ds_noticeboard | Meta discussion: Three point characterization

Over at Fictional_fans there‘s a lively discussion going on about which three points of a favourite character are essential to your understanding of them (and which would have to stay the same no matter what the AU). I added my thoughts on Fraser and Vecchio, maybe someone would like to try Kowalski, Francesca, Bob, or Thatcher?

Copy pasted from my comment over there:

Ray Vecchio (Due South)

1 He cares about people in his circle. He loves his family, he loves his friends, he will do anything for them and will be loyal. I think because he loves very deeply, he chooses to keep this circle small.

2 He covers his love, his loyalty and softer side with bluster and a tough act. I‘m not 100% sure about this point because I would love to read an AU where he didn‘t grow up in such a macho-heavy culture and could be more relaxed.

3 He is willing to bend rules, or step over moral bondaries if the reason makes sense to him. Case in point, loved ones hurting themselves (he shoots his best friend rather than let him go into a life with a criminal). Then he can and will do the necessary things to stop that.

Benton Fraser

1 He has a strong sense of justice and strictly adheres to a personal moral code. There are AUs where he is a criminal and I‘ve been told they work because even then, he has rules he is not willing to cross for anything. He‘s also stubborn about adhering to these rules and very rarely bends them.

2 He loves nature and needs open spaces, he has no problem spending time with just himself for company there. Give me a space AU where he regularly gets to put on an astronaut‘s suit and walks or hovers in the vast open space of the universe and I‘d buy it. Put him in the desert where he can see the stars at night and endless rolling sand dunes by day. Make him captain a ship where he looks out onto the sea and is happiest on board instead of on land and it works too. Hermit in the Alpine mountains, works too.

3 Despite No. 2, he is always looking for connection. He can be a bit odd, depending on the AU you‘re reading but he will always look for someone who is willing to try to understand him and ideally share his moral system. He will inevitably be a little or a lot surprised when he finally finds that someone. One person is enough but having more than one friend or lover will be regarded as a gift.
Gender does not matter to him, and I think an asexual Fraser is just as viable as an aromantic one as long as he still looks for deep understanding from another person.