Character manifesto: John Sheppard (SGA)
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Character: John Sheppard
Pairings Included in Manifesto: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
made by ankareeda
Blurb: Writing about all the things that make John Sheppard amazing isn't an easy task. He is probably my favorite character in anything, and there are many reasons why I adore him so much, but the most important one is the fact that I can relate to him. John starts out as an underdog, a forgotten Air Force Major with a huge and ugly looking black mark in his service file he won for disobeying a commanding officer. John did it in a failed attempt to save a friend and a fellow soldier from behind enemy lines. He's rewarded with a task of flying a chopper over frozen space of Antarctica, flying all kinds of military big - wigs (and probably scientists) to a secret base that's, believe it or not, hidden underground. Once inside, John accidentally activates a piece of Ancient technology, which proves there is something special about him - his genes. John ends up with what looks like a one way ticket onto adventure of his lifetime and joins the military and civilian expedition traveling to another galaxy to unexplored ancient city of Atlantis. However, the expedition doesn't land smoothly in the new galaxy, they encounter pretty scary enemies, and their military commander is killed shortly after they arrive, which leaves John Sheppard in a position of a highest ranking military officer. Doctor Elizabeth Weir, an experienced diplomat and expedition leader basically takes a chance on him by making him a leader of military contingent of expedition. One might say it was the only logical move, considering military hierarchy, but in my opinion it was very risky to put John in the leading spot.
Elizabeth's decision proves to be one of the best she's ever made in her time on Atlantis, if not the single best one. It also proves to be that one poetic chance John needs to prove there's more to him than just a soldier with authority issues. He is a considerably smart man, a capable commanding officer, loyal friend, good human being and formidable enemy. John is interesting and complex, part darkness and part light, glorious in his flawed heroism. He is damaged goods, but not entirely broken, he had a fair share of pain and loss, and those experiences have shaped him into a man who doesn't really believe he will find a place to call home, but that is exactly what happens.
I ship John Sheppard with Elizabeth Weir. Even though they never got together on screen, I'd say that the human bond between them is pretty much undeniable. They start on opposite sides streaming toward the same goal, protecting Atlantis and their people, and John frequently questions Elizabeth's ideas and decisions, but unlike his previous superiors, Elizabeth listens to him. I think that's something that really matters when it comes to Elizabeth and John; with time they grow into people who respect each other deeply, even if they have opinions that differ. Another thing that I like about them is that they're two strong people, and equals in many aspects; they're complicated and conflicted and amazing, they put their duty before their own personal gain and their own feelings. In show's canon, their relationship is tragic, ending with the capture of Elizabeth Weir on part of their enemies, but what the writers messed up fanfiction authors have fixed, and explored this relationship in depth that the show lacks. John and Elizabeth can be many things - they can be serious, funny, flirty, sexy, romantic and in love, struggling with their feelings, losing and finding and saving each other. There are so many good stories about them out there, which is yet another great thing about them - they seem to inspire so many people, in so many different ways. I may find new fandoms and new pairings, but John and Elizabeth will always be The OTP for me.
*
Fic Rec #1: And if the world should fall apart
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: lone_pyramid
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): M / descriptive sex
Why This Must Be Read: I like to come back to this story. It's set post - Epiphany, after John's isolation in the time dilation field where he spent six months wondering if his friends have abandoned him. Losing home and being abandoned are John's greatest fears, and the author has done amazing job analyzing this and John's connection to Elizabeth. It's wonderful, angsty, romantic, hot and hopeful.
Fic Rec #2 Home for Christmas
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: southernred2
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): PG / no warnings
Why This Must Be Read: What if John Sheppard didn't join the original expedition and stayed on Earth? What kind of man would he be then? What if Elizabeth met him four years later? The author skilfully presents a scenario like that, giving us a slightly darker version of John Sheppard.
Fic Rec #3: Amarantine
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: speckleberry
Link: here. A small note, this link will lead you to a post with final chapter of the fic, where links to all previous chapters are included.
Rating/Warning(s): PG
Why This Must Be Read: Because it's simply amazing. Set after events of “Ghost in the machine” and leading us to future, this story presents us John Sheppard through Elizabeth's eyes, exploring his loyalty and lengths he is willing to go for Elizabeth.
Fic Rec #4: A sorta fairytale
Author: icitall
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard, brief appearance of John/Sheppard/OC
Link: part one and part two
Rating/Warning(s): M for explicit sex
Why This Must Be Read: I love this story, completely. It's such amazing take on John realizing he is in love and finding that there is not much use in resisting what he feels for Elizabeth. It's perfect, it's hot, it deals with both John's and Elizabeth's emotions so well, and after you're done reading, you'll only want more.
Fic Rec #5: This is the last goodbye
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: leave_me_light
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): PG, no warnings
Why This Must Be Read: When Elizabeth is retrieved from Replicatros, she still presents a possible danger to Atlantis and Earth. This is why Atlantis can't keep her, and John can't let go of her. The author gives us a beautiful summation of who these characters are and what they are about through a single conversation between John and Rodney McKay.
Fic Rec #6: Tacit
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard, brief mention of John Sheppard/OC
Author: tenacious_err
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): R, no warnings
Why This Must Be Read: I love this story because it sums up everything about John and Elizabeth. Usually, it takes a story of epic proportions and often a tragic ending. This story takes a different road, and even though there's some angst in it, the happiness prevails. I love that, I love the characterizations in this, I love the quiet and content atmosphere at the end.
Fic Rec #7: Family in the machine
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: wanderingsmith
Link: here.
Rating/Warning(s): PG -13, no warnings
Why This Must Be Read: It's a wonderful, wonderful twist on “Ghost in the machine” - this story takes the basic concept, leaving the actual plot behind and offering us a different take on John's connection to Atlantis, raising it to a completely new level.
Fic Rec #8: The color of our planet from far, far away
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: hihoplastic
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): PG - 13, a crossover with Bones
Why This Must Be Read: To put it simply, it's perfect. It's an AU set sometime after Adrift and Lifeline, with Elizabeth retrieved from Replicators. While Elizabeth is dealing with things that happened to her, John is dealing with his own pain, and we watch them struggle together from darkness and toward light - all that with special appearance of certain FBI agent and his partner the forensic anthropologist. There's angst, but there's definitely more happiness.
Fic Rec #9: Afterimage
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard UST
Author: mylittleredgirl
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): R, few bad words
Why This Must Be Read: This is the best post - The Real World fic I've ever read. Written entirely from John's point of view, it deals with emotional fallout of the episode, yet another case of I've - almost - lost - you, hinting at the feelings between Elizabeth and John, but never crossing that fine line. It's written so well, it could easily be a part of the show, and it gives so much insight into both Elizabeth and John. Perfect.
Fic Rec #10: Before and after
Pairing: John Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: rushingwind
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): PG - 13, no warnings
Why This Must Be Read: This is an amazing emotional roller coaster, with nerve biting plot and yet more insight into everything John would do, to keep Elizabeth safe.
Character: John Sheppard
Pairings Included in Manifesto: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
made by ankareeda
Blurb: Writing about all the things that make John Sheppard amazing isn't an easy task. He is probably my favorite character in anything, and there are many reasons why I adore him so much, but the most important one is the fact that I can relate to him. John starts out as an underdog, a forgotten Air Force Major with a huge and ugly looking black mark in his service file he won for disobeying a commanding officer. John did it in a failed attempt to save a friend and a fellow soldier from behind enemy lines. He's rewarded with a task of flying a chopper over frozen space of Antarctica, flying all kinds of military big - wigs (and probably scientists) to a secret base that's, believe it or not, hidden underground. Once inside, John accidentally activates a piece of Ancient technology, which proves there is something special about him - his genes. John ends up with what looks like a one way ticket onto adventure of his lifetime and joins the military and civilian expedition traveling to another galaxy to unexplored ancient city of Atlantis. However, the expedition doesn't land smoothly in the new galaxy, they encounter pretty scary enemies, and their military commander is killed shortly after they arrive, which leaves John Sheppard in a position of a highest ranking military officer. Doctor Elizabeth Weir, an experienced diplomat and expedition leader basically takes a chance on him by making him a leader of military contingent of expedition. One might say it was the only logical move, considering military hierarchy, but in my opinion it was very risky to put John in the leading spot.
Elizabeth's decision proves to be one of the best she's ever made in her time on Atlantis, if not the single best one. It also proves to be that one poetic chance John needs to prove there's more to him than just a soldier with authority issues. He is a considerably smart man, a capable commanding officer, loyal friend, good human being and formidable enemy. John is interesting and complex, part darkness and part light, glorious in his flawed heroism. He is damaged goods, but not entirely broken, he had a fair share of pain and loss, and those experiences have shaped him into a man who doesn't really believe he will find a place to call home, but that is exactly what happens.
I ship John Sheppard with Elizabeth Weir. Even though they never got together on screen, I'd say that the human bond between them is pretty much undeniable. They start on opposite sides streaming toward the same goal, protecting Atlantis and their people, and John frequently questions Elizabeth's ideas and decisions, but unlike his previous superiors, Elizabeth listens to him. I think that's something that really matters when it comes to Elizabeth and John; with time they grow into people who respect each other deeply, even if they have opinions that differ. Another thing that I like about them is that they're two strong people, and equals in many aspects; they're complicated and conflicted and amazing, they put their duty before their own personal gain and their own feelings. In show's canon, their relationship is tragic, ending with the capture of Elizabeth Weir on part of their enemies, but what the writers messed up fanfiction authors have fixed, and explored this relationship in depth that the show lacks. John and Elizabeth can be many things - they can be serious, funny, flirty, sexy, romantic and in love, struggling with their feelings, losing and finding and saving each other. There are so many good stories about them out there, which is yet another great thing about them - they seem to inspire so many people, in so many different ways. I may find new fandoms and new pairings, but John and Elizabeth will always be The OTP for me.
*
Fic Rec #1: And if the world should fall apart
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: lone_pyramid
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): M / descriptive sex
Why This Must Be Read: I like to come back to this story. It's set post - Epiphany, after John's isolation in the time dilation field where he spent six months wondering if his friends have abandoned him. Losing home and being abandoned are John's greatest fears, and the author has done amazing job analyzing this and John's connection to Elizabeth. It's wonderful, angsty, romantic, hot and hopeful.
Fic Rec #2 Home for Christmas
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: southernred2
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): PG / no warnings
Why This Must Be Read: What if John Sheppard didn't join the original expedition and stayed on Earth? What kind of man would he be then? What if Elizabeth met him four years later? The author skilfully presents a scenario like that, giving us a slightly darker version of John Sheppard.
Fic Rec #3: Amarantine
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: speckleberry
Link: here. A small note, this link will lead you to a post with final chapter of the fic, where links to all previous chapters are included.
Rating/Warning(s): PG
Why This Must Be Read: Because it's simply amazing. Set after events of “Ghost in the machine” and leading us to future, this story presents us John Sheppard through Elizabeth's eyes, exploring his loyalty and lengths he is willing to go for Elizabeth.
Fic Rec #4: A sorta fairytale
Author: icitall
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard, brief appearance of John/Sheppard/OC
Link: part one and part two
Rating/Warning(s): M for explicit sex
Why This Must Be Read: I love this story, completely. It's such amazing take on John realizing he is in love and finding that there is not much use in resisting what he feels for Elizabeth. It's perfect, it's hot, it deals with both John's and Elizabeth's emotions so well, and after you're done reading, you'll only want more.
Fic Rec #5: This is the last goodbye
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: leave_me_light
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): PG, no warnings
Why This Must Be Read: When Elizabeth is retrieved from Replicatros, she still presents a possible danger to Atlantis and Earth. This is why Atlantis can't keep her, and John can't let go of her. The author gives us a beautiful summation of who these characters are and what they are about through a single conversation between John and Rodney McKay.
Fic Rec #6: Tacit
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard, brief mention of John Sheppard/OC
Author: tenacious_err
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): R, no warnings
Why This Must Be Read: I love this story because it sums up everything about John and Elizabeth. Usually, it takes a story of epic proportions and often a tragic ending. This story takes a different road, and even though there's some angst in it, the happiness prevails. I love that, I love the characterizations in this, I love the quiet and content atmosphere at the end.
Fic Rec #7: Family in the machine
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: wanderingsmith
Link: here.
Rating/Warning(s): PG -13, no warnings
Why This Must Be Read: It's a wonderful, wonderful twist on “Ghost in the machine” - this story takes the basic concept, leaving the actual plot behind and offering us a different take on John's connection to Atlantis, raising it to a completely new level.
Fic Rec #8: The color of our planet from far, far away
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: hihoplastic
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): PG - 13, a crossover with Bones
Why This Must Be Read: To put it simply, it's perfect. It's an AU set sometime after Adrift and Lifeline, with Elizabeth retrieved from Replicators. While Elizabeth is dealing with things that happened to her, John is dealing with his own pain, and we watch them struggle together from darkness and toward light - all that with special appearance of certain FBI agent and his partner the forensic anthropologist. There's angst, but there's definitely more happiness.
Fic Rec #9: Afterimage
Pairing: Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard UST
Author: mylittleredgirl
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): R, few bad words
Why This Must Be Read: This is the best post - The Real World fic I've ever read. Written entirely from John's point of view, it deals with emotional fallout of the episode, yet another case of I've - almost - lost - you, hinting at the feelings between Elizabeth and John, but never crossing that fine line. It's written so well, it could easily be a part of the show, and it gives so much insight into both Elizabeth and John. Perfect.
Fic Rec #10: Before and after
Pairing: John Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard
Author: rushingwind
Link: here
Rating/Warning(s): PG - 13, no warnings
Why This Must Be Read: This is an amazing emotional roller coaster, with nerve biting plot and yet more insight into everything John would do, to keep Elizabeth safe.