Title: Stranger Shit.
Author: Stacey-Marie
Warnings: essay-ness on Relena
Disclaimers: Gundam Wing, its chara, mechs and all other miscellaneous stuff doesn't belong to me, they are the property of Bandai, Sunrise and the Sotsu Agency. So don't sue because you have a better chance of finding a live cabbit in my room than something of value.
Note: in this essay I'm going to explain about why I like a new interpretation of Relena and why I think she came about. And as I formerly was one of the people who hated her, this says a lot for the new version.
Stranger Shit.
Recently, I've noticed a growing change in the way that people are writing Relena in yaoi fics and I've discovered that I really like her. The common perception, that I've seen at least, in yaoi fics and ones where the author has a low opinion of Relena is to make her a rather stupid brat, whereas the new trend I've been seeing over the past year or so makes her a feeling, compassionate person who has more things in her life that staking Heero and clinging to him professing her love. I think that this is due largely to the time a person spends writing and their perceptions of the other characters and their world.
Firstly, I would like to go into a bit more depth in describing the Relena I typically used to see in yaoi fics and the generally low opinion of her reflected therein. First on her impressive list of annoying traits, is that her and peptol bismal pink are very close. Relena cannot go anywhere, do anything or even think unless there is enough fluffy pink present to put a baby shower to shame. Second, she only possesses two brain cells: one to concentrate on stalking Heero and the other to plot how to steal him from his significant other. Relena apparently has no political obligations, school or lack of funds to simply stalk and plot. She has a deep-seated idea that Heero is utterly in love with her if only he could be free of his girlfriend/boyfriend who has obviously trapped her poor innocent terrorist and he's waiting for her to save him. At points people usually say simple jokes about her and to her face which are so far over her head that you stop to wonder if she is smart enough to tie her own shoes. In short, she is a scatter-brained nincompoop. She whines incessantly and clings like an octopus to Heero's arm to the point that even Quatre usually ends up hating her. She hates Duo so deeply that it is not beneath her to hire thugs to kill him. I hate her just describing her. This type interpretation is the entire reason for her role in the Gundam Wing Drinking Game and why I've never played it. You need to take a shot every time you want to kill her and I don't think I could keep down that much tequila.
Keeping this horrific vision of her in mind, I would now like to describe the new Relena I am seeing more and more. Firstly, and most importantly, she is not a moron. Yes, it is true that her ideals of peace are somewhat naïve and she is stubborn in clinging to them, but this Relena does show the ability to have logical thought and to add two plus two. She is a very strong willed and passionate figure who despite her naiveté can inspire people to follow her and believe his her ideals. Second, she displays a range of emotions outside of obsession for Heero and jealous rage at anyone within twenty feet of him. She is often very frustrated and depressed that she has been used as a political puppet. She's tired of being used and trying to convince people that yes, peace is achievable. This new-type Relena inspires sympathy for her situation during the political mess in the series, but it also shows her more personal side. She is lonely, very lonely. She sees Heero not as Prince Charming and god of her universe, but as someone who didn't look at her in terms of what they stood to gain. Very often, she realizes that Heero doesn't feel love for her in the romantic way and that in truth she doesn't love him like that either. She is resigned to that fact and is willing to accept that he loves someone else in order to see him happy. She can realize that she chased him through the war, until her circumstances changed and she was no longer able to, because she needed his strength and daring. He represents to her a medieval champion who can rescue her for the mess her life has become. Even though this Relena is a strong character she is also a fifteen year old girl and deep inside we often see a tinge of fear because of what she is thrown into. The most significant difference between her and the first Relena is that even though this version is scared inside she can push down that fear and act boldly. She is her own person not a plot device and is worthy of her own stories.
Now, I can't honestly go on and tell you why I think the inclination to the new Relena came about without saying how each of them shape up to the flat version we see in the series. Oddly enough, the people in the first version camp are not totally off the mark in everything, but neither is the second version perfect. In the series it is true that Relena follows Heero around a bit and does stalk him all the way to Antarctica. However, she is not mindlessly doing it as the first version would claim. We will grant that she was very innocent in episode one in following him to the docks and protecting and bandaging him up after her has tried to shoot her and then goes to visit him at the hospital as well. However, it seems apparent that the only reason she follows him to begin with his her curiosity and later a desire for him simply because he rejected her invitation. She craves the friendship which she has to work for and is not desperately heaved at her. Later, she follows him because she is lost. Her father is dead and her school destroyed, she has no one strong who she can turn to, but the terrorist who protected her. It also seems to be from her loneliness that she reaches out to him in the first place. She walks home from the airport ranting at her father for not knowing about her birthday and how this isn't unusual when she sees a prone figure on the beach. After he is gone she introduces herself to the air because she needs to reach out to someone and this stranded stranger is all she found.
Next, the pink. To the people who hate Relena and all that is in her pink fluffy delusional world, mostly created by you I might add, I can say she does seem to like the color but is by no means overboard with it as the first version of her portrays. If I'm wrong feel free to point out other instances, but we only seem to see Relena's pink fetish come into play twice. Those instances would be her Barbie car and the uniforms at Sank. Before it is mentioned I will say that yes, they have "pink," much more fuchsia and leaning toward purple if you ask me, uniforms at the St. Gabriel Institute, but as Relena probably didn't get to pick out the school uniforms herself they will not be mentioned. While a pink car is decidedly odd, it was probably rather useful for identification purposes. Besides we don't know when she got that car or if she even liked it. Next on the subject of the Sank uniforms there is no excuse. They are pink and Relena obviously picked them. As far as such things go they are at least tasteful and look decent on Relena, the shoes definitely need some work though. Neither instance seems to give one the urge to kill oneself by standing in the presence of such pink.
In addition, the series doesn't seem to give any inclination her being an idiot. Instead it gives her a very educated feel and most importantly a feel that others respect her thoughts. People are willing to follow her and that shows more evidence for the second version than for the brainless ditz many yaoi writers support. She is able to effectively reason with Romafeller and win their support as their figurehead and then is competent enough to be given a high rank in the new government after the wars instead of being set aside as a relic of what was.
Now to the meat of this argument, why has this new interpretation of Relena come about? The first possible reason is that the longtime writers of the first version of Relena have gone back and either watched the series or Endless Waltz, which by the way I think contains the closest match to the new version I'm seeing. Second, I think that the more you write any other characters and the more you delve into their psyche and their feelings the more deeply you see the other characters. You stop looking at the characters that aren't you favorites and realize that the other people must have some depth to them as well. Relena's character is just as tragic and those of the pilots and by writing those characters well one begins to see Relena's depth as well. It is probable that this Relena has existed for a very long time in the non-yaoi fandom where she and Heero live in blissful harmony. But I find it quite interesting that she has crossed over to the yaoi fandom as well. Instead of the evil plot device she is now a fully molded likeable character that will often help Heero in achieving his desired partner out of her desire to see him happy, while keeping the sadness of not having him herself locked inside. I also think that once this new face was shown, people, myself included, latched on to her, liked her and began using that version themselves because in it she is such a vibrant character.
In conclusion, I think that the new compassionate and likeable version of Relena that has appeared in the yaoi fandom over the past year is a positive change. The depth that a writer can see in his or her own characters has transferred on to her making her a very interesting and useful character instead of a whiny, plotting, wench who seriously needs to be shot.
End note: I'm very sorry for the odd formatting but it seems to be the best I can get with ff.net.
Author: Stacey-Marie
Warnings: essay-ness on Relena
Disclaimers: Gundam Wing, its chara, mechs and all other miscellaneous stuff doesn't belong to me, they are the property of Bandai, Sunrise and the Sotsu Agency. So don't sue because you have a better chance of finding a live cabbit in my room than something of value.
Note: in this essay I'm going to explain about why I like a new interpretation of Relena and why I think she came about. And as I formerly was one of the people who hated her, this says a lot for the new version.
Stranger Shit.
Recently, I've noticed a growing change in the way that people are writing Relena in yaoi fics and I've discovered that I really like her. The common perception, that I've seen at least, in yaoi fics and ones where the author has a low opinion of Relena is to make her a rather stupid brat, whereas the new trend I've been seeing over the past year or so makes her a feeling, compassionate person who has more things in her life that staking Heero and clinging to him professing her love. I think that this is due largely to the time a person spends writing and their perceptions of the other characters and their world.
Firstly, I would like to go into a bit more depth in describing the Relena I typically used to see in yaoi fics and the generally low opinion of her reflected therein. First on her impressive list of annoying traits, is that her and peptol bismal pink are very close. Relena cannot go anywhere, do anything or even think unless there is enough fluffy pink present to put a baby shower to shame. Second, she only possesses two brain cells: one to concentrate on stalking Heero and the other to plot how to steal him from his significant other. Relena apparently has no political obligations, school or lack of funds to simply stalk and plot. She has a deep-seated idea that Heero is utterly in love with her if only he could be free of his girlfriend/boyfriend who has obviously trapped her poor innocent terrorist and he's waiting for her to save him. At points people usually say simple jokes about her and to her face which are so far over her head that you stop to wonder if she is smart enough to tie her own shoes. In short, she is a scatter-brained nincompoop. She whines incessantly and clings like an octopus to Heero's arm to the point that even Quatre usually ends up hating her. She hates Duo so deeply that it is not beneath her to hire thugs to kill him. I hate her just describing her. This type interpretation is the entire reason for her role in the Gundam Wing Drinking Game and why I've never played it. You need to take a shot every time you want to kill her and I don't think I could keep down that much tequila.
Keeping this horrific vision of her in mind, I would now like to describe the new Relena I am seeing more and more. Firstly, and most importantly, she is not a moron. Yes, it is true that her ideals of peace are somewhat naïve and she is stubborn in clinging to them, but this Relena does show the ability to have logical thought and to add two plus two. She is a very strong willed and passionate figure who despite her naiveté can inspire people to follow her and believe his her ideals. Second, she displays a range of emotions outside of obsession for Heero and jealous rage at anyone within twenty feet of him. She is often very frustrated and depressed that she has been used as a political puppet. She's tired of being used and trying to convince people that yes, peace is achievable. This new-type Relena inspires sympathy for her situation during the political mess in the series, but it also shows her more personal side. She is lonely, very lonely. She sees Heero not as Prince Charming and god of her universe, but as someone who didn't look at her in terms of what they stood to gain. Very often, she realizes that Heero doesn't feel love for her in the romantic way and that in truth she doesn't love him like that either. She is resigned to that fact and is willing to accept that he loves someone else in order to see him happy. She can realize that she chased him through the war, until her circumstances changed and she was no longer able to, because she needed his strength and daring. He represents to her a medieval champion who can rescue her for the mess her life has become. Even though this Relena is a strong character she is also a fifteen year old girl and deep inside we often see a tinge of fear because of what she is thrown into. The most significant difference between her and the first Relena is that even though this version is scared inside she can push down that fear and act boldly. She is her own person not a plot device and is worthy of her own stories.
Now, I can't honestly go on and tell you why I think the inclination to the new Relena came about without saying how each of them shape up to the flat version we see in the series. Oddly enough, the people in the first version camp are not totally off the mark in everything, but neither is the second version perfect. In the series it is true that Relena follows Heero around a bit and does stalk him all the way to Antarctica. However, she is not mindlessly doing it as the first version would claim. We will grant that she was very innocent in episode one in following him to the docks and protecting and bandaging him up after her has tried to shoot her and then goes to visit him at the hospital as well. However, it seems apparent that the only reason she follows him to begin with his her curiosity and later a desire for him simply because he rejected her invitation. She craves the friendship which she has to work for and is not desperately heaved at her. Later, she follows him because she is lost. Her father is dead and her school destroyed, she has no one strong who she can turn to, but the terrorist who protected her. It also seems to be from her loneliness that she reaches out to him in the first place. She walks home from the airport ranting at her father for not knowing about her birthday and how this isn't unusual when she sees a prone figure on the beach. After he is gone she introduces herself to the air because she needs to reach out to someone and this stranded stranger is all she found.
Next, the pink. To the people who hate Relena and all that is in her pink fluffy delusional world, mostly created by you I might add, I can say she does seem to like the color but is by no means overboard with it as the first version of her portrays. If I'm wrong feel free to point out other instances, but we only seem to see Relena's pink fetish come into play twice. Those instances would be her Barbie car and the uniforms at Sank. Before it is mentioned I will say that yes, they have "pink," much more fuchsia and leaning toward purple if you ask me, uniforms at the St. Gabriel Institute, but as Relena probably didn't get to pick out the school uniforms herself they will not be mentioned. While a pink car is decidedly odd, it was probably rather useful for identification purposes. Besides we don't know when she got that car or if she even liked it. Next on the subject of the Sank uniforms there is no excuse. They are pink and Relena obviously picked them. As far as such things go they are at least tasteful and look decent on Relena, the shoes definitely need some work though. Neither instance seems to give one the urge to kill oneself by standing in the presence of such pink.
In addition, the series doesn't seem to give any inclination her being an idiot. Instead it gives her a very educated feel and most importantly a feel that others respect her thoughts. People are willing to follow her and that shows more evidence for the second version than for the brainless ditz many yaoi writers support. She is able to effectively reason with Romafeller and win their support as their figurehead and then is competent enough to be given a high rank in the new government after the wars instead of being set aside as a relic of what was.
Now to the meat of this argument, why has this new interpretation of Relena come about? The first possible reason is that the longtime writers of the first version of Relena have gone back and either watched the series or Endless Waltz, which by the way I think contains the closest match to the new version I'm seeing. Second, I think that the more you write any other characters and the more you delve into their psyche and their feelings the more deeply you see the other characters. You stop looking at the characters that aren't you favorites and realize that the other people must have some depth to them as well. Relena's character is just as tragic and those of the pilots and by writing those characters well one begins to see Relena's depth as well. It is probable that this Relena has existed for a very long time in the non-yaoi fandom where she and Heero live in blissful harmony. But I find it quite interesting that she has crossed over to the yaoi fandom as well. Instead of the evil plot device she is now a fully molded likeable character that will often help Heero in achieving his desired partner out of her desire to see him happy, while keeping the sadness of not having him herself locked inside. I also think that once this new face was shown, people, myself included, latched on to her, liked her and began using that version themselves because in it she is such a vibrant character.
In conclusion, I think that the new compassionate and likeable version of Relena that has appeared in the yaoi fandom over the past year is a positive change. The depth that a writer can see in his or her own characters has transferred on to her making her a very interesting and useful character instead of a whiny, plotting, wench who seriously needs to be shot.
End note: I'm very sorry for the odd formatting but it seems to be the best I can get with ff.net.