Rantings
There's only one here so far, so deal with it, and it's below! Future plans include yaoi, hentai, and other character analyses, not to mention a possible one on Relena Peacecraft's role in Gundam Wing and in the fandom therein. If we're lucky, other fandoms will get a chance to shine as well.
Wufei's Character
because of Meiran (as advertised on Double Dragon Forever)
Was Chang Meiran's death in Episode Zero truly a bad
thing if it changed Wufei that much better?!?!
<rant>Chang Wufei. First thing that comes to mind for most fans is the word "chauvinistic" or "woman-hater" or "Sally's, definitely" or "13X5" or "2X5" (very popular), or if they really hate Wufei "has a stick up the wrong side of him". Yeah, he's uptight, and he doesn't like most women.... To the few of us who like Wufei (and some that are madly attracted to a drawing on paper of a hot-looking Chinese guy like myself ^_____^), words like "hot", "yowl!", and other such things come up.
For people like me, who have read Episdoe Zero and believe, the word that comes up is definitely "Meiran".
Chang (Ron) Meiran was a warrioress, always training to fight. She was arranged with Wufei when he was fourteen (she looks a little younger...I think she's not 14 yet during the manga, but that's just me.) Back then, Wufei was studying to become a scholar...apparently history, though I can't realy tell. They didn't like each other much at first. She challenged him to a battle and he won...in a field of flowers.
Yes, the famous field of flowers for 5XMei fans! (Ah, alliteration's awesome, isn't it?) ^_^ This field of flowers is special to 5XMei fans because it's where all of the sap happens. When the L-5 colony is dropped, Meiran goes off to save it while Wufei does nothing. He runs to save her and she has mortal wounds. He takes her to the field of flowers for a lot of nice sap and her death scene....
Yes, that's right, Meiran's dead. No matter how much we like her and how much we want her to be with our Wufei forever, she's dead. Accept the fact now and cry for poor Wufei too.
This changes everything. Meiran called herself Nataku because she wanted to be more than her society would allow her (because she was female). When Wufei got his Gundam, he named it Shenlong [divine dragon in Chinese, apparently] because "Nataku isn't a worthy name". After her death, he renames it Nataku in her honor. (One of the reasons I like Wufei is becuase everything he does is in honor of his wife. If that isn't sweet of a guy, I don't know what is.) He also didn't believe in justice before her death, but she did, and after that he fought for what she believed in--justice. Of course, since he never took the time to learn what justice was from her, he never understood it, and from then was always wondering what exactly it was he was fighting for.
But what if Meiran was alive? Would Wufei still fight for justice? Would Shenlong/Altron be called by its true name? Would Wufei even fight?
One of the most major reasons Chang Wufei fights is for Nataku. He wants to prove her justice, to avenge her death, to show that he was worthy to be her husband. But if Nataku was alive...ye gods! (Including Nataku! ^_^)
He could have proved to her he was worthy. SHE COULD BE TAKING HIS PLACE!! That's right; she was the body, he was the mind. He could be his little history scholar self studying away while she's off fighting the battles. We'd hear less of Wufei and more of Meiran (not like that's a bad thing; they could explore her character....)
But at the same time, we'd know less of Wufei, he'd be a minor character (eep!), and I believe a lot of fans would drop off because, well, pilot 05 may be pretty and strong, but she's no bishounen like her husband is...and, well, there's more to Wufei's character to explore because she's dead. I guess it's for the better of Wufei fans--and better for the anime--that poor, young, promising Chang Meiran is long gone (may she rest in peace.)
However, it doesn't stop us 5XMei fans from getting our goods. She could always come in a dream...<plug> My fic Dream Forever, Solitary Dragon at FanFiction.Net is a good example of this </plug>.
There are some great "what if" fics off of FanFiction.Net (at places like Aishiteru: A Gundam Wing FanFiction Site) that say that she didn't actually die. Sure, she closed her eyes in his arms, but it never says she's dead! However, because of the circumstances, we can presume she's dead anyway. <plug> Dream Forever, Solitary Dragon is also there.</plug> <hail author="Cugari Michiru">So are the many works of my favorite 5XMei author, Cugaru Michiru (aka Crimson).</hail>
He can always think of her, which all of us 5XMei fans are sure he does since he's always talking oh-so-romantically to Nataku the Gundam.... <plug> Like my fic Introspection (Wufei and Meiran's Pieces only) at FanFiction.Net. The other part is a 3XMidii, another of my favorites. </plug><hail author="Catseye"> Catseye is planning a similar fic as well (ooh joy!) </hail>
Yeah, there's always our fics. A fan is allowed to dream. This is Kawaii Dragoness, Queen of Sappiness, Wufei no Otaku, 5XMei no Seishi, High Priestess of the Cult of the Resurrection of Nataku, etc., signing out. </rant>
Well, well, well. That's my deal on Wufei and Meiran. Next topics (all in one essay): Yaoi, Non-Yaoi, Anti Yaoi & Canon, Non-Canon, Anti-Canon. Title planned: Can We Get Some Agreement?!?! Are the G-boys gay or straight? Either way, with who?!