Discussion Question: A Thousand Ships

[browngirl]

This involves hefty spoilers for this week's DC Comics, specifically Infinite Crisis #4 and Nightwing #116.



So what fictional characters, besides Helen of Troy and now Dick Grayson, are so handsome or otherwise affecting that people have destroyed a whole city because of them?

Yes, this would be me NOT GETTING OVER Deathstroke et all nuking Bludhaven.

But it's also a real question. I'm interested in the fictional motif.

ETA: derryderrydown wrote commentfic, which is a thing of glory and which you want to read.

Comments

[solvent90.livejournal.com]

Um. Not many? There's the Ramayana, I guess, in which the city of Lanka is destroyed because of the abduction of Sita. There's a specific bit where Hanuman sets the roofs of the city on fire to punish Ravana for insulting Sita. And then later the huge big epic war in which the city is obliterated.

[solvent90.livejournal.com]

Thinking about it, it's really the kind of thing that only happens in epics. Not just stories that are epics, but epic-scale relationships, where the characters' relationship reflects some bigger pattern, something that goes beyond just them. And also where the character for whom the destruction happens is scorchingly hot (there's descriptions of Sita's breasts-and-hips-and-eyes-and-mouth in the Ramayana that go on for pages). So :) The Slade/Dick implications are, um, interesting.

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

I really like the way you think. :) Thank you, a lot.

*makes notes to write this all into her next Slade/Dick*

[solvent90.livejournal.com]

her next Slade/Dick

Yay! I can't wait to read it. I love the way you write them.

[blythely.livejournal.com]

I am in awe of the comparison with Helen of Troy. It does however make sense. What would make me the happiest person on earth would be if say, Clark mentioned this to Bruce.

[derryderrydown.livejournal.com]

Clark leaned against a bank of computers, carefully judging it so he didn't leave more than a very slight indentation. "I'm sure you've read the Iliad, Bruce."

Bruce didn't look up but Clark flicked to x-ray vision and saw him tense under the deceptive fall of his cloak. "Approximately thirty-seven translations and three versions of the Greek. Your point?"

"I was just thinking. There are certain similarities between Helen of Troy and Dick."

If Bruce tensed his jaw any tighter, Clark reflected, his teeth would start to shatter.

"I mean, they've both had cities destroyed around them. Perhaps even because of them."

Goodness. Bruce was actually growling. So quietly that a human wouldn't be able to hear it but he was definitely growling.

"Didn't you ever wonder about how close he was to Slade?"

"Shut. Up."

Clark smiled benevolently.

[blythely.livejournal.com]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA You're the best. I only like Clark when he's yanking on Bruce's chain.

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

Oh, My GOD.

I love you so VERY much, Derry. SO much.

Eeeeeeeeeee!

[gingicat]

Oh. That's GORGEOUS.

(teeny nitpick: there should be a comma after "Bruce didn't look up")

[derryderrydown.livejournal.com]

Maybe in American punctuation but not in British. In British, if you're using a conjunction then you don't need a comma.

[zing_och.livejournal.com]

Ahahahaha. You make me want to get back into comics fandom. Also... Slade! Hehehe.

[maelithil.livejournal.com]

BAHAHAHHAHAHHA. *snorfles*

Oh, Clark, you dick.

[petronelle.livejournal.com]

I can't stop snickering at this.

I'm at a loss as to why I'd want to try, but I can't.

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

This is awesome. :D


Ok, yes, too bad about Bludhaven, but still. Slade destroyed a city over Dick, and it's canon!


I recently discovered this pairing and am luxuriating in everything I can find for it (which isn't nearly as much as there ought to be, considering).

[danachan.livejournal.com]

Don't mind me while I O.O all over the place.

Wow. I should be reading this.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

this is not regarding this post but another, re:hobbitfic, I am so there with you dude, I want to write them again, but I cant because of the fandom. Are you sure you're not my avatar? From a better universe of course.

[colubra.livejournal.com]

...the arse that launched a thousand 'ships?

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

What gets me the most about this-other than it being canon!-is that Deathstroke destroying Bludhaven was definitely a response to Dick leaving him. His partnership, employ, whatever you'd call it-Dick left Slade's side and BOOM!

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

I know! After that there was NO WAY I could refrain from writing Dick/Slade, ever ever ever.