Supernatural Fandom Thoughts
Nov. 3rd, 2009 10:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
borgmama1of5Thought Number 1--
It occurred to me tonight that those in the fandom who read the fanfic stories have a different experience than those who just watch the show.
In the half-dozen or so episodes that show the Winchester boys' childhood and the interactions with their dad when they are adults, Kripke has written sketches to show the audience the primary type of family relationship--John is hard, Dean is Sam's protector, Sam is the rebel--and also clearly shows how bonded they all are to each other.
What the really good fanfic does is take those sketches and fill in specifics, both pre-show and between episodes, that investigate the nuances to the relationships. What is interesting to me is, that after an intense immersion in fanfic in a short time period, I find that the basic interpretation of the family dynamics is pretty darn close between the different authors. Differences in the details, but one can (okay, I did) print out stories from a variety of writers, put them in time sequence, and they mesh pretty fluidly with each other and with the show.
So that, when I watch the season 5 episodes now, I have a really deep backstory to put the episode in context.
It is quite possible that everyone else already knew this and is going 'duh,' but hey, I just figured it out.
And now, for my spoiler-y thought on season 5
First we meet the Anti-Christ little boy Jesse, get enough time to bond with him, and he disappears.
Then we meet the man-witch Patrick, who, contrary to the way the 'monster of the week' is treated, is allowed to go along his merry way.
Two new characters in 2 weeks, both fleshed out a bit, and both with 'what happened to them' left open.
Not too hard to think Jesse might show up again at a pivotal point in the battle between the angels and demons.
But what about Patrick? His being left alive was so atypical, I wonder if he might have a part to play in the Apocalypse too? Maybe Kripke left his fate dangling for a reason?
Did anyone else think something like this?
And on a different note, that Dean/Bobby scene at the end of 5.07 was to so set up Bobby's death--I will stake money on that one. Unfortunately.
It occurred to me tonight that those in the fandom who read the fanfic stories have a different experience than those who just watch the show.
In the half-dozen or so episodes that show the Winchester boys' childhood and the interactions with their dad when they are adults, Kripke has written sketches to show the audience the primary type of family relationship--John is hard, Dean is Sam's protector, Sam is the rebel--and also clearly shows how bonded they all are to each other.
What the really good fanfic does is take those sketches and fill in specifics, both pre-show and between episodes, that investigate the nuances to the relationships. What is interesting to me is, that after an intense immersion in fanfic in a short time period, I find that the basic interpretation of the family dynamics is pretty darn close between the different authors. Differences in the details, but one can (okay, I did) print out stories from a variety of writers, put them in time sequence, and they mesh pretty fluidly with each other and with the show.
So that, when I watch the season 5 episodes now, I have a really deep backstory to put the episode in context.
It is quite possible that everyone else already knew this and is going 'duh,' but hey, I just figured it out.
And now, for my spoiler-y thought on season 5
First we meet the Anti-Christ little boy Jesse, get enough time to bond with him, and he disappears.
Then we meet the man-witch Patrick, who, contrary to the way the 'monster of the week' is treated, is allowed to go along his merry way.
Two new characters in 2 weeks, both fleshed out a bit, and both with 'what happened to them' left open.
Not too hard to think Jesse might show up again at a pivotal point in the battle between the angels and demons.
But what about Patrick? His being left alive was so atypical, I wonder if he might have a part to play in the Apocalypse too? Maybe Kripke left his fate dangling for a reason?
Did anyone else think something like this?
And on a different note, that Dean/Bobby scene at the end of 5.07 was to so set up Bobby's death--I will stake money on that one. Unfortunately.
