What's it All About, Alpha? Or The Up Side of Dark Heroes

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Title:	What's it All About, Alpha? Or The Up Side of Dark Heroes
Creator:	Suzanne Brockmann
Date(s):	1997
Medium:	online
Fandom:	Star Wars and Star Trek focus
Topic:
External Links:	What's it All About, Alpha? Or The Up Side of Dark Heroes, Archived version
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Not to be confused with What's It All About, Alpha, a Space: 1999 one-act play.

What's it All About, Alpha? Or The Up Side of Dark Heroes by Suzanne Brockmann.

It was originally published by The Romance Reader, and then re-printed at The Corellian Embassy with permission of the author.

Topics Discussed

• Clams
• Spock
• Han Solo
• gender dynamics and emotion repression
• the author's own original romance fiction

Excerpts

I've been thinking about this over the past few days, going hmmmm. . .. And then late this afternoon my entire family went out to see The Empire Strikes Back. (I was one of those 16 year olds who saw Star Wars two dozen times when it first came out, but I didn't see The Empire Strikes Back more than once or twice.) I didn't remember much of it, but I remembered every single scene with Han and Leia (the romance) as if it had been seared into my brain. And I was sitting there (there is a point to this story, and it is coming soon!) and I was watching this movie and realizing how totally my life and my idea of strong heroines (Yes, Leia was one of my role models) was impacted by this movie.

And I realized that every Alpha hero that I've ever written has a little piece of Han Solo in him. (Some have bigger pieces than others!) Why do I love Alpha heroes? Two words: Han Solo.

So, yeah. Count me in. I'd love to write about my lifelong love affair with Alpha heroes.

In the same way, an alpha male might see openness and emotional sharing as other values to avoid. An alpha male has probably learned through experience to believe that being emotional -- to reveal his emotions -- is often viewed as being weak. Likewise, no doubt he has learned to believe that if he reveals his weaknesses, he leaves himself open to attack. Either physically, emotionally, financially, whatever -- if he allows his weaknesses to show, he's setting himself up to be hurt.

An alpha male isn't insensitive. He's simply thickened his skin until no one can penetrate it. (Or so he thinks. . .) In fact, my alpha heroes are extremely sensitive -- deep down inside.

So okay. It's that old Mr. Spock thing again, isn't it? (It's been my experience that everything in life always comes back to Star Trek -- one way or another. And, no, I'm not trying to claim that Spock is an alpha male. He is merely a brilliantly conceived and intriguingly created character.)

Here's my point: according to my sources, Vulcans aren't without emotion. They have simply trained themselves to be emotionless. (Sound familiar?) And since Spock is half human, since he's got that extra-emotional human side to battle, he's more vulnerable than your average Vulcan. So we watch him closely, waiting for that moment his emotions are going to break free -- eager to witness the emotional volcano.

Spock was/is hugely popular -- especially among female fans. It's that Nurse Chapel thing -- we love to imagine what it would be like to be the one to make Spock react with true, powerful, volcano-strength emotion.

And there's no denying it, when Spock goes over the edge, he goes big.

And such is the case with alpha males.

Anyway, I kept thinking. Alpha males. Alpha males. What is it about alpha males. . . ? How can I explain what I love about them concisely and clearly?

Then last night I went to see The Empire Strikes Back. Although the Star Wars trilogy had a huge impact on my young, impressionable self when it first came out, I hadn't seen the second installment in the series in years. As I watched the movie, I nearly jumped out of my seat right there in the theater during the extremely intense and romantic scene between Han Solo and Leia -- when Darth Vader is about to test Lando's carbon freezing unit on Han.

You know the scene I mean. (And if you haven't seen this movie, what the heck are you waiting for? It's an American classic!) Proud, stubborn Princess Leia is in a near panic (all held beautifully inside, since she is part alpha herself) at the thought that within moments scoundrel, intergalatic smuggler, rebel hero and her dear friend, Han Solo, could die.

At this point in the movie -- and in their growing relationship -- Han and Leia have shared a powerful kiss or two along with a slew of hot, barbed words and equally hot looks. But neither have dared put this thing they feel about each other into words.

As Han is pushed toward his fate, he lunges for Leia, and she for him, and they kiss passionately before they are torn apart -- perhaps forever.

Leia, as strong as she is, is still a woman and she can't not speak. "I love you," she tells him.

Han stands there perhaps about to die, a hard, strong alpha male to the end with his head held high, and says, "I know."

I love you. I know.

Why does this work so well?! How can this Alpha male say something so cocky, so seemingly insensitive, and yet still bring tears to our eyes, even as we laugh and shake our heads at him?

Here's the secret: it's in his eyes. It's in that long, silent, emotion-filled look Han gives Leia. God bless Harrison Ford for portraying Han Solo in such a way, but somehow as he utters that line, "I know," he says so much more with his eyes. His eyes say "I love you, too. I love you forever. I love you passionately, endlessly, always. Until the end of time." In fact, his love is so strong that we know it will live beyond him. Even his own death won't snuff out his love for this woman.

And that's what I love about alpha males. When they love, they love completely. Eternally. Endlessly.

They may not be able -- or even want -- to speak such feelings aloud. But when it happens, when they give in to their feelings and allow themselves to love, it's very, very Big.

I love you.

I know.

What more can I say?