Unpopular fannish opinions re: CoE

[hope]

- I do not think this season *made* Jack into a monster. I think what this season did was dial up all the little bits of character and story that were in the "scifi MOTW tv show" to eleven. I think Jack has *always* had shady morals. In S1&2 we've already seen him--on screen--sacrifice children, kill team members, be extremely violent and scary, etc. I have massive issues with the unrelenting torment Jack was put through in these five eps, but don't have issues with his characterisation.

- Same for Ianto. The lie about his father enriched rather than betrayed his characterisation for me. It ties in to that post I made about Jack and Ianto being similar, as does his interactions with Jack at the start of 3.04-- Ianto's conviction that Jack is not just a shallow surface, that there is more to him, because there's more to *Ianto*. Ianto has worked hard to build his facade, he *knows* it's a facade (and yes, I think "I tell you everything" in this context means that Jack knows, to an extent, that it's a facade for Ianto).


( But, oh my god, still trying not to think too hard about Ianto's final words as it fucking KILLS ME, OK. I know that many people think that was a terrible bit of writing, but being really fucking invested in these characters I was too preoccupied to analyse it from any sort of distance. It worked for me, painfully so, and I think the performances are what tipped it over to making it work. I am not going to be able to watch that episode again for a while, I think.)


I am not leaving fandom, no. I *need* this fandom. What has been so gutting about this season is that I have become so invested. Torchwood fandom, and this pairing, have played a huge part in helping me get through uprooting and being on the other side of the world for the past six months. And I'm not ready to let them go yet. But canon is done for me, I think.

When I started watching CoE, I was struggling to remind myself that this was in fact canon - not just another spinoff that I could take or leave. I had consumed 1&2 long after they'd aired, they felt self-contained in their own way. So now I'm oscillating between considering S3 just that - a spinoff, or a really well-crafted fanwork; and considering S3 to be the end of the *series*. Because that's seriously what it feels like, to me, and it makes it easier to bear. I'm just filled with rage and frustration at Ianto's fate because his arc was just ruthlessly chopped off. If that's done to tie up a story in a show that's been cancelled, I'm still upset but not as enraged. But the thought that Torchwood is going on without Ianto when his arc is no where near done - that pisses me off.

On plus side, I really am feeling the urge to write fix it fic, now. As S3 was airing I felt totally on hold for fannish expression, and then after ep 4 everything smarted far too much to look at. But now I am feeling like I want to heal things, even if it's through my thoroughly jossed curtainfic. Happy endings all around now, please!