I'm Just A Girl In A World...

[sisabet]

Via vonnielake comes a link to an interesting post of selenak -on the the role of "The Girl" or "the love interest." Why is she hated/somewhat tolerated? spoilers in post for Spiderman 2

The concept of The Girl as the hero's inspiration, to be adored and rescued and seen as the embodiment of female perfection, is old, of course. It hails back to medieval poetry. Just why it grates so many people today has to do not just with different times and attitudes towards women.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/selenak/91663.html


Interesting comments abound there as well. I know I share Lana-Frustration with the rest of the SV fen and it has absolutely nothing to do with Lex Luthor, or Chloe or the fact that I am a slasher or even because I secretly hate my own sex. I am frustrated with Lana because she is boring and one-note and the moments that she actually connects with me are the moments where she is not being perfect and it is acknowledged as such. I like it when Lana is a little shit and gets called on it. It makes her human and not a paper doll.

I could care less that she won't end up with Clark. I should hope not - they are kids. Don't marry the dude you are all in luv with at 16, okay. I like Lois (and I know that Lois is not a character on Smallville - but dudes, we all know that she exists or will exist or maybe is Chloe ::wishes:: so just go with me here). I like Lois, a lot, and I always have. I've never been that crazy about any actress that has portrayed her (although give me Margot Kidder any day over Teri Hatcher - just, why can't we keep the abrasiveness and the chainsmoking and also make her attractive?) but the character I adore. And I adore her because she is a mess. She feels real to me. In the movies, I loved, loved, loved that she couldn't spell for shit and that she asked Superman if he could tell what color her underwear was and then immediately wanted to die because she actually said that out loud (Dawn has always maintained that the correct response to that is "Trick question, I'm not wearing any underwear").

My love for Lois has nothing to do with the fact that she ends up with Clark. Maybe. I still love her even when she loses the boy and he ends up with Lex (thank god for fanfic). Lana is not real. If I am to like her, then I need to see her messing up and not being victimized constantly by either the-boyfriend-of-the-week or by her own passive-aggressive reaction to Clark.

Cause I can get behind a het pairing. Really - I can. I swear it - as proof I offer up Farscape. But only if the female character is drawn like a real person. And I know I should say the male character here as well - but guess what? He usually is - as is his best guy friend or worst male enemy. Character development for the Girl typically begins and ends at a kick-boxing lesson. Not interested.

Comments

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

I agree with this post, and I think it's fascinating...but unfortunately, not typical of many female viewers who ship het. Look at Buffy- when she fell apart after dying and being brought back, viewers couldn't line up fast enough to call her a bitch. But so long as she was perky and in love with (pick any male hero), she was the Perfect Role Model.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Well - remember Kita - if you are a girl, you have to have a Boyfriend and Smile A lot or you really do not deserve to live.

I wonder though - perhaps our exposure to the female het-shippers is biased? I mean, I was absolutely shocked by the amount of bile S6 Buffy generated. I was trying to understand what the resentment was from - this poor girl died to save the world and was violently ripped from the only peace she has ever known and btw, she is not even 21 years old - and they called for her head! BUT - and let's think about this - how many of the Buffy-Haters were not just het-shippers, but also Spike-fanatics? Cause, if ya wanna know the truth - Spike's fans are about as nutty as Jesus's fans. I fully expect them to have a Crusade one day. Or at least a really long march.

So - Spike skews the results by just being in the same room. Divorced of any Spike, I think a lot of people would be frustrated with Buffy - it was very hard to watch - but not unsympathetic. If it had been Xander she used instead of Spike, people would have been lined up around the block with ice cream for her.

What I worry about are these Hollywood Exes sitting around and going "Well, who plays the girl?" and then "So let's make her spunky - like that Buffy girl. I know! She knows kung-fu." as a way of generating our future female characters. And martial arts knowledge is not character development.

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

Yea, I was trying to be PC about the whole Spuffy thing. *G*

Most B/A shippers loved S6 Buffy, felt bad for her. Shit, even Riley fen felt bad for her. So, Ok, let's assume it was the Spike contingent, and let S6 RIP with them both. (Also, the Crusade will be televised, bring your garlic and WMD's).

Can you think of any strong women characters who fans have STAYED behind en masse, even when she fucked up? Hell. Can you think of any strong women characters we can get behind at all? Cause I could use a new show. sigh.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

BUT - and let's think about this - how many of the Buffy-Haters were not just het-shippers, but also Spike-fanatics? Cause, if ya wanna know the truth - Spike's fans are about as nutty as Jesus's fans. I fully expect them to have a Crusade one day. Or at least a really long march.

This is why I adore you.

[natgel.livejournal.com]

Smallville dissapointed me on so many levels.
I really, really dislike Lana becuase as you said she's a bloody paper doll in pink. One of the flattest characters I've ever come across. Chloe is an even greated disappointed because unlike Lana she really was interesting, but what is her part in the show beside being a third wheel to the OMG ITERNAL LUV!!!1!11 of Lana and Clark? Honestly, we all know he's going to end up with Lois (who is Chloe's cousin btw, ummm...I forgot on what episode she was mentioned) And Lex, oh Lex...I love him, I really do, but I really believe they could have handled him better.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Yeah - Chloe mentioned she had a cousin named Lois Lane on the same ep she decided to use LL as a pen-name - so I still have hope Chloe will be Lois. One superbly angsty fucked up Lois with Clark issues a mile long.

Lana is boring, but not because she will not eventually end up with Clark. She is boring because she is boring.

[linzeestyle.livejournal.com]

You just nailed for me - among other things - the reason that I'm never going to be able to get into the *show* "Smallville." Read fic religiously, yes (damn you, btw *g*). Collage and look at screencaps and maybe even vid, of course. But I'll never, ever be able to watch the show because it spends so much time wallowing in the teen-drama cliche of the Perfect Cut Out Character.

Lana drives me *nuts* because she's a televised Mary Sue. None of her problems are ever because she, herself, has fucked up. It's an outside force. She's being stalked once every other week because she's so Good Sweet and Beautiful that everyone wants her. She's always the victim, she's given random Mary Sue-esque abilities (She's an artist! She's kickboxing! She's being fallen in love with by a gorgeous alien from outerspace, and possibly a 25 year old billionaire!)...like you said, she's not real. It's got nothing to do with Clark - or Lex, or Adam, or any one of the zillion boyfriends-of-the-week that consistently fall for her for God knows what reason - but with the fact that she's just. Not. Interesting. I wouldn't care no matter what happened to her, as long as she kept being the same barbie-pink victimized one trick pony.

Come to think of it, that is actually what put the final nail in the coffin for me as far as Scully's character was concerned, back in the day. About season eight she just...stopped having characterization. Before then she was a strong-willed, complex character who fucked up, and made mistakes, and took names and kicked ass. Then all of the sudden she was a two-dimensional weepy pregnant woman who's One True Wuv was gone and the big manly men had to protect her while she sat around and wrang her hands. She wasn't *real* anymore. Which of course, was also just an example of really, really crap writing - either that or Mulder quite literally fucked her brains out. But that's another set of TV issues. I'm full of issues.

Linzee

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry I can't pay any attention to your comment whatsoever because your icon has freaking killed me dead.

signed,

sisabet's dead body

PS If I were still alive I would beg you for Lex icons. I only have one SV icon - Lum made me Clark in Glasses. This makes the deadbabysisabet cry.

[linzeestyle.livejournal.com]

*resurrects you and offers to make you Lex icons*

Everyone needs Lex icons. No one should be without them! Anything in particular you would like?

Linzee

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Lex. Oh and Lex. If you have time, perhaps more Lex. That should just about do it *g*

[linzeestyle.livejournal.com]

Heee. Well, with all *those* specifications...

Any of these work? :D

 

 

Linzee

Lana is a memory

[truthseekersara.livejournal.com]

I figure Lana is the way she is because she's the girl that Superman remembers from his childhood. Her actual personality and image are faded, this is how someone would recall a childhood crush.

If you notice, transitions in scenes in Smallville are not smooth. This is made clearest by the episode where 50% of the episode is a dream that Clark is having, but the discontinuity is not even that jarring until you watch again and realize that it is a dream.

Lana just sort of pops up. Says something like "tell me what you feel" and fades away. I think they don't flesh her out on purpose.
Just a theory....