Everything is Temporary: The Art of Writing Ilana

[weatheredlaw]

A super-big thank you to tellshannon815 for asking me to talk about everyone’s favorite Russian: Miss Ilana. Glad I could help shed some light on this rather hazy subject of a character.

Let’s get going, shall we? NOTE: Spoilers from season 5 to season 6. Just being courteous. : )

I apologize if this is a little tl;dr.

Comments

[crickets]

LOL Seriously? That is how they killed her? I still haven't watched that episode.

2. What was your initial reaction to Ilana and how (if at all) has it changed?

My reaction to her was very much similar to my reaction to Richard. She was mysterious, was tied to the island in a way that I couldn't understand but felt more deeply rooted [and known to her] than it did to the other people there, and I thought she was capable and awesome, and I trusted her.

I haven't ever stopped thinking that. But am sad to know that none of these questions about her were ever really answered.

If I were to ship her with anybody, it would obviously be Richard, lol.

[siluria]

I don't think I've even read a fic with Ilana in it, but I also have to admit to purposefully avoiding fic until the series had finished. I definitely agree we don't know anything about her, so characterisation has to be based on what she's done in the show, and of her interaction with Jacob, and how that differs to the 'Losties'. She definitely has a number of 'sides', based on how she deals with people.

[tellshannon815]

I admit I've written shamefully little Ilana, but I will link you to The Shadow Of The Statue which is basically Ilana, Jacob and Bastard In Black's flashbacks telling the story of Tawaret's destruction (turns out I couldn't have got it more wrong if I'd tried!)

I've considered her with Richard. I used to consciously avoid shipping her with Jacob after having heard a rumour that she was his daughter, because I don't like incestuous pairings. Now that doesn't appear to be true, I wouldn't rule it out.

It still pisses me off that questions about her weren't answered.

[flaky_artist]

Ilana is one of those characters I think I have a pretty good grasp on, until I actually try and explain her to myself. I'm trying to work on that though, because I also have a huge girl crush on her

[greedyslayer]

Just my own random thoughts on Illana:

After her initial appearance and as we learned a little more about her, in between seasons 5 and 6 I began to wonder if she was another immortal like Richard. I found that a really interesting idea. Clearly, that wasn't true, but I still think it would make for some cool AU fic.

Also, I wondered if possibly she was actually a descendant of Richard's, and even when he didn't seem to know her at all, I wondered if maybe if she was his descendant, he just didn't know her...but then "Ab Aeterno" happened, and it was pretty explicit that Richard doesn't have descendants unless he did knock up someone in a lot of in-between, off-screen time throughout canonI've noticed that the above seems like a strong indication that I only find Illana more interesting through my favorite, longer-established character, Richard. I admit, it's still hard for me to get attached to her actually, because it just seems she came in so late, and then to be killed like that...but, good fic on her has helped