AWE DVD

[veronica_rich]

The DVD is out in some parts of the world already, and I was reading a scan of part of the box in someone's journal. (I won't say who they are just in case they don't want anyone to know, or get swamped - unless they give me explicit permission for a link.) Since this person has posted a link to their entry in a discussion community, I feel safe in now providing the direct link if you haven't yet seen it.

Two interesting things:

First question: What does the future hold for Will and Elizabeth? Now that he's captain of the Flying Dutchman, is she going to wait for him? Answer: True love never dies, but their story is yet to be told.

Second: Since Will honored his destiny on the Flying Dutchman, in 10 years does he get to return to land for good, thereby freeing his father and crew? Answer: Every 10 years, Will may step on land for one day. He is bound to the Flying Dutchman forever.

There are a few others, too. I don't know if these are on the U.S. DVD, but I'm betting they are. Be interesting to see what fandom reaction is to these (especially that second one, given the writers' insistence on the "only 10 years' service" thing) ...

Comments

[roguedemon.livejournal.com]

God, that sucks. Fandom has basically sidelined Will anyway, but this pretty much puts the final nail in the coffin, doesn't it?

After the "only ten years" thing the writers insisted on, that's basically what I go with, because the alternative is really punitive. I generally think that this new info is them cleaning up the mess after they cut parts out of the movie. I'm actually forgetting what you call it when the actual writers/producers/ mess with canon after the fact to fix things they've screwed up.

I suppose it can't get any worse. 90% of the fic one reads these days is ELizabeth/anyone except Will, so I don't know what can really change.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to think of a *good* way to bring this up for discussion at the Will community, something that won't degenerate into wank - you know, "head it off at the pass" by hitting it head-on and in a positive fashion. Do you have any suggestions for what angle I might approach, I wonder? You usually seem sensible. :-)

[roguedemon.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure. I've been thinking of bringing up a discussion the different possibilities for life on the Dutchman. I've wondered if there are ways to look at it that aren't all doom and gloom. I think a lot of the problem is that many people perceive it as a fate worse than death -- I don't necessarily see it that way. I wonder if a discussion of the ways that Will might actually be able to grow and learn through his service on the FD, rather than fading away, might be in order, instead of dwelling on his lost romance forever. Also, I wonder if some out-of-the box thinking might be useful --discussion of possible fanfic that involves something that diverges from canon. AUs, alternative plots, alternative pairings besides Will/Elizabeth. I am surprised that there isn't more slash out there -- Will /Jack and Will/James seem like obvious alternatives. Alternative characters he might meet and places he might go -- after all, he is immortal! It just seems to me that Will fandom has a stuck feeling. But since canon is such a downer we really need to think about ways to break rules or change them. Honestly, I feel that it shouldn't be that hard for Will to find a way to break free -- this was a franchise that brought two characters back from the dead, after all.

It strikes me that the one good point is that Will doesn't necessarily have to be written as universally faithful anymore. He can love Elizabeth and still see other people!

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

If you want to bring something up ... *motions you toward the community* ... feel free to do it. I don't think it's out of line to bring up what's on the liner notes behind a cut, since you can always refer back to having read it in this entry rather than link to anyone's LJ in particular.

It just seems to me that Will fandom has a stuck feeling.

I think it's difficult to get past the "stuck" because it *has* been put across as a fate worse than death. Not all fans see it that way, and I myself go back and forth about it. (Hey - why aren't YOU writing fic, then? LOL)

[venusinchains.livejournal.com]

I think your positive bent is in the original q&a. Yes, at this point Will is CotFD "forever." But, his story is half of Will and Elizabeth's and "their story is yet to be told." IOW: that "forever" could change. (Didn't the writers suggest that Liz might find a way to visit Will? And if that's a possibility, I'd say it's also possible that she (or she and Jack, or Jack and Barbossa, or even Moog - by accident :-p) might find a way to break the curse.

Seriously, there are too many "permanent" or "possibly permanent" positions in PotC that prove a bit bendy. Curses and Death itself have been lifted before. Goddesses have been imprisoned and released. This new bit of highly questionable canon provides obstacles, but doesn't really shut any doors. :-p

[a-silver-rose.livejournal.com]

I'm basically of the same opinion as you. What if someone finds a way to break the curse?

[stabbycutlass.livejournal.com]

I like your thinking.

[roguedemon.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to reply to this -- I really wish that I was a fic writer, but to make a long story short, my talents simply do not lie in that direction. I usually sit here and boggle at the stuff writers come up with. Probably the ideal thing would be for me to partner up with someone and toss off ideas and thoughts about characters -- I'm good at analysis, but I simply haven't the gift of the muse.

I have been planning to sit down and post something long and complicated about Will and the Dutchman for a while now -- I keep tripping over my life, or my energy goes down. I have sworn that I will sit down and produce something, sometime over the next week.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Being tired and sick sucks. Just post it when you can; I'm sure whatever you come up with will be greatly insightful and trust me, the Will fandom's not going anywhere for at least a few weeks. ;-)

[venusinchains.livejournal.com]

"I'm actually forgetting what you call it when the actual writers/producers/ mess with canon after the fact to fix things they've screwed up."

Amateurish? Incapable? Inept? #@%&! stupid? :-/

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

George Lucas?

[venusinchains.livejournal.com]

So true. :-p I didn't care for his changes either.

I liked that Han Solo blew away Greedo. It's part of who he is. The rest of the changes were too superficial to be necessary. He even managed to kill a good joke. (With the Stormtroopers-to-the-power-of-ten cornering Chewie and Han on the Death Star.)

And, did I hear about a possible TV series? *shudders*