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

[shaddyr]

What an interesting discussion.

I started out as what was called, in TOS fandom, a OTAPer. I liked the One Truly Awful Pairing. K/S was the ship of choice, and I didn't even really grok what slash was at the time, and shipped S/Ch which was enough to earn you a cold shoulder from just about everyone. The original flame wars on the echoes... ahh, good times, good times.

I find that every fandom I've gone through, I've picked up an OTP of sorts - in the sense that it's my favorite pairing. Sometimes there wasn't much to choose from (The Pretender, La Femme Nikita) and sometimes lots (Buffy, SG1) and I was sometimes surprised that my initial impulse to who the pairing would be turned out completely wrong (Enterprise).

Buffy was the first fandom I got really invested in over the OTP. I was Buffy/Spike all the way, and a redemptionista to boot. There was certainly a lot of strife in the fandom with Spuffy VS the Ducks. ::shakes head:: Ahh, fandom, how you wank. *grin*

I agree with what someone else said, about how I need to really emotionally resonate with the ship for it to work for me. I thought it was interesting about how we all have different motivations for writing - I enjoy using fic to explore the what ifs, or to ret-con the gaps that make no sense. I love team fics and plot driven stories, but I have to admit that mostly I really want to see the pairings I enjoy in fic because I'm never going to get them onscreen.

I also agree with you; I had been skipping over the established relationship fic, and I wasn't sure why. You totally nailed it - I want to be convinced that it is real, that it is workable, that it is happening. I think this is why I love the pre slash and the first time McShep fics *so* much. I love all the different ways it could happen, I love it when the writer sells me on it. I totally buy the ship, but I still want to be convinced.

I do read other pairings, just not as often. I read Spander, GAnya, Spangel in Buffy fandom, but I favor JackN'Sam have zero interest in Jack/Daniel slash. It's not likely I am going to read it. Maybe if it's a writer I really like. Perhaps. But not likely.

Thanks for asking interesting questions! I enjoyed that!

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I'm assuming S/Ch is Sulu/Chekov which I think is just peachy. :) I'm surprised there was such vehemance against that pairing. (Unless it is Spock/Nurse Chapel, which also surprises me as Majel Barrett totally rocks)

Now I am so curious--who was your original OTP money on for Enterprise?

I too have been really intrigued by the differing responses to this post. I love that we all have sometimes very different motivations and yet we find ways to (mostly!) coexist and get what we need from each other.

[shaddyr]

I'm assuming S/Ch is Sulu/Chekov

Actually, no. *grin* Trek was terrible for having confusing names. Back when I was writing in the fandom, Ch=Chapel, Che=Chekov. S=Spock, Su=Sulu. And I think Majel Barret totally rocks too. I could never understand why everyone dissed that pairing *so hard*. But seriously. I remember making the mistake of asking about it once and whoa. ::fooomp:: Inferno.

Ahh, when I started watching Enterprise, I thought it would be Archer/T'Pol or Archer/Hoshi. The Tucker/T'Pol blindsided me. And then they went and made it cannon. Well. B&B screwed up a lot of stuff, but at least they gave me my ship.

When it comes to ships, I'm generally not a slasher, but I have come to realize that I follow the snark. I like the sweet relationships fine, but the snark gets me every time. It can be buddy fic or relationship fic, but it sucks me in. That's why I *adored* buddy fic about McCoy/Spock and Kuryakin/Solo. Relationship fics about Miss Parker/Jarod and Sark/Sydney - those are even better because there is that 'this is so wrong!' dynamic as well. And of course, my current love, McShep.

Hey, I'm totally friending you. I'm lousy at keeping up, but I would have missed this if I hadn't seen your fic on the SGA newsletter and that would have sucked.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I didn't watch much of Enterprise; I had a hard time getting around the hair metal theme song. LOL But I have seen a splendid Tucker/T'Pol vid and wow on the angst there.

I absolutely love the snark. It's one of the reason that I adore almost every permutation of Buffy fic because they're *all* so snarky. LOL

And welcome aboard. :) It's always cool meeting new people.