC)Lee and Dee muster out and settle on New Caprica. Kara and Sam stay with the fleet and she is promoted to command the Pegasus.
One of my favorite fics sort of deals with this (
Promises (http://suffolkgirl.livejournal.com/?skip=10&tag=bsg%20fic%20-%20promises) by
Kara quits the fleet to be a civvie, while Lee remains Captain Apollo.
We also sort of saw this one on the show itself - Kara did quit to settle on NC while Lee remained the commander of the Pegasus.
I often wonder what would have happened if Lee (and perhaps Zac) had been raised by Socrata and Kara had been Bill's daughter. How different would their personalities have been with the different upbringing?
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 03:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 05:09 pm (UTC)Anyway, althought I can't imagine a good reason for her to do that (I mean, even if she couldn't fly anymore, she was still very useful and dedicated as an officer and a trainer to just quit like that) I think it could create interesting possibilities for them. No more frat regs to worry about, for one. And the stress of having so many responsibilities on his shoulders without Kara near to fight/banter with might actually force Lee to more actively reach out to her.
(On a side note, I loved your "Bambering around" icon. Just adorable.)
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 04:02 pm (UTC)I find this one very intriguing. It may have something to do with finding this version of Sam more interesting. I also like that you could push this idea to the point that Dee could act as almost a matchmaker for Kara and Lee getting togther. :)
In EOJ, Lee wanted to cheat, Kara refused.
I like this one because all other things being equal in this scenario, I don't think Kara would be a hesitant to leave her marriage if Lee gave her the same 'If I leave Dee will you leave Sam' speech. I think a pining, faithful Kara would still be willing to risk more than Lee in canon.
And...
What if Kara were Zak's student in basic flight? Maybe instead of no feel for flying Zak feels she's needlessly reckless and fails her?
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 04:08 pm (UTC)I'm trying to think. Canon Kara didn't leave Sam or end their marriage. There are many reasons why but she didn't. I can't see a really faithful, earnest Lee-like Kara divorcing her husband like that. Maybe. Either way, I still think we'd get making out, though. ;-) These are the important things.
Zak feels she's needlessly reckless and fails her?
Wow. Failing Kara Thrace for being reckless in flying. I need to think about that one, it almost doesn't compute in my brain. What would she do then? Become less reckless? Give up flying? It's funny, her recklessness saved so many lives. But in peacetimes? Interesting situation.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 04:44 pm (UTC)But I think canon Kara would have left Sam if Lee had left Dee. I also don't think Kara would necessarily have to be earnest and Lee like to be faithful just taking her vows literally.
But really as long as they're making out... :D
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 04:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 05:13 pm (UTC)I loved this idea. Maybe he thought she was a danger to herself, had suicidal tendencies or something. Then, after the end of the worlds she would be one of the nuggets alongside Hot Dog and Kat.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 09:41 pm (UTC)http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2869716/2/Possibility_Bright_Shiny_Future
is sort of a variation on this. Kara was a pro Pyramid player who joins up with the nuggets and her natural ability draw Lee's attention.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 05:24 pm (UTC)Hmmm... I think in both situations (canon and this imaginary scenario) it is easier for Kara to be, as you put it, more "willing to risk more than Lee in canon". Lee was more hesitant because he had been burned before, after all. However, I interpreted this prompt as meaning there wouldn't be an affair and that there wouldn't be a divorce. If Kara offered to divorce Sam in EOJ so she and Lee could stay together without cheating (all things being the same as you estipulated), then he would have accepted it. End of story. IMO. *shrugs and sighs*
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 06:24 pm (UTC)I think I agree with you here. I think one of my problems with Anders is that he feels very passive (if you can say such a thing of a resistance leader). He never had to chase Kara, and when she started to drift from him he never really seemed to push her to try and make a proper go of things again and instead seems to settle for random fraks. After NC when Kara actively pushes against him and says that she's doing it because she wants to hurt someone he seems to accept that and doesn't seem to try and fight for her. So seeing Anders actually chasing and fighting for Kara potentially makes him a much more interesting figure for me.
What if Kara were Zak's student in basic flight? Maybe instead of no feel for flying Zak feels she's needlessly reckless and fails her?
I'd be really interested to read this if someone could write it. Pretty please with sugar on top? *bats eyes* </not so subtle hint>
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 04:06 pm (UTC)What if Lee died in the maelstrom? Logically Kara should then defend Baltar. I'm having a harder time with why though. To honor Lee's memory? To lose herself in something other than flying?
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 04:13 pm (UTC)But...it would be quite interesting if losing Lee spurred Kara to grieve, realize she should have done something about it, and divorce Sam/stay with Lee when he came back
no subject
Date: 2011-08-06 04:47 pm (UTC)OOOOH, I have more!
Date: 2011-08-06 04:07 pm (UTC)AAAAAAAAAAggggHHHHHHHHH, EEEEEEEEEEEVIL!!!!!!!!!
How about this: Lee meets Kara, and there are sparks flying from moment 1 - only, he's the boyfriend of her younger sister, whom she has been crazy protective of since childhood, trying to shield her from Socrata's "motivational methods"?
What if he's said younger sister's flight instructor and passes her when he shouldn't because she idolises her brilliant pilot older sister and wants more than anything to follow in Kara's footsteps, and he can't bear to crush that dream? And causes her death as a result?
Re: OOOOH, I have more!
Date: 2011-08-06 04:52 pm (UTC)What's interesting too about this idea is that Kara would carry a whole different kind of guilt about her sister wanting to follow in her footsteps than Lee did for Zak's death. Lee blames his father's pressure to become viper pilots and not himself, but Kara's already so willing to burden herself with guilt. I would love to see how Lee would react not only to direct responsibility and guilt but to Kara's own interpretation of being responsible for her sister's death.
Re: OOOOH, I have more!
Date: 2011-08-06 09:36 pm (UTC)