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John Sheppard is one scary piece of work.
Nov. 27th, 2005 09:48 pmSo, I'm thinking about Sheppard.
More specifically, I'm trying to figure out how to reconcile the two aspects of Sheppard that are currently sharing an uneasy coexistence in my head. Because, see, there's the Sheppard I wrote the other day, in the flashfic, who is all things to all people, running around (subtly, so as not to muss the hair, but still) trying his damndest to keep them all safe, doing everything he can just to make their lives better and easier. Sure, he's suave and chill and so charming you could shine your shoes with him, but the guy genuinely cares about all the people he works with. I see this particularly when he goes after Sumner and the others, and when he brings the Athosians back. I see it when he doesn't want to leave Atlantis. I also see it when he's letting Teyla teach him to fight with the sticks, because it's not a skill he needs to be learning, but it seems to do her a lot of good to teach it. I mean, sure, he enjoys it, but I don't think he does a lot of things just because they're fun, not in his day-to-day life. He's too aware, I guess. He's very good at making the things he has to do enjoyable, but they're always first. This is the John Sheppard I think appears most often in fanfiction, particularly in fanfiction that uses him as one of the romantic leads. It makes sense, really—it's much easier to imagine this Sheppard in love than the other Sheppard there is.
This, of course, is Major Sheppard, Professional Scary Bastard.
Because how many of the Genii does Sheppard take out during The Storm/The Eye? And, just in general, does he ever seem even slightly bothered by all the killing he does? Admittedly, he does this for a living, and admittedly, we maybe aren't seeing as much of his tortured underbelly as perhaps the more angstthirsty of us would like (includes self). But still. Where are this man's coping mechanisms?
Beyond his sheer willingness to resort to violence, um, a lot, I feel like he doesn't actually connect with other people very well. He smiles and nods, has a witty comment and a charming smirk, and then he just goes off and does whatever the fuck he wants. And I can't help but feel that Lt Colonel John Sheppard has the capacity to become a seriously scary guy, given half a chance. All in a good cause, of course...
Which, of course, is why I love him, but it makes it hard to get into his head.
More later, when the stats is done, or maybe the long-plotted entry on Genderfuck and Why I Like It. Or maybe nothing at all.
More specifically, I'm trying to figure out how to reconcile the two aspects of Sheppard that are currently sharing an uneasy coexistence in my head. Because, see, there's the Sheppard I wrote the other day, in the flashfic, who is all things to all people, running around (subtly, so as not to muss the hair, but still) trying his damndest to keep them all safe, doing everything he can just to make their lives better and easier. Sure, he's suave and chill and so charming you could shine your shoes with him, but the guy genuinely cares about all the people he works with. I see this particularly when he goes after Sumner and the others, and when he brings the Athosians back. I see it when he doesn't want to leave Atlantis. I also see it when he's letting Teyla teach him to fight with the sticks, because it's not a skill he needs to be learning, but it seems to do her a lot of good to teach it. I mean, sure, he enjoys it, but I don't think he does a lot of things just because they're fun, not in his day-to-day life. He's too aware, I guess. He's very good at making the things he has to do enjoyable, but they're always first. This is the John Sheppard I think appears most often in fanfiction, particularly in fanfiction that uses him as one of the romantic leads. It makes sense, really—it's much easier to imagine this Sheppard in love than the other Sheppard there is.
This, of course, is Major Sheppard, Professional Scary Bastard.
Because how many of the Genii does Sheppard take out during The Storm/The Eye? And, just in general, does he ever seem even slightly bothered by all the killing he does? Admittedly, he does this for a living, and admittedly, we maybe aren't seeing as much of his tortured underbelly as perhaps the more angstthirsty of us would like (includes self). But still. Where are this man's coping mechanisms?
Beyond his sheer willingness to resort to violence, um, a lot, I feel like he doesn't actually connect with other people very well. He smiles and nods, has a witty comment and a charming smirk, and then he just goes off and does whatever the fuck he wants. And I can't help but feel that Lt Colonel John Sheppard has the capacity to become a seriously scary guy, given half a chance. All in a good cause, of course...
Which, of course, is why I love him, but it makes it hard to get into his head.
More later, when the stats is done, or maybe the long-plotted entry on Genderfuck and Why I Like It. Or maybe nothing at all.
