ladybird97 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ladybird97) wrote2022-10-17 08:12 pm
ladybird97) wrote2022-10-17 08:12 pm
Entry tags:
Dear Yuletide 2022 Writer
Dear Yuletide 2022 Writer,
Thank you so much for writing for me! I’m already grateful that you would dedicate your creativity towards giving me a fic.
All of my previous Yuletide posts are public under my Yuletide tag, so you can see the kinds of things I like, rec, and have received in the past.
Things I Love
Gen. Strong friendship. Found family. Romance. Femslash. Bechdel-passing. Inclusivity. Genderflipping. Extreme competence. Teamwork. Stories that replicate the tone and style of the original. Smart people getting to show their intelligence; competent people getting to do what they're best at; powerful characters showing their vulnerability. Plot. Well-researched history. Snappy dialogue. Hurt/comfort. Casefic. (if you write me casefic, I will be your friend forever!) Gift-giving. Epistolary. Time-travel and just-add-magic AUs.
And, most of all, I love crossovers! If you find inspiration for one, it would be an amazing Yuletide present! It can be a crossover or fusion between two of the fandoms I've requested, or with an outside one. Time travel and ‘just add magic’ are two of my fandom catnips, and also some of my favorite excuses for crossovers. (Doctor Who and Timeless would be awesome time-travel crossovers. Please, no Harry Potter for the 'just add magic' crossover, not anymore; but just generally having magic would be cool.) So, an older Pat and Fen help a younger Frankie Drake during WWI. Benjamin January and Co. stumble across something magical; or the Doctor lands in New Orleans and needs their help with something. (Ben is a doctor too, after all!) A ridiculous crack fusion where Jen Walters and Matt Murdock are in the 1920s (time-traveling or just living there) with Frankie Drake and Co, giving them help with some legal issue. Silly, serious, I'll take it all.
Absolute Do Not Want
Explicit sex or violence. Rape, non-con, dubcon. Incest. Humiliation. (Seriously, I can't even watch The Office because humiliation makes me cringe so hard.) Sexual relationships between adults and teens. Violence against children, child abuse, or other children-in-peril. Physical or psychological torture. Misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, and other bigotry. COVID or other epidemics. (One person being sick is fine, just not epidemics.) And please, no 'they act like they hate each other but that's actually because they're in love,' unless that's already been established in canon. I want "no" to mean "no."
Would Rather Not Have
The Five Things / 5+1 structure. Angst. Major character death. Plotless character studies. Modern or sci-fi AUs. Non-canonical pairings that I haven't specified in my request. Character or pairing hate - if you don’t like a character or pairing, just leave them out!
Benjamin January Mysteries, Barbara Hambly. Benjamin January, Dominique Vieillard, Hannibal Sefton, Rose Vitrac January.
I'm happy with a story about any or all of these characters, at any point during the series.
What I love about this series: The New Orleans setting: its social complexity, racial diversity, music, history. The emotional authenticity of everyone's strengths and weaknesses. The way it respects the characters' pasts. The complications of friendship and family. The way each mystery is so deeply embedded in the fabric of its society. I also respect how the series doesn't look away from the legacy of slavery, racism, and trauma, both in the characters' lives and in the wider world. I absolutely understand that some of those elements need to be in this story if it's going to do justice to the original and the historical reality. However, I would strongly prefer a story that is not primarily about racism, slavery, or trauma.
About the characters specifically: I love Dominique's emotional intelligence, unabashed femininity, perceptiveness, and skillful navigation of New Orleans' racial divisions and her own place within them. I love Rose's intellect, gentleness, pragmatism, and the little flashes of daring and bravery that are getting more frequent as time goes on. (The cross-dressing is especially excellent.) I love Hannibal's loyalty, haplessness, accidental charisma, stealth competence, and fast-talking.
My first choice is a story in which Rose and Dominique team up and take the lead in solving a case. Maybe it's while Benjamin is away; maybe it's a case that he can't investigate on his own: just as he takes on cases that other people can't (or won't) investigate, maybe Rose and Dominique have taken on one that Benjamin can't or won't. How do Rose and Dominique work together? What are their detective methods like? How do they rescue Hannibal (because you know he'll need to be rescued!)
If you'd like to do a solo story, I'd love to see Hannibal on his own. Maybe you could show what he was doing during one of the many times when he was offstage working on Benjamin's behalf, trying to bluff his way out of a tight situation.
Obviously I'm happy to have a conventional case with Benjamin there! I'd just really like to see some of the other characters working on their own, too.
England Series, KJ Charles. Patricia Merton and Fenella Carruth
When someone recommended “Proper English” to me as “f/f English country house murder mystery”, my response was “every single part of that description is catnip to me.” And I love these two SO MUCH. I love them and their story, and I return to this book as a comfort-read at least once every few months.
I love Fen’s femininity, stealth competence, keen perception, emotional intelligence, unexpected confidence when it comes to romance. I love the way she learns how to take advantage of the way people underestimate her - how she understands that that’s actually one of her strengths - but I wish she had more opportunities to show the world outright how absolutely awesome she is.
I love Pat’s not-at-all-stealth competence and only slightly-stealth gentle side. I love her supportive relationship with her brother. I love her sense of justice. I love the way she sees Fen when nobody else does and I love the way she respects her. I love her resourcefulness.
Together, I love they way they work as a team: how each teaches the other, how their strengths complement each other, how they admire each other, and how they support each other. I’m OK with a solo story about either Pat or Fen, but I’d strongly prefer one about them together.
Casefic would be fabulous, obviously. I’d love to see Pat and Fen working together to solve another murder or other crime, especially one where they’re the only people who really understand how important it is. And/or, it would be great to have a moment of role reversal, where Pat is imperiled and Fen has to step up to be brave to save her. (This would be a great opportunity for some hurt/comfort!) I’d also love to see this relationship traced forward into the future: how do they grow over time? What do they do during WWI - what badass stuff does Pat do, and how does Fen hold down the home front? What kind of community do they build around themselves as they move forward in life?
Frankie Drake Mysteries, any character.
This show is so much fun! I love its snappy pacing; I love the way it’s juuuuust a bit over the top (especially in S4!); I love when it digs into real history; I like that it shows some of the historical diversity of Toronto and wish it would do that more. And of course, I love the friendship among the four main characters that anchors it.
I love that Frankie is badass, quick thinking, outrageously daring, unashamedly sexy (and that the show doesn’t punish her for it!), a good leader. (If you want to include one of her current or past boyfriends, I’m fine with that; I like the growing relationship with Smoldering Carpenter at the end of S4 and would be happy to see more of him, but I’m also OK without.)
I love Trudy’s resourcefulness, ambition, fabulous fashion sense, creativity, and strong work ethic. I love her dedication to her family and community; and I love how naturally she weaves that in with her friendship with the others.
I love Mary’s dedication to her job, and her growth over the course of the show. I love that she’s really starting to think seriously about ethics and grapple with questions of justice (and glad that the writers are talking about police corruption/misconduct/brutality!). I love that she’s braver than she thinks she is.
I love that Flo is confident, competent, flirty, smart. I love that she’s good at her job and owns it. I love that she’s a good dancer; I love that she’s ambitious; I love that she’s moving on after losing her husband but also carries his presence with her - she refers to her life and love with him very naturally.
I’d love an ensemble story, of course - the teamwork among the four main women is one of the things I like best about the show. Something that lets each of them showcase their strengths; something that shows how each of them is growing; something that shows how they all work together and help each other shine.
If you want to do a solo story, my first choice would be one focusing on Flo. Maybe an adventure in her new job singing at the club (starting a relationship with a nice woman?); maybe navigating the challenges of medical school and her job at the coroner; maybe solving a medical mystery by herself, using knowledge that only she could have. Or maybe a story about her bonding with her niece - I really loved that storyline in S4, and it was wonderful to see Flo step up to be a supportive ally even as she clearly felt the magnitude of the task of becoming a surrogate parent.
A League Of Their Own, any character
Hi, do you have about five hours for me to talk to you about how much I love this show?
I love the teamwork, the friendship, the joy of discovery. I love the way it shows such a huge variety of ways to be a woman, and to be queer. I love that everyone learns how to understand themselves better - through baseball, through work, through love, through family. I love that it shows all kinds of different supportive communities. I love that it allows so many characters to show their vulnerability; and I love that every one of them can show it because they've found someone that they trust enough to open up to. I love the way it shows members of communities teaching each other and welcoming each other: Carson growing into someone who can be a mentor to other players while receiving mentorship in turn about the queer community by Jess and Lupe and Greta; Max learning to see Bert as a role model as she defines herself and her identity. I love that it lets characters be imperfect: that it lets them mess up and apologize and learn and work their way towards being better people. I respect that it doesn't deny the real racism and homophobia of the 1940s, but it uses those moments of darkness to make the light shine even brighter in all of the loving accepting communities.
I'd love to see a lot of Greta/Carson, of course. I love love love how they find their way towards each other - even though they dive headfirst into the relationship it still takes them a long time to fully open up to each other because Greta has been hurt so badly in the past and Carson is so closed off from herself and her own wants. I'd love something fluffy that shows them being happy with each other - a late night/early morning on a road trip; or a practice session that turns romantic. Or for something more serious, maybe hurt/comfort - Greta closes herself off so much that it would be a huge deal for her to be vulnerable enough to let Carson help her.
Max and Clance are wonderful too - I love the depth and intimacy of that friendship. I always tear up when I think about Max saying "you're my team." (Friendship only between them, please.) Maybe Clance being domestic and hosting, making a nice dinner for Max and one of her girlfriends? Or maybe Max doing something nice for Clance, making a real effort to make up for the times in the past when she's neglected Clance's need for support.
I'd also be super happy with an ensemble story: the Peaches cooperating to help one of their teammates fix a problem; or a fun night out on the town on a road trip; or just a classic sports story arc of winning a tough game through teamwork and skill.
She-Hulk. Jen Walters, Matt Murdock, Nikki Ramos
What a wonderfully and hilariously weird show this turned out to be!
I love the way it depicts the mundanity of life in a world with superheroes: super-strength means that everyone asks you to help move their furniture; having regeneration powers means that you can commit fraud by faking your death over and over. I love that it keeps pulling the focus of the story back to the small and personal rather than the galactic - like Jen said in the finale, these are _her_ stakes, and she's going to keep focusing on them. Which (I'm just realizing as I'm writing this) is why Matt Murdock fits in so well. He's a local hero who wants to keep his neighborhood safe, not a galactic defender saving the universe from cosmic destruction.
Which is also why I'm specifically _not_ requesting Bruce. As sweet as the Bruce and Jen relationship is, I want to keep the focus on Jen.
As for the characters I do want:
The Jen-Nikki friendship is hilarious and wonderful. I love their quickfire banter; I love that Nikki is really really good at her job and not afraid to say so. I love the way they each support the other, building up the other's strengths and always being able to depend on each other.
(I'm sad that I didn't nominate in time to request Nikki/Mallory, because wow, the chemistry in that scene with them having dinner together! If you wanted to get some Nikki/Mallory in there, I would be a very happy person!)
And of course, the Jen/Matt relationship is awesome. Just keep letting Matt be happy, darnit! I love that they both just charge ahead into their relationship and superhero teamwork alike, and while there are obstacles to both, they both want to make it work and have a good sense of humor about it. And oh my gosh I could have a ton of fic about that dinner scene in the finale alone. The clucking family, the genuine warmth, the humor! Please give me all the Jen/Matt cuteness!
For specific ideas: I'd love to see Matt calling on Jen's expertise in a legal case or a superhero situation. It was cool that he could give her some mentorship in being a superhero, but I want to see a story that shows the kind of superheroing that only Jen can do, and that shows her legal skills. Maybe Titania tries to reinvent herself in New York, and Matt knows that Jen's prior experience would be really helpful? Or, I'd love a story that lets Nikki shine, with all of her confidence and intelligence and resourcefulness. What if Nikki got superpowers? Or what if she doesn't have powers but she's caught by a petty supervillain and has to save herself by sheer power of awesomeness alone? Or all of the above!
I'm fine with some fourth-wall-breaking meta-ness - I don't mind it!
Wheel of Time. Lan Mandragoran, Moiraine Damodred, Nynaeve al'Meara, Siuan Sanche
Oh, I have so much nostalgia for these books! The Wheel of Time series was my first Fandom way back in the early days of the internet, and I have a huge warm fondness for it still.
I loved this adaptation of the story: its focus onto Moiraine and her inner struggle, its deeper view of Two Rivers culture (the whole opening speech about the cultural significance of braids!), its depiction of tenderness among the Warders, its inclusive casting, its honoring of the book canon (the story of Manetheren! Lan's speech to Nynaeve! Oh my heart!) while tracing out new stories when it needs to.
When I was 18 and discovered the books for the first time, Nynaeve was my favorite; now that I'm 40something, Moiraine is my favorite.
I love Moiraine's depth of conviction, her political intelligence, her slight ruthlessness (okay, maybe more than slight!), her fierce love for Siuan and Lan and for the young people under her protection.
Moiraine/Siuan is always wonderful. I would love to see them as the White Tower power couple, being terrifyingly competent and doing their politics and working for what they believe is right. What other causes have they advocated for together in the past? How have they used their power for good? Or, give me the YA romance of them getting together, full of delicious tropeyness: the two overconfident Accepted facing down some huge threat and then falling into each other's arms while one takes care of the other's injuries. (Wherever they are, there is probably Only One Bed.)
Or, any story about Nynaeve would make me really happy. Something earlier in her life in the Two Rivers, as she grew and learned and stepped into her role as Wisdom; mentoring the younger villagers or using her astounding channeling strength or struggling to deal with her family history. Or a story about her being super-awesome with Lan somewhere along the journey, each admiring the other's competence and skill.
And/or, Nynaeve and Moiraine together at some point - on the journey to Tar Valon, at the Tower, or on the journey north - butting heads and learning from each other, while both respecting the depth of the other one's ties with Lan. The Lan-Moiraine relationship is wonderful too - I love loyalty, and this relationship is full of it! But no Lan/Moiraine or OT3, please; I really like that Lan and Moiraine have such a deep intense relationship without romance.
Thank you so much for writing for me! I’m already grateful that you would dedicate your creativity towards giving me a fic.
All of my previous Yuletide posts are public under my Yuletide tag, so you can see the kinds of things I like, rec, and have received in the past.
Things I Love
Gen. Strong friendship. Found family. Romance. Femslash. Bechdel-passing. Inclusivity. Genderflipping. Extreme competence. Teamwork. Stories that replicate the tone and style of the original. Smart people getting to show their intelligence; competent people getting to do what they're best at; powerful characters showing their vulnerability. Plot. Well-researched history. Snappy dialogue. Hurt/comfort. Casefic. (if you write me casefic, I will be your friend forever!) Gift-giving. Epistolary. Time-travel and just-add-magic AUs.
And, most of all, I love crossovers! If you find inspiration for one, it would be an amazing Yuletide present! It can be a crossover or fusion between two of the fandoms I've requested, or with an outside one. Time travel and ‘just add magic’ are two of my fandom catnips, and also some of my favorite excuses for crossovers. (Doctor Who and Timeless would be awesome time-travel crossovers. Please, no Harry Potter for the 'just add magic' crossover, not anymore; but just generally having magic would be cool.) So, an older Pat and Fen help a younger Frankie Drake during WWI. Benjamin January and Co. stumble across something magical; or the Doctor lands in New Orleans and needs their help with something. (Ben is a doctor too, after all!) A ridiculous crack fusion where Jen Walters and Matt Murdock are in the 1920s (time-traveling or just living there) with Frankie Drake and Co, giving them help with some legal issue. Silly, serious, I'll take it all.
Absolute Do Not Want
Explicit sex or violence. Rape, non-con, dubcon. Incest. Humiliation. (Seriously, I can't even watch The Office because humiliation makes me cringe so hard.) Sexual relationships between adults and teens. Violence against children, child abuse, or other children-in-peril. Physical or psychological torture. Misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, and other bigotry. COVID or other epidemics. (One person being sick is fine, just not epidemics.) And please, no 'they act like they hate each other but that's actually because they're in love,' unless that's already been established in canon. I want "no" to mean "no."
Would Rather Not Have
The Five Things / 5+1 structure. Angst. Major character death. Plotless character studies. Modern or sci-fi AUs. Non-canonical pairings that I haven't specified in my request. Character or pairing hate - if you don’t like a character or pairing, just leave them out!
Benjamin January Mysteries, Barbara Hambly. Benjamin January, Dominique Vieillard, Hannibal Sefton, Rose Vitrac January.
I'm happy with a story about any or all of these characters, at any point during the series.
What I love about this series: The New Orleans setting: its social complexity, racial diversity, music, history. The emotional authenticity of everyone's strengths and weaknesses. The way it respects the characters' pasts. The complications of friendship and family. The way each mystery is so deeply embedded in the fabric of its society. I also respect how the series doesn't look away from the legacy of slavery, racism, and trauma, both in the characters' lives and in the wider world. I absolutely understand that some of those elements need to be in this story if it's going to do justice to the original and the historical reality. However, I would strongly prefer a story that is not primarily about racism, slavery, or trauma.
About the characters specifically: I love Dominique's emotional intelligence, unabashed femininity, perceptiveness, and skillful navigation of New Orleans' racial divisions and her own place within them. I love Rose's intellect, gentleness, pragmatism, and the little flashes of daring and bravery that are getting more frequent as time goes on. (The cross-dressing is especially excellent.) I love Hannibal's loyalty, haplessness, accidental charisma, stealth competence, and fast-talking.
My first choice is a story in which Rose and Dominique team up and take the lead in solving a case. Maybe it's while Benjamin is away; maybe it's a case that he can't investigate on his own: just as he takes on cases that other people can't (or won't) investigate, maybe Rose and Dominique have taken on one that Benjamin can't or won't. How do Rose and Dominique work together? What are their detective methods like? How do they rescue Hannibal (because you know he'll need to be rescued!)
If you'd like to do a solo story, I'd love to see Hannibal on his own. Maybe you could show what he was doing during one of the many times when he was offstage working on Benjamin's behalf, trying to bluff his way out of a tight situation.
Obviously I'm happy to have a conventional case with Benjamin there! I'd just really like to see some of the other characters working on their own, too.
England Series, KJ Charles. Patricia Merton and Fenella Carruth
When someone recommended “Proper English” to me as “f/f English country house murder mystery”, my response was “every single part of that description is catnip to me.” And I love these two SO MUCH. I love them and their story, and I return to this book as a comfort-read at least once every few months.
I love Fen’s femininity, stealth competence, keen perception, emotional intelligence, unexpected confidence when it comes to romance. I love the way she learns how to take advantage of the way people underestimate her - how she understands that that’s actually one of her strengths - but I wish she had more opportunities to show the world outright how absolutely awesome she is.
I love Pat’s not-at-all-stealth competence and only slightly-stealth gentle side. I love her supportive relationship with her brother. I love her sense of justice. I love the way she sees Fen when nobody else does and I love the way she respects her. I love her resourcefulness.
Together, I love they way they work as a team: how each teaches the other, how their strengths complement each other, how they admire each other, and how they support each other. I’m OK with a solo story about either Pat or Fen, but I’d strongly prefer one about them together.
Casefic would be fabulous, obviously. I’d love to see Pat and Fen working together to solve another murder or other crime, especially one where they’re the only people who really understand how important it is. And/or, it would be great to have a moment of role reversal, where Pat is imperiled and Fen has to step up to be brave to save her. (This would be a great opportunity for some hurt/comfort!) I’d also love to see this relationship traced forward into the future: how do they grow over time? What do they do during WWI - what badass stuff does Pat do, and how does Fen hold down the home front? What kind of community do they build around themselves as they move forward in life?
Frankie Drake Mysteries, any character.
This show is so much fun! I love its snappy pacing; I love the way it’s juuuuust a bit over the top (especially in S4!); I love when it digs into real history; I like that it shows some of the historical diversity of Toronto and wish it would do that more. And of course, I love the friendship among the four main characters that anchors it.
I love that Frankie is badass, quick thinking, outrageously daring, unashamedly sexy (and that the show doesn’t punish her for it!), a good leader. (If you want to include one of her current or past boyfriends, I’m fine with that; I like the growing relationship with Smoldering Carpenter at the end of S4 and would be happy to see more of him, but I’m also OK without.)
I love Trudy’s resourcefulness, ambition, fabulous fashion sense, creativity, and strong work ethic. I love her dedication to her family and community; and I love how naturally she weaves that in with her friendship with the others.
I love Mary’s dedication to her job, and her growth over the course of the show. I love that she’s really starting to think seriously about ethics and grapple with questions of justice (and glad that the writers are talking about police corruption/misconduct/brutality!). I love that she’s braver than she thinks she is.
I love that Flo is confident, competent, flirty, smart. I love that she’s good at her job and owns it. I love that she’s a good dancer; I love that she’s ambitious; I love that she’s moving on after losing her husband but also carries his presence with her - she refers to her life and love with him very naturally.
I’d love an ensemble story, of course - the teamwork among the four main women is one of the things I like best about the show. Something that lets each of them showcase their strengths; something that shows how each of them is growing; something that shows how they all work together and help each other shine.
If you want to do a solo story, my first choice would be one focusing on Flo. Maybe an adventure in her new job singing at the club (starting a relationship with a nice woman?); maybe navigating the challenges of medical school and her job at the coroner; maybe solving a medical mystery by herself, using knowledge that only she could have. Or maybe a story about her bonding with her niece - I really loved that storyline in S4, and it was wonderful to see Flo step up to be a supportive ally even as she clearly felt the magnitude of the task of becoming a surrogate parent.
A League Of Their Own, any character
Hi, do you have about five hours for me to talk to you about how much I love this show?
I love the teamwork, the friendship, the joy of discovery. I love the way it shows such a huge variety of ways to be a woman, and to be queer. I love that everyone learns how to understand themselves better - through baseball, through work, through love, through family. I love that it shows all kinds of different supportive communities. I love that it allows so many characters to show their vulnerability; and I love that every one of them can show it because they've found someone that they trust enough to open up to. I love the way it shows members of communities teaching each other and welcoming each other: Carson growing into someone who can be a mentor to other players while receiving mentorship in turn about the queer community by Jess and Lupe and Greta; Max learning to see Bert as a role model as she defines herself and her identity. I love that it lets characters be imperfect: that it lets them mess up and apologize and learn and work their way towards being better people. I respect that it doesn't deny the real racism and homophobia of the 1940s, but it uses those moments of darkness to make the light shine even brighter in all of the loving accepting communities.
I'd love to see a lot of Greta/Carson, of course. I love love love how they find their way towards each other - even though they dive headfirst into the relationship it still takes them a long time to fully open up to each other because Greta has been hurt so badly in the past and Carson is so closed off from herself and her own wants. I'd love something fluffy that shows them being happy with each other - a late night/early morning on a road trip; or a practice session that turns romantic. Or for something more serious, maybe hurt/comfort - Greta closes herself off so much that it would be a huge deal for her to be vulnerable enough to let Carson help her.
Max and Clance are wonderful too - I love the depth and intimacy of that friendship. I always tear up when I think about Max saying "you're my team." (Friendship only between them, please.) Maybe Clance being domestic and hosting, making a nice dinner for Max and one of her girlfriends? Or maybe Max doing something nice for Clance, making a real effort to make up for the times in the past when she's neglected Clance's need for support.
I'd also be super happy with an ensemble story: the Peaches cooperating to help one of their teammates fix a problem; or a fun night out on the town on a road trip; or just a classic sports story arc of winning a tough game through teamwork and skill.
She-Hulk. Jen Walters, Matt Murdock, Nikki Ramos
What a wonderfully and hilariously weird show this turned out to be!
I love the way it depicts the mundanity of life in a world with superheroes: super-strength means that everyone asks you to help move their furniture; having regeneration powers means that you can commit fraud by faking your death over and over. I love that it keeps pulling the focus of the story back to the small and personal rather than the galactic - like Jen said in the finale, these are _her_ stakes, and she's going to keep focusing on them. Which (I'm just realizing as I'm writing this) is why Matt Murdock fits in so well. He's a local hero who wants to keep his neighborhood safe, not a galactic defender saving the universe from cosmic destruction.
Which is also why I'm specifically _not_ requesting Bruce. As sweet as the Bruce and Jen relationship is, I want to keep the focus on Jen.
As for the characters I do want:
The Jen-Nikki friendship is hilarious and wonderful. I love their quickfire banter; I love that Nikki is really really good at her job and not afraid to say so. I love the way they each support the other, building up the other's strengths and always being able to depend on each other.
(I'm sad that I didn't nominate in time to request Nikki/Mallory, because wow, the chemistry in that scene with them having dinner together! If you wanted to get some Nikki/Mallory in there, I would be a very happy person!)
And of course, the Jen/Matt relationship is awesome. Just keep letting Matt be happy, darnit! I love that they both just charge ahead into their relationship and superhero teamwork alike, and while there are obstacles to both, they both want to make it work and have a good sense of humor about it. And oh my gosh I could have a ton of fic about that dinner scene in the finale alone. The clucking family, the genuine warmth, the humor! Please give me all the Jen/Matt cuteness!
For specific ideas: I'd love to see Matt calling on Jen's expertise in a legal case or a superhero situation. It was cool that he could give her some mentorship in being a superhero, but I want to see a story that shows the kind of superheroing that only Jen can do, and that shows her legal skills. Maybe Titania tries to reinvent herself in New York, and Matt knows that Jen's prior experience would be really helpful? Or, I'd love a story that lets Nikki shine, with all of her confidence and intelligence and resourcefulness. What if Nikki got superpowers? Or what if she doesn't have powers but she's caught by a petty supervillain and has to save herself by sheer power of awesomeness alone? Or all of the above!
I'm fine with some fourth-wall-breaking meta-ness - I don't mind it!
Wheel of Time. Lan Mandragoran, Moiraine Damodred, Nynaeve al'Meara, Siuan Sanche
Oh, I have so much nostalgia for these books! The Wheel of Time series was my first Fandom
I loved this adaptation of the story: its focus onto Moiraine and her inner struggle, its deeper view of Two Rivers culture (the whole opening speech about the cultural significance of braids!), its depiction of tenderness among the Warders, its inclusive casting, its honoring of the book canon (the story of Manetheren! Lan's speech to Nynaeve! Oh my heart!) while tracing out new stories when it needs to.
When I was 18 and discovered the books for the first time, Nynaeve was my favorite; now that I'm 40something, Moiraine is my favorite.
I love Moiraine's depth of conviction, her political intelligence, her slight ruthlessness (okay, maybe more than slight!), her fierce love for Siuan and Lan and for the young people under her protection.
Moiraine/Siuan is always wonderful. I would love to see them as the White Tower power couple, being terrifyingly competent and doing their politics and working for what they believe is right. What other causes have they advocated for together in the past? How have they used their power for good? Or, give me the YA romance of them getting together, full of delicious tropeyness: the two overconfident Accepted facing down some huge threat and then falling into each other's arms while one takes care of the other's injuries. (Wherever they are, there is probably Only One Bed.)
Or, any story about Nynaeve would make me really happy. Something earlier in her life in the Two Rivers, as she grew and learned and stepped into her role as Wisdom; mentoring the younger villagers or using her astounding channeling strength or struggling to deal with her family history. Or a story about her being super-awesome with Lan somewhere along the journey, each admiring the other's competence and skill.
And/or, Nynaeve and Moiraine together at some point - on the journey to Tar Valon, at the Tower, or on the journey north - butting heads and learning from each other, while both respecting the depth of the other one's ties with Lan. The Lan-Moiraine relationship is wonderful too - I love loyalty, and this relationship is full of it! But no Lan/Moiraine or OT3, please; I really like that Lan and Moiraine have such a deep intense relationship without romance.