I can't remember what it was, but Veronica did something in S2 that, when it aired, pissed off all the VM fans on my flist, and when I finally saw it on DVD, I thought they were all nuts.
Ok, since I said I don't remember, I do now: The gun in the bar episode. I'm sorry, but if someone I cared about, who had severe behavioral issues, a history of violence, and several very, very current and active reasons to go off the deep walked into a bar full of gang members waving around a gun, loaded or otherwise, I would have freaked just as much. Actually, I think I would have freaked even more once I learned he couldn't back up the threat. Sure, she should have been greatful(and she was) that he saved her from facial tattoos, and possibly/probably being beaten and raped, but I don't remotely blame her for reacting the way she did. I think it's the typical "how DARE that girl be less than a perfect angel to our precious woobie?" fan reaction.
I think EVERYONE views the first movie as the best, no matter what their ship was. If any one, specific plotline is the core of the series, it's "Will and Elizabeth are absurdly devoted to each other and like to tear the woirld apart and do absurdly devoted things for each other." (Now, if that were the only important plotline, it wouldn't be nearly as good, but...) Honestly, even though it's the dominant ship, I can never make myself consider a person shipping Jack/Elizabeth, simply because, sure, they'd have some hot sex and a few adventures, but they'd kill each other inside a month. Really, the second the perfect balance of rum, sex and adventure was unbalanced, one would be going overboard, one way or the other. The second movie was, quite simply, TPTB catering to the fans of the ship to make sure they came back for the third movie, with no intention of following through, a habit I always find reprehensible. As far as the actual plot goes, though, based on what else was going on and the first movie, it seemed obvious to me that Elizabeth was doing to Jack exactly what she did to poor Norrington in the first movie: offering up the promise of the only thing she has(herself) to get what she wants (Will's safety.) Except that Jack caught on and knew what she was up to, so the stakes were a lot higher. I think people thinking it meant Jack/Elizabeth had a chance were also forgetting something important about both Will and Elizabeth: Both were far more concerned about the other being alive, free and happy than they were about the other being with them. Elizabeth would have been willing to lose Will for herself with her actions as long as it meant he was ok, and he was willing to let her go if she wanted someone else, and would have done anything to make sure she was happy, even if it meant saving his rival so she could be with him.
And, really, for all that she was playing cat and mouse with Jack, the only thing that saved Will from being ravished on the beach in the second movie was the audience...and I think everyone but Will knew it (I love the boy, but he can be naive...it's a good thing he has Elizabeth, who compensates for that.)
And, honestly, I don't understand how anyone can't see the appeal of people who are just that obsessively devoted to each other.
(The only other pairing I've ever been able to moderately understand is Elizabeth/Norrington...but that's only because he did genuinely-if naively and with rose colored glasses-love her, and she did care for him-certainly more than she ever did for Jack-she just didn't love him. If there's been no Will, I think they could have had a comfortable, companionable life together, even if it would have been rather passionless.)
Re: "You *stand idylly by*"
Ok, since I said I don't remember, I do now: The gun in the bar episode. I'm sorry, but if someone I cared about, who had severe behavioral issues, a history of violence, and several very, very current and active reasons to go off the deep walked into a bar full of gang members waving around a gun, loaded or otherwise, I would have freaked just as much. Actually, I think I would have freaked even more once I learned he couldn't back up the threat. Sure, she should have been greatful(and she was) that he saved her from facial tattoos, and possibly/probably being beaten and raped, but I don't remotely blame her for reacting the way she did. I think it's the typical "how DARE that girl be less than a perfect angel to our precious woobie?" fan reaction.
I think EVERYONE views the first movie as the best, no matter what their ship was. If any one, specific plotline is the core of the series, it's "Will and Elizabeth are absurdly devoted to each other and like to tear the woirld apart and do absurdly devoted things for each other." (Now, if that were the only important plotline, it wouldn't be nearly as good, but...) Honestly, even though it's the dominant ship, I can never make myself consider a person shipping Jack/Elizabeth, simply because, sure, they'd have some hot sex and a few adventures, but they'd kill each other inside a month. Really, the second the perfect balance of rum, sex and adventure was unbalanced, one would be going overboard, one way or the other. The second movie was, quite simply, TPTB catering to the fans of the ship to make sure they came back for the third movie, with no intention of following through, a habit I always find reprehensible. As far as the actual plot goes, though, based on what else was going on and the first movie, it seemed obvious to me that Elizabeth was doing to Jack exactly what she did to poor Norrington in the first movie: offering up the promise of the only thing she has(herself) to get what she wants (Will's safety.) Except that Jack caught on and knew what she was up to, so the stakes were a lot higher. I think people thinking it meant Jack/Elizabeth had a chance were also forgetting something important about both Will and Elizabeth: Both were far more concerned about the other being alive, free and happy than they were about the other being with them. Elizabeth would have been willing to lose Will for herself with her actions as long as it meant he was ok, and he was willing to let her go if she wanted someone else, and would have done anything to make sure she was happy, even if it meant saving his rival so she could be with him.
And, really, for all that she was playing cat and mouse with Jack, the only thing that saved Will from being ravished on the beach in the second movie was the audience...and I think everyone but Will knew it (I love the boy, but he can be naive...it's a good thing he has Elizabeth, who compensates for that.)
And, honestly, I don't understand how anyone can't see the appeal of people who are just that obsessively devoted to each other.
(The only other pairing I've ever been able to moderately understand is Elizabeth/Norrington...but that's only because he did genuinely-if naively and with rose colored glasses-love her, and she did care for him-certainly more than she ever did for Jack-she just didn't love him. If there's been no Will, I think they could have had a comfortable, companionable life together, even if it would have been rather passionless.)