To OTP or not, that is the question

[lunabee34]

As part of the fascinating discussion over in sga_talk, one of the things we've been talking about is OTP and it got me to thinking (which, yes, is dangerous).

I am not an OTPer. In the beginnings of my fannish days, I was very devoted to Spike/Xander but after some time I began to suffer from Spander fatigue and had to search out other pairings. While I always enjoy the popular pairing of a fandom (Sam/Dean, Jack/Daniel, John/Rodney), my propensity for pairing fatigue still remains. At this point in my fannishness, what I am mostly coming to the table for is to be convinced that these wonderful things (whatever they may be--plot, backstory, pairing, secret, possible future) that never occurred to me are indeed plausible and OMG WHY DID I NOT THINK OF THEM? For that reason, I am very interested in rare pairings and in tangential characters; I think that predilection is neatly summed up in my Bates/Kavanagh fascination. :) So while I love to read and write McShep, I also really wish Sheppard was doing it with Caldwell. (I will not again subject you guys to that detailed fantasy.)

I do not approach fandom through an OTP lens. I'm okay if John and Rodney aren't together; I'm okay if they are angry with each other or mean to each other or if they break up with each other or if *gasp* they never even meet each other. I like for my characters (both written and read) to behave in ways that can be extrapolated from their canon characterization, but that's really about it for me in terms of requirement.

I like to be *surprised* by fanfic. The way I define fanfic for myself is taking the bare bones of canon and building up layers of new flesh so that the animal I create is subtly (or sometimes drastically) different than the animal canon gives us. And after awhile, if all I am reading is one pairing, I stop being surprised. Does this keep me from writing or reading said pairing? Hell no. :) But it does make me long for a wildfire of Lorne/EVERYFREAKINGBODYOMG to sweep through fandom and it does make those main pairing fics that manage to do something completely unexpected that much sweeter.

The only pairing that perhaps approaches the OTP for me is Sam/Dean, mostly because at this point in SPN canon I have a very difficult time believing that either of them could have successful relationships with anyone but each other. But, boy, do I like to read about them trying! LOL

So my question for y'all is this: Are you an OTPer? If you OTP, do you have only one (METHOS!) or do you have an OTP for each fandom? How do you think being an OTPer affects your fannish experience? If you're not an OTPer, why not? How do you think not reading/writing through that lens affects your fannish experience?

Comments

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

I'm a bit of a strange OTPer, I usually OTP one half of the pairing like crazy, and the other not so much.

For example McShep. I find it OK to read, and actually enjoy stories where Rodney is with other characters, Katie, Teyla, Radek, etc etc. But the only person EVER in the world for John is Rodney, that's it!! OMG In my universe John is madly in love with Rodney. So I can't read John/Ronon, or John/Elizabeth, no matter how wonderful the writer is.

I've have this with other pairings as well, in Xena I was happy for Xena to have the fling with Ares, or Borias and Callisto, that was fine, but Gabrielle could only ever be with Xena.

So does this make me half a OTPer?

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Maybe that makes you a OTCer? One true character?

What is it about those characters that makes you like them so strongly? Can you see a link between them?

[sorchasilver.livejournal.com]

I'm somewhat the same when it comes to Rodney and John. I'll read Rodney with certain other people (though usually not women, except in threesomes etc. that also include John), but I just cannot read John with anyone but Rodney.

The same is true in Firefly for Mal/Simon - I'll read Simon/other male, but not Mal/other. In Supernatural, however, I am a true OTPer.