observation/query/debate

[tielan]

I've noticed that quite a few people who were pro-John/Teyla have been very anti-Teyla in Season Four.

Pretty much, ever since Teyla entered into a relationship with Kanaan of Athos, there's been a lot of anti-Teyla sentiment in the form of whining, complaining, and bitching about Teyla.

So far, I've seen it on forums and mailing lists and in fics where John takes the "moral high ground" with Teyla, implying that if they're not together, it's her fault for sleeping with Kanaan and rejecting him. The fact that John has trouble connecting at a close emotional level with anyone is rarely addressed.

Has anyone else seen this around the place? And not just people being pro John/Teyla and anti-Teyla, but people being pro-A/B pairing while being very anti-A or anti-B (in either their words, and if not their words, then in their treatment of them in fic and reviews)?

Comments

[agriope23.livejournal.com]

I have to admit that I've disliked Teyla this season, but not because of Kanaan.

I don't really recognize her anymore. I was looking forward to her big arc in S4: her reaction to losing her people, her child, etc. I'm disappointed with what I got.

Missing was amazing, naturally, and BAMSR and SoW hold a special place in my heart, but other than that, the Teyla we got offered was very bland and IMO even weak. I lost a lot of interest in John/Teyla and instead spent more time focusing on John and even writing him.

My point was though, that John and Teyla end up inhabiting different spheres in S4. He's all over the place, waging the war and she has to sit on the sidelines and watch (which totally sucks BTW!. Her sphere is all about her child and her people.

Look at Outcast: a huge development ep for John and no Teyla! Teyla/Kanaan ended up being the biggest storyline for JT and I think that's what people really resent. I guess it's just easier to take it out on Teyla.

I hope this makes sense,it's 4 am and I should be sleeping. But I've missed fandom...

[tielan]

I didn't like that Teyla didn't get to do anything "because she was pregnant" or "because Rachel was pregnant". That's different to "not liking Teyla".

I still liked what we saw of Teyla; but a lot of the responses I've beeing seen from all over fandom write Teyla off entirely. She's mean and cruel because she didn't choose John over Kanaan. She's stupid because she didn't fight for the rights of pregnant women in all the fictional and non-fictional universes. She's boring because she was pregnant and couldn't do anything during the season.

Yes, I was frustrated with the limits of the storyline - but Teyla's still an awesome character. Her situation has changed; her innate awesomeness hasn't.

And that's the frustration I'm feeling with fandom right now.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi ! This is a so true subject.
I find it and wanted to post my opinion if it doesn't bothered you.
I'm myself on a forum and I go on a Shep/Teyla thread and it's true that a lot of people are complaining. Either Shep fan who think that Teyla betrayed John (wich unnerved me because he never did a move on the contrary of her who shows her interest. And he spends his time to see other women. Okay not spend his time but she doesn't say anything and now all is her fault) This isn't the subject I'm sorry.
I see too a lot of people who are really fan and really hate this storyline which bothered me a little because I love Teyla and I'm glad that the author give her something to do. I'm a little hurt that even the Teyla fan give weapons (? sorry I'm not english and I don't know how to say it) to people who don't like her. And even if it's because they love her, it seems that there is a lot more of people who hate her (we said something like love and hate aren't far away, it's perhaps this).
For myself I'm perhaps the only one who always defend her and like her storyline. (Am I a bad fan ?)
And if you permit me I have to say that for me Teyla is the person who was the most consistent this year (I hear a lot that she was inconsistent and stupid and I don't know what else) For me she really growths differently than what we were accustomed, the author gave her the opportunity to act. And I was happily surprised to discover that she was in a lot more of eps than I expected (they even introduced her in Midway while she wasn't particularly necessary ; when was the las time they did this ? besides this storyline could keep on going in season 5)
I could keep on going but I discovered I'm off topic I'm sorry. And I understand your frustration, this is her which motivate me to register to a forum.

[tielan]

Hi! Thanks for posting your thoughts - they're appreciated.

I may be overreacting to some of the grumbling, but it's annoying and uncalled for. Sure, I was hoping to see more Teyla and more John/Teyla relationship, but given Rachel's pregnancy and the kind of PTB that we're working with, there was never much hope of that.

Thanks for speaking up for her. I gave up on a lot of fans, simply because their idea of Teyla (and of John/Teyla) doesn't match mine.

[agriope23.livejournal.com]

I think it depends on the kind of person (or fan) you are. Cause around the second half of S4, I’d write fic that was either timeless, in the sense that it was set in an atemporal place, somewhere in S3, or S2, just not where the show actually was.

I felt like I was writing Teyla like she used to be, like I thought she should be. Kind of like the stories where she’s adopting puppies and naming them after her father and mother and she cries when they run away from home!

I’m exaggerating of course, but my point is just that if we don’t get to see a great Teyla on the show (her behavior, not the storylines), then can we really say that she is a great character? And if we do, by basing it on how we think she should be, how does that make us different than the hypothetical puppy story writer?

This is all for argument’s sake cause I love Teyla and you’re right, she’s a great character. I just haven’t seen that much of it so I kind of forgot. I think I’ll marathon a few of Teyla- centric eps. Should be a nice hour. :)

As for fandom, it makes me so angry too cause it seems like a lot of people just gave up. They heard the Teyla-arc was coming, the season started off great but they didn’t get all the J/T they'd expected and taking it out on Teyla is so easy. J/T didn’t rule S4? It must</>i be Teyla’s fault.