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So, tumblr! A place of amazing shit and weird shit and oh-my-God-what-the-fuck shit. Shit of all types and subjects and I enjoy a lot of it, ignore much of it, hate a satisfying portion of it. Tumblr, for me, is a good alternative to going outside and yelling at people who don't pick up their dog poop. (The poop of their dogs - my neighbors don't somehow poop dog p--you know what moving on.)
But one thing that I've found really interesting is that, amongst people in the Avengers fandom, there are a) people who love Loki and/or Tom Hiddleston, and b) people who loathe Loki. (So far haven't met anybody who loathes Tom Hiddleston, though there are a fair number indifferent to him. My theory is that he's like chocolate: mostly loved, with a few people who don't see the big deal, but it's not like there's a big Anti-Chocolate campaign going on. Now I'm hungry.)
I fall into the first category, but I have no problems seeing the second category's perspective. Loki is, after all, a villain, and one of the most insidious: a villain who is attractive and well-dressed and narratively confusing, since a lot of times we see things from his perspective and are supposed to empathize or at least sympathize with him. But then he does truly, draw-droppingly heinous shit. And no matter what the narrative pressures you, as an audience member, into thinking, you're going to draw your own conclusions when a character tries to massacre thousands of people or threatens another character you care about.
The frustration I feel, however, is that as a fic writer, I want to write stories about - actually, about everyone in the Avengers universe, because they're all fascinating and complicated and borderline nutso at times (Peggy I am looking at you). But that includes wanting to write stories about Loki. And I've read a lot - a lot - of posts on tumblr (and a few here on dw/lj) about how most Loki-centric stories read as apologia for what he does or, even worse, rewrite the character entirely to become some kind of good guy, which he isn't.
So I think my question is: what do you see as the solution, or at least a step in the right direction? Is it fewer stories that feature Loki, or fewer stories that feature him as the protagonist, or fewer stories that feature him as a hero or love interest? What characterization are you, as a reader, looking for with this character? Do you only buy stories where he's the legit villain, or do you have any interest in a redemptive arc for him or other Marvelverse villains? (I think all of the ones other than the Abomination are dead, but hey, I've got a soft spot for Emil Blonsky too. SHUT UP.)
And it goes without saying (but Imma say it anyway) that if you read this and are like, if I have to have one more conversation about that motherfucker I'm going to punch my laptop in the face, then that's a totally legit response. But I, for one, would really like to get a better handle on where the line is between writing a character that's interesting to me and condoning that character's behavior, and I've got a feeling that I'm on the wrong side, right now.
ETA: all the comments are amazing, and please continue to talk to me or amongst yourselves. I'm at a family gathering atm and my computer can either have wifi or a wall charger, but not both - so i'll be responding to these comments more slowly than I usually do. But I've read everyone and y'all are creepily smart and awesome. Stop it. I mean it.
But one thing that I've found really interesting is that, amongst people in the Avengers fandom, there are a) people who love Loki and/or Tom Hiddleston, and b) people who loathe Loki. (So far haven't met anybody who loathes Tom Hiddleston, though there are a fair number indifferent to him. My theory is that he's like chocolate: mostly loved, with a few people who don't see the big deal, but it's not like there's a big Anti-Chocolate campaign going on. Now I'm hungry.)
I fall into the first category, but I have no problems seeing the second category's perspective. Loki is, after all, a villain, and one of the most insidious: a villain who is attractive and well-dressed and narratively confusing, since a lot of times we see things from his perspective and are supposed to empathize or at least sympathize with him. But then he does truly, draw-droppingly heinous shit. And no matter what the narrative pressures you, as an audience member, into thinking, you're going to draw your own conclusions when a character tries to massacre thousands of people or threatens another character you care about.
The frustration I feel, however, is that as a fic writer, I want to write stories about - actually, about everyone in the Avengers universe, because they're all fascinating and complicated and borderline nutso at times (Peggy I am looking at you). But that includes wanting to write stories about Loki. And I've read a lot - a lot - of posts on tumblr (and a few here on dw/lj) about how most Loki-centric stories read as apologia for what he does or, even worse, rewrite the character entirely to become some kind of good guy, which he isn't.
So I think my question is: what do you see as the solution, or at least a step in the right direction? Is it fewer stories that feature Loki, or fewer stories that feature him as the protagonist, or fewer stories that feature him as a hero or love interest? What characterization are you, as a reader, looking for with this character? Do you only buy stories where he's the legit villain, or do you have any interest in a redemptive arc for him or other Marvelverse villains? (I think all of the ones other than the Abomination are dead, but hey, I've got a soft spot for Emil Blonsky too. SHUT UP.)
And it goes without saying (but Imma say it anyway) that if you read this and are like, if I have to have one more conversation about that motherfucker I'm going to punch my laptop in the face, then that's a totally legit response. But I, for one, would really like to get a better handle on where the line is between writing a character that's interesting to me and condoning that character's behavior, and I've got a feeling that I'm on the wrong side, right now.
ETA: all the comments are amazing, and please continue to talk to me or amongst yourselves. I'm at a family gathering atm and my computer can either have wifi or a wall charger, but not both - so i'll be responding to these comments more slowly than I usually do. But I've read everyone and y'all are creepily smart and awesome. Stop it. I mean it.