ext_22561: Alex and Gene from Ashes to Ashes (Friends and Lovers Sam/Janet)
[identity profile] purple-shoes.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] ship_manifesto
Title: Love Between the Lines: Sam/Janet and Fanfiction
Author: [livejournal.com profile] purple_shoes
Email: the_xwoman@yahoo.com
Personal Website: Starlight Studios
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Spoilers: Seasons 1-7, up to and including “Heroes”
Notes: Many thanks to [livejournal.com profile] joran and [livejournal.com profile] teryl_brat42 for betas and suggestions.
Sorry this is a few days late, but at least I got it in this time!! :-)

SUBTEXT

Whilst canon remains safe and sure in the actions, thoughts, and emotions of any given character, a thoughtful fan can not just shrug off the simple idea that all there is to any potentially complex character is all that is seen on the screen. From this, fandom is born, built on not just simple subtext, but, even more so, the thoughts, desires, and interests of any given fan projected upon the character in question.

While rarely taken seriously and often even looked down upon, fanon still remains to reflect how the fans react and view any specific characters, especially those in a purely fandom related ‘ship, illustrating even more the reign of imagination and subtextual strength over the mind of the fandom.

SAM CARTER, the canon

It’s too easy for any fan of a show to shrug off any character as a stereotype, even if Samantha Carter has begged to be one from the moment of her appearance in “Children of the Gods” (1x01). To assume that, due to her activities in the military and her bad run with her male love interests, that she is a lesbian is to belittle not just her potential relationships with any characters, but also her role as a strong, prominent member of SG-1.

However, it can not be denied that her dominance and leadership, not to mention independence, is a driving force in the fan-based assumptions of Sam’s sexuality. There is no direct evidence in canon to support an attraction or past relationship with a female; as a matter of fact, we learn in “The First Commandment” (1x05) that Sam was engaged once to a man. However, her failed relationships, as well as the on-again-off-again infatuation she seems to share with her emotionally alienated CO that neither cares to act on, leave little in canon and much to the imagination to determine who Samantha Carter would want to have a relationship with.

JANET FRAISER, the canon

Janet’s strong supporting role in the season one episode “The Broca Divide” set the stage for her recurring role in the next seven seasons. Her role didn’t just serve as a medical professional for the base, but also another woman to balance between the two women and five men that eventually forms the reoccurring characters on SG1.

Janet Fraiser began as a mystery, without even a first name, but by her second strong, essential appearance in “Hathor” (1x13), we learned bit more about her. Like Sam, she was a strong woman who seemed to have no need for a man in her life. We learn that while she was once married, her ex-husband was a chauvinist with little respect for his wife’s interest in the Air Force, and little doubt was left in the viewer’s mind as to why Janet left him. No husband or boyfriend is brought onto the scene at any point, which is not odd for a supporting character.

However, Janet’s adoption of an alien child named Cassie in “Singularity” (1x14) brought her personal life under a more powerful lens. We see Janet and Cassie’s relationship as mother and daughter develop in key episodes “In the Line of Duty” (2x02) and “Rite of Passage” (5x06), but never once is brought up the question of any love interests on Janet’s part or any father figure on Cassie’s. As for paternal guidance, Jack some to Cassie in “In the Line of Duty”, and Daniel also offers moral support to both Sam and Janet during their crises in both “Singularity” and “Rite of Passage”. As much as we see Janet’s relationship with SG-1 and Cassie, we never witness, even in the futuristic episode “2010,” (4x16) any hint that Janet might have relationships outside the friendships and family she gained during her time at the SGC.

SAM & JANET, the canon

It could be argued, to some extent, that the friendship between Sam and Janet is not as prominent in the episodes as often interpreted by the fan community. However, due to Sam and Janet’s roles of being the highest ranking females on the base, their connection through Cassandra, and their scientific bond, it is not in any way unsafe to assume that there is a deeper friendship between them that is not always introduced to the camera. Sam spends every Saturday that she is on Earth playing chess with Cassie (“Rite of Passage”). Janet has at least on one occasion invited Sam to go boating with her and Cassie (“Urgo”, 3x16) for a weekend, and Sam was the only guest at Cassie’s sixteenth birthday party (“Rite of Passage”). While these incidents are few and far between, they imply a level of intimacy between Sam and Janet that could only be obtained through a relationship outside of the workplace that the viewer is not always introduced to, and allows the viewers to make assumptions to that level of intimacy.

It helps, also, that the actors who play these characters are so supportive and colourful in their own outlooks of the relationships between characters. Amanda Tapping (Sam), suggested she wanted to portray a friendly relationship between her character and Teryl Rothery’s Janet, and to avoid any competitiveness between the two. Tapping and Rothery’s friendliness behind the camera also encourages the viewer’s imaginations to support a friendship that is similar between their two characters. Both Tapping and Rothery have even on occasions joked to fans about a romantic relationship between their characters; but even in jest, the actors help to support the ‘shippers within the fandom, and encourage them to read deeper into the characters that they so adore.

SAM & JANET, the fanon

While it is still presumptuous to assume that both Sam and Janet are lesbians based purely on what is said – or more importantly, not said – within the canon, fans of the pair suggest that while the canon may not support a relationship between the two, it hasn’t put itself in the position to deny one, either. The idea of these two women, outcasts in their own way and independent of the men in their lives having a romantic relationship is appealing to fans of the ‘ship for it’s complexity and sensuality. Both Sam and Janet are two popular characters who are admired and lusted after by men and women alike within the fandom, and the appeal effects fans of the ‘ship on different levels.

THE SHIPPERS, fan fiction

Geonn Cannon, a fanfic writer whose stories tend to remain central around the Sam/Janet relationship, jokes about the use of lesbians in smut and it’s appeal to a male based audience, that “they're hawt women and lesbians is hawt. And hawt women is lesbians is even hawtter.” However, overlooking the probably small group of Sam/Janet shippers who think this way, Geonn hits a deeper meaning in his fan fiction. “I ship Sam/Janet because they're both strong, independent women and it's fun and interesting to explore them in a place where they'd let down their guard with each other,” he states, and his fan fiction shows it. The idea of these two strong characters “letting their guard down” is a common theme in fics; a good example is Celievamp’s short fic “The Other Woman”, both Sam and Janet examine their relationship from different points, going deeper into the emotions and feelings of two women brought together by love, but kept apart by society’s and their own inhibitions, as well as their career desires.

“I've never written it myself,” Tallisen states, “but I really think Sam and Janet are so beautiful. They compliment each other in their work and personalities. I like thinking Janet is always at Sam's bedside when she's hurt, and that Sam is there to help her raise Cassandra.” Cassandra remains a common theme that ties both Sam and Janet together; Sam’s bond to Cassie started in “Singularity”, but continued even after Janet adopted her, forming a bond between the two women, who, in a way, raise the girl together. Sam is there for Cassie at all times, although Janet is still her mother. The bond of the child undoubtedly draws these women together in ways that are not presented in the canon, but can be fascinating when examined through fan fiction.

Another strong theme in fanfiction that is not just prominent in the fandom but also an overwhelming aspect in reality is the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy of the military. Some writers prefer to overlook it, while some writers actually form stories around the subject, such as Ryler’s “Custody,” in which Janet must deal with her sexuality as well as her work situation in order to be deemed a “proper mother.” The use of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” in fanfic opens new doors for authors to not only examine the personal sexuality and lifestyle of the characters, but also add another dimension to how this lifestyle affects their work relationships. The addition of Cassie into this level of angst is rare, unlike its use in “Custody.” Writers tend to swing either towards the use of the Janet/Sam/Cassie family dynamic or towards the internal struggle of the military regulations versus a character’s personal desires. Rarely do the two overlap, and the former of the genre is far more popular.

There is also a dark side to the fandom, one that seemed to rear it’s head after the events of “Heroes” (7x17/18), when, to many fan’s surprise and disgust, Janet was killed during a battle. All fans were affected, but those who had become enveloped into the romance of the Sam/Janet relationship fed off of this sadness, creating heart wrenching and often dark reactions within their fanfic. RocketChick’s “Thousand Word Series” plays off of “Heroes” in the story “The Hero Dies in This One,” one of the many fics examining Sam’s reaction to Janet’s death, and her horror and sadness in reaction to the events. Rysler, another fanfiction writer, presented an even darker world in her story "Za'Ha'Dum", a alternate look on the events of “Heroes”, examining the romance between the two as Sam watching Janet slowly fade away. “I began writing for Sam/Janet because only a few others were, and I wanted to see stories that weren't being told. So I told them myself,” Joran says of her ‘ship choice, and she certainly has. Her experiments with exploring the darker aspects of the Sam/Janet relationship show a new dimension and darker side to what even most fanon fics will not delve into, but provide fascinating character examinations of these two characters. Another of RocketChick’s post heroes stories, “One Last Kiss”, also examines the bittersweet sadness of a love lost to tragedy through a ghostly visit from Janet to Sam. Even after her death, the ‘ship continues, as Janet haunts the hearts of fanfic writers as we imagine she haunts Sam’s heart, too.

CONCLUSION

Canon is tricky for the ‘ship community, as it rarely allows for certainty between characters in a relationship. The Sam/Janet ‘ship relies heavily on subtext and imagination; not just what we imagine could be happening between scenes in any given episode, but how we shape the characters in our minds and imagine they would live their lives.

There seems to be a certain pull between Sam and Janet, a bond as women, as friends, as maternal figures that feeds into fandom and makes us dream that their friendship could be greater. That they could be bound by a love that only imagination can know, and, through the magic of fanfiction, can transcend over death and remain together, in our thoughts.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Fan Fiction:

The Thousand Word Series by RocketChick
One Last Kiss by RocketChick
Elephant by Harriet
Impact by Harriet
Za`Ha`Dum by Rysler
Custody by Rysler
Bitter Devotion by tigermoth
The End of Friendship by Geonn Cannon
Femslash Awards

Important Episodes:

1x09 Brief Candle
1x14 Hathor
1x15 Singularity
2x07 Message In A Bottle
2x10 Bane
2x17 Holiday
2x19 One False Step
3x04 Legacy
3x11 Past and Present
3x16 Urgo
3x17 A Hundred Days
3x21 Crystal Skull
4x03 Upgrades
4x05 Divide and Conquer
4x10 Beneath the Surface
4x13 The Curse
4x16 2010
4x20 Entity
5x04 The Fifth Man
5x06 Rite of Passage
5x21 Meridian
6x04 Frozen
6x09 Allegiance
6x19 The Changeling
6x21 Prophecy
7x10 Birthright

Date: 2005-01-26 01:19 am (UTC)
wisdomeagle: (Sam Carter (queer!Ari))
From: [personal profile] wisdomeagle
Yay! Thanks for doing this. Not my OTP, but considering looking into it for the hotness of two strong, sexy women who still sometimes manage sweetness & cuddles.

I would question this: “Heroes” (7x17/18), when, to many fan’s surprise and disgust, Janet died... as I'm entirely sure no one managed to be surprised by it, given how incredibly spoileriffic all of fandom was about it months and months before "Heroes" aired... sorry... I'm still a bit bitter about being spoiled for that.

Anyhow, I might add how the way they played "Heroes" pt 2 strongly suggested a Sam/Janet 'ship, or at least deep feelings that far transcended simple comradarie... For the first 30 minutes of the ep, they played it as if Jack, Sam's canon love interest, was dead... then they flipped it on its head, and it's Janet who's died. What're we supposed to think?

And I'd mention "Beneath the Surface" as an important episode... I'm not too fond of it for obvious reasons, but Janet's request that she be put on the search + rescue team just broke my heart. I love Janet loving SG-1 more than she's supposed to.

But all told, excellent essay. Thanks for doing it. :)

Date: 2005-01-26 02:09 am (UTC)
wisdomeagle: (Sam Carter (queer!Ari))
From: [personal profile] wisdomeagle
Ohh, I'm so jealous of you for managing to avoid getting spoiled for "Heroes." I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive fandom for that!

I agree on some level, although I tend to avoid the subject of Heroes on that level because I was very dissapointed by the fact that Jack's "death" was played up and, I felt, really belittled Janet's. And being how madly in love I am with Janet... that was just not cool.

Oh, I totally agree... after I spent the first time watching being so pissed off that I was spoiled for the ending, I spent the second time through pissed off that they played it as a trick ending... that was really cheap.

But I think if you manage to get past the annoyance with the way they played it, and just remember it's Janet they're saying all those wonderful things about, then one can see it as a tribute to Janet. Maybe.

And I love your icon!!! :-D

Hee! Thanks. I like yours too. :)

Date: 2005-01-26 01:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] joran.livejournal.com
Anyhow, I might add how the way they played "Heroes" pt 2 strongly suggested a Sam/Janet 'ship, or at least deep feelings that far transcended simple comradarie... For the first 30 minutes of the ep, they played it as if Jack, Sam's canon love interest, was dead... then they flipped it on its head, and it's Janet who's died. What're we supposed to think?

Yes...a common theme for swan songs and hurt-comfort in general. I'd say "Heroes" is the defining Sam/Janet episode. Isn't that horrible?

but Janet's request that she be put on the search + rescue team just broke my heart.

::clutch:: That's my favorite moment in all of Stargate. Especially Hammond's smackdown.

Date: 2005-01-26 02:06 am (UTC)
wisdomeagle: (Die Me: Trans-Siberian Orchastra)
From: [personal profile] wisdomeagle
I'd say "Heroes" is the defining Sam/Janet episode. Isn't that horrible?

Yes. But probably not all that uncommon. I'd say, if you swing that way, that "Meridian" defines Jack/Daniel, that either "Meridian" or "Heroes" defines Daniel/Janet, other examples in other fandoms springing to mind as well... I think it's the fact that death tends to bring out the strongest emotions in people, making it impossible to mask what's hidden in day-to-day existence...

Date: 2005-01-26 01:55 am (UTC)
titti: (SG1 by randomono)
From: [personal profile] titti
Very nice essay. It's nice to see femslash that brings together two strong and interesting female characters. I think you fleshed it right perfectly.

Date: 2005-01-26 04:01 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tallisen.livejournal.com
Huzzah! That's a wonderful manifesto!! A relationship is always shining more when someone such as yourself goes out of their way to hold it up and examine it with such beautiful precision! I'm also flattered that you quoted me, lol! I love the different section of examination, and believe you made wonderfully strong points! It would help fandom so much if more manifestos were written by those who support it, and read by those who don't understand. Again, wonderful job!

Date: 2005-01-26 04:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ex-katiedamm852.livejournal.com
Found the rec from my site's stats - thank you. :)

Could I reprint this on AG (http://samjanet.stargate-sg1.hu/)?

Date: 2005-01-26 05:04 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ex-katiedamm852.livejournal.com
And, may I just say that it's profoundly interesting that you point to "The Hero Dies in This One" as an example of Heroes-aftermath-fic of a romantic relationship... 'cause I deliberately wrote it without subtext.

Hm.

Date: 2005-04-07 02:43 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] joran.livejournal.com
Did I jump on you? I don't remember. I thought I just strongly discouraged you from citing my fics. I re-read this through someone else's journal, and saw this thread. Unintentional subtext in fan fiction is about the best thing ever. I've read Daniel/Janet fics that have broken my heart on the Sam/Janet level, and there's a couple of folks that say my "Kissing Sam Carter" is definitely a Teal'c/Janet fic.

I don't know what's so appealing about subtlety, maybe it's just closer to the canon/show, maybe its the intellectual stimulation of having to imagine something rather than seeing it, but I squee over some unexpected touch in a gen-fic as much as I squee over the stray moments in Crystal Skull.

This is why I'm such a big, geeky advocate of genfic, and why delinations between slash/femslash/het are hopeless. The stuff just sneaks in.

Date: 2005-04-07 12:40 pm (UTC)

Date: 2005-01-26 02:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lysachan.livejournal.com
Thank you so much for writing this. Truly one of the best manifestos I've ever read. And as I'm a huge Sam/Janet shipper, this really made my day. ^____^

Date: 2005-01-26 02:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gardendoor.livejournal.com
How lovely! I'm not much of a femslasher, but you've sold me on this.

Date: 2005-01-26 11:25 pm (UTC)
ext_22444: Aisha Tyler and Milla Jovovich. No wonder there's steam. (Default)
From: [identity profile] geonncannon.livejournal.com
Excellent essay, Bex! Sorry it took me so long to get to it! And thanks for reccing me and for giving me a quote besides that dumbass "hawt" thing. ;-D

Date: 2005-01-27 07:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wmnwholves.livejournal.com
Very nice, and well written piece. Thanks for taking the time to express what a fellow shipper feels about these two characters. I have read and agree with the recommendations for the fics you posted to encourage others to read if they hadn't taken the time to read them before now.

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