Needed Explanations

[fangirljen]

With the release of spoiler pics for "200", I once again find myself asking a question I was asking months ago: Sam and Jack, how exactly does it work as a relationship?  It's a popular pairing in SG-1 fandom, but it's beyond me as to why it is so loved.  I see sexual tension, but it's hardly been confronted, and has never been resolved.  So for those of you who ship this pairing, why does it work for you?  Also, how deeply are they involved in their relationship?  What I'm looking for, really, is a well-researched argument that could convince me to like this pairing.  It feels forced to me and Jack seems cold to it.  If you can point me in the direction of any articles on the ship, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Comments

[stephicozar.livejournal.com]

I got spoiled for a few things about '200' so I wasn't too scared to read :) I am, frankly, terrified of what this epi might bring, but... :S

I'm with you.

I don't get the Sam and Jack relationship and not because I'm a J/D slasher. Not at all. For all the reasons you say. Jack is cold to it. Jack was much warmer to Janet than he ever was with Sam. Jack, to me, epitomises 'bachelor' and has from day one. As much as I love to read J/D, etc, Jack just comes across to me as one of those guys who works best on his own. He's just not a relationship-y guy. And he's been hurt before, and while I'm not sure whether he's scared of being hurt again or being reminded of Charlie (not very Jack :) ), I don't think he wants a long-time 'thing'. And he certainly doesn't want any more children.

And as for Sam, well, she's been so... I don't wanna say childish... but anyway, she has not been the mature woman of the first 3 seasons, and I don't she would be able to hold down a relationship either, and not just because of her track record, but because she's married to her work. Like Daniel. What they do is too important to them. And to pair Sam off with someone just because she's a woman in her prime who's proverbial biological clock is ticking, is degrading. IMO.

When the shippy music starts? I cringe. There is just absolutely NO sparkage between these two people. When they are with other people? Sparkage. Jack and Janet, Sam and Janet, Jack and Daniel, Sam and Marty, Daniel and Vala, Teal'c and Shau'nauc, hell, Teal'c and Sam. There's chemistry - just something that makes you smile and not cringe. Maybe because Sam/Jack was always forced upon us as viewers, maybe it really is because I'm a slasher at heart, but these two people are not supposed to be together. As much as I love both of them :)

They're too stubborn, too strong and too much individuals who love what they do.

Anyway, that's just my five cents :) I don't understand it, and I'd really rather not have to deal with it at all. I'm very scared re: '200'.

[punslinger.livejournal.com]

I've never really been a fan of the pairing, and neither of the actors involved seem to have been able to muster any kind of chemistry for a few years now. I don't see either of them having or needing a romantic entanglement at all (with anyone), but neither does the prospect of "forcing" one upon them send me into paroxysms of rage.

As for other viable pairings, Daniel/Vala seems the most blatant, and is hells of cute. I don't see Teal'c and Sam's relationship as romantic or sexual in any way, but I do concur that they seem to share a deeper bond than Sam and Jack ever did. On the topic of other relationships that don't strike me as romantic or sexual in any way- most of the proposed SG-1 pairings would feel forced and dry to me. Atlantis is far more rife for potential romantic subplots, hetero or otherwise.

If you absolutely must write slash fiction, I would suggest McKay/Beckett over Daniel/more-or-less-anybody in a heartbeat. Hell, McKay's friendship and subsequent trust issues with Sheppard are far easier to view as a metaphor for a more intimate relationship than damn near anything else they've done, though both characters' vigorously heterosexual libidos (Sheppard and... mostly ascended women, and Rodney's obsession with Sam... though that one could be something he's blown out of proportion to closet himself more deeply) would limit it to metaphor.

[commodoremarie.livejournal.com]

As you have likely figured out by now, this is my SG-1 OTP (okay, well, really just one of them at this point, but it was my first). It is a bit presumptive, darling, to ask for a "well-researched argument" from your poor humble flisties, but if you're really eager for an explanation, just head over and spend a few minutes on one of the numerous communities dedicated to the subject, or even present your query there - that's likely the only way you'll really get what you want (or a semblance of it - some of them are crazy). If I can remember the locations of the ones that I've read, I'll most certainly point you to them, though - I know I've stumbled across a few. Actually, you know, I'll perhaps post on some of the coms I'm on and see if I can dig anything up that way. Give me two weeks and a reminder and I'll work my own up, too – but I must get this damned test out of the way, first!

I will have to add, though, as far as "how would it work in a relationship?" - honey, half (if not more!) of the ships out there aren't necessarily realistic! Just look at Harry Potter fandom (Harry/Draco anyone?), or if you want to keep it realistically in the SG-verse, any homosexual pairing (mind you, I'm not saying this is right, but if we're talking canon, well, we're still not at a point yet in television or culture that we're going to have main-character gay military personnel on a show like SG – we couldn't even get one on Star Trek!). That shant keep me from reading those things, however! Personally I believe Sam and Jack could (and I say that in the sense of "might, might not") work in canon, as supported by a number of episodes ("Moebius" and "Threads," anyone? I actually thought it was canon after that, and was mightily saddened to find out shortly thereafter that it was, in fact, not). I don't disagree with you regarding Jack's seeming disinterest, though I think that Jack as a character tends to be much more reserved and hard to read than Sam, a very open character, and that the show laid foundations for his side of a mutual attraction during the whole Za-tarc thing. But that's a 'whole nother can of worms, and I already told myself I wasn't going to write my whole damned explaination now. Heh.

This said, I'm not sure I'm all that much looking forward to what looks to be an odd Sam/Jack wedding in the 200th - at this point, especially post-S8, I don't think that there's much of a "future" for them, at least in canon, or at very least on-camera. I think with Jack out of the picture on the team that Sam, in a sense, has moved on (he's a bit old for her, even I have to admit, and I totally perve on that sort of thing), and I'm not really sure Jack will ever be ready emotionally for a new real relationship. Meh, I think I'll have to see it to decide, and my traitorous shippy heart may overwhelm the more rational part of my brain in the end.

Personally I'm a fan of "ship and let ship," and there are plenty of very beloved ships that I, personally, just don't understand (Jack/Daniel being chief among them, I must admit) but I mainly just move around them (though, for the sake of adventure, I've tried a few, just to, you know, make sure). From my experience this seems to be the case for you also, which I much appreciate! I'm just throwing in a pinch of my opinions on this since I seem to recall this being the second time you've publicly mused.

But all that, my darling, is canon - and who needs to worry about canon when we have such nice beautiful fantasies in which to play - fanfiction!

[jedishadowolf.livejournal.com]

Yeah, spoilers...I knew ya said it - heck I even think I saw the picture but it just didn't click. Wedding?! Sam/Jack wedding? Bawhuh??? That's like out of left field isn't it? But then I thought the original admition of feelings was also out of left field, so what do I know? :)

I realize that the S/J ship is quite popular and if folks wanna ship 'em, go right ahead. Like you I find they have a better chance to do so now than they did when they were both at the SGC - but I still don't think it would happen. Sam's just a little busy right now don'tcha think? In my shippy sort of mind when Sam leaves the SGC she's heading straight to Pete's where they're working on rebuilding thier relationship - but I will never see it on screen nor do I expect or want to. I don't want the ship (any ship) to overwhelm the storyline of the show.

What I don't understand is how this ship is canon now. Ok, season 4 O'Neill admitting caring more than he should. In that scene Sam looked a little pained like she didn't want to hear that from a man she respected so much. At least that's how it looked to me. We never saw Sam's admission. We also saw Jack kiss Sam during the time loops. After that I honestly can't remember much until season 8's Grace when Sam came to terms with her own crush and decided to move on from it. In Threads she got cold feet, yes, but it does not implicitly state that she broke things off with Pete for Jack - especially since Jack was involved with someone during that ep. Mobeius had the AU Jack and Sam hook up but not the original universe duo. So past a mutual crush that was acknowledged and then put aside/moved passed I have never seen where the ship has become canon, unless simply by the crush being acknowledged it is now canon. In that respect I can agree, I just don't see how it continued past then "I like you", "Hey I think I like you too", "That's nice, now back to work" bit that we got in the show.

But then in fandom I don't reckon you need more than that. If I was going strictly by canon then I wouldn't still be shipping Sam and Pete in my head or Daniel and everyone in creation (the man just has chemistry with so many people!)

Oh - and Remus/Sirius? OTP. :)

[surreallis.livejournal.com]

Isn't it fascinating how people all watch the exact same show and come away with completely different interpretations? Where others see a cold Jack, I see a Jack trying to be very careful about how much affection he reveals because it's the one thing he's really afraid of. Where others see disinterest, I see a pained Jack who wishes things could be different.

I ship Sam/Daniel and Sam/Jack equally, but if you're interested in my reasons for S/J, here's a recent thread in my LJ about that very thing. Just so I don't have to keep re-typing it.

[(Anonymous)]

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