Thursday DPP: The Incomparables

[pennyante.livejournal.com]

We like to think of the pilots as unique. And of course they are; our gutsy but screwy Kara and noble but flawed Lee, simmering away in their tortuous stew of baggage and war and Hero Problems and temperamental differences—they’re in a class of their own.

But do we see other duos in pop culture who have something in common with their dynamic? Mulder and Scully’s way of perfectly complementing each other, professionally? Dharma and Greg’s exaggeratedly mismatched approaches to law and social conventions? From Casablanca, Rick and Ilsa’s situation of being separated by side effects of a culture of war?

Do we know other individual characters who are like either one of them? (Is it just me, or does Dawson Leary tell us something about a young Lee Adama? Tell me if you hate that idea, I can handle it.) Some of the characters who remind me most of Kara are strong female characters on nighttime soaps, like Sandra Oh’s Christina on Grey’s Anatomy and Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl. ‘Cause ladies who are both powerful and  flawed ain’t the easiest to come by.

Though I haven’t read it yet, I know there’s an impressively scaled Hunger Games/BSG crossover fic out there. I wonder if Katniss, Peeta, and Gale tell us anything about Kara and Lee (and Sam).

So—to whom should we compare the pilots?

Who do we see in shades of Starbuck and Apollo? In what ways? Too many of my examples above are from American TV (sorry), but let's allow our brains to roam through whatever we want. TV, movies, books, graphic novels—nothing’s off the table. This would also be a great time to rec crossovers that tap into an AU dynamic.

Comments

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Mockingjay ruined Katniss for me. By the end of the book I didn’t care for her anymore, I could barely recognize the character I loved in the previous books.

UGH YESSSS A THOUSAND TIMES YES. It took the worst elements of her characterization (her passivity, her closed off ness) and made them a thousand times worse by the end of MJ complicated of course by her PTSD. All the people who always say to me "Well didn't she deserve to just sit in a field and rock and have a simple life at the end for all the terrible things she went through?" make me just look at Kara -- who also went through PTSD and horrible things and still remained a total fighter throughout it all. That's what I wanted for Katniss--for her to fight harder than ever because of what she experienced not essentially crawl into a field of dandelions and wait to die because of it. Ugh. (Re; Lee forever grieving! YES! That's why he needs to die five minutes after the poof! So he doesn't have to live in terrible sadness for long!)

And yes about Cassie and Rob!! They both actually reminded me of Kara in certain ways, but collectively their bond and partnership and banter and reliance on each other--totally reminded me of pilots. <3 <3 I need her to go back and tell their story more/better dammit!! But you're very welcome. I'm excited for Broken Harbor in a few months! Yay!

[cosetteferaud.livejournal.com]

That's what I wanted for Katniss--for her to fight harder than ever because of what she experienced not essentially crawl into a field of dandelions and wait to die because of it. Ugh

UGH. I AM STILL SO MAD AT SUZANNE COLLINS!!! Seriously. I can’t even get excited for the movies because that ending sucked so much!!! And I think Katniss PTSD was incredibly poorly handled –but oh well, most of the characterizations in MJ fell flat and the pace felt so rushed. Johanna definitely emerged as the kind of heroine Katniss should have been. Le sigh.

I am excited for Broken Harbor too! I'm sure she can't write a book I won't like. Buuuuuut, TANA PLEASE BRING ROB AND CASSIE BACK!!! :P

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Ugh I know. ME NEITHER. The way she chose to write the ending, that hazy detatched state, totally filtering it through the PTSD lens...didn't do much to make me think Katniss had much to live for/a good life after the ending. The offhand nonchalant mention of the kids and peeta--blegh. That was very sad and depressing.

To be fair, Johanna didn't even rate much of a mention at the end at all, so who knows what happened to her, but I think she was a fighter and a survivor and yeah, I think she would've managed.

Yeah that's how feel too about French. I do at least hope her next book has a strong female protag (and how about some romance!) because I'd like to see what she can do with another lady character.

[cosetteferaud.livejournal.com]

Yup, still numb 20 years later? Come on! Maybe it is realistic (I am not a PTSD expert), but it seems bad writing to me honestly. I was just so disappointed :/

And yeah, Johanna was a very secondary character but she was so awesome! She went through similar circumstances and was as broken/damaged/traumatized as Kat and never stopped fighting. The same goes for Gale –he ended up being my favorite character from the whole series (I think he could have been better developed, but still).

I want Tana to write another female character too! Oddly (because I am always drawn to ladies) Rob is my fave of them, but Cassie was a great combination of badassery and vulnerability and I’d love to see how she handles another female protag.