Um...what's happening here? Why is Cordy_Chase in a Bangel fanfic thread?
Relax, I'm not here to vandalize. I don't do ship wars.
The title intrigued me and it just so happens there is an element of neutrality here.
For all of you (the two or three of you that come in here and read this section of the forum 😛) that read Bangel Fan Fiction - what are some of your pet peeves that you encounter in Bangel stories? I'll tell you mine below!
Bangel Fan Fiction Pet Peeves:
1. When Angel and Buffy call each other "baby" or "beloved" it is so out of character, I could never see either of them doing that repeatedly. Maybe once in a while I could see a honey slipping in from time to time but we saw them together for 3 years and they never did have pet names for themselves.
2. When Angel is possessive and wants to "mark" Buffy or any type of overly Alpha/vampiric behavior of which Angel has never shown any interest in EVER.
3. When the fan fiction diminishes the other relationships that Buffy and Angel had to the point of inconsequence or when the fan fiction paints Cordy or Riley as these horrible insufferable people who are mean so that you can root for Angel and Buffy to be together. I don't think you need to tear any other characters down to root for Angel/Buffy. Their love is enough to do that all on its own.
4. Angel as the great protector, rescuing Buffy who is for some reason helpless. Buffy is a bad ass, I'm ok with her needing help from time to time but I don't like the idea of Angel coming in and rescuing her. She is no damsel in distress. You can leave that for the Cangel fics thank you very much.
These elements are staples in Cangel fanfiction as well. So I thought it valid for me to put in my two cents.
These are inaccurate but so is Buffy and Angel remaining together after BtvS season 3 and a ton of other ships portrayed (Angel/Cordelia, Buffy/Faith, Connor/Dawn, Wesley/Gunn etc and yeah those last two have featured in Cangel fics I've read, they exist).
Perspectives and ideals shape fiction, a director's, a screenwriter's, an author's and what is left untold or underdeveloped tend to shape a fan's.
Fanfiction can be about filling in gaps in the canon:
Ex. Angel wanting to bite during sex.
We never get a detailed picture of what Angel is like in bed but he is a vampire so authors tend to go to popular vampire tropes even those which are not addressed in the canon.
There might also be a sex appeal element here. Biting and claiming/mating apart from fitting with the animalistic nature of a vampire are also erotic gestures that represent ultimate fidelity. Not that the latter should be taken seriously, vampires aren't supposed to be moral and even Angel can't always fight his instincts but it can still make for quality fiction.
Another Ex. Cordelia's parents.
We learn basically nothing about them outside of the IRS bust thus authors still look at that and the vague hints given with Cordelia's character; her spoilt behavior, that her family is wealthy and thus the stereotypical rich type personality and even the absence of proof of their existences (meaning we never either see or hear about them) prior to the IRS bust vs. the Scoobies parents and come up with plausible guesses.
It, however, can also be about re-imaging the canon to our ideals or placing the characters we want to see in an entirely different situation, environment, concept or all of the above.
Such as one, quite brilliant Cangel fanfic I've read that places the characters and concepts of AtS into the basic plot outline of
Beauty and the Beast.
When we read fanfiction we are seeing not Joss's vision but a fan's which can account for other characters/ships presented antagonistically to favor/validate the ship of focus. Can be unnecessary? Absolutely, especially when taken to a certain level but it can also be a necessity to provide substance to the perspective the author wants to instill if done right, with eloquence.
I've seen Cangel authors do this plausibly and tastefully and make a strong statement with it (ex. a healthy relationship vs an unhealthy one).
Bottom line is that the point of fanfiction isn't always to be faithful to or support the canon. It's to express ourselves and cater to perspectives the canon did not satisfy.
Fun fact: I've read Cangel fanfics that respect and paint Bangel and Cander in a good light and as still friends who care for each other.
