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kangeikoTomorrow, I am writing my dissertation. For real, this time, as it's due on 1 September and I have *counts* 10 days off work in which to write it. The research is done, and I've mostly planned it, so it should just be a case of sitting down and writing it until it's, well, written. Then sending it to people to rip to shreds, and re-writing it until it doesn't suck. Then having a ball. An actual ball, will ballgowns and everything.
In the meantime, we have![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
fannish5 asking us to name five times that a character you like did something wrong -
Alright, I'm going to do this as one-per-character, because otherwise it's going to end up as a list of why Arvin Sloane needs a goodspanking stern talking-to. In no particular order:
1. Xander tells Buffy that Willow's message was "kick his ass" in Becoming, Part 2. That he isn't properly called out over this until Season 7 - and even then, just barely - still bugs, because it was the wrong thing to do. I completely understand Xander's logic there - that he wanted to help Buffy, that he wanted to hurt Angel/Angelus, and that he wanted revenge. Still, he sinned against Buffy in this instance, as he denied her the chance to make the choice for herself. It is doubtful that she could have stopped Angelus in a way that did not cost Angel his life (at least temporarily), but that's not the point. Xander lied to her, with a selfish aim. I honestly don't think that he saw himself as doing the greater good there - he did it because he wanted to.
2. Atia of the Julii arranges to have Servilia stripped naked and beaten in public. It's odd that what strikes as wrong about Atia's behaviour is not her inital scheming against Servilia - i.e. the graffiti - that separates her from her lover. It is Caesar who treats Servilia badly in that instance, and Atia is the catalyst for it. No, instead it is Atia taking revenge for Servilia releaving the truth about Octavia's husband's murder - and treating it as revenge against slander instead. To my mind, at that point Atia has already managed to convince herself that she knew nothing about her son-in-law's death, and so I have some sympathy for her there. However, Atia's actions have lasting repercussions for all of Rome. Again, what strikes me as 'wrong' is doing something for your own personal - and petty - gratification, knowing that it will cause hurt to those you love and not caring.
3. Londo says nothing when G'Kar is whipped by Cartagia. Oh, Londo, I understand your reasons - and G'Kar understands them, and Vir understands them - and, still, how happy was I that you got called out on your cowardice in the Very Long Night...? Because it was cowardice, no doubt about it. He did more with that one small act of standing by, silent, than with pushing forward the war against Narn. To me, that one act, perpetrated so easily against someone - someone who is looking you in the eye while you do nothing - is definitely something horribly, horribly wrong.
4. Sloane tells Dr Barnett about his affair with Laura Bristow, a.k.a the excercise in futility that massively backfires. This move was ridiculously stupid on Sloane's part, at least in hindsight. Possibly he had some master plan in his head regarding its uses later on, but there is no way that he would not be aware that people other than Dr Barnett have access to her files. That little piece of information - which would without a doubt have implications for national security, given the players - would have made its way to Jack's and Sydney's ears eventually. It's hitting below the belt, and of the many things that Sloane did in the name of Rambaldi, this is one that had nothing to do with his quest, and everything to do with a cheap powerplay.
5. This last one I had to think about, because it's such a throw-away thing in The West Wing's the Women of Qumar that I had to wonder whether to include it in favour of something else. I decided that, yes, it is relevant, because it shows an attitude that deeply disappoints me. President Bartlett is having a conversation with Leo regarding the renewal of the recent trade agreement with Qumar, and he wants CJ to be kept away from him because she looks at him accusingly. Again, that to me displays cowardice in the character, in that he's comfortable making what he knows is the wrong choice, ethically, but doesn't want to be confronted with his people's disappointment. Toby agrees with him in the episode, but he's called out over it in a brilliant tirade by CJ (who also has massive words to say to Nancy McNally on the subject of sexism vs racism and how the world views one as perfectly tolerable when it comes to trade agreements). The President, however, can continue with his decisions regarding Qumar, having left CJ to put a public face on them when he has denied her the chance to object to them. Any disregard to CJ's awesomeness pisses me off - "don't treat me as your daughter!" - but this particular instance has me seeing red.
In the meantime, we have
fannish5 asking us to name five times that a character you like did something wrong -Alright, I'm going to do this as one-per-character, because otherwise it's going to end up as a list of why Arvin Sloane needs a good
1. Xander tells Buffy that Willow's message was "kick his ass" in Becoming, Part 2. That he isn't properly called out over this until Season 7 - and even then, just barely - still bugs, because it was the wrong thing to do. I completely understand Xander's logic there - that he wanted to help Buffy, that he wanted to hurt Angel/Angelus, and that he wanted revenge. Still, he sinned against Buffy in this instance, as he denied her the chance to make the choice for herself. It is doubtful that she could have stopped Angelus in a way that did not cost Angel his life (at least temporarily), but that's not the point. Xander lied to her, with a selfish aim. I honestly don't think that he saw himself as doing the greater good there - he did it because he wanted to.
2. Atia of the Julii arranges to have Servilia stripped naked and beaten in public. It's odd that what strikes as wrong about Atia's behaviour is not her inital scheming against Servilia - i.e. the graffiti - that separates her from her lover. It is Caesar who treats Servilia badly in that instance, and Atia is the catalyst for it. No, instead it is Atia taking revenge for Servilia releaving the truth about Octavia's husband's murder - and treating it as revenge against slander instead. To my mind, at that point Atia has already managed to convince herself that she knew nothing about her son-in-law's death, and so I have some sympathy for her there. However, Atia's actions have lasting repercussions for all of Rome. Again, what strikes me as 'wrong' is doing something for your own personal - and petty - gratification, knowing that it will cause hurt to those you love and not caring.
3. Londo says nothing when G'Kar is whipped by Cartagia. Oh, Londo, I understand your reasons - and G'Kar understands them, and Vir understands them - and, still, how happy was I that you got called out on your cowardice in the Very Long Night...? Because it was cowardice, no doubt about it. He did more with that one small act of standing by, silent, than with pushing forward the war against Narn. To me, that one act, perpetrated so easily against someone - someone who is looking you in the eye while you do nothing - is definitely something horribly, horribly wrong.
4. Sloane tells Dr Barnett about his affair with Laura Bristow, a.k.a the excercise in futility that massively backfires. This move was ridiculously stupid on Sloane's part, at least in hindsight. Possibly he had some master plan in his head regarding its uses later on, but there is no way that he would not be aware that people other than Dr Barnett have access to her files. That little piece of information - which would without a doubt have implications for national security, given the players - would have made its way to Jack's and Sydney's ears eventually. It's hitting below the belt, and of the many things that Sloane did in the name of Rambaldi, this is one that had nothing to do with his quest, and everything to do with a cheap powerplay.
5. This last one I had to think about, because it's such a throw-away thing in The West Wing's the Women of Qumar that I had to wonder whether to include it in favour of something else. I decided that, yes, it is relevant, because it shows an attitude that deeply disappoints me. President Bartlett is having a conversation with Leo regarding the renewal of the recent trade agreement with Qumar, and he wants CJ to be kept away from him because she looks at him accusingly. Again, that to me displays cowardice in the character, in that he's comfortable making what he knows is the wrong choice, ethically, but doesn't want to be confronted with his people's disappointment. Toby agrees with him in the episode, but he's called out over it in a brilliant tirade by CJ (who also has massive words to say to Nancy McNally on the subject of sexism vs racism and how the world views one as perfectly tolerable when it comes to trade agreements). The President, however, can continue with his decisions regarding Qumar, having left CJ to put a public face on them when he has denied her the chance to object to them. Any disregard to CJ's awesomeness pisses me off - "don't treat me as your daughter!" - but this particular instance has me seeing red.
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Date: 2006-08-18 06:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-18 08:02 pm (UTC)Also, the whole thing backfires massively, which, given that Sloane's plans don't normally do that, reinforce the impression of sloppiness.