Sanctuary Discussion (Spoilers for the most recent episode)

[Inward Wind]

Dark side of Helen should be interesting. Makes me wonder if there will be a question of what line will she cross to find the Cabal and get Ashley back? Would she sacrifice the abnormals that she has spent years protecting...if needed? Would she do harm to others who might unknowingly get in the way in her pursuit??? Hmmmmm...can it be October already.

Even though I would like to see a less "approachable" Helen, I hope they don't make her as cold as she appeared to be in the web-episodes. I didn't like that part of her character at all and was glad to see it had been toned down a bit.

[majorsal]

I think AT said something along the lines of Helen becoming rather homogenized in the TV series compared to the webisodes, that they made her too accessible in some ways. This was in part because of notes and input from other sources like the networks regarding the things they wanted to see in the character.

She said that in season 2 they're going to be going back to the edgier webisode version a bit more, making Helen more dark and mysterious and less accessible to the viewer in some ways, so they'll question what's she really about more.

For season 2 more generally, she said their going to be exploring more character back-stories, as well as more flashbacks back in time to perhaps the 1920s or 30s or Victorian England. She also mentions again going dark side with Helen and her relationships.

thank you!

spoilers for s1's 'revelations'

Spoiler:

i'd imagine ashley going rogue and darkside herself will cause helen to go darker. not in an insane way , but in just what's going on with her most beloved child. she'll prob go more distant with others, not wanting to feel that 'vulnerable' again.

this is going to be VERY interesting!!

[majorsal]

Even though I would like to see a less "approachable" Helen, I hope they don't make her as cold as she appeared to be in the web-episodes. I didn't like that part of her character at all and was glad to see it had been toned down a bit.

i know what you mean. i liked the darker helen of the webs, but like the more upbeat of the eps. BUT, with helen going darker 'now', it'll work better because we'll have seen the before and after. it'll have a bigger impact.

[suse]

Dark side of Helen should be interesting. Makes me wonder if there will be a question of what line will she cross to find the Cabal and get Ashley back? Would she sacrifice the abnormals that she has spent years protecting...if needed? Would she do harm to others who might unknowingly get in the way in her pursuit??? Hmmmmm...can it be October already.

Even though I would like to see a less "approachable" Helen, I hope they don't make her as cold as she appeared to be in the web-episodes. I didn't like that part of her character at all and was glad to see it had been toned down a bit.

Fav line of SFA (TV series)

Will: Aren't you a little cold?

Helen: Opinion seems to be divided.

I liked both, but I did think they went too far making her so accessible. It's funny, as worried as I wan that the series would be too dark, I found myself preferring large parts of the webisodes. The series grew on me though,


suse

[Skydiver]

i think about the only part of the webbies that stands out that i didn't like was ashley

i thought the 'i'm cutting off your allowance' like was too much. kinda degrading for ashely in a way

and i felt that ash was a bit too hard ass.

that beng said, i think they took her too far to the 'soft and approachable' side in the tv eps.

i'd like a happy medium...really something like how Sam was written in the early seasons, just not with the 'gotta prove myself' issues.

confident in who she is, but compassionate and approachable, but not all open and wearing her heart on her sleeve

[Inward Wind]

:

Will: Aren't you a little cold?

Helen: Opinion seems to be divided.

Yes, I laughed out loud at that one too, although I didn't catch her comment until my second time through the episode

Skydiver-totally agree with you on your analysis of Ashley's character. Went a bit too out of control in the webs, but didn't hardly see any kick-ass Ashley in the series, other than the re-makes of the two web-episodes. To me that is a large part of who her character is suppose to be and probably why some people had difficulty seeing where she fit in; because, most of the rest of the season all she did was hold a gun (never even saw her fire that after Fata Morgana )...and stand around with her hands in her pocket.

majorsal-hopefully with the previous base being set you'll be right and we can get a good mix of both

[JenniferJF]

thank you!

spoilers for s1's 'revelations'

Spoiler:

i'd imagine ashley going rogue and darkside herself will cause helen to go darker. not in an insane way , but in just what's going on with her most beloved child. she'll prob go more distant with others, not wanting to feel that 'vulnerable' again.

this is going to be VERY interesting!!

It's funny, cause a friend and I were just discussing today that a large part of Helen's seeming emotional coldness likely stems from the barrier's she placed as protection after Druitt went insane and became Jack the Ripper. Not just to protect herself emotionally from feeling that way again, but to protect all abnormals (and later Ashley) from what might happen if it were made common knowledge (as she told the mermaid.) Rev:

Spoiler:

Which would mean it might make sense for her to go back to being colder and more distant after revelations for just the reason you state. Sort of a wake-up reminder of what can happen when you let others grow too close. Plus, given the kind of conflict they find themselves in with the Cabal, I could see her realizing she has to take her work even more serious than she's been doing and become more focused and driven on that and thus even less 'connected to the rest of humanity'. Though all this is obviously all speculation as we have no idea how the next part will play out. Including how her relationship with Druitt will end up at the end of this current arc, as whatever happens it's likely to either increase her emotional barriers or her separation from humanity if she ends up trusting the man who was Jack the Ripper.

So, as you say, it's going to be interesting...

[EvenstarSRV]

Even though I would like to see a less "approachable" Helen, I hope they don't make her as cold as she appeared to be in the web-episodes. I didn't like that part of her character at all and was glad to see it had been toned down a bit.

Perhaps a good balance could be keeping Helen fairly approachable amongst those she trusts, like Will, Henry, etc, but making her a bit colder towards outsiders.

Skydiver-totally agree with you on your analysis of Ashley's character. Went a bit too out of control in the webs, but didn't hardly see any kick-ass Ashley in the series, other than the re-makes of the two web-episodes. To me that is a large part of who her character is suppose to be and probably why some people had difficulty seeing where she fit in; because, most of the rest of the season all she did was hold a gun (never even saw her fire that after Fata Morgana )...and stand around with her hands in her pocket.

I hadn't really thought about it, but you're right. Ashley had two kinda actions episodes in the pilot and Fata Morgana, and a little bit in Instinct, but not much fighting for the rest of the season, which is limiting for her since the character is suppose to be the fighter on the team.

I hope they use more of the fighter part of the character in season 2, and I think it would be rather interesting to see a fight between Helen and Ashley, a sort of follow-up on their exchange of words (and gunfire) in Edward.

[samcarterrules]

I personally think she's got quite the dark side. When you bear in mind that John went insane (which she said was treatable) and Nikola was on "medication" for his turns, and the literary figure Griffin was also sociopathic... I can't help but feel that the serum did something incredibly complex to their brain chemistry. Perhaps it affected all of them and that is why Gregory was so against keeping the source blood? Perhaps he was the one to force medication upon them, or Helen at the very least?

Or perhaps I'm just projecting, because this is one of my more annoying and persistent plot bunnies.

I agree Tracy.
And I'm hoping to see 'darker Helen' more too, as long as they don't make her completely inaccessible. Roll on season 2!

or... PMS HELEN!!

*hears scary music*

will: hi, magnus.

helen: die!

henry: how are you doing, boss?

helen: die!

bigfoot: good morning.

helen: die!

ashley: hey, mom, can i--

helen: no!

ashley: i haven't asked you yet!

helen: NO!

ashley: but mom!

helen: NO!

*henry and bigfoot give helen chocolate*

will: hhi... doctor mmagnus.

helen: why hello, will.

henry: boss? how are you... now?

helen: henry, happy morning.

bigfoot: shall i die now?

helen: die? don't be silly.

ashley: mom?

helen: it's still no! honey.

LMAO!!!

[RealmOfX]

Just a reminder for anyone that wants to participate in a week by week review of Season 1 and the webbies to head on over to The Withdrawal Blues Review Thread

This week's discussion is on Sanctuary For All Parts 1 & 2 and commences this Friday (in whatever timezone you are in)

*note to self you still have to watch SFA! Make the time*

[jckfan55]

Fav line of SFA (TV series)

Will: Aren't you a little cold?

Helen: Opinion seems to be divided.


suse

Yes, I laughed out loud at that one too, although I didn't catch her comment until my second time through the episode

But it also had a serious overtone.

I think that somewhat isolated nature of Helen--partly self imposed is an interesting aspect to her personality.

I can totally see Helen go ruthless when it comes to protecting Ashley. Watch out for Mama Bear Magnus!

[suse]

But it also had a serious overtone.

I think that somewhat isolated nature of Helen--partly self imposed is an interesting aspect to her personality.

I can totally see Helen go ruthless when it comes to protecting Ashley. Watch out for Mama Bear Magnus!

I didn't laugh. It had the pathos that Helen had in the webbies. It didn't seem light at all. Not exactly dark humor, wry, maybe.. <<shrug>>

suse

[AstraPerAspera]

But it also had a serious overtone.

I think that somewhat isolated nature of Helen--partly self imposed is an interesting aspect to her personality.

I can totally see Helen go ruthless when it comes to protecting Ashley. Watch out for Mama Bear Magnus!

Oh I think it's almost entirely self-imposed. Mostly as a means of protecting herself. To live as long as she's lived and have had to watch people come into and out of her life...how could one become emotionally invested in them too deeply, knowing that she would eventually outlive them all? Which makes her decision to bring Ashley to term a very interesting one, when all is said and done. Her line about not being able to stand the loneliness any longer...speaks to just how isolated she's been, despite the Gershwins and the Beatles and the Einsteins and the people who she's encountered thru those long years. She's *never* emotionally opened herself to them--she can't have. But yet she risks it, finally, to have Ashley. With no guarantee that Ashley will inherit her own longevity.

And don't forget that Sanctuary isn't just a place for abnormals...it's Helen's own protection against getting too close to the rest of the world as well.

[JenniferJF]

But yet she risks it, finally, to have Ashley. With no guarantee that Ashley will inherit her own longevity.

If this were reality, it'd be highly unlikely Ashley would have inherited any of Helen's abnormality. TMI:

Spoiler:

A woman's ova are produced while she's still a fetus and exist intact within her yet more-or-less separate from her until they're matured and released when she's an adult. Which means they would almost certainly not have been affected by the Source Blood. And as maternal and fetal blood streams do not actually mingle across the placental barrier, it's unlikely she was exposed that way.

So any chance of Ashley's being an abnormal comes almost entirely through her being John Druitt's daughter rather than Helen Magnus's.

Speaking of which (spoilers for Rev):

Spoiler:

It will be very interesting to see how the new season plays out. Because we know Helen feels guilty for having failed to stop John back during the Ripper murders, and has been trying to atone for that for years. If we assume (and I think we safely can) that part of that was allowing her emotional involvement to get in the way of her rational mind, which would further explain some of her emotional aloofness since then, and the next decision we know she made which was emotional rather than rational was Ashley (cause let's face it, when you can have your pick of all kinds of talented and gifted men to be the father of your child and you pick Jack the Ripper...), and if Ashley's 'going bad' leads to long term problems, renewed guilt over having, once again, caused problems by allowing her emotions to ecclipse her reason could very easily cause Helen to withdraw even further into herself.

And that's a bit of a run-on, but it's late here and I don't care ...

[the dancer of spaz]

*peeks in*

*glances at GW's homepage*

So, yeah... In regards to stunt-casting, I hope Sanctuary isn't required to go overboard like that. Because that's outta control. *crosses fingers*