So explain to me... (Part two)

[laligin]

This is mostly because I'm intrigued and vaguely confused, so I'm asking you lot to help me out.

Explain to me, please, as politely as you can manage (I'm not here for a fight), exactly why you ship Jack/Gwen. Why do you think it works?

See, it doesn't work for me. I'll happily acquiesce to the suggestion of Jack/Ianto, Jack/Tosh, Ianto/Tosh, maybe even Owen/Ianto at a stretch, and every canon pairing that's even danced past is understandable... But Jack/Gwen I have real trouble with (I'm of the firm opinion that they have a very strong friendship and nothing more), and I want to understand why people ship them together.

So tell me. Try and convert me. I'm a multi-ship shipper (honest!) and stranger things have happened. (Can't think of any right now, but I'm sure they have...)

(Also, convince me Gwen is a good character.)

Comments

[mimarie.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I'd dare try and convert you - after all, I'm pretty sure there's something going on between Jack and Ianto, but all the same, I don't ship them. I don't think there's a *relationship* between them in the same way as I see one between Jack and Gwen.

'We' (as a fandom anywhere concerning Jack) always seem happy to accept that Jack does relationships a bit differently, that he doesn't necessarily tie love and sex together in the same way as 'our quaint little categories' would seem to insist we do. And so, for me, the idea that he can care deeply for one person and sleep with another (few)... nope, no problem with that.

I don't really understand what the aversion to them being together is as such. It's been made pretty clear since the beginning that however much Gwen may care for Rhys, she's always been somewhat dishonest with him. I always thought he was purposely drawn as dull - caring and thoughtful and worthy - but dull, and ultimately someone she would be drawn away from by her new life. Jack's the embodiment of that new life. And she's obviously drawn to him (Everything Changes, Day One, Ghost Machine, EOD) and he cares for her (TKKS, Countrycide - really, you don't think that look at Owen in the kitchen when she's been shot is jealous?)

Having said that - I don't see them falling into each others' arms in canon, not right now. It feels like love being built there, not 'merely' attraction (but then, I'm in the middle of an AU that wasn't hitting J/G like that at all, and now seems to have wandered that way all of its own accord...) and as we've already been given a good background in Jack's affinity for anything with said hole and postcode, to build a relationship with someone he's *not* sleeping with may well prove more stable and lasting - if such a thing is possible for him!

BUT - there's no point trying to write something you can't believe - if Jack/Gwen doesn't happen for you then really, thanks for trying and not just dismissing the idea, but stick to what feels right! (And I shall continue to shout noo! at my monitor every time some one suggests the Jack wuvs Ianto for eva and eva...;)

[(Anonymous)]

Can I shout 'noo' at my monitor too. Because I'm with you about Jack/Ianto. I don't really see it as a big romance. Even RTD himself has said it isn't.