Originally posted by Shipperahoy
Can J/S be written in such a way that it adds interest to the storyline without overtaking it? Can J/S be written in such a way that the rest of the relationships, and the overall team dynamic, are not negatively affected? Can J/S be written in such a way that neither Jack nor Sam come off looking needy or self-centered?
Yes, yes, and yes. For proof, I refer you to seasons 1-7 1/2. The seasons that I saw J/S without having to be "told" it was there. The seasons that I enjoyed the notion that maybe there might be more between these two people than simple friendship and didn't need any goofy music in the background to "prove" to me that there was. The seasons that Jack and Daniel, and Jack and Teal'c, and Daniel and Sam, and Sam and Teal'c all cared about each other equally but in different ways.
The seasons when I was a J/S shipper, no matter whose name I put first when I talk about them.
The second half of Season Seven was bad, on so many levels, to me. I thought Sam looked pathetic. I still think Sam looks pathetic - though were I not spoiled for the second half of Season Eight, I wouldn't. I've adored her so far in Season Eight. I was actually starting to defend her again, against some others in my "new" fandom group who were attacking her actions in a way that I felt was totally unfair, biased and unwarranted. Based on what we've seen in Season Eight, ignoring what may or may not be coming up around the bend, I still think the complaints being made about Sam were wrong.
But the second half of Season Eight is coming. And if it happens the way we've been told it's going to... how do I justify my defense of her? How do I justify my position that she's once again a character to admire? How do I reconcile my defense of what she is now with what may very well be my condemnation of what she might be about to become?
Because if the second half of Season Eight shows up onscreen the way we've heard it might, and if she actually does what we've been told she's going to do... I'm sorry. But there is nothing admirable about that, and there is no justification for it. My personal opinion is, and will always be, that anyone would do what Sam might be about to do is nothing more than a self-centered, egotisitcal, arrogant, unfeeling witch. And that's not what I want to think about Sam.
This is my main arguement against J/S right now. The other things - using RDA's limited screen time only to give Jack scenes with Sam, the lack of friendship between the characters at the end of Season Seven - are secondary to what I believe this entire story line is doing to Sam. We've seen her behaving in ways, and doing and saying things, that she would never have behaved, or done, or said, even just a year ago. And if the only way to bring Jack and Sam together at the end is to reduce her to a stereotypical charicature of what a woman is "supposed to be," then I'm sorry, but even that payoff - seeing Jack and Sam together - is never going to be enough for me.
I wanted them together, no doubt about that. But I wanted Jack with *Sam* - not with some hollow, self-centered, uncaring "thing" that has taken her place. And if not accepting Sam's character as a necessary casualty to the "ship" means that I was never a "real" shipper, then so be it.
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