I wanted to make this Les Miserables fanfic rec in a separate entry from the others, partly because I did not want it to be lost and partly because I have a lot to say about it and was afraid I may cause the general Valjean & Javert fanworks recs list to go above the maximum word count:

Toil Until the Old Colours Fade by drcalvin / drcalvin (Mature) - After his leap into the Seine, Javert finds himself back in Montreuil-sur-Mer on the morning of his first appointment with M. Madeleine. Stuck in a Groundhog Day cycle of life and death, Javert is constantly resurrected and returned to the same moment until he manages to un-screw-up his life and become a better person.

Well, *eventually* become a better person. In one of his earliest time loops, he just goes and shoots Valjean in the head. That had to be cathartic. He needed to get that out of his system.

After that, though, he does slowly, convincingly evolve, but the core of the man still remains recognizably Javert. For example, when he goes to fetch Cosette from the Thenardiers earlier than Valjean retrieved her in canon:

The rest of the journey was spent explaining the more approachable applications of the Code Napoléon, sometimes using a folded rag-doll and a piece of wood to demonstrate the issues. Javert soon realized another reason for Valjean's attachment to the child: they shared the same stubborn insistence in viewing events from the most favourable angle possible. Even if the girl lacked the vocabulary and education to make her points convincingly, she definitely had the mindset of a defending attorney.

It was a great relief to deliver the child to her mother at last.

(Javert being awkward with children never ceases to amuse me.)

Along the way, Javert discovers that he can’t fix everything. No matter what he does, Fantine still dies young, being weakened from her earlier misfortunes, but she lives longer than in the original timeline, doesn’t become a prostitute, and has a few more years with Cosette.

Sometimes, events change in ways Javert cannot anticipate. For instance, since he rescues Cosette, Valjean never meets the Thenardiers; when Fantine dies, Valjean thinks it his duty to inform Cosette’s “foster parents” of the death and pay any remaining debts. Thenardier, being a rat bastard, is all, “Well, if Monsieur fancies little girls, we’ve another one right here,” and pimps out Eponine, who is about twelve years old at this point, to him; Valjean, quite understandably, is like, “OH, HELL NO,” throws a wad of cash at Thenardier, informs Cosette that she has a new sister, and adopts Eponine, too.

I could keep going mentioning stand-out moments in this fanfic, because, every time I think the author had written my favorite scene, she manages to add yet another new favorite scene. (Although, I think the scene where Javert invites Valjean to the roof of the Préfecture de police with him may win.)

What Javert needs to fix most of all, though, is not quantifiable nor about other people—it’s what he needs to change inside.

An incomplete but beta-ed version is available on Archive of Our Own and Livejournal.
A finished but un-beta-ed version is available on the Les Miserables Kink Meme ( makinghugospin ).
I advise starting on AO3 then moving to the Kink Meme at the point where the AO3 version stops.

6 Cosette/Eponine fanart
1 Fantine fic
1 Fantine meta
1 Barricade boyband fic update
1 Barricade boyband fanart
1 Valjean/Javert fic

All additions labeled "NEW!"

I've added twelve new fanworks recs to existing rec lists

11 Les Miserables:
1 Cosette/Eponine Meta
1 Fantine fic
1 Barricade boyband fic
1 Valjean & Javert gen fic
5 Valjean/Javert fics
1 Javert-centric gen fic
1 Valjean/Javert fanvid

1 Psych: Lassiter/Juliet fic

All additions labeled "NEW!"

Drunk Wolverine Tumblr is something I did not know I needed in my life until it was there.

Drunk Wolverine has no time for the ladies. For him, there is only the beer,
Drunk Wolverine is non-specific, and
Tony Stark knows all the right words may be my favorites, but, really, they're *all* my favorite.

Along the same "where did the 'e' go?" lines: Les Mis Kink Meme Taken Out of Context. Basically, lines from the Les Miserables Kink Meme (makinghugospin) taken out of context and paired with appropriate images. Honestly, though, I'm not sure how some of these ever made sense, even in context:

I was just feeling empty a lot this afternoon and when I went out earlier to spread kindness, I was only able to pass out three packs of skittles;

oh god I think setting up ikea furniture is my kink (be sure to scroll down);

I’m not sure what to do; it appears I’ve inadvertently started a cult.;

I read 'flogging' as 'flossing' and went DENTAL HYGEIENE KINK YEAH!!;

I LOVE YOU WITH THE POWER OF FIVE MILLION BALD UNICORNS.

I also really love this gif set, Les Miserables at the Oscars, where images from the musical-movie blend into the performance at the Oscars. It's like watching canon characters fade into a Modern AU.

Finally, for the one part of this post that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Hugh Jackman:
Gif set - "O’Hara, you are the best partner that I have ever had" -- because SHE IS. [SPOILERS]

1-12 The Phantom of the Opera - The Persian or Christine/Raoul - for shamanicshaymin
13-18 The Phantom of the Opera - Gen - for wanderlustlover
19-25 Pirates of the Caribbean - Elizabeth or Elizabeth/James - for carmarthen
26-29 Psych - Lassiter/Marlowe or Lassiter/Juliet - for rise_your_dead
30-33 Psych - Lassiter/Juliet - for drowninginthebrevity

Samples:



( Read more...Collapse )

Part I: Valjean & Javert is here.

All recs are fanfic, unless otherwise noted.

( Cosette/EponineCollapse )

( FantineCollapse )

( Barricade BoybandCollapse )

( MiscellaneousCollapse )

Originally, this was going to be one massive Les Miserables recs post. However, when I reviewed all my bookmarks, I noticed that over half of the links were about Valjean and Javert, so I decided it would make more sense to divide the recs list in two. Yes, I *know* this makes me a terrible hypocrite. I am constantly complaining about how fandom ignores women and characters of color to focus on two white dudes . . . which is exactly what I'm doing here. I am a horrible person, but I come bearing really good fic. Does that compensate?

Fanfic recs featuring both characters are split into "Gen" and "Ship," according to the author's label, even though there's some UST that overlaps both categories. I thought about making that last label "Slash" not "Ship", but someone on my flist (I thought it was netgirl_y2k, but I could not find the entry again) pointed out that the labels "slash" and "femslash" presume that m/m is the norm and f/f the oddity, a bias I do not want to perpetuate. I have been trying to remember to use "boyslash" instead, but I really can't bring myself to use "boy" for characters in their 50s and 60s--and "manslash" is too silly of a word. Although not quiet as silly as "Valvert," which sounds like a brand of artificial cheese.

FANFIC RECS
( GenCollapse )

( ShipCollapse )

( Valjean-centric genCollapse )

( Javert-centric genCollapse )

( META RECSCollapse )

( VID RECCollapse )

Next time: Everybody else!

I was lucky enough to win the always amazing bring_me_sugar / Missy / rise_your_dead in fandomaid's Superstorm Sandy auction and received the fanfic I've always wanted, where O'Hara is a Slayer and Lassie is her Watcher: Slay'd (PG-13 / Teen and Up Audiences). I love the attention to detail in this story. I adore how Jules getting kicked out of school over a headband is a call back both to Buffy transferring to Sunnydale after being kicked out of school in L.A. *and* to Jules's story about being thrown out of cheerleading camp for slapping around a girl who stole her nail polish. I also like how Carlton is still grumpy but for other reasons than being the "angry cop." I don't know if Missy has ever read The Dresden Files, but the tone of this story reminded me of that series' combination of black humor plus supernatural detective work.

wendymr spent her December writing (at least) a drabble-a-day. All her fanfic is always worth reading, but her [Inspector] Lewis fics from this self-imposed challenge are particularly wonderful. I definitely recommend:
Armchair Critics (G), in which everything is improved with Hathaway Snark;
The Perfect Present (G), which, while failing at the drabble limitation, succeeds at having The Gift of the Magi atmosphere about it (only with fewer haircuts and more sleuthing);
Out of the Mouths... (G), wherein Lewis's little grandson bluntly reveals a truth, in that way that naive way only children can; and
Vampires (G), while admittedly written for my prompt, was taken in such an unexpected way that it left me incoherent with joy.

fandom_stocking was opened yesterday.
yhlee gave me a Cordelia/Wesley ficlet filled with joy and scones.
margalo_streussal recced to me There, There, You Dance As Well As Fred Astaire by callmesandy (PG), and I'm so grateful that she did! I love Anya, and there's not nearly enough fic about her!
dunderklumpen clearly put so much thought and effort into my present, “What I feel inside” - A Tony/Ziva Fanmix.
ladyoneill gave me a sweet untitled Giles/Jenny ficlet. Book + Laptop love!

I am well aware that my Livejournal is almost always a fluffy, fun, fannish place. However, I am about to break that mold and ask my friends to sign the Demand a Plan petition:



Unlike most Internet petitions, which disappear into the ether, this one is sponsored by Mayors Against Illegal Guns. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was on Charlie Rose the other day eloquently expressing what the organization hopes to accomplish: Watch the interview

Much of what he said is exactly the same as what I have been saying for years, except that I've just been yelling at the television in impotent rage: that the "slippery slope" is a fallacy; that no one is looking to take away legally obtained handguns that are used for protection; that no one is trying to take away hunting rifles. There is no purpose to high-powered, military-grade assault weapons besides mass slaughter. In fact, if you need thirty or more rounds a second, you should consider another sport, because you suck at hunting. Hunting requires skill and accuracy. Find a new hobby. Close counts in horseshoes, for example.

I also realize that this one action is not the sole solution to curing the epidemic of mass shootings--but it is *a* step. Hopefully, it will be the first and foremost step in a process, which will also include a cultural shift towards teaching boys to control their emotions, creating emergency exits in classrooms, developing better emergency plans and drills for schools at all levels, and free national public mental health services.

I know that many people on my flist are not U.S. citizens, so I apologize to them for the change in mood. If you are an American, though, please take twenty seconds to sign the petition. Thank you.

Doctor Who / The Dresden Files / Merlin / Psych / Supernatural
Lockout by trolllogicfics (PG) - A series of drabbles set in the author's endlessly entertaining Hockey!AU, in which we discover how various character are coping with--you guessed it--the lockout! *Of course*, Mycroft and Marcone are in charge of everything. I love the final parenthetical in the Sherlock section, like it's almost an afterthought, because the reader knew they were going to do whatever wackiness Sherlock proposed, no matter what John's sensible protestations were. Also featuring THE DRAGON IMPARTING CRYPTIC WISDOM ABOUT THE LOCK-OUT, which was the best of the best. This series never disappoints.

Lord of the Rings
Dark Answers: Darker Questions by Christina (Unrated, maybe PG) - Have you ever wondered what exactly the families of Pippin, Merry, and Sam thought when their sons first went away? So have I, although it's a POV that's rarely explored.
Christina builds her story quite well, with the families gathering clues to the mystery of their children's whereabouts. The author creates a level of tension in the text, where there reader feels the sense of urgency the parents have, despite the fact that we *do* know where the boys have gone. Not all questions are answered, and, even once some are, the sense of dread is never completely lifted. She also pays attention to particular character traits, such as class status and family interactions. Overall, a well-done, atmospheric, and original POV.

In The Darkness by Demelza (Unrated) - In my opinion, no challenge in this fandom ever produced as many brilliant fics as The One Ring Challenge, the basic idea of which was that someone other than Frodo was the Ringbearer (or, as a few people decided, that Frodo's personality were slightly different). In this AU, the Ringbearer is Pippin, and the concept of watching the results of arguably the most innocent character in Lord of the Rings be corrupted by the power of the Ring is truly frightening. Also, in turn, Pippin's way of corrupting others is also terrifying. Not a single word is wasted by the author as she(?) gets inside Pip's head. The saddest part is what Pippin makes Merry do in order to fulfill his (Pip's) own fantasties and poor Merry's reactions. The ending, too, shows how even love can be an instrument of evil. Creepy as hell, and definitely worth a look.

Just A Thought by afrai (PG) - Elrond's thoughts immediately before the Council of Elrond. Perfectly in character and slightly cheeky.

Lord of the Rings RPS
"Dominic's Gift" Series: Dominic's Gift, Wandering Star, and Guttering Gold by mirabile_dictu (R) - Mirabile Dictu is one of the greatest fan fiction authors of all time, in any genre. There is a maturity and sophistication to her work that is unparalleled. She writes with an adult understanding of how difficult life can be--but never falls into melodrama. She possesses a remarkable ear for language. The author's overall tone tends to be melancholy, but she can also include wicked amounts of humor. She also has the utmost respect for the actors, without falling into a fangirl idealization. If anyone said that they thought all RPS was trash, I would point him or her toward Mirabile Dictu's work in order to prove that statement wrong.
As for this series of stories in particular, they remain my favorite work of hers. The first time I read them, I was up until four in the morning, because I could not turn away until I was finished. The only moments I stopped were when I had to clear the tears out of my eyes in order to still see the computer screen. I immediately had to e-mail the author to tell her how amazing she is, and I had to tell everyone I knew who read fan fic to turn to this work.
All Mirabile Dictu's stories (and journal entries) are worth reading. If you have not yet discovered this amazing author, you are truly missing out on one of the best storytellers I've read in years.

In Which Billy Boyd Says Stuff by inbetweens (PG-13) - LOTR fan fic writers can be wickedly funny. I'm reccing this story for the absurdity of the situation, the witty gentle mocking, and the well-done drunk scene (because it's difficult to portray drunkenness well without going over the top). I love how Elijah's embarrassment and annoyance keep increasing. I love how the author knows just how long to make a scene, so that none of the jokes die from being drawn out too long. inbetweens also succeeds in capturing everyone's individual person's voice--and I do mean everyone's--without breaking away from the third-person, Elijah POV. This story succeeds in all aspects you could want in a comedy fic: clever, original, sweet, and funny as could be. Plus, I'm highly amused by Elijah's attempts to *cough* calm himself:

"Okay, it was time to think about cold showers.
"His imagination was not helping. He rephrased: cold showers that did not involve sombreros. . .
"Oh, God. Elijah thought about really cold showers. Peter Jackson taking really cold showers."

Hee!

The Phantom of the Opera/Repo! The Genetic Opera
what you need to change inside by violentdarlings (Explicit) - The Phantom and Christine as a Repo Man and a ninety day delinquent. This fic is so very, very wrong, yet absolutely pefectly right. I adore that it's still Christine's voice that attracks Erik, and that the author found an explanation for why Erik doesn't opt for plastic surgery, wheras a lot of modern/futuristic AUs skim right over that plot issue. Even more satisfying the second time, when you realize that breadcrumbs were dropped along the way, leading to certain reveals.

fandomaid: SUPERSTORM SANDY: AUCTION OFFERS HERE. One of my favorite fan authors, Missy (Burn Notice, Psych, anything with Bruce Campbell) is auctioning off four stories here.

Beth H / bethbethbeth is looking for comic book recommendations.

Air New Zealand's Middle Earth themed emergency safety film AKA the only emergency safety film that won't put you to sleep.

Emily Blunt & Ruth Wilson Courted For Ms. Marvel In ‘The Avengers 2?’ I like Ruth Wilson better than Emily Blunt, but I'd *really* prefer Carol Danvers to be cast as a woman of color. There are no women of color in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there's nothing about Ms. Marvel's backstory that requires her to be white, unlike, say, Natasha having to be Russian or Peggy being from the 1940s. They already colorblind casted Nick Fury and Heimdall. Given that Disney/Marvel seems to want an actress about 29-30 years old, I'd love to see Dichen Lachman or Gugu Mbatha-Raw play Carol, or Marsha Thomason, if they're willing to go a little bit older (mid-30s). If they're going to insist on a white woman, just cast Sarah Michelle Gellar and be done with it.

ALL ELECTIONS EVE:

Joss Whedon's (fake) endorsement of Mitt Romney: "Let’s all embrace the future, stop pretending we care about each other, and start hoarding canned goods."

The Simpson's Mr. Burns endorses Mitt Romney. The only endorsement that would have been of greater value is Ebenezer Scrooge.

Saturday Night Live Ad for Undecided Voters. Saturday Night Live generally isn't my cup of tea, but, SERIOUSLY, HOW CAN PEOPLE STILL BE UNDECIDED AT THIS POINT?

You know those people who go around screaming that Barack Obama is a "Communist"? Have you ever suspected that they have no idea what the term means? You're right.

FIC REC: the bittersweet between my teeth by paperclipbitch (PG-13) - the Vampire!Morgana AU you never knew you always needed.

VIC REC: We Didn't Start the Fire by fiercynn and scribe - an ode to fifty years of fandom.

So What by kaydeefalls / kaydeefalls, a celebration of Marvel's awesome women!

Pink usually isn't my cup of tea, but this vid is so well done that it makes me like the song. I laughed at points, which wasn't something I expected from a vid like this, like when the vidder synced up Darcy after she tasers Thor to look like she's saying the lyrics "So what". My favorite thing, though, is that this vid doesn't just show women being action!girl physically strong (as cool as that is) but also that they can be strong by being competent in other ways.

FIC RECS:

Blackadder
No Man's Land by ArianaDeralte (Teen And Up Audiences) - I think "Goodbyeee" is the best finale ever made and may be one of the best pieces of anti-war art of all time. So, I wouldn't have wanted canon to end any other way.

That, of course, is why there's fanfic.

I adore that, despite all of Blackadder's elaborate plans throughout the series for escaping from the trenches, he actually survives his fate by falling down a hole. This Edmund has the perfect mix of acerbic wit and compassion:

"I wish I were back at Headquarters. We were expecting a new supply of pencils. I was going to sharpen them all..." The man trailed off.

"Oh, do go on, Darling. I'm enjoying this," said Edmund sarcastically, wondering if Darling had died on him. A mine went off nearby; he flinched at the sound, then winced as the movement sent a tremor of pain through his leg.

Darling's scared face shifted into view, and not even the mud on his uniform could hide the fact that his left arm was soaked in blood. "Enjoying this? Really, Blackadder?"

"Oh, yes. I've always wanted to bleed to death in no-man's land listening to a desk-jockey with a pencil fetish prattle on."

Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Community
Studies in Mystical Cousin Olivers 101 (a.k.a Dawn Edison) [also @FF.Net & @LJ] by Palgrave / Palgrave Goldenrod / palgrave_golden (General Audiences / K / PG-13) - There's something Abed finds a little . . . off about Annie's younger sister, Dawn--because Abed sees all. This story makes wonderful use of the fanfic trope of Dawn ending up in a different family, when the monks turned the Key human. Community is so crack-y and meta-happy that this really could be an episode!

Community / Good Omens
Errata by rosepetal9 (Unrated) - While in London to watch Inspector Spacetime film, Abed visits Aziraphale's bookshop. Abed. In Aziraphale's bookshop. Abed! Who has a tendency to state the obvious and observe the barely perceptible. This can end well.

Doctor Who
Everything But the Kitchen Sink by Netgirl_y2k / netgirl_y2k / netgirl_y2k (General Audiences) - I will be terribly disappointed if the back end of the season doesn't go exactly like this.

Doctor Who / Pirates of the Caribbean
Ex Commodore GrumpyFace by pulldownthedawn (T) - Amy Pond meets James Norrington, because . . . oh, why not? I like the parallels between James after losing the Dauntless and the Doctor after blowing up Gallifrey-both suffering PTSD and survivor's guilt, after making a choice that kills their fellows. I also like how Amy is analogous to Elizabeth: not only do they not belong as women in this time period, but they are practically forces of nature. The scene where Amy joins in the pirate pub brawl, instead of cowering from it, is delightfully in character.

Good Omens
Will You Do the Fandango by Rethira (Mature) - In which the Apocalypse Mark Two is averted by a bucket of holy water, a hosepipe, and Crowley answering the door with no trousers on--in addition to their main world-saving tool from last time, which, essentially, was copious application of claptrap:

"Get off of Earth right now, or so help me, I will tell Crowley to fetch the other holy water-”

“But that’s connected to a hosepipe!*” Crowley yelled, which made all the demons back even further away.

Alternatively, in which Aziraphale is Actually Scarier Than The Devil.

Leverage
The Baby Shower Job by Siria (General Audience) - "Parker," Hardison said through gritted teeth, his mouth locked in a forced smile, "you can't con the baby." The rec theme at fancake this month is "Pretend Couple," and I discovered this delightful story of Parker and Hardison going undercover as parents-to-be. Parker's worldview does not quite line up with anybody else's worldview. Also, Alec talking to a baby is charming. This fic really could be a scene from the series!

it ain't classy (unless you have a fake Elvis) [alternate link] by alinaandalion / alinaandalion (T) - Nate and Sophie wake up in a Las Vegas hotel room with hangovers and no memories of the night before. Oh, and a marriage license. I love the kids' reactions, especially Parker's. This story was written before the "The Frame Up Job" but fits well with where the characters' relationships are now.

Pirates of the Caribbean
A Compass of Hope [alternate link] by deathmallow / HyacinthMacaw (T / Teen And Up Audiences) - There are a lot of AUs built around the "what if" of Elizabeth and James going through with their engagement and marriage at the end of Curse of the Black Pearl. This fanfic is a different take on an Elizabeth/James pretend marriage/marriage of convenience trope: After At World's End, Elizabeth finds herself pregnant, with Will at sea for a decade, and no proof of a marriage. While I know that excepting accurate social history in films with a zombie monkey is about as likely as finding a zombie monkey, I thought the resolution in this story more realistic than canon. (This fic also assumes the AU that James was able to leave the Dutchman with Elizabeth.)

For Honour's a Heart's Demise [alternate link] by Meddow / meddow (PG-13 / Teen And Up Audiences) - I thought At World's End wasn't a bad movie, but it could have been a great movie, if it had done a better job of following through the character arcs to their logical conclusions. Separating Will and Elizabeth for ten years made little sense to me, considering the entire progression of the trilogy was towards getting those two together. Elizabeth ended up with exactly what she had been running away from the whole time: marriage, child rearing, responsibility, and a life stuck on land, without freedom or adventure. Simultaneously, Will ends up away from the family he's wanted since his mother died and his father abandoned him. This fic easily and neatly resolves all those issues, plus Bootstap Bill's and James's, while simultaneously not only not diminishing Jack's grand moment of selflessness but actually enhancing it. This satisfying, well-earned conclusion is exactly how canon should have gone and has become my personal head canon.

I Gave My Love a Cherry by rexluscus (PG) - HOW HAD I NEVER READ THIS? I thought I had read all the Elizabeth/James fics out there!

Like a lot of the other commenters on this fanfic, I thought the author's explanation for why James sailed into the hurricane after Jack is intriguing.

Sea-Change [alternate link] by Aris Merquoni / aris_tgd (Teen and Up Audiences) - Transgendered James (Female to Male). The author does an amazing job incorporating canon. She takes what were just accepted character traits in the movie and gives reasons for them. For example, James doesn't believe in magic, because twelve year old Jane had tried to use magic to change her sex--and nothing happened. This story is written with warmth and empathy, never turning Jane/James into a punchline, and puts his relationship with Elizabeth, who also feels trapped by cultural expectation of her, in a whole new light.

*There's no holy water connected to the hosepipe.

FANART REC:
Brothers. With very different and interesting relationships. by lanimalu (SFW) - Three pairs of fannish brothers. The way the speech bubbles in the last one overlapped made me giggle.

FANVID RECS:

Community
Everything Is Wrong by laurashapiro / laurashapiro - Britta is messed up, otherwise she wouldn't be at Greendale, because everyone at Greendale is messed up, otherwise they wouldn't all belong at Greendale. That's the theme of this hopeful vid. (Either that or "It's better to be screwed-up with a bunch of equally screwed-up friends than be screwed up all alone.")

Pirates of the Caribbean
Will I by redeyedfeline - Pirates was never a heavily vidded fandom. It's rare to find vids in this fandom at all, let alone one this good. It's posted at the norribeth community, but it's more of a character study of Elizabeth from James's POV than a straight-up shipper vid. It's a successful study of a complex character.

The Phantom of the Opera
Music of the Morning by fresne (Teen And Up Audiences) - Gorgeous, lyrical piece that stayed with me for a long time after I read it. Christine and Meg defy the expectations of everyone--both friends and strangers, as they find their happy ending together. [Also available as a podfic.]

White Roses of Redemption by Kyrie74 (T) - A thoroughly convincing Erik/Meg--an that's something rare. With eleven chapters, the relationship has time to develop, first as a friendship, which then blossoms into more.

The Phantom of the Opera / Sherlock
The Case of the White Mask by KayMoon24 (T) [WIP] - Creepy and atmospheric. A genuine horror story, but punctuated well with John's droll first person POV commentary. If and when the Phantom appears (he hasn't yet in this WIP), I am curious as to how the author is going to handle his deformity in a modern setting, where plastic surgery and prosthetics are available.

In the Beginning, I was originally going to wait to post this list until December 13, 2012--the day after the world is supposed to end. I thought, "What would be the best way to celebrate not having the apocalypse? I know! Read Good Omens fanfic." Like a true fangirl, my idea of a party is different from most of humanity's. Except, once I put the list together, I thought, why am I waiting? What if Armageddon actually comes, and I've denied people the chance to read these stories?

I was also going to divide these stories into categories, like POST-ALMOSTALYPSE (stories that take place in the immediate aftermath of the book) or RECALL (stories where Aziraphale or Crowley is recalled to Heaven or Hell, respectively, with the other having to play Price Charming). My problem was that too many of the stories didn't fit neatly into any of the groups or fell into too many of them. So, I just ended up arranging the fanfic recs in alphabetical order by title. (Except for CROSSOVERS. This post was growing too big, so I had to do an lj-cut *somewhere*.)

Finally, in the true spirit of canon, I was also planning to do footnotes, but that was just too plain hard. So, without further whining or ado . . .

FIC RECS:

All Things Bright and Beautiful by sticktothestory (PG-13) - There is an entire subcategory of Good Omens fanfic dedicated to the idea of what happens to Aziraphale and Crowley when the apocalypse actually comes--for real this time. (I say subcategory, since about 99% of Good Omens fanfic fits into the broader category of "Various Excuses to Make an Angel and a Demon Boink".)

In this fic, Aziraphale and Crowley are the only beings left on Earth after The End. They discuss what they'll miss, what they won't miss, and what exactly comes after there's no more ever after. The author captures their voices so well, that I knew who was speaking, even before it was identified:

“Nail varnish.”

“Road rage.”

“Crossword puzzles.”

“Chain letters.”

“I knew those were yours.”

“Actually, so are crossword puzzles.”

This story is, in turns, funny and wistful and is my favorite Good Omens fanfic. If you only ever read one story from this list, READ THIS ONE.

Baby Snakes by louiselux (Unrated) - The most charming story you'll ever read about baby snakes--not that there's a lot of competition. Hmm, does it count as mpreg if a sexless being who usually appears as a man is in female form when the conception happened? Anyway, Crowley has a moment of self-awareness here that lasts long enough for him to realize that he wouldn't make the best father mother parent.

Remixed as The Best Days of Our Lives by Daegaer / daegaer (Unrated), which gives the story a, well, *different* ending. I'm not quite sure if it counts as a happier one.

Better Than A Win by Aria (Teen And Up Audiences) - After plus or minus 6,000 years, Aziraphale and Crowley are, essentially, an old married couple. They wouldn't necessarily need the throes of sexual passion to expression affection. Sometimes a decade-long philosophical debate and tea and scones are more romantic.

Borrowing Trouble by kijikun (R) - Crowley shops for a Christmas present for Aziraphale. It goes about as well as you'd expect a demon's Christmas shopping to go.

Boys and Girls by Daegaer / daegaer (Unrated) - For reasons that need not be explained at this junction, Crowley wakes up as a girl. His reaction is so very *him* from denial to flailing to meanness to figuring out fashion to not figuring out what it means if he's craving chocolate and getting inexplicably emotional to finally gaining some empathy for and insight into the experiences of half of the human race:

'You seem to have a female skeletal structure,' he said, 'and, er, female reproductive organs.'

'Trust me, I know,' Crowley said grimly. He'd had another argument with his body on that very topic earlier. 'It keeps wanting to assure me I'm not pregnant.'

'Of course you're not pregnant,' Aziraphale said. 'Oh. Oh, quite. But you can turn that off, surely?'

'It keeps turning itself on again,' Crowley said. He quirked a grin at Aziraphale. 'So to speak.'

"Boys and Girls" was remixed as Boys and Girls (the "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" remix) [alternate link] by Beth H / bethbethbeth / bethbethbeth (Teen And Up Audiences)- The reason for Crowley's genderswap are explained at this juncture.

The Death of Anthony J Crowley (And His Subsequent Rebirth) by acetamide (Teen And Up Audiences) - There are very few things that can kill an angel or a demon. There's only one thing that can kill both. A demon sacrificing his life to save an angel is unprecedented. Heaven doesn't know what the hell to do with him, either.

Eroica by htebazy_fic (PG-13) - Another one of those subcategories I was going to do was "Historical"--i.e., stories focusing on what Aziraphale and Crowley were doing during those 6,000 or so years between Eden and Not!Armageddon. In this well researched fic, set in the early Nineteenth Century, the duo hear Beethoven's work for the first time, leading to art criticism, philosophical debates, angelic stalking, and an ending that's earned.

The Five Stages of Going Native by sticktothestory (PG-13) - Aziraphale is surprised to discover he has a sexuality.

Five Things That Never Happened To Aziraphale by by imperfectcircle (General Audiences) - . . . but could have. Five drabbles. Number Two is my favorite.

Future Imperfect by jane_potter (Teen And Up Audiences) - On the second day of the rest of their lives, everything goes to Hell. More specifically, Aziraphale has to separate from his corporation for REASONS and ends up disembodied on the Internet--which for a fussy, book-loving angel is pretty much equivalent to going to Hell.

The Greatest of These by Vivien (Teen And Up Audiences) - Armegeddon comes--for real this time. Crowley, however, is less than happy with the whole thing and plans to get himself and his angel out of Dodge. Except, Crowley is neither as clever nor as cool as he likes to appear, so things do not go quite according to plan, as he and Aziraphale find themselves back In the Beginning. This story is, in turns, funny and wistful, and scenes from it kept crossing my mind for weeks after I first read it.

Oh, and God is magnificent bastard, possibly playing a long con on the rest of existence.

Going Home by Daegaer / daegaer (Unrated) - Aziraphale is recalled to Heaven. After growing bored with repeatedly "killing off" Aziraphale's self-righteous replacement in increasingly absurd and cartoonish ways, Crowley finally decides to go and rescue Aziraphale himself. Considering that Crowley is neither as clever nor as competent as he likes to appear, it goes about as well as you'd expect. He is, however, an incredibly lucky bastard--lucky that both ineffable and infernal superiors can be equally clueless.

"Going Home" was remixed as Going Under (The Dante Wrote The Book But Forgot To Look Remix) by jibrailis (General Audiences), which flips the retraction and has Crowley as the one recalled to Hell, with Aziraphale as his would-be savior. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who found Dante's descriptions of Hell to be all-around bizarre.

Growing Season by Kathleen Anne (G) - Aziraphale decides to bestow heavenly mercy on Crowley's abandoned house plants. That's the plan, anyway.

Like New by penknife (Unrated) - Crowley has amnesia. At first, Aziraphale thinks Crowley is faking it, just to aggravate him (a perfectly reasonable conclusion). It's not a practical joke, however, and even when Crowley doesn't interpret aspects of his life quite right, he also isn't entirely wrong, either. [Author's DVD Commentary]

Living Arrangements by afrai (Unrated) - Heaven is Not Happy that the world didn't end and enacts a punishment as calculating and cold as you'd expect from the God of the Hebrew scriptures. [Be sure to read the author's commentary when you're done.]

Loving the Sinner by Quantum_Witch (Teen And Up Audiences) - Crowley is not very good at being a demon. He is, however, very good at lying to himself--a very human trait.

Manchester Lost by Moczo / steadfast (T) - Every time I thought this story couldn't possibly be more awesome, it was!

Method In It by htebazy_fic (PG) - Another historical tale, in which Aziraphale and Crowley attend the original productions of Shakespeare. Crowley wonders many of the same things that students have wondered in high school English classes for centuries (Aziraphale is not amused):

"Wait," said Crowley. Something was dawning on him. "Wait, Hamlet was abducted by friendly pirates?"

Aziraphale regarded Hamlet regarding Yorick's skull rather fixedly.

"I'm right, aren't I? Huh. Ran out of ideas on that one, eh?" The angel didn't seem inclined to argue; Crowley was going to continue until he did: "Can't you just see him—'How can I get Prince Hamlet back to Denmark? Ah! pirates ought to do quite well, forsooth—'"</i>

Moment of Peace by by icarus_chained (Teen And Up Audiences) - Aziraphale and Crowley during the Blitz. The author did her research, and the most chilling part of this story is fact-based and something I did not know about until I read this fanfic. (See, reading fan fiction is educational!) This fic shares one of the themes of the book: that humans aren't all good or all evil but a mix of the two. "Catharic" is the best word to describe this story.

Of Promises and Warmth by SavioBriion (Teen And Up Audiences) - Crowley and Aziraphale drunkenly discuss what they're going to do when if Armageddon comes--for real this time. Much like the book, this story starts off hilarious but becomes dark when the End of the World actually comes.

100 Things Crowley Would Do Before the World Ended by shewhoguards (Tenn And Up Audiences) - Other people plan 100 things to do before they die. Crowley planned 100 things before EVERYBODY died.

I will warn that this fanfic begins a bit slowly, as the "things" on Crowley's list start out mundane, but stick with it. The fanfic picks up as it goes along, with each episode becoming more and more *Crowley*. The tone of the story also shifts from humorous to increasingly dramatic--just like the canon. The highlight of this fic, though, is Aziraphale's bitchy commentary on many of Crowley's "to do"s.

Over the Face of all the Earth by Daegaer / daegaer (General Audiences) - The Tower of Babel seemed like a good idea at the time . . .

The Perks Of Being An Occasional Art-Connoisseur by Hekateras (General Audiences) - I've encountered a few stories about Crowley and Aziraphale inspiring various works of art over the millennia. This fic is one of my favorites.

The Risks of a Known Future by aviss (PG-13) - Anathema! I mean, I adore the eternal (literally) love of Aziraphale and Crowley as much as the next fangirl (which should be obvious, given the rest of this list), but why is there not more fanfic about Anathema? She's psychic yet practical, hippy yet realistic, and completely relatable! She has come into her full prophetic powers, just like her ancestor. The problem is: When do prophecies become self-fulfilling?

Signs and Archangels' Trumps by Cinaed and No Other End of the World (The Angelic Footnotes Remix) by VelvetMouse (both General Audiences) - Try, try again is good in principle. Less good when Hell puts it into practice. Specifically, when Hell tries for a new Antichrist, after the first one failed to work like the manual said. Destination: The City of Angels.

Survivors' Guilt by irisbleufic (R) - A series of vignettes about how significant historical events affect Aziraphale and Crowley over the years. The moments in time are well chosen, and the fic never becomes maudlin or melodramatic, which could have easily happened with this concept. The prose is smooth and lyrical, as the reader feels like she's drifting through time with the characters.

Switching Teams by rinnington (NC-17) - Azriaphale and Crowley accidentally switch bodies! It's hilarious and awesome:

“This is clearly your fault,” was the second thing Crowley said to Aziraphale, once he’d managed to locate the angel. The first thing he said was said in a language that defies the ability of any human language to attempt to articulate in sound or through alphabet, but roughly translated, meant, “What the fuck?” The second part was in English.

The Temptation of Aziraphale, or How to Lose a Flaming Sword Without Really Trying by kungfunurse (Explicit) - Crowley gets kidnapped and dragged back to Hell. It's up to Aziraphale to rescue him. A more dramatic take on the recall & rescue trope. Warning for Graphic Depictions of Violence (it *is* Hell, after all).

This Good News by kijikun / kijikun (Mature) - Many couples have been surprised to discover that they are about to become parents. Many civil servants have pushed through paperwork (filled out in triplicate, signed by your immediate superiors) without bothering to check out what exactly was being requested or whether it even is the correct form. Generally, these two events are unrelated, however . . .

Yes, I know Aziraphale/Crowley baby!fic should be considered the Eighth Deadly Sin, but this fic is so witty and charming that it actually works:

"I'm not signing," [Crowley] told the scowling girl firmly, pushing the papers back towards her.

The girl smiled with very sharp looking teeth. "You can sign and take the fledgling now or I can arrange for it to be delivered in nine months. Take your pick, demon."

"That isn't much of a --" Then it occurred to him just what she meant and he'd learned never to underestimate female shaped creatures when it came to things taking nine months. Especially small ones that appeared harmless.

The fact that the half-angel-half-demon spawn is female somehow makes it even more hilarious to me (probably because the boys are even more clueless about rearing a girl than a demiangel/demidemon). Their debate over the child's name alone makes this story worth reading.

Twelve Random Facts About the Angel Aziraphale & Twelve Random Facts About the Demon Crowley by sticktothestory (Unrated) - What it says on the tin. I did like Crowley's a tad bit more:

2. The first thing to cross his mind upon meeting the angel Aziraphale is a cocktail of terror and awe at the way apparently any idiot with wings can get their hands on a fiery sword these days. The second is that Aziraphale could probably teach the sword a lesson or two in flaming.

Untitled by louiselux (Unrated) - Funny, adorable story about Aziraphale babysitting for a neighboring shopkeeper (with Crowley's "help"):

'What in God's, excuse my French, name have you got there?'

'It's a baby, Crowley,' Aziraphale beamed, hefting the squirming bundle up for Crowley to see.

Crowley leaned back. 'Don't shove that thing in my face. It might go off.'

Viva Las Vegas! by lovelyzelda (R) - Many people (more than are likely to admit) have woken up in a messy Las Vegas hotel room with a terrible hangover and a surprise marriage certificate. Most of those people are not an Angel of Our Lord and the Serpent of Eden.

This fanfic may be the funniest story in a fandom filled with fantastic humor and was remixed as Viva Las Vegas! (the Hangover remix) by airspaniel (Tenn And Up Audiences), which provides more details of the wedding itself, in all its (Un)Holy(?) Union.

Additionally, while, to the best of my knowledge, The Fine Art of Marriage by palavreado (General Audiences) is not a remix of either of the above works, it might as well be, as Crowley and Aziraphale celebrate their twenty-sixth wedding anniversary, "exclusively out of spite and a misguided attempt at irony". That's not how it's supposed to work--but maybe how it actually does work.

What Really Happened, OR How Aziraphale Learned to Stop Worrying and Start Loving the Fandom [alternate link] and What Really Happened 2.0, or How Aziraphale Learned to Stop Worrying and Start Loving the Porn [alternate link] by violet_quill / violet_quill (Teen And Up Audienes) - Really, it shouldn't surprise anyone that Crowley is an Internet troll. In fact, he *invented* Fandom Wank. Aziraphale thinks this is reprehensible behavior. Besides, he's a Harry Potter fan. The layers of meta in these fics are marvelous.

Ye Olde Teashoppe by nimmenstjer (G) - Anathema and Crowley bump into each other at a coffeeshop. This story is also illustrated, and Crowley's t-shirt in the picture made me giggle.

( CROSSOVERS w/The Dresden Files, Firefly, The Phantom of the Opera, Sherlock, and SupernaturalCollapse )

( FANART RECSCollapse )

META REC:
Aziraphale/Crowley ship_manifesto

EXTRA REC:
By the way, if you've never read them, make sure to check out Crowley and Aziraphale's New Year's resolutions on HarperCollins web site, by Gaiman and Pratchett, themselves. Even if this article just consisted of Crowley's Resolution # 3, I'd be in love. Eternally. Literally.

Sherlock (Fine. So. I gave in. Oh, Fandom. Why must you be so awesome? And distracting.)
The Sun is But a Morning Star by krabapple (Mature) - Post-Reichenbach, John and Irene work together to save Sherlock from himself. I like how Irene determines that Sherlock is still alive and that John believes her, without actually trusting her. I also like that Irene's desire to aid Sherlock falls somewhere between "he's a friend" and "I owe him" and not based on any romantic feelings. What I love most of all, though, is that Irene employs the best method of disarming a foe I have ever read.

Do It So It Feels Like Hell by paperclipbitch (PG) - I adore this author's Molly. She's shy without being weak. It's also pre-Molly/Irene, if you squint. I'm so happy to find femslash in a fandom that can be paranoid and obsessive about its boyslash.

(There was also rather spectacular Post-Reichenbach fanfic about Sherlock trying to convince Irene to sleep with Harry in order to find out how John was doing, and Sherlock handles his request with his usual amount of tact. Unfortunately, it seems to have disappeared from the Internet.)

Sherlock / A Study In Emerald
The Queen's Guard by lavvyan (Teen And Up Audiences) - It crossed my mind that someone out there had to have mixed BBC Sherlock with "A Study In Emerald," and, yes, of course there were tons of stories. This story, though, was so pitch perfect, I thought I would never need to read any other fusions of the two universes. I mean, who doesn't need a story where Sherlock is a quarter alien, Irene is a dirigible pilot, and John is still John, the doctor and soldier? Much like "A Study In Emerald," I suspected a twist was coming, but I totally failed to guess what the twist was.

Sherlock / Sherlock Holmes / A Study In Emerald
Polaris by sevenses (Mature) - So, I thought the above story was all I'd ever need, until I came across this one. This story was written after the first season of Sherlock and, therefore, does not reflect Season Two characterization. It's more accurate to describe it as BBC Sherlock and John meet ACD Irene in the world of "A Study in Emerald."

The fic itself is haunting, with beautiful, lyrical prose, capturing the style of Gaiman's Doyle pastiche. I also adore the metaphor of mastering music as the means of making magic.

A Study In Emerald
The Terror from Bohemia: Being the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D., in the Year of the Old Ones 745</b> by Satchelfoot (Teen And Up Audiences) - A retelling of "A Scandal In Bohemia" set in the "A Study In Emerald" universe. The ending is exactly right.

I am currently addicted to Firefly/Sherlock crossovers. Yes, I know I've previously written that I didn't really see the point of Sherlock fanfic, since the entire series is essentially one big modern day AU. However, that conviction apparently doesn't apply to crossovers. (The joy of making up your own rules as you go along is that you can keep carving out exceptions on a whim.)

Apparently, my life was heretofore incomplete without the good crack ship River Tam/Sherlock Holmes in it. They don't necessarily have to be a romantic or sexual pairing (especially if you consider Sherlock to be asexual), but a brilliant but crazy couple who, in turns, fight and commit crime. IN SPACE. There's also some lovely parallels between River&Simon and Sherlock&John--eccentric genius-heroes & the loyal doctors who saved them, while they gave purpose to their rescuers.

Every Star in the Sky Knows Your Name by Jaune_Chat / jaune_chat (Teen And Up Audiences) was the first story I read and is still the longest. It's my personal canon for the crossover pair, and I tend to think of all other stories as fanfic. I realize that this makes *no sense*, but, then again, I'm trying to make sense of a blending of a fandom that is essentially a pair of genre archetypes merged together with a fandom that is a modern day AU fanfic in the first place. DON'T JUDGE ME. IT MAKES ME HAPPY. [/justifying teh crazy]

Back to Every Star in the Sky Knows Your Name, the basic conceit is that Sherlock had also been at The Academy. I adore how the author's John and Sherlock are still fundamentally *themselves*: Sherlock observing bees; John's feelings of guilt over being shot, because it meant he couldn't save other lives during the rest of the battle; John persevering in gaining the practical skill of lassoing cows. I also like the fic's explanation of Sherlock's almost total lack of social skills being the result of his brain having been cut up at The Academy, rather than just an innate character trait.

The sections where John recounts his and Sherlock's background to the Serenity crew could have been tedious, but I think they work since part of John's role has always been storyteller: ACD canon is his memoirs of Sherlock; BBC canon has him blogging Sherlock's adventures. John-as-bard works out in the black.

The best part of this story, though, is River and Sherlock's burgeoning friendship: their conversations would seem absurd to an observer but have their own intense internal logic:

“I knew who ate the bean bun, but the words often come out in a spiral fashion at inopportune times.”

“Focus on the minutiae and speak out loud. It strengthens linear speech pathways,” Sherlock said, his pale gazing fixing on her.

“The datastream can be overwhelming,” River confessed.

“Reduce input. Limit your interactions to a specific timeframe.”

“I prefer motion to gain focus.”

THAT SCENE WHERE RIVER DANCES WHILE SHERLOCK PLAYS THE VIOLIN! It's one of my favorite moments in any fanfic, ever, and was beautifully illustrated by slowsunrise. (The story was written for crossbigbang.)

The second best part is Jayne being Jayne:

“John, what is our exact location? Exact location.” Sherlock’s voice broke the sudden silence of John’s cabin, sending his heart rate skyrocketing. Even with having countered the sedatives, John hadn’t expected to hear that.
--
“First thing he says after being unconscious for a week?” Zoe asked. John nodded.

“I woulda asked for beer,” Jayne proclaimed.

I decided I could live in this universe for a long time.

Which lead me to discover . . .

These Tornadoes Are for You by BrighteyedJill / brighteyed_jill (PG-13 / Teen And Up Audiences) - River begins by beating up Sherlock (Reynolds took another step towards River. “Now you let that nice man up.” / “He’s not a nice man. He delivers observations without considering the consequences. Sometimes he’s deliberately hurtful.”), which is amazing and needs to happen to Sherlock more often. I like how they segue from that to playing hide and go seek as friends, testing each other's skills. I also adore John and Zoe as old army buddies/lovers.

There is also a podfic of this story, read by kholly, but I haven't listened to it, so I can't speak about its quality.

Time for Some Thrilling Heroics by HippieAshley and clarinetta (unrated) - An ongoing and randomly updated group of ficlets set in the same AU, in which Sherlock was sent to The Academy with River, and John, along with his friend Simon from med school, get them both out. These interwoven ficlets begin a bit slow but improve greatly as they progress.

Two Fish in a Barrel by antistar_e / antistar_e (Teen And Up Audiences) - "Next time we pick up passengers, can we not go for the creepy, crazy, genius psychic ones that've broken out of government compounds?" Wash wants to know.

I'm amazed at all the variations that authors have found on the John-and-Sherlock-on-Serenity theme. antistar_e is the only author who has managed to incorporate Moriarty. The Professor taught at The Academy.


( Three more fanfic recs under the cutCollapse )


If anyone has any additional recommendations, I'd be grateful to have them!

---

As I was searching through old Jossverse recs to see if I had missed any other Firefly/Sherlock stories, I encountered an amazing, related-to-the-topic-if-you-squint Dollhouse fic, Whatever Remains, However Improbable by yonwords (General Audiences), in which Sierra and Victor are imprinted as Holmes and Watson. The imprinting goes perfectly according to plan--which is when everything else goes awry.

I just realized that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and Les Miserables are both opening on December 14th. Decisions, decisions . . .

This confirms that it is a good thing that I save my days off for the end of the year, rather than take summer vacation.

ETA: Les Miserables has moved its release date, so that's one problem solved!

Black Widow Spins a Web Around THE AVENGERS and The Superhero Men Don't See, two separate, disheartening articles comparing references to Black Widow in professional reviews of The Avengers: male critics don't mention her at all or only comment on her hotness, despite the fact that she was the character with the third longest screentime and the most unbroken dialogue scenes of any of the six main heroes; female reviewers dedicate paragraphs to her.

Essays by female critics also have pointed out the film's gender and genre subversion, such as why Hawkeye is the damsel in distress and fridging:

But this was a film in which every single character who was killed-to-provide-motivation or put-in-danger-to-be-saved was a white, straight male. This, among many other things, proves to me that Whedon is keenly aware of both the strengths and weaknesses of the superhero genre, and he managed to play to the former while avoiding, and even subverting, the latter.

Finally, a fic rec, Any Way I Do by MissJeeves (Teen And Up Audiences): Tony Stark cordially invites you to the wedding of Clint Barton and Natasha Romanov.

ETA: The Importance of Pepper Potts' Pants. Before I read this entry, I somehow totally missed that Alexandra Byrne had designed the costumes for The Avengers. I adore her work. She doesn't just design pretty costumes: she has the amazing ability to tell you everything you need to know about a character from the costume. You know exactly who the person is--and how he or she changes and develops over the course of the story, just by *looking* at him or her. When praising strong female characters, I should more often remember to praise the strong real world women who bring them to life.

E(A)TA: Another fanfic rec: Boys Wanna Be Her by paperclipbitch (NC-17), a fun Clint/Natasha bodyswap. I admire the author's ability to keep track of pronouns!

E(Yet Again)TA: Film Studies, or, Four Films About Captain America and One By Him [alternate link] by copperbadge / sam_storyteller (PG-13 / Teen And Up Audiences) - What a wonderful concept for a fic! Parts of this story kept crossing my mind long after I read it, especially the final "home movie" section, which really captures the found family theme of the film and of Joss's works in general. This story finally made me care about Cap, which is something that two movies and over seventy years worth of comic books never did.

*Oh, like you wouldn't have bought nail polishes called Black Widow or Pepper's Potts -- maybe even a Hulk Smash! Possibly for the next film. Preferably also with a color called Scarlet Witch, played by either Gina Torres or Indira Varma.

WARNING: There are SPOILERS for The Avengers in all these links.

The Avengers' Rebel Spirit by The One True b!X is a thought-provoking and articulate meta about he importance of sentiment and empathy in the movie:

In the end, then, Fury’s “response team” doesn’t win because they are soldiers, despite what he tells the Council. They win because of empathy. They win because of Coulson’s old-fashioned sentiment that we can be heroes.

They win, in fact, because they make the exact same decision as Malcolm Reynolds and his crew: to take action on behalf of others because they deserve it. Because we all do.
. . .
The animating ethos of the film is the sentiment of empathy, and perhaps Joss Whedon himself might argue that, in this day and age, the sentiment is very much a rebel spirit.

It's written in response to The New York Times review, which reminds me of why I have such dislike for A.O. Scott and all pretentious, pompous people who have disdain for the very pop culture that gives them an importance in the world. Samuel L. Jackson's tweet in reply, though, almost makes it worthwhile, thereby confirming that he is the coolest person on Earth. (I was about to write "on God's green Earth," but Samuel L. Jackson may, in fact, be God, so it seemed unnecessary.)

"The Avengers' Rebel Spirit" also reminded me of this blog post about the relationship between Bruce and Tony. Those two articles combined made me realize that, on the surface, Tony seems the least kind to Bruce, but he's actually the most sympathetic. Everyone else treats Bruce with kid gloves, like he's this out-of-control, big, scary monster. Tony treats him like he's just an ordinary guy, even joking with him. Tony trusts Bruce's control and doesn't treat him like a freak, because he sees his own mistakes in Bruce. It's that recurring theme of seeing yourself in another--of empathy.

Also, about THAT BIGGEST SPOILER, I've read some interesting reactions to why it won't stick here, here, and here. At first I was like, "Nobody but Uncle Ben!" Now, I'm not sure if it won't undercut the significance. My prediction: We'll know one way or the other in the tag to Iron Man 3.

ETA: It just dawned on me that emotions in general and empathy in particular are commonly considered female traits--and derisively so: to show feelings is "girly" or makes you a "little bitch." However, it's this "feminine" trait of sentiment that truly wins the day, not the things that are popularly admired as "masculine" or "mannish": violence, war, the soldiers that the Council wants. (I take what Fury says about not believing in sentiment but winning with soldiers with a grain of salt. I figure Fury lies for the greater good 66.7 % of the time. His secrets have secrets, after all.)

Maybe it's not showing barefoot women physically beating up bad guys that's Whedon's greatest feminist message: it's what his characters accomplish through empathy; his admiration of an often dismissed female trait.

Well, maybe, it is both working in tandem. After all, the two things that matter the most to Joss are emotional resonance and rocket launchers.

rarewomen, the fic exchange for rare women in fandoms both large and small, is live (Masterlist). Well, technically, it went live a few days ago, but I just finished reading all the fics in fandoms I knew and have two recs:

Subject to Change by Pervyficgirl (Mature), a post-The Avengers story, where the changes in Natasha's schedule parallel how being part of a team has changed her; and

Crazy Cat Lady by Illyrias_Acolyte (General Audiences), a post-"Reichenbach" tale, in which Molly Hooper stays true to herself.

I know I've written before that I didn't really see the point of Sherlock fanfic, since the entire series is essentially one big modern day AU. However, I feel that quibble doesn't really apply to Molly fanfic, since she's a wholly original character to that permutation (right?). The character study of Molly in "Crazy Cat Lady" reminds me of the otherwise wholly unrelated Sherlock/Molly fanfic The Undiscovered Molly by tristesses / tristesses (NC-17), in which Sherlock decides to have sex (with Molly) as a scientific experiment, in order to deduce why the act is so important to the rest of humanity, and ends up having a much more trouble remaining a detached, objective observer than he anticipated.

So, yesterday, I completely forgot about Remix Madness 2012. Thanks to Netgirl_y2k / netgirl_y2k / netgirl_y2k for reminding me with her own remix recs list, which everyone should also check out, especially for Fandoms About Which I Know Nothing, like A Song of Ice And Fire. Anyway, I have a few more remix recs, which are also still anonymous; authors have now been revealed:

Community
First, I want to recommend the original story, My Marxist Feminist Dialectic and You by littledust (General Audiences), a delightful Annie/Britta femslash, from Britta's POV:

Britta manages, wondering if this is going to be one of those times when she has to demolish some tequila with a lady friend and then not talk about what happens after. Except Annie is, like, twelve, but she actually has grown up quite a lot, and she's definitely working the "sugar, spice, and everything nice" pouty lips/fluttering eyelashes combo. That bitch.

It inspired My Marxist Feminist Dialectic and You (The Passionate Politics Remix) by heyjupiter (General Audiences), which switches perspective to Annie:

She'd never thought of herself as a "feminist" before, though--feminists were the scary girls who wore big boots and didn't wear makeup. Girls like Britta. But Britta wasn't scary... well, not anymore. Annie puts down her highlighter and copy of Feminism is for Everybody and opens up her laptop. It was still open to Britta's Facebook profile. Annie loves looking at Britta's Peace Corps pictures.

Annie wants to be tough and independent like Britta, but she also wants to be happy. She knows that Britta isn't happy now, at Greendale. But in Africa, Britta looks happy. Sweaty and disheveled, but happy.

Merlin
Neither Fire Nor Ice (When The World Ends Remix) by significantowl (General Audiences) is a remix of the apocalypse fic (Possibly Not) The End of the World by Glinda (Teen And Up Audiences) about what Merlin, Gwen, and Morgana were doing for centuries while waiting for Arthur to awake.

Entries for Remix Redux X are up on Archive of Our Own. [The authors are still anonymous.] My favorite stories this year are:

Firefly
Your Mechanic's Hand (The Permission Remix) by lls_mutant (General Audiences) - Simon wants to ask Kaylee to marry him and needs some advice on how to go about it. The only people he has to ask, however, are the remaining Serenity crew. It goes about as well as you'd expect.

I love that Simon simultaneously manages to get the best and worst advice possible from the crew. Also, I love how the author's Kaylee has a sense of dignity that has nothing to do with politeness.

Marvel
The Captain and the Man of Iron, a Saga by Thor Odinsson, beta by Loki Laufeyjarson (Steve Rogers Must Die: the In Tony Stark’s Arms Mix) by arysteia (Teen And Up Audiences) - Everything you need to know is in that title. Finding out, though, that SOPA and PIPA were a nefarious scheme by Loki explains everything.

Pirates of the Caribbean
A Broken Silence, Mended (The Tide Calls Remix) by ViaLethe (General Audiences) - James haunts Elizabeth. A beautiful, melancholy friendship fic.

White Collar
Contingencies (The Know Thyself Remix) by Teaotter (General Audiences) - A remix of karaokegal's / karaokegal's Jive [previously recced], which was written from my prompt. So, it's like this fic is a remix gift for me (without me having to do any actual work, that is)!

Next time: Neal vs. Batman!

My final rec in this set isn't actually a remix, but I found it by clicking around AO3 from Remix Redux X, so I'm counting it in this set:

Doctor Who / Eureka
Wibbly-Wobbly Timey-Wimey Invisibling Thing, or Four Times Jack Carter Met The Doctor And One Time He Didn’t by galaxysoup / galaxysoup (General Audiences) - “That’s very funny! But you can’t drink and time-travel, Jack. You wind up with disco.”