Reflection in a Pool of Blood and Tears
Since this fanfiction archive isn't allowing "Author's Notes" this section is dedicated to some things not "Author's Notes" related: The thanks of all those that have supported me throughout the writing of The Ties that Bind, an essay inspecting psychological and emotional development with the main players, and thoughts about what'll happen in the future.
If you are an unfortunate reader hoping to find another part of my story, you will not find it here. If you did leave a review of my story, then 'find' your name down this and do what you like. I will begin by giving my thanks to all that have reviewed my story in chronological order on how I received them:
Tokyo Fox: You were the first comments I had when I published this story on Along the way, you sent more comments on how the story should go and what it should be classified as. Although I found it irksome at first, I acknowledge that you do have valid points (too short of chapters, classification) that I've took in and changed as well; however, I did notice that you thought it'd be another angsty "Jubilee Suicide" story. I've read a lot of those and frankly, I just got tired of the angsty part of suicide…if that makes sense – I wanted to steer far away from that as possible…Anyways, I thank you telling me what's on your mind.
B Oots: My staunch reviewer, I don't think there was a chapter that you haven't reviewed. When I felt this story wasn't worthy of any reader, your review just made me want to keep going. Haha, even though some chapters had one review (being yours of course) I still look forward to your reply to it. I thank you very much for being there.
Jaenelle Angelline: Well, the current mistress of Jubliee fanfiction. Always having ideas and always writing them so well that it makes my head spin. Your comments are always welcome, they're giving me ideas on fanfics with Jubilee and Sabretooth involved – actually, I think by the time I write my ideas – you'll be up to your 89th story…hahaha. Thank you for reviewing and stating which parts made you want to read more of it.
Badgerwolf: I hope my portrayal hasn't disappointed you. Writing Jubilee torturing Sabretooth was very fun; however, she had to evolve into more than a being of pure torture. If you didn't like my way of evolving her, then I understand. Also you're the first reviewer that had some sort of interest in my original character – thanks for reviewing and I appreciate the acknowledgement of my character.
Wolvster: I read on your bio that you love Wolverine. I just wanted to write him in another light. Thanks for reviewing.
Andaria: Ah an honest criticism about chapter length. Even though it took me longer to re-read and edit a whole lot of my writing. I'm pleased with the decision to make chapters longer than they were. Thanks for reviewing and the criticism.
GoddessChild: Classification wise, I think my story is pretty general. It has it's drama moments along with it's funny moments along with it's action moments along with its…well you get the idea. Jhonen Vasquez is such a big influence in my writing, how can I not make an allusion to his? Thanks for noticing that one and thanks for reviewing.
Taurus: I think you're the first person that I noticed was on the e-mail updates list. I'm honored to be a part of it. Thanks for reviewing.
Hellion: Uh…thanks for reviewing (I'm sorry I don't have anything more to write than that)
Ayka: Ah, I've read some of your stories and read some of your reviews. You've been taking gruff by so many people. I just want to say that you have great ideas and you need a beta reader. Good luck in your future endeavors and thanks for the review.
Felidae: Ah, another mistress of Jubilee Fanfiction. I'm honored that I actually got a review from you and I know how much you hate Sabes as a character. I also know that you're looking for DarkSabretooth, he was a huge influence in my writing as well – if you do get a contact of him, please give him my regards. Thanks for reviewing.
Rogue14: I like it how you pointed out how Sabretooth broke his word. I like that a lot – you get magical browny points. Thanks for reviewing.
Eggman: I like my story as well hahaha. Thanks for reviewing.
LEM: I actually read your profile and noticed that you haven't wrote in a while. You should get back into it. I hope I read stuff from you soon and thanks for reviewing.
Tracer197: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That's all you get…Personally, I need to review whatever you write.
Imoen Leslati: Thanks…I mean it…it does mean a lot to me that someone acknowledges that I've done a whole lot of research for each main character (excluding my own). Thanks again for reviewing.
The reason I made my own chapter dedicated for the reviewers is because I didn't want to do it in the story because I wanted the focus to be on the story. I know it sounds selfish of me, but I didn't want readers to by bogged down by internal "Author's Notes" and become annoyed by it all and give up on reading the story.
However, I notice that not acknowledging my reviewers might've discouraged readership as well, but I took that chance and now I have to live with what I got.
Everyone again
Thank you
Character Analysis Within the Story The Ties That Bind
When great emotional epiphanies are resolved within a thousand-word story, two things occur – great writing or really horrible writing. While perusing through archives and archives of stories, I've come across both; however, it's not the good ones that stick, it's always the bad ones. Sabretooth repenting his ways in one sentence isn't a good story, Jubilee being spunky all the time is an injustice and Wolverine saving the day is redundant. So when the mighty muse woke me up 3 a.m. in the morning to write this story, I obliged, but I wanted to do things differently than the norm.
The premise isn't something new. Short story writers like Poe and current gothic writing have the beyond the grave experience; however, I wanted to take the light-hearted route with that. Now who to use as characters?
I've always had an affinity for the love/hate relationship. One being the constant foil to the other. In a normal situation, these two components would kill each other – they couldn't stand each other for long. The premise took care of any normality. The perfect characters I had in mind where Jubilee and Sabretooth.
Canon-wise, these two haven't seen much of each other. Of course they had their regular bouts at the X-mansion and as enemies and heroes, but nothing more than that. Sabretooth has a never-ending agenda to hurt Wolverine through the killing of the one he loves – Jubilee is just a subsequent part of that plan (along with Amiko, Jean Grey, Yukio…etc.) Jubilee, on the other hand, sees Sabretooth less than Emplate as far as danger is concerned. She's afraid of Sabretooth, but won't admit that publicly. The couple of times they faced together it's all about battle.
Then there was that "What If?" story about if Jubilee ever faced Sabretooth, who'd win. The story enforced the ferocity of Sabretooth and the cunning of Jubilee, but no standing relationship – what's a fanfic writer supposed to do?
I know that Canon wise, this story wouldn't work and I've accepted it, but I wrote the story as if it would be able to fit into canon without any problems. I'll admit though that there are a lot of plot holes that I could find (and if people find some, please feel free to point them out) and I'd like to explain some of them here.
For one, Jubilee's verisimilitude is very similar to one Wolverine; however, Jubilee ha a So Cal accent and has her own personality. Being dead and wanting to torture someone I'd think she'd use her mentor's voice in order to annoy him. Along the way, I've dropped out some wordings from her, some trinkets that made her more "Wolverine" and now showing her own.
Another is Sabretooth's training with the Foreigner. In the comics, he's the only man that he respects. In the story, he kills the very man he respects but not the kid that he's supposed to kill. I still think that it's a valid point. At the age he was in, it's already established that he killed a lot, but this is the first professional kill. Psychologically, one can escape when one thinks he killed because of a feral nature or madness, but when one takes in the fact that he/she killed because of personal choice, that deep inside that he/she is truly a monster – confusion occurs. Confusion that could lead to rash decisions.
However, this essay isn't about the plot holes within the story. This essay is about the character dissection within the story: Jubilee, who just died and within a few months starts to grow to trust the man that killed her, Sabretooth, who thought killed off his feelings finds out he still has them and deals with it by trying to kill them off again, Wolverine, the "failed samurai" who has failed time and time again – he's everywhere but couldn't save everyone, and Iggy, a boy who been hurt by everyone but finds comfort in a psychopath and a specter. Within a span of fifty thousand words, these characters change from their "canon stance" to something slightly different. Change cannot happen within a few months but lots of drama can. The very seed of change.
In life, she clung onto people and lifestyles that became pre-destined for her, and
in death, she finds more things to cling onto, why? Because Jubilee's character has been shattered over and over again. Her family died at 13, the love of her life died when she was…13. The man she saved abandoned her…at 13. There's nothing reliable in her life at 13 except for continually pain. In the story, Jubilee the reader has to fast forward and see the teen as a woman and die as one as well; however, the way she acts is not one of a lady. We find out she's a theatre arts major something that's she's been at in the comic books but never really successful as. She still has a relationship with her mentor and h as a semi-crush on him. Throughout the story, she defends the man even though there is consistent proof that he isn't the man that she saved when she was 13. The reader now has to wonder, has Jubilee ever matured at all? In death, she takes the verisimilitude of Wolverine – like a chick copying it's mother. She may or may not know how to release the bonds that tie her down to Sabretooth, but like a child, she holds it back – seeing her death as somewhat as a game rather than something serious. She empathizes with Iggy more like a child rather than someone of twenty-one years of age. There are moments in the story where she displays some maturity, when talking about her death, her life, her drama – yet trivializes others. In reality, she doesn't want to see the truth in herself, the people around her and life/death itself; but for now, she'll act the perpetual 13, until she's trapped in a corner and has to grow up.
The dual personality, yet only one has been mostly seen in the comics with the exception of his mini-series "Sabretooth: The Mary Shelley Overdrive" where the reader sees Sabretooth at his most compassionate when he collapses when he has to kill the woman he loves. In the story, The Ties that Binds, the Sabretooth portrayed in the beginning is that of the ever cunning, dangerous and murderous feral. His only instinct is to kill and abuse. Even with the disadvantage of having someone near him 24/7 that he can't get rid of, he constantly thinks of ways of using Jubilee to his advantage. Then when he's done thinking about that, he constantly thinks of way of getting rid of her. Is this the case though? In the story, he gives up most of what he does fairly simply. So what if the specter could take over his body? He's been in worse situations where living things where taking control over him – or maybe that's the problem. Time and time again, Sabretooth is shown as this pillar of evil intentions and monster ferocity, but people aren't born monsters. Being abused as a child, he stayed in a situation where he could escape the violence but decided to stay. He continues to feed that violent nature and he suckles it like mother's milk, but when it's taken away from him forcefully – all he does is angst about it. Sure he attains a kill and betrays the deal, but he doesn't gloat by making innuendos about it – he stays silent. A part of him needs to kill and another part of him needs permission to do it – a method to his madness. With everything, the decision to get rid of Jubilee, to keep on Iggy, to let things live or die – there has to be a reason – even if it's a mad one. This theory could be applied to everything that he's done and is essential to differentiate Wolverine from Sabretooth.
Wolverine is the "failed samurai" (Chris Claremont), and when he finds out his sidekick is dead he goes on a rampage, this is the only time where there has been a reason to do something in his life. Why was he an experiment in Weapon X? In Wolverine's perspective, no reason at all, he didn't deserve it. Why does all the people around him keep dying? In Wolverine's perspective, there is no justifiable reason; therefore, he didn't deserve it. He shifts the blame from one character to another. Whether it is Sabretooth for killing Jubilee, Slim for taking Red, or death amongst allies – he doesn't see himself responsible, so everything he does is justifiable. He's a failure because his justifications are skewed.
Now we get to my made character, Iggy. I'm trying so hard not to make him a "Gary-Stu" type situation. However, I agree that made characters are hard not to make them integral to the storyline – I am not the exception. In The Ties That Bind, Iggy has become the catalyst to emotions to all the named players above. Jubilee sees the boy as an equal, someone to talk to. Sabretooth sees him as various ways to get to Jubilee and sometimes sees him as a youthful version of himself, a feral in training. Wolverine sees him as a reminder of his failures and takes out his aggression on the boy. All these different definitions of whom he should be when he doesn't even know himself who he is. The character has "Gary Stu" elements to him, but that doesn't mean the character will stay static.
In The Ties That Bind, the seeds have been planted and characters have been already type-caste. Jubilee as the humorous jokester/dramatic angster, Sabretooth as the cunning feral/emotionless being who finds emotion and doesn't know what to do, Wolverine as the man who failed and needs to make things right, and Iggy a boy who needs to find his identity. These things will change and evolve into something more than expected.
In the next chapter of The Ties that Bind, Winter Promise, foreshadowing and death of fall has given way to the cold chill and stringent survival of winter which is the season where either the strong parts of a person survive and the weaker part dies off; but everything is bound by perspective ain't it. Sabretooth drags Jubilee and Iggy arounds parts of the country after the knowledge that every bounty hunter/secret agent/assassin that Wolverine can employ is after them. What's Sabretooth's agenda with Jubilee and Iggy and how is he going to deal with the emotions he thought he killed off? What's a specter to do when she finds out her mentor isn't all she supposed to be and will Jubilee ever find out who took over her body? Will Wolverine see the truth and find another way to deal with his emotions? Has Iggy recovered full healther and what is up with this sudden healing factor?
Then we have the X-Men, Weapon X, The Brotherhood, The Maurauders -- phew everyone has their own agenda. Let's find out which one will prevail, shall we?
Till next time (thanks for the brave souls who actually read this all the way through),
Magus101