OMJ: Exploring The Jasper Factor.
Everyone is familiar with the concept of the Rob Effect. In popular fandom theory, anything that either Rob or Edward touches catches immediate interest, because both and Rob and Edward are widely adored. In no way disagreeing with this concept or the success of its effect on me personally, I must say that the Rob Effect has a formidable foe.
The Jasper Factor.I’m naturally curious about this phenomenon because I enjoy both Jasper, the character, and Jackson, the actor. And simply because I can, I’ve decided to explore the topic of the Jasper Factor with my fellow ficsters and you.
WHY JASPER?
On some recent podcasts and message boards, I’ve heard this question asked, and
I believe I’ve come up with a really interesting theory explaining the new influx of Jasper fics.
We are bored.
We love Edward, yes. But so much has already been done between him and Bella that it’s only natural to see audiences wanting something to break the monotony. Jasper, I think, is a natural second selection to Edward because he’s the second-most-intriguing male character in the series. Some may disagree with this, and that’s fine. I certainly can’t speak for the fandom’s interest as a whole. But it’s difficult to deny that Jasper is having a sudden peak in ficdom.
Bear with me here.
Jacob is a controversial character. He seems to have just as many fans as haters. You can lose, as well as gain, a whole niche of readers by simply introducing him into an established B/E plot. Plus, we all see Jacob coming! Authors use him as a popular plot device between Bella and Edward all the time, so upon first sight of Jacob entering the story, our immediate reaction is, “Here we go…” It's almost impossible to see Jacob as anything different.
Carlisle is a bit of a father figure, which can at times creep us out with shipping him and Bella. Emmett… well, Emmett is 'Emmett, the big brother', so shipping him with Bella can also leave an icky residue of gross. There are plenty of B/C and B/Em fics out there, so I don’t want to imply that the audience for these shippings is nonexistent, because that would be utterly false.
But it’s so difficult to dislike Jasper.
Why Jasper…well how long do ya got? Seriously I could go on and on about Jasper and why he is the most undervalued Cullen in the books. The main reason for me is that Jasper was the Cullen that we didn’t get a good idea of who he is. Sure we learned his back story and special ability, but a fully formed characterization was never conveyed or presented to us. Jasper is more than his military background and ability to manipulate emotions. I want to know more. What makes him tick? Why is he the way that he is? What his thought processes are like? What would he be like as a human? Also, Jasper is the strong, silent type; but he’s compassionate and fiercely loyal as well. He has a laid back, easy going nature that is seldom explored. He’s so complex that I think SMeyer glossed over him, losing the opportunity to explore him further. Really, who wouldn't want a Jasper in their lives?? No one that I know.
He really isn’t controversial in canon, and also feels a little two-dimensional in the series. His backstory is more scandalous than most of the Cullens’, which makes us curious to explore it. He’s also within non-disgusting physical age-range of Bella, and the series never puts direct focus on his brotherly relationship with her. I can totally understand why people are writing more Jasper nowadays.
Some people just love Jasper, understandably so. He
is a charismatic motherfucker, after all.
Why Jasper? Because when I write Jasper, I get to get inside the head of a character with whom I am (I can admit it) in love. I adore him in every incarnation I've read; and in this story I get to write my ideal Jasper - faithful to himself, close to his family, beautiful, with a huge capacity for love; but not flawless - not too good to be true.
I don’t hate Edward, I just know Jazz is infinitely better. Edward is occasionally so cookie-cutter. Yes, he’s handsome and talented and kind and brave and a regular Sir Gawain, but Jasper is all those things…with a bad side. And who doesn’t love a bad boy? Not only is he bad, but he hides that bad side out of love for a good woman. How adorable is that? And also one word: Ducati.
I think his best quality is his unyielding loyalty. Canon Jasper puts Alice first and would follow her anywhere, even when it means making tough choices such as deciding to kill Bella around the time of Twilight because she put Alice in danger. Harsh? Yes. But he really would go to any lengths to keep Alice safe – and then when Alice asks him to back off because she loves Bella, he does it.
Admittedly, there are ficsters out there who simply prefer their Jasper shippings as opposed to Edward. Some of these individuals can be a little... er... passionate. But we find ship devotions of ficsters in any fandom.
"You're not good for me, Bella." Bitch boy needed to be thrown through the trees for that and have certain parts of his anatomy removed. I really have nothing but love for Edward. One of the first fan fics with Jasper and Bella I ever read was
Someone Else's Memoirs- and I was so glad to see that other individuals shared the same thoughts I had when it came to giving life to Bella and Jasper romances. The fan fiction world that has developed off of Stephenie's stories is just mind boggling and a wonderful way to entertain oneself, and that's why I enjoy reading more than I do writing. I've enjoyed all these wonderful stories starting from
Every Father's Sacrifice by
TheRomanticidalEdwardian all the way down to that smutty filled masterpiece of
The Tie That Binds by
Fiberkitty. The fans of this series are truly unique and I'm so glad and humbled to be a part of this fanbase.
Though I don't hate Edward, I do find him at the bottom of the list of people that I'd like to see Bella with. Of course, I prefer her with the Jasper that I created however, if we are looking at the Stephenie Meyer characters, I'd say I'd prefer her with Jacob (I can hear the gasps now).
Standing back and rereading the books from the perspective of wanting the Bella/Jasper pairing to work, I was surprised to read how many instances where he was actually rude to her, discounted her feelings and was extremely condescending. He constantly made decisions for her and disregarded what she may have felt.
I chose Jasper because out of all the characters in the book, he was the least developed. I matured Bella by four years and since she is human, her personality would have changed due to the things that she went through. Edward's personality is set in stone, there is no changing that but Jasper was a blank canvas upon which I could create my own hero for Bella to love.
So, though I know we can't all agree on these views, we can definitely agree on one thing -- I am certain: FanFiction is awesome because it offers us the possibility. I realize there are some people who jump to Edward's defense because he is their behbeh (coughAngelcough) and that's perfect! Variety is the spice of smut-I mean, fic. I mean fic. Honestly.
Again, this is just
my theory. Please, feel free to comment and leave your own views on this, as I’m quite certain everyone would enjoy the discussion.
VARIATIONS
I’m going to take this time to dissect the fandom’s most popular Jasper variations, and why they work. Obviously, there's no possible way to generalize every single Jasper characterization. Some pegs just don't fit into the following holes. But, I
can explore the most popular uses of his character, and what makes them successful to the audience. I've contacted eight authors of various Jasper related stories and picked their brains. Let's see what they say!
Vampsper :“Humans are yummy in my tummy.”
Canon Jasper is complex, in the most glorious of ways, but there are caveats to using him as an author.
By choosing to explore Vampsper, the author must research his past, power and, if done in his POV, must choose their own methods of depicting how empathic manipulation functions. Pretty cool, huh?
I interviewed
Mandi1, author of
You've Kept Me Waiting to pick her brain about her own use of Vampsper.
1. To you, what is the most important aspect of the A/J dynamic to depict?
Showing that Alice and Jasper have that deeper, soulful connection in every look, every movement, even in their arguments, is important. Unfortunately, it’s something hard to depict. I like to portray that they care for their family, but that their love for each other is so much more than that, because they had each other before and, if something were to happen, they would have each other after. They’re not much use without one another, are they? (I’m lookin’ at you, JasperxBella ’shippers.)
OH!. BURN. (Not really.)
2. Do you have any advice for new authors looking to write a canon Jasper character? Historical research?
Knowledge of dates, wars, time spent in certain places will help you craft a canonical Jasper. Knowing that Texas was NOT a plantation state will make an entirely different Civil War!Jasper than if you are under the illusion that he had slaves. Remember his past. Remember that there was a Maria. Think of what that did to him. And think of who and what he relies on SPECIFICALLY in the story. Alice? If she’s gone, then who? Carlisle? Or has he gone 360 and relies solely on his hunger and the hunt? Jasper is a balance of southern gentleman with blood-craving beast.
3. In your opinion, what is canon Jasper's most defining moment?
I could be totally predictable and say when he met Alice. Had he not met her, things would be ENTIRELY different. He would not have the heart he has now. But I also think the moment where he gave up on Maria and left the south says a lot about him. That was the moment he left behind what he had known, and to give up something that has been your life for so long says a lot about someone, especially when they’re going on to live a better life. Jasper cared more for his victims and for his conscience than for his bloodlust, and that proves him to be a good person underneath it all.
My rec for Vampsper is
Amputated at the Neck by
Minisinoo. Though I have qualms with the depiction of E/B, Minisinoo's Jasper is always perfection in how he uses his power and his characterization is simply spot-on. Everything I always imagined him to be, and more.
Texsper : “Stop yer butcherin’ of my twang-a-lang, miss darlin’ cupcake marmalade sugar britches.”
I’m personally pretty anal about
how people portray Texsper. They want him to have that dash of southern gentleman, and depending on the nature of the universe, this can be a very slippery slope. Sometimes I wonder if it shouldn’t be a rule for the author to have
actually visited the South at one point in their lives to get a realistic feel for the twang. But, this becomes obsolete with any Vampsper because, of course, times, colloquialisms, and pronunciations are subject to evolution.
How to make him Texsper without turning him into an effeminate, soft-talking Nancy-boy? I asked
PastichePen what her formula was. In her story,
If Love Could Light a Candle, she takes the impression of Texsper to the extreme, giving him a unique voice that screams Southern, but doesn't emasculate him in any way.
What's a successful formula for Texsper?
1. a Texan beta to keep you on track.
2. Southern pride.
3. Realist, single party states, colonialism, and wartime history interest.
4. Sworn belief that you'd rather drink a human than a good riding horse.
5. Scars that are worn with pride and occasionally (when the situation necessitates) accessorized with a cowboy hat.
6. Staunch belief that Edward needs to get over his yankee-ass whiney times.
My recommendation for Texsper, besides Candle, is
Long, Tall, Texan by
BamaBabe. Her Jasper favors one endearment --
Miss Bella -- and doesn't even say the word "darlin'" until chapter 6.
Darksper : “I invented ‘Emo.’”
Be still my heart…
What’s not to like? Darksper is a complex individual with an ominous secret, past, or view of the world. Darksper makes sense to me, because in canon, if you really think about it, he’s likely had the most traumatic after-change experiences of any of the Cullens. It’s true that Edward was somewhat traumatized from the effects of his mind-reading, yes, but Jasper has
his empathic powers which puts him on level ground there. Finally, he’s had the trauma of being Maria’s pawn, the scars of the newborns, and has felt the torment of both vampires and humans’ emotions as they die.
That’s some pretty hard-core shit.
I sent some questions to
IdreamofEddy, author of the Darksper story
Colliding Meteors.1. What is your most important consideration when characterizing Jasper in the angst genre? Are his powers important to this?
The past that was built by Stephenie around Jasper is all about angst. From being turned at a young age as a young confederate officer to being immersed into the hellish vampire wars of the south. And it had to be true hell, didn't it? I've tried to imagine what it was like for him off of the information that was given in Eclipse, which really wasn't very much from his perspective but it gives a writer plenty of angst material to build on. While he managed to escape the horror of his past and find meaning to his existence, it's a part of his life that he can never escape from. So I see Jasper's character as being somewhat hard and complex. He's quiet, he's shy, and even though he is an empathic vampire I can see his character having a difficult time displaying his own emotions and feelings. The ironic thing is this makes him so human, for a character who probably thought he was far from being human. His past and the power he has gives a writer plenty of material to cover when writing Jasper's character in an angsty story. His powers are always important for him because he can gauge another character's emotions and respond to that as appropriately as he can. Basically, he can cover his ass if he needs to.
2. Is there anything in canon that makes you inclined to portray Jasper in an angsty fashion?
Maybe some of my response above would fit into this question also, Jasper's past is true angst. I've considered doing an angst story based on his time with Maria and Peter, it's on my to do list. Of course that pivotal moment in New Moon when Bella gave herself that papercut gave several writer's (including me) a way of introducing a Bella and Jasper Romance.
My recommendation for Darksper is an AH story by
Struck Upon a Star.
Tie Me Down to this World portrays Alice and Jasper in the genre of Angst/Hurt/Comfort beautifully. It's just too emotional to even sum up.
Edsper : “You’d hit that shit too, and you know it.”
Excuse me a moment…
*SwoonSquealSlashYayOMFJyesPleaseMORE-OF-THIS-RIGHT-HERE*
Okay. Whew. Sorry about that. Slash does strange things to me, like giving Edward the go-ahead to give it to someone who isn’t Bella.
I know, it’s difficult for many to stomach, and that’s perfectly alright. It’s just… well it’s a fusion of the Rob Effect and the Jasper Factor. It’s a force to be motherfucking reckoned with, if ya’ ask me.
I contacted one of my favorite slash authors,
Starfish422, author of
Over The Top, and asked her some E/J related questions.
1. Is there something special about the E/J dynamic in canon that caught your eye and inspired this concept?
In canon? No, I can't say there is. Jasper is my favourite Twi character, followed by Edward; so when I was considering writing a Twilight slash fic, to use their characters was the natural choice.
2. As both a reader and writer of slash, do you find it easier to depict an E/J romance when A/B aren't present?
In slash, a world where Bella doesn't exist makes for a happy reader in Starfish world. I suppose it's because Bella isn't related to any of the canon characters. On the other hand, Alice, being Edward's sister in canon, doesn't bother me as a peripheral character in slash. Funny story: when we were up to chapter...what, 17, I think?...of OTT, I got a review asking (and I picture this being asked with some degree of frustration) whether we'd ever see Bella in this story.
3. Do you have any advice for new authors out there interested in writing E/J as romantic?
If you have to choose, err on the side of reality. Writing well is a balancing act - weighing the readers' expectations against the reality of the plot. The fact is that most fanfic readers are women, and women in general have a certain picture of what the ideal relationship looks like. But these characters are men - men in a relationship are not the same as women in a relationship, gay or straight. If you find yourself in a place where you have to choose between realism or romance - in my opinion, realism should always win out. The readers will respect it, and you're likely to see your readership expand beyond us straight girls. :)
My recommendation for Edsper is any story by
mithrilxmoon. Her "T" rated E/J one-shots are quick reads that can be enjoyed by just about anyone. It's a beautifully poetic portrayal of their romances.
Bellsper : “Because, unlike Edward, I'll hit that.”
Romantic Shipping: Okay, so I’m not a big fan of the shipped Bellsper, personally.
Bella can only be with Edward for me, whereas I grant Edward ship leniency with Jasper and – very occasionally – Carlisle. I won’t explore this double-standard, because it’s my own unjustifiable preference and no one really gives a shit.
I asked
JanaBananna, author of the most well-known J/B stories --
When Darkness Turns To Light -- a few questions regarding the coupling.
1. What is the biggest hurdle when shifting realistically from canon to Bella/Jasper?
The hardest thing for me was coming up reasons for the Edward/Bella and Jasper/Alice relationships to end in a manner that the readers would accept in order for them to be okay with the Jasper/Bella pairing. So, the perfect spot was when Edward left Bella in New Moon and I made it that he never came back. That one was easy. I worried about the Alice/Jasper aspect but thought that if I made it that Jasper and Bella were meant to be together and Alice saw it, it made sense that Alice started to pull away and Jasper also had his own problems with the relationship as well but they parted as the best of friends and no one was hurt in the process. I had a dream of Bella dancing with someone in a bar and Jasper watching her, his crossing the bar to get to her and then giving her the steamiest kiss ever. So, I actually wrote that chapter first and then based my story on that one scene. I had read several Bellsper stories and it bothered me that they both would just jump into a relationship with one another without proper respect being paid to the deep love that each of them felt for their respective partners (Alice/Edward). Or, the stories where they cheated on Alice or Edward - that would just never be able to happen with Alice's visions or Edward's mind reading, there is just no way to get around that if you want to stick to canon characteristics.
Do you ever find it difficult to justify the Bella/Jasper romance without demonizing or vilifying Alice and/or Edward?
I never wanted to vilify either of them as I thought that would turn people off the story, especially if I were to vilify Alice. In the actual series, Alice and Jasper's love was solid and everyone loved Alice so I had to tread carefully with that relationship. Not only was the relationship with Jasper so solid in the books, so was the relationship between Alice and Bella. So, I felt strongly that Alice and Jasper, even though no longer lovers or mates, be still very good friends and be there for one another, no matter what. Now her absence in Bella's life was due to Edward's extremely bad decision in New Moon when he left Bella and required his family to do the same. Alice, having been Edward's "sister" for several decades felt required to abide by his decision, no matter how bad it was.
I can't honestly say I don't feel that I vilified Edward, I just pointed out his bad decisions and expanded on them. He did make decisions for Bella without considering how those decisions would affect her. His not trusting the depth of her feelings for him was disrepectful to her in so many ways and was what allowed him to walk away from her in New Moon and I used that to my advantage in that he never looked back. I also found several instances in the series where I thought he was so condescending to her so it didn't take much for me to be able to play on that.
Why can Jasper put out when Edward insists that vamps/human relations are impossible?
Ha, ha! Well, that was another Edward decision that I twisted to my own use! Edward could have put out but he didn't trust himself to not lose control. Having never had sex before, he had no idea what to expect and therefore, did not want to hurt Bella should he not be able to control the "monster" within once they were fully in the act, be it by biting her or or just flat out killing her with his strength.
In my mind, though not touched upon in the story, Edward would never have attempted to have sex or even kiss another person as the mind reading would make it almost impossible. Can you imagine having sex with someone only to know that they are thinking of something or worse, someone else. Edward's ability made it hard for him to get close enough to another person to even contemplate sex and therefore he kept himself closed off of those emotions. With Bella, it has been so long since he had been close to another that he was taking baby steps to get used to it.
Jasper was quite used to physical relationships and had a ton of experience both before he was turned and during and, therefore, knew what to expect.
Friendsper: These are the fics in which Jasper – who could have easily been a love interest for Bella – has managed to
find himself in “The Friend Zone,” which usually gets mixed reactions from the audience, for obvious reasons. It’s easier for the larger, more generalized B/E enthusiasts to swallow, while still getting the added thrill of the possibility.
I interviewed
SorceressCirce, author of
Just One of the Guys, and asked her what made this work.
1. Is there something specific about Jasper, as opposed to Emmett, Jacob, or any of the other Twilight male characters that makes him a more feasible friend for Bella?
I think the best choice for a male friend for Bella really depends largely upon the Bella character. When I started looking for a best friend for my Bella, Jake was immediately out because of his romantic interest in her. Bella needed a friend, not someone who would complicate things or make her feel guilty because she didn’t return his feelings. Emmett, while I love him, is a little too easy-going and blunt. It was really Jasper’s empathic nature that made him the best choice. He can sense the things that Bella keeps hidden and knows best how to draw her out to talk about them. Bella has a tendency to lock herself away and take care of other people without dealing with her own problems – Jasper doesn’t let her.
Is there anything in canon that makes you inclined to portray Jasper and Bella as close?
I’d like to think that with the way their relationship was going, Bella and Jasper would eventually become close. Jasper kept his distance for obvious reasons, but there were times – such as at the hotel in Phoenix – where he reached out and really tried to make Bella feel valuable. I think that sort of caring had been rare in Bella’s life until that point, and she needed a bit more of it. Bella’s happiness, by virtue of Jasper’s empathic gift, becomes Jasper’s happiness, which will keep him close to her as well. The close friendship between Alice and Edward would likely help contribute to an eventual friendship between these two as well.
3. What makes Jasper such an awesome homeboy?
I think Jasper’s empathy is the biggest factor in his being such an awesome homeboy. It has to be cool (and occasionally annoying) to have someone who just gets how you feel all the time. Feeling everyone else’s emotions makes him more thoughtful and careful than a lot of guys (a la Emmett – though I love me some Emmett too), so in some ways, I guess he’s more girly. At the same time, he’s a badass with the scars to prove it. Pretty hard to beat that. I was always intrigued by his Southern upbringing as well, and I think that weird mix of gentleman-but-best-friend is a fun one to explore.
My recommendation for a Jasper/Bella story that I think even E/B loyalists can enjoy is
Someone Else's Memoirs by
a certain slant of light. This story takes place after a tragic incident in which Edward and Alice were both killed. Instead of it feeling as though Jasper and Bella are somehow betraying Alice and Edward, it simply feels as if they help each other heal, and grow close in the process. It's complete, and a relatively short read at 24k words. Also... I fucking BAWLED.
Thirdsper : “May I join you?”
*THUD*
Hales yes! Thirdsper is a truly awesome phenomenon.
Not only can Edward and Bella be together, but Jasper can enter into the romance without any betrayal or sour aftertaste of love triangleage. This is easier for the B/E loyalists to handle, I think. It's also Edward and Jasper, straight, in the same bed. Come on. I mean, seriously.
I asked
Manyafandom, author of
The Arrangement, what makes this trifecta so damned awesome.
1. Why does the concept of B/J/E appeal to you, as a writer?
To begin with, Jasper as a character has massive appeal to me. At the time I started writing there wasn’t that many Jasper-centric stories. I wanted to explore Jasper as a main character and not just Alice’s love interest. Also I feel there is a bond between Edward and Jasper that isn’t touched upon in the books that much. I wanted to take a deeper look at that. Throw Bella into the mix as the main love interest and the dynamic becomes even more complicated. Also, it just made sense to me that if Bella wasn’t with Edward, she would be with Jasper.
2. Do you ever have difficulty with the E/B, A/J canonites out there?
Not really or not anymore. The fandom has changed in the 8 months since I started writing TA. Back then non-canon was a taboo of sorts, now it’s somewhat accepted. Any difficulties I had in the beginning weren’t related to the non-canon nature of the story. And I wouldn’t say difficulties, more people wondering if Alice was going to show up in the story eventually. I think readers that would have a problem with this coupling just don’t read it. Surprisingly, I had grumblings when I brought Alice in, some readers wanted it to stay the trio.
3. Is there anything specific from the canon series that makes you inclined to portray E/J/B in this fashion?
Nothing specific, more an overall feeling that if not for Alice, Jasper would have developed romantic feelings for Bella. Her calm, perceptive nature would have appealed to him. Edward and Jasper have similar personalities and struggle with the same issues. Because of that, I think they would be close, maybe even closer than Edward and Carlisle. I’m not substituting Jasper for Jacob in the equation, I think with the similarities between Jasper & Edward make the relationship more realistic or plausible. Also it makes it all the more difficult for Bella to choose between the two.
Mr recommendation for a good Thirdsper (E/J/B) is
Calefaction by
ExploitingReality. There is no sex between E/J for the people out there that don't prefer it.
For a good slash E/J/B, I recommend
Just The Three Of Us by
kuntrygal.
And --
for the love of Jackson -- for those brave souls that might enjoy Thirdsper in E/J/C format, read
We Three by
Starfish422 and let her
blow your fucking mind.
Of course, there are other Jaspers. Domsper, as seen in stories like
Dark Salvation and
Primal Needs, is always intriguing. And I'd be remiss not to make mention of Sagesper in the masterpiece known as
Cowboys and Indians.
