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| Department for scientific analysis |
| The most pompous title we could find: "Jack / Daniel" by Feli |
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| Views on slash stories in Stargate SG-1 fanfiction abound. Statements are made, discussion threads are opened up, links are shared and opinions are defended. I say 'defended', because naturally opinions differ, and on a sensitive subject, such as writing the characters of Jack O'Neill and Daniel Jackson into a homosexual relationship, they differ widely. The definition of slash this article is based on is a common one: stories that explore the relationship between two people of the same gender as well as stories where one or both of the characters are hoping to take an existing friendship that one step further. Sex can but does *not* have to be part of the story. Example: Jack invites his friend Daniel to go fishing at Jack's cabin - gen story Jack invites his friend Daniel to go fishing at Jack's cabin, where he tells him that he's in love with him - slash story, even if nothing more than a declaration of love happens. The reason why this article is only discussing Jack and Daniel slash is because it is by far the most popular pairing in SG-1 slash fandom. Furthermore, Jack/Daniel is the only pairing I've ever read and can therefore talk about. So let's look at some of the more prevalent (mis)conceptions about slash and also at a few of the lesser known ones. "I see a deep friendship between the two that could easily develop into something deeper" I agree there is a friendship, it's even canon since their conversation in 'Shades of Grey'. However, we don't know how deep the friendship really is, and we certainly have no canon indication that there is anything more to it than meets the eye. In fact: "Jack and Daniel are not gay" This is canon. Both of them were married - and happily so, as is shown or at least implied several times. For example; the flashback to Jack and Sara before Charlie's death in 'Cold Lazarus'. Also there is his admission that only Sara kept him alive after his parachuting accident ('Solitudes'). There is also no indication that Daniel's marriage to Sha're was a fluke (although slash authors are known to be very creative to prove just that). In fact, the kiss in 'Children of the Gods', as well as his unrelenting quest to free her from Apophis later on point in quite the opposite direction. So if their heterosexuality is canon how does slash fiction fit in? To put it bluntly: that is why it *is* called fiction. The issue I'm talking about is "Jack/Daniel slash is out of character and unrealistic" This is basically true. However, it is an issue that applies to most areas of fanfiction, be it gen, het or slash. Having Daniel seduce Jack in the briefing room is just as unbelievable and unrealistic (translate: ficticious) as a story in which Jack single handedly rescues his captive team, then frees an entire people from slavery against an army of Jaffa, all after he's been blinded and every bone in his body was broken. The trick to handle this is to realize that Jack and Daniel are not the exact same characters they are on the show. Just like the two guys seem to possess superhuman qualities in most whumping stories, the Jack and Daniel in slash fanfiction are a little different from their 'doubles' on the show. Jack, for instance, is often depicted as a sappy closet romantic, Daniel as the sex-crazed, leather-clad vamp. Sometimes these differences are indeed unrealistic, sometimes they are merely extensions of the characters, highlighting aspects we might not yet have seen on the show. Some people read every slash fic like an AU story, they treat it like just one more possible universe. For me they've always been these two gorgeous looking, attractive men who share the most, but not all, traits with Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson; two wonderful, funny, smart and lovable characters in their own, sometimes romanticized, always crazy, world that is so eerily similar to the real SGC. "Slash stories imply a negative reflection on the actor's performance" No, they don't. We've already established that the Jack and Daniel in slash fiction are not the *exact* same characters as portrayed on the show. Furthermore, in canon Jack and Daniel are indeed heterosexual males. Ergo slash stories are in no way a reflection on the two actors' performances. "Slash is against human nature and against Christian beliefs" Okay, there is not much I can or want to say to this. If this is the way you feel about slash fiction, odds are you feel the same way about homosexual orientation in real life. I choose not to comment on this. "Slash is all about sex and/or violence" Of course that is not true. Just like gen or het fiction, slash covers all possible categories of stories. There's romance, drama, adventures and alternate universes. Silly, humorous stories can be found as well as serious dark ones. There are missing scenes and episode tags, POVs, et cetera, et cetera. And yes, some of the stories contain sex and some of them contain violence. But for every R- or NC-17-rated fic stumbled across there is also a G- or PG-rated one. "Slash colors the way you see the show and influences your evaluation of it" Yes, it can. Sometimes I catch myself waiting for Jack and Daniel to hug or give some other sign of their underlying intimate relationship. But just as with the 'they're out of character' issue this is something that applies to all areas of fanfiction. Taking this a step further, all involvement with the show - beyond actually watching the episodes - influences the way you perceive it and has the potential to distract you. "The probability to find a well written story is higher" This of course is an undeserved generalization about the quality of gen and het fanfiction. Bad stories don't spare slash, simply because a bad story is not the fault of the genre but of the untalented author who wrote it. However, often there is indeed a tendency to put more effort into writing about a certain aspect of slash fiction: Jack's and Daniel's motivation for falling in love with each other. When Jack or Daniel shows an interest in a woman, the only question will be for what reasons he fell for this specific woman. Yet no one will wonder why it was a woman in the first place. When Jack or Daniel fall for each other, 'why' is frequently the question on which the entire fic hinges, especially if it is a first time story. The author's creativity and imagination is challenged to come up with convincing reasons and a believable description of the characters' backgrounds that led them to this point. Such efforts can make for very sweet, touching and emotional stories that enthrall the reader and make her feel like she's just witnessed something very special and precious. "Women use it to get turned on" Oh baby, yeah! Last month a friend told me what a wonderful time she'd had the night before, fulfilling her *wifely duties*. She had just finished reading a slashfic when her husband came home from work. Men need visual stimulation, women prefer to use their imagination. Give us a good story, a romantic story or a steamy hot sex scene, and we'll use it to create stimulating pictures in our minds. Is this a bad thing? Again opinions differ here. I once read a sex therapist's advice column in which she suggested that it was perfectly alright for a woman to think of someone other than her partner as long as it made both of them happy. Her, because she was dreaming of making love to the man of her dreams and him, because he felt that their sex life was great and she was an enthusiastic participant. Whether you agree or disagree with this advice one fact remains: in the end it doesn't matter what *triggered* your motivation. A well written slash sex scene has the potential to turn me on more than a het one. Being a woman myself (in case you hadn't noticed...) I know exactly the feelings a man evokes when touching a woman here or there. And I particularly know when the story turns unrealistic. Of course every woman has to decide for herself when this point is reached, but fact is that once it *is* reached, it is very difficult to stay in the mood. However, I don't exactly know where the unrealistic point is for a man. So if a scene sounds hot - which naked Jack and Daniel does to many women - and gives you that special tingly feeling, then chances are the mood will stay with you throughout the scene. And linger afterwards…. |
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