Thoughts on Sentinel/Guide Terminology
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| Title: | Thoughts on Sentinel/Guide Terminology |
| Creator: | Pat |
| Date(s): | May 2003 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | The Sentinel |
| Topic: | |
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Thoughts on Sentinel/Guide Terminology is a 2003 Sentinel essay by Pat.
It was printed in Warriors #3 and had its start as comments by Pat on Prospect-L, a mailing list.
Some Topics Discussed
- Sentinel AUs, though this term is not specifically used
- canon and fanon
- the origin of the term "guide" and the character Brackett's use of it in canon
- fans disregarding a story due to fanon terminology
Excerpts
The very first thing that gave me the idea that there's more between Jim and Blair than being mere friends or student/research object, was what I saw on the show. Admittedly, some fanfics extrapolate it to a point where it doesn't seem to be rooted in canon anymore, but what remains is the fact that the show itself played with the possibility that there was something between the two of them. Regardless of what we call it. The "Guide" with capital G surely is a fanon-thing, but the fact remains that there was more under the surface.
There's enough canon-evidence to hint at the fact that the two of them are more than just friends.
Sentinel had a partner — canon.
Said partner watched sentinel's back — canon.
What exactly is included in this phrase — open to interpretation. Sadly there isn't a job-description around and I think the contents of ^e job/phrase may mostly depend on the people and problems involved and the situation/sourroundings sentinel and partner live in. That may explain why there isn't a more detailed description.
I think Brackett really thought he needed Blair for handling Jim, and since Blair's undergraduade paper was one of the things Brackett read, it may easily be that Blair himself hinted at exactly the mystery of sentinel/partner, even may have used the expression "guiding" for lack of a better word. But that's speculation from my side.
I would guess that Jim is as curious as the next guy and that he talked with Blair about the whole sentinel-thing. After all, he finally found someone who had at least some knowledge or theories about what Jim was. It would be very unlikely that he didn't at least ask some questions, privately, during dinner, between two beers at home, having a little conversation here and there about this topic. Scenes we would never see because they're not important to the action- show, but would be occur in reality. The term "guiding" and the role of the partner may have been one of the things they spoke about at some time, all the more after Brackett brought it up. I don't think Jim would let have this question slide after the case was over.
It always itches me-a little when I read someone claiming the whole "guide"-thing is completely fanon and in doing so, denying the mysterious hints and facts we actually got. It itches me as much as the opposite, diving head first into a completely fanon-scenario about it, claiming it is fact without developing from canon. Without this part, the peculiarities between Jim and Blair, the show would sadly lack an important facet, no matter what it's called.
I fear a lot of readers are scared away by the term "guide" because they fear it's just another, completely fanon-based story. So I would think an author is well advised not to use that term immediately if he/she wants to write a story that seriously explores this side of the show by using canon-facts and going from there.
I think a lot of people don't actually deny the fact that there is something mysterious going on canon- wise but have the short-cut "using guide" = "completely fanon-story" in their minds, by now, learned from lots and lots of stories where that actually was the case.
So, if an author wants his/her story on that topic actually be read, not immediately using the "guide"-word would be the best policy. Otherwise there's a good chance a more or less jaded reader bails out at this early point, probably missing a good story without even knowing it.