Reasons why I love Susan Ivanova

[schneefink]

For the March posting meme, where you're still very welcome to leave questions or topics:

Favourite Babylon 5 character and what you like about them?
Before I watched the show I'd already heard of Susan Ivanova, mostly in some polls asking people about their favorite characters/female characters/charaters in SF shows etc., so I was looking forward to getting to know her. Right before we started watching LK told me that Susan would be my favorite character, so of course I immediately decided to pick someone else. That didn't last very long though, because Susan Ivanova is amazing.
Close second place goes to Lyta (may be in part recency bias.) With honorary mentions to Vir, G'Kar, Marcus, Talia, Lennier, and early-seasons-Delenn.

The first thing I wrote in my journal about Susan Ivanova still applies: "I like all the characters, but I love Susan Ivanova. She's amazing. Competent, loyal, caring, sarcastic, gets a lot of satisfaction from fighting and winning ("You are going to resist, I hope") - it feels like I fall a little bit more in love every time she's on the screen. I can't wait to see where she'll go." I like that she's both a complete badass and kind of a dork sometimes. (Her "sex scene"!) I like that she's Russian and Jewish and bisexual. I like that despite her mother's history and her completely justified fear and dislike of the Psi Corps she manages to look past that and build a relationship with Talia. I like that she's vulnerable sometimes and afraid and not the most comfortable with feelings, but always willing to stand up for what's right.
Also: "Ivanova is always right. I will listen to Ivanova. I will not ignore Ivanova's recommendations. Ivanova is god. And if this ever happens again, Ivanova will personally rip your lungs out. […] (Just kidding about that god part, no offense.)"
I haven't finished watching the show yet – almost, I'm only missing the very last episode and a few movies, and LK said I might consider skipping some of those – so as far as I know Susan is still in command of her own exploration ship. I hope she has a lot of great adventures, makes new friends, has a wonderful time, and is happy.
To sum up, Susan Ivanova <3

As for Lyta, I love how passionate she is, and how brave. Tbh my main feeling about her is protectiveness – she practically saved the galaxy and got treated like shit by everyone, ffs. Not FAIR. Talia should have survived, she and Lyta could have been friends! They could have been an amazing duo, with Susan behind them. Ahh, wasted opportunities.

Comments

[naye]

YES IVANOVA.

YESSSSS.

...that is all.

[schneefink]

All that needs to be said.

[muccamukk]

She is also my favourite, well, possibly second after Sinclair. I have a lot of feelings about Sinclair.

Anyway, YES for all those reasons, and because she sort of can't keep herself from caring even though it bites her every time.

I remember enjoying the Soul Hunter movie, and Call to Arms wasn't bad (though I'm also one of the few Lochley fans), and um... yeah. Don't watch Lost Tales.

Lyta! I really wish Andrea Thompson hadn't decided to leave. I wanted more women interacting generally, really. If John had actually died and Susan, Delenn and Lyta had run the rest of the war, I'd have been 100% fine with that.

[schneefink]

I like Sinclair too! It's been over a year since I watched the first season, but I remember especially liking his friendship with Garibaldi.

I would have been completely fine with Sheridan dying too, I'm not a big fan of his. Pretty sure Susan and Delenn would have done a better job with the Alliance. I was also disappointed Na'toth never got as big of a role as Vir or Lennier got, that could have been great.

[beatrice_otter]

It's not that Susan steals the scenes she's in, necessarily. It's just that she is usually a) the most sensible person around by a long shot, who says what I am thinking, and b) pretty much universally competent. It's an awesome combination.

[schneefink]

Yes, competent and sensible are excellent words to describe her. Always good to have someone like her around.

[kiki_eng]

...no one told me Susan was bisexual. *notes this down for future media-viewing decision-making processes* Thank you.

[schneefink]

You're very welcome! Do you want a bit more detail?, not that you expect too much and end up disappointed.

[kiki_eng]

I have pretty low expectations, which I'm pretty happy about, so I think I will opt to remain ignorant about things for now. Thank you, though!
...unless it's taking it's cues from like Personal Best and Sucker Punch and the male gaze is really, really skeezy? (I kind of accept that any narrative might be a dead queers narrative but I am so not up for watching something that feels like someone like Humbert Humbert played a hand in the production.)

[schneefink]

I've only seen posters and reactions to Sucker Punch, but I'm certain it's not like that.

[kiki_eng]

Yay. Thank you. :)