One of the funnest quirky perks of my job is "getting paid to check out [insert fangirl crush de jour here]". The phrase was first uttered, re: Caspian, and made my [guy] friend's eyebrows raise dramatically. His response cracked me up even more than my own offhand comment had, and I've played with it ever since. When I'm checking out said items (and let's face it, they're almost always DVDs) to patrons I've got a good rapport with, sometimes I'll make comments about said movies or characters. For example:
One of the regulars came in and checked out Captain America, and I was like "Captain Americaaaa" (at the time of this writing, and the exchange, I'm under the influence of a hotdog-induced migraine. Life is interesting). She asked if I liked the Avengers, and my enthusiastic reply: "Oh yeah. I am a Captain America and Loki fangirl!"
She looked at me in disbelief, before asking "Loki?!"
I laughed, and confessed "yep, Loki."
"But he's horrible! So -- so -- mean!"
"I know, but ... he's Loki. I just love him. I have from the beginning when I read the myths -- but yeah. Loki."
We then talked about the viewing adventure of the whole Avengers cannon, and I've seen Thor: The Dark World, but she hasn't yet, so she asked if Loki managed to redeem himself, somehow, in that one.
"Mmhmm, yep. He does," I smiled.
She left still not quite certain about my choice of fangirl crushes, teehee.
Then I started thinking, because it's quiet this afternoon (Wednesday, if you're curious), and like I said, I've got hotdog hangover going on ... and it's a thought I had last week actually, when I was watching Thor: TDW, and that is this ... The whole Captain America/Superman fangirl thing I have going on? It's totally at odds with the Loki/Han Solo thing. They're like sun and shadow, chocolate and salt. And yet ... it also sort of works.
Think about it: Captain America and Superman? They're the Nice Guys. The really, really Nice Guys. Chivalrous. Honorable. Trustworthy. Straight-arrow types. The kind you're really happy to take home to meet the parents and grandparents. Often underrated and under-appreciated, these are the guys who make you feel safe and cherished and content. The older I get, the more I appreciate the Nice Guys - both on screen and page, and in real life.
Now please take a gander at Exhibit B: The Bad Boys. Loki, Han Solo, Flynn Rider ... We first meet these guys and they're scoundrels. Conflicted. Not necessarily dudes your parents are going to approve of. And yet, there's more to them than the "villainy" (that's a fun word). There's depth. Layers. Heart. They've got histories that have shaped them, and character development that takes them ... beyond. There are a lot more Loki, Han and Flynns in the world than Cap'n and Supermans. Sadly.
I'm not sure where this thought is taking me, actually ... Maybe I just like talking about my fangirl crushes. My cast of superheroes ... But it's interesting all the same. And that's what Friday ramble posts are all about.
Next week, I'll be sharing my answers for the Writing Process Blog Hop thing going on, I was tagged by Jennifer Becton!
Oh yes. I get you. Most definitely. ;) I've only seen Thor, so I can't comment much on his progression as a character in the next two films. However, I was really taken by the fact that he planned THE WHOLE THING just to prove to his dad that he was as good as Thor. It wasn't about betrayal or hurting anyone, he just wanted to stage an event that would prove his worth, and he had the brains to manipulate things to make it happen. Yeah, I might have a bit of a crush. ;)
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