seraphcelene | Dr. Silberman, how's the knee?

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Dr. Silberman, how's the knee?

tkp is buzzing about the potential of Summer Glau as a Terminator and The Sarah Connor Chronicles hence the title of today's post which actually has nothing to do with anything else.

Although it does randomly relate in a six degrees kind of way.

Lena Headey is cast to play Sarah Connor in the series and she just happened to have played Queen Gorgo in 300 which I just *happened* to see this past Friday.

300 was exactly what I thought it was going to be: a great throw-away popcorn flick full of great visuals and precious little else. It did what it promised to do, make you gasp and ooh and aah over the fabulous work of the CGI team. It made me cheer a little and the tiniest tear ever pearled in the corner of my eye at two spots in the movie, Astinos' death and the Captain's madness, and Leonides dead in a field of arrows at the very end. It was a teeny, bitty tear and you would have missed it if you blinked.

I was a little surprised at how much I really didn't care about the characters. I was expecting them to take a little more time and effort to establish the characters. Although I *knew* that the bulk of the movie was one giant battle sequence, I didn't expect quite so much of the bulk of the movie to be one giant battle sequence. I didn't expect plot, but I didn't expect a little more back story on the characters who were about to die defending Sparta.

Oh, well.

What I did get, I loved because unlike the critics I really wasn't expecting much. I was expecting a great big fight, with lots of blood, and pretty effects. I was expecting a comic book, MTV version of a history lesson and that's what I got. So, no real complaints from me. I might even buy it on DVD.

What I didn't really care for were the varied and sundry accents. Gerard Butler (King Leonides) has such a great, thick brogue that it was distracting considering that he was supposed to be GREEK! It also didn't help that everyone else had an English accent. Other than that ...

SHINY!!!

Lots of mostly naked bodies, and Gerard Butler has a GRRREAT accent.

PLUS!!!

Michael Fassbender!! YAY!!

When I saw the previews I kept thinking:

He looks like Azazeal. He looks like Azazeal. He *looks* like Azazeal.

And lo! Stelios was indeed Azazeal. For those of you not in the know, he's our villain in the dismally uninteresting BBC series Hex.

Only Stelios was way less tormented, less wickedly sexy and much less clothed. But it was all good ' cause he was more grinning, charming, Brad Pitt I'll-make-you-laugh-in-bed kind of sexy. And I mean that in the really, fun way and not the ha-ha your penis is small kind of way.

Plus, he had my favorite line in the whole film!!

Bad Guy: Our arrows will blot out the sun.
Stelios: Then we'll fight in the shade.

YAY!!

Unfortunately, he also had the corniest line in the entire film as well.

"It was an honor to serve by your side" or some such nonsense. Right when everyone was dying. Leonides responded with something equally as clichéd and held his hand and then they Died in a shower of Persian arrows.

Dude. Seriously.

Still ... pretty.

Very, very pretty.

And now I want cross-over fic.

I want a story where the Immortal reminisces on how once upon a time he was a Spartan and fought alongside King Leonides and how he woke after the battle's end after everyone else had died. Persian magic. Dark magic. *shiver*

*

I also heard tell that this weekend was Buffy's 10th anniversary.

chrisleeoctaves has been recc'ing fic all month in celebration so I knew it was coming up. She recc'd one of mine and I turned all manner of red.

Since everyone is discussing their relationship with Buffy and fandom, I thought I'd chime in as well.

Well, Buffster ... you came to class that first day and I laughed at you. I took one look at you in your little outfit and with your stakes and barrettes in your hair and I laughed because I remembered we had met one time before. I admit that I didn't even give you the slightest shot at changing my mind. I just kept on walking when you swung through the door.

I had other people to see, better things to do and you were such a joke.

Only I was so very, very, very wrong.

It took over a year before we became friends, although I did check you out at the talent show and I laughed and was impressed. It wasn't until you killed your boyfriend that I really, truly took you seriously. You kissed him, killed him and I fell in love.

I've been your bitch ever since.

I discovered that I was a writer and a bit of an artist. You introduced me to all your really cool friends and I never looked back. I will admit that I didn't always like you, but mostly you were my best pal.

Even now, after all this time, three years after you abandoned me for parts unknown, I still adore you. Sure, sometimes I go play in the new neighbor's yard, but yours is the sandbox I *always* come back to.

I've met some great, wonderful, intelligent, kind and awesome people via fandom. As

chrisleeoctaves said, because of a TV show. Who knew! I didn't and I never would have imagined it.

So, hugs to you all for being so amazing and talented and scary smart! Thanks for the kind words, the art, the fic, the vids, and the conversation. You guys are PHENOMENAL!!

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I love that line. The one in your title, I mean.

I expected the bulk of the movie to be a battle sequence, but I still expected there to be a little more about the characters as well. Overall I'm glad there wasn't, because if it had made pretensions of being anything other than shiny, it would've been much worse than it was. As it was I thought it was very cool looking, and that's pretty much all I wanted.

It's funny. I thought the "fight in the shade" line was dumb and cheesy, but that the "I'm glad to have died by your side/I'm glad to have lived by yours" was cool. It was corny, yeah, but lots of the lines in Braveheart are corny and it's one of my favorite scripts ever.

My!Immortal is totally the hunchback.

It's weird. I feel like I don't really have much to say about the BtVS anniversary because I never watched it when it aired, so the anniversary of the airing means nothing to me. But I *love* everyone coming out with their love of it. Makes me happy. Hugs to you back, chica. I'm glad to know you.

I love that line. The one in your title, I mean.

It's a great line, and I *always* remember that scene with her looking so fierce, doing the pull-ups and then turning around, covered in sweat and just sneering at him!

My other favorite line is when Dr. Silberman is all "ah, you broke my arm" and she says: "There are 215 bones in the human body. That's one."

So crazy and awesome.

if it had made pretensions of being anything other than shiny, it would've been much worse than it was

That is very, very, very true. As it was ... I found the parts back in Sparta a nice break, but it was also a little too Penelope and Odysseus. Although, I cheered pretty loudly when she stabbed wossisname in the guts. He was *such* the slimy politician and I saw that little moment in the Senate coming from a mile away. Dude, you're the Queen of Sparta. Get a Clue.

And that reminds me of my other favorite line. When Gorga said goodbye to Leonides I loved that she called him Spartan instead of by name as if distancing herself from him or reminding herself that he was a solider would make letting him go easier. I especially loved: "Come back with your shield or on it." Loved it!

My!Immortal is totally the hunchback.

OMG!! That is so twisted and gross and worthy of a story! How did Buffy hook up with *him*! Does he look different?! How did he manage that?!

I'm glad to know you.

Ditto, babe! Ditto.

Dude, you're the Queen of Sparta. Get a Clue.

I thought so too, but then when I thought about it more, I kind of liked her naivete. I mean, she's this incredibly strong, powerful person, and yet so easily manipulated because she makes the mistake of trusting people. I *love* it when faith is a fatal flaw.

Come back with your shield or on it."

Lots of other people seemed to like that line as well.

OMG!! That is so twisted and gross and worthy of a story! How did Buffy hook up with *him*! Does he look different?! How did he manage that?!

I'm writing a WIP (I know you don't read them, so it's ok if I spoil you ;o) in which I had always planned on making the Immortal deformed. Not quite as deformed as hunchback dude, but yeah, kinda grotesque. The issue was that every Immortal I read in every fic felt the same: all . . . James Bondy, suave and debonair and gorgeous and kinda boring, actually. So I thought, well, make him the opposite. Then of course you wonder why Buffy or Darla or Dru or any of those cats talk about him as a lady-killer--well, it's precisely because he is malformed, grotesque, etc. It's a maiden/Death type thing, Phantom of the Opera-y type thing. But also the fact that women feel *sorry* for him, they feel that he is sensitive and emotionally damaged because of his face and stuff, they want to *fix* him, they all have complexes and he *uses* them. Anyway, that's my!Immortal.

I am *so* disturbed yet intrigued by the hunchback as the Immortal but I might have to read that story. Why does it have to be a WIP?! WHY? WHY? WHY? When will it be done?! When? When? When?

Oh, I'm sorry. This is the first thing I ever starting both writing and posting in Buffyverse, and it has just dragged out forever. I actually haven't even *gotten* to the Immortal part yet; it's a very big plotty fic with lots of stuff happening. I don't know when it will be done. I have a lot plotted out, but it's been slow going.

Maybe I will do a one shot with the hunchback from 300 as the Immortal. That would be fun.

In the WIP, I was considering making the Immortal a sort of Cain. Or the very first human that became a vampire? Anyway, I like the idea of it being someone who's being punished. I loved how Leonidas used "may you live forever" as a kind of curse.

In the WIP, I was considering making the Immortal a sort of Cain. Or the very first human that became a vampire? Anyway, I like the idea of it being someone who's being punished. I loved how Leonidas used "may you live forever" as a kind of curse.

Oh, the Cain idea is beautiful. I don't know that the first human vampire would work because of S1 and S7 canon (re: the Master from S1 looks most like the real vampires in S7 because he had lived so long). I think you'd have to do a lot of re-con to get it to work, and I got the feeling that the Immortal was something other than a vampire. BUT! the Leonides curse is fabulous! Living forever like that because of something you did that was *wrong*!!

Love it Love it Love it! You're going to kill me with this, you understand that, right?! Kill me dead.

I thought there might be canon problems with the "first vamp" bit, I'm just not sure what they are. The vamps in S7 are pure, i.e., have no human in them. And the Master lived a long time, but it was never stated he was the first human that got turned into a vampire.

Several people have said they don't think the Immortal is a vamp, which is an interesting idea, but I already made him that in the WIP so it's sticking.

But yeah, maybe I'll do a short fic with a different kind of Immortal. Hmm.

I thought there might be canon problems with the "first vamp" bit, I'm just not sure what they are. The vamps in S7 are pure, i.e., have no human in them. And the Master lived a long time, but it was never stated he was the first human that got turned into a vampire.

True, true. I just re-watched Darla, and that's the ONLY reason I have this on my mind, but the inference is that the Master looks like he does because of his age and that if vampires could last as long they would eventually evolve into what the Master looks like. And come to think of it that makes no real sense because vampires aren't living so they can't evolve. Unless you're thinking of a Laurell K. Hamilton/Anita Blake kind of thing where the longer you stay in 'game face' the less likely you are to be able to change all the way back into your human face/form. But that only concerns werepeople if I remember correctly, so it still doesn't work.

Either way, the Immortal is *such* a blank slate you can do anything with him. What did you have in mind when you wrote the Five Things NFA? I always abbreviate it that way and I know it's not the correct way to do it, sorry about that. Five Ways NFA Probably Didn't End.

But yeah, maybe I'll do a short fic with a different kind of Immortal. Hmm.

Yes, please!!

the inference is that the Master looks like he does because of his age and that if vampires could last as long they would eventually evolve into what the Master looks like.

Well, yeah. I had planned on the Immortal looking ugly. Uglier than the Master ugly. All deformedish.

Laurell K. Hamilton/Anita Blake

I've actually never read that stuff. Have you?

Five Things NFA? I always abbreviate it that way and I know it's not the correct way to do it, sorry about that. Five Ways NFA Probably Didn't End.

Hee! Don't be silly. The title was very...untitleish. I wanted it to be an explanation of what the fic was, so people knew what they were getting into. I always call it the 5 Things NFA fic, too.

Several people mentioned they *liked* the Immortal in that fic, which pleased me immensely, because though he wasn't in it much I tried hard to make him definitive. That one *is* beautiful. Let me see. He was based on a very specific character archetype; I'm trying to think of examples of similar characters but failing.

He...was *very* aware of the way the heart works, not just in love but in faith and honor and heroism and all the things that make us human. He wasn't just aware; he understood it--but he didn't feel it. He suspected he was incapable of it, and observed the workings of mortals with...curiosity, but not envy or idleness or frustration (that is, without the kind of neediness that made the Greek gods so petty and interfering). He was...exceedingly detatched, is I guess what I mean.

Then he met Buffy, and an infinity of never-feeling simply...shattered. He woke one morning and loved her, and realized that he hadn't actually understood, because this hurt so much, was so painful and raw and new and unfamiliar and confusing like a creature inside his chest. A part of him clutched blindly for that lost detachment; a part of him resented this unfamiliar, invasive love, but it was like moving through water--the sense of loss and resentment having the same remote quality as his previous objectivity. So mostly, he quietly accepted this desperate and...almost helpless love, just as he quietly accepted everything that was inevitable, and his detachment came to rest just as gently as a feather in the grass, caught among the dew-dropped throngs of it.

At the same time, he accepted that it would never be enough for Buffy. That as aching as it felt to him, he was smoky green wood, or merely lukewarm embers (either way) next to the life times of fires and feelings this intense Spike and Angel had suffered. That for all his new and poignant yearnings they were frail next to what Spike and Angel felt for her, and she for them. And he hated them for that, hated her for that, hated everyone but himself...except for the moment when he gave her back to them, because for the first time in infinity, he loved another more than himself, and understood sacrifice.

*sniffles* I've often thought about writing about that!Immortal too. Apparently I have a lot to say about him.

OMG!

Did you just write insta-fic in my LJ?

I am *SO* loving on you right now!!!

You asked for it!

I just wish I had a plot to go with that info. Because I think he's an interesting character, but I don't know what to do with him.

Now, that I've had lunch I can be somewhat coherent. I hope.

RE: Anita Blake/Laurell K. Hamilton

I have to admit guilt. They were good through Obsidian Butterfly, but after that it went way downhill. They are now the most self-indulgent PWP ever. It really sucks because they used to be really enjoyable.

Several people mentioned they *liked* the Immortal in that fic, which pleased me immensely, because though he wasn't in it much I tried hard to make him definitive. That one *is* beautiful.

He made a big impact despite his limited screen time. I haven't read much in the way of Immortal related fic, but your Immortal is the one I remember and the way I pictured him there is the way that I picture him in other things. Only now, because of 300 he also looks a little like Michael Fassbender while at the same time he is himself.

I've often thought about writing about that!Immortal too. Apparently I have a lot to say about him.

Okay, really, for real! I have nothing constructive to add because that was AWESOME and I can't wait for Christmas when I'm sure you'll be writing Immortal fic about this beautiful Michael Fassbender, tormented, detached and heartbroken Immortal in love with Buffy. *hint hint nudge nudge*

I just wish I had a plot to go with that info. Because I think he's an interesting character, but I don't know what to do with him.

That part I'm not worried about cause you've got the shiny brain and all. YAY!

(I've noticed that whenever I'm speechless it always ends in Yay!)

I only asked because I wanted to try it (Anita Blake, I mean).

He made a big impact

Well, I'm flattered.

I can't wait for Christmas when I'm sure you'll be writing Immortal fic

You are so cute! I will write it for *you*. But if I haven't done it by October you need to remind me.

Ha, anyway, thanks, I feel very flattered. I just...have a lot of ideas that have NO SHAPE. Like yourself! So I often feel burned out about stuff. But you make me feel so encouraged!

*squishes you hard*

I only asked because I wanted to try it (Anita Blake, I mean).

I wouldn't recommend it only because it goes so horribly, horribly wrong. It is entertaining in the beginning books, adventure, romance, angst, blood, love, lust and then there's sex and it seems that with the sex LKH loses all ability to stick to plot. Her books have become one giant PWP. And there's no character development and no real consequences for *anything*. I read the last one only because I do want to know how it ends but I read it in the wrong way entirely. Instead of reading from cover to cover, I flipped around and skimmed until I got the feeling that I had gotten the gist of the book, all the highlights and the low lights. I'm pretty sure I read all of it, but well ....

If you must then I would *highly* recommend that you stop at about Obsidian Butterfly. Trust me, after that it's suckville. Just pretty much garbage. With sex.

You are so cute! I will write it for *you*. But if I haven't done it by October you need to remind me.

*preens* YAY Hooray!!!

Ha, anyway, thanks, I feel very flattered. I just...have a lot of ideas that have NO SHAPE. Like yourself! So I often feel burned out about stuff. But you make me feel so encouraged!

Oh, you can do it!! And I can't wait to see the flair with which you pull it all off.

Alright then, I won't try it. I have Russain literature lined up and waiting anyway. And also the complete Horatio Hornblower series. And also Dante, Tom Stoppard, and a new book by Guy Gaveril Kay.

and thanks ;o)

That would make a fascinating story.

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Dr. Silberman, how's the knee?

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