Where Did That Come From?

[ithildin]

One of the interesting things about coming into a fandom long after it has been established is discovering common themes in the fanfic. In a lot of cases, if you just read the fic, and never saw the show, you'd come aways with a totally different idea of the characters from things that keep popping up over and over again. What brought this to mind specifically is coming across yet another fic where Ezra considers Josiah some sort of father figure. That's one of those common themes in M7 fic I keep stumbling over, but as far as the show itself goes, I see nothing to indicate just where that comes from.

So what are some of the fanon canon things in your favourite fandoms that baffle you?

Comments

[tygermama.livejournal.com]

That Vin is shy, he's wary but not shy or skitterish, at least not without cause. He's smart and confident and take the lead when he feels the need and the snark running through his brain that he never says out loud is probably EPIC. (that last bit may just be my personal fanon coming out)

[dejla.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it's a common theme or just a characterization quirk, but so often if there are two men in a show, some fan writers will insist on writing one as delicate. There are very few men in real life or on stage who are actually delicate.

[panthology.livejournal.com]

*Nodding*

A-Team writers tend to do that with Face or Murdock, especially if it's a slash fic.

[dejla.livejournal.com]

And delicate does not come into the makeup with those two. The only one I can see coming anywhere near delicate is any character played by Johnny Depp, and that's just because he's capable of moving so precisely.

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it's a common theme or just a characterization quirk...

I believe it's just a cross fandom characterization quirk. I think it's just how those writers happen to go about differentiating between those male characters. As much as I've gotten over problems I had with slash when I first got online, I know I still worry a lot about how the guys get characterized/how I go about characterizing the guys.

[dejla.livejournal.com]

Well, I still have some problems with slash. But this particular quirk irks me (No, I'm not a poet.) because it's so OOC for most characters. If you need to differentiate between the two, think about them and visualize the differences.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Commenting on my own post! In M7, that Chris routinely gets blindingly drunk and lashes out physically at anyone who looks at him -- usually Ezra.

[fractured-sun.livejournal.com]

This is such a great question, I'm trying to think of some examples now...

Methos never pays for anything and has a huge bar tab (OK so he mentions getting credit at Joe's bar, once, they never mention him owing money, and yes he randomly turns up and raids Macs fridge but so does everyone else) it's such a nice piece of fanon though so I have happily embraced it in my head canon.

Vin is claustrophobic, or won't sleep indoors (I can see where this comes from, he obviously likes the outdoors but I've never noticed him refuse to stay indoors or anything)I think this is ATF canon.

Vin's horse is mean (maybe I missed something when watching the series but I never actually saw any evidence of this)

I may be completely wrong on all these points.

[juniperphoenix]

I think I'm just about to start discovering these things in Stargate Atlantis, because I got hooked on it through fanfic and have just now begun to watch the actual show. It'll be fun to see which things are familiar and which things surprise me. (Also, I have the most ridiculous timing ever: the series is ending this Friday!)

[pen37.livejournal.com]

Oh what fun! Fannon tropes that I've seen in a few fandoms.

from X-Files: Scully used strawberry Shampoo.

From Harry Potter: Ginny steals socks.

From Smallville: Clark Kent is afraid of heights.

Supernatural: Dumb!Dean.

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

I absolutely hate the Dumb!Dean portrayal in Fanon - that one really bugs me too

[pen37.livejournal.com]

I think it comes from the fact that Sam is Exposition!Sam. Since he's always explaining LORE! to Dean, the assumption is that Dean dosen't know it.

[ealgylden.livejournal.com]

Aw, Strawberry Scully was the first piece of fanon I ever encountered, lo those many years ago. That, and that apparently the FBI has costume balls. Now I feel all nostalgic!

[strangevisitor7.livejournal.com]

From Mag7: That Nathan and Ezra hate each other - yes they don't always see eye to eye but hate...don't see it.
Vin's claustrophobia and horrible childhood (ATF mostly)
Chaucer the wonder horse.

From SGA: That Rodney and John aren't really friends - Ive read some stories where John barely tolerates him - Huh?

From SPN: The Dumb!Dean that Pen already mentioned.

Most of the above simply baffle me but the one that really irritates me are the stories where John Winchester is an alcoholic and physically abusive to the boys

[pen37.livejournal.com]

I honestly hate Bad parent!John with the fury of a thousand suns.

[otterevil.livejournal.com]

I think some of the Nathan-Ezra hate (didn't want to put a / there::eg::) comes from the first episodes where they made a point of bringing up the Civil War - Nathan was a Union medic/soldier (I think) and Ezra, a very Southern man, was a Confederate soldier (again, I think - it's been a while since I've seen it). But they got over it, once they proved themselves to each other. I think everyone's trust issues with Ezra lasted longer than the whole racial thing between he and Nathan.

[catyuy.livejournal.com]

I'm still new to the fandom but I think Ezra having a ver clever horse is one of the most logical things I've seen in fandom.
As Ezra is the kind of guy to want an overly clever horse and would teach it tricks.

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

From SGA: That Rodney and John aren't really friends - Ive read some stories where John barely tolerates him - Huh?

Wow, with all the Rodney/John shippers on my friends list I would've thought SGA fanon at least saw them as friends. Maybe those stories are reactions to the guys getting slashed?

[selannia.livejournal.com]

Along with Strawberry Scully, there was Vanilla Buffy.

For some reason, many Buffy stories stated Buffy's favorite scent was vanilla. So she had vanilla perfume and Angel/Spike/Faith would find her by scent or smell vanilla and think of her. Never mentioned in the show.

I'm trying to think of others, but I tend to block out bad and lazy fiction.

[lara-everlong.livejournal.com]

well, generically, certain characters always seem to fall into the "slut" role, even if there's nothing in the original material to substantiate that. suggest, perhaps. proof, definitely not.

I've been revisiting the Harry Potter fandom recently, and I did notice how Draco is always described as being amazingly beautiful, while in the actual books he's definitely not.

let's see... what else... it's kind of fanon in POTC fics that Jack speaks many languages and has read many books...

for the moment that's all I can come up with but I'm sure there are many many more - this is an interesting question, I'm really interested in reading the rest of the comments

[pen37.livejournal.com]

I could buy that he speaks many languages, but knowing what I do of sailing history, I would be unsurprised if he was barely-literate.

Given the time frame, it wouldn't be that far outside the realm of logic.

[panthology.livejournal.com]

On a bit of a tangent - junkfood_monkey came up with something for A-Team fic in the same theme; http://junkfood-monkey.livejournal.com/190969.html

[mischief5.livejournal.com]

HL: Methos is small compared to Duncan. (Bwah?) And emotionally fragile.

NCIS: Gibbs and DiNozzo are both gay -- and gay for each other. (Ah, no.)

SGA: John Sheppard is a slut. Rodney McKay = Ethel Merman in outer space. (::headdesk::)

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

HL: Methos is small compared to Duncan. (Bwah?) And emotionally fragile.

Heh, I believe that comes from slash writers who a) have to make someone "the girl," and b) choose to make Methos "the girl." I've gotten use to there being slash writers in whatever fandom who have to make someone "the girl," I'm not above writing some boys as capable of being girly, what bugs me in HL fandom is people who insist on Methos being so cynical as to be completely inflexible. No one lives 5,000 years without being adaptable.

NCIS: Gibbs and DiNozzo are both gay -- and gay for each other. (Ah, no.)

LOL. My slash goggles aren't good enough to see that pairing, but I have a couple of Gibbs/DiNozzo shippers on my flist. I can't really picture Tony in a slash pairing. I might be able to slash Gibbs/Ducky if I worked at it, but...

SGA: John Sheppard is a slut. Rodney McKay = Ethel Merman in outer space. (::headdesk::)

"John = slut" I can see. The thinking there would be "John = SGA Kirk," "Kirk = slut," "John = slut." Not so sure how one gets from Rodney McKay to Ethel Merman. Maybe Rodney's actor reminds some writers of Nathan Lane?

[fractured-sun.livejournal.com]

Methos is about as emotionally fragile as a actually I can't think of a metaphor that works, but he's not emotionally fragile, he's jaded and cynical. He is though somehow still 'in touch with his feelings' which I think is what adds to the confusion.