Discouraging Kirk/Spock slashers...

[Hartzilla2007]

I recently went to fanfiction.net guess what a good chunk of the Star Trek 2009 based fanfics are Kirk/Spock slash so they don't look very discouraged to me.

 

[Sector 7]

Are you suggesting I have an issue with same sex couples? It's amazing the assumptions that go on around here when you have no idea who you're talking to. So please advise if that's what you're saying.

Referring to same sex coupling as "a new world of sick-o-ness" is a good clue but fair enough if I got the wrong impression, apologies.

OK I can see how it could of been taken that way -- that's my bad...my bad...I'm sorry for putting it that way.... I sincerely didn't mean it that way as I love gay people and have had and still have many gay friends, both male and female. But I just meant it because it's Kirk and Spock...not because it's two men...but Kirk and Spock!!!! Again I'm sorry for putting it like that and in no way, shape or form do I think being gay is any sort of sickness. I'm totally pro-gay...sorry mods' if this convo doesn't belong here but we had to clear this up!

You are officially forgiven. From this day forward you shall be given the title Honorary Friend of Dorothy, with Oak Leaf Cluster.

 

[miniglik]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk/Spock

Do you agree with the above entry that Uhura is paired with Spock (with Kirk also salivating after her), largely to discourage slashers in nutrek?

Nope.

1. Nothing will discourage slashers.

2. The reason for the Uhura-Spock thang is that the writers want to drag Spock through a more intense emotional character arc than could be provided by just his relationship with Kirk, which sadly must forever remain an arm's length thing canonically. That's also the reason they blowed up Vulcan real good. Everyone prepare yourselves for Emo Spock.

3. They're also throwing a bone to the female audience. (No double entendre intended.)

I never understood slash. Why the hell would anyone be interested in the idea of Kirk and Spock cutting and slicing each other up?

I don't get the shipper thing, either. Spaceships are boring.

Reminds me of a nuBSG meme I saw once. It asked "favorite ship" and, while many of the fangirls answered Starbuck/Apollo, Helo/Sharon, Gaius/HeadSix, etc , some of the fanboys answered "Galactica" or "Cloud 9" or the like. Ha.

 

[Captain Fine]

Reminds me of a nuBSG meme I saw once. It asked "favorite ship" and, while many of the fangirls answered Starbuck/Apollo, Helo/Sharon, Gaius/HeadSix, etc , some of the fanboys answered "Galactica" or "Cloud 9" or the like. Ha.

So what was the initial question? About relationships or starships?

 

[seniorsleuth]

Reminds me of a nuBSG meme I saw once. It asked "favorite ship" and, while many of the fangirls answered Starbuck/Apollo, Helo/Sharon, Gaius/HeadSix, etc , some of the fanboys answered "Galactica" or "Cloud 9" or the like. Ha.

So what was the initial question? About relationships or starships?

This serves as a reminder that there are fans that don't think of "slash" or "ships" according to fanspeak, and millions more in the general audience who don't think in those terms either. To believe that nuTrek creators were considering K/S slashers at all in devising the movie is believing that hard core fans are more significant than they are in the scheme of things.

 

[writergal]

Thanks for your post writergal. It was informative

Thanks! I think fan fiction gets a bad rap - a lot of people sneer at it and say it's not really serious writing, but honestly some of the best fiction I've ever read has come out of the Hornblower fanfic list that I moderate. It's great for early writers because you don't have to worry about establishing characters or setting - the originators have done that work for you - and can concentrate on telling the story and maybe creating new characters.

And you have a built-in readership, of people who already like the show, so they're more willing to give your writing a shot and tell you what they did or didn't like about it. Writers live on feedback, so this is very cool. Some fanfiction writers have gone on to become published, and get paid for their work.

And, as has been pointed out, fan fiction is great FREE advertising for the TV show or movie it's about - as long as people find something interesting to write about, they'll buy the books, DVDs, watch the show, and everybody's happy.

 

[kimc]

Re: Dicouraging Kirk/Spock slashers...

Despite Jenkins' assertion about the affect of Uhura and Spock's relationship on K/S fanfic, I must say that I agree with his appraisal of Uhura's role in terms of her professional competence. I was disappointed that we didn't get to see Uhura in action, using her abilities as a lingusit. While I'm glad she is finally the female lead of a Trek movie, I felt that the writers merely told us of her abilities rather than showing us.

I have to agree with this. While it was great to see Uhura's role expanded she was mainly the "love interest du jour". However, I don't think the Spock/Uhura relationship was inserted to discourage K/S but rather to please the fanboys who wanted to see Spock "get some too".

That being said I think the Spock/Uhura pairing does make sense in many ways - just not as early as it does in the movie.

 

[Minuialeth]

Nothing will stop slash writers from creating what they want, nor should it.

So true!

And given the (very good) looks of the actors they chose to portray Kirk and Spock, I don't think that the slashing is going to stop, on the contrary

Thanks for your post Writergal, I had no idea that the "slash" term came from Star Trek fanfiction!

"Mary Sues" are very popular, that's when a female writer injects herself into a story by creating a female character who is sparkling, witty, super smart, and impresses all the men with her beauty and intelligence - and of course, the hero falls in love with her.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the term "Mary Sue" come from a ST fanfiction in which the heroin was like what you describe and called "Mary Sue"? I think I've read that somewhere.
The problem nowadays is that lots of people immediately shout "Mary Sue" when you insert an Original Character in your fanfic

It's too bad that fanfiction has that bad reputation because writing some is a great way to stretch one's writing skills.

 

[miniglik]

Nothing will stop slash writers from creating what they want, nor should it.

So true!

And given the (very good) looks of the actors they chose to portray Kirk and Spock, I don't think that the slashing is going to stop, on the contrary

Thanks for your post Writergal, I had no idea that the "slash" term came from Star Trek fanfiction!

"Mary Sues" are very popular, that's when a female writer injects herself into a story by creating a female character who is sparkling, witty, super smart, and impresses all the men with her beauty and intelligence - and of course, the hero falls in love with her.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the term "Mary Sue" come from a ST fanfiction in which the heroin was like what you describe and called "Mary Sue"? I think I've read that somewhere.
The problem nowadays is that lots of people immediately shout "Mary Sue" when you insert an Original Character in your fanfic

It's too bad that fanfiction has that bad reputation because writing some is a great way to stretch one's writing skills.

Yeah. Like "slash," "Mary Sue" is a term that orginated with Star Trek fanfic.

And while Miss Mary Sue is found often in fanfic, like writergal says, I agree that it is overused as a criticism (both in fanfic and professional works). It is, IMO, a subjective term, and describes a character that the author tries to get us to love by making them Awesome, but we -- the readers -- can only roll our eyes and shake our heads at.

 

[Jeri]

As Spock said, "labels do not make arguments."

 

[Mr. Adventure]

it was in his TMP novelization. he certainly enjoyed the interest it generated.

I haven't read this. What exactly did he put in there?

From the ST:TMP Novelization:

*Editor's note: The human concept of friend is most nearly duplicated in Vulcan thought by the term t'hy'la, which can also mean brother or lover, and since Kirk and Spock's friendship was unusually close, this led to some speculation over whether they had actually indeed become lovers. At our request, Admiral Kirk supplied the following comment on the subject:

"I was never aware of this lovers rumor, although I have been told that Spock encountered it several times. Apparently he had always dismissed it with his characteristic lifting of his right eyebrow which usually connotated some combination of surprise, disbelief, and/or annoyance. As for myself, although I have no moral or other objections to physical love in any of its many Earthly, alien, and mixed forms, I have always found my best gratification in that creature woman. Also, I would dislike being thought of as so foolish that I would select a love partner who came into sexual heat only once every seven years."

I'm only part way through it but it's a trippy read.

 

[indranee]

it was in his TMP novelization. he certainly enjoyed the interest it generated.

I haven't read this. What exactly did he put in there?

I don't have the book with me right now. it's available with a little searching though. he basically alluded to it in a joking manner -- that people were talking about it and that it was funny and strange... but not in any disparaging way. the tone was "massively tickled".

 

[Mr. Adventure]

^^ Hmm, I wonder where someone could find that passage....

 

[cubbie]

it was in his TMP novelization. he certainly enjoyed the interest it generated.

I haven't read this. What exactly did he put in there?

I don't have the book with me right now. it's available with a little searching though. he basically alluded to it in a joking manner -- that people were talking about it and that it was funny and strange... but not in any disparaging way. the tone was "massively tickled".

I remember it because it was the first time I'd ever heard of it. It was shocking to say the least, because it was pre-internet and I was pretty young back then. It was in the beginning or very near the beginning of the book

 

[indranee]

cubbie, yeah, I read it back in 1980. the memory fades but I remember something that stuck with me. mainly because I'd just discovered the K/S zines.

I want to read the book again. it was a pretty good novelization, I think.

 

[An Officer]

Thanks for the excerpt, Mr. Adventure. Great! Got a bit more where that came from? Or is that about the size of it?

 

[cubbie]

That's probably when I read it, too. I don't remember much about it. Yes, the K/S comment was more like a speculative, amusing mention, if I remember correctly. I did think the book was better than the movie.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Thanks for the excerpt, Mr. Adventure. Great! Got a bit more where that came from? Or is that about the size of it?

Hey, someone saw it! As far as I have read (about 90 pages or so) I think that's the only type of reference and it's presented as an odd "editor's note" type of footnote.

 

[Sector 7]

The first time I read about slash fiction was here. Until then, I happily lived without it.

 

[cubbie]

Thanks for the excerpt, Mr. Adventure. Great! Got a bit more where that came from? Or is that about the size of it?

Hey, someone saw it! As far as I have read (about 90 pages or so) I think that's the only type of reference and it's presented as an odd "editor's note" type of footnote.

where did you post it?