Character Manifesto : Sanctuary : Helen Magnus

[pirateveronica.livejournal.com]

Fandom: Sanctuary
Character: Helen Magnus
Pairings Included in Manifesto: Helen/John


Blurb: I have a major Lady Crush on Helen Magnus.... I pretty much want to be her. When I first started watching Sanctuary I was immediately drawn to Helen, a woman so complex and awesome I could barely believe such a character was being allowed space on television (particularly for a woman). 

I was drawn to her confidence - in herself and her work, her tenacity, authority, sense of humour, brilliance, darkness, and her warmth. She is brave and faces the world with poise and attitude. 

She is also terribly flawed; armed with an ego, she hates being wrong, she frequently assumes she is better than people (even if she doesn't say it) and has some questionable morals.  It just makes her more awesome. 

She commands her space; she has the authority. I LOVE that. 

The ship for this manifest is Helen/John...an epic romance if there ever was one. He is Jack the Ripper and he is the love of her life. Its a terribly twisted and dark romance full of guilt, lust, violence, tenderness and loss. Its a romance that has spanned nearly 140 years; they know each other better than anyone in the world. And yet they hate each other. Its about forgiveness - can she forgive him and can he forgive himself. Its the quest for redemption: does he, the most notorious murderer of all time, have the right to be offered forgiveness? Does he deserve to be loved? And to be loved by Helen, an icon for the modern woman? And what of her... her internal struggle with her prominent position in the world and her inexorable and eternal love for this man. 

Also, its canon. 

I adore both of the characters so much. In fact, I think John Druitt might be one of the most intellectually complex characters I've ever come across in fiction (and subsequently he has become a major part of my graduate thesis). 

I intended to make this manifesto longer.....but life got in the way.  However, I present 10 fic recs and 10 vid recs (because they are fab too)

For the fic recs, I decided to take a more specific route. They are all smut. Yay! I didn't plan on doing all smut, but I was looking over my list and I had seven smut ones, so I decided to embrace it and suggest all smut.






FANFICTION

Fic Rec #1: The Wine Tasting
Author: nocleversig 
Pairing: Helen/John
Link: http://sanctuaryfiction.net/viewstory.php?sid=753
Rating/Warning(s): adult

Why This Must Be Read: NoCleverSig embarked on a new series '12 Days of Sexmus' this past December and invited other authors to contribute as well. The rules were that the stories had to be relatively short smutfests about Helen and John. From the entire series this story is by far my favourite. Its incredibly sensual and erotic. Its dirty in the right places but has enough plot to keep it going. The characterization is perfect and its a joy to read. Its everything a smutty PWP should be.

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Fic Rec #2 Airing Bloodied Laundry
Author: chozen_rogue
Pairing: Helen/John
Link: http://chozen-rogue.livejournal.com/15019.html#cutid1
Rating/Warning(s): mature, minor bloodplay

Why This Must Be Read: Its hot, its angry, and its got a little bit of bloodily - which isn't my normal thing but it works SO well here. I tend to see it as realistic. This story is one I have read so many times - its so good.

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Fic Rec #3: Withdrawal
Author: bad_hay
Pairing: Helen/John
Link: http://sanctuaryfiction.net/viewstory.php?sid=589&warning=4
Rating/Warning(s): mature

Why This Must Be Read: I enjoy Helen/John stories where they both aren't present. Specifically, I enjoy stories about the struggle Helen goes through in regards to him; emotional and sexual. This particular story is just about Helen..ahem, "dealing" with some issues.

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Fic Rec #4: Discovery
Author: MajorSam
Pairing: Helen/John
Link: http://sanctuaryfiction.net/viewstory.php?sid=648
Rating/Warning(s): mature

Why This Must Be Read: Helen and John experiment with some of their new skills after taking the source blood. One such skill is their ability to heal fast....result: some semi-violent smut. This story is great because it walks that line between too violent and just-violent-enough-to-be-hawt.

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Fic Rec #5: Silent Memory
Author: ladydeadlock001
Pairing: Helen/John
Link: http://ladydeadlock001.livejournal.com/20317.html
Rating/Warning(s): mature

Why This Must Be Read: Takes place during that scene in 'For King and Country' where Helen spends the night with John (in a comfort way). The story is a dream sequence, which is why I love it so much. Its not about sex, but it is, its about such intense intimacy that transcends sex.

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Fic Rec #6: Hot Cocoa
Author: MajorSam
Pairing: Helen/John
Link: http://sanctuaryfiction.net/viewstory.php?sid=808
Rating/Warning(s): mature

Why This Must Be Read: Helen + John + smut + CHOCOLATE. Need I say more?

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Fic Rec #7: The Walk
Author: ladydeadlock001
Pairing: Helen/John
Link: http://sanctuaryfiction.net/viewstory.php?sid=599
Rating/Warning(s): mature, kink, BDSM

Why This Must Be Read: This story has been criticized for being OOC and it is, but I don't necessarily agree. It captures the spirit of Helen that we all know is there. It takes Helen's most dominant traits (that of assertiveness and control) and amplifies them. And really, are we surprised that John would like it that way? I think not. haha. Regardless, its an incredibly enjoyable to read and its well written. Its dirty and rough in the way that makes you feel just a little bit uncomfortable (but its all completely consensual). Definitely worth checking out. 

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Fic Rec #8: Insatiable
Author: nocleversig 
Pairing: Helen/John
Link: http://sanctuaryfiction.net/viewstory.php?sid=819
Rating/Warning(s): mature

Why This Must Be Read: its a warm, loving smut piece. Some of the other recs tend to err on the side of rough, but this one is more about intense love. Helen and John spend several hours in front of a fire place.....smut ensues.

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Fic Rec #9: Just One Touch
Author: rebeccavoy
Pairing: Helen/John
Link: http://rebeccavoy.livejournal.com/60153.html
Rating/Warning(s): mature

Why This Must Be Read: this piece is wonderful. Its not just smut, its a story and how rebeccavoy decided to write this, the juxtaposition of hands, is effective and sensual.

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Fic Rec #10: Pandora
Author: jenniferjf
Pairing: Helen/John
Link: http://jenniferjf.livejournal.com/16330.html
Rating/Warning(s): mature

Why This Must Be Read: All the recs so far have been shortish stories, this epic is 10 chapters long and is a ride start-to-finish. Its not just smut (which there is some) it has oodles of plot as well. The best of both worlds!





FANVIDS


Title:  Beware of the Dog 
Artist: H0LM3N
Link:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK64O2danfQ
Comments:  My all-time favourite fanvid! I even purchased the song this video is set to. Its perfect.



Title:  Bad Boys
Artist: ladyvignette
Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_qqlI13OEE
Comments:  Not H/J specific, this video is multiship: Helen/James, Helen/Nikola, Helen/Will and Helen/John. Its a crackvid and a bit on the silly side, but is one of my most watched fanvids



Title:  Broken
Artist: laci12laci
Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q8y4AgwIFc
Comments:  First off, its artistically beautiful. I tend to prefer more upbeat/crack type videos, but this one is a slow love letter to this ship and its amazing.



Title:  Its Not Over
Artist: xxxStarg8rocksxxx
Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtf7OQooNBI
Comments:  I LOVE short videos and this is a great example of why.



Title:  Gravity
Artist: satine30
Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrdwcGhEMgk
Comments:  This is one of those videos where its the perfect melding of footage and audio. The Sara Bareilles song choice is inspired, haunting and completely applicable.



Title:  Uninvited
Artist: JennS83
Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYCk4_yk9bM
Comments:  this is not a shipper video, but I've included it because part of Helen and John's relationship is the violence and loathing they have for one another and this video displays that element perfectly.



Title:  Russian Roulette
Artist: ANJELA3
Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRWWgHpZZEA&feature=related
Comments:  Part of the awesomeness of this video is the uncomfortable sensuality that is the song by Rihanna. Mixed with some excellent editing, makes this entry haunting.



Title:  Untitled
Artist: ladyvignette
Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u2a4w--A-w
Comments:  Sadly, the audio has been removed from this AWESOME video. I downloaded my own copy of it before it was removed luckily. It was set to Katy Perry's song, 'ET' which is an awful song, but with this its magic.



Title:  Good Girls Go Bad
Artist: emengeecupcake
Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYLXegd-gWY
Comments:  Another video which turns an awful song into a great video. Its a bit of a crackvid again, but awesome.