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[timepiececlock]

Why is it that, on most of the shows I watch, the ending is a sad one for my romantic pairing of choice?

Seriously.: Escaflowne. CB. Buffy. Moulin Rouge. Lord of the Rings (I'm an Aragorn/Eowyn fan). Farscape. Donnie Darko. Even Mulder & Scully, though together, were plagued by the loss of their child and the doom of mankind.

You know that thing that all the best love stories end in tragedy? Not so cool, despite the prettiness of it. All my favorite pairings (except Vash/Meryl), most of them canon-pairings, always seem to end with death or forced separation. I have a great lack of emotional gratification with this.

Comments

[sue-donym.livejournal.com]

But see, I'm not happy unless a show/movie has ripped out my heart and stomped on it. I can't think of a movie where the couple has ended up together that's made my favorite movie list.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I adored the ending for Buffy & Spike-- it was sad but it was romantic, and romantic was what I really wanted. Nice icon, by the way.

But sometimes I want the big ending. For example, Farscape, John & Aeryn. That had a beautiful romanic ending, with a marraige proposal that was accepted. And I didn't want the tragedy with them, because their whole freakin 4 YEARS of the show had been filled with gut-wrenching tragedy. I was in a state of bliss that they'd finally decided to hold onto the one thing that did make them happy.

Then they were vaporized for future study by an alien, and the show ended with a "To be continued" sign. ::sigh:: That was thing that was almost just perfect.

It seems even the ones that don't end in death or forced separation, are kind of vague. Like Trigun, or Gundam Wing. There's heavy implications, but it's still inconclusive if they have a future.

[evemac.livejournal.com]

I can't think of a movie where the couple has ended up together that's made my favorite movie list.

Exactly.

And it's the same with books, too. Have you read anything by Philip Pullman? Ouch. He's not a big fan of the romantic happy ending.

The only one of my favorite book ships I can think of that ended happily is Meg/Calvin. From Madeliene L'Engle's series.

But IMO, regarding Buffy and Spike, Joss ended it that way because the story wasn't truly over. And he knew that.

[jaina.livejournal.com]

Word on the Escaflowne. She couldn't have stayed FIVE MORE MINUTES? And what was your CB pairing, if I may ask? I can probably guess one half...

Vash and Meryl have it rough, too, what with her being seduced by his evil brother...wait. That's just in my fic. Never mind.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

The end of Escaflowne broke my heart, the way the final scene of Spike&Buffy in Chosen broke my heart. It was so beautiful, but you just have to let go. The weird thing is that I was so impressed by Escaflowne as a show that I've had zero interest in reading fanfic for it. I tried. I want to imagine that they'll get back together some day, and so forth, but really I feel like the show was so conclusive in that vein, that I don't need to muck with my memory/imagination of it by reading actual fic.

My CB pairing was Spike and Faye-- I was deliberately vague because I know someone who just discovered the show and I don't want to ruin it for her. But really, Spike/Julia is of course also true on the tragedy vein. Either way, the pairing went down unhappily. What CB pairing do you like?

Vash and Meryl have it rough, too, what with her being seduced by his evil brother...wait. That's just in my fic. Never mind.

::laugh:: Vash & Meryl ended much the way Gundam Wing ended for Heero & Relena-- the foundation has been laid, the implications are heavy and varied, but the ending itself is kind of hopeful but ambiguous. More of a promise of beginning than a finished story.

[jaina.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed Escaflowne, though in some ways it seemed rushed during the final episodes--but I do like to imagine they'll be together again sometime. No reason she can't go back. Really, that's the only thing that bothered me about the ending--she has no pressing reason she must go back RIGHT this second, so what, they can't even have a nice dinner together first? Oh, and I cheered for Millerna when she dumped Allen's ass. I hope she ends up with Dryden. I like Allen, but he was starting to get creepy.

I'm not a big fan of CB pairings, actually. I love the way Agent Orange characterizes them--as a fucked up, dysfunctional, yet loving family. I can't stand Julia on principle; she made Spike go off to die, which made Faye cry, ergo she made Faye cry and I adore Faye so Julia is a pigfucker. (Faye is the world's greatest anime joke. "Awright, fanboys, here's the best package of fanservice ever...BUT she's an interesting character with a strong story! Haw, haw, fooled you!") I'm not a big Spike/Faye fan because...well, I don't see them that way most of the time, and most S/F fics are written because they're both pretty. If you have any good recs, I'd love to read them. I kind of lean toward Faye/Jet. I think they could be very good for each other, and they both got kind of shafted on story resolution.

I thought the ending for Vash and Meryl was pretty good, because a big part of Trigun's ending was that it was really a new beginning for Vash. Also, I own lots and lots of doujinshi, which helps. Vash/Meryl is my one true, and Knives/Meryl is the slut that lures me away.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I cheered for Millerna when she dumped Allen's ass. I hope she ends up with Dryden. I like Allen, but he was starting to get creepy.

I liked Dryden way better than Allen-- and he'd totally make a better husband too. Allen was cool to start; very intelligent, but the possessiveness he had toward Hitomi did creep me out a bit. That and the weird thing with his sister. He was one messed up guy who tired very hard to be like everyone else.

I love the way Agent Orange characterizes them--as a fucked up, dysfunctional, yet loving family.

I really like Agent Orange fanfic, especially the Spike/Faye buddy-fic on earth, and the one where he turns up alive and works at a junk yard. Makes me laugh my ass off and feel sorry for them at the same time.

I can't stand Julia on principle; she made Spike go off to die, which made Faye cry, ergo she made Faye cry and I adore Faye so Julia is a pigfucker.

I disliked her because she embodied everything about the traditional woman who, "only brings badness and ruins things"-- from being associated with soft things like flowers, to bringing the hero to his doom. She's like the Eve who commited the original sin and who pit brother against brother. On the other hand, the other significant woman in the series-- Faye, is the total opposite to Julia, and that's why I liked her.

I'm not a big Spike/Faye fan because...well, I don't see them that way most of the time, and most S/F fics are written because they're both pretty. If you have any good recs, I'd love to read them.

I made a huge list once, for circe_tigana, about every Spike/Faye fic I'd found that was of decent quality. I wrote a comment on each one, so you'll see the ones I really liked. My favorite is definitely the one at the top, "She Wanted to Die" and it's sequel (which is not so much a sequel as the same thing continuing.) It's... it's so fucked up. And I don't know if it will even end in Spike/Faye, but it's sure a great read. Hot and twisted and funny and angsty and angry and moving and really fucked up. Lots of focus on Jet and Ed, too. I have a couple of recs on the list that are just general CB fics too, without ships. The best ones are at the beginning and the end of the list (you gotta read "Bell Peppers and Beef"-- it's fits into canon and handles both ships beautifully, and it's really unfairly good), but I'd reccomend them all.

I kind of lean toward Faye/Jet. I think they could be very good for each other, and they both got kind of shafted on story resolution.

Some people have told me that they think Jet was in love with Faye by the end, but I'm not so sure. Maybe. I do think Faye was quite obviously in love with Spike, regardless of how he felt. I wrote a lot about CB and my reactions to the potential pairings and the ending in the "anime reviews" and "essays" parts of my LJ memories.

You should look at this fic, you'll just die:
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1419639
It's a Trigun/CB crossover, and it's good. So far no real ships.

I thought the ending for Vash and Meryl was pretty good, because a big part of Trigun's ending was that it was really a new beginning for Vash.

That's what I liked about it. They might get together, they might not, but it's all ok, because Vash is ok now. Have you ever seen Fight Club? At the very end, Jack/Narrator is talking to Marla after everything's happened, and he says, "I'm ok, I'm really ok now," because he's finally sorted himself out. The way Vash was in the end kind of reminded me of that.

Is there any good online Dojinshi you can rec?

[jaina.livejournal.com]

I liked Dryden way better than Allen-- and he'd totally make a better husband too.

God, really. And he's very secure in his masculinity to wear that floppy-bow thing. Allen needs to just move on from that family and learn to be himself. Or he can fuck his sister, whatever.

I disliked her because she embodied everything about the traditional woman who, "only brings badness and ruins things"-- from being associated with soft things like flowers, to bringing the hero to his doom. She's like the Eve who commited the original sin and who pit brother against brother. On the other hand, the other significant woman in the series-- Faye, is the total opposite to Julia, and that's why I liked her.

Also, Faye doesn't just completely suck.

Someone at anime club last week pointed out that Julia also doesn't return to Spike until her life is in danger. For most of the series, Vicious is not actively hunting down Spike. They could have at least tried to be together. Stupid bint.

I made a huge list once, for circe_tigana, about every Spike/Faye fic I'd found that was of decent quality.

Eeeh, thanks. Will get to reading these soon. While S/F is not my numbah one pairing, I'm not opposed to it when done well. Looking forward to seeing what people do with it.

Some people have told me that they think Jet was in love with Faye by the end, but I'm not so sure. Maybe.

I don't think he was, really. I think he cared about her, and vice versa. I think they could be very good for each other, which is pretty much the basis for my ship and why it's not a really strong one for me. I just want them to have a good ending.

I do think Faye was quite obviously in love with Spike, regardless of how he felt.

I think Faye definitely loved Spike, but whether it was a romantic love...that's pretty arguable to me. The way she'd been living for so long, I think the prospect of losing anyone she'd come to love, romantically or not, would have upset her that way, just because she wasn't used to being close to anyone...and now that she was...

It's a Trigun/CB crossover, and it's good. So far no real ships.

Whee, large list o' fics! I love recs. They save me the trouble of getting off my ass and hunting stuff down myself.

In my head there is a Trigun/CB crossover, but no real plot, just a lot of fun moments. Like Jet and Vash comparing arms and Jet being envious, Jet and Spike insulting each other's hair, Faye and Meryl kicking ass together...I have this whole scenario in which bounty hunters decide to use "the Stampede's woman" to lure him in and end up capturing Faye and Meryl, who are together at the moment for some reason. Maybe they're going shopping for lingerie and bullets. I don't know. So they figure that the girlfriend of a notorious badass would be sexy like Faye, and 1+1=3. And Meryl is unpleased.

I don't know, it's just my brain, I don't use it.

That's what I liked about it. They might get together, they might not, but it's all ok, because Vash is ok now. Have you ever seen Fight Club? At the very end, Jack/Narrator is talking to Marla after everything's happened, and he says, "I'm ok, I'm really ok now," because he's finally sorted himself out. The way Vash was in the end kind of reminded me of that.

I've read FC, but haven't seen it yet. I think I should, between this and my other Chuck Palahniuk-freak friend. But I do know exactly what you mean. It's a huge part of the ending to Trigun, and one of the reasons it satisfies me. Vash will be all right.

Is there any good online Dojinshi you can rec?

Oh, lots--unfortunately, most of it needs to be put back online. >.< I do have most of the scans backed up on CD, and I've been meaning to update Mayfly with the doujinshi section, so bug me about it, k? I'm pretty sure I have one of if not the biggest Vash/Meryl doujinshi collection of anyone online. I brought something like 40 books to Otakon, though not all VxM. PannyaxSoup=TEH PRETTY.

[sweet-ali.livejournal.com]

Yeah, see, i hate those endings. Where their love ends up being so dang pure,the powers will just never allow them to end happily. I don't understand why those are considered the best love stories: Casablanca, Romeo and Juliet, Gone with the Wind, etc. Those drive me crazy! Cause i've been loving these characters, working with them through all their pain and finally, finally they make it and bam! Someone gets stabbed in a knife fight and Maria is left singing "Somewhere" all by her lonesome.

For me, the real romance, the good romance, is not that it just ends happily, but really, that's what love is. It's not all drama and rising music, it's hard work and...I'm gonna stop rambling in your journal now. *g*

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I like both happy and sad endgings, as long as its romantic. But I find it interesting to oberserve n myself that most of the ones I pick end up in tragedy.

[caille.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy. I cling to that image.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I'll have to read that book someday.