Round Two
VOTE LIZARD BABIES ... THEY GOT LEFT BEHIND !!!
I’ve been watching Voyager and I’m going to start pushing an agenda. #tomvok
Making my own post bc I feel like it's sort of off topic but genuinely one of my own points for "B'Elanna/Tom could've been good if the writing was better" has always been the fact that they give Tom a hobby where he fiddles with vintage car engines on the holodeck and I'm like WHY is this something him and B'Elanna never bond over? She's literally an engineer. Let them bond over shared hobbies
We as a fandom need to do better with Tom Paris. He does not get the respect he deserves.
Fandom has been very good to Worf in it’s readings of his motivations. We are told explicitly by the shows that he is Like That because he’s Klingon but fandom has rightly pointed out that this is not the case. He’s Like That because he’s Russian (and an adoptee from another culture and possibly autistic). Tumblr has displayed some great reading comprehension when it comes to Worf. What we are told is in conflict with what we have been shown and instead of trusting that unreliable/biased narration we’ve gone with our eyes.
We need to apply that to Tom. We are told that Tom is undependable, a gossip, flighty, disloyal to his girlfriend, desperate to weasel his way out of any obligation, and just generally kind of a fuck up. But what we see in the show is someone who is so dependable he’s kind of Janeway’s secret weapon. He will drop anything if she has a dangerous important job for him and he does these jobs diligently and with respect for their seriousness.
He is insightful when it comes to people yet never uses sensitive or embarrassing information to hurt people, instead he uses what he knows to help the people in question. He has a deep compassion for everyone even those who don’t like him too much (Chakotay, Tuvok) or are actively hostile towards him (the Doctor). (Even when the Doctor was being an asshole to everyone in Author, Author Tom’s holo-payback was kind. He didn’t embarrass him publicly and he didn’t damage his files; both of which were more than the Doctor deserved considering he was running a one-man smear campaign against the whole crew)
When a job needs doing on Voyager you see Tom picking up the slack. He is, if anything, a pleaser. He makes no secret of his dislike for medical work yet he’s an enthusiastic medic who is downright itchy to run to assist people in need. And he’s got a far better bedside manner than the Doctor. He hates that job but it’s important and he understand that so he does the job well.
After he and B’Elanna get together you never see him flirt or act inappropriately with anyone. He doesn’t look at anyone else like that.
Tom is a classic kid with ADHD. He has spent his life being told he’s a fuck up so he’s come to believe it. He plays up being the butt of jokes because it makes people laugh. Okay, so he gets super involved in his hobbies and tries to weasel his way out of extra work; so what. He also shows interest in his friends’ interests and tries to engage people in group activities and volunteers for extra assignments. He takes on too much and gets overwhelmed. He needs alone time to decompress. None of that is a character flaw.
On one hand Tom is what happens when you get the mom friend (Robbie) to play a fuck up, on the other he’s what happens when a good person who’s trying their best starts internalizing being told they’re no good.
He’s a scamp, he’s a silly little guy, he’s not perfect but he’s not the scoundrel we’re told that he is. Let’s try to treat him accordingly.
#tom paris#star trek voyager#he's def a flawed person#he's also inconsistently written#i once read a post that said tom paris learns how to not be a jerk until the show needs him to be a jerk again#and that's not wrong#but at the core of the character is loyalty and empathy#that's what i've always focused on in my fics#along with some whininess#because the man is whiny#but i am too sometimes oh well
Tom Paris is if like Riker if the narrative never, not for one second, believed he was cool. Tom Paris is a sentient dad joke. Tom Paris has been framed for murder on two separate planets. Tom Paris lost out in a love triangle to Neelix. Tom Paris daddy-issued so hard he turned himself and Janeway into lizards. Tom Paris told his girlfriend he wanted to commit an ecoterrorism, and his girlfriend was like, "You gotta do what you gotta do." Tom Paris was once ordered by a superior officer to have sex with the girl he liked (he declined). Tom Paris refused to let his child's heritage be erased. Tom Paris got brainwashed by a car.
It's such an unexplainable feeling when you start doing something that is just a bit silly and goofy and then fast forward a few years and people make art and write fics and it's trending on Tumblr and there's tons of tweets and Robbie McNeill himself retweets half of them.
Although I try to focus only on enjoying the day, every year I'm a bit shocked at how many people join in.
(tags by @trippol-threat )
Hey, it's me. I'm the problem, it's me.
On a serious note I do always try to emphasize how Threshold Day is a joint effort and something we all create together. I came up with the idea at one point but without people like @rikerssexblouse and @angrywarrior69 and @lost-in-the-delta that said "This is funny as hell lets do it", then I would just be a weirdo sitting alone in an empty parking lot with an "Always remember the lizard babies" t-shirt.
Omg we should make t-shirts.
The episode Threshold in Vine format. You don’t even need to watch the actual episode if you watch this, trust me.
From my starship to yours, Happy Threshold Day to all that celebrate (and even to those that don't).
I don’t think I every shared this here but i made this for TrekTober 2022 day 31: family
I think today is the perfect day to post it
Happy Threshold Day!
The Vagina Museum asking the important questions
Okay but THE REASONED IT OUT!
Also, if I had to see this you have to aswell:
(@knazzer on twitter)
Voyager Fandom, we need to talk.
On this blessed day, the anniversary of the most esteemed and craptastic episode that is Threshold, I must discuss a serious issue that has gone too long without discussion.
That being, of course, amphibian erasure.
Lizard babies, everyone says. Remember that time Janeway and Paris had lizard babies?
No, I do not. Because clearly they are amphibians!
My annual Threshold Day reblog! Grab yourselves a slice of pepperoni pizza with olives, a cup of Paris Delight, spit out your tongue and let’s have some fun!
I have seen WAY TOO MANY “lizard baby” posts today.
CLEARLY I have work to do…
Tom Paris is one smooth salamander. Happy Threshold Day
ponnfarrtrek
HAPPY THRESHOLD DAY
It's a day late cos this episode taught me a valuable lesson about taking my time.
"How do you know this isn't good for me? How do you know it isn't the best thing that's ever happened to me?"
Tom you are actively evolving into a salamander
I think B’Elanna should be allowed to manhandle Tom Paris more