I have admitted to many reservations about this story, including the unresolved ending. I don't see how "drove the plot off a cliff" differs substantially with "so many things are described to no particular point."
You say the reader is left with work to do. I suppose you're right, in a way, but I don't feel compelled to do it; mysteries are mysteries. Scully's inner life is as hard to penetrate here as her spiky, enigmatic demeanor and I have no problem with the eerie feeling it leaves us with. There is, after all, always more fanfic.
I didn't say "happy ever after," just "end up together." As for charisma--there, I think we bump up against the unique nature of fanfic. Mulder looks like David Duchovny; what does Richard look like? I realize appearance isn't *everything*, but in tv/film fanfic it is powerful. Plus, to the polite cypher that is Mulder in "China" we can add the rich history of canon, with all the genius jumps, jokes and neuroses that make up this iconic character. (I too am sick of the word "iconic," but, darn it, I'm thinking The X-Files owns it.)
While patient Richard has a twin sister, a breakdown, a restaurant and a deteriorating grasp on a difficult lover. He seems like a good guy, though there's actually not too much evidence. He's probably a better bet for long-term than Mulder. But this is *Mulder,* this is *the X-Files,* and this is *fanfic*! If we are to take a major interest in Richard, he must at least be cast! (What do you think of Tom Selleck?)
Re: I like Punk, too, but...
You say the reader is left with work to do. I suppose you're right, in a way, but I don't feel compelled to do it; mysteries are mysteries. Scully's inner life is as hard to penetrate here as her spiky, enigmatic demeanor and I have no problem with the eerie feeling it leaves us with. There is, after all, always more fanfic.
I didn't say "happy ever after," just "end up together." As for charisma--there, I think we bump up against the unique nature of fanfic. Mulder looks like David Duchovny; what does Richard look like? I realize appearance isn't *everything*, but in tv/film fanfic it is powerful. Plus, to the polite cypher that is Mulder in "China" we can add the rich history of canon, with all the genius jumps, jokes and neuroses that make up this iconic character. (I too am sick of the word "iconic," but, darn it, I'm thinking The X-Files owns it.)
While patient Richard has a twin sister, a breakdown, a restaurant and a deteriorating grasp on a difficult lover. He seems like a good guy, though there's actually not too much evidence. He's probably a better bet for long-term than Mulder. But this is *Mulder,* this is *the X-Files,* and this is *fanfic*! If we are to take a major interest in Richard, he must at least be cast! (What do you think of Tom Selleck?)
Have I made myself sufficiently unclear?