Question Meme [OOC]
Dec. 14th, 2012 11:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aa_fandralAsk me questions about my character(s) and I will answer. The meme is entirely OOC, questions and answers both. Use it as a fun time to find about about character's choices, motivations, feelings, actions, or anything else you've been wondering.
I play: Mystique (Raven Darkholme), Fandral, and Bullseye.
I play: Mystique (Raven Darkholme), Fandral, and Bullseye.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 05:24 am (UTC)talk about fandral and women. i don't have a specific question. some guiding thoughts though are around him being a pretty decent guy generally, so is this a shortcoming? broken hearts across the galaxy? is he just a natural womaniser woman womaniser you're a womaniser oh? ARE YOU SCARED OF LOVE? how does asgardian sexism play into it?
what would we do if we went on a date?????
it's a given that thor will one day be king! (sob.) what does fandral think about that? 100% excellent or problems at all?
any revelations about himself lately?
MYSTIQUE
how much do you like rhodes genuinely vs his position in life?
does it get tiring?
any practices or outlets she has with regard to double lives?
where should our honeymoon be
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 08:33 am (UTC)Fandral likes sex for the obvious reasons: pleasure, company, attention, the smug satisfaction of knowing he's good at something and visible, often audible evidence thereof. He expects his sexual partners to do the same. Per comics, he doesn't really understand that he hurts the women he gets with, with any regularity whatsoever. The fact that he only ever sees the vast majority of them once or twice helps!
Actually, per the comics, Fandral at some point finds out he has indeed left a string of broken hearts across the galaxy and swears off his philandering ways! That's a little goofy, I think, but I do think that the reality of that heartbreak has never set in for him. He gets away with wilful ignorance. TBH Asgardian culture has indeed facilitated, at least specifically the behavior promoted at court: sexual liasons, manipulations, deliberately invented drama. Love was reliably false and marriage seemed like an A++ thing to avoid.
Yes he is scared of love, but he isn't aware of it. It's a great thing to not think about! He's a little damaged with that classic psychological content of someone who was sexualized too young, but he's really well-adjusted all things considered. He has the most best friends and no real need for genuine romance... at present. Of course, if Sif ends up with Loki, Thor with Jane, Volstagg with his lovely bride, he might. Figure out some things. Like that he doesn't want to be that weird bachelor living above somebody's garage.
Sexism: I guess there are 3 main categories within women that perpetuate across Fandral's experiences with women. The ones who want to marry you aagh, the ones who just want sex, cool, and Sif (e.g., friends). Fandral probably subscribes to these categories less than he thinks he does-- for ex, if asked why he doesn't chase certain people harder like Valkyrie, Kelda, or even Wanda, he'd explain them away in easy terms that they're looking for other things (mawwage) or their relationship is different (frenship). More than anything, he sees the stereotypes as sort of the template of how he's 'expected' to interact with women. He has never met one who covers more than 1 of them in an overt way, so he doesn't have to deal with a higher level of sophistication than that. Hence it does not freak him out that Amora serves only herself, though they are lovers; and he is entirely sure it would ruin/confuse everything if he and Sif ever became anything more. Neat boxes.
It's worth noting Sif was really the breakthrough in terms of him recognizing women as real people, with flaws and strengths and quirks, rather than objects of desire. Prior to becoming her close friend, he really only had the other 2 categories which essentially = stereotypes. While he has some half-siblings running around, she was his first close lady friend and he loves her dearly.
If we went out on a date, we'd probably break into the throne room while Odin was busy with sers bzns elsewhere and make out/give you a blowjob on the high chair because I think you would be into that PROBABLY then find something big to kill/catch together and talk about new spells like some Patronus bullshit or imbuing objects, a bunch of other sex. Fandral doesn't date, but he would probably be reasonably considerate/thoughtful and good (?) at it if he did. like. if he didn't hate you <33
terrified i will lose this comment if i don't save now, so PRESSING POST
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 08:47 am (UTC)He doesn't think about such complications as Loki coming around, Thor's learning curve being not so much, or Odin being gone anytime while the 2 brothers both have complementary strengths and fatal weaknesses. Ignore ignore
Recent revelations about himself include that he is a surprisingly attractive brunette and capable of the levels of rage that he is currently experiencing. Fandral didn't know that before! It's very novel and interesting, the seething, blinding hatred, and handsome new look. I guess in adjacent territory, he's also reveling in the unhappy realization that he doesn't trust Sif's judgment-- like, in a very serious, large, concrete, evidence-based problematic way, and that he won't always see eye-to-eye with his friends on really important things. That's your fault btw.
M
Consciously: Rhodes 15%, his life 85%
In denial: Rhodes 40%, his life 20% (tbh there are richer dudes who have circumstances less open to scrutiny), the thrill 30%, the sex 20% and if that exceeds 100% her subconscious owes no one explanations
Tiring: No, she's insane. Well not yet.
Mystique's outlets include running around and making day trips, 40% criminal in nature. In such exercises she pretends to be yet another regular human person and her activities are generally intended to create further security nets for herself should this Rhodey thing not work out or things otherwise go horribly wrong (e.g., making money, building resources). Mystique almost never appears in true blue-- for her to drop form would be a stress reaction, specifically if she had to stack all of her resources toward other aspects of her mutant ability (e.g., boost superstrength, boost superspeed, crazy gymnastic maneuvers). There is no pro-mutant superiority ideology in her because this isn't that universe, though she does have a fairly strong sense of self. She also exercises a lot even though she doesn't need it to keep fit. Endorphins are dlishus, and balance out the strain of maintaining shift constantly.
Overall her double-life isn't much of one these days. 6 days out of the week, she's Rhodey's wife. Those remaining 24 hours are spliced into the above-mentioned extracurricular activities. 7 or 8 months ago, it was probably more like 50/50, but she's more optimistic about things with the Raven Darkholme ID now.
We should probably have our honeymoon in New York City because that's where the PCs are and it will cause delightful tension
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 08:48 am (UTC)also good, i was obviously kidding about the flowers. thrones bjs A++
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 08:00 pm (UTC)Regarding the ladies, I think it's also worth noting that he is the sort of person who really likes talking to women, where ~women~ is defined by 'the companionship of ladies who are a lot more feminine than Aesir warriors are wont to be' across the 3 ~categories~. He likes the way women tend to smell better, allow themselves to be small or sharp with him, feel and act upon concern, flirt with him even if they aren't going to end up in bed, think about things sometimes in terms other than 'kill it.' In a sense stereotypes are at play here too, but in part also he enjoys having a thing beyond bromance. Volstagg has his books, Hogun has his carving, Fandral is a social butterfly!
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 09:30 am (UTC)Can I make you talk about this more? How deep/far this goes, how much it's troubling him, how he plans to deal with it, if it shakes up his feelings towards the others at all, etc. I will also come up with real questions soon, I promise.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 08:49 pm (UTC)To clarify-- by 'won't always see eye-to-eye with his friends' I had meant to indicate he is mjslgkjhls at Volstagg for not believing him too, but it's keener with Sif since they'd talked about his doubts about her relationship with Loki before, and then he decided to try harder with Loki in major part for her sake. Not that she can't handle being enemies with someone she loves, but it clearly troubles her, makes her wonder if things would be different if they'd been different, blah blah.
There are a few things that may happen, which have crossed Fandral's brain with varying levels of likelihood. He might start hanging out with other people or loitering on Asgard while the others are on Earth, for a little bit. Alternately, especially if he's delighted enough Thor lives, he might just pretend things are still business as usual and his doubts won't come out until other important bzns and/or Loki arise as issues again. His disappointment is more likely to fade than fester either way.
At some point, it might come down to Sif and/or Volstagg being asked to ~choose~ between himself and Loki, on some level or another. However, I'm not sure how that would play out. Fandral is not the sort to threaten to leave if he doesn't get what he wants or anything that petty/passive-aggressive, so it might be subtler. Subtle or not, however, it'll come out in the RP some way, as it should!
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 09:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 09:44 pm (UTC)^ Not sure how it'll come out but it will. Also that at this point rumors abound of his accusations, so some details aside, his case is pretty well-known throughout the land.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 05:31 am (UTC)Talk about Fandral and sexuality a little? Although he is a renowned lady killer, he's proven to have at least a little flexibility on those grounds. Hi Bruce.
How does he mentally measure this part of himself against the often striated patriarchal structures of Asgard? Pro? Con? (Looks like I am following up on Loki's, feel free to combine.)
Why is his horse named Firehooves?
Bullseye:
What is his favorite food?
How does his ego fare with all the chaos he has been causing with current on-going plotness?
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 06:46 am (UTC)Any regrets about your selections for the duel, Fanny-pants? Any thoughts on how those chose fared?
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 09:24 am (UTC)How they fared
Volstagg: Obviously. ♥
Wanda: Should have demanded they let her cut the mage's arm off as recompense. Appreciated that she tried, feels a little bad for shoving her out there, but there is a small Sif muppet in his head threatening to cut off his face if he apologizes for letting her make that choice. They should talk it out some time maybe, even if it's a brief 'I believe in you unless you don't want me to' between battles. BELIEVE IN THE GIRL WARRIORS. He saw Wanda take out like 5 gunmen in an armored van once, it was no joke.
Bruce: Didn't see that coming. Enormously proud of him. Fandral's pretty familiar to stubborn warriors making insane, unpredictable decisions happening in battle, so it's mostly how Bruce handled it that was the greater surprise and more moving. The troll's behavior really didn't upset him that much since Aesir value the immortalization of death in poetry and songs, too, and frankly-- he'd seriously considering martyring himself sooner than see Odin join forces with a truly despicable enemyyyyum. Hmmm. Well fortunately such opportunity has not yet arisen vis-a-vis Loki.
Steve: Fing hilarious, after Fandral stopped sweating bullets.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 09:13 am (UTC)Fandral is bisexual in theory but heterosexual in 800 years of practice. A lot of his sexual conduct is based off the social expectations and stereotypes he learned in the courts of Asgard, which really don't have a lot about having same-sex relations apart from 'well it's fine who cares, but taking it in the pooper is humiliating.'
I think he actually had 1 or 2 troubled older guys creepering at him when he was young, before figuring out it was bad for him reputationally (he ignored emotional effects because he is a boy) and let other people ruin those guys. A mild turn-off-- he's over it, has nothing against gays, knows other cultures view anal intercourse differently, blah blah dc. In my writing, he draws a lot from intelligent, high-functioning people I know IRL who lost their virginity at 11 or 12 years of age. Generally, Fandral doesn't see any problems with casual sex. He's down for whatever with whoever, as long as it's not going to be a problem, but his understanding of 'problems' are limited and structured by his relatively heteronormative upbringing.
As demonstrated in recent logs, Fandral is shitty at hatesex. He likes the people he has sex and never loves them. So despite that he would probably try most kinks in the universe (has probably even been peed and pooed on to the past, which Volstagg covered his ears in the retelling) he's oddly set in his ways.
Fandral's pretty content in the patriarchy of Asgard, and his position fairly high up the food chain (but below royalty). It's always treated him and his friends well, even if Sif had to break the mold with extreme force before she made it a comfy shape. Odin made some mistakes with sending Thor away, but it got better. Odin is making some huge mistakes with Loki, but Fandral is holding out for the hope that they will recognize Loki for his dastardly awfulness. If that doesn't happen, he'll have a lot more doubts and discontentment. I don't yet know if that means he'll be off-screen a lot more or start hanging out on Earth where all these American PCs are like, fuck the man!
Once upon a time, Hogun noticed that Firehooves was the fastest (probably just the most spirited rather than a distinct physiological advantage/difference) out of the available stock. Fandral picked him them named him Firehooves because the name suggested he could set afire to the turf he crossed at top speeds. It is a little bit of a boast. Fandral is very proud of him and his speed and his sass. Hogun was the one who taught him horses have personality and worth.
B
...cauliflowersteak I think is something of a luxury in Ireland (where food, period, is expensive), so probably that. I don't think he thinks of it as 'his favorite' or cares very extremely about food, but if he was out to treat himself he'd get steak.If Bullseye's ego could expand further than it had prior to the death train project, it would have. Fortunately it was already at maximum capacity. His egotism is almost absolute, for all that he knows he can't take a bomb or regenerate the way that the other local supervillains can. The current job is very comfortable for him, excelling at what he's always been good at, and making loads of money.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 05:44 am (UTC)How has his working theory in re: thor and the spider changed his relationship with Loki?
This question is probably inevitable, sorry. Why Bruce?
How does he feel about the Hulk at this point? Esp with the whole 'having been used as a projectile multiple times' thing?
Bullseye:
As the pilot engineer of Schmidt's murder train: HAVING FUN YET?
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 09:52 am (UTC)THIS IS GOING TO SUCK BEAR WITH
Fandral has to work really hard at diplomacy, actually. Although he's capable of somewhat fancy social footwork, he honestly spends most of his time with his friends, who are plain-spoken and amicable, and chasing ladies who intend to be caught. He is a warrior (or career killer, words words) at heart and, while he's been involved in plenty of important battles, deciding the fate of worlds on the edge of one's sword is different to having to be wary not to take a verbal shit in the wrong place. It makes him uneasy, but he's good at hiding it.
At this point, Loki has essentially confessed he killed Thor, albeit in elliptical, vague ways that wouldn't hold up in court. As a result, Fandral wouldn't piss on Loki if he was on fire. In what is perhaps a dark mirror of the Thor and Death log, Fandral currently thinks Loki's only worth is his importance to the survival of worlds. Not to oversimplify, tho: his hate comes from a place of love. As written in drabble, he loved Loki despite not really liking or knowing him that well, in that 'for-granted,' 'you have to' way that one loves family-- as he had expected to be loved in return. Fandral is hugely disappointed in both his own judgment (i.e., he fought so hard for Loki, also in part because of Sif; compounded guilt ftw) and Loki himself. The trust is dead and, given they have never succeeded in talking, that is unlikely to change until something else major does.
BRUCE. He said a lot of it in the noodle shop, the obvious stuff: Bruce has a lot of good man qualities that Fandral generally likes in friends, and a sharp skepticism that would probably keep at bay the mistakes Fandral and his friends' usually make. They also get along well and are open-minded enough to mesh good exploring middle territory (or remote regions of outer-space, whatever you want to call it). Esoteric characterological qualities aside, uhh.
1) He thinks Banner is handsome, 2) He couldn't articulate it this way, but: he really enjoys they way they have been switching off on this inherently flirtatious push-pull between jadedness and idealism/honor/spirit of exploration. They have taken turns playing tour guide in strange new cultures, reminding each other of important duties/opportunities/whatever, and being a bit discouraged about their shit (i.e., needing to be pulled out of that). Fandral has spent like 800 years hitting on people, so he can recognize the flirtatious angle to that, even if it's oddly more comfortable and friendly/genuine than most of his actual liaisons ('hey baby I live in an alien palace, want to check out my place'). Finally, 3) Fandral finds intelligence quite attractive in a way that has nothing to do with sex which is probably why he doesn't really look for (or avoids) that in his innumerable lady lovers.
POSTING BEFORE LOSS #2
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 10:02 am (UTC)He doesn't like being thrown around. That sucks.
See my answers to Wanda re: Hulk in the duels.
B
Bullseye is in a really good place in his life right now.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 06:55 am (UTC)I feel like there's a real closeness between Fandral and Loki despite EVERYTHING. I'm looking at it sidelong, but it's kind of deep and sad and, er, incidentally betrayed with spiders. Talk to me about Fandral's relationship with the shady outsider versus his relationship with Thor, god of awesome blonde broness. How does Fandral balance the two? Moderate between them?
Fandral is both kind of chill and totally down with freaking out when it's time to freak out. What his basal state like? Is he a chill dude trying to beat back the madness of the world, or an intense dude who's gotta keep his chill because someone has to.
Bulleye
Why the violence, man. why.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 10:35 am (UTC)He loves Thor and hates Loki so it balances really good right now. As children, however, he was closer to Thor, straight up. Loki, he didn't really understand or try to. The log we wrote when they were children I think symbolizes one of a handful of times when they could have forged a real connection (OR MAYBE I ALWAYS SAY THAT ABOUT ALMOST-TINYSEX), but immaturity and coincidence buried it. As they are portrayed as the more 'socially intelligent' (I use that term very lightly, maybe 'cunning' is a better term) of their group, I feel like their childhood was probably a series of relational Missed Connections. They had great chemistry that gradually faded away until components remixed to an explosive desire to kill each other.
I think maybe they also just gave each other bad feelings, in part due to their faint similarities, like cats hiss at snakes. 'Missed Connections' is not to say I easily picture a universe in which they were the best of friends.
Fandral and Thor, on the other hand, were probably the exact converse. I figure they were both mellow and sometimes-annoying li'l blond bro kids and it was only because of constant exposure (in part due to shared interests, and Fandral's social-climbing efforts), but they probably had fewer sharp or poignant moments. Into adulthood of course they got into horrific scrapes, spilled blood together, had stories and mourned when fellows fell. As a result, over time, I figure they bricked together an extremely strong and powerful friendship that's as stable and almost inert as stone. Fandral has been canonically shown to follow Thor blindly. Bromance!
I believe Fandral's basal state is really laid back because he's frankly a really old dude who's seen a lot and built a pretty strong sense of identity. Fandral knows who he is! He is even aware he has some weird issues with romantic relationships.
On average, Fandral has a lot of emotional equilibrium which results in a distinct shortage of reactivity. Yeah sure he tried to kill Loki, but I have had alts who would have punched Sif through a wall out of misdirected anger over Loki, or whirlwind made out with, asked out, attempted to seduce, and thrown a storming hormonal fit over Bruce in this space of time by now. For all that Fandral is experiencing A Lot Of Feelings lately, he is not acting on them. He is pretty good at letting things float on instead of doing anything that is going to have fatal or permanent consequences he will regret. Lacking maximum acuity in analytical skills or whatever, he nonetheless values accuracy, which in part relates to his physical abilities (e.g., superspeed, agility) which in part trickle down to his social conduct. Sometimes, his aversion to sloppiness results in patience.
In short, Fandral is too old to think that learning from one's mistakes is the best way to learn.
B
A girl's got to eat.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 04:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 09:15 pm (UTC)If children were to happen by accident, he'd start out by hoping really hard that they have another father figure in their life through their mother's other exploits. TBH this might actually induce the revelation I was telling Loki about earlier in this thread, that his sexy actions have unsexy consequences and he might make a major lifestyle change. If he encountered one when they were half-grown, he'd be curious and simultaneously nervous, but he is a nice guy! He'd try to make sure they weren't deprived of basic needs and so on.
I think he probably does have kids out there somewhere. It's a little weird they haven't come to light, but I guess there must be some kind of contingencies, medical or otherwise, to prevent the population of Asgard from getting out of control so he doesn't have to deal with it in the one place he resides with real regularity. Convenient absence of consequences is convenient.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 09:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-15 10:23 pm (UTC)What is Fandral’s family like?
Does he feel any type of obligations as a nobleman, aside from his role as courtier and warrior?
Loki has tried to kill Thor a couple times already. Why is this time so much worse?
What are Fandral's ambitions, or long-term hopes? What long-term hopes does he have for his friends?
no subject
Date: 2012-12-16 12:25 am (UTC)As his writer behind the scenes and having some godlike knowledge of Fandral's needs, however, I think he basically would be happiest married to someone he can mush the 3 categories (see my answers to Loki's questions above) together into. Whether because of sexism, bad experiences in court, habit/practice engineering beliefs, or a combination thereof, he's made use of stereotypes and templates to protect himself, in courtly games, from emotional harm (as seen in courtly games), and because it's comfortable and makes him happy right now. He doesn't know it and doesn't need to know it, but he'd be crazy for someone he could fight beside, as well as explore space and have lots of interesting sex and make decisions and engaging words with.
I have played characters who ~needed~, on some level, a significant other who could cauterize their emotional damage, or be reliable because they were used to dating selfish bastards, or take them down a peg, or share the same core cultural beliefs, or blah blah blah. Fandral isn't like that, really. Some say you can (or should) be married to your best friend, and that's what would work best for him.
Fandral's family consists of: mom (courtesan) and dad (noble warrior turned military advisor), 1 sister, and 2 half-brothers raised by other moms/families of varying ages (I think he probably had another half-brother who died in battle). They are not close. I think after the initial firestorm of passion, the love burned out of mom and dad's marriage a long time ago, although they're comfortable together and only get nasty/bitter about the infidelity and lack of fulfillment going on when it's rubbed into their faces. They are both fundamentally nice but Fandral gets his catty horrid streak from them and they're substantially worse about it, lacking the good influences Fandral has in his life. They are monstrous in their verbal fights and forget about it a day later. Though he wanted for nothing, Fandral nor any of his siblings got a lot of protection or guidance from them early on.
I figure his siblings are a mixed bag of those who fought against the parent's momentum and who went with it. His baby sister and he aren't close, so I figure she decided fuuuck that bs courtly people are miserable >8( and went ahead to study healing and horticulture with very specific, minor magic, though she possibly has an under-cultivated talent for art. She is not as pretty as Fandral but smarter, and Uror takes care of her. His half-sibs are probably second-tier warriors.
Fandral doesn't talk to any of them much. He'd say it's his fault, but none of them crave for intimacy with one another, really.
OBLIGATIONS: I believe the sense of honor he was brainwashed into does fold into that yes! If someone in Asgard wants for food, vouching for, or gifts, he'd be compelled to generosity about it. We've established our dude/ttes are rolling in it and, despite how he messes around with it sometimes, he doesn't value his material possessions quite as much as many of his peers do. Practical warriors are practical. None of us packed heavy for New Mexico, for ex, not even in the way of comic relief. And we must take care of the little guy!!
POSTING BEFORE IT ACCIDENTALLY OH NOES
no subject
Date: 2012-12-16 12:53 am (UTC)The first time in New Mexico, it looked like shit spiraling out of control, less deliberate, less thoroughly planned, as he'd tried non-lethal means until Thor became an increasingly problematic threat (partially the Warriors Three and Sif's fault, for coming down to try to bring him home). However, Thor attempting to reach out and fix it was thrown back in his face, which meant it was recognized.
As such, Loki's second attempt to kill Thor was worse than the first, assuming we're counting his crusade to take over Earth with the Chitauri army. I mean yeah that was also exacerbated by the fact he victimized hundreds of little humans who were minding their own business. Again Thor tried to reason with Loki, which I'm assuming Fandral knows he did or would have tried to do. Again Loki continued to escalate the situation until there were giant robot fish blowing up Manhattan, and who wants to rule Earth anyway?
This will have been Loki's third major attempt to Fandral's knowledge, and it succeeded. This, after yet more attempts from Thor to understand, make peace, make clear his stance, etc. Loki never seems interested in clarity or any other outcome besides murdering Thor's face off to get whatever he wants (rulership of Asgard? of Earth plus Asgard? the Nine Realms all, presumably). It's disgusting to Fandral that it doesn't matter how hard people try to become real and honest with him, how he has thrown out hundreds of years of childhood, how he could prooobablyy even get what he wants if he'd like, try a non-mass-murdering soloist I WANT IT NOW NOW NOW STOMP FOOT route. Fandral knows a little about politics and fame, and he knows Thor is well-loved, but Thor jeopardizes his own reputation all the time but nooo Loki has tojaglhsl--
In summary, Loki has cost the Nine Realms a lot of blood and heartache; more of it the more chances he'd given. Repeated demonstration has shown Loki cares more about his obfuscated final objective, and achieving it in his particular way, than he does about the lives and efforts of those who would love him enough to try, repeatedly, to help him be happy.
Ambitions! Fandral honestly doesn't have any. Horrific galactic wars and the looming threat of Thanos in the meta-narrative of Yggdrasil aside, he is pretty content. Things have gone well for 800 years and he isn't getting old by Asgardian standards, so he doesn't have to worry about decrepitude showing him up (suck on that, baby boomers). At the same time, the equilibrium is getting a little too familiar.
I feel that, while being a warrior is core to his archetype, our characters are adventurers too. For Fandral, that meant he had a thirst for new experiences, different sights, thrills he hadn't before experienced. However, visiting other realms, risking his own death, killing and claiming something new, being famous, rolling around with all sorts of ladies, that stuff is now varying iterations of the same old thing. This may be partly why he was relatively open-minded about Thor spending so much time on Earth, as well as why he looked askance at Bruce and has slept with Amora quite a few times now. At this point, the uncharted territory might well become internal, or more about looking deeper into people and places than adding more people and places to the list. He mi-ight want something different but uhh. Well he can spend a few centuries thinking about it before that surfaces into his consciousness, never mind action.
As for his friendssss he wants them to be happy, beyond or within the inertia they've built up over their years together, fighting, partying, etc. Like with Sif, he has this obscure, near-dead hope that Loki will actually 180, fess up, ...apologize, basically not be Loki anymore and upset Sif some in the process but then it will be OK and they'll get married or whatever it is she wants with him. He hopes Volstagg gets out of the life if that's what he wants, maybe find a wife, kids, all the food in the world. And Hogun become a Yeti in his next life or whatever. Whatever they want to do. Anything. He knows they technically 'have it all' as Aesir their age go, but he knows or just believes (i.e., ideas about human nature) that they still want something they don't yet have.
Fandral also wants them all to be friends forever. It would sort of suck to be the creepy old bachelor living above someone's garage, but he'd rather move in than watch them move on without him. Insofar as he doesn't actively think about this much at all, though it comes up in jokes and peripherally in his worries, of course.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-16 11:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-17 01:50 am (UTC)WHY YOU ALWAYS MISBEHAVE :C
no subject
Date: 2012-12-17 01:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-17 06:52 am (UTC)Aren't I a bit old for you?
What would Fandral have gotten up to if he hadn't fell in with the other boys? If he hadn't become friends with the princes, or Volstagg had never kinda... taken him under a wing? Where would he be and what would he be doing? What kind of guy do you think he'd be?
no subject
Date: 2012-12-17 08:01 am (UTC)If he hadn't fallen in with the other boys, uhh. I think Fandral might actually have 180'd and become quite a cynical politician. He might have gotten into a lot of bad trauma, in terms of unhealthy relationships, and spent most of his life screwed up. Since he's fairly bright and very capable in combat situations, he probably would have acquired prestige by himself and wound up much more of a predator in a position of power. Like, not a ~bad guy deep down~, but a lot less open-minded due to fewer adventuring opportunities with Volstagg et al., not having met Sif who revolutionized his idea of women, blah blah.
I am a fan of people doing cruel and horrible things to others out of nothing greater than ignorance. As we know, there's a lot of room for rape and emotional abuse tied up in that sexist garbage people tend to perpetuate.
That's a potential scenario! On the other hand, I may have undersold his inherent 'goodness' (don't roll your eyes, I think he is pretty empathy-capable and has Powers of Reason basically), as well as the possibility other NPCs would have ridden into his life and changed him a lot in other ways. For example, his NPC baby sister might have revolutionized his world in a different way. For some reason I keep portraying healers as cynical of the Asgardian culture of lauding war, reaping glory, demonstrating their power, etc. I can also picture him finding a similar path, of exploring the cosmos, defending the weak, etc., but with considerably less emphasis on groupthink, violence, etc.
Fandral as he is now is dangerously complacent in a way. Honor-bound, he is often complicit in the stupid decisions made by royalty. He's not bad at thinking 'for himself' (re: film, I think he was one of the louder voices among UHHH GUYS GENOCIDE JOTUNS RLY?? and of course, they flipped Loki off to get Thor off Earth), but he is bound by his loyalties and tacitly makes the decision to go with them rather than his own gut or think things through. Or initiating actions by himself.
Thus, without that, he might be-- I don't know. Sharper, more mentally agile, more proactive, but possibly also less brave, responsible, and experienced overall. He might be some sort of merchant or trader. He might even be married. Or shacked up with a lovely boyfriend, idk!
no subject
Date: 2012-12-17 08:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-19 08:18 am (UTC)Fandral is sexually free and fancy but also has established lasting and important relationships with Thor, Lady Sif and the other two Warriors that have no basis in sexuality. What about these guys is different? Too much like family to think about them that way? Reluctant to trivialize millennia-old warrior bonds with getting grabby? More of a sense of responsibility to Asgard to keep things clean?
BULLSEYE what are you doing with all that Nazi gold? Melting it down and saving up for a giant robot suit to punch Schmidt into the sun maybe?
no subject
Date: 2012-12-19 09:11 pm (UTC)Fandral is pretty manipulative overall, but he's so overt about it that most of the connotations of that word lose their meaning. Instead I sort of view it as-- few of his social interactions occur accidentally or entirely without awareness of how they might affect others! Or how you might commend a writer for being 'manipulative,' that it's a good thing because genuine reaction is what you want.
Anecdotes of relevance: Fandral zips around superspeed to unnerve Loki then buys him a spider to make peace, managing to knock the Jotun $*%@er momentarily wordless (A FEAT). He drops difficult topics of conversation with Sif when they start becoming difficult, then approaches them at a different angle over dinner. He recognized his raving adamancy with Volstagg wasn't getting him anywhere, so he hit the off button then came back later striking a noble pose. He's been pretty discreet and platonic about hitting on Bruce because Bruce obviously has 3950823 tons of baggage and mostly could use a friend. He is indiscreet about hitting on Amora because yeah, opposite! Overall, Fandral is not very good at just bulling through to the 'objective' truth of things without care for presentation. Everything is packaged. It's not even insincere, artificial, or ...sneaky, it's just all he knows. Of course, he lost it with Loki but I think that exception proves the rule-- it went away pretty fast.
(Note I'm discarding political diplomacy and negotiations into a different pile, assuming that's not the 'charm' we're referring to. Obv that is straight-up calculated.)
Of course, in a sense this is kind of sad. At the point which one can no longer differentiate between 'natural' and 'calculation,' it's hard to say if or when he's ever entirely relaxed or just 'himself.' There are reasons why balancing acts are circus weirdness and not the behavior of normal people, who fall and flail now and then. I think this has affected and is in turn affected by his lack of monogamous or singular relationships. He doesn't have a best friend among Sif, the Warriors Three and Thor, and is (arguably) the least capable of an entirely unaffected romantic relationship. Maybe one day he will be with someone for any length of time where he is completely unconcerned with being charming, but I think it will take some time and growing.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-19 09:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-20 04:10 am (UTC)These guys are in the family box. Fandral is not close to his own biological family. He probably had rumors around him as a child about how his mom bred with a human or someone else's husband, blah blah, so he was defensive and guarded since childhood even before he got into the court game a little too early. Nonetheless, I think for plenty of past alts I've played -- even given family trouble and bad relationship modelling, there was room for salacity, emotional needs, or repressed longing to leak into homosocial bromance, or at least more grey area. By now, there's no grey going on with Fandral at all. He doesn't blink at Sif's tits (although there is an odd, mild, sibling-like avoidance of seeing them at all), but he will break your arm if you say she's ugly or not good enough a fighter. He's probably barged or been barged in on while naked with girls and there were good-natured aagh about penis-glimpses or, if the situation was serious, no reaction at all.
Friendship with the core group operates on a wholly different frequency than his sexy times. It would feel incestuous to get with them. Not only have they known each other since they were kids, but childhood was hundreds of years long and adulthood even longer. It'd be creepy like MISS STEPHENIE MEYER's werewolf imprinting thing, at this point.
I think when he was younger this was more confusing, especially when he had poorer impulse control, re: adolescence. He probably crushed on all of them at some point or other (desire to kiss Sif disclosed in solo log). However, some point in his early life he did make the conscious decision they were family-- like siblings, and inherent to that decision, they would never be anything else. I believe the guiding rationale for that decision included all the thoughts you mentioned: he didn't want to jeopardize their friendships, he felt it would screw things up for Asgard if there were sexual shenanigans, never mind romantic ones, and the complications of preferential treatment in crazy military operations. When they started doing really important work for Odin, saving lives, amassing resources for Asgard and the peoples of the Nine Realms, he came to value that responsibility a lot. He wouldn't give it up for some shady shippyness he doesn't really want.
TH'END
posting before things die
no subject
Date: 2012-12-20 05:42 am (UTC)Yes. I believe we have even touched on this during some scenes. Lol. NOTHING VOLSTAGG HASN'T SEEN BEFORE. CARRY ON.
Though now I'm wondering about Fandral's hero-worship way back when. And now am getting a strangely powerful desire to scene some of it. y/y?
You say it would feel incestuous and yet
you also say I'm not too old for you!!
no subject
Date: 2012-12-20 05:30 am (UTC)I had to.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-29 08:53 am (UTC)I considered: Kate Winslet (she looks cute in medieval armor, cross-dressing in A King In King Arthur's Court), Samaire Armstrong, and even Dianna Agron. I decided though I wanted a pretty blonde chick who, more than anything, could play 'the funny guy' as well as the 'straight guy,' so to speak, and say mean shit when she needs. I would give my right arm for Jane Lynch to revert to younger.
IN THE END I went with Anna Faris. She is v funny and seems intelligent, despite that she's featured in a number of terrible films. Smiley Face and Lost in Translation were good, and her role in the House Bunny (in which she was so impossibly affable) had some commentary on being a genuinely sincere/kind person in a heavily image-conscious society blah whatever not to take this too seriously.
BASICALLY
she can be pretty in an expensive dress but also hilarious face.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-29 08:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-29 06:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-30 01:23 am (UTC)Also, I fuckin' love Anna Faris.