This is when we focus in on a certain characteristic of the Storm Hawks, specifically, the pairings.
NOTE: If you think a pairing is hot just for what you think it is, that's fine by me. I'm the same way with Cyclonis/Repton though they have almost no interaction on the show. I'm not saying these pairings are wrong and shouldn't be written in fanfiction, I'm just… well lets be honest, I'm pulling half of this out of my ass because I can.
Overtly biased opinions in italics.
-Essay on Relationships-
:Aerrow:
Aerrow and Relationships: As I've mentioned before, Aerrow is incapable of being totally normal as things are going in the show. He has his Supernatural Responsibility taking up fifty percent of his thoughts; the well-being of his family is forty five percent, defeating the Dark Ace due to personal ambition and not just because he's a Cylconian is another two percent and his own happiness and sanity ranks in at an outstanding three percent, which is more than most Paper Cut-Out heroes. Romantic relationships, if they're to last any long amount of time, have to have some effort on both of the partner's accounts. Aerrow seems a bit too attached to his family to become enamored with some random stranger, so the most logical pairings for him would be within the Storm Hawks themselves, as they're always on the move and can't stay in any place long enough to become attached to anyone else and want to stay with them always. (Though this does bring up the idea of a long-distance relationship sustained through letters, perhaps. I don't know if the Storm Hawks universe has a post system, or maybe internet connection acquired from the Time Pulse?)
The concept of sitting back and letting the war take its own course with no aid from the Storm Hawks is impossible due to his Supernatural Responsibility, so no beautiful Mary Sue is going to convince him to stay with her and forget about the rest of the Storm Hawks. If Aerrow did manage to fall for someone outside the Storm Hawks, this person would have to get along famously with the rest of the Storm Hawks before they could get close to Aerrow. He's not so focused on girls and probably doesn't think about them as much as Finn does. But if Aerrow can't find a solid relationship, that doesn't mean he can't have a few flings here and there to test the waters, so we have a basis for pairings that don't necessarily involve romantic love, though Aerrow is of course a Paper Cut-Out hero and wouldn't heartlessly sleep with a girl and move on. I'm saying he might try out a few things, when he has free time on Neon or Tropica. An innocent kiss, some flirtation… or maybe he's too awkward for that. He's only fourteen after all, not all fourteen year old boys have gotten over the "girls have cooties" stage.
Aerrow and Sexuality: I get an innocent vibe from him. He probably wouldn't respond well to being come-on to, by anyone. He'd probably feel awkward and want to avoid the situation.
Aerrow as he's portrayed on the show is a red-blooded male (who might possibly have more-than-friendly affection for Piper) so the idea of him being homosexual is highly unlikely. He's a Paper Cut-Out hero, so he'll fall into stereotype and go for a girl. However, he's also pretty open-minded and might not be adverse to experimenting with another curious boy- Junko, perhaps. Then again, we have his stubbornness to deal with, and if his ideals say that boys and boys don't mix, you're going to have a hell of a time trying to pair him up with someone. He might not care if someone he knows is gay (he's a fair person with a strong sense of justice, remember) but he himself won't turn around in the blink of an eye. Of course, this won't ever happen in the show because Cartoon Network doesn't have the grapefruit.
So with Aerrow we have the possibility of Non Sexuality, because of his devotion to his Supernatural Responsibility and the well-being of his family, Heterosexuality to reinforce his typical Good Guy background, and Homosexuality because he's open-minded.
The Aerrow Pairings:
DA/Aerrow is based entirely on their rival relationship, despite the fact that DA killed Aerrow's predecessor (possibly his father) and that Aerrow is only fourteen while the DA is nearing his thirties. While I understand the reasoning behind them being obsessed with one another to the point where they begin to admire each other, or they're obsessed with each other because they admire each other, you've just got to admit that the moment these two clap eyes on each other they go into a frenzy of rage, and all of Aerrow's other responsibilities get thrown out the window in favor of beating the Dark Ace into a pulp (he seems to get off on it, really). After all's said and done and they go home after another battle, I could see Aerrow relishing his victory and maybe having an odd sexual satisfaction from once again coming out dominant over an adult male fighter, and the Dark Ace simply obsessing over what could make a boy so powerful (though he's more likely to resent this fact than start secretly worshipping Aerrow). But any soft feelings they might EVER have are wiped clean when they see each other again and the blood lust takes over them.
Piper/Aerrow is based on years of interaction both on-screen and off. They have a very special relationship, I've noticed. It could be construed as romantic, it could be a brother-sister thing, but whatever it is Aerrow is strongly protective of her and she's dependant on him for patience (something she tends to run out on when dealing with the other guys). And there's an obvious unspoken thing going on between them. Whether or not they see each other only as brother and sister is uncertain, but out of all the Aerrow pairings this one is the most likely through the facts that they know each other the best and because of the stereotypes thrust upon them in the show dictate that they should be together. They constantly keep track of one another just a bit more fervently than they do with the other team mates.
Starling/Aerrow is based on their chemistry on the battlefield, though probably would only ever be an awkward one-sided thing on either of their parts due to the age difference. Still, they're a bit more obvious than Piper and Aerrow, probably because the few scenes we have of them together are very intense and full of action.
:Piper:
Piper and Relationships: Like Aerrow, Piper has a duty to the ship and to her friends to stick around and is too responsible to go gallivanting around looking for love. She's also unofficial Mother of the group, and has a lot of her plate to deal with. She's strong, so she wouldn't want the complications of romance, but she's also young and often underappreciated, so she would crave the idea of a person who would be there closer than any family member could ever be.
There's not much else I can say for Piper that I haven't said already for Aerrow, due to the fact that she is also constantly mobile and on the go, etc. (From now on assume this same fact for all the other Storm Hawks and Starling.)
Piper and Sexuality: We have quite a few possibilities here. We have the typical girl who wants to be rescued by her prince, and we have an independent, stubborn, clever young lady who wants to be in charge and wants someone who appreciates her. Then we have Piper the curious scientist who wouldn't be adverse to fooling around just for the thrill of it. Girls are more likely than boys to consider homosexuality (even if they only ever have homosexual feelings for one other girl in their life) because unlike boys who sometimes subconsciously put a lot of emphasis on sex in relationships, girls are more attuned to emotion and matching personalities. Piper is also a bit disenchanted with boys in general, living with five of them in close quarters, but falls pretty easy for older men ("The Code" and Harrier, "Forbidden City" and Domowitz...). So we have Piper the Heterosexual, who wants either an older man more attuned to her maturity or one of the other Storm Hawks for the companionship and familiarity; Piper the Homosexual who is disenchanted with men altogether; and Piper the bisexual who doesn't judge based on gender, just how well they get along. Of course there's the highly unlikely Piper the Omnisexual who sleeps around just to prove how tough and independent she is. This last opinion is based entirely of all that sex-filled Piper fanart I see on Deviant Art. LAWWWL.
The Piper Pairings:
Piper/Finn is based on the opposites attract theory, since they have the most confrontation and friction between them than any other member of the Storm Hawks. Even so, Finn only disagrees with her because of his immaturity, and in the moments when he stops to think rationally he sees it's pointless to argue and even tries to cheer her up when she's down. (Episode six, "Best Friends Forever"). If Finn were able to get over himself and learn the meaning of compromise, I don't see any reason why they couldn't be together. Shut up, P/A fans.
Piper/Cyclonis is based on the rivalry issue, but in this case they do seem to be real rivals rather than "The minute I see you I want to rip you apart" deal we get with the Dark Ace and Aerrow. Out of all the villain/hero pairings this one is the most oddly feasible- I could actually see it happening, if either one of them were to defect to the other side. Star-crossed lovers, I call it. They don't want to hurt each other. (Well, Cyclonis was pretty mad with Piper by the end of Episode Six (IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU NO ONE CAN "there's always the alternative") and we haven't seen any interaction since then, so… until the much-awaited episode 27 I have nothing else to go by).
Piper/Stork is based on how sweet she is to him despite his pessimism. He's a tough nut to crack and Piper loves a challenge, and he probably would benefit from learning how to trust people.
:Finn:
…bursts out laughing BWAH HAH HAH HAH…
Finn And Relationships: Finn, as we've mentioned before, is a normal fourteen year old boy, so he's impaired from thinking of long-term consequences. He does love the ladies, as we've seen, but for someone to love Finn they'd have to be extremely patient, or a rabid fan girl. And while the patient ones probably wouldn't want a headstrong, annoying, obnoxious young man in the first place the fan girls would probably get boring to Finn after a while. I don't see Finn ever finding a stable relationship unless he changes that dangerous attitude of his. Grow up, Finn fan girls.
Finn and Sexuality: He's not shy, we've seen that many times over in the show. And just because he luvs them ladies doesn't mean he's not bi. In fact, a horny kid like Finn is probably the most likely to be bi, but he might keep it a deadly secret. However many Stork/Finn moments you see, though, you have to admit he does seem pretty… straight. Episode three, "Gale Force Winds". He reacts fairly normally to seeing Junko in a bathing suit- "GWAH! Ugh, thanks Piper, I really didn't need to see that." Also in episode three we see a moment when the Dark Ace knocked out Finn's engine and he lands in Junko's arms, their faces very close. They both turn away with mutual faces of "…ew.". Or, if you're a rabid fan girl of that pairing, I guess you could say it's just one of those anime "-blush blush- I like it but omg how embarrassing!" moments.
So we have Finn the non-sexual in your dreams, Finn the heterosexual for all the ladies he likes, and Finn the homosexual for Junko, Stork, or Aerrow, and Finn the Omnisexual who wants anything that moves. Considering I know fourteen year old boys pretty well, heterosexual is just the most likely option I see here.
The Finn Pairings.
Finn/Ravess: I've seen some fan fiction for this, here and there. I honestly don't ever see this happening in the show because A) Ravess is a known perfectionist and wouldn't want a sloppy boy when she could have a man who would jump to do her bidding and B) Finn wouldn't want an "old lady" who would yell at him when he could have a rabid Vapos fan girl who worships the ground he walks on. This pairing is based only on the fact that they're both sharpshooters, not on any actual interaction.
Finn/Dove: It's based on their interaction in episode three. Lul, Dove has him whipped. I've also seen this, and… well… I guess there's no reason why it can't work. But Dove could be just as easily paired up with Piper or Aerrow, so we can't say we've finally found the OTP of the Storm Hawks universe.
Finn/Junko: Is based on how cute they are. They have a special relationship, like Piper and Aerrow, as in they're buddies who'd do anything for each other. (Remember the elephant ants and the scorpion flies from episode five, "Tranquility Now"? And the always-carrying-him-around in episode seven, "The Black Gorge"?) The only problem is that they're most likely… not… gay!
Stork.
Stork and Relationships/Sexuality: Stork doesn't want people touching him, but he doesn't seem adverse to touching other people. Weird, huh? Like I've said before, he's a tough nut to crack. Most of the time he's scared of everything, so whoever wants to be with him needs to be extremely patient, not to mention someone who wouldn't get tired of constantly reassuring him and stroking his fragile ego. Like Finn, if Stork wants a relationship he needs to change, but unlike Finn he seems perfectly happy being alone with the Condor. Sorry Shalls.
So we have Stork the nonsexual (the most likely by far) because he hates/fears contact; Stork the bisexual who will respond to the first person who manages to look through his utter weirdness; and Stork the Condorsexual who wants nothing more than to remain with his beloved carrier ship.
The Stork Pairings.
Stork/Finn: Based on repeated intimate gestures on Stork's part, a lot of fan girls simply just want two hot guys to clamor over. Stork might benefit from a fun-loving guy like Finn, and Finn likewise would learn how to calm down a little.
Stork/Condor: Perhaps the only OTP (one true pairing) of the Storm Hawks universe… Stork would die for the Condor.
Stork/Repton: HAWT!! But inconceivable as a healthy, monogamous relationship. The only unfortunate way this might ever happen is rape. And even then it would only be one sided lust on Repton's part.
Junko.
Junko and Relationships: By far the second-easiest person to pair an OC up with, after Finn. Yet I can count on one hand all the Junko/OC's out there. People don't like to write about Junko that much because he's "nawt hawt," and far too innocent. Hell, I have trouble writing him just being him. It's easier to get into the head of a twisted person cause, well, heh, I'm pretty twisted myself. Or maybe I'm pulling this out of my ass. The thing is, almost nobody has made a Mary Sue for Junko, and I have no idea why. I'll admit it. I don't know why people don't like pairing up Junko with anybody other than Finn. Probably because he's a flat character and not fun to mess around with on ink and paper. Junko however is good boyfriend material, being nice if a little on the shy side, and capable of loving deeply… even if he is thick as a brick.
Junko and Sexuality: Nonexistant. Don't even look for it.
The Junko Pairings.
Besides Finn/Junko, which I've already delved into, there really aren't any Junko pairings. And mind you, I'm only going by what I've read on fan fiction dot net.
So we have Junko the nonsexual because he's so innocent, and Junko the Bundle of Love And Giggles who loves everybody and would only go further with somebody who showed signs of loving him back.
Starling.
Starling and Relationships: Also nonexistent, but for different reasons. I liken Starling to Batman- she wants love and to move forward, but is dragged back by her numbingly cold, dark past. She needs help, but refuses to let people see her weakened. She's a sad, sad person, and she might be a shell too tough to crack, due to her spirit and strength. The Storm Hawks are trying, but if she refuses even friendship I don't see her accepting companionship anytime soon.
Starling and Sexuality: As far as we've seen in the show, she's as straight-laced as you can get without going batshit insane or turning into a Rex Guardian.
The Starling Pairings.
Starling/Piper is utterly one-sided hero worship on Piper's part, but Starling might feel for her… a little.
Starling/Dark Ace is based… um… on the fact that they're both lone, adult fighters with tough shells to crack. Hey, there's always the chance that they had a fling the brief time she was working undercover in Cyclonia!
Starling/Stork is my own pet fantasy based on maturity levels, similar ages, and the fact that I think they're both oddballs and thusly need the companionship of fellow oddballs. And because My!Starling has a yen for dem green boys.
Starling/Repton is forbidden love further wedged apart by rage and betrayal. See? Luvz her some green boyz….desu desu desu desu.
Next time, the Cyclonians!