My Top 5 Meta for 2012

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

For my very first post to this community I wanted to list some of my favorite Buffyverse meta essays of the year.  Fiction seems to be the overwhelming fan vehicle of choice, at least here on LJ/DW, but it was meta essays that pulled me into this fandom.  These are by no means "the best" of the year (my full list would be closer to 10 or 11 essays), but represent some that are my touchstones for this 'verse and it's fandom:

"Rules of Engagement: Violence and Hyperreality in the Buffyverse"  by  lostboy_lj  may be my "if you only read one meta from 2012" choice. Why Buffy and Spike's relationship in S6 is not directly analogous to abusive relationships in RL, using "Smashed" as it's focal point.

"Buffy, the Vampire Slayer vs Buffy the Vampire Slayer"  by  beer_good_foamy.  Most post-modernist thinky-thoughts; how the show's title represents the central problem of the narrative for it's titular protagonist, and how Buffy resolves her dilemma in "Chosen".

"Word of Willow: "Witch", Mirrors, and Mommy Issues"   by  local_max.  What I hope to be the first of several Willow-centric essays from someone who has plumbed the depths of Willow's character more thoroughly and compassionately than any fan I know of.

"Warren Mears"   by  itsnotmymind.  Draws parallels between Warren, Faith and Spike, how they mirror, intertwine and intersect thematically and within the story itself, and what they represent re: Buffy's psychology. Wonderfully complex.

"Where Did I Go? A Farewell to the Buffybot"  by  mcjulie.  One of the few essays I've seen in these parts about one of the Buffyverse's most memorable characters.  (While I'm here, I'll note that  mcjulie  has also taken on the awesome task of continuing the  "Episode Polls"  and discussion where  gabrielleabelle  left off, starting with S5's "Tough Love". Especially recommended is her poll and meta commentary on  "The Gift".)

Also posted on Dreamwidt http://buffyversetop5.dreamwidth.org/329742.html

Comments

[kikimay]

Wonderful choices!

[yourlibrarian]

Great to see a meta list!

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

Great list! I had several of these on my list, and now I can just kick back and read the one or two I missed. Thanks!

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thanks, y'all! I've been dying to see more recognition for meta works, so I figured I might as well. It killed me because to do "five" I had to leave off at least three others. I'll probably post them on my own site. I hope other folks add meta link posts because I'm always up for more buffyverse analysis.

I notice that this community has a DW site as well. As I have a DW account should I copy-paste to there, or should I have posted there and let it cross post to LJ?

Also, I noticed i couldn't add tags when I posted but they are there now, so I assume that the mods/admins do that after reviewing the post? If so, thanks muchly.

[spuffy-luvr.livejournal.com]

Maybe you could list some of the others you wanted to include in the comments?

Nice category!

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

And much needed - everything I find with this fandom in terms of fan works (in this corner of it anyway) is fiction-oriented - well, duh, that's the majority of output. And on the other hand, some of the academic (Whedon studies) sites are way over my head and then I get into a self-loathing insecure mode so....the meta around here is more my speed. And it needs love and support.

I'd love to see more people do the sort of thing that you did with your Spike canon vs fanon one (http://spuffy-luvr.livejournal.com/6457.html), with other aspects of the series. gabrielleabelle would sometimes do ones like that to make a point about what percentage of the show any given character took up (screen time, etc) and I'm not one to do charts but I appreciate when other people do.

Maybe you could list some of the others you wanted to include in the comments?

I was about to do that but for a couple of days I couldn't reply to this or any comments on this LJ - but ONLY this one, for some reason; my keyboard seemed like it was broken. Everything seems ok now - and it gave me time to collect a few more metas so I'm going to add a couple of more meta posts.

[snogged.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the Willow link!
I adore Willow as a character and look forward to reading the meta.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

You'll love local_max's writings, then. He really makes me think about Willow and Tara's dynamic (and Willow and Buffy's) in ways I hadn't before. Have you read 2maggie2's episode reviews (http://2maggie2.livejournal.com/?skip=40&tag=notes)? I meant to add in my post that he's a co-contributor to those.

And at the risk of a bit of self-pimpage, he contributed some really interesting analysis in the convo thread of my Dopplegangers meta (http://red-satin-doll.livejournal.com/5173.html). the meta was about Xander but he contributed some fantastic analysis of Willow/Tara's relationship that really is a meta in it's own right.

[lynnenne]

I'll note that mcjulie has also taken on the awesome task of continuing the "Episode Polls" and discussion where gabrielleabelle left off, starting with S5's "Tough Love".

Really? I had no idea! Thanks for linking those. I will go and check them out.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

You are welcome always happy to be of service! I'd love to see more participation there

[shapinglight]

Thanks for the links. That first one blew me away when I first read it.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

You're welcome - it blew me away too (and still does on re-read). Actually all of his metas are worth a read whether I agree with him or not. And I often agree and disagree with him, sometimes violently, and in equal proportion, especially in his responses in the convo threads. But I always find his analysis readable and provocative.

If you liked the one I linked to, check out his analysis (http://lostboy-lj.livejournal.com/35436.html) of Buffy and Holden Webster's scene in CWDP as part of his Monsters of BtVS series - it spells out exactly what that interaction achieves (it's under the section about "Ted" which has a kind of unpleasant close-up of Ted's face ripped half off to reveal the robot beneath so - forewarned and all that jazz.) And his meta on Buffy's *ahem* spiritual "orgasm" in Chosen is worth it just for the screencaps of SMG even if I don't agree 100% (i commented when I first read it and I do suspect I'd alter my comments slightly.)

I'd say those first three I listed are pretty firmly among my all-time favorites - it was after that it got harder. (Especially once i realized that several of my favorites are actually from 2011 and earlier.)

Wednesday, January 9

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User oni_9 referenced to your post from Wednesday, January 9 (http://su-herald.livejournal.com/632201.html) saying: [...] [Fandom Discussion] My Top 5 Meta for 2012 [...]

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