I tried to read this story when it first came out and I was 17 or so. And I totally didn't appreciate it. I was too young and I didn't understand the emotion behind it yet. Then about 10 years later, I came back to the fandom and sat down to read it. And I read and read and read. Lost track of time, and had to call a friend's nanny to pick my kids up from school.
There are a number of serious WTF moments for me, make no mistake. But it's long and that's just going to happen, you know? What captivates me about Iolokus is that the characters are so skewed and distorted in places, but I can still see them every time. This is Mulder and Scully given the gift of their (possible) emotions and reactions, rather than Mulder and Scully as week-to-week TV characters who need to keep things together.
I go back and forth sometimes, wondering whether the Emily arc or the William arc is more cruel to Scully. And there are times when I think it has to be Emily, because Scully had no choices anywhere along the line. And as a fellow control freak, I find that so, so horrifying.
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There are a number of serious WTF moments for me, make no mistake. But it's long and that's just going to happen, you know? What captivates me about Iolokus is that the characters are so skewed and distorted in places, but I can still see them every time. This is Mulder and Scully given the gift of their (possible) emotions and reactions, rather than Mulder and Scully as week-to-week TV characters who need to keep things together.
I go back and forth sometimes, wondering whether the Emily arc or the William arc is more cruel to Scully. And there are times when I think it has to be Emily, because Scully had no choices anywhere along the line. And as a fellow control freak, I find that so, so horrifying.
Excellent choice all around,