And then they all said "blah blah blah" and that was enough.

Story forms and Atlantis, or why I love the show. (Even when I hate it.)

 

The SO and I were playing a game while driving, as you do, and what we said was this: what are the story forms you most love? Quick like a bunny, off the top of your head. Invent forms as needed.

And my ultimate favorites were these.

1)      Magic Door. The main character(s), originally in the mundane world in which I live, or maybe even worse (Dustbowl Kansas!), find(s) a portal into a Magical Realm Filled with Possibility. Harry Potter (first book), the Narnia series(wardrobe!), The Door in the Wall, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and so many, many more of my favorites.

2)      Beautiful Friendship.  Do I need to explain this? Two people (and it’s better if they are Unlikely Friends, like the hired killer and the nun or whatnot) are thrown together by Life, and through acting generally extremely cool to and right by each other, become happier and sometimes fix just about everything. The Lord of the Rings contains a number of examples, but Frodo and Sam express it well. Also, I just watched a movie called Elling, which had the cutest beautiful friendship between this little uptight man and his big, not-so-bright but loving and capable buddy Kjell Bjarne. Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Starsky and Hutch. Jane and Lizzy. Too many to list, and I love them so much it hurts.

3)      Redemption. A character or group is personally or socially or sometimes religiously transformed, into a better place/state/way of being or living, through a change of heart/mind or the courage/love/kindness of another.  Could be a shut-in learning to live a more adventurous life, or a fry cook becoming a doctor, or a vampire giving up murder and saving a Slayer and her pet humans on the odd occasion. A slave becomes free, a hardened criminal protects the innocent, Pat Robertson admits to being a complete bastard and hands the proceeds from his church over to a newly formed chapter of the Gay/Straight Alliance. Usually these include an act of mercy and more than one act of moral courage. The Bible is chock full of these. The Color Purple is another good example.

 

There are some others that come pretty close.

4) The Talisman. A close cousin to the Magic Door, the Talisman creates magic within the previously mundane world by its own virtues, and is often almost a character in its own right. The Ring is a talisman in The Hobbit. Sometimes it has to be found first, but the search leads one to worlds of wonder usually, as in The Talisman, by Stephen King.

5) Exploration of the Unknown. I love this one so much that it sometimes takes over the top slot. New experiences, new species, new landscapes, planets with two suns! Intelligent, friendly insects! What Lurks Beneath!

 

It should now be completely apparent why I love Stargate: Atlantis. It makes use of all of these forms. All at once! As do most of the most beloved novels of my childhood, and the books that move me to joy as an adult.

It should also be obvious why sometimes I stomp around my house, cursing the show and gnashing my teeth, because it never puts these elements in the forefront, instead privileging other forms I like (but not as much), or that I hate. Like Espionage, or Girl Needs Rescuing, or Military Coup, or Letter to Playboy. Oh, and my old nemesis, Funny Funny Stereotype Validation.

And they are willing to make the Door lead to… Canada v2, The Pegasus Galaxy. Where there isn’t much of anything new! Even though we are Exploring it. And they sacrifice the Friendship when Girl of the Week Needs Rescuing. Or tell us the Talisman is almost depleted. Or start to Redeem a character, only to reverse his arc to give us a Vaudeville Act.

But the point is, they still include my forms, the ones I love with the power of a thousand Talismans. And when the ff writers do it? A lot of them use those forms with gusto and skill. And sometimes all of them at once, until they make me absolutely quiver. And they’ve created a new place in my heart for another form.

Geek Gets Jock.