Characters you probably shouldn't like, yet somehow do

Are there characters that you *know* are annoying, and you completely understand why other people hate them, yet you somehow like them anyway? How do you emphasize these characters' positive qualities in your fic, to make them . . . you know, tolerable?

Personally . . . ::snivelly, tearful confession:: I like . . . Anakin Skywalker. ::ducks volley of rocks::

I know he's whiny, he's self-centered, he's arrogant . . . he makes Obi-Wan's life a living hell, he repeatedly uses terrible pick-up lines, he's coarse and irritating, and he gets everywhere . . .

. . . umm, yeah.

What could I possibly like about this guy?

I . . . don't know, really. I think it's that there's a vulnerability about him--which doesn't excuse anything he does, certainly--but which puts the awful things he does in perspective. He's not like Palpatine, who is (presumably) evil to the core. The horrible things Anakn/Vader does are like a scarily grown-up version of the actions of a frantic little kid--"I'll destroy this toy so you can't take it away from me" kind of stuff. Not everybody will buy George's claim that all of this is "tragic" rather than "just incredibly stupid," but at least Anakin's a human kind of screwy instead of a monstrous kind of screwy.

I've tried to play up his more innocent, childlike qualities (easier for me, since I've been writing him as a teenager) and to at least put human motivations behind all the psycho stuff. A lot of my readers hate him anyway, but some of them do say they hate him . . . less.

 

Let's see...canon characters, I love

Palpatine--so deliciously, maliciously manipulative and I like his sense of fashion better than Padme! And besides, he's so cunning. I always admire that.

Rieekan--I've met a few people who think I'm crazy for liking a guy who's on-screen for about 10 minutes, but he's a cool head with a good sense of humor.

Ferrier--I always found him amusing and cheered when he came on-"screen" in Dark Force Rising and The Last Command.

Non-canon--

GALVIN!!!!!! (Props to Arin_Atona for creating the medic with the worst bedside manner since Jabba the Hutt's first aid class)--I like his sarcasm and wit.

 

Cracken? <hides from fellow pilot fans>

 

LOL! Yes! In Starfighters of Adumar, I wanted to smack him for getting Wedge involved, but he was so innocently resigned to the fate that Wedge would hate him for this.

 

He's just doing what he thinks is best, even if he is usually slightly wrong.

He's worse in Entrapment than in SoA.

 

EWOKS!

 

What? Who doesn't like Anakin?! *pulls out a Sith sword*

Anakin was my favourite character in the OT. Yes, the OT. Of course, he didn't become my favourite until he died in Luke's arms in RotJ, but when he did, let me tell ya...after that, it was "Luke who?"

I'm rather fond of Yoda, too.

 

What's Entrapment?

 

Hmm.... What characters do I love...?

Vergere. She tortures the crud out of Jacen, Criptic as hell, looks like a turkey, and yet I adore her.

And the rest of the Yuuzhan Vong. They're my babies.

 

Nas Choka. You're not supposed to like the Yuuzhan Vong because they're evil, but I can't help but respect this guy.

 

Kyp.

I can't even explain this one. I know he's a jerk, I know he's an arrogant s.o.b., but I can't help liking his character.

 

I second the Nas Choka nomination. He's a bastard, sure. But he's honorable and smart. I just can't help respecting him.

Another is Ysanne Isard. Okay, I hate her for hurting my precious Wraiths, but she's a good villian.

 

Threepio

Honestly, he's the whiniest character and never really redeems himself (like Luke does) and usually I can't stand characters like him. But somehow the golden droid is the lone exception

 

Danni Quee. *Ducks all the rocks hurled in my general direction* She's actually an interesting character, if you can get past all the J/D issues. She's a brilliant scientist, one of a very few who can do meaningful work outside of her area of expertise. She can't fight worth jack, but scientists aren't usually called to do that. I kinda see her as a blonde Jadzia Dax.

Jag Fel. *blocks blaster bolts from K/J'ers and J/Z'ers* He's honorable and brave, the consummate warrior. His loyalty, once given, cannot be shaken. He seems almost . . . Klingon.

Nas Choka. two words: worthy adversary. He seems to me like a Viking Chieftain or Anglo-Saxon Thane. Even with him being a bad guy and all, I respect him.

 

What's Entrapment?

It's my long fic that's driving me nuts right now. Link's in the sig.


What about Boba Fett? He's a bad guy... traps Han and sells him to Jabba, but he absolutely rocks! Ditto for Thrawn.

 

Oh, I Anakin to death. Precocious kid; sensitive, brave teen; black-suited nightmare papa; and redeemed, tired old pawn of destiny.

I Luke, too, whiny-ness and all. (A trait, yes, the Skywalker men share )

 

Anakin - And Luke, too. You can't like Papa and not like baby boy. They are a LOT a like. Plus, who knew Anakin Skywalker would be the best looking Jedi in the galaxy?

And Darth Vader IS Star Wars... as I think we're seeing.


Okay, annoying characters: Threepio He can't help it he's annoying as heck, he's a droid!!!

I also really like Nos Chaka and Nen Yim from the NJO, and found myself liking Ganner in Traitor. I also like Jacen and Jaina...most of the time... I can't help it!!! They are Skywalkers!!!

 

Raynar all the way! Sure, he's annoying and irritating, but he's one of the only dynamic characters in YJK! Plus, he and Lusa are just so cute. And he's way cool in SbS, 'cept for the part where he's snuggling with Eryl. Hello, the love of your life just died! Angst a little more, jerk!

 

I liked Callista. ::runs behind barricade--bottle rocket explodes over head::

I actually like Barbara Hambly a lot--although that's based on her original work. I confess that her SW novels left something to be desired--namely a lack of "space tape." I thought Callista had a lot of potential, though . . . at least as she was originally introduced, there was a kind of sad, gentle strength about her that I thought worked really well with Luke's character. I guess later she was written as a whiny, self-pitying psycho, but I don't think she *had* to turn out that way.

I've never written Callista, and if I were to do a Luke romance I'd probably use an OC, but I did steal some of her background info on Jedi culture and life in the Old Republic . . . notably Bucky and the Starboys, a horrid boy band that a particularly eccentric OC of mine likes.

 

I kinda see her as a blonde Jadzia Dax.

Jadzia could actually fight pretty darned good.

 

Callista? *gagsputterchoke* Ugh.

Characters I like but really shouldn't...Jar Jar Binks. Everybody hates him, but I think he's cute.

 

...

I... like Nas Choka. Best darned Vong out of them all.

 

JarJar?


I'll forget you said that if you update Irresistible...

 

I also love Anakin. And since seeing the prequels I've developed a soft spot for big and menacing, that Sith Lord that dwarfs all others - Darth Vader!

 

I like Zekk. Don't know why....

I also like Boba Fett. Fett can come and get me any time.

I guess theirs just something about bounty hunters...