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allthevmff

Rumours of My Death

By @heavenli24

Summary:

Veronica gets the surprise of her life when an unexpected visitor shows up at her door.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Part of the...

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

andcurioser

So. Let’s talk about Veronica Mars. *deeeeeeeep sigh*

Ok, friends. It’s been a goddamn whirlwind for me. I actually went to the Veronica Mars panel at Comic Con, which I thought was a highlight at the time. They screened the first episode before the panel, and I was all ready to report back to you all that it was real good and to get excited for the new season, but then Hulu had to go and drop the whole damn series during the CC panel, which was a STUPID thing to do (or, at the very least, an extremely stupid thing to announce to the panel at Comic Con - the exact people who would not be able to watch it until after Comic Con, putting them at risk for some really big fucking spoilers. It’s genuinely surprising to me how little the people who are in charge think about these things. If you want to do a surprise drop (which, why, but whatever), sure, go and do it, but definitely don’t announce it to a room full of people who can’t enjoy it and expect them to be excited??). But regardless. That was just a wtf moment. I was still filled with enthusiasm and excitement and happiness that this show was back and seemed to be in good form.

Oy.

Cut to Tuesday morning. I got back from Comic Con on Sunday night, and life goes on, so of course I hadn’t watched 8 hours of TV by Tuesday at 7AM. Which is precisely when my dear friend, whom I adore, but who is apparently an idiot, texted me about how terrible that VM ending was and how upset she was. Now, because I’m a good friend and I know what she likes and we’ve discussed VM at length, it took me all of four seconds to know the gist of what happens in the end. I didn’t know the how or why, but I certainly knew the what. Cue fun spikes of anxiety and random bursts of rage, because what the fuck. Truly, what the fuck. But I placed my certainty at 99% and hopelessly clung to the 1% chance that I was wrong, knowing full well that I wasn’t. This obviously completely stymied any excitement I had for the show, and I dragged my heels for a full month before finally finishing the goddamn show just to get it over with. And now we’re here.

I’ve had a month to ready myself for what I knew was coming. It was both a blessing and a curse, since while it pretty thoroughly ruined my good time, it also meant that I wasn’t totally blindsided by that ending. And man, I would have been blindsided, because there was Z E R O reason for that. None. And now I’ve read all the articles in which Rob Thomas tries to explain his reasons, and they’re all nonsense. Absolute idiocy. All I see is a guy who always, always resented the fans for loving a character he didn’t want us to, who tried and tried to redirect us to one of his preferred creations without success, and just when I thought he’d finally accepted defeat, he pulls the most nonsensical of fuckery just to finally win the battle. Fuck you, RT, forever and always. I can’t fucking believe that I allowed myself to think you’d finally seen the light. What a ridiculous fool I was for giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Since I knew what was coming, I could look for the signs all throughout the season. So I searched for foreshadowing, or at least a narrative through-line. And let me tell you: there isn’t one. The season finally, rightfully seems to address Veronica’s deep-set trauma and trust issues but treats them like a problem and not a secret superpower, and it seemed like the show might expect Veronica to grow up along with the viewers who’ve aged 15 years since the first season? I was excited to finally have Veronica be the problem in a relationship, frankly. It was hinted at with Piz, but glossed over because there was only so much time in the movie, but it was realistic for her to have some trouble adjusting to a long-term, committed relationship, and I was excited to see that journey! I thought it was such an interesting path to go down, watching Veronica grapple with what she wants (or maybe just thinks she wants) vs. what she’s always known, or thought she knows. Lots of stuff there! Good stuff! And you get all the way to the end, when she’s finally decided to try. It isn’t fixed, it isn’t perfectly, she’s definitely got a long way to go, but she’s taken a few tentative steps into an uncertain future. And all of a sudden, quite literally, boom. It’s all gone.

Listen. I was never going to be a fan of getting rid of Logan. However they chose to do it, it would always feel wrong. I have never trusted Rob Thomas to handle Logan well, because he’s always had this undercurrent of anger in every interview I’ve read, this frustration that people love and respond to Logan when he wanted them to love Duncan! Then Piz! Then anyone else! His creations took on a life of their own, and RT hated it. RT was one of the ultimate examples of writers/show runners who were simply watching a completely different show than the rest of us. I could never understand how he wrote such interesting stuff for Logan but didn’t want us to root for him. It never made any sense. But I didn’t think he would sabotage his own show this thoroughly.

Because here’s the thing: I was never going to like him getting rid of Logan, but I could have understood it. I could have gone along with it if it had been done right. Frankly, the way it was building, it wouldn’t have been a surprise, nor would it even have been a bad choice, to have Logan break up with Veronica at the end of the season. And if RT couldn’t handle Veronica not being the aggressor, fine, make Veronica do it. She decides she isn’t willing to put in the work to change that Logan needs from her, and she ends it. Fine. Could work, at least for a few seasons. Let her deal with the loss, knowing it was something she chose, and see how it affects her priorities as she continues on. Certainly could be interesting!

You know what isn’t interesting? This. This is the only - the ONLY - plotline that’s a watered down repeat of a previous story. Veronica Mars, traumatized and hardened by the shocking loss of someone close to her? Quite literally, been there, done that. I know RT has been trying to recapture the magic of season one for every season and iteration since, but just repeating the storyline? Really, really missing the mark. There isn’t anything new that can be added to this. We’ve done this. This will only ever be a pale imitation, a tacked-on sequel hitting the same beats with less force. Lilly was a fantastic inciting incident that yielded a tight, well-thought-out season arc. But why would we want to start over 15 years later? What’s to be gained from this? Literally ANY other ending would have yielded multiple storytelling options, branching out with so many possibilities on where the characters could go. This is the only one that simply slams doors shut.

The few supporters of this ending I’ve seen around the interwebs keep saying things like “this show wouldn’t work if Veronica was happy!” Hell, Rob Thomas is saying the same thing. And to that idiocy, I can only say 1. of course it would, if you write it well, dumbass, and 2. if you think Veronica getting married immediately = happiness, well, what the hell show were you watching? The marriage, much as it could represent a step forward, was still VERY CLEARLY a huge, impulsive jump that was more a reaction than a measured decision. And that was something I was looking forward to seeing. Fresh off of a near-death experience and a renewed assurance of her love for Logan, Veronica marries him thinking that’s the end of their troubles, only to realize that it’s just another complication. Now Veronica has to deal with the new experience of having no quick exit strategy. All the problems they had throughout the season still exist, thinly covered by the veil of newlywed bliss, and she has to reconcile her happiness with her frustration and uncertainty. Logan still disappears at the drop of a hat because of his job. She still puts herself in danger for the case and uses loved ones and acquaintances alike to her full advantage. They hide things from each other. They love fiercely, they trust the other with their own lives but can’t trust each other to take care of themselves. Doesn’t this sound like a complicated, tumultuous relationship full of narrative possibilities?

Well, forget it, because why break new ground when you could retread old storylines? Yeah, that’s what we all want. Great job, RT. So smart.

Something that keeps bothering me is that if RT didn’t want Logan around as the happy husband at home but didn’t want to write more relationship drama between them? He already had the perfect excuse to ship Logan off for entire seasons at a time. Look, Logan’s deployed, oh no, he can’t even skype, he’s undercover! Cool, problem solved. No more Logan, but in a way that still maintains possibilities for the future should we want them. Ideal. Again, options. All you want are places for your narrative to go. Multiple roads it could take so it doesn’t become predictable.

This is predictable. This is boring. This is trite. Our heroes, struck down in their highest moment of happiness. Holy fuck, it’s dull. It doesn’t feel edgy. It feels derivative, a tired rehash of a narrative structure that should have gone out of vogue ten years ago. The whole thing just exhausts me at this point.

And I’ve read Rob Thomas’s justification for why he did it. They’re all flimsy, but if he wants to go do a Sherlock-style, Ms. Marple mystery series, flitting in and out as he pleases, fine. It won’t be the worst show in the world. Veronica’s still a fun and interesting character, and I’ll always enjoy watching her. But removing her from Neptune, and more importantly, removing her from all of her meaningful relationships, takes away what made this show special. The new version RT is pitching could be fun enough. But it’ll still be just one in a long, long line of mystery shows that don’t have much claim to my emotional investment. I might watch, but I’ll forget about it the second it’s over. It certainly won’t be the kind of show with a fanbase that will still be interested in watching more 15 years from now. Rob Thomas won’t be getting one of those again.

So yeah, that’s that. I have much more to say, but really I just wanted to get this rant out so I can put it all behind me. I learned long ago that I can’t trust shows and showrunners, and it’s a lesson I learned partly, if significantly, from Rob Thomas. I suppose it’s on me for letting my guard down, but I guess my hope got grandfathered in from an age when I didn’t immediately mistrust the things that were supposed to make me happy. I’ll know better next time.

boilingheart-archive

Y’all little writers go on and have fun now

allthevmff

The VMFF Holiday Fic App has arrived…

It’s the fic version of an advent calendar… each time you open/refresh the app, a random list of Veronica Mars Holiday Fics will appear.

Featuring Fics, Art, Playlists & FanVids by…

@5mallestviolin @absolutelyiris @alilamba @biffbang @bondopoulos @kmd0107 @livinginsunnyhell @brittany4824 @bryrosea @cattyk8fic @cheshirecatstrut @susanmichelin @cubbiegirl @iimdestinyfreereally @elliebear75 @emtifahp @theawkwardterrier @happilyshanghaied @heavenli24 @his-beautiful-girl @nicemom93 @jeanie205 @kayte76 @kimikochan9 @lisawolfe80 @captaine-carter @marshmallowtasha @marshmellowbobcat @argyledpenguin @the-og-mkt @missismess @ms-maj @nevertothethird @oakave @tvfanatic @petpluto @violetobsession @scandalpantsstuff @mysilverylining @proofinyou @starlightafterastorm @therealcactusbetty @best-laid-plaids @troublescout @vixleonard @everlarkeologist @chichuri @collectionsofperfections @jerrejerreink @lilamadison11 @saoirsekonstantin @veronicamarsfanart @vmficrecs @vmficclub @thelillykane

+ Many More

Join us for LoVeCember 2020: X

sunniestdays

Why you should write healthy marriages:

1. They aren’t done enough.

2. They help other people understand what a healthy relationship looks like.

3. Fights can last for weeks and still be part of a healthy marriage.

4. Stereotypes. Break all the marriage stereotypes.

5. Soft cute couple moments DON’T stop after marriage.

6. Marriage is completely independent of character arcs. Those two individuals with trauma will still be two individuals with trauma but with gold rings.

7. A healthy marriage is one where people understand that their partners have baggage/trauma/flaws, but love them even in rough patches.

8. It isn’t that healthy marriages aren’t compelling, it’s that people don’t know how to write marriages correctly.

9. Marriages being an end goal often perpetuates that women are trophies to be won.

10. Marriages being an end goal often perpetuates that someone’s “freedom” ends there. Bury this trope, please, I beg of you.

waasting-awaay

The Most Heartbreaking TV Show Deaths: listed 28 but should honestly be number one.

Prior to watching the show, my lovely boyfriend SPOILED this important detail by watching the last season in front of me. I had no idea what the show was about or an attachment to any of the characters yet besides the fact that I loved Kristen Bell (of course).

And watching, even as a clueless viewer, the character I now know as Logan Echolls, say I do to Veronica Mars and within the next scene DIE SUDDENLY, OUT OF NOWHERE, SO TRAGICALLY, broke my goddamn heart. And I do question whether said lovely boyfriend is even a real fan because when I asked him for more context he says to me “he was a boyfriend from high school who was kind of a bad guy that you didn’t really want her with anyways”. Like honestly did he even watch the show? Does he even believe in LoVe?? (Lol get it?)

And when I finally bit the bullet and watched the show myself, I even asked him how do they get this far? A couple episodes in and Logan Echolls is a jackass (as quoted in epsiode 1). But by the end of the first season, you fall in love with said jackass who looks at Veronica like she walks on water. Has his moments as we know but throughout the seasons and especially when we go to the movie, he’s grown so much since the last time we saw Logan who in the s3 finale, purposely got arrested so he could be in the cell to the beat the shit out of who drugged Veronica earlier. He was now a grown uniformed man, who’d calm down from his teen years. We’d gotten to see Logan at his worse and to have him be killed at his best, was devasting.

This a death I’ll NEVER get over and hope that Rob Thomas gets his shit together, writes another book or season and keep in mind what he said in the promotional video for the movie “can I bring Lily back? Because there’s a difference between real death and TV death” COUGH COUGH.

Should’ve just ended with the damn movies, you goddamn assholes.

#logan echolls deserved better

lesbiansandgayssupporttheminers

Conservative MP Steve Double BANNED from cafes in his Cornwall constituency over free school meals vote - Cornwall Live

Two venues in Cornwall have banned their local Conservative MP after he voted against the motion to extend free school meals over half-term

I am very much here for MPs seeing real consequences to their actions.

splend-42

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-10-23/rishi-sunak-barred-for-life-from-pub-in-his-constituency-over-vote-against-free-school-meals

I’m liking this trend.

pyaasa

A shop window in Lancashire

bassistreggie

veronica mars and logan echolls deserved their happy ending and I will never forgive the writers for what they did. strong female characters deserve to be loved and to be happy you know.

southernsnowdogs

Shout-out to all the tv show/book/movie producers, and writers, who use the last installment of a series as a love letter to the fans, and not as a big "Fuck You" to all of the people who remained loyal till the end.

grimandghoulish

reblog if you remember what it felt like to walk into blockbuster

phoenixyfriend

Reblog if you write fanfic and would be totally down with your followers coming into you askbox and talking to you about your fic

staringatalightbulb

Can I share something that bothers me about Veronica Mars season 4? Admittedly this is being influenced by my own experiences, but bear with me.

Specifically, I find Veronica's recreational drug use inconsistent with her character. As a 16 year old, Veronica was sexually assaulted after being drugged with GHB. Then, as a 19 year old, Veronica was physically assaulted (actually technically twice) after being drugged. I think Veronica as we know her from seasons 1-3 would likely have some trauma-related aversion to drugs, or at least aversion to feeling out of control. Admittedly this is drawing from my own experiences in life, but I can't imagine Veronica being comfortable losing control (or feeling as if she is losing control) as can happen with recreational drug use.

I think it's reasonable to assume that if she is comfortable with not being 100% in control, then she has changed over time. Compare this with her well-documented controlling behaviours of seasons 1-3. If she is comfortable loosening the reins, then she has changed over time (with or without outside intervention).

AND YET a big source of conflict in her relationship with Logan is her unwillingness to change or to grow up, and her lack of support of him trying to become a healthy adult.

So in one aspect we can see she herself has relaxed in a certain way, and yet it's a sticking point of the LoVe relationship that she digs her heels in and doesn't want to change? I know humans are complicated, but it feels less like complexity and more like inconsistency to me.

Also, I feel like Veronica's sexual assault is brought up as a plot point throughout the VM universe, but there's never a real exploration of how it actually affected her in canon. There are, of course, many fics which outline the great transformation after Shelley Pomroy's party (chopped hair, butch boots etc.), but in the actual VM universe it's only used as a conversational tool with other women.

Also, just think about how much trauma Veronica went through as a teenager. Locked in a fridge and set on fire; assaulted by Duncan; assaulted by Beaver; witnessing a suicide; witnessing multiple other deaths; witnessing a multi-fatality bus crash which killed many of her classmates; having many attempts being made on her life by different antagonists; being in a car which got shot at, and so on. I think it's fair to say that most people would experience at least some post-traumatic stress from any of these individually, let alone all together. And yet we don't really see long-term effects in Veronica from these events, apart from her mother leaving and general lack of trust from her PI work.

I guess in season 1 we did see the effect of Lilly's death on Veronica (e.g. imagining Lilly telling her to solve the case) which became her driving force in life for that year, but as soon as the mystery was solved Lilly's influence on her life ended. Or at least the influence that we saw as the audience ended.

Basically what I think I find annoying is the selective uptake of trauma and inconsistent writing of trauma and long-term effects on the show. Like certain things Veronica just "moves on" from when it's convenient for the writers, but others continue to haunt her 15+ years later (again, when it's convenient for the writers).

I'm probably just grumpy because I'm tired. And, you know, I'm a burned marshmellow.

dailyavengers

Chadwick Boseman. November 29, 1977 - August 28, 2020

📸 by Sam Jones

stevenrogered

Chadwick Boseman’s MCU Colleagues on the ABC News Special Tribute

marshmallow-the-vampire-slayer

You might have answered this before but who do you prefer between Buffy and Veronica ?

Sorry it took me so long to answer this question, Anon. To be honest, I kind of didn’t want to think too much about this because of the Veronica part of the question. As a #burntmarshmallow, I was kind of triggered.

The thing is, breaking up with a character you used to love is hard to do. There’s a lot of guilt when not only you’re not able to love a show and a character you used to be a champion of but also because you’re afraid you might even hate them. They are difficult feelings to reconcile, and it’s yet another reason why I hate Veronica Mars Season Fuck and Rob Thomas.

If you had asked me one year ago, my answer would’ve probably been very different. I’d wager I would’ve said I loved them equally, for both similar and different reasons. I think I might’ve even said I loved Veronica more because she was unapologetically flawed and relatable in a way that Buffy - in all her supernatural glory - could never be.

Now? I can’t even say that I like Veronica, at least not in her latest iteration. A bitter, hurtful, self-centered, almost despicable woman who refuses to grow and belittles the people she claims to love? A toxic partner who gets off on making her traumatized boyfriend get angry and violent and makes fun of him for seeking professional help and suggesting she should, too? A pscyh degree major who makes fun of therapy? A gun-toting, weed-smoking, hard-drinking thirty-something who only indulges in those things because she can and they’re “adult” things? A neglecting daughter who fails to see the poor condition her father is in? A crappy friend who feels she’s better than her best friend because he’s chosen to start a family and lead a normal, “boring” life? A know-it-all who can’t take her head out of her own ass and gets all the clues given to her on a silver platter by minor and irrelevant characters?

I wish I had the ability other fans seem to have to block Season Fuck and pretend it didn’t happen and find comfort in the three seasons and the movie. To quote Veronica, I’m just not wired that way.

Sorry, Veronica, but we need to break up. It’s not me. It’s you.

jjmazzy

Sad, but true. 💔

heavenli24

I feel pretty much the same way. Buffy was my first fandom, while Veronica Mars is my current fandom. A year ago, before VM S4, I might have said Veronica... and while I try my best to forget Season 4 and pretend it didn’t happen, part of me just can’t get over the hurt and sadness (and betrayal) I feel when I think of the awful person Veronica became in it :(.