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The Traces of Birthmarks
Feb. 5th, 2006 04:00 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
dark-weezing.livejournal.comSince today is the one year anniversary of “Birthmark” and the first true actual interaction of two characters that haven’t done any type of relationship or connection in three seasons and end up making it part into the canon. Like what I asked for in the “Haunted” thread, I’m covering a specific timeframe, be aware of your reflections.
Like in “Haunted”, at the end of your first viewing of the episode in question (and barring outside opinion/spoilers), what were your thoughts of the R/R ship and its validity at that point in time or conversely prior the episode or even perhaps during the episode itself? Going further than that: were you a fan of the ship before or did you become one after the episode?
Were you constantly finding hints in the subtext of the prior episodes (particularly post “Haunted” in the third season and the sample of fourth season episodes done prior) and nuance or you were passive and wait and see and focus on the context or out and out gave up until then? Also, did the teasing promo the week before help you draw any conclusions beforehand as well? Now in the episode itself, were you excited by the possibilities of Raven and Robin finally interacting in a deeper way than most of the series’ interactions, even using the booster, “Haunted” as proving what an event the small occurrence really was?
My impression was that something was coming, something certainly as by the end of the third season. We saw Robin’s concern in “Spellbound” and again in “Beast Within”, plus some odd moments in “Don’t Touch That Dial” and the crossdressing oddness in “The Quest” (remember, it aired before “Birthmark” originally), all this subtle interaction had to pay off and it did, it certainly helped prove how deep “Haunted” was. It proved that we were right to choose the ship. And my friends and I squeed our heads off, I shall admit (as we did from the promo the week before).
Then I noticed something else in the aftermath. From the start, Robin/Raven was a challenge pairing to see if it could be possible and for that, to those who tried, were crushed, insulted, threatened by the R/S shippers and other pundits and dismissed such items and the people who believed in it, including the time of “Haunted”. Then in the wake of “Birthmark”, those who had no opinion were suddenly into R/R, that legions of fans who couldn’t believe the two could interact like that suddenly thought how strong the pairing really was and very quickly, it became chic to like R/R. Instead of being shunned like lepers, the R/Rers and their craft were popular beyond anything.
However, to those who believed the ship early on to see the giant popularity, a four pronged effect was reached albeit subtly.
1) Finally their efforts were accepted and no longer denigrated for it. Certainly cause for celebration.
2) Amazed how the overall fanbase finally welcomed it but only after it was part of the actual canon and nothing else, certainly not “Haunted” inspired anything much.
3) It seemed that others were now doing what they had done and their job was over. Where to go from up? Keep going or move elsewhere for there is no challenge anymore?
4) A hierarchy of R/R fan was being made: the original ones before “Haunted”, “Haunted” ones, and “Birthmark” ones.
As the original fans could have feared, the dangers of popularity struck again here and noted the fantastic ease to be an R/R fan now as opposed to before and the quality of the fandom no doubt was questioned to them as well but given how their work was achieved, they no doubt had other interests and probably didn’t care of the fandom and moved on with their lives, particularly later on with “Prophecy” and “The Ends”.
Did you experience such celebration, any rumination/speculation of the fandom and the way it was heading, or were you muted or just indifferent? This is an opinion thread, so no wrong answers; just remember the timeframe. To those who rather don’t care for the R/R ship, don’t ship/character bash too strongly. Just capture that moment in time and regale us, and hark back the days as the Trigon arc began and Slack painted a twisted picture of the Trigon canon and his and the show’s own evolution unfolding before our eyes.
Like in “Haunted”, at the end of your first viewing of the episode in question (and barring outside opinion/spoilers), what were your thoughts of the R/R ship and its validity at that point in time or conversely prior the episode or even perhaps during the episode itself? Going further than that: were you a fan of the ship before or did you become one after the episode?
Were you constantly finding hints in the subtext of the prior episodes (particularly post “Haunted” in the third season and the sample of fourth season episodes done prior) and nuance or you were passive and wait and see and focus on the context or out and out gave up until then? Also, did the teasing promo the week before help you draw any conclusions beforehand as well? Now in the episode itself, were you excited by the possibilities of Raven and Robin finally interacting in a deeper way than most of the series’ interactions, even using the booster, “Haunted” as proving what an event the small occurrence really was?
My impression was that something was coming, something certainly as by the end of the third season. We saw Robin’s concern in “Spellbound” and again in “Beast Within”, plus some odd moments in “Don’t Touch That Dial” and the crossdressing oddness in “The Quest” (remember, it aired before “Birthmark” originally), all this subtle interaction had to pay off and it did, it certainly helped prove how deep “Haunted” was. It proved that we were right to choose the ship. And my friends and I squeed our heads off, I shall admit (as we did from the promo the week before).
Then I noticed something else in the aftermath. From the start, Robin/Raven was a challenge pairing to see if it could be possible and for that, to those who tried, were crushed, insulted, threatened by the R/S shippers and other pundits and dismissed such items and the people who believed in it, including the time of “Haunted”. Then in the wake of “Birthmark”, those who had no opinion were suddenly into R/R, that legions of fans who couldn’t believe the two could interact like that suddenly thought how strong the pairing really was and very quickly, it became chic to like R/R. Instead of being shunned like lepers, the R/Rers and their craft were popular beyond anything.
However, to those who believed the ship early on to see the giant popularity, a four pronged effect was reached albeit subtly.
1) Finally their efforts were accepted and no longer denigrated for it. Certainly cause for celebration.
2) Amazed how the overall fanbase finally welcomed it but only after it was part of the actual canon and nothing else, certainly not “Haunted” inspired anything much.
3) It seemed that others were now doing what they had done and their job was over. Where to go from up? Keep going or move elsewhere for there is no challenge anymore?
4) A hierarchy of R/R fan was being made: the original ones before “Haunted”, “Haunted” ones, and “Birthmark” ones.
As the original fans could have feared, the dangers of popularity struck again here and noted the fantastic ease to be an R/R fan now as opposed to before and the quality of the fandom no doubt was questioned to them as well but given how their work was achieved, they no doubt had other interests and probably didn’t care of the fandom and moved on with their lives, particularly later on with “Prophecy” and “The Ends”.
Did you experience such celebration, any rumination/speculation of the fandom and the way it was heading, or were you muted or just indifferent? This is an opinion thread, so no wrong answers; just remember the timeframe. To those who rather don’t care for the R/R ship, don’t ship/character bash too strongly. Just capture that moment in time and regale us, and hark back the days as the Trigon arc began and Slack painted a twisted picture of the Trigon canon and his and the show’s own evolution unfolding before our eyes.
