Helo/Athena shipper love post
Jan. 19th, 2007 10:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dangermousieFirst reactions to Hana Yori Dango 2 ep 3 are out and you have no idea of the willpower I have to exercise in order not to click on them. Yeah, Hanadan love has turned me somewhat spoiler free? Will miracles ever cease?
But that is not the post about that. This post is about one of my huge non-drama OTPs.
Helo and Athena (otherwise known as Karl Agathon and Sharon Valerii) in Battlestar Galactica.
I know Kara/Lee is most viewers’ ship of choice, but not me. I can squee over K/L in eps like ‘Unfinished Business’ but Helo/Athena is my one REAL otp for BSG. (Also, as far as Kara shipping, I generally I prefer Kara/Anders).
I mean, I mean, I mean.
It hits all my OTP kinks. Korean dramas have got nothing on the star-crossedness and angst of those two.
Let’s start with the species. Even though Sharon looks human, she is not. She is a Cylon, a sentient robot. Helo? A human military pilot. Problem Number 1.
Did I mention the fact that Cylons and Humans are mortal enemies? When BSG opens, Cylons just launched a nuclear attack on the human worlds, wiping most of them out? Yeah. Picture THAT family reunion. Problem Number 2.
How about the fact that Helo first meets Athena when he is stranded on a post-nuked planet, on the run from the Cylons hunting him? And that she looks exactly like another copy, a ‘Sharon Valerii’ whom he served with and whom he liked for ages? And that he thinks it’s that Sharon, and that he doesn’t know she isn’t human? Problem Number 3.
And Cylons stage a fake kidnap and he goes to rescue her even though he is alone and it’s hopeless, because he won’t leave her behind? And there is comforting and hair kissing? Except she is supposed to trap him and use him like a rat lab in a maze in order to further weird Cylon cross-breeding experiments, but she falls in love with him and goes rogue and now they are being hunted by everyone? Problem Number 4.
And then he finds out she is a Cylon. And he freaks and he knows it’s insane, but he loves her anyway. And she comes back for him, and gets him off the planet. Only to take her to a ship full of humans who hate her and imprison her (understandably so, the ‘Sharon’ on the ship shot the Commander point-blank and they hate Cylons in general) so for a year they can only talk on the phone, through a thick Plexiglas? Problem Number 5.
And she betrays her whole species for him and he refuses to give her up or hide his love even though he’s ostracized and he won’t give up when she refuses to interact with him at all after the President makes Helo and Athena believe their baby is dead? And they overcome it and get married and she is commissioned an officer but she finds out her child is alive and in Cylon hands. Problem Number 6.
So far, Athena is the only one to truly overcome programming, to develop real free will, isn’t she? GUUUH. Love. And Helo stands by her no matter what and they both have paid in full to the other for sacrifices they made for each other. There is kissing, there is making out, and protecting (mutual) and crying, and angst and fighting together and even my pet thing of huge guy tiny girl.
So yeah. Impossible and totally committed and very hot? Sign me up.
1. The scene in the ep when Helo has prevented humans from committing genocide on the Cylons. He is talking to Athena, freaking out he’ll be taken away, and he says, matter of factly, in conversation, that the thing he loves seeing more than anything in the morning is her face. Did I mention the kissing in that ep?
2. Helo (and Tyrol) rushing to rescue Sharon from being gang-raped. And Helo going berserk. And then later talking to Tyrol (they both know they’ll be executed) about how he knows it’s insane he loves a machine, he knows it’s all messed up, but he can’t help it.
3. When they are both in uniforms in S3 and she promises him she won’t betray the uniform and there is kissing.
4. When President Roslin decides Sharon’s baby should be aborted *cringe* and as they are taking her to the medbay, Helo appears, and he has a gun (!!!!) and even though it’s hopeless as marines are there, he will try anyway, to take her away, to protect her. And he pleads with Adama to let him take Sharon away somewhere.
5. The Fighting Agathons. Heeeee.
6. When Helo and Sharon make love in the woods in S1. And he tells her about always liking her, and she tells him about preferring him.
7. When Helo goes off to rescue Sharon, on the planet, even though he’s alone and wounded and terrified. I think that is when she really falls for him. And there is rescuing and kissing and comforting and GUUUUH. It’s probably my favorite scene.
8. Helo and Sharon joking with each other on Kobol. The banter and the cuteness. Even though the situation is so dire. I love it.
9. When they are asleep in that loft in S1, all curled up around each other.
10. Helo, so utterly absorbed in Sharon and no one else at the briefing at the end of S2, after she’s lost the baby. Or the giddiness over their kid. Yeah, it’s 11 but whatever. Or when she gets her call sign. Yeah, yeah, let’s make it an even dozen.
Previous Helo/Sharon picspam I did.
But that is not the post about that. This post is about one of my huge non-drama OTPs.
Helo and Athena (otherwise known as Karl Agathon and Sharon Valerii) in Battlestar Galactica.
I know Kara/Lee is most viewers’ ship of choice, but not me. I can squee over K/L in eps like ‘Unfinished Business’ but Helo/Athena is my one REAL otp for BSG. (Also, as far as Kara shipping, I generally I prefer Kara/Anders).
I mean, I mean, I mean.
It hits all my OTP kinks. Korean dramas have got nothing on the star-crossedness and angst of those two.
Let’s start with the species. Even though Sharon looks human, she is not. She is a Cylon, a sentient robot. Helo? A human military pilot. Problem Number 1.
Did I mention the fact that Cylons and Humans are mortal enemies? When BSG opens, Cylons just launched a nuclear attack on the human worlds, wiping most of them out? Yeah. Picture THAT family reunion. Problem Number 2.
How about the fact that Helo first meets Athena when he is stranded on a post-nuked planet, on the run from the Cylons hunting him? And that she looks exactly like another copy, a ‘Sharon Valerii’ whom he served with and whom he liked for ages? And that he thinks it’s that Sharon, and that he doesn’t know she isn’t human? Problem Number 3.
And Cylons stage a fake kidnap and he goes to rescue her even though he is alone and it’s hopeless, because he won’t leave her behind? And there is comforting and hair kissing? Except she is supposed to trap him and use him like a rat lab in a maze in order to further weird Cylon cross-breeding experiments, but she falls in love with him and goes rogue and now they are being hunted by everyone? Problem Number 4.
And then he finds out she is a Cylon. And he freaks and he knows it’s insane, but he loves her anyway. And she comes back for him, and gets him off the planet. Only to take her to a ship full of humans who hate her and imprison her (understandably so, the ‘Sharon’ on the ship shot the Commander point-blank and they hate Cylons in general) so for a year they can only talk on the phone, through a thick Plexiglas? Problem Number 5.
And she betrays her whole species for him and he refuses to give her up or hide his love even though he’s ostracized and he won’t give up when she refuses to interact with him at all after the President makes Helo and Athena believe their baby is dead? And they overcome it and get married and she is commissioned an officer but she finds out her child is alive and in Cylon hands. Problem Number 6.
So far, Athena is the only one to truly overcome programming, to develop real free will, isn’t she? GUUUH. Love. And Helo stands by her no matter what and they both have paid in full to the other for sacrifices they made for each other. There is kissing, there is making out, and protecting (mutual) and crying, and angst and fighting together and even my pet thing of huge guy tiny girl.
So yeah. Impossible and totally committed and very hot? Sign me up.
1. The scene in the ep when Helo has prevented humans from committing genocide on the Cylons. He is talking to Athena, freaking out he’ll be taken away, and he says, matter of factly, in conversation, that the thing he loves seeing more than anything in the morning is her face. Did I mention the kissing in that ep?
2. Helo (and Tyrol) rushing to rescue Sharon from being gang-raped. And Helo going berserk. And then later talking to Tyrol (they both know they’ll be executed) about how he knows it’s insane he loves a machine, he knows it’s all messed up, but he can’t help it.
3. When they are both in uniforms in S3 and she promises him she won’t betray the uniform and there is kissing.
4. When President Roslin decides Sharon’s baby should be aborted *cringe* and as they are taking her to the medbay, Helo appears, and he has a gun (!!!!) and even though it’s hopeless as marines are there, he will try anyway, to take her away, to protect her. And he pleads with Adama to let him take Sharon away somewhere.
5. The Fighting Agathons. Heeeee.
6. When Helo and Sharon make love in the woods in S1. And he tells her about always liking her, and she tells him about preferring him.
7. When Helo goes off to rescue Sharon, on the planet, even though he’s alone and wounded and terrified. I think that is when she really falls for him. And there is rescuing and kissing and comforting and GUUUUH. It’s probably my favorite scene.
8. Helo and Sharon joking with each other on Kobol. The banter and the cuteness. Even though the situation is so dire. I love it.
9. When they are asleep in that loft in S1, all curled up around each other.
10. Helo, so utterly absorbed in Sharon and no one else at the briefing at the end of S2, after she’s lost the baby. Or the giddiness over their kid. Yeah, it’s 11 but whatever. Or when she gets her call sign. Yeah, yeah, let’s make it an even dozen.
Previous Helo/Sharon picspam I did.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 04:03 pm (UTC)You and I share some kinks. Hee.
Not to be totally self-centered or anything, but have you seen my Helo/Sharon vid to Chasing Cars?
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 04:20 pm (UTC)Haven't seen it but would love to.
Links?
Please? :)
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 04:55 pm (UTC)Chasing Cars on imeem
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 05:01 pm (UTC)The end.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 05:03 pm (UTC)Thank you. :D
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 04:06 pm (UTC)So, her name was Athena, but they call her Sharon becasue she was an exact copy of the other "Sharon" that they knew? And what happened with their baby? Did they ever find it? Hmm, maybe I need to watch this show. Everyone I know who watches, loves it.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 04:19 pm (UTC)OK, the "Athena" and "Helo" are their callsigns as they are both military pilots. Helo's had his since the very beginning, since when we first meet him, he's in the Colonial Fleet. His real name is Karl Agathon but almost no one calls him that.
When we first meet Athena (who is actually one of Number 8 models who all look the same), Helo thinks that she is 'Sharon Valerii' because another Number 8 model was serving with him (they flew together) and he didn't know she was a Cylon (that model didn't know it herself as she was a sleeper agent), and that was that model's 'name.' So Athena goes by Sharon, and even after the truth is found out, that sticks because she doesn't have any other name (in fact, that's sort of an informal thing. All models of the same type are referred to by the same name). But when she is formally commissioned in the fleet in S3 (after earning the trust of the Commander), she needs a callsign, so they pick Athena.
Re: Baby. Basically, she gives birth to the human-cylon hybrid (something Cylons are very interested in, for some reason). But the President is afraid of the baby and of it being a target and she doesn't trust Athena, so she gets the doctor to fake the baby's death and gives it to a human woman to raise. Helo and Athena and everyone except the President and the Doctor think the baby died. But during one of Cylon attacks (long story) they find the kid and take it. And at the end of ep 3.10, Athena and Helo find out that the baby is alive and in Cylon hands (one of the Cylons tells her, hopeing to get her to come back to their side). They are obviously mad and distraught and want it back, but I have no idea what they are going to do about it.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 07:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 07:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 04:11 pm (UTC)Bob
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 04:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 04:42 pm (UTC)They're so HOT. And Helo has this dignity and unshakable faith about his love for Sharon that takes me to a HAPPY PLACE.
Oh, SQUEE SQUEE SQUEE
Yep, I have nothing useful to say, only lots of ♥ to share.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 04:54 pm (UTC)They're so HOT.
They just have this perfectly chiseled face look going on. I bet the Cylons wanted the baby in order to study how to make hot kids :D
Helo has this dignity and unshakable faith about his love for Sharon that takes me to a HAPPY PLACE
I know. I love it. I love how he understands that it's odd and impossible and all, but he never doubts the rightness of his feelings.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 07:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 07:54 pm (UTC)Love the icon, btw!
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 08:09 pm (UTC)The same with Helo's choice not to kill all the cylons. I know there was a huge amount of criticism for that (rightfully), but it is an choice made from a purely ethical standpoint. I don't think it's about Athena or the relationship, more a horror of decisions which will rebound upon the human race. Of course, there are plenty of reasons to think this was a foolish/morally wrong decision...
Sharon/Boomer in all her incarnations is one of my favourite characters. The fact that she is always on the royal road to doom doesn't hurt.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 01:02 am (UTC)And the whole crazy angst potential and sheer 'against everything' aspect really reels me in.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 08:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 09:30 am (UTC)There is kissing, there is making out, and protecting (mutual) and crying, and angst and fighting together and even my pet thing of huge guy tiny girl.
So yeah. Impossible and totally committed and very hot? Sign me up.
Er, GP is slightly built, I'll give you that, but she's way too tall to be considered tiny. Except possibly in relation to TP. Just as well, really. If they'd cast an actress as short as, say, Kandyse McClure, it would've made shooting scenes a visual challenge. Given that KM doesn't even come up to TP's shoulder. I like GP just fine, but I hope the next female Cylon revealed is short. Three, Eight, and Six are all tall, but of the male Cylons, only Leoben and Simon are in the medium-to-tall range, and both Doral and Cavil are short. Of course, if the next Cylon revealed is Billy, that would skew the male average pretty nicely.
Mutual protection hits my buttons, too. Neither one of them could be considered to fall into a conventional damsel in distress role. As circumstances shift, so does the danger level, and their ability to protect each other.
And neither one of them dominates the relationship. They seem to take turns making the tough decisions and being the supportive back-up to the 'tough decider.' After S1, it would've been very easy for the writers to fall into the trap of making SHaron the brains and guile of the operation and Helo just her lovestruck puppy dog who's handy with a gun (and to some extent, they did play it that way in S2.0, but they backtracked from that set-up. Possibly one of the only positive character/relationship choices made by Moore & Co. in S2.5). But both characters have opportunities to take weighty decisions that AREN'T solely about their relationship, but about much bigger moral issues. And they both take those opportunities thoughtfully, and they balance each other out.
I'm usually all about the internal conflict in ships, but there's so much internal conflict built into their very situation that I don't need extra by way of childhood issues or dead fiancees. Their situation is inherently dramatic such that no matter how emotionally healthy their relationship is (and they probably have the most emotionally healthy relationship on the show), keeping the relationship going will always require a delicate balance of opposing forces. I mean, the whole Cylon v. human issue will never GO AWAY, though it may be less of a problem in certain situations.
My problem shipping characters who are kept apart by external conflicts (at least in TV ships, rather than movies with a definite end) is that once those conflicts are resolved, writers must resort to ever more byzantine and soapy plot contortions to keep new conflicts coming and thus keep up the drama. Not a problem here. Even if they live happily ever after there will be all kinds of daily challenges. Hence the reassuringness of the total commitment, and the solidity of their bond. Anything less than a strong, mutually supportive, extremely committed, deeply in love relationship would be impossible to continue under the circumstances. Their relationship helps them both function, and thus makes the externals slightly less oppressive and impossible and doom-y. Kinda funny that the Cylon and the former redshirt have the best relationship on the show, but it's the only way the ship works, and is plausible to the viewers.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 04:06 pm (UTC)I am exhausted so I'll comment on this more fully later, but wanted to say I agreed with every word. I get tired of contrived drama and here there is plenty of drama outside the relationship to make the relationship itself interesting and yet not break the couple apart for dumb reasons.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 09:48 am (UTC)I think it worked BECAUSE it was matter-of-fact. A weighty reading of that line could've easily crossed over into sappiness. He just mentions it in passing because it's a given.
Don't forget the marital lust in that ep, quite apart from the kissing. Which suggests that they have a healthy sex life, and a fun one to boot. The bit with her going straight for his belt made me laugh, because she's so goal-oriented and practical in this as in everything else. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so of COURSE she wants to get his pants off as efficiently as possible.
Another thing I love about that convo (much as the ep itself may irritate me) is that Helo didn't do it for her. In fact, his decision increased the risk that they'd be forcibly separated, and also the chances that she'd be tarred as a traitor along with him, despite her lack of involvement. But he did it anyway, because he had to. It was a moral and philosophical decision, not a romantic one. Just staying away from the questionableness of the decision (and most of its questionableness - is that a word? - seems to stem from writerly laziness in the PLOT part of the ep), it wasn't about SHaron. It was about his principles and his worldview.
Just like as with Sharon, Helo may have been the catalyst for her decision to commit herself totally to the Colonial cause, but he's not the only factor there (of course, with the discovery of Hera, all bets are off re: Sharon's continued loyalty). It's similar to Dr Sara's decision to leave the door unlocked in Prison Break. She didn't do it because she had the hots for Michael (in fact, she was pretty furious with him at the time), she did it because she believed she'd be collaborating at a gross miscarriage of justice if she didn't. It wasn't about Michael, it was about Lincoln, with whom she has much less emotional involvement.
6. When Helo and Sharon make love in the woods in S1. And he tells her about always liking her, and she tells him about preferring him.
Hmmm, I've watched that scene a few (dozen) times since it aired, and I don't know exactly what you mean by her telling him she prefers him.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 04:04 pm (UTC)But yes, I loved that in the virus ep, for Helo it really was about his beliefs, his moral views. They were the ones that allowed him to love Sharon after finding out who she was, and they were the ones which turned him against genocide. Being with her solidified it (because if she is a being with a soul, so are the rest of them) but you are right, he didn't do it for her and I love it.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-09 03:35 am (UTC)If anyone has suggestions for fanfics of this couple I would build a shrine to you and mow your lawn on the weekend.LOL
Helo and Sharon make me squee. Thrilled to know I'm not the only one who feels that way.
-Ellie
no subject
Date: 2007-04-09 04:15 am (UTC)Links
Date: 2007-04-09 09:17 pm (UTC)-Ellie
Re: Links
Date: 2007-04-10 02:32 am (UTC)