A Credo For George (SHIP)

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 35533

Elkins and Judy are right.  What this Snape backstory discussion 
needs is some structure.  All this tap-dancing and meandering about 
has left everyone terribly confused.  I will do my part to reconcile 
my own internally inconsistent views, which I admit are all over the 
map and sprawled out in about 20 different posts.  If they can't be 
reconciled, I'm sure someone will point that out.  :-)

********

Elkins asked:

>[W]hat are the primary 
> characteristics of George?  If one were to declare oneself a 
> Georgian, what would that necessitate?
> 

I have signed on to a great number of Snape theories.  There's Prince 
of Darkness, Mercy, Mercy II, Ambush, and Tew Eww to be Treww.  I 
admit to flirting shamelessly with George (well, who hasn't?). You 
have all probably written me off as hopelessly fickle, confused, 
someone who will say anything to avoid the inevitability of 
LOLLIPOPS.  How wrong you all are! :-)

Now that I think about it, I am going to wrap up all of my theories 
into one gigantic mega-theory, a theory substantial enough to swallow 
the entire Potterverse:  The Big Bang Theory.

You see, Big Bangers generally tend to believe that most Big 
backstory questions can be answered by a Big Event in the character's 
life.  In other words, characters don't just wake up one morning and 
decide they want to evil.  Or good.  Or something else they weren't 
the day before.  No, we believe in clearly identifiable and 
significant canon catalysts for major character changes in outlook.  

Indeed, Big Bangers have a rather rigid bright line test to assist us 
in determining which theories are acceptable.  If we can't imagine a 
climactic, Oscar-worthy scene in which a character chooses a 
dramatically different path because of a Big Event, then the theory 
won't fly under Big Bang.  We have no use for fuzzy lens shots, 
montage sequences or soliloquies where characters stare off into 
space and develop a new perspective on their circumstances.  No, Big 
Bangers chew the scenery.  People who drift off to buy popcorn before 
a Big Bang scene are going to be completely lost for the rest of the 
story.

So let's apply our Big Bang Theory to the story questions that appear 
to have totally bewildered cute-but-addled George:

Elkins wrote:

> Well, from his introduction, it would seem that George is primarily 
> concerned with two backstory questions: Why Did Snape Join the DEs 
>In the First Place?, and Why Did He Then Turn?  

Big Bang has the answers to these two questions.  Snape joined the 
DEs because of The Prank.  This, I think, is consistent with George.  
Snape was royally ticked that Dumbledore hadn't supported Snape and 
disciplined the Marauders for The Prank.  Snape's anger was already 
simmering, and he was being actively recruited by DE friends, but The 
Prank blew things wide open. ::insert climactic scene in Dumbledore's 
office, which ends with Snape storming out and right into Karkaroff's 
lair::  Snape felt he had no choice but to join up with his DE 
friends.  

A central plank of the Big Bang platform is that Snape decides to 
join the DEs because of The Prank, *not* because of Love of Lily.  
Sorry, LOLLIPOPS crew, but Big Bang adamantly rejects Love of Lily as 
having any role at all in Snape's decision to become a DE.  (We are 
willing to embrace a bit of Love of Lily for other reasons, as 
explained below).

OK, next question.  Why did Snape return?  Well, Big Bang is a little 
more inclusive on this point.  Our detractors say we are inclusive on 
the point because we have no idea what the answer is.  We ignore them 
when they taunt us like this.  

In fact, the catalyst for Snape's return was his life debt to James.  
Voldemort makes clear to Snape that he is going to kill the Potters, 
and there is a Big climactic moment (see, there are many climactic 
moments in Big Bang) where Voldemort requires Snape to betray 
James.  ::insert climactic scene in which Voldemort tortures Snape 
for failing to deliver the Potters::  Snape at that moment shifts his 
allegiance to Dumbledore, unbeknownst to Voldemort, of course. 

Elkins again:

> I also want to know where George stands on seemingly "optional" 
> theories that he has nonetheless expressed opinions on in the past: 
> timelines, ambushes, Love of Lily, EEWWWWWW, EEEWWWWWer, and so 
> forth.  

Big Bang is ready and willing to serve.  Big Bang does not require a 
total rejection of LOLLIPOPS.  Instead, Big Bang only requires that 
LOLLIPOPS motivate small character decisions.  For instance, it is 
acceptable to believe that LOLLIPOPS is the reason Snape hates 
Harry.  We needn't have a Big catalyst for Snape's hatred of Harry.  
That is because Snape has always felt that way about Harry; he did 
not suddenly change course in the middle of our story.  No, he has 
always loathed Harry, and LOLLIPOPS is a perfectly good explanation 
for it.

Other subsidiary issues include the Ambush theories.  Again, Big Bang 
is not buying for a minute that Dumbledore just twinkled at Snape and 
suddenly believed Snape's conversion was true.  No, Dumbledore 
required something Big -- an Ambush, and a really big, bloody one 
involving lots of Snape's dearest friends.  Or the biggest Ambush we 
can support in canon, at least.  ::insert emotionally draining 
climactic scene in which Dumbledore demands proof, and Snape offers 
up a major betrayal of Snape's best friends, followed by a violent 
but effective Ambush::

Big Bang is actually quite a busy-body, because Big Bang also plans 
to weigh in on CUPID'SBLUDGER (that is, that Florence's kissing 
behind the greenhouse is important for some reason and is related to 
why Sirius hates Snape).  As soon as Big Bang can think of a Bang 
that is sufficiently Big, we will report back to the group. 
Currently, the Big Bang is mulling the idea that the Florence episode 
is Biggest if it is the Florence Trapezoid (Sirius is kissing 
Florence but is cheating on Lily).  But Big Bang is willing to 
withhold judgment, as CUPID'SBLUDGER is still in its infancy and may 
not be sufficiently Big.  Yet.

Ah yes, we know what you're thinking: All this yapping, and not a 
shred of canon.  Well, there happens to be canon all over the place 
to support Big Bang.  In the first 4 books, characters tend not to 
just up and change longstanding opinions or character traits absent a 
really Big Bang.  Ron has a fight with Harry over something Big:  
Ron's belief that Harry entered himself into the Triwizard 
Tournament.  Harry, Ron and Hermione become The Trio because Ron and 
Harry save her life (oooh, does that create a life-debt from Hermione 
to Ron and Harry?).  Lupin has to see a dead man on the Map before he 
changes his mind about Black.  

If JKR seems to require Big Events before characters change course in 
the books, she may have the same view of how backstories should be 
constructed.  Well, it's a theory, anyway.

Cindy (who isn't sure George is a slut, but acknowledges that he does 
get around quite a bit)