a. What initially prompted me to like the character enough to write about him/her.
I first seriously wrote Teal'c when I was still in my writing about Daniel from other POV's phase. Plus his shocked expression when Daniel threw the pillow at Vala just screamed for a larger exploration.
b. One of his/her best traits.
His humor, which I don't explore often enough. Jaffa jokes aside, Teal'c has an amazing dry wit. Plus someone so used to structure and discipline loves to let loose with Hawaiian shirts and reading "weekly world news". I'm betting three quarters of the time he's playing innocent to Tau'ri culture (especially the later seasons), he's just doing it to mess with his teammates.
There's a lot behind that eyebrow, you know.
c. One of his/her worst traits.
Oh the revenge kick. Teal'c is an intelligent warrior who cares deeply for things, but it's also a weakness because he can have blinders on when it comes to vengeance. I think he views allowing an individual to get the better of him as a weakness, and he gets quite scarily cranky at weakness, doesn't he? At least with regards to himself.
d. How easy/difficult I find it to write the character.
Teal'c shocks me in how easy I find him to write, or more specifically writing from his point of view. He has amazing insights into situations because of his relationships with his friends and the long life he has led. Plus there's a nice naivete to him in seeing so many new things. He has a brevity and dry wit to his speech, but that doesn't mean there's not a million things simmering behind that "eyebrow". And though there is a formality to his words, it's not that Teal'c himself stands on formality. I think he sometimes uses it to his advantage.
One thing I regret doing with Teal'c is in earlier stories, I wrote dialogue with DanielJackson, MajorCarter all one word. If I come across them now, I "fix" that. ;-)
e. The story/chapter/paragraph/phrase where I feel that I truly captured the character.Not a funny scene for certain, and perhaps not the best "Teal'c voice" I've done, but definitely one where I felt true insight into the character. From "Drawing Straws":
"Daniel Jackson, the day I first met all of you was the pivotal turning point in my life."
Daniel nodded. "You saved our lives, Teal'c; you betrayed your god."
"I did it because of the strength I saw in the Tau'ri and the hope and trust I witnessed amongst you. O'Neill asked me to help him not to save himself, but to save the innocent people. He asked me not just with words. It was what I saw in his eyes that made me openly defy the false god Apophis. Right now, you question everything you understood about O'Neill. Was my initial judgment on that day incorrect?"
Daniel's expression changed to one of compassion. "No, Teal'c, of course not. You made the right decision then."
Teal'c nodded in a gesture of respect to Daniel Jackson. "I have not regretted it. O'Neill has proven many times my choice was correct. His current actions are in stark contrast from what I have observed in the three years I have fought by your sides. His words to you were hurtful, but were not without purpose."
Daniel became more guarded, but he instantly seized on the implications. "What purpose? You think it was a ruse?"
"O'Neill knows us as well as we know him. Anything less than what he did would not have stopped you."
"In principle, I agree with you, Teal'c, but you weren't there. You didn't see... Besides, why push us away? Why not trust us, Teal'c? Why not trust me?"
"That I do not know." Teal'c frowned in defeat. "O'Neill has his reasons for his actions, and he has not deigned to share them. I am only certain that the man who made me betray Apophis would not betray our trust in such a manner without a purpose."
f. My plans (if any) to write the character in the near future.
Well, as soon as I figure out what to do for the team ficathon...he's sure to have a decent part. :-D Plus he's going to have his own little short story in the Making the Band series (I swear, I really am writing it).
Plus, there's the WIP round robin of a Teal'c fic I started over at no_con_do I want to get back to adding some parts for.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2007-09-09 04:55 pm (UTC)I first seriously wrote Teal'c when I was still in my writing about Daniel from other POV's phase. Plus his shocked expression when Daniel threw the pillow at Vala just screamed for a larger exploration.
b. One of his/her best traits.
His humor, which I don't explore often enough. Jaffa jokes aside, Teal'c has an amazing dry wit. Plus someone so used to structure and discipline loves to let loose with Hawaiian shirts and reading "weekly world news". I'm betting three quarters of the time he's playing innocent to Tau'ri culture (especially the later seasons), he's just doing it to mess with his teammates.
There's a lot behind that eyebrow, you know.
c. One of his/her worst traits.
Oh the revenge kick. Teal'c is an intelligent warrior who cares deeply for things, but it's also a weakness because he can have blinders on when it comes to vengeance. I think he views allowing an individual to get the better of him as a weakness, and he gets quite scarily cranky at weakness, doesn't he? At least with regards to himself.
d. How easy/difficult I find it to write the character.
Teal'c shocks me in how easy I find him to write, or more specifically writing from his point of view. He has amazing insights into situations because of his relationships with his friends and the long life he has led. Plus there's a nice naivete to him in seeing so many new things. He has a brevity and dry wit to his speech, but that doesn't mean there's not a million things simmering behind that "eyebrow". And though there is a formality to his words, it's not that Teal'c himself stands on formality. I think he sometimes uses it to his advantage.
One thing I regret doing with Teal'c is in earlier stories, I wrote dialogue with DanielJackson, MajorCarter all one word. If I come across them now, I "fix" that. ;-)
e. The story/chapter/paragraph/phrase where I feel that I truly captured the character.Not a funny scene for certain, and perhaps not the best "Teal'c voice" I've done, but definitely one where I felt true insight into the character. From "Drawing Straws":
"Daniel Jackson, the day I first met all of you was the pivotal turning point in my life."
Daniel nodded. "You saved our lives, Teal'c; you betrayed your god."
"I did it because of the strength I saw in the Tau'ri and the hope and trust I witnessed amongst you. O'Neill asked me to help him not to save himself, but to save the innocent people. He asked me not just with words. It was what I saw in his eyes that made me openly defy the false god Apophis. Right now, you question everything you understood about O'Neill. Was my initial judgment on that day incorrect?"
Daniel's expression changed to one of compassion. "No, Teal'c, of course not. You made the right decision then."
Teal'c nodded in a gesture of respect to Daniel Jackson. "I have not regretted it. O'Neill has proven many times my choice was correct. His current actions are in stark contrast from what I have observed in the three years I have fought by your sides. His words to you were hurtful, but were not without purpose."
Daniel became more guarded, but he instantly seized on the implications. "What purpose? You think it was a ruse?"
"O'Neill knows us as well as we know him. Anything less than what he did would not have stopped you."
"In principle, I agree with you, Teal'c, but you weren't there. You didn't see... Besides, why push us away? Why not trust us, Teal'c? Why not trust me?"
"That I do not know." Teal'c frowned in defeat. "O'Neill has his reasons for his actions, and he has not deigned to share them. I am only certain that the man who made me betray Apophis would not betray our trust in such a manner without a purpose."
f. My plans (if any) to write the character in the near future.
Well, as soon as I figure out what to do for the team ficathon...he's sure to have a decent part. :-D Plus he's going to have his own little short story in the Making the Band series (I swear, I really am writing it).
Plus, there's the WIP round robin of a Teal'c fic I started over at