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Post by WickedElphie on May 28, 2009 20:36:14 GMT -5
I was just wondering if anyone agreed with my general premise that Eric is not a perpetual bundle of sunshine and happiness, and that given the proper trigger he could develop some anger and/or bitterness
I know we generally say that Eric's a lot like Simon from Firefly, but in a circumstance like that I could see him ending up a lot like Mal.
I think loss would be a possible trigger, or if he got into a situation where for some reason he felt the kingdom as a whole was against him.
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Post by Coral on May 29, 2009 9:56:46 GMT -5
Oh gosh yes! That could totally happen to him. It happened to Joe Hardy in the Hardy Boys Casefiles series. He's the happy-go-lucky brother who never really gets down and always sees the bright side of things. Then in the first book in the Casefiles series his girlfriend is killed by a car bomb meant for him and his brother. Joe blames himself and becomes a very angry, risk-taking, hateful young man for awhile.
In fan fiction circles for the boys, there's a lot of talk about what would happen to Frank if his girlfriend died or something serious happened to Joe. There's one Casefile where Frank's girlfriend is hurt by the bad guys and he goes off on the wrong track. And becomes capable of murder in the right situation! And this without her even being dead. Frank is the calm, cool, logical one of the pair.
The right stressor can turn off even the sunniest personality.
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Post by Zavi on May 29, 2009 16:09:57 GMT -5
Oh yes, of course! I think people stray away from those theories because they're so often done poorly (99% of angst!fic), but given the right person it's a solid theory. I come form the Lemony Snicket fandom--which royally sucks now--and those things have always been swimming around.
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Post by fridamoonbeam on May 31, 2009 1:19:49 GMT -5
Um, YES!
At first glance he's the adventurous care-free salior prince! But in the movie you find out he's got a lot going on up-stairs. While the Simon comparison is good, it isn't completely accurate. Speaking of our favourite doctor, there were plans to make him more harden in the next season/movie. Which would have made him more Eric-y to me. Eric kind of is a cross between Mal and Simon. (Please no fanfics involving male-pregnancy!)
But that's the thing that makes it so intesting to me. That's what people do who absorb things and keep on with it. They can only take so much before they have a huge break.
I've been addicted to the Wicked soundtrack lately, and I totally think of him during "Defying Gravity" and "No Good Deed" at certain parts.
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Post by Zavi on May 31, 2009 9:25:05 GMT -5
An uber-talented male singer has renditions of both: Defying GravityNo Good DeedI like his Defying Gravity better, but they're both pretty good. I'm addicted to his "Out There" and "She's in Love". We need a list of all the Eric songs. I think we've compiled a rather huge soundtrack. XD I think Eric might be one of those characters who feels so intensely that he doesn't know how to deal with it. Like he values things so much that, when they're threatened, he really feels it. Wasn't it Sean Palmer who said musical!Eric didn't know how to deal with all the things he was feeling? It applies beyond Ariel, too. |
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Post by fridamoonbeam on May 31, 2009 11:41:05 GMT -5
::glomps Zavi:: I love both those randitions! LOL. Yes, we have come up with a lot of songs for him. XD
I love how we all share that theory. We wouldn't love him as much if he was all "charming" and just popped in at the right time to save the day. In a way he's unique. While I adore Beast. I appriciate that Eric was a balance, sure he had imperfections, but they weren't hugely pushed.
As it was pointed out in Anger Management, "There are two kinds of people who express their anger. There are the ones who yell at the cashier for not excepting their coupons. Then there is the cashier who takes it in, day by day just absorbing it, until one day they come back and shoot everyone"
Well, I don't see Eric as shooting everyone, but that layout makes me laugh. XD
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Post by fathomsbelow on Jun 2, 2009 17:18:01 GMT -5
I think that under the right circumstances Eric can crack. He'd probably be depressed and resentful for a while. He might even develop some anger issues. I had a question: What would Eric be like if Ariel didn't choose him? As in she saved his life but wasn't in love with him, but he was in love with her. And yes, this is RPG-related  |
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Post by Coral on Jun 3, 2009 15:54:16 GMT -5
That's an interesting question. I'll have to give it some thought.
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Post by fridamoonbeam on Jun 3, 2009 17:53:32 GMT -5
Oh yes, the subject of the stupid Ariel. LOL Well, what I'd do for that is he'd be upset and bummed for not having love returned especially he already has low self-worth. But I SERIOUSLY suggest trying to do as Elphie said and see if another girl can jump into the thread, given that this is AU. Belle (as you know they'd have cute interaction  ) Jasmine is someone he can really relate and talk to. Megara is like Ariel if things didn't turn out so happy, plus Meg would secretly love to mend his broken heart, imho) |
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Post by Zavi on Jun 4, 2009 14:12:28 GMT -5
-points- What she said. That's my intelligent response for the day.  I wouldn't make him to mopey for too long since it's really easy to overdo, but rejection hurts for everybody. It creates emotions everybody can relate to, and you can run with that. |
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Post by fridamoonbeam on Jun 9, 2009 2:07:05 GMT -5
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Post by fathomsbelow on Jun 10, 2009 16:09:06 GMT -5
Hmm..I guess I could try that..but I don't think there's a Meg or a Belle at the RPG I'm at. But I don't think Eric's ready to give up on Ariel yet at this point.
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Post by WickedElphie on Jun 15, 2009 13:25:55 GMT -5
I found this on youtube and it's just too cute. Girl's got good taste. |
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Post by Zavi on Jun 15, 2009 13:45:55 GMT -5
Oh my GAWD, I can't stop smiling! It's so cute! What a way to brighten my day!
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Post by fathomsbelow on Jun 15, 2009 15:52:28 GMT -5
Aww that is really cute  |
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Post by Coral on Jun 15, 2009 16:38:10 GMT -5
That was so cute!
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Post by zoccarris on Jun 15, 2009 16:47:12 GMT -5
I'm not a huge Eric enthusiast (although he's one of my prefered characters) so I hope nobody minds my jumping into the conversation. Also, minor apologies for my prolonged absence and whatnot, but first I had technical problems with my computer and then travel and so on, and so here I am. Anyway.
I'll skip over the basic synopsis of Eric to the more speculative points. Specifically, I'm interested in Elphie's theory of an Eric pushed in a negative direction.
Simply put, I'm all for that theory. My own research, for the purposes of one of my fic ideas, indicates to me that Eric's a good person, but a weak king. After all, with no parents around in TLM, we still don't see him ruling the kingdom, but running about doing nothing. And furthermore, Eric's bright, but he's hardly wise. And, far more significant, he's an impulsive personality.
Eric acts on impulse, and the impulses that are strongest in him are emotional ones. It's not that hard to see that leading to a bit of ruin.
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Post by Coral on Jun 15, 2009 17:21:36 GMT -5
Good points there. It would be very easy for him to end up being a weak king. I also think that having Triton as an example could really help him. He'd have a lot to live up to for him to feel worthy of being the sea king's son-in-law. And that would include paying more attention to the job he was born into. Whether he liked it or not. At least IMO.
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Post by WickedElphie on Jun 15, 2009 21:25:19 GMT -5
IMO in the Movie-verse we don't have enough information to determine Eric's abilities or lack there-of as a ruler. We first see him on his Birthday, and his taking the day off for that is understandable. Also his comment to Grim about the Princess of Glowerhaven might imply that they're returning from a diplomatic mission/meeting about a possible betrothal.
Now we next see Eric on the beach some time later, Just before he encounters human!Ariel. Grim makes the comment about him spending his time "moping about", but we don't know whether he means free time or all the time. And again, his taking a day to show around a guest is understandable, especially considering that Grimsby would approve of anything to get him to stop thinking about the "dream girl."
Now Musical!Eric's character arc is actually about him starting off having no desire to rule, and Ariel inspiring him to take up the crown.
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Post by zoccarris on Jun 16, 2009 14:13:42 GMT -5
Well, I wouldn't claim that the information we have is conclusive on the matter, but it certainly seems indicative. Eric not ruling on his birthday is understandable-- but Eric not ruling at any point is understandable whether or not we agree with it. He is a king (theoretically) and can therefore just shrug off however many of his duties he wants on attendants.
And I read the comment on Glowerhaven quite differently; Eric states straight up that he wasn't really interested in the Princess. The subtext of that indicates that he's not interested in these things at all. Now whether or not that has more to do with Grim's insistence on his marital status or a general dislike of regal responsibility is impossible to say.
As for the rest of the time we see Eric, while he's not contending with Ursula, we don't have enough information to be certain if he's moping about just because of the 'dream girl' or if he's moping about also because he finds the throne tedious. I would say, however, that the information we have on his character is again indicative. On the one hand, Eric's a decent guy, no doubt he would want to do right by his people. On the other hand he's impulsive and obviously prefers doing something to doing nothing. An active personality like that would likely find the weight of a crown cumbersome.
I would see Eric not minding holding open court for a couple of hours of each morning, and leaving most of the other details to his advisors. However, my real interest in this, is that Grim would obviously consider the crown to be his duty, even Eric has only the slightest interest in ruling. It accounts for the friendly tension between the two of them. And it sets up an interesting conflict in what is otherwise, obviously, a fond friendship.
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) Jasmine is someone he can really relate and talk to. Megara is like Ariel if things didn't turn out so happy, plus Meg would secretly love to mend his broken heart, imho) 
