I agree with moonshayde about this. Saying gen fic is without emotional connection between the characters hits my hot button big time too! And I know you didn't mean it that way. :-) I try and show the angst and caring between the characters in my gen fic. Even if it's from an outsider's perspective, the closeness of the team is paramount in their interactions.
I will admit, I am one of those who find Sam/Jack to be "forced" in canon. By forced, I mean scenes like "Divide and Conquer". As someone who never saw the chemistry as romantic, a declaration in "Divide and Conquer" seemed like a bolt out of the blue, where does this come from? and an aberration. Much like Jacob and Selmak being together for "four years".
Jack and Sam as together in other realities when their lives were different, sure, a different spin. But I don't think that makes J/S more canon than before. In this reality, Jack and Sam's relationship and respective histories is that of military comrades and close friendship.
Am I saying I'm right and you're wrong? No. I'm just saying that what you're seeing as obvious canon is not what I see as obvious canon. They're different interpretations, and there's been inconsistencies in how the show handles the interaction.
You and moonshayde went round the mulberry bush on the canon of J/S in GS before, and it gave me a lightbulb moment for a whole meta post in my lj about ship in Stargate. What it boiled down to is there is a fundamental difference in perspective without a right or wrong about it. Like that picture where you can see either an old woman or a young woman. Same picture different perspectives. That's how I see the ship debate.
Which brings me back to moonshayde's point about the UST label. In the show, we see an action but can interpret different meanings. Jack and Sam can exchange a look. A nonshipper will read friendship or nothing to it. A shipper may read it as a smouldering look of passion. What's on the screen is basic, what's interpreted is the audience's call.
In fanfic, it's a different baliwick. We describe a character's actions, but we can also describe their thoughts and emotions. How we describe it can make the difference. I'll give an example, totally made up out of my head this instant, not from any fic:
Jack and Sam exchanged a long look, mentally communicating their common concern for how the team would get out of this jam.
A non-shipper spin.
Jack and Sam exchanged a long look, communicating without words.
Ambiguous. Could be read as communicating mere friendship, worry, verifying the plan, or showing their undying and unspoken love.
Jack and Sam exchanged a long look, trying to tell a wealth of unspoken feelings for each other in what may be their last moments together.
Shipper view.
The third one I would say needs an UST label. The first two don't. It's the spin of discussion that makes the difference. Not whether it's canon or not.
As moonshayde said, if Daniel/Shau'ri or Teal'c/Drey'auc (poor WIFE, getting passed over for Ishta, LOL) are referenced, that's not UST, it's just background. If the fic is about Daniel or Teal'c mourning for their spouses or something, that's ship.
I hate anti-shipper labels too. I consider myself a non-shipper (and I use shipper in the vaguest sense to include slash/femslash/whatever label goes for alien romances). Whatever floats your boat is cool, just don't try and capsize my friendship vessel.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-08-02 07:39 pm (UTC)I will admit, I am one of those who find Sam/Jack to be "forced" in canon. By forced, I mean scenes like "Divide and Conquer". As someone who never saw the chemistry as romantic, a declaration in "Divide and Conquer" seemed like a bolt out of the blue, where does this come from? and an aberration. Much like Jacob and Selmak being together for "four years".
Jack and Sam as together in other realities when their lives were different, sure, a different spin. But I don't think that makes J/S more canon than before. In this reality, Jack and Sam's relationship and respective histories is that of military comrades and close friendship.
Am I saying I'm right and you're wrong? No. I'm just saying that what you're seeing as obvious canon is not what I see as obvious canon. They're different interpretations, and there's been inconsistencies in how the show handles the interaction.
You and moonshayde went round the mulberry bush on the canon of J/S in GS before, and it gave me a lightbulb moment for a whole meta post in my lj about ship in Stargate. What it boiled down to is there is a fundamental difference in perspective without a right or wrong about it. Like that picture where you can see either an old woman or a young woman. Same picture different perspectives. That's how I see the ship debate.
Which brings me back to moonshayde's point about the UST label. In the show, we see an action but can interpret different meanings. Jack and Sam can exchange a look. A nonshipper will read friendship or nothing to it. A shipper may read it as a smouldering look of passion. What's on the screen is basic, what's interpreted is the audience's call.
In fanfic, it's a different baliwick. We describe a character's actions, but we can also describe their thoughts and emotions. How we describe it can make the difference. I'll give an example, totally made up out of my head this instant, not from any fic:
Jack and Sam exchanged a long look, mentally communicating their common concern for how the team would get out of this jam.
A non-shipper spin.
Jack and Sam exchanged a long look, communicating without words.
Ambiguous. Could be read as communicating mere friendship, worry, verifying the plan, or showing their undying and unspoken love.
Jack and Sam exchanged a long look, trying to tell a wealth of unspoken feelings for each other in what may be their last moments together.
Shipper view.
The third one I would say needs an UST label. The first two don't. It's the spin of discussion that makes the difference. Not whether it's canon or not.
As moonshayde said, if Daniel/Shau'ri or Teal'c/Drey'auc (poor WIFE, getting passed over for Ishta, LOL) are referenced, that's not UST, it's just background. If the fic is about Daniel or Teal'c mourning for their spouses or something, that's ship.
I hate anti-shipper labels too. I consider myself a non-shipper (and I use shipper in the vaguest sense to include slash/femslash/whatever label goes for alien romances). Whatever floats your boat is cool, just don't try and capsize my friendship vessel.