One of the things I've always cherished about being a fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy is that no matter where you go you'll always find enthusiasts who -- for whatever reason -- celebrate the tertiary characters of their favorite films and television shows.
You know what I mean?
For example, I can remember back in the original days of TV's Twin Peaks being an employee in an office filled with folks who loved the show. We'd always get together around the water cooler on the day after a new episode broadcast, and -- more often than not -- we wouldn't get wrapped up in the plotlines details (which were understandable cryptic) but instead we'd want to talk about all of these smaller character moments. "Do you remember when Andy did this?" "Did you see that look Hawk flashed Agent Cooper?" "What is up with Audrey?" Remember: these were not the primary players -- in many respects -- but they were secondary players who still managed to squeeze out something particularly memorable against the broader canvas.
From what I've seen, this phenomenon isn't limited to our specific genre, but I think those of us who are ardent fans -- maybe the most ardent among us -- really have a way to dial it up to eleven, to draw even greater attention to these otherwise forgettable folks who struck a chord for any number of reasons.
To me, that's the best way to describe the phenomenon within a phenomenon for the original Star Wars Trilogy, the fan so many folks back then and still today celebrate 'Porkins,' as played on the silver screen by William Hootkins (who was born on this day back in 1948). He was this X-Wing pilot who met a grisly end -- as did so many that day in the Battle of Yavin 4 -- but because the character showed up, gave his all, and blazed a path into legend, fans 'worshipped' him. (Yeah, yeah, yeah ... maybe 'worshipped' is a bit strong, but you get the point.) We made him larger-than-life because he looked and sounded like one of us. He may've gone down with the ship, but that alone is no reason to avoid championing one who took a stand against the Empire.
All franchises have these lesser figures who end up meaning more to their respective fan bases, so maybe take a moment today to celebrate one of these characters and/or the actor and/or actress who played them. That's what unites us as fans, and we'd always rather be united than divided.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
You know what I mean?
For example, I can remember back in the original days of TV's Twin Peaks being an employee in an office filled with folks who loved the show. We'd always get together around the water cooler on the day after a new episode broadcast, and -- more often than not -- we wouldn't get wrapped up in the plotlines details (which were understandable cryptic) but instead we'd want to talk about all of these smaller character moments. "Do you remember when Andy did this?" "Did you see that look Hawk flashed Agent Cooper?" "What is up with Audrey?" Remember: these were not the primary players -- in many respects -- but they were secondary players who still managed to squeeze out something particularly memorable against the broader canvas.
From what I've seen, this phenomenon isn't limited to our specific genre, but I think those of us who are ardent fans -- maybe the most ardent among us -- really have a way to dial it up to eleven, to draw even greater attention to these otherwise forgettable folks who struck a chord for any number of reasons.
To me, that's the best way to describe the phenomenon within a phenomenon for the original Star Wars Trilogy, the fan so many folks back then and still today celebrate 'Porkins,' as played on the silver screen by William Hootkins (who was born on this day back in 1948). He was this X-Wing pilot who met a grisly end -- as did so many that day in the Battle of Yavin 4 -- but because the character showed up, gave his all, and blazed a path into legend, fans 'worshipped' him. (Yeah, yeah, yeah ... maybe 'worshipped' is a bit strong, but you get the point.) We made him larger-than-life because he looked and sounded like one of us. He may've gone down with the ship, but that alone is no reason to avoid championing one who took a stand against the Empire.
All franchises have these lesser figures who end up meaning more to their respective fan bases, so maybe take a moment today to celebrate one of these characters and/or the actor and/or actress who played them. That's what unites us as fans, and we'd always rather be united than divided.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
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