Who do you ship for?

[ToasterOnFire]

Then to me, the question is, why bother?

Ah, but the other side of that coin is "why not?" People form ships between two characters on a show because they see a connection between them. Most ships could become canon on the show, such as most of the Atlantis ships, while some of the other ships, such as Ba'al/Sam, have little to no chance to be shown on TV. It's not the lack of "canon-potential" that draws shippers to the latter ship, it's the connection between the two characters.

Believe it or not, there are shippers in all different Stargate ships that fully support their pairing yet are completely against making the ship canon. I'm sure that there are different reasons for that conviction, but the main one seems to be that they are unhappy with how TPTB portrayed the Sam/Jack ship on SG1. Ultimately, they feel that it's better to have no canon ship at all than a poorly done canon ship.

I can't speak for all Ba'al/Sam shippers, obviously, but I don't think they believe that the ship is going to become canon. More importantly, I don't think any of them care. Perhaps they are happy keeping the ship as speculation/fanfic with the knowledge that TPTB can never screw up the ship by making it canon, since doing so would "invalidate" the show. Because of that the Ba'al/Sam ship seems much more lighthearted than many other ships here and I find that a refreshing change from the more serious ships.

Actually, I didn't pay much attention, but the phenomenal fanboy and fangirl flames that erupt convinced me otherwise. Silly is one thing, but when folks start getting angry about it, oh my, then there's a bit more to the phenomenon than THAT now, isn't there?

My, that flamee history does come up quite often, doesn't it?

[emily_reich]

Ah, but the other side of that coin is "why not?" People form ships between two characters on a show because they see a connection between them. Most ships could become canon on the show, such as most of the Atlantis ships, while some of the other ships, such as Ba'al/Sam, have little to no chance to be shown on TV. It's not the lack of "canon-potential" that draws shippers to the latter ship, it's the connection between the two characters.

yup

Believe it or not, there are shippers in all different Stargate ships that fully support their pairing yet are completely against making the ship canon. I'm sure that there are different reasons for that conviction, but the main one seems to be that they are unhappy with how TPTB portrayed the Sam/Jack ship on SG1. Ultimately, they feel that it's better to have no canon ship at all than a poorly done canon ship.

yeah, i've actually seen an amazing number of these kind of shippers! and they're just as great as any other! i know I PERSONLLY would rather have NO ship than a badly-done ship!

my thought has always been that i REALLY (honestly) don't care what ship they actually PUT on the show, if any at all... but if they do it, it had BETTER be handled well! now obviously my idea of handled well is probably very different from some or most others, but basically i just want no cheese and a relationship based on two characters genuinely caring about each other on SOME level beyond physical attraction...

for fun ships ANYTHING goes!!! and same for fanfic and fandom but for the actual show, i want it done well or not at all

I can't speak for all Ba'al/Sam shippers, obviously, but I don't think they believe that the ship is going to become canon. More importantly, I don't think any of them care. Perhaps they are happy keeping the ship as speculation/fanfic with the knowledge that TPTB can never screw up the ship by making it canon, since doing so would "invalidate" the show. Because of that the Ba'al/Sam ship seems much more lighthearted than many other ships here and I find that a refreshing change from the more serious ships.

yay!!! thanks

and i think you pinned us to a tee we don't think anything is gonna actually come of the relationship, no... we can hope for more flirting, as cliff simon said he was flirting with her before but that's about all we are PERFECTLY content to create lots of stories in our own little world and speculate and over-analyze to our heart's desire

[gatebee]

I am simply a Sam and Jack shipper. I still have my hopes high that in time TPTB will give us our long awaited RL kiss and all the rest that comes with a dynamic chemistry that Sam and Jack have showed through the years

[Osiris-RA]

I'm what you might call a shadow shipper - I ship either totall unbelievable of casual.
Sam/Ba'al
Sam/Thor
Sam/Fifth
Sam/Daniel (shut up )
Daniel/Scully (what??)
NEW: Sam/Mulder ()

Hehe

[emily_reich]

I'm what you might call a shadow shipper - I ship either totall unbelievable of casual.
Sam/Ba'al
Sam/Thor
Sam/Fifth
Sam/Daniel (shut up )
Daniel/Scully (what??)
NEW: Sam/Mulder ()

Hehe

LOL!!!

B'ully!!!!!

[Tucker Case]

I can't speak for all Ba'al/Sam shippers, obviously, but I don't think they believe that the ship is going to become canon.

Back in the day - around, say, 1997-98 - unsuspecting Buffy/Spike shippers were thinking the exact same thing.

Perhaps they are happy keeping the ship as speculation/fanfic with the knowledge that TPTB can never screw up the ship by making it canon, since doing so would "invalidate" the show. Because of that the Ba'al/Sam ship seems much more lighthearted than many other ships here and I find that a refreshing change from the more serious ships.

That's what we liked about Buffy/Spike, too. They were impossible, they'd turn the show on itself and thus they made for a kooky, lighthearted escape from the Buffy/Angel Angst-O-Rama.

Boy, were we in for it. They not only took our ship of fools and sailed it, they made it so ponderously serious the Buffy/Angel angst-fest looked like sweet sixteen kitten's play in comparison.

Not that I don't think you're absolutely right and completely safe...probably...I hope. I just couldn't resist commenting. It all sounded so familiar.

Um...just to steer this into the realm of being on topic, my own preference is for J/D in any context (buddies or more, canonically or otherwise), but I dearly loved Daniel/Sha're on the show. And I wouldn't say no to Sam/McKay.

TC

[yasureubetcha]

Excellent examples.

How do you get those relationships to actually happen without ruining the show? I'd be curious to hear the scenarios you enjoy fantasizing about to bring these to "fruition".

Taking it to the next step, why do relationships that would "screw the pooch" in terms of entertainment float you boat? I enjoy the show to a certain degree, which means I don't want to see these things happen, and I find them actually distasteful as ideas. For example, I like Scooby Doo from my youth, but a Scooby Doo/Stargate crossover would be awful, so I don't waste time thinking about it.

My reason for 'shipping unrealisticly is that I don't enjoy an overload of romance in a lovely sci-fi show. Romance is ok in subtle hints and occasional episodes (like Sam/Pete, between a main and an occasional character, or like Sam/Martouf, between characters living on different planets and only occasionally interacting.) It shows that the characters are in fact human, and have lives (and friends) outside of saving the world. Too much canon romance spoils the show, however, which is why I enjoy unrequited 'ships as well. They offer plenty of potential for character expansion and fan speculation without clogging up the show with all kinds of mushy stuff.

Personally, I think Sam's remaining on Hala with Fifth rather than leaving him behind, for instance, would be completely out of character for Sam, and therefore I wouldn't have wanted it to happen on the show. For that matter, while I would've liked to see her violate Jack's order and set the timer for 5 minutes, that wouldn't have worked so well on the show either.

'Ship being short for "relationship," every charcter has some kind of relationship, whether love, friendship, or enmity, with many other characters. Meanwhile in the context of the forum, 'ship seems to mean a relationship in which romance is involved. Most of the "absurd" 'ships refer to relationships with some sort of romantic context...even if it's one-way. All of the romance in the Fifth/Sam 'ship is coming from Fifth's side, but is still a defining factor in the relationship between their characters, from Unnatural Selection until Gemini. 'Shipping for someone doesn't mean you want to see them together on TV...it may only mean you appreciate and discuss what exists between the two characters. Plus it provides a way to air and discuss our speculations and ideas without annoying the people in the relevant episode or character threads. Most people who don't 'ship Ba'al/Sam would get tired of that 'ship's discussion in the Ba'al thread, and the people in the replicator-related threads who say "get rid of 'em" don't want to see/hear pages about Fifth's lovesick heartbreak.

[Purpleyin]

To me, that's about on par with a Baal/Sam or other clearly non-sequitur relationship.

Then to me, the question is, why bother?

It's the ones that invalidate the show that get me.

Because it can be fun. Ship doesnt need to be canon. I mean since it's non-canon it'll only ever exist in fic and they kind of come under same kind of category of parody and other non-canon fics. They may not fit with the show but they can sure be fun - not all shipping is serious and in a way it's good it can be silly. If it brings a smile to someone's face then its worth it.

[Osiris-RA]

Did someone say Sam/Mckay? Hold on, Is that a pig - no, now cows are flying!!! Hhhholy hannah!!!

[emily_reich]

Because it can be fun. Ship doesnt need to be canon. I mean since it's non-canon it'll only ever exist in fic and they kind of come under same kind of category of parody and other non-canon fics. They may not fit with the show but they can sure be fun - not all shipping is serious and in a way it's good it can be silly. If it brings a smile to someone's face then its worth it.

yes!! i love that i can always get lots of smiles and giggles, not to mention FRIENDS from coming here and having fun shipping!!

[Osiris-RA]

Yeah! Ahhh, friends, so many due to shipping. Heck - there should be a shipping appreiciation thread!

[Tucker Case]

Did someone say Sam/Mckay? Hold on, Is that a pig - no, now cows are flying!!! Hhhholy hannah!!!

Um...I might have mentioned them. But I'm sure I wasn't the first. The cows are not mine, I have nothing to do with cows, I find them very unnerving.

I might be responsible for launching a pig or two, but that's all.

I could grow to love Sam & McKay. As long-distance a relationship as it would be, I certainly wouldn't have to worry about overkill. And just think of all the trouble they could cook up, the polysyllabic mayhem of their every lovers' quarrel, the theoretical one-upmanship that would just have to be settled in the boudoir, that latent chivalric streak of his sneaking to the surface just as she's about to kick butt. I could maybe learn to tolerate the odd flying cow for that.

I'll need a much bigger umbrella, though.

TC

[emily_reich]

Um...I might have mentioned them. But I'm sure I wasn't the first. The cows are not mine, I have nothing to do with cows, I find them very unnerving.

I might be responsible for launching a pig or two, but that's all.

I could grow to love Sam & McKay. As long-distance a relationship as it would be, I certainly wouldn't have to worry about overkill. And just think of all the trouble they could cook up, the polysyllabic mayhem of their every lovers' quarrel, the theoretical one-upmanship that would just have to be settled in the boudoir, that latent chivalric streak of his sneaking to the surface just as she's about to kick butt. I could maybe learn to tolerate the odd flying cow for that.

I'll need a much bigger umbrella, though.

TC

ROFLMAO!!!!! i love it!!!

[Cassie]

I'm a Jack/Sam shipper all the way!

[Agent_Dark]

Um...I might have mentioned them. But I'm sure I wasn't the first. The cows are not mine, I have nothing to do with cows, I find them very unnerving.

I might be responsible for launching a pig or two, but that's all.

I could grow to love Sam & McKay. As long-distance a relationship as it would be, I certainly wouldn't have to worry about overkill. And just think of all the trouble they could cook up, the polysyllabic mayhem of their every lovers' quarrel, the theoretical one-upmanship that would just have to be settled in the boudoir, that latent chivalric streak of his sneaking to the surface just as she's about to kick butt. I could maybe learn to tolerate the odd flying cow for that.

I'll need a much bigger umbrella, though.

TC

Hehe, put it that way and Sam/McKay definatly works