Should they stay or should they go?

[sholio]

*cue the Clash music*

Hey, I've got a question; this is something I've been dithering about (yes, I do that a lot). I'll deliberately keep this post spoiler-free, but the comments may not be.

Let's say that a fanfic writer makes some rather baseless assumptions about canon and then writes some stories based on that. Then canon makes it clear that these assumptions are wrong, so these stories are now wildly inaccurate. Let's also suppose that she sort of prefers her own AU universe to actual canon, but wants to be accurate in her stories.

Should the author:

1- Take down the offending stories completely?
2- Rewrite them to agree with canon?
3- Leave them up and consider them snapshots of a particular way of looking at canon in the past, but write accurately from here on out?
4- Ignore canon totally, and write AU?

(Option #4 is on there mostly for the heck of it, because while it may work for some, it just doesn't for me, I think.)

Comments

[neonhummingbird.livejournal.com]

Personally, I would feel #1 to be an overreaction; lack of canonical agreement doesn't invalidate good writing. #2 and #3 depends on how much it would bother you as an author for those stories not to agree with canon. Do you feel they would be stronger if they agreed with canon, or weaker? Or would it just drive you up a wall knowing they're out there and 'wrong'? I guess I lean towards #3, personally, unless it was a story I dearly loved and dearly wanted others who are deeply into canon to adore as well.

[(Anonymous)]

It does bother me a lot; I think that's the major sticking issue that I've got right now. I've been quietly adjusting things, every so often, as I go along -- like when we found out a little more about Jeannie, I went back and made a couple of tweaks to the Jeannie flashback in Killing Frost. It's just ... this would require some darn big tweaks!

Thanks for the input.

[wneleh.livejournal.com]

In part, I see fanfic as a conversation about canon. So, I vote for #3 - the stories reflect a particular interpretation at a particular time.

- Helen

[sholio]

Thanks for the input!

[jinxed-wood.livejournal.com]

As someone who lurks just to read the fanfic (I know, I'm awful) I'd say number 3

[sholio]

Lurking is just fine. :) But appreciate you unlurking to give input on this! Thanks!

[atlantis-fan.livejournal.com]

#3 sounds like the best option to me.

[sholio]

Thanks for the input!

[winter-elf.livejournal.com]

#3, because no matter what we imagine, at some point, it might be proved incorrect, but that doesn't mean we didn't enjoy said story when it was done (and still do).

[sholio]

Thank you for the input! :)

[with-apostrophe.livejournal.com]

OK, let's try again. LJ *ATE* my last comment! And then it ate it AGAIN - good job I composed it on Wordpad the second time!! GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have also e-mailed you, in case it happens again.

Honey, you, I and about 500 other SGA writers have written things that way - because at the time that's what canon suggested. We weren't to know that in some fit of (edits self) .... *something*, the writers were going to Joss some of us (did I use that right?).

I know how into canon you are - you're more into it than I am, and that's saying something as far as I'm concerned, but you can't go changing things because the writers decided to perform a retcon. They told without showing, while in my opinion they showed soemthing else, and they messed up.

But at the time you wrote those stories - we weren't privvy to this information, and you and I and the 500 others were convinced canon indicated otherwise. So your stories are canonical for the time.

Please do not delete them (I can't imagine that anyone is going to suggest that), please do not change them (so now you seem prophetic or something!) but go with number THREE!!!!

You're not going to go for number four I know. But I think given our back and forth on this subject there is the middle ground of one aware and one unaware (hope you understand my code, I don't want to start that up as a public debate for a while). And I'm sticking to what I believed I saw in canon - WITH the new development (it was new) in canon.

If you like, you could add an A/N caveat mentioning WHEN the stories were written, and WHY they are as such.

[sholio]

I do appreciate the input. Thanks!

The thing is ... I do try very hard to be true to canon, and I will even go back and make "fixes" (like when we found out more about Jeannie, I went back and tweaked the flashback in "Killing Frost"). It's just -- this is a darned hard one to fix! And there's one WIP I was working on that is TOTALLY "jossed" -- since the Sheppard/McKay friendship was not only IN it, but sort of a pivotal plot point ...

All part of writing fic for a running show, of course! I just never expected to get jossed retroactively...

[blade-girl.livejournal.com]

Every fanfic writer and reader has to be aware that if the show is still in production, anything that the writer is forced to theorize or make assumptions about can be Jossed at any given moment in canon. Therefore, there's no reason to get all drastic and yank Jossed stories from sight. And I find the idea of rewriting them to correct the false assumptions to be almost as drastic.

My recommendation, therefore, is option #3.

Now, of course, you've got me curious about which assumptions you've made that have been Jossed. May I ask?

[blade-girl.livejournal.com]

Ah, from with_apostrophe's comments above, I'm guessing it's about Sheppard not being Rodney's best friend? If that's the case, I submit that canon is thoroughly in conflict with itself on that point. As she says, they told without showing that Carson was Rodney's "best friend," whereas they've shown without telling that Rodney and John are extremely close. So I don't find stories that portray John and Rodney as especially close friends to be in conflict with canon at all. Canon in this case has multiple personality disorder, so fanfic writers can pretty much take it either way.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say, if you feel like it, why the heck not #4? Or a modified form of 4, in which one doesn't drop all canon, but twists what is later given to fit the alternate scenario. In this way one's fanfic still remains a dialogue about the canon - a harsher critique, perhaps, in that it may illuminate flaws in the original creators' visions, by potentially showing how much better something could be; but still relevant. I don't think this is "wrong" or even disloyal of a fan - the creators are the gods of their universes, but that doesn't mean we have to be mindless worshipers.

I may be a leeeetle bit influenced by being presently entrenched in a fandom with arguably the biggest denial of canon ever perpetrated by fen *cough* But while I'm usually a canon whore, sometimes it is interesting to explore alternative avenues (and hey, even with global warming, the weather in Egypt is always lovely...)

There's nothing wrong with doing both, too - write some stories in AU land and others in canon!

Whichever - I do beg that you choose between 3 & 4 and don't consider the first two! Number 2 can be okay for small details (like changing the names of a char's parents based on new canon info) but massive rewrites of plots can sometimes reach the point of making a totally new story. In that case I'd advocate leaving both versions up. And #1 is just the most painful thing, when one is rec'ed a great story only to find it's vanished...(besides, I have personal stake here; I want to read these stories, once I have the series background!! canonical or not!!)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

ps - er, I know, I don't know canon, but...I've read a few spoilers of the recent stuff, and I gotta ask - what exactly is the jossing here? Do they actually say outright that McKay & Sheppard *aren't* friends? I mean, calling someone a best friend...people can have more than one "best friend". (Hell, especially a slashy couple; you can always spin it that when they say "best friend" they mean it platonically; they'd never call their lover that!) But this has rattled fans so much...sounds awfully traumatic!

[cetpar.livejournal.com]

I agree with neonhummingbird:
#1- I think this is overreacting, unless the thought of someone reading and enjoying these stories is just so horror-inducing you can't stand to have them up. As a reader, I can love a story that may not be entirely consistent with canon (or has other mistakes), if it otherwise captivates me. It would be a shame to pull down stories that people have already read and would like to re-read again.

#4--No. I like AUs, but I like canon stories, too.

#2 and #3: I think that decision would be best left up to the author and how badly she is bothered by the canon irregularities.

#3 is perfectly reasonable, and an author's note could be added if desired. A lot of stories end up being technically AU's after more episodes of a TV show, but that doesn't necessarily make me enjoy them less if I know they were written then Jossed.

#2--If the inaccuracies bother an author enough to interfere with writing future stories or make her cringe at the thought of people reading them, then re-write them.

So, yeah, what neonhummingbird says.

[cetpar.livejournal.com]

Also, if you went with #2, as a reader I would like two things:

1) If major changes and significant re-writes were done, then consider leaving the old version up as history. There may be still be readers who have read and still want to re-read the old version. (ie they may like both versions_

2) Even if minor changes have been made, wither an occasional announcement on the author's LJ or a note would be nice on the story pointing that out. This is for perfectly selfish reasons: I tend to DL stories for reading on PDA or saving in a personal favorites folder. I'd love a way to know that corrections were made so I could update my favorites collection if needed.

[leenys.livejournal.com]

HA!! I'm with xparrot. BUT.

This is how I see it, and this is how I've written fics. Follow the original plan. If the clash between what you see in your fic and canon is too much, then adjust it while following the original plan. Don't let canon be the dictator of your writing, because that's actually very unpredictable. I'll tell you this, I've had several episodes pop up this season that has severely tampered with Sea'scape Three. Once I realized I was on the verge of not writing the story at all due to this, I stepped back and retreated to the original plan.

All fanfic is, is our interpretation of the show. It's like reading a poem, everyone gets something different out of it, and even the person that penned the poem will feel differently that he did when he first wrote it. In the grand scheme of things, there is no such thing as canon, every story and plot is an AU. Just go with your gut, and don't think about it too much.

[sholio]

I do appreciate what you're saying here, and I agree with you that everyone's interpretation of canon is a little different. Actually that's one of the things I love about fanfic -- seeing how different people see different aspects of it!

I just don't think it's in me to write something that's in deliberate violation of canon (as I see it). Some people do it all the time -- slash is that way by definition. And I'm not saying that's wrong. It's just not ME. It also bothers me that my older stories are in violation of canon (again, canon as I see it). But I'm starting to agree with everyone here that I *should* let them stand, because I was, after all, writing based on how I saw canon *then*.

[pavaneofstars.livejournal.com]

I vote #3. I love all the winding roads that writers can explore in AUs. :)

[sholio]

Thanks for the input! :)

[springwoof.livejournal.com]

completely #3.

if it makes you feel better, include an Author's Note to inform your reader that you were Jossed, and point out the deviance from now-established canon. But all fanfic for tv shows still-in-production suffer from the same issues, as they can have the canon rug pulled out from under them at any time. Not a biggie, really.

#4 is actually not a terrible option, as long as you label it AU. that way the readers know to expect divergence from canon. And your vision may be compelling enough to carry the day. Sometimes it seems that SGA is the Fandom of AUs or ARs, which I have no complaint with. It's all fun....

as for #1 -- please, no.

and #2 -- I think your readers would prefer you used your writing energies to produce new stories rather than trying to retrofit the older ones....

thanks for asking our opinions before doing something drastic...

[sholio]

Thanks for the input!

I'm not so much taking a poll as just kind of feeling out how other people feel about it and how much people are bothered by (unintentional) deviations from canon. See, it bothers me a great deal, but it's looking like other people aren't as tweaked about it as I am. Which is probably a good thing...

I'm definitely thinking that everyone's right, it would be a mistake to rewrite my older stories to agree with ongoing revisions to canon (well, aside from a few minor changes every now and then, maybe). So the old stories will stay the same...

[tielan]

I'll take #3 for $200.

#1 and #2 would be a lot of work for people who've written a lot of stuff.

#4 is an option, but I tend to think of 'AU' as something a little more extreme than 'these two characters are not best friends in canon'.

Once upon a time in another fandom, I put a date on my fanfic, so I could indicate when it was written. Then, when people pointed out errors, I would point out when the story was written, and that it was correct at the time of writing, before it got Jossed.

[sholio]

(heh) The date thing's a good idea. Actually I do use that occasionally on ff.net, when I'm reading a story that makes me go "Wait, WTF? But we know that ..." Then I'll check the date to see if it was before we found out (x) in canon ...

It just nags at me having these dratted stories that don't fit with canon! But it's not like I'm the first writer to do it...

[sp23.livejournal.com]

I think that when you write fanfic about an ongoing show, you are inevitably going to be jossed. Frankly, that's never bothered me personally, and I've never gone back and rewritten a story to bring it into canon compliance, so I say #3.

As for the Sheppard/McKay friendship, that's a fact, regardless of Rodney's guilt-filled words to dream!Carson.

[sholio]

The "jossing" IS inevitable; it's just being retroactively jossed that is so disconcerting!

However, I think that people have presented fairly convincing arguments for not going back and rewriting anything.

[tipper-green.livejournal.com]

First off...I am willing to take the blame for everything in this instance. Why do I say this? Because you once said you read Failure to Communicate before watching the show, and in the very first chapter of that story...I stated (in John's head) that he and Rodney were best friends. So, for that reason, I am willing to take all the blame for your current crisis. I planted the seed in your head. (I also have a lot of practice -- my friends have gotten into the habit of blaming me for everything that goes wrong in their lives in general. LOL!)

And if I take the blame, you have carte blanche to move on. Blame your previous stories on me, and leave them be. Reset your head and start anew. (Meaning, take option #3).

I can also, of course, empathize, since, obviously, I have written the two of them this way since, oh...I think I had them slotted as best friends in my head around the time I wrote this insane story called "A Show of Trust" back in Season 1. (Worse, in The Eledgias, with the underground temple, I think I actually have them say it out loud, and that's really, really not canon now).

So...I had the same question you do. Do I go back and change two and a half years worth of story-telling? No way. No way in hell. I am *all for* canon storytelling, and if I can fix something because canon has adjusted it, then I will (case in point, I learned after the fact that jumpers didn't have shields -- Defiant One so screwed with my head -- and ended up rewriting a chunk of my Siege III AU because of it). This, though, this is not just factual canon. This is underlying theme, and that can not be fixed. I would have to take down almost all my stories, just as you would.

SO, again, my answer is...go with #3. I think you have to when you're dealing with a constantly evolving show. Characters come and go, people come and go, places and technology...all of it is potentially changeable and flexible. Plus, we're not part of the show (just mildly obsessed with it) and so we'll never really know what canon is going to be in advance. We can only go with what we know based on the facts presented, and, as the show changes, we'll change with it. It doesn't negate what we did in the past, it only builds on it.

And, of course, the show *itself* does the #3 thing (Yes. still pissed about the canon error in Irresponsible). If *they* can get away with it (and I think that they have in Sunday as well, because this, to me, *is*, as you've stated, against the canon the show presented up until Sunday), then so can you.

Plus, you can always fall back on the rationalizations.

So, #3. #3 with a vengeance. That's what I'm doing. Come, ride the #3 boat with me!

[sholio]

*snort* Your fault indeed. Although it IS true that I went into the series with a bit of a bias, I got there all on my own, thanks!

Like I wrote to someone else's post -- I think one reason why this is turning out to be so difficult for me to deal with as a fanfic writer is because this is the first time I've ever worked in a living, evolving fandom. The shows I've written for in the past were all canceled or complete. And while I was prepared for the probability of changes in the cast or the direction of the show, the idea that I might get retconned had never occurred to me, and I don't seem to be dealing with it all that well!

I think that everyone who's said "don't change the existing stories" is correct. A little change to address a lately-added bit of canon (like Rodney's real first name) is one thing; a total rewrite is another. It'd be like Sysiphus (I bet I'm misspelling that...) and the rock, trying to keep abreast of canon.

[sgatazmy.livejournal.com]

3. that's my plan from here on out.

I have a feeling I know which part you are talking about...and I don't know. I'm going to try and figure some stuff out for my own fics. It might be a mix of 3 an 4, but I'd clearly label it as such if I chose 4.

[sholio]

Yeah ... I think I'm pretty much going to be letting already-written stories stand, but doing a serious re-assessment of how I view the characters' relationships before moving on.

[parisntripfan.livejournal.com]

I'd go with #3, with a bit of #4 thrown in.

As I have said, I take Rodney's comment as something some one says in a moment of grief and trying to come to terms with the fact that a loved one is gone. Moreover, it could be how Rodney sees things. It doesn't mean that is the objective truth.

I still think your stories fit with canon - particularly as shown to us.

One thought. The more I think about it, the more I think that line was put in for DAVID - not for RODNEY. So it is a tiny detail I can ignore. Even if I thought for a second it was the truth.

[obsessed1o1.livejournal.com]

oh thats is so true...like an in thing, because they are best firends. I can see that :D

[obsessed1o1.livejournal.com]

I personally always to stick to canon just because I like the idea that my stories would slot somehwere between the episodes, however, you are an exceptional writer and exceptional writers can do what they like, because whether it be canon, au etc, it will be well written, well constructed, the characters will be spot on and most of all it will be enjoyable. Also, au is often fun!!!

[sholio]

Thank you!

See, yeah ... the sticking to canon thing, I prefer it. I like to think that my stories could actually occur somewhere in canon. That's why I'm having so much trouble with this.

Right now I'm just leaning towards leaving my old stories alone, but writing accurately from here on out.

[obsessed1o1.livejournal.com]

Also, in reply to myself, in regards to the friendship issue. I think Rodney says carson is his best friend simply because Carson would say it back and if Rodney said aloud to shep that he was his best friend, he'd probably be taking a risk because Shep A) might laugh in his face and mock him and B) probably wouldnt say it back because...well....he's Sheppard and he's emotionally closed off.

But I think Rodney would definately still consider Sheppard a best friend. Thats canon. Just the way they talk, the banter, its there, but its a different kind of relationship.

Plus, beckett and Rodney did kiss that one time - gotta bring you close!

Oops, I rambled :)

[derry667.livejournal.com]

Totally up to the author IMHO. Whatever they feel comfortable with.

But my vote - probably what I think I personally would do - is option 3. Fanfic is, by it's nature, usually guesswork extending beyond what canon shows us. To guess "wrong" doesn't make the fanfic less "valid" although it might make it less satisfying to some readers or authors.

To make it "all about me" (who makes vids), I look at some of the stuff I wrote and vidded earlier and think of all the ways it could be better (especially the vid editing), knowing what I know now. But I feel that changing it wouldn't quite be right. As you say, it's a snapshot of what I was thinking then and to change it almost feels like a small betrayal. But that's just me.

And I must admit that I wouldn't be adverse to toying a little with option 4 every once in a while - but only with the notion that it *is* AU, ie a "what if" scenario. For me, it wouldn't be so much a contradiction of canon, just an exploration of what might have happened instead, as an intellectual exercise in characterisation, plot twists, etc. (I've done that after the fact for at least one fic because I just wanted to explore the "what if")

[derry667.livejournal.com]

Ummm... and I do get what you probably are specifically talking about, but to me that issue being "wrong in fic" isn't a big one. I wouldn't seem off to me at all coz I'd just know that it was written based on evidence seen in canon before one single jarringly tokenistic statement was made (or was it twice?)

Still, too tokenisitc for me to believe. But that's possibly me with my head in the sand. ;-)

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

(first off - do you mind if I friend you? I've been thinking of doing so for a while because I really like your writing and your take on SGA)

This is actually something I've been wrestling with for a while now. All of my previous fandoms have been closed canon so I could obsess over getting canon details correct without worry (and people who knew me then will vouch that I am crazy about canon details). But SGA is open canon and that creates all sorts of problems.

I came up with a solution that works for me. I just posted a story I've been working on for three months that happens to be set in the future and, well, involves Carson, and could be thwarted by new canon in other ways. I decided to avoid insanity on my part by defining how much canon knowledge I used - in this case I wrote it with canon knowledge up to "The Return Part I" and acknowledged that later canon would make it an AU. I even didn't let myself watch episodes beyond there until I'd finished my first draft.

I guess this aligns most closely with your third option. It's certainly the one that is least damaging to my blood pressure.

[sholio]

I don't mind if you friend me! :)

This is my first time writing in an open canon, too, and I think that's why this is bothering me so much, because I'm not used to having to do this kind of mental rearranging.

I doubt if I'll be going back and rewriting anything, though, as much as I want to ...

eek

[(Anonymous)]

Don't touch "Running on Empty!" Well, unless you massively rewrite it so that it is set post-Sunday and Rodney realizes during the course of the story that he in fact has that close a relationship with Sheppard but it just never occurred to him to question just what they had until he lost it. And that would be for all the reasons cited above and in your previous post and the comments thereto. Having said that... well, I'd opt for leaving both versions up but, just in case.... ~goes off to make sure paper copy is doubly protected.~ :-)

My absolute favorite moment in that story... do I need spoiler space? Just in case


Duptydum

Scooby do


John asking Rodney if they were brothers? Which, canonically speaking, may be why Rodney regards Carson as his "best friend." Though he'd never admit it, John is more of a brother.

More spoiler space


even more spoiler space

.....

......

I want someone to write a fiction where Rodney's talk with Carson at the end was courtesy of an Ancient device that responds to the user's emotions and projects what they need or want and Rodney becomes almost addicted to the thing. Could be the ancient's version of a Heightmeyer.

Susn

Re: eek

[sholio]

Oh goodness! I totally LOVE your idea! I want to write this story now! And it works so beautifully with canon ... it even explains any apparent inconsistencies that may exist ... :)

Based on what everyone is saying above -- and I think they're probably right -- I doubt if I'll be going back and messing with past stories (though "Running" WAS on the chopping block). But damn it, they're right. See, I've really never written for a "live" show before -- all my fic has been for shows that were over and done. This is a new experience for me and I don't seem to be dealing all that well with having canon yanked out from under my feet. :D

[atlantis-fan.livejournal.com]

Now that I see what the question was about I thought I'd come back and say something...

I think right now the best thing might be to just wait. Sit back and let some time pass before you do anything to the stories - the old ones or the wip you have. I think right now everyhing is so tangled up and everyone is so emotional right now that no one is really being rational. Come back later and see how you feel about it then...

You know how I feel about the ending scene and I also agree with what parisntripfan said about the scene probably being more for David than for Rodney.

[ga-unicorn.livejournal.com]

Do whatever you are comfortable with. This is your brain child, if you want to update it, or add an A/N saying it's AU now, or if you just want it to stand as it is - do it. If you are comfortable with it, and people enjoy reading it, that is all that matters.

One of the great things about fanfic is that there is a vast audience and everyone likes something different. Some like their stories to stick as close to canon as possible, some like 'ships, some like slash, some like AU. And even people who don't normally care for one type of story - like AU - will read an AU story if they like an author's work.

So... just do what makes you happy.

[sholio]

Thanks for the input!

I like your POV on the whole thing, possibly best of all. ;)

This got me thinking - which is always dangerous ;-P

[derry667.livejournal.com]

To take the conversation off on a tangent - coz y'know a) so unlike me and b) so unlike conversation threads in your LJ.

This got me thinking about yours and my attitudes to fanfic in the Supernatural fandom. Aside from dodging all the wincest and RPF - BRAINSOAP! NOW! PLEASE! - the way that series unfolds and even essentially redefines characters would really cause the problems that you've outlined here on continual basis.

I know what you've said about SPN fanfic - that the show itself gives you all you need in terms of characterisation and hence you don't tend to look for fanfic. I can totally understand that.

I tend to have a look around in various gen arenas, but I find a lot of SPN fanfic tends to annoy me because I feel the characterisations are way off. This is particularly with regard to John Winchester (which I've theorised about before), but also with regard to Sam & Dean. And there is one particular AU which some of my friends write in but which drives me absolutely up the wall. Having looked at the early stories (probably written before it was AU) I can see how they got there - but then canon cut the legs from under this AU and a section of the fandom liked it so much that they have decided to continue. I started to read it with my "this is AU" glasses on, but I've found that even the canon characters are so different from what I see on screen that I can't enjoy it.

The problem with this series, in terms of fans interpreting the characters, is partially that Dean and Sam actually change in response to stuff that happens to them - but even more so, even when they don't change the audience perception of them changes as reasons for what they do and how they react are revealed during the progression of the series (and you yourself found out with the Deanster *smirk*).

So, in some ways, not only does Supernatural already satisfy a lot of the "needs" that other series "require" fanfic for, but also for those nit-picky about character continuity, it keeps throwing spanners of varying sizes into the works. You can theorise about a character or plot thread one episode and have your theory completely turned around in the next.

Anyway, that my weird tangent for the day. Cheers!

Re: This got me thinking - which is always dangerous ;-P

[sholio]

It should come as no great surprise that I agree with you and think these are all good points. Well, it's true that I haven't poked around much in SPN fic, but I can totally see what you're saying here. It's the same problem I have with reading Season 1-era fic for SGA -- stories that were written during the first season, that is. They made guesses about the characters that just seem false now -- not specific things like "John was married", but more nebulous aspects of the way they interact and relate to each other. And now that we know them better, now that we've seen them under so many different circumstances, it just seems WRONG.

The character relationships in SGA do change, but very slowly and usually not in dramatic ways. I went back and re-read a story that I'd read right after finishing Season 2, and I remember really loving its portrayal of Ronon. Reading it NOW, when he's better integrated into the team, I found that he seemed like much too much of an outsider, and not sympathetic enough. It was an accurate Season 2 portrayal, but not really accurate in light of Season 3.

Something like SPN, where things change so FAST -- I'm just really not interested in writing fic, or looking for fic. And that probably has a lot to do with why. I tend to enjoy the occasional SPN vignette -- heck, I wrote one -- but I tried reading some longer stories and just couldn't get into them. The characters didn't quite seem right, and in some cases, the things that were happening in the fic were things we'd seen in canon (presumably later than the point where the fic was written), so we already knew how they'd react, and it wasn't like that ...

I guess this is a really long-winded way of saying that I agree with you, and I can also see the parallel to recent developments in SGA (though on a smaller scale).