this post the result of too many concurrent fandoms

[aria]

One of the things I am enjoying about Smallville is getting to play the "spot how other late '90s/early '00s shows also did a variation on this plot" game, although usually 'other shows' really means 'Buffy.' (Imagine my amused eye-rolling when Lana accidentally joins a vampire sorority presided over by Buffy Saunders, and James-Marsters-the-professor takes a moment to seriously declare, "Clark, there's no such thing as vampires.") When it's not taking cheap shots, though, Smallville does delightful things like the bodyswap episode (Lionel Luthor clearly beats out both Faith and Callisto-from-Xena in the People You Don't Want Possessing Your Body Awards) or the one-person-split-into-two-bodies episode (Dorky Xander vs. Competent Xander < Idealist Lex vs. Evil Lex. Sorry, Xander).

It probably sounds like my point is that I am a big fan of the Luthors (which is true! I am also a fan of the Blacks, and the Horsemen, and I'm sure I'd be a big fan of the Master's family if we'd ever met them, &c) but my actual point is that I started thinking about how cool personality-aspects-in-different-bodies episodes are. And how the aspects that get split are different depending on the character! For instance, in Buffy the split was meant to hit Buffy herself, to turn her into Ordinary Buffy and Super-Slayer, but when it got Xander, since he didn't have superpowers, it split him down a competence line. I'm not sure it would have worked the anticipated way on Buffy either, though! I think it would have more likely turned her into Insecure Lovesick Teenager Buffy and Competent Self-Sacrificing Leadership Buffy, and they would have both still had Slayer powers. On the other hand, with Willow we'd probably get Sweet Nerdy Willow and Dark Willow, so don't point personality-splitting radiation at just anyone, okay.

The problem is that once I start, I want to point personality-splitting radiation at everyone just to see what happens. Earnest, idealist Delenn vs. kill-you-mercilessly Delenn! Do-anything-for-a-story Chloe Sullivan vs. do-anything-for-her-friends Chloe! Awkward paternalistic librarian Giles vs. Ripper! Patient, dispensing-backhand-wisdom Methos vs. shanking-you-with-his-second-sword Methos! I keep thinking of more, but I will stop now. (If anyone wants to continue in comments, though, man, I could do this for hours.)

I wonder if Clark would turn into Ordinary Farm Boy Clark and Superman. Somehow, I think this works about as well as Ordinary Buffy and Super-Slayer. It is much more likely that he would turn into saves-his-friends-at-all-costs while smiling like a total sweetie Clark vs. some lying asshat. It's even worse than Merlin! I want to call out Gaius and Jonathan Kent and punch them for impressing on their wards the importance of secrecy unto sheer stupidity. God, Morgana and Lex should form a fucking support group.

Comments

[minkhollow]

Not really the personality-splitting aspect of this post, but one of my two favorite episodes of Warehouse 13 this season was the bodyswap episode (which was late enough in the season that it's still on Hulu). It would have been corny like a very corny thing, but the actors whose characters got swapped did an AMAZING job of acting like each other.
(My other favorite is the time-travel episode. XD)

[aria]

I LOVE bodyswap episodes, but they're even better when the actors are fabulous at imitating each other. I love that moment when you realize that you totally believe it's a different person in that body. <3

[minkhollow]

The first time I saw that scene I had it on mute, thanks to a phone call - and even the physical cues were so brilliantly done that I could believe it. It got even better when I watched it with the sound up.

[nextian]

What'd you think of the Trek version?

[aria]

Wait, there is a Trek version?? WHERE.

[nextian]

The Enemy Within!

[aria]

Oh yes, that one! I, uh, had it up on my YouTube queue, even, but then ... Smallville happened. I imagine that Twice The Shatner will be hilarious, though.

[carrieann]

Okay, I'm kind of cracking up over here, now knowing that William Shatner did the good/evil thing before the evil twin priceline negotiator commercials of today. XD

[graycardinal]

Actually, there are two relevant TOS episodes. "The Enemy Within" is the one-mind-two-bodies case; "Turnabout Intruder" (the last episode of Season 3) is the actual body-swap episode, involving Kirk and a certain Janice Lester who is...something less than entirely rational even before the body-switch.

[feverbeats]

YES ENEMY WITHIN, THE FIRST EPISODE I EVER SAW, IT'S SO GREAT

[aria]

I WILL CORRECT THIS OVERSIGHT!

Jfc I am watching way too much TV these days. /o\ Have to catch up on all the cultural references/fandom shenanigans I have missed!

[yasaman]

dispensing-backhand-wisdom Methos vs. shanking-you-with-his-second-sword Methos

Ah, all the reasons I love Methos! I wonder how the split would shake out with Duncan. Goofy, charming, brave Duncan vs. creepily judgmental and dangerous Duncan? Or, y'know, happy Duncan vs. Dark Quickening Duncan.

[aria]

Goofy, charming, brave Duncan vs. creepily judgmental and dangerous Duncan?

Absolutely this! The only problem is that, if that happened, I would cheer and lock the second one up in a closet, never to emerge. And that would seem like a good idea until we discover that Duncan needs that part of himself to consistently win Challenges! Or something like that.

[yasaman]

Hahaha, probably. I imagine goofy brave Duncan is great to hang out with, but sadly would likely be killed with a quickness in the Game.

[feverbeats]

Awkward paternalistic librarian Giles vs. Ripper!
I warn you, it ends in sex.

I always forget how much I love personality-split! \o/

I kind of think Clark would split into Supermanishly nice Clark and RedK Clark. Have you seen any episodes with RedK Clark? He goes by Kal and wears a lot of leather. Lex is confused and turned on.

[aria]

I warn you, it ends in sex.

I think this is the moral to most of these stories. Especially the one with Lex. That happened, right?

He goes by Kal and wears a lot of leather. Lex is confused and turned on.

Um, for some HORRIBLE REASON I did not bother with those episodes! Consider me EXTREMELY CORRECTED. Are there any in particular that are especially great, or should I just do my tried-and-true method of wiking the episodes and finding whichever ones sound best?

[feverbeats]

OF COURSE. Among the people who love to abuse Lex is sexy ways is Lex.

Gah, it's been so long that I hardly remember. I think maybe either at the end of s2 or the beginning of s3? I forget what else.

[aria]

Mm, yes. I think that scene in the basement is longer in my head than it was in the episode.

In that case, I will go a-questing! I would be quite happy to return to s2 & s3, also. This college rubbish is getting me down! It is like s4 Buffy all over again, complete with evil frats and James Marsters. I guess I can only hope that Chloe gets a hot girlfriend or something. Sigh.

[aralias.livejournal.com]

if you haven't already you should listen to 'caedroia', as it is personality spliting-arific.

also, i happen to be writing a bodyswap fic right now. it is a great and wonderful trope.

[aria]

Ooh, no, I had not! I have been rubbish at tracking down Eight audios, although I keep meaning to.

BODYSWAP FIC. \o/ Who has been swapped?

[aralias.livejournal.com]

it is five and ainley, since i wanted to write some bodyswapping fic, and i thought five would be the most upset. actually he has been too busy being upset about ruling a planet to really be upset about the actual body part, but this was my reasoning when i embarked.

and caedroia is my favourite of the eight audios, which are (mostly - or at least halfly) excellent. it might be a little bit confusing to begin with, but i think you'd pick up what was going on.

[oldstarnewshine]

Idealist Lex vs. Evil Lex

This was my favorite episode of Smallville, no lie.

And now I really want to hear your thoughts on the body-splitting of the Master.

[aria]

It was so great. So great I was basically paralyzed with joy for the whole episode!

Oh, the Master! That's easy. No matter the incarnation, he turns into Conquer the Universe!! Master vs. Desperate to Have the Doctor's Attention, No Matter How Absurd He Looks in the Process Master. :D

[oldstarnewshine]

I have to admit I found it weirdly hot.

It'd be really interesting to do with Time Lords. So you could have like, In Love With Everything, Travel The Universe Ten vs. Fire And Ice And Rage Oncoming Storm Ten. Or you could have One, Three, Five, Seven, Nine and Eleven vs. Two, Four, Six, Eight, and Ten. SO MANY POSSIBILITIES.

[china_shop]

Sappy risk-his-freedom-and/or-life-for-anyone-with-a-sob-story Neal vs con-you-out-of-your-life-savings-without-blinking-an-eyelash Neal. IJS.