Roswell New Mexico March for Meta

The pen is mightier than the sword! Cover photo by Joshua Eckl, @joshuaecklphotography on Instagram [Image description: The header is the night sky lit up with stars, the Milky Way clearly running diagonally across the image. The icon is of a pair of hands at a desk in a home office, writing on a notepad. End description.]

[rnmmarchformeta-archive]

As with previous years, this blog will continue to reblog contributions to the event through the weekend :)

Another matter of business, this is the last year I plan to run this event. I will be changing the blog title to "rnmmarchformeta-archive" at the conclusion of this event and if someone wants to take it over they are welcome to it.

[impalachick]

For @rnmmarchformeta free day: They should have brought back Travis and Trevor Gunther! Alex and Maria were targeted as soon as they got out of the truck in 2x06, which made it seem like Trevor Gunther knew them already. I also think the Mimi connection wasn't explored enough. They were briefly mentioned again in 2x09 when Max brings them up to Sheriff Valenti, and the show just says they disappeared. So here's my theory: they were the result of experiments done by Jones when he was living in Roswell. Jones was obsessed with cloning. He had some science know-how, although obviously he didn't know how to clone himself. I think he had been doing cloning experiments ever since he got to Earth. Travis said that Trevor was experimented on at Deep Sky, and then later in s3 Eduardo confirms that Trevor did have a Deep Sky connection and killed himself. What if Trevor was a clone made by Jones, and so that's why Deep Sky kidnapped/experimented on him? And Trevor had been waiting for the alighting the whole time? Eduardo might not know about this, but Deep sky has kidnapped people before. Mimi might have sensed Trevor had an alien connection and that's why she went to speak with them in the first place. She might have talked about her daughter, so Trevor was on alert and spooked when Maria showed up. And he might have known that Jones was still alive, and he might not have wanted Maria and Alex to find out which would be a (albeit crazy) reason to kill them. The only issue is the timing b/c Travis and Trevor look young-ish. Maybe Trevor and Travis where kept alive/young by Jones or were kept in a cryochamber at deep sky after Jones was trapped.

[jule1122]

March for Meta Day 5

March Meta Day 5 Free Day: Michael’s Turn!

I don’t necessarily think Michael is a better communicator than Alex, just that his communication issues are different.  Where Alex struggles to say what he means reverting to silence or cold formality, Michael is more likely to speak before he thinks.  And just like Alex there are times when he says the absolute perfect thing, something that shows why he and Alex belong together.  As I did with Alex, I want to look at a few times where what Michael says to Alex addresses a fear or insecurity Alex has.

3x09

Alex continues to struggle on the ledge. We flash briefly to Nora suddenly smiling, then flash briefly to the dials on the Lockhart Machine turning. Then, Michael rushes onto the balcony, through Nora, who fades away.

Michael: “Alex! I got you! I got you.”

Ramos has rushed onto the balcony after Michael, while Michael grabs Alex’s hand and helps him down off the ledge and onto the balcony. Alex collapses into Michael, panting, and grabs on to him. Michael holds Alex.

Michael: “I always got you.”

Alex has never been cared for.  It’s never been safe for him to be weak or vulnerable.  Here, Michael finds him at one of his most vulnerable times - he is weak physically, he is confused, he’s stuck in vision reminding him that he is a failure.  And Michael holds him in his arms and lets him know that he is safe, that he as someone to lean on, someone who won’t turn away from his weakness but instead will protect him until he’s strong again.  Michael doesn’t ask for an explanation or tell Alex that now that the threat is gone he should get him, he tells him again that he has him, that Michael will take Alex’s weight as long as he needs to.  I can’t imagine what it must have felt like for Alex to sink into Michael’s arms, to be held, to be able to let go and feel safe and loved in that moment.  I might need to go cry about it for a few hours.

Michael has so many amazing moments at the end of Season 4.  He has my favorite line of the entire series “I am so in love with you it’s embarrassing.” But we are going one episode forward for this.

4x12

Michael: “Because all I’ve ever wanted my entire life was to make you happy.”

Perhaps not the best circumstances for this sentiment, but it’s still really important.  We start the series with Alex telling Michael, “What I want doesn’t matter.”  I think it takes him a very long time to move past that.  Alex’s mother left him with his abusive father and his brothers witnessed his abuse and didn’t stop it.  All of this people were also abuse victims and aren’t to be blamed for prioritizing their own safety, but Alex still would have learned that his safety wasn’t a concern.  Regardless of the changing narrative of Jim Valenti, he was an authority figure who didn’t intervene to protect Alex because of what it might have cost him.  Years in the military would have reinforced the belief that while Alex might have a purpose, he, as a person, his happiness, didn’t matter.  Michael telling him that Alex’s happiness not only matters but that it was something Michael wants to give him would have been something new.

*Special thanks to @saadiestuff for episode transcripts.  They are such a gift to the fandom and a huge help to me.

[impalachick]

Kyle, Boundaries, and Possibilities

For @rnmmarchformeta day two. One of my favorite scenes involving Kyle Valenti happens in 2x04.

Much has been written about how Kyle is a great friend and he’s very good at empathy, and I agree. But the scene in 2x04 where he talks to Liz at the hospital is really a turning point for Kyle as he starts to set boundaries to protect himself and figure out what he wants. I also have my Kyle/Max/Liz glasses on, so I have some thoughts about that too.

Kyle: I think I’m mad at me. Liz: This is about the kiss, isn’t it? We kissed a million times. I-I didn’t think it would be that big a deal. Kyle: Yeah, that was clear. Liz: I didn’t realize you still felt that way. Kyle: I don’t know how I feel. I keep risking my job, uh, my medical license for you ever since you got to town. Lying to my mother to protect your boyfriend… giving every minute of my free time to save him. I keep putting you first, constantly, and I just… Liz: I put Max first. I know. I love him, Kyle.

After Liz is pretty blasé about their kiss in the closet, Kyle thinks he knows that Liz isn’t interested. Liz doesn’t say how she feels for Kyle. Instead, we see her realizing in real time that Kyle still has feelings for her. I think it’s worth noting here that Kyle specifically brings up Max, too. He’s trying to figure out why saving Max matters so much to him. At that point, Liz says Max comes first. I think that’s reasonable, because Max is the one who is dead - and Kyle is critical to bringing him back. But I also think that statement makes Kyle realize that no matter what, Liz and Max are going to be a packaged deal if/when they bring Max back. Even if they aren’t able to save him, Liz will always love Max. Kyle has to figure out if he still fits in somewhere.

Liz: […]I want you to be happy, too. I love you, Kyle. You’re family. Kyle: Great. “I love you like a brother” speech… (scoffs)…it’s… Just… [he starts to leave] Liz: No! [she grabs Kyle’s arm] I did not say “like a brother.” I said “like family.” There’s a difference. You know, what we’re doing, you and me… it doesn’t only have to be for Max.

I know that Liz goes on to talk about how the cutting edge science they are doing could help humans, too. But she also implies here that Kyle deserves to derive some sort of emotional fulfillment out of helping Max. She makes clear that Kyle is important to her, and she makes the distinction between ‘family’ and 'brother.’ I think she’s so adamant about that distinction because she wants to leave open the door for physical affection. Kyle and Liz were physical almost from the moment they saw each other again - on the one hand, that’s because it’s relatively easy to fall into old patterns, and Liz said she felt safe with Kyle. On the other hand, it had been ten long years and yet Liz obviously still felt attracted to Kyle. Possibly Liz knows that Kyle and Max might be interested in each other, if they ever got the chance? That could make Liz and Kyle a different kind of 'family’ if they formed a triad or V relationship.

Kyle: I’m gonna help you save Max, Liz. But after that, I’m gonna need a little space, okay? ( laughs ) Because the truth is, I like being your rock. And if I’m being honest, I like being whatever you want me to be, whenever you want me to be it. I always have.

But as long as I’m your rock, I’m standing still. We can’t do that anymore.

Kyle clearly sees that he’s stuck in a rut. He and Liz were in a 'friends with benefits’ zone that Kyle does not want to stay in. It would seem that at this point, Kyle is saying either he wants their relationship to get more serious, or he wants to get some distance. I also see this part as Kyle admitting he has been staying as strong and stoic as possible, even in the face of Max’s death, to try and comfort Liz. I think Kyle is trying to be very logical, but he’s been holding back his grief about Max. This tipping point creates a great opportunity for Kyle and Max to reconnect after Max is saved. I just wish we would have seen Kyle and Max interact right after he’d woken up!

Also, later on in 2x06 Kyle tells Isobel that there’s someone else. He doesn’t say who he’s thinking of just then. The show does imply that he’s talking about Steph, but I think it’s entirely possible he’s talking about Liz and Max ;)

[ober-affen-geil]

March for Meta Day 5: Free Day

Controversial opinion? I think Kyle Valenti is straight. More importantly, I think Kyle's straightness is a crucial aspect of his character, and if that aspect is removed his general character arc is significantly weakened.

This is the disclaimer where I say people can write whatever they want and this is my opinion blah blah blah. Personally, I strongly dislike the "homophobic bully turns out to be queer" trope, but that's only part of why it's important to me that Kyle is straight as an arrow.

It's because I dislike the thought that one has to be queer to be comfortable around queerness. I think Kyle is a more interesting character if he's straight and still goes to hang out at Planet Seven.

I think it fits his personal growth of owning his mistakes and becoming comfortable with being an imperfect person if, as an extension, he becomes comfortable and confident in his straight identity as well.

The reason he bullied Alex in high school is because he was allowing himself to be affected by the judgement of others. It *mattered* to him what other people might think about him based on who he associated with, and he didn't feel confident enough in himself to not care.

Part of his arc in the time between high school flashbacks and the show beginning, to me, is him realizing that it doesn't actually matter what people think about him and that his own moral compass is more important to him. The thing that makes him call out everyone else in the show is the same thing, to me, that puts him at Planet Seven on Taylor Swift drag night. Absolute, complete self-assurance that he *worked for*. And, for me, making him queer undercuts that.

[jule1122]

March for Meta Season 4

March Meta Day 4 Season 4: Sometimes Alex gets the words right

With Alex missing so much of Season 4 and the drama of the last few episodes, I tend to forget about the first few episodes of the season.  They tend to be eclipsed by all that comes later so distant from the ending that it’s hard to remember they matter.  But Alex was very clear with Michael as they moved their relationship forward.  It’s amazing to see the transition from the early seasons where his regard for Michael was almost spoken in metaphor, Michael maybe missing the “I love you, you matter to me” in “I want to know who you are” and “You asked me to.”  There is no subtlety in S4, I think it’s Alex’s romantic equivalent of “I left nice behind in the Middle East.”  He is no longer hesitating in saying what he means and mostly what he means is Michael is the most important person in his life,

In 4x01 he tells him:  “Hey, I can live without that gazebo.  What I can’t live without is you.”

It’s a lovely way of telling Michael he prioritizes their future over nostalgia for one of the few positive memories of his childhood.  He trusted Michael with the gazebo, and Michael takes it to mean he trusts his with it physically, but I think what Alex was really doing was trusting him with it emotionally.  He was letting Michael see his vulnerabilities, sharing a dream he never told anyone else about.  Michael might have broken the physical gazebo, but he didn’t break the trust Alex placed him, he didn’t break the feeling of safety and support he gives Alex that allowed Alex to share that with thim.  Alex lets Michael know that he is the important part of the story not the gazebo.

4x02 is not a favorite of mine, but I am going to focus on something that makes me smile.

Alex: “Like a piece of alien tech, I don’t like being parted from my alien.”

Is it cheesy?  Absolutely.  But that’s what I love about it.  I love seeing Alex and Michael in a place where they can be cheesy with each other, where it’s not all shouted love confessions but bad puns that let them know how much they love each other.  Also, I think it’s important that Alex let Michael know why he wants to take the console.  His priority is getting back to Michael as soon as possible.  He is focused on Michel and being with him.  Michael is his alien and I love that for them.

[impalachick]

s1 Max: an anti-hero?

For @rnmmarchformeta Day One. I love Max Evans, and I love that he doesn’t fit into a traditional hero mold (at least that’s what I argue here).

The hero’s journey, according to Wikipedia, is when a character goes on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis, and comes home changed or transformed. I also like how this site defines the hero’s journey. There are many different definitions, just as there are different definitions of an anti-hero. For argument’s sake, I’ll use the wikipedia definition: An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero)[1] is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality.

Max’s story doesn’t follow the hero’s journey. Max doesn’t go on an adventure, he stays in the same town with the same job, and the ultimate crisis/decision point for him is more about the past than his future. Although Noah is the villain of s1, I think Max should be considered an anti-hero (whereas I would consider Liz and Isobel the heroes of s1).

Max spends most of s1 believing Isobel killed Rosa, just like the other characters. He hides this truth even though he wants to start a relationship with Liz, because he won’t betray Isobel. He even tells Liz to keep the anti-alien serum and protect herself, because he could never choose between Liz and his family. This tracks with what we find out later about Max - he only started wearing a uniform and became a police officer because he wanted to protect Michael. Family comes first in Max’s mind, no matter the consequences. Max doesn’t see an ideal world where Isobel and Michael and himself can live as aliens out in the open. He knows it would end badly for them, and that’s why he must protect their secret.

Then Max finds out Rosa is in a pod, so he sacrifices himself to bring Rosa back to life. I’m convinced he knew the toll it would take on himself, considering how physically ill he was after saving Liz. He trades himself for Rosa, as a final act of love for Liz. I think Max knew Liz & Isobel & Michael would never have agreed to his chosen course of action, but he thought it was still a fair trade. This choice could be seen as courageous, because he does take on this final act all by himself. I agree, but I think the even more courageous choice would have been to tell Liz. Again, Max is unable to believe in an ideal world where he gets to live and Liz is able to find a cure for Rosa and bring her back too. It’s easy to forget Max killed a random person pre-canon, because it seemed like he didn’t mean to do it - he just acted instantly to protect Isobel. We learn from Noah that killing probably made Max feel satisfied, or at least powerful. Max must have realized the true power he held at that point, if not before. And he never saved anyone else before Liz, even though he watched several people die as a police officer. He knew he could of done something to save them, and yet he chose not to.

Additionally, Max is the one to kill Noah, and that wasn’t a tough moral dilemma for him. He had been resolved to that course of action as soon as he found out what Noah did to Isobel (and Rosa, and all of the other women). Even when Michael argues to keep Noah alive (very logically, I think), Max has already made up his mind to neutralize the threat that Noah presents.

The bottom line is that Max is motivated by his love for his chosen family, and he doesn’t see any limits to that love. Even if he knows Liz or Isobel or Michael will disapprove or be angry, he still goes forward with protecting Isobel and then saving Rosa. Max’s moral compass is defined by his end goals, instead of doing what is ‘right’ or what his loved ones want him to do. He’s not an idealist, and he doesn’t try to follow a stringent moral code.

Saving Rosa does have consequences for Max that he couldn’t have predicted (being awake in the pod, and then forgetting Liz for a time), but I’m not sure that they change his outlook. He’s steadfast in his protector role even after that. I think he finally has to confront himself/his motivations when Jones arrives, but that’s meta for another day.

[ober-affen-geil]

March for Meta Day 4: Season 4

Ship: Anatsobel | Song: "Trucker Hat" by Bowling For Soup

...Hear me out. I actually like Kysobel, but Anatsobel is my season 4 ship without question. (And I still firmly believe had we gotten a season 5 Anatsa would have been back for nothing if not drama reasons.) Anatsa is Isobel's first serious relationship since Noah, and it's her first relationship with a woman. That makes it something special.

"Trucker Hat" is about Anatsobel from Isobel's perspective, for me. While the verses don't necessarily describe Isobel OR Anatsa by any stretch of the imagination, they ARE about being with a partner that the person feels is "above their level" in a very gentle, slightly self-depreciating way. This, to me, represents Isobel allowing herself to be vulnerable with Anatsa in a way she never really was even with Noah.

The chorus is the part that clicks for me because it's about the joy in having found a partner that is a "perfect fit". With Anatsa, Isobel is awkward, uncertain, and ultimately at ease in a beautiful way that she hasn't had in a relationship before. Anatsobel is her finally really thinking about herself and what she wants, and how Anatsa compliments that in her. (Also as a pop punk song I feel it really captures Anatsa's personality and spirit.)

Lyrics: This is the song that reminds me of my trucker hat That I used to wear not to block out the sun With a John Deere logo and a stain on the back From where you laid me out flat one look I was done Chorus: And all these things mean nothing to me When I'm with you I've got everything I can walk and I can need Even god he would agree You and I were meant to be It's easy to see I'll never go out of style on you And nothing really feels the way you do Nothing in the world could ever make me look as good When you fit me like you do This is the verse about the Parachute pants That I learned to break dance in and thought I was good So much for believing the fat guy doesn't win Get the girl in the end I never thought that I could [Chorus] I'm not the perfect guy A little slow but I've Got perfect timing with you Take a look around Outside the in crowd There ain't nothing we can't do [Chorus]

[jule1122]

March for Meta Season 3

March Meta Day 3 Season 3: Sometimes Alex gets the words right

Season 3 time!  Another season where Alex had his ups and downs when it comes to communicating with Michael.  There were definitely some moments where he said the wrong thing or shut Michael out at the wrong time, but again I am here to celebrate the times he did say the right thing.

3x03 drive in is a wild ride of a conversation.  Michael is not in a good place - resigned to his death and thinking he deserves it because of his father.  Alex has just come off a conversation about his own father and is again trying to figure what to do with his life and not knowing how to make a choice for himself.  It’s honestly a miracle they came out of this intact.

Alex:  “In Maria’s vision, I say I’m covering up a murder, right?”

Michael: “Yeah.”

Alex: “It’s not you.”

Michael: “You can’t know that.”

Alex: “Yes, I can.  If it were you, I would not cover it up.  I would burn the entire world down first.”

First off, credit for a dramatic exit and leaving Michael to think about what he said.  This is obviously an iconic line, and it’s important for many reasons.  In context with what I’ve been focusing on, how at times Alex is able to address one of Michael’s fears - that he doesn’t matter, that he is the one left behind - it is perfect.  Alex doesn’t say he wouldn’t cover up a murder, he says he wouldn’t cover up Michael’s murder.  Michael is the exception here, the person Alex knows regardless of circumstance he wouldn’t stand for his death.  Not only would he not cover it up, he would seek vengeance.  It’s not a love confession, but it is a confession of the value Alex places on Michael’s life.  Alex makes it clear that to him Michael isn’t disposable, that there is nothing that would convince to let Michael’s death go unpunished.

I can’t talk about Season 3 without 3x08.  

Alex:  “Guerin, you are the one piece … that I cannot go through life without.”

Have I sufficiently recovered from that moment - no.  I think back to Season 1 Alex saying he’s tired of not saying what he wants to and in this moment I think he really is able to say what he wants.  I think it’s important to remember that Alex and Michael are not together at this point, this was not a romantic declaration by Alex.  Instead it is a plea for Michael’s safety, for him to follow the plan so there are no unforeseen complications that could put him at risk.  Most importantly, he lets Michael know that his importance in Alex’s life is unique to him, Michael is not replaceable or forgettable, his is someone Alex can’t live without.  Michael has never been the most important person in anyone’s life before.  And while it doesn’t erase the pain of their past, Alex is finally able to tell Michael what he means to him,

[ober-affen-geil]

March for Meta Day 3: Season 3

Ship: Echo | Song: "Bop" by Dan Seals

Echo has honestly been one of my favorites since episode 1, but they're my pick for season 3 because this season was about them repairing their relationship. About finding a way to really make it work, and reconciling after their first try went so wrong.

"Bop" represents Echo, from Max's point of view, because it's basically just a guy singing about how much he loves his partner. It's sappy, it's a little old school but not in a bad way, and it's endearingly a little cringe. It's about a current relationship, but it's reminiscing as well, which fits with how Max thinks about Liz.

Most importantly to me, for this being about Max, is that it's...not quite pop and not quite country. It's definitely poppy and it's definitely country, but it's a little too much of both to be either. This, for me, fits with Max's desire to really be able to fit in as "just a guy from Roswell" but being unable to.

Lyrics: Put on your Bobbi-sox baby Roll up your old blue jeans There's a band playin' down at the armory Know's what rock and roll really means I want to ride in your '55 T-Bird Drive through some old memories I ain't after your body baby I just want you to dance with me Chorus: I want to bop with you baby, all night long I want to bop the night away I want to make it a night like it used to be When our hearts were young and our souls were free I want to bop with you baby, all night long I want to be-bop with you baby till the break of dawn I want to bop with you baby all night long I got an old photograph in my pocket We were still in our teens Lord knows I feel a lot older now But you still look the same to me Honey, you don't ever laugh like you used to And I don't want to see you blue If you ain't busy tonight and you think it's alright This is what I want to do [Chorus] Let's twist and shout Oh, just like in the good old days Baby, watch out You know I just can't stand it when you look at me that way [Chorus x2]

[jule1122]

March for Meta Season 2

March Meta Day 2 Season 2: Sometimes Alex gets the words right

I am so excited because I get to talk about one of my favorite scenes between Michael and Alex and definitely one of my favorite moments in S2.

Let’s talk about 2x09

Michael “You came.”

Alex: “You asked me to.”

That’s it, just a quick exchange, but one I am obsessed with.  I think it is a crucial moment in their relationship, one I firmly believe is necessary for both of them.  This is the first time they’ve seen each other since the end of 2x06 when they effectively put the last nail in the coffin of their future together.  They both admitted that while they had believed they would somehow end up together, they no longer thought that was true.  And then Alex walked away.

So while they were clear on what they weren’t, what their future wouldn’t hold, they didn’t establish what they would be.  Would they be friends?  Would they be bitter exes who share friends but do their best to avoid each other?  Would they become acquaintances who work together when necessary but never share anything personal?

Michael’s reaction to seeing Alex seems to indicate even he isn’t sure.  He asked Alex (and we know it’s not easy for Michael to reach out but that’s a different meta) but wasn’t sure he would show up.  

And Alex gives him the most wonderful, perfect response.  “You asked me to.”  That’s it.  No further explanation, no qualifications.  “You (Michael) asked me to.”  That is all Alex needed.  In that moment, it’s not about their past, it’s about figuring out how they move forward.  So Alex establishes that Michael asking for him is all he needs.  It’s not about a promise or hope of a future together, it’s about their present and working to build their friendship.

[ober-affen-geil]

March for Meta Day 2: Season 2

Ship: Miluca | Song: "Peaceful Easy Feeling" by Eagles

Miluca was a breath for me, in season 2. I was happy to multiship, and I loved Michael and Maria when they were together. "Peaceful Easy Feeling" represents Miluca, from Michael's perspective, pretty perfectly in my opinion because it tells the story of his relationship with her.

For Michael in season 2, Maria *is* the most peaceful and solid relationship he's ever had in his life. Platonic or otherwise. She grounds him, in a way that the chorus talks about. The verses tell their story, the first one representing almost exactly how they first begin their relationship. There is some introspection and recognition of faults, and an acceptance that the relationship may not last.

The genre being country rock is the icing on the cake because what else could more perfectly describe Michael?

Lyrics: I like the way your sparkling earrings lay Against your skin so brown And I want to sleep with you in the desert night With a billion stars all around Chorus: 'Cause I got a peaceful easy feelin' And I know you won't let me down 'Cause I'm already standin' On the ground And I found out a long time ago What a woman can do to your soul Aw but she can't take you any way You don't already know how to go [Chorus] I get this feelin' I may know you As a lover and a friend This voice keeps whisperin' in my other ear Tells me I may never see you again [Chorus]

[jule1122]

March for Meta Season 1

March Meta Day1 Season 1: Sometimes Alex gets the words right

Full disclosure - I love Alex, I adore him, he is far and away my favorite.  But I don’t think he’s perfect.  Communication is one of his biggest struggles especially with Michael.  He says nothing, he says, both intentionally and unintentionally, the wrong thing.  I feel like Alex’s communication issues are fairly well documented, but we don’t talk much about the times he gets it right.

I wanted to look at times throughout all four seasons when Alex says the “right” thing to Michael, when he says something matters, something that - maybe only in hindsight is necessary - for their relationship to progress.  I am specifically focusing on times when what Alex says addresses some of Michael’s fears.  I think one of Michael’s biggest insecurities is feeling like he has less value than other people, Max and Isobel specifically.  He was the one left behind, the one who spent his life looking to the stars for a rescue that never happened.  There is a reason he told Isobel he killed Rosa and the others and a reason he was willing to continue the lie in season one even if it led to his death.  So let’s start with season one where Alex’s communication skills were probably at their worst.

We have this wonderful exchange is 1x10:

Alex: “So, the three of you were found together, but why were Max and Isobel adopted separately?”

Michael: “I just told you I survived a UFO crash, I gestated in a pod for half a century, and I hatched.  And you want to know about my family problems?”

Alex: “Look, I’ve known about alien stuff for months.  I want to know about you.”

What I love about this is Alex has been running hot and cold all season, and even the beginning of this conversation in 1x09 has him starting to walk away.  But instead he stays, and he tries to do what came for which was talk to Michael.  And when Michael questions him, he makes it clear he’s not there on a fact finding mission, he’s not trying to get Michael to tell him about alien powers or asking Michael what he might know about an alien killer.  Instead he’s trying to fill in the gaps in their relationship, trying to get to know Michael as a friend would.  Alex lets Michael know that it’s Michael he’s interested in - his life and his experiences - not his biology.  Sure it all goes to hell a few minutes later, but in that moment, Alex really did say what he came there to say.

[ober-affen-geil]

March for Meta Day 1: Season 1

Ship: Malex | Song: "We Belong" by Pat Benatar

It should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone familiar with my RNM meta that my ship pick for season 1 is Malex. It's the ship that got me into the show and it's the ship that ate my brain and spat meta out at a feverish pace in the first few months of the first hiatus...it's the ship that put me in this fandom.

"We Belong" represents Malex, especially season 1 Malex, to me because it's about a romantic relationship that is....rocky? It's actually unclear if the relationship is actually in progress or is only past tense, and how the other person feels about the relationship at all. But what is clear is that the two people have had issues of communication, have hurt each other, but ultimately are linked inextricably.

The language of the chorus states not only "we belong together", but also references the natural; unavoidable elements of living. Elements specifically found in a storm (light, thunder). Cosmic elements. It's this in the chorus and the specific lines throughout the verses speaking about how uniquely they can hurt each other, and acknowledges they are both wrong.

It's also that the song is a classic pop ballad sung with a powerful voice and a slow but driving and inescapable percussive rhythm in the back.

Lyrics: Many times I tried to tell you Many times I cried alone Always I'm surprised how well you cut my feelings to the bone Don't want to leave you really I've invested too much time to give you up that easy To the doubts that complicate your mind Chorus: We belong to the light, we belong to the thunder We belong to the sound of the words we've both fallen under Whatever we deny or embrace for worse or for better We belong, we belong, we belong together Maybe it's a sign of weakness when I don't know what to say Maybe I just wouldn't know what to do with my strength anyway Have we become a habit? Do we distort the facts? Now there's no looking forward Now there's no turning back When you say [Chorus] Close your eyes and try to sleep now Close your eyes and try to dream Clear your mind and do your best to try and wash the palette clean We can't begin to know it, how much we really care I hear your voice inside me, I see your face everywhere Still you say [Chorus x2]

[rnmmarchformeta-archive]

[Image description:

The camera pans slowly across a desk in a home office scattered with books. A person is sitting at the desk (head out of frame) with their hands resting on the surface, writing on a notepad. There are shelves filled with books and a leather easy chair in the background. The text across the center of the gif reads “Roswell, New Mexico March for Meta March 13-17, 2023″.

End description.]

Calling all couch critics!

We are asking you to put on your analyst hat and share your meta thoughts on everyone’s favorite alien drama. The prompts are made with analysis in mind but all contributions are welcome. Tag your posts with #roswellmarchformeta2023 or #rnmmarchformeta2023 in the first five tags and we’ll reblog them here. Or just tag us in the post!

No meta is too small or too long, but we will not be reblogging posts with added commentary so if you want to riff you should create your own. The more the merrier! We will be tagging for triggers, and any post that contains explicit character/ship/creator hate (especially those with slurs or blatant racism/queerphobia) will not be reblogged.

March 13, Day 1 | Season 1 Who is your favorite season 1 character? Favorite scene? Line? Ship? What is the reason you got hooked on the show? Is there something that hits different with the context of the other seasons? Name a season 1 character that you would have liked to see again and tell us why. Is there a season 1 setting or space you really liked? Why?

March 14, Day 2 | Season 2 Who is your favorite season 2 character? Favorite scene? Line? Ship? What is a scene that clarified something from season 1 for you? Is there something that hits different on a rewatch? Name a season 2 character that you would have liked to see in a different season and tell us why. Is there a season 2 monologue or dialog you really liked? Why?

March 15, Day 3 | Season 3 Who is your favorite season 3 character? Favorite scene? Line? Ship? What is a scene that clarified something from a previous season for you? Is there a theme or arc you think should have been introduced earlier or carried on longer? Name a season 3 character that you would have liked to see in a different season and tell us why. Is there a season 3 costume or prop you really liked? Why?

March 16, Day 4 | Season 4 Who is your favorite season 4 character? Favorite scene? Line? Ship? What is a scene that resolved something from the show for you? Did the last season leave something unresolved you would have liked to see? Name a season 4 character that you would have liked to see earlier in the show and tell us why. Is there a series arc or theme you really liked? Why?

March 17, Day 5 | Free day/pet crack theory Explain a plot hole; connect (existing?) dots; invent a conspiracy; justify a headcanon; break the fourth wall and talk about shots, angles, lighting, music, locations, or references to other media; explore the road not traveled with scrapped scenes/lines from behind-the-scenes sources; let loose!

Find a list of trigger tags HERE, find a more extensive explanation on non-trigger tags HERE, find reasons your post may not be on the blog HERE, and find suggestions for contributions that do not involve actually writing meta (fics, fanvids, art, playlists, and gifsets) HERE.  

[rnmmarchformeta-archive]

[Image description:

The camera pans slowly across a desk in a home office scattered with books. A person is sitting at the desk (head out of frame) with their hands resting on the surface, writing on a notepad. There are shelves filled with books and a leather easy chair in the background. The text across the center of the gif reads “Roswell, New Mexico March for Meta March 15-19, 2023″.

End description.]

Calling all couch critics!

We are asking you to put on your analyst hat and share your meta thoughts on everyone’s favorite alien drama. The prompts are made with analysis in mind but all contributions are welcome. Tag your posts with #roswellmarchformeta2023 or #rnmmarchformeta2023 in the first five tags and we’ll reblog them here. Or just tag us in the post!

No meta is too small or too long, but we will not be reblogging posts with added commentary so if you want to riff you should create your own. The more the merrier! We will be tagging for triggers, and any post that contains explicit character/ship/creator hate (especially those with slurs or blatant racism/queerphobia) will not be reblogged.

March 15, Day 1 | Season 1 Who is your favorite season 1 character? Favorite scene? Line? Ship? What is the reason you got hooked on the show? Is there something that hits different with the context of the other seasons? Name a season 1 character that you would have liked to see again and tell us why. Is there a season 1 setting or space you really liked? Why?

March 16, Day 2 | Season 2 Who is your favorite season 2 character? Favorite scene? Line? Ship? What is a scene that clarified something from season 1 for you? Is there something that hits different on a rewatch? Name a season 2 character that you would have liked to see in a different season and tell us why. Is there a season 2 monologue or dialog you really liked? Why?

March 17, Day 3 | Season 3 Who is your favorite season 3 character? Favorite scene? Line? Ship? What is a scene that clarified something from a previous season for you? Is there a theme or arc you think should have been introduced earlier or carried on longer? Name a season 3 character that you would have liked to see in a different season and tell us why. Is there a season 3 costume or prop you really liked? Why?

March 18, Day 4 | Season 4 Who is your favorite season 4 character? Favorite scene? Line? Ship? What is a scene that resolved something from the show for you? Did the last season leave something unresolved you would have liked to see? Name a season 4 character that you would have liked to see earlier in the show and tell us why. Is there a series arc or theme you really liked? Why?

March 19, Day 5 | Free day/pet crack theory Explain a plot hole; connect (existing?) dots; invent a conspiracy; justify a headcanon; break the fourth wall and talk about shots, angles, lighting, music, locations, or references to other media; explore the road not traveled with scrapped scenes/lines from behind-the-scenes sources; let loose!

Find a list of trigger tags HERE, find a more extensive explanation on non-trigger tags HERE, find reasons your post may not be on the blog HERE, and find suggestions for contributions that do not involve actually writing meta (fics, fanvids, art, playlists, and gifsets) HERE.  

[rnmmarchformeta-archive]

[Image description

An open book on a counter with two hands writing in it. The text across the center of the gif reads “Roswell, New Mexico March for Meta March 15-19, 2023″.

End description.]

Don’t forget! March for Meta is coming up soon. If you’re looking for inspiration, find the prompts HERE and find suggestions for contributions that do not involve actually writing meta (fics, fanvids, art, playlists, and gifsets) HERE.

No meta is too small or too long, but we will not be reblogging posts with added commentary so if you want to riff you should create your own. The more the merrier! We will be tagging for triggers, and any post that contains explicit character/ship/creator hate (especially those with slurs or blatant racism/queerphobia) will not be reblogged.

Remember to use the tag in the first five tags (#roswellmarchformeta2023 or #rnmmarchformeta2023), or tag the blog in the post so we can find it!