Day 1 of Happy Meme

[marguerite_krux]

Tagged by justhere1971.

Things that make me happy or thankful…

Since this thing apparently has no rhyme or reason, I’m playing around with it a little. My fandoms bring me a lot of joy and pleasure, so I thought I’d take a trip down memory lane and revisit the very first tv character I fangirled. [‘Tv’ is an important distinction- according to my family, Ariel was my first obsession but I was like, 3, so it doesn’t count]

XENA, WARRIOR PRINCESS.

 

 

Xena had a very powerful influence on the girls at my primary school. She was a strong independent female character who frequently kicked ass and saved innocent lives and had grand adventures. What wasn’t to admire?

[Yeah, okay, so it got stupid towards the end…well, more like the last two seasons were putrid on the whole, with very very few redeeming eps in between, but let’s put that aside]

 

The important thing was, Xena proved that girls were just as good as guys. Better, even. Hercules himself could barely defeat her in combat, and that was after half her army beat up on her. That gave us something to crow about, heh.

Hercules was too good to be true, always sauntering around and doing the right thing; she had flaws and a dark edge to her, yet she consistently fought to overcome her past and find redemption by helping others, despite the distrust and fear and hatred she faced. No matter how hard it was, she kept working at changing who she was and to become a better person. Important lessons there.

 

The show also taught us the importance of friendship. Xena always did whatever it took to save Gabrielle from the mess she’d embroiled herself in, even if meant risking her own life and soul. Gabrielle, annoying as she could be, never gave up on Xena, and although their relationship suffered at various intervals [the Hope fiasco is an obvious example], she eventually reaffirmed her faith and love for Xena. 

I was also a shipper before I ever knew what the term meant. The day after Prometheus aired, all of us girls were squeeing over how romantic it all was and sighing over how perfect Herc and Xena were together and creating our own AU where the two of them went off adventuring together. *sighs* Good times. I miss the fun we had sharing our love for this show together, picking apart the episodes, play-acting sword fights with convenient tree branches and all that. This is the only show where I had that sort of RL group bonding over a show [now I have LJ to fill the void].

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In a non-fandom-related topic, I have to say I’m grateful my Psych lecturer allowed me to hand in my essay late. I wasn’t really paying attention to my summer units after the crappiness of second semester exams, and it turned out I had missed out on a compulsory assessment task, without which I automatically failed. I don’t get credit for what I ended up handing in, of course, but it was lucky I was allowed to do it at all and thus ‘stay alive’ in the unit, as he put it. He didn’t have to grant me such mercy, and I really can’t afford to mess up this early, so I’m glad that worked out.

Comments

[sapphs.livejournal.com]

Heee!! No-one at my primary school ever wanted to admit that they watched Xena, but no matter what we always ended up discussing it. Adding "But my mum watches it so I have to" at the end of each sentence just to rpove we didn't watch it voluntarily ;) But I loved Xena! I totally shipped Xena/Hercules but then I moved onto Xena/Ares *fans self* Now that is one God I could worship *g*

But ITA that towards the end it got ridiculous. I miss Xena :( Probably why I love Legend of the Seeker so much *pokes gently*

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. HOLD UP. WHEN DID THAT FOREHEAD KISS HAPPEN?! WHAT DID I MISS? AND WHAT IS IT WITH MY SHIPS AND FOREHEAD KISSES, LOL.

*stares at your icon some more*

Although I don't really ship them. I mean, I don't mind them together and they're kind of meant-to-be, I guess, but I'm not rabidly obsessively for it to the degree where I'm reading fics or vidding them, etc.

However, I do have an overwhelming unreasonably intense love for Kahlan, so your poking and prodding is not necessary, lol, I am converted. Evil you!

Btw. I'm seeing Kahlan/Kahlen, which is the correct spelling? I'd hate to get something this basic wrong...

Heee!! No-one at my primary school ever wanted to admit that they watched Xena, but no matter what we always ended up discussing it.

What, Xena was embarrassing for you guys?! What a cultural difference, lol. In Fiji, you were considered 'rich' if you had a tv, and then being allowed to watch an 'adult' show like Xena? We were EAGER to prove we watched the show, lol, it added to our cred. :D

I moved onto Xena/Ares *fans self* Now that is one God I could worship *g*

Hmm, I liked their interactions but it squicked me out that he could've been her father...incest does dampen my enthusiasm for ships, strangely... :P

I do adore the charming villains, though. *sighs* The ones that you want to kill because they're so irritating and mess things up all the time but are witty and utterly endearing in their own way, heh. Thinking of Ares reminds me of Tribune, lol. I wish he'd been on TLW more, he was cooler than like, 90% of their 'villains'.

Btw, have you read this fic, Laundry Day (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1040568/1/Laundry_Day)? It's fantastic, an interesting look at the lizard society, and so great I wish it was an actual ep. *sighs*

/randomness :P

[sapphs.livejournal.com]

Hehe, it was from a promo ;) I'm totally digging KahlAn as well and I'm a romantic at heart so the adorable awkwardness of them just makes me melt ♥

I love Tribune! My favourite line: "The bitch redecorated!" Ahh Tribune, you were so totally gay and I loved you. Please to be coming back kthx?

Yeah it was 'embarrassing' of you admitted that you watched such a 'ridiculous' show. But we totally loved it regardless lol.

Haven't read that fic, but I'll add it to the list :)

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

Ah, promo. Excellent, I was fuming at the thought that I'd missed something in the one ep I haven't yet d/l. I hope their relationship isn't resolved too soon, you know? I miss the epic several year romances, everyone's always rushing the declarations of undying love in shows these days.

I think I'm going to have a Tribune marathon, he is just too funny! I saw Travelers yesterday and although I was put out that they brought the same dude back in a different role [I almost fell out of my chair when I realized why Olmec's voice was so familiar, lol], it was a pretty decent ep, so I don't begrudge them too much. :D

I'll add it to the list :)

*stamps foot* Near the TOP of the list? :P

[dragonladyk.livejournal.com]

XENA. I mean, XENA the WARRIOR PRINCESS, the original Teyla. *squees* Now THAT was good television, even if historically impossible (Xena coudn't have known both David and Caesar). I loved it for all the reasons you said: now here is a woman with both human frailties and strength of character with plotlines that don't revolve around which man she's with. If they'd written Keller as Teyla's field-medic Gabrielle, now wouldn't that have been something?

I like to pretend the last two seasons never happened. My fannish life is much more pleasant that way.

DragonLady

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

*giggles* Your icon! It rocks! Hotch-sexual FTW! ♥

THAT was good television, even if historically impossible

I am so easy, I don't mind plotholes if they make the show more fun. I mean, okay, I NITPICK LIKE HELL but I wouldn't have it any other way, you know? There are things I accept as part and parcel of a show- like Shep will go off on a hundred suicide missions and return alive from every one, Stark will always do something technically illegal to win his case and still not get disbarred...Xena will meet people from different time periods.

You know, I always wondered why I was never into Teyla. I mean, as much as I love Xena, and Teyla being an obvious take-off of her character... but it never clicked for me, sadly.

If they'd written Keller as Teyla's field-medic Gabrielle, now wouldn't that have been something?


Lol, that's such an interesting idea- someone should write an AU fic for that. I never liked Keller mainly because her plotlines revolved around her next love interest and she never really had a personality of her own [my god- she and Bella Swan could be twins!] but if someone actually developed her character more, I'd be interested. Especially if it meant a) Teyla got to be in the forefront instead of wallpaper for a change, and b) female friendship! Something we NEVER got to see. *headdesks* I hate how the writers suck at writing women.

I like to pretend the last two seasons never happened.

Word. [there are also a few season 4 eps that have me restraining myself from committing physical violence- I hate parodies where the writers bash their main characters and make them look stuid, ugh]

However, the first half of season 5 does has a few eps I'd be interested in, and I'm thinking of buying it with my Christmas vouchers... but the pregnancy ruined things for the rest of the series. >_