"How Do I Write Mulder/Other or Scully/Other?" or "Fear of the O"

by Alicia K
Website: http://luperkal.simplenet.com/AliciaK/Enter.html

(Thanks to syntax, Lysandra and Diana for making sure this wasn’t just the ramblings of a crazy woman.)

You’re caught up reading a particularly saucy scene. Mulder is kissing a woman who is moaning in the throes of passion. You can just hear Mulder’s whiskey-soaked voice murmuring her name …

"Bertha!"

Waitaminnit.

BERTHA?

Oh NO! You’re reading Mulder/Other! This is one of those stories written by those maniacal, devious people who would DARE pair Mulder with someone who’s not Scully!

The HORROR!

No, no, it’s all right. Take a deep breath, try to relax, and listen to this: Mulder and Scully might have relationships with other people.

Stop screaming.

It could happen. It COULD. For any number of reasons. Maybe one of them has died, and the surviving partner is trying to move on. Maybe one of them wants to do something reckless and impulsive. Maybe one of them has hurt the other and retaliation is a must. Or maybe, God forbid, the world the writer has created contains a platonic relationship for our heroes. Heck, maybe one of them is gay, in which case I’ll point you toward Xanthe’s or Dasha’s essays on slash.

There’s a world of possibilities in fanfic, but as this is an essay and not a novel, I’ll focus on two types of Other stories.

Some stories have an Other pairing that lasts throughout the story. Don’t come looking for MSR, because it ain’t gonna happen. "Syntax and Measure" by Mustang Sally and "Venture Forth" by Punk Manueverability are examples of stories where the uninvolved partner is barely, if at all, in the picture.

Or are they? In "Venture Forth," we only see Scully in brief encounters with Nerissa, the narrator. Scully doesn’t pop up often, but when she does, we get a fairly accurate reading of her take on the whole affair. In "Syntax and Measure," Mulder doesn’t even show up until the penultimate scene. Does that mean Scully’s relationship with Steve "Moo" Mucheski is all sunshine and flowers? Of course it isn’t. Their affair is affected not only by Scully’s cancer, but by her relationship with Mulder as well.

The Mulder-Scully relationship will always come into play when one of them is with someone else. (Unless the story takes place in a pre-XF universe, which is another topic altogether.) There’s no way around it, even if Mulder and Scully have a platonic relationship. It can’t be denied that they have an important, convoluted bond between them, whether it’s through work, friendship, or love.

Mulder and Scully are complicated people, and no matter what kind of relationship they have in the story, things will get messy once an Other enters the picture. Our heroes would not be able to have a hearts and flowers relationship with each other or anyone else.

Sometimes you see stories where the Other is used to bring Mulder and Scully together, usually through the use of jealousy. Examples of these are "The Actor" by A.I. Irving and "Ian" by Beduini. In both of these stories, Scully is the one who gets to have a mondo-good time with a charismatic Other, while Mulder broods. Jealousy is often involved, along with a heated confrontation between the partners that usually leads to their coming together. Or the always generous and helpful Other points out that Scully is really in love not with him, but with her partner

The Other is often used this way as a plot device, used to smack Mulder or Scully across the face (not always literally) and get them to realize their love for each other. Whether that scenario comes across as a cheap mechanism or a smart move hinges on one thing: the characterization.

It’s always a challenge to create an original character that catches and holds the readers’ attention. It’s even more difficult to create new characters who can convince the reader that Mulder or Scully would be in love with them. Fanfic readers often have a fierce loyalty to the intrepid duo, and if the prospect of an Other is introduced, many hackles rise.

Without careful consideration, Others can often come across like a manifestation of the author; where else will the author get the chance to sleep with Mulder or Scully? Tempting though it may be, the Other must not be a Mary Sue.

Ah, Mary Sue. For those not familiar with the concept of this superwoman, I’ll sum up:

I love you, Mary Sue

With a love so rare and true

Oh-ho Mary

My Mary Sue-hoo-hoo!

Mary Sue, Mary Sue

My how the author looks and sounds like you

Oh-ho Mary

My Mary Sue-hoo-hoo!

Poor Mary Sue, the misunderstood and trod upon device of fanfic. She’s practically perfect in every way, and often sacrifices herself for the greater good of the characters, if not the world. Sometimes she pops her head in as the best friend of a character, there to lend a helping ear/hand/body when advice/comfort/sex is needed. Granted, there is often a little piece or two of the author in any original character, but too much of you equals Mary Sue. For more on creating original characters, see Sheryl Nantus’ essay here on Working Stiffs.

After you’ve spent a boatload of time drawing the Other, don’t let Mulder and Scully be neglected. As I mentioned earlier, they’re complicated people with a complicated relationship. Whether or not they’re involved romantically, they’re each important in the other’s life, whether it’s due to work, worry, or another extended hospital stay for Mulder. Mulder or Scully might very well have trouble adjusting to an Other, and they would show that in any number of ways. Even the Other might have problems with their beloved’s relationship with their work partner. If I read a story in which Mulder was engaged to a cocktail waitress, I wouldn’t expect (or want) to see Scully throwing the bachelorette party.

Let’s say, just for kicks and giggles, that you’ve written a story in which Scully or Mulder has a brief encounter with an Other. It could be a quick roll in the hay, it could be a passionate kiss, it could be nothing more than a heated gaze and a brush of hands. Is that considered an Other story? Does it warrant an Other label?

It’s up to you, of course. Some people use labels and keywords religiously; others prefer to use them sparingly, if at all. Whatever works for you is fine, but be aware that there are readers who don’t care to read anything that they might find disturbing, be it rape, character death, or the thought of Mulder or Scully with anyone else. Make your decision wisely, for wars have broken out over far less.

Well, there you have it — all you need to write your very own Other story. Bear in mind that pairing Mulder or Scully with Skinner or Krycek is not necessarily an Other scenario. Those pairings have their own guidelines and no-nos, and there are many helpful fic writers who could shed a little light on those topics.

But opt for pairing one of them with Doggett, and you’re on your own. For now. ;)

--Alicia K. swears she’s a shipper, even though she’s written both Mulder/Other and Scully/Other.