DPP: Canon v. Fanon

[workerbee73.livejournal.com]

Canon \ˈka-nən\-- n.  The authentic works of a writer; a sanctioned or accepted group or body of related works.

Fanon \ˈfa-nən\-- n.  A term used in fanfiction to describe commonly accepted ideas among authors even if they are not actually expressed in the canon work.

So today I'm curious about fanon.  Is it supported by the source material?  How the hell did we come up with it?  Does it enrich our experience of the text and other stories?  Help or hindrance?

YOUR MISSION:
A.  Help me come up with a list of commonly accepted fanon ideas in the K/l-verse.  Here's a few to get us started:

1.  Kara and Lee are like the best pilots ever OMG.
2.  Lee and Zak's family had money.
3.  Zak was brilliant in another area other then vipers, such a raptor piloting or communications.
4.  Kara was a high-school pyramid champion.
5.  Starbuck and Apollo and famous throughout the Academy, and later after the show starts, throughout the Fleet.
6.  That there is such a thing as a D-CAG (deputy CAG).

I'm sure I've left out a bunch-- that's where I need your help.

B.  Discuss.  Are these ideas supported/not supported by canon?  How does it enrich the development of the characters as you see them?


Good luck.  : )

Comments

[lapsedprof.livejournal.com]

Wow. The Lee-love as kiss of death. Never thought of that (but as you say, what a way to go). Even given damao2010's correction below, it isn't a great record - and I never noticed it before.

As for Kara - you've compiled some evidence here for her promiscuity (you're such careful and attentive "reader" - I love it!), that prompts me to consider a point I tend to dismiss. I generally agree with what damao2010 says below, i.e., that we really don't see Kara being terribly promiscuous: "the only people we actually see her involved with were Zac (steady relationship), Baltar (one night stand), Sam (steady relationship) and Lee (soulmate?)."

But we certainly do hear otherwise. You've noted that perhaps this evidence should be taken with a grain of salt, since Hotdog, Sam, and Lee may not be entirely trustworthy narrators in talking about Kara's sexual behavior, given that that they have their own agendas (e.g., general cluelessnes/ship's chorus who repeats rumor for Hotdog vs. the jealousy/humiliation/ anger that may motivate Lee and Sam). I'm not convinced - but It does seem to be open to interpretation.

My husband's theory - based on some commentary stuff and his intuitive understanding of RDM and crew - is that to RDM, Kara is the girl you want but can never have. So there's some lethal resentment projected onto her (slut!) - and on to those who do get to have her (shot in the head and incinerated by the sun; made irrelevant, dismissed, and abandoned). And - it just occurs to me - let's not forget who gets the porch-swing ending - the very man she sexually humiliated in the most cringeworthy way. It's just a theory - but I see it as another way to get at the madonna/whore stuff that innibis has mentioned and that I slapped me in the face during the finale.

On the other hand, as you suggest, a degree of psychological skittishness would be natural for Lee, given his experiences. And I confess that the only way I can see his ending as *happy* or remotely *contented* is to imagine that for the moment he's happy to be left alone, given how stressful his primary relationships were - all those women he loved offing themselves and all.

And then, when that profound sense of disappointment that those last 45 minutes left me with returns, I indulge in fan fic - to bring us back to the broader topic of today's discussion. At this point, I gotta take canon and fanon together in complementary doses.

[workerbee73.livejournal.com]

My husband's theory - based on some commentary stuff and his intuitive understanding of RDM and crew - is that to RDM, Kara is the girl you want but can never have. So there's some lethal resentment projected onto her (slut!) - and on to those who do get to have her (shot in the head and incinerated by the sun; made irrelevant, dismissed, and abandoned). And - it just occurs to me - let's not forget who gets the porch-swing ending - the very man she sexually humiliated in the most cringeworthy way. It's just a theory - but I see it as another way to get at the madonna/whore stuff that innibis has mentioned and that I slapped me in the face during the finale.

**drowns in the genius of this observation**

[(Anonymous)]

Ok that theory about RDM sounds really plausible! that's so observant, especially after his comments about Kara in the flashback, when he was all "it's just fun and games for her". I doubt Katee would agree with that.
I also think there might have been a bit of jealousy towards Jamie involved, but that's just me.

I think what you're saying about Lee's ending is quite true, too. I realise I'm pretty much on my own here, but I think Lee had already made his peace with the fact that he and Kara would never be by the end. He's on his own now, but to some extent it's probably freeing to be without the nagging thoughts about what could be, you know? Because I do think he had his insecurities about Kara too, about not being enough, about her not loving him in the same way he loved her. Now he can remember her and put that to a rest and explore a new world with his memories in his heart (until he starves to death of course).
Not the ending I wanted and in no way an adequate ending, but I don't think Lee was mortally depressed for the rest of his days (that is until the hunger set in).

Re Kara: Again I'm probably alone in this, but I always thought: so she's promiscuous, whatever... Not a problem, when she's single and her cheating is more of a symptom for deeper problems.

[damao2010.livejournal.com]

I pretty much agree with you here. It was not the ending I wanted or thought they deserved, but I don't think Lee would be "mortally depressed for the rest of his days" because of Kara. I believe she would forever be a bittersweet memory for him and that he would be working to help his people to build their new lives. After all he is a natural leader and I just don't see him wandering off on his own to "explore", as I have read in some fics.

About Kara - I don't think it is such a big deal for her to be promiscuous. But I just thought this assumption was not true to character since we didn't see any proof of that on screen - except for hearsay.

[(Anonymous)]

Idk, in my mind he would probably not go for a leadership position anymore. I think he would have been okay without the responsability for a while. I kinda liked his boyish excitment for the new planet, so I think he did explore for a while, but I don't think he lived the rest of his life in solitude. He just went off to explore now and again and then came back and helped with the settlement. But that's all just my imagination. (And I still don't like the prehistoric setting).

I agree that there is not much proof of Karas promiscuity in canon, I just don't mind it when it comes up in fic.

[damao2010.livejournal.com]

"I think he would have been okay without the responsability for a while." "I think he did explore for a while, but I don't think he lived the rest of his life in solitude."

That's exactly what I think. What I meant before is that he is not the kind of person who just sits back and refrains from giving his opinion or actively participating in things. He wouldn't need to be a formal leader (president, representative, whatever) to lead. Natural leaders are people who others see as such and because of that are respected and heard by the group they belong to.