Birthday and Meme
Oct. 2nd, 2008 07:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crossover_chickI keep forgetting! October 2nd, today, is Jeffery Weisman's birthday! Happy birthday, Alt-George!
-MHG: *glee* I get two?-
Three, technically -- George has a canonical birthdate, and it's not Crispin Glover's.
-MHG: *preens* Pay your respects, everyone!-
-WRM: Be careful, you'll get a swelled head and float away.-
-HD: Oh, we can just pop it with the butter knife.-
-MHG: You keep away from me.-
Anyway, here's a meme from Ael:
Instructions: List 10 different fictional characters from any fandom/s you like, number them 1 to 10 in any order you like, and don't peek at the questions until you're done. Then, answer the following questions. (There are two "sets" of questions in which the numbers are different, but you don't have to answer both "sets".)
I combined the two sets, so most of the questions have an alternate thing. Enjoy!
1. Alice Liddel (American McGee’s Alice)
2. Victor Van Dort (Corpse Bride)
3. Clara Clayton (Back To The Future)
4. Rincewind (Discworld)
5. Doc Brown (Back To The Future)
6. Agatha Heterodyne (Girl Genius)
7. Neville Longbottom (Harry Potter)
8. Mell Kelly (Narbonic)
9. The Mad Hatter (American McGee’s Alice)
10. Eskarina Smith (Discworld)
#1 Divide the list up by even and odd. Which group of five would make a better Five Man Band (like a Power Rangers team)? Who would you slot in each position: Leader, Lancer (second-in-command), Big Guy, Smart Guy, The Chick? If you think the team would be improved by swapping one character between the even and odd groups, which ones would you switch?
Team A: Alice, Clara, Doc, Neville, The Mad Hatter
Team B: Victor, Rincewind, Agatha, Mell, Eskarina
Team A would definitely make the better Five Man Band. Although Team B has some strong players in the girls, shy Victor and cowardly Rincewind drag them down a bit. Though Victor is willing to stand up for those he loves and Rincewind DOES get into heroic situations often by accident. . . . Anyway:
Team A:
Leader: Alice. When you’ve got that many deadly toys on hand, you don’t get arguments. Not to mention her “Red Queen” side. . . .
Lancer: Neville. He’s loyal, brave, smart, and has a green thumb many would envy. Don’t forget who beheaded Voldie’s snake!
Big Guy: The Mad Hatter. Although he’d make a good Smart Guy, the insanity thing puts him here. He’s a fairly good fighter, anyway, with toxic tea and finger missiles.
Smart Guy: Doc. He’s incredibly smart and has access to a time machine. Plus, unlike Hatter, he’s (relatively) sane.
Chick: Clara. She’s perfectly competent, but given that’s she’s also a fairly normal human, she ends up here.
Team B:
Leader: Agatha. She’s a Heterodyne, which makes her the naturally-commanding type. Not to mention the Spark, which makes her a default Smart Guy.
Lancer: Eskarina. Tough and intelligent, if young. Only nine in the books. Though we’re probably going with an older version here.
Big Guy: Mell. If you’ve seen this woman and her guns, you’ll know this is the best place for her.
Smart Guy: Um. . . . Rincewind, I suppose. He’s a failed wizard, but still, there’s got to be something he knows.
Chick: Victor, though, really, Rincewind could qualify here too. Both their default responses is to run from danger, even if it doesn’t work.
I don’t know if switching a person will help either team, given that one team’s pretty well-balanced while the other has two Chicks. (Who are both male. What are the odds?) So let’s keep them the way they are.
#2 Gender-swap 2, 8 & 10. Which character would have the most change in their story arc? Which the least? Would any of these characters have to have a complete personality change to be believable as the opposite sex?
Alternatively, genderswap 5 instead of 2.
We’re gender-swapping Victor, Doc, Mell, and Esk. Esk would definitely have the most change in her story arc, given that there wouldn’t even BE one if she wasn’t a girl. Her book, “Equal Rites,” deals with the fact that a girl isn’t supposed to get the wizard powers she got. If she’d been a boy – no problem! The least would go to Mell, who would probably be psychotic, gun-obsessed, and an aspiring Mad Science Lawyer even if she were a boy.
As for personality changes – I don’t think so. Like I said, Mell would probably be the same, and I can’t see Victor or Doc changing. Maybe Esk, since a male version would have been raised much differently.
#3 Compare the matchups of 1 & 8 and 5 & 9. (Ignore canon sexual preferences for the moment.) Which couple would be more compatible? Which couple would be more plausible to people from either principal's home culture?
Alternatively, compare the matchups of 5 & 8 and 2 & 9.
First set of matchups is Alice & Mell and Doc & The Mad Hatter. Those are disturbingly good matchups, at least friendship-wise. I’m not sure which one would be more compatible – they both seem to have the same dynamic of “slightly less looney person plus very looney person who share an interest or trait.” In Alice and Mell’s case, that’s weaponry and fighting; in Doc and Hatter’s, that invention. Then again, Alice is a little more twisted than Doc, so she’d probably get along better with Mell. Doc would only get along with Hatter if he was post-game reformed. As for more plausible, Alice and Mell again, since Mell’s from the modern day. I’m sure Helen and Dave could see Mell hooking up with Alice.
Second set of matchups is Doc & Mell and Victor & The Mad Hatter. I’d say Doc and Mell is the more compatible one, simply because Victor would be utterly TERRIFIED of Hatter. Doc’s a mad scientist, I’m sure he’ll figure out how to handle Mell. As for more plausible, Doc and Mell again, since Victorian England wasn’t exactly open to homosexual relationships. Though I can’t really see Marty and Jennifer or Helen and Dave quite understanding Doc and Mell.
#4 Your team is 3, 4 & 9. The mission consists of a social challenge, a mental challenge and a physical challenge. Which team member do you assign to each challenge?
Alternatively, your team is 3, 4 & 6.
Team One is Clara, Rincewind, and the Mad Hatter. Clara gets the social challenge – she’s a schoolteacher, she has to have experience handling people. Hatter gets the mental challenge, being an insane genius and all. Rincewind gets the physical challenge, and his skill at running from things should carry him through.
Team Two is Clara, Rincewind, and Agatha. There’s actually very little change, as Sparky Agatha would definitely get the mental challenge, leaving Clara and Rincewind with their originals. Huh.
#5 7 becomes 1's boss for a week in some plausible fashion. How's their working relationship?
Alternatively, 7 becomes 5's boss for a week.
Neville becomes Alice’s boss for a week. Perhaps she wants lessons on how to control those thorn-spitting roses and enrolls for a Herbeology course at Hogwarts. I think they’d get along okay – Neville knows about dangerous plants, and I’m sure he’d be happy to teach Alice. And Alice is a polite Victorian girl (mostly) who’d want to learn.
Alternatively, Neville becomes Doc’s boss. I’d really see that the other way around. . . . Again, though, Doc probably took a Herbeology course. I can really see them getting along – Doc would probably encourage Neville to do more experiments with their plants. And then they release a kudzu-creation on Greenhouse 3. . . .
#6 2 finds him/her/itself inserted into 6's continuity. As far as anyone other than 2 or 6 is concerned, they've always been there. What role would 2 be presumed to have had in 6's story, and could they fit in without going wonky?
Alternatively, 1 finds him/her/itself inserted into 6's continuity.
Victor finds himself inserted into Agatha’s continuity. That’s not as hard as it sounds, as they’re both from vaguely Victorian worlds. Victor would be one of those hapless bystanders that get swept up in Agatha’s story – maybe a Mechanicsburger? Hey, maybe Emily’s a construct in this world! Or a resurrection gone wrong! Hmmmm. . . .
Alternatively, it’s Alice in Agatha’s world. Again, Victorian era for both, so it’s a good fit. Alice would be a Castle Heterodyne prisoner. And very skilled at evading traps. I see her as a kitchen minion, given her love of butcher knives. Maybe she makes mushroom dishes that allow her to shrink and grow. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if they showed up in Girl Genius.
#7 3 and 5 get three wishes. The catch is that they have to agree on all three wishes before they get the benefits of any of them. What three wishes would they make?
Alternatively, 3 and 7 get the three wishes.
Clara and Doc get three wishes. Given that they’re husband and wife, getting them to agree would be easy. I think they’d wish for a long life together, to meet Jules Verne, and to avoid all time paradoxes. Though the latter might mean giving up the time machines – let’s hope it doesn’t!
Alternatively, it’s Clara and Neville who get the three wishes. I don’t think they’d have much trouble agreeing either, Neville’s a pretty sweet kid. They’d wish for long, healthy lives, their families to be safe from harm for good, and a chance to discover something amazing (Clara in her astronomy, Neville in his Herbeology.)
#8 1 and 2 are brainwashed by a one-time artifact that works even on people immune to mind control to attack and kill 4. They keep their normal personality, skills and competence level, except any Code vs. Killing has been turned off. Can 4 survive? How?
Alternatively, 6 and 3 are brainwashed to attack and kill 1. Can 1 survive? How?
Alice and Victor are brainwashed to attack and kill Rincewind. Well, Victor is fairly shy and not really a fighter, though he handles a fork well. Alice, though, is quite skilled at killing. Rincewind, however, would survive. How? Simple. He’s the favored of Lady Luck. As a result, it’s near impossible to kill the guy. Not even DEATH knows when he’ll die! So, yeah, he’ll run away and live to run away another day.
Alternatively, it’s Agatha and Clara brainwashed to attack and kill Alice. Now, like I said, Alice is quite skilled at killing, and she’s a survivor. Clara doesn’t bring much to the party from what I see, besides nasty shin-kicking. Though, maybe, if pushed. . . . Agatha, though she’s never killed, DOES have a thing for death rays. I think it comes down to how quickly Alice can dodge and if she can take out Agatha before Agatha takes out her. She’s got a chance, but it’s an iffy one.
#9 6, 7, 9 & 10 must help an orphanage full of small and depressed children have a merry Christmas. Who does what, knowing that at the very least the kids will be expecting a visit from Santa?
Alternatively, it’s 1, 6, 7, and 9 pressed into Christmas service.
Christmas Team A is Agatha, Neville, The Mad Hatter, and Eskarina. Since I cannot see the Mad Hatter pulling off Santa in this form, I think Neville takes over that role. Agatha and Hatter would make toys and maybe a mechanical sleigh for Santa Neville to arrive in, while Esk would entertain the kids with magic. Fun for the whole family!
Christmas Team B is Alice, Agatha, Neville, and the Mad Hatter. Again, Neville plays Santa while Agatha and Hatter make the toys and the sleigh. Alice, though, would end up reading to the children, I think. Or playing with them. After making sure she hasn’t brought her special toys along.
#10 3 and 8 are challenged to circumnavigate the Earth in eighty days or less, using only forms of transportation invented before 1900. Can they do it, or will they be fatally distracted by sidequests or their own personality conflicts?
Alternatively, it’s 3 and 10 doing the challenge.
Clara and Mell are the first couple to attempt it. Clara’s familiar with pre-1900 transportation, but honestly? They’re not doing it. Mell has NO sense of direction, and she and Clara probably wouldn’t get along at ALL. I predict their balloon crashes in the Alps after Mell shoots it for some reason.
Clara and Esk are the second couple to attempt. I think they’d do a bit better. They’d mesh better, anyway – Clara would probably teach Esk all sorts of stuff along the way. And Esk has the ability to use both wizard and witch magic, which should definitely be helpful. So yeah, I’d give them much better odds to make it.
-M: Didn't you already do this one?-
Yeah, but I didn't know about the alternate combos, and it is a new list of characters. Why not?
Other thing of note -- in honor of October being, basically, Halloween month, I've started a new game of American McGee's Alice. And this time, I'm on Medium. Yeah, I know, big whoop, but for me it is -- I'm the kind of person who tries to play on Easy whenever possible. I've already died quite a lot. Yet, I feel strangely chipper for having played it. *scratches head* Should I be worried?
-VD: Let's not talk about that.-
-MHG: *glee* I get two?-
Three, technically -- George has a canonical birthdate, and it's not Crispin Glover's.
-MHG: *preens* Pay your respects, everyone!-
-WRM: Be careful, you'll get a swelled head and float away.-
-HD: Oh, we can just pop it with the butter knife.-
-MHG: You keep away from me.-
Anyway, here's a meme from Ael:
Instructions: List 10 different fictional characters from any fandom/s you like, number them 1 to 10 in any order you like, and don't peek at the questions until you're done. Then, answer the following questions. (There are two "sets" of questions in which the numbers are different, but you don't have to answer both "sets".)
I combined the two sets, so most of the questions have an alternate thing. Enjoy!
1. Alice Liddel (American McGee’s Alice)
2. Victor Van Dort (Corpse Bride)
3. Clara Clayton (Back To The Future)
4. Rincewind (Discworld)
5. Doc Brown (Back To The Future)
6. Agatha Heterodyne (Girl Genius)
7. Neville Longbottom (Harry Potter)
8. Mell Kelly (Narbonic)
9. The Mad Hatter (American McGee’s Alice)
10. Eskarina Smith (Discworld)
#1 Divide the list up by even and odd. Which group of five would make a better Five Man Band (like a Power Rangers team)? Who would you slot in each position: Leader, Lancer (second-in-command), Big Guy, Smart Guy, The Chick? If you think the team would be improved by swapping one character between the even and odd groups, which ones would you switch?
Team A: Alice, Clara, Doc, Neville, The Mad Hatter
Team B: Victor, Rincewind, Agatha, Mell, Eskarina
Team A would definitely make the better Five Man Band. Although Team B has some strong players in the girls, shy Victor and cowardly Rincewind drag them down a bit. Though Victor is willing to stand up for those he loves and Rincewind DOES get into heroic situations often by accident. . . . Anyway:
Team A:
Leader: Alice. When you’ve got that many deadly toys on hand, you don’t get arguments. Not to mention her “Red Queen” side. . . .
Lancer: Neville. He’s loyal, brave, smart, and has a green thumb many would envy. Don’t forget who beheaded Voldie’s snake!
Big Guy: The Mad Hatter. Although he’d make a good Smart Guy, the insanity thing puts him here. He’s a fairly good fighter, anyway, with toxic tea and finger missiles.
Smart Guy: Doc. He’s incredibly smart and has access to a time machine. Plus, unlike Hatter, he’s (relatively) sane.
Chick: Clara. She’s perfectly competent, but given that’s she’s also a fairly normal human, she ends up here.
Team B:
Leader: Agatha. She’s a Heterodyne, which makes her the naturally-commanding type. Not to mention the Spark, which makes her a default Smart Guy.
Lancer: Eskarina. Tough and intelligent, if young. Only nine in the books. Though we’re probably going with an older version here.
Big Guy: Mell. If you’ve seen this woman and her guns, you’ll know this is the best place for her.
Smart Guy: Um. . . . Rincewind, I suppose. He’s a failed wizard, but still, there’s got to be something he knows.
Chick: Victor, though, really, Rincewind could qualify here too. Both their default responses is to run from danger, even if it doesn’t work.
I don’t know if switching a person will help either team, given that one team’s pretty well-balanced while the other has two Chicks. (Who are both male. What are the odds?) So let’s keep them the way they are.
#2 Gender-swap 2, 8 & 10. Which character would have the most change in their story arc? Which the least? Would any of these characters have to have a complete personality change to be believable as the opposite sex?
Alternatively, genderswap 5 instead of 2.
We’re gender-swapping Victor, Doc, Mell, and Esk. Esk would definitely have the most change in her story arc, given that there wouldn’t even BE one if she wasn’t a girl. Her book, “Equal Rites,” deals with the fact that a girl isn’t supposed to get the wizard powers she got. If she’d been a boy – no problem! The least would go to Mell, who would probably be psychotic, gun-obsessed, and an aspiring Mad Science Lawyer even if she were a boy.
As for personality changes – I don’t think so. Like I said, Mell would probably be the same, and I can’t see Victor or Doc changing. Maybe Esk, since a male version would have been raised much differently.
#3 Compare the matchups of 1 & 8 and 5 & 9. (Ignore canon sexual preferences for the moment.) Which couple would be more compatible? Which couple would be more plausible to people from either principal's home culture?
Alternatively, compare the matchups of 5 & 8 and 2 & 9.
First set of matchups is Alice & Mell and Doc & The Mad Hatter. Those are disturbingly good matchups, at least friendship-wise. I’m not sure which one would be more compatible – they both seem to have the same dynamic of “slightly less looney person plus very looney person who share an interest or trait.” In Alice and Mell’s case, that’s weaponry and fighting; in Doc and Hatter’s, that invention. Then again, Alice is a little more twisted than Doc, so she’d probably get along better with Mell. Doc would only get along with Hatter if he was post-game reformed. As for more plausible, Alice and Mell again, since Mell’s from the modern day. I’m sure Helen and Dave could see Mell hooking up with Alice.
Second set of matchups is Doc & Mell and Victor & The Mad Hatter. I’d say Doc and Mell is the more compatible one, simply because Victor would be utterly TERRIFIED of Hatter. Doc’s a mad scientist, I’m sure he’ll figure out how to handle Mell. As for more plausible, Doc and Mell again, since Victorian England wasn’t exactly open to homosexual relationships. Though I can’t really see Marty and Jennifer or Helen and Dave quite understanding Doc and Mell.
#4 Your team is 3, 4 & 9. The mission consists of a social challenge, a mental challenge and a physical challenge. Which team member do you assign to each challenge?
Alternatively, your team is 3, 4 & 6.
Team One is Clara, Rincewind, and the Mad Hatter. Clara gets the social challenge – she’s a schoolteacher, she has to have experience handling people. Hatter gets the mental challenge, being an insane genius and all. Rincewind gets the physical challenge, and his skill at running from things should carry him through.
Team Two is Clara, Rincewind, and Agatha. There’s actually very little change, as Sparky Agatha would definitely get the mental challenge, leaving Clara and Rincewind with their originals. Huh.
#5 7 becomes 1's boss for a week in some plausible fashion. How's their working relationship?
Alternatively, 7 becomes 5's boss for a week.
Neville becomes Alice’s boss for a week. Perhaps she wants lessons on how to control those thorn-spitting roses and enrolls for a Herbeology course at Hogwarts. I think they’d get along okay – Neville knows about dangerous plants, and I’m sure he’d be happy to teach Alice. And Alice is a polite Victorian girl (mostly) who’d want to learn.
Alternatively, Neville becomes Doc’s boss. I’d really see that the other way around. . . . Again, though, Doc probably took a Herbeology course. I can really see them getting along – Doc would probably encourage Neville to do more experiments with their plants. And then they release a kudzu-creation on Greenhouse 3. . . .
#6 2 finds him/her/itself inserted into 6's continuity. As far as anyone other than 2 or 6 is concerned, they've always been there. What role would 2 be presumed to have had in 6's story, and could they fit in without going wonky?
Alternatively, 1 finds him/her/itself inserted into 6's continuity.
Victor finds himself inserted into Agatha’s continuity. That’s not as hard as it sounds, as they’re both from vaguely Victorian worlds. Victor would be one of those hapless bystanders that get swept up in Agatha’s story – maybe a Mechanicsburger? Hey, maybe Emily’s a construct in this world! Or a resurrection gone wrong! Hmmmm. . . .
Alternatively, it’s Alice in Agatha’s world. Again, Victorian era for both, so it’s a good fit. Alice would be a Castle Heterodyne prisoner. And very skilled at evading traps. I see her as a kitchen minion, given her love of butcher knives. Maybe she makes mushroom dishes that allow her to shrink and grow. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if they showed up in Girl Genius.
#7 3 and 5 get three wishes. The catch is that they have to agree on all three wishes before they get the benefits of any of them. What three wishes would they make?
Alternatively, 3 and 7 get the three wishes.
Clara and Doc get three wishes. Given that they’re husband and wife, getting them to agree would be easy. I think they’d wish for a long life together, to meet Jules Verne, and to avoid all time paradoxes. Though the latter might mean giving up the time machines – let’s hope it doesn’t!
Alternatively, it’s Clara and Neville who get the three wishes. I don’t think they’d have much trouble agreeing either, Neville’s a pretty sweet kid. They’d wish for long, healthy lives, their families to be safe from harm for good, and a chance to discover something amazing (Clara in her astronomy, Neville in his Herbeology.)
#8 1 and 2 are brainwashed by a one-time artifact that works even on people immune to mind control to attack and kill 4. They keep their normal personality, skills and competence level, except any Code vs. Killing has been turned off. Can 4 survive? How?
Alternatively, 6 and 3 are brainwashed to attack and kill 1. Can 1 survive? How?
Alice and Victor are brainwashed to attack and kill Rincewind. Well, Victor is fairly shy and not really a fighter, though he handles a fork well. Alice, though, is quite skilled at killing. Rincewind, however, would survive. How? Simple. He’s the favored of Lady Luck. As a result, it’s near impossible to kill the guy. Not even DEATH knows when he’ll die! So, yeah, he’ll run away and live to run away another day.
Alternatively, it’s Agatha and Clara brainwashed to attack and kill Alice. Now, like I said, Alice is quite skilled at killing, and she’s a survivor. Clara doesn’t bring much to the party from what I see, besides nasty shin-kicking. Though, maybe, if pushed. . . . Agatha, though she’s never killed, DOES have a thing for death rays. I think it comes down to how quickly Alice can dodge and if she can take out Agatha before Agatha takes out her. She’s got a chance, but it’s an iffy one.
#9 6, 7, 9 & 10 must help an orphanage full of small and depressed children have a merry Christmas. Who does what, knowing that at the very least the kids will be expecting a visit from Santa?
Alternatively, it’s 1, 6, 7, and 9 pressed into Christmas service.
Christmas Team A is Agatha, Neville, The Mad Hatter, and Eskarina. Since I cannot see the Mad Hatter pulling off Santa in this form, I think Neville takes over that role. Agatha and Hatter would make toys and maybe a mechanical sleigh for Santa Neville to arrive in, while Esk would entertain the kids with magic. Fun for the whole family!
Christmas Team B is Alice, Agatha, Neville, and the Mad Hatter. Again, Neville plays Santa while Agatha and Hatter make the toys and the sleigh. Alice, though, would end up reading to the children, I think. Or playing with them. After making sure she hasn’t brought her special toys along.
#10 3 and 8 are challenged to circumnavigate the Earth in eighty days or less, using only forms of transportation invented before 1900. Can they do it, or will they be fatally distracted by sidequests or their own personality conflicts?
Alternatively, it’s 3 and 10 doing the challenge.
Clara and Mell are the first couple to attempt it. Clara’s familiar with pre-1900 transportation, but honestly? They’re not doing it. Mell has NO sense of direction, and she and Clara probably wouldn’t get along at ALL. I predict their balloon crashes in the Alps after Mell shoots it for some reason.
Clara and Esk are the second couple to attempt. I think they’d do a bit better. They’d mesh better, anyway – Clara would probably teach Esk all sorts of stuff along the way. And Esk has the ability to use both wizard and witch magic, which should definitely be helpful. So yeah, I’d give them much better odds to make it.
-M: Didn't you already do this one?-
Yeah, but I didn't know about the alternate combos, and it is a new list of characters. Why not?
Other thing of note -- in honor of October being, basically, Halloween month, I've started a new game of American McGee's Alice. And this time, I'm on Medium. Yeah, I know, big whoop, but for me it is -- I'm the kind of person who tries to play on Easy whenever possible. I've already died quite a lot. Yet, I feel strangely chipper for having played it. *scratches head* Should I be worried?
-VD: Let's not talk about that.-
