Snatching a meme from a meme from a meme...

[author_by_night]

This meme has been going around:

Name a fandom, and I'll give you the scoop on at least three of my unpopular opinions related to that fandom.

Like one of my friends, I really only have a few fandoms. So here's an alternative - ask me for at least three unpopular character opinions from the following fandoms:

- Harry Potter

- Firefly

- Buffy (though please try and stick mainly to 1-4 characters - and they may only be opinions I think are random and/or unpopular, just because I don't know the fandom well enough yet to know what the popular opinions are).

- Ugly Betty

- Earth's Children (though please only the main characters, I haven't re-read the books recently enough to remember who this person from that tribe in PoP was or whatnot).

Comments

[lyras.livejournal.com]

Your unpopular opinions on Hermione, please!

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

1. Hermione has always been written as a bookworm in fanfic, fanart and occasionally fandom discussions, but I actually don't see it. I can see her reading fiction to have sources for something, but canon never mentions her plopping down with a Jane Austen book (wizarding version, perhaps) or anything. She just reminds me of my friends who'll read academic things for eight hours straight, but have no interest in reading something that's not real. "Why would I do something like that?"

2. I think Hermione was more into looks and dating than she's been given credit for. I don't think she was boy/fashion crazy like most girls her age, but she *did* date an older boy, and had a crush on Lockhart when she was twelve. (Yes, a silly kiddy crush, but still.) She also fixes her teeth in book four. I still think she was more inclined to go without make up than with and more into books than boys, but I don't think she was against those things.

3. I think Hermione changed a LOT as a person between book six and book seven. It's been a while since I've read book seven so I can't tell you how exactly, but although I've always liked Hermione as a character, she annoyed me as a person, especially in books five and six, where she was hurting people. Hermione in book seven seemed more approachable.

4. I think Hermione's the epitome of a Gryffindor, more than a Ravenclaw. Hermione does things because she thinks she should, not because she's looking for something deeper.

[akashasheiress.livejournal.com]

I agree with all those things.

[vegablack62.livejournal.com]

I agree but especially with point one and four. Hermione reads to find things out she doesn't read out of a love of books and especially not literature. If she is supposed to love literature we don't see it. When has she ever read anything that didn't have a purpose? (Oddly Neville is the only character who we see reading for pleasure. He reads the Magical Plants of the Mediteranean just because he thinks he will like it.)

[akashasheiress.livejournal.com]

Harry Potter, the character.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

1. I think Ginny is supposed to be Harry's parallel. Which might be more Ginny related than Harry related, but I honestly think that JKR was trying to subtly get that across. They both share the diary, and then whenever Harry can't play Quidditch, there's Ginny. And in the seventh book, when Harry wasn't at Hogwarts, Ginny was leading her own trio into adventures.

2. I think that although Cho overreacted way too much in book five, Harry really ought to have been more tactful and supportive all along.

3. I can understand why Harry gave Albus Severus the middle name Severus. I don't think Harry was naming him after Snape, because Snape was, IMO, as horrible to him as the Dursleys. I think it was an homage to the man Severus Snape could have been, and really, to the little boy his Mum considered a dear friend.

4. I liked Harry better in OoTP than in the previous books. Though he still put way too much priority on Quidditch, until the very last book.

[sea_thoughts]

I definitely agree with 1 and 4! OotP was when Harry became a PERSON to me. Finally! I thought when he lost his temper. Now maybe we can get somewhere.

[vegablack62.livejournal.com]

point one is interesting and I agree fully with point two.

[vifetoile.livejournal.com]

I do pity poor Cho. She was seriously doing some crazy stuff, but Harry was as supportive as a... a... a basket full of snakes, or something.

I like point 3. I never thought of it that way. And I think Albus makes a perfectly serviceable boy's name, in a class where Scorpius is not going to be seen as out of place. At least he can always go by Al.

I just wanted Lily's middle name to be Hedwig, or at least Dora. What was her middle name?

[vegablack62.livejournal.com]

I think Lily's name was Luna. Harry doesn't handle tears or emotional outbursts very well. He doesn't Handle Hermione well when she's upset, but in his defense he did watch Cedric die and I think he had guilt issues over his death. It would have been hard to talk to someone who was mourning about it.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Oh, I can see Harry's side, for sure. But take the date, for instance. Harry cutting it short to be with Hermione was very rude. At the very least, he could have brought Cho along. I wouldn't have had an outburst, but I wouldn't have been happy either. But of course Harry had his reasons for being uncomfortable. He was also a fifteen year old teenager.

And Lily's middle name is Luna. :)

[vegablack62.livejournal.com]

I left the word middle out. I seem to be screwing up my commenting lately. Sorry. I agree Harry was a fail as a fifteen year old boyfriend. He isn't actually that interested in Cho beyond thinking she was good looking. He doesn't know her at all.

[vegablack62.livejournal.com]

I really like your idea about Ginny being Harry's parallel. I've never thought of that before but the way you lay it out I can see it.

[alchemistc.livejournal.com]

I kind feel like cheating, so:

Jayne, Severus Snape, and Spike

And I suppose you can pick and choose which ones you actually want to do.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

How about all of those?

Jayne

1. I don't think he'd ever be in a relationship with River. First, he's in his thirties or forties, River's a teenager. Second, he doesn't like relationships - he likes one night stands. I think the only women he has respect for are the crew of Firefly, and even Kaylee - the one he's most protective of - is the butt of a very crude joke in the first episode. He tried to trade Saffron. Why would anyone want River to be with him?

2. I don't think he has a crush on Kaylee. I think he's protective of her because everyone sort of is.

3. I think there's deeper reasons for why he is who he is, things we never got to see because the show got canceled.

Snape

1. I don't think he was Lily's creepy stalker.

2. I think Snape was still a horrible man, with a side of him that remembered who he was/could have been and was able to cry for an old friend.

3. I sort of think Snape had to have done something to instigate the Snape's Worst Memory incident. Not that it makes it right, but... I don't know, I don't think James would have saved his life and then humiliated him all over again just because he wanted Lily. But maybe that's just the part of me that still wants to like the Marauders.

Can I get back to you on Spike later? His character changes so much throughout the series - not unalike Snape, actually - that I don't think it would do him much justice to talk about him until I've seen all of the seasons. :)

[kakeochi-umai.livejournal.com]

Dumbledore!

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Ah, Dumbledore. Hated him after OoTP, loved him after HBP, went "WTF" after TDH.

1. I think Dumbledore was very wrong in making Sirius stay in the hellhole that was 12 GP. His intentions were good, I don't doubt that, but any other Order member would have taken Sirius. Andromeda and Ted Tonks, for instance, and in my personal canon, Andromeda begged and pleaded DD to let her have Sirius there. It just didn't make sense.

Actually, I'm not sure how unpopular that one is.

2. I still think Dumbledore was a very complicated character. I think his real fault is that he's the epitome of a Gryffindor: he wants to do what is right for the people he believes in so much, he'll do anything, even if it might put them at a seemingly disadvantage. He may have gotten rid of his relationship with Grindlewald, but I think he always kept his "for the greater good" mentality.

3. I believe that whatever Dumbledore's faults, he loved his students, especially Harry.

[kakeochi-umai.livejournal.com]

That all makes sense. How about Draco?