Shipping Even Higher into the Sun...

[on:]

New shipping thread, enjoy.

[Reply #1 on:]

I started these things. Nice to know they're still going strong.

[Reply #2 on:]

I started these things. Nice to know they're still going strong.

Indeed so. Most indeededly.

[Reply #3 on:]

Oh. Shipping is slang. I see now.

I kinda don't want Leela and Fry to be together but that's just my jealousy talking. I think it'd be cool if they were together so they could be happy.

After watching the newest episode, it's clear that they aren't in love at the moment. Despite all the events of the previous episodes. They both aren't ready.

If they keep going on adventures and spend more time together, that might change.

[Reply #4 on:]

I think Fry and Leela love each other (that is, I'm positive that Fry loves Leela, and I see no evidence of emotional backtracking on Leela's part since her declaration in "Into the Wild Green Yonder" (and reaffirmation in "Rebirth")), but I have no idea if that is the same as being in a relationship. Hopefully the writers clear this all up in "Overclockwise."

[Reply #5 on:]

I still have my hopes that the whole of season 6 was them being a little unsure about the relationship (much like the viewers) and that the finale "Overclockwise" will feature them finally confronting and have "the talk". Spoiler from the episode follow with further thoughts.

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In one of the commercials, Fry is seen by a bus stop as a bus drives off into the sky, and he looks all sad. So presumably Leela decides to leave when she can't confront their relationship. Later, as seen in the released clip, Fry tells the overclocked Bender that he and Leela has problems.

I think there's some hardcore shipping in that episode.

[Reply #6 on:]

I sooooo want to see Overclockwise now. Soooooo badly. Link to those clips or story boards?   Ugh, I'm a 31 year old guy, I shouldn't be this obsessed with a cartoon relationship

[Reply #7 on:]

The commercial isn't released on the net as far as I know, the video is this.

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His precise words are "Leela left me"...

[Reply #8 on:]

I posted this in another thread, but it really should go here as well.

Maybe all these 21st century references and technologies are part of a larger plot arc. In a future episode, we'll likely see Leela walking by herself through the PE ship, only for part of the bulkhead to slide away, a female Nibblonian with an eyepatch say "No, I think she's just dreaming," and then everything return the way it was. Then Bender, along with all the other robots, will start suffering mysterious CPU process threads, seemingly caused by a patch being installed onto a digital reality. As it'll turn out, the Brainspawn have managed to destroy reality in a battle subsequently erased from human memory, and the entire universe is running as a hologrammatic simulation extracted from Fry's memories, hence the numerous contemporary references. The robots are the only ones who realize this, however, hence the patch to try and distract them from their suspicions, and of course, the heavy Bender-centric nature of this season's episodes and the introduction of a "cloud" plane that only robots can enter. Leela, meanwhile, pregnant with Fry's child, the only one who can defeat the Brainspawn and restore the universe, has been kidnapped by the Nibblonians and kept physically safe, plugged into the same virtual simulation that everyone else is living in, but in order to keep psychological indications of her pregnancy from showing, they've had to mask her feelings for Fry so that she is not aware of how their relationship should be progressing.

You'll see. This all makes perfect sense.

[Reply #9 on:]

'A' for effort at least, Xanfor. Or is that an 'E'? (It would make a pretty interesting fic, though, for what it's worth.)

I still have my hopes that the whole of season 6 was them being a little unsure about the relationship (much like the viewers) and that the finale "Overclockwise" will feature them finally confronting and have "the talk".

I still don't know if

Show spoiler

"Leela left me" means that Fry and Leela are in a real relationship and Leela has walked out on him, or if it's just a more innocent (albeit, ambiguous) phrasing. I certainly hope it's the former, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

At any rate, I'm hoping a few episodes prior to "Overclockwise" have shippy elements. My money's on "Law and Oracle" or "Fry Am the Eggman" (or maybe even "Cold Warriors"), but this is pure speculation and based on absolutely none of the Countdown material or interviews or anything. My opinion of those episodes will not be affected by the level of shippiness, but it would be nice to see Fry and Leela's relationship get some play before the Big Damn Finale episode.

[Reply #10 on:]

.

Show spoiler

His precise words are "Leela left me"...

Thanks for the link. Whats in spoiler tags depresses me

[Reply #11 on:]

I still don't know if

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"Leela left me" means that Fry and Leela are in a real relationship and Leela has walked out on him, or if it's just a more innocent (albeit, ambiguous) phrasing. I certainly hope it's the former, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

At any rate, I'm hoping a few episodes prior to "Overclockwise" have shippy elements. My money's on "Law and Oracle" or "Fry Am the Eggman" (or maybe even "Cold Warriors"), but this is pure speculation and based on absolutely none of the Countdown material or interviews or anything. My opinion of those episodes will not be affected by the level of shippiness, but it would be nice to see Fry and Leela's relationship get some play before the Big Damn Finale episode.

I'm sure the phrase is what it sounds like. May be wrong, but that's my impression.

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Cold Warriors is my biggest guess of a shippy episode. It does after all feature Leela locked away.

Show spoiler

His precise words are "Leela left me"...

Thanks for the link. Whats in spoiler tags depresses me

Really? I find it quite obvious that they will

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get together in the end, and their final relationship will be much more absolute than that of season 6 in general.

[Reply #12 on:]

I see what your sayin Aki, but still is depressing to hear it said. But, I like your line of thinking.

[Reply #13 on:]

I'm sure the phrase is what it sounds like. May be wrong, but that's my impression.

It wasn't my first impression, but it is certainly the interpretation that makes me the happiest, ship-wise.

Also:

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I agree that "Overclockwise" will have a happy ending for Fry and Leela. And, if the writers know what's good for them, maybe they'll keep Fry and Leela together in a concrete, unambiguous way in season seven. There are just so many story possibilities that a committed relationship between the two could open up--and, on the plus side, it's not like putting them together permanently means that the dynamic of the show will change too drastically, or that every episode has to focus on their relationship in some way. I don't think anyone wants that, even the most die hard shippers.

[Reply #14 on:]

I think it should also be considered that

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Fry and Leela get together in "Overclockwise", have a concrete relationship with lots of possible plots (like Gorky said), and then break up for some reason to return to a more friend-y relationship. I think this is possible without making it a Ross-and-Rachel deal, even if it may be difficult.

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Ross and Rachel get together in the end.

[Reply #15 on:]

I wouldn't be totally averse to such an ending, Aki, but

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I do think the writers consider Fry and Leela the endgame, which is why their relationship has played a part in both could-be series finales. Getting them together after five-plus seasons of Will They or Won't They? hijinks, only to pull them apart at the end (no matter how convincingly it is pulled off) would not only be a bit too dark, but also kind of a fuck-you to the audience, I think.

It's also worth noting that Fry and Leela are meant for each other; Ross and Rachel were not, regardless of what the Friends writers thought.

[Reply #16 on:]

I wouldn't be totally averse to such an ending, Aki, but

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I do think the writers consider Fry and Leela the endgame, which is why their relationship has played a part in both could-be series finales. Getting them together after five-plus seasons of Will They or Won't They? hijinks, only to pull them apart at the end (no matter how convincingly it is pulled off) would not only be a bit too dark, but also kind of a fuck-you to the audience, I think.

It's also worth noting that Fry and Leela are meant for each other; Ross and Rachel were not, regardless of what the Friends writers thought.

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I don't suggest they tear them apart as a finale. That would be way too dark. I say they might tear them apart as part of season 7 or 8, and then have the show go on until series finale, whenever that may be. I just want them to close this arc down, either by putting them together at last, or to tear them apart one final time. Any more would suck.

[Reply #17 on:]

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Pulling them apart at any point would be kind of cruel, considering how susceptible their relationship has been thus far to the Reset Button and ambiguity in the writing. If the writers really want to put Fry and Leela together in "Overclockwise," I'd like it to be a permanent thing. Similarly, if Fry and Leela are meant to be torn apart in "Overclockwise," then make that permanent. I still think the first option is more likely, though.

[Reply #18 on:]

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[Reply #19 on:]

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Pulling them apart at any point would be kind of cruel, considering how susceptible their relationship has been thus far to the Reset Button and ambiguity in the writing. If the writers really want to put Fry and Leela together in "Overclockwise," I'd like it to be a permanent thing. Similarly, if Fry and Leela are meant to be torn apart in "Overclockwise," then make that permanent. I still think the first option is more likely, though.

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Yes. In a discussion of what is most likely, they will get together in Overclockwise, have an ambiguous relationship throughout the rest of the series, then have a really nice ending in the series finale.

[Reply #20 on:]

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I don't mind ambiguous endings ("The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings" ends ambiguously, and that's part of its brilliance: for four years, it led me and many other fans to believe that Fry and Leela would be together...but, when "Bender's Big Score" came around, and Fry and Leela weren't together, it didn't seem like such an enormous Reset of Devil's Hands to me), and I'm not so devoid of a sense of humor that lines like "It sure was nice of the mayor's wife to have sex with me" sour me on an entire episode. But I do think that, if the writers continue to be too cavalier in the writing of Fry and Leela's relationship (portraying them as a near-canonical couple when it suits them, in episodes like "The Late Philip J. Fry" and "The Prisoner of Benda," and keeping them planted firmly in just-friends territory in episodes like "Attack of the Killer App"), subsequent now-or-never shippy episodes (like "Into the Wild Green Yonder" and (presumably) "Overclockwise") will lose their emotional punch after a while.

I don't care how brilliantly "Overclockwise" is written; if the events of that episode lead me to believe that Fry and Leela are finally, once-and-for-all together, I will be annoyed if that is not the case in season seven. And it will render any emotional arc in "Overclockwise" less potent, and perhaps even frustrating. I'm getting kind of tired of the writers wanting to have these spectacular, space opera-y episodes centered around Fry and Leela's relationship--but then refusing to follow through with the developments (including ostensible Relationship Upgrades) in subsequent episodes. It worked in the earlier seasons ("Time Keeps on Slipping" and "The Sting" are made more poignant by how so-close-but-not-quite Fry and Leela's relationship is taken), but by now it's getting kind of ridiculous.

[Reply #21 on:]

Touché.

No, nothing to add.

[Reply #22 on:]

Kicked your ass.

Seriously, though, I hope I didn't make you think that I was taking issue with anything you were posting; I agree with your points entirely. The, uh, impassioned tone I employed in the previous post was mostly the result of pent-up frustration with the way the writers have dealt with the ship in the past.

[Reply #23 on:]

Yeah, my "touché" was more like "you managed to put all my opinions and thoughts together brilliantly, and I have nothing more to contribute".

[Reply #24 on:]

They keep lowering the bar for brilliance, don't they?

Topic: Uh...I watched "Love and Rocket" yesterday. For some reason, I think that this is perhaps the cutest Fry/Leela moment in an episode that is chock full of 'em.



(I just like the way Fry is slouching a little and Leela lifts him up. I can't even explain it, really.)

[Reply #25 on:]

Aw, I didn't remember that scene. Cute.

Still doesn't beat him protecting her when the ship crashes in 6ACV01 though...

[Reply #26 on:]

Aww!

I love the faded quality those old framegrabs possess. It makes me nostalgic.

By the way, nice discussion. As you can plainly see, I had nothing useful to add.

[Reply #27 on:]

Still doesn't beat him protecting her when the ship crashes in 6ACV01 though...

"My love is stronger than the vast majority of explosions!"

(That reminds me: He's said it a whole bunch, but I think my favorite instance of an "I love you" from Fry to Leela has to be the almost-shy declaration in "The Late Philip J. Fry." Just sayin'.)

I love the faded quality those old framegrabs possess. It makes me nostalgic.

Ah, 2002. Brings me back. I was a wild and crazy ten-year old.

[Reply #28 on:]

Still doesn't beat him protecting her when the ship crashes in 6ACV01 though...

"My love is stronger than the vast majority of explosions!"

(That reminds me: He's said it a whole bunch, but I think my favorite instance of an "I love you" from Fry to Leela has to be the almost-shy declaration in "The Late Philip J. Fry." Just sayin'.)

I'm hoping for a few more in Overclockwise.

Yes, I frickin' can't stand waiting for Overclockwise... ;___;

I love the faded quality those old framegrabs possess. It makes me nostalgic.

Ah, 2002. Brings me back. I was a wild and crazy ten-year old.

Hey, we're the same age. Cheers!

[Reply #29 on:]

I'm hoping for a few more in Overclockwise.

Especially from Leela. And preferably one that's not interrupted by, like, a wormhole or something.

Hey, we're the same age. Cheers!

Indeed. And I have spent just about half of my life obsessed with Futurama. I can only hope you have experienced a similar joy.

[Reply #30 on:]

Especially from Leela. And preferably one that's not interrupted by, like, a wormhole or something.

I think that's a possible, nay, probable finale.

Indeed. And I have spent just about half of my life obsessed with Futurama. I can only hope you have experienced a similar joy.

I started getting the episodes when I was perhaps 10, when they started showing up on the net. Since then I've been addicted. So, yes.

[Reply #31 on:]

You guys went through a microcosm of everything that was said about F/L before S6 started, which makes it a little sad that all of that is still applicable. To add to that point, I state that The Late Philip J. Fry would have been a lot funnier without the F/L angle and, if it ultimately didn't really forward it, I'd prefer if future episodes like it just go full comedy.

[Reply #32 on:]

Maybe more epic, but the shippy storyline made it much more epic, beautiful and sad. Without it I wouldn't have cried at the end.

On another note, Jurassic Bark would have worked much better without Seymour.

[Reply #33 on:]

I state that The Late Philip J. Fry would have been a lot funnier without the F/L angle and, if it ultimately didn't really forward it, I'd prefer if future episodes like it just go full comedy.

It might have been funnier, but I don't think it would have been anywhere near as brilliant, and certainly not as emotionally resonant. That's like saying that "The Luck of the Fryrish" would have been funnier without the twist of Yancy naming his son after Fry, or that "Time Keeps on Slipping" is too much of a downer and a tease with the Fry/Leela stuff. What is so great about an episode like TLPJF is that its sci-fi hilarity is inextricably linked to the romance, and that the former is granted much more dramatic weight because of the latter.

[Reply #34 on:]

Kinda feels like you stole my point there, Gorky.

[Reply #35 on:]

Only because I traveled forwards in time to read your post, had a great love story subplot, then came back around to type up my previous post, passing your ideas off as my own.

Seriously, though, I typed up my reply and hit submit, then was greeted with the dreaded 'a reply has been posted while you were typing yours' message. Great minds, dontcha know?

[Reply #36 on:]

Only because I traveled forwards in time to read your post, had a great love story subplot, then came back around to type up my previous post, passing your ideas off as my own.

If you are to steal my ideas, at least post them before I post mine... I believed you missed a universe on your lil' journey.

Seriously, though, I typed up my reply and hit submit, then was greeted with the dreaded 'a reply has been posted while you were typing yours' message. Great minds, dontcha know?

That's the second time in a few minutes I destroyed someone else's post. Maybe I'm the time traveler after all.

[Reply #37 on:]

If you are to steal my ideas, at least post them before I post mine... I believed you missed a universe on your lil' journey.

I was a bit distracted by this mountain of skulls at one point. Perhaps I pondered the real estate market there for a few minutes too long.

That's the second time in a few minutes I destroyed someone else's post. Maybe I'm the time traveler after all.

If so, just make sure you don't do anything disgusting, like have sex with your own grandmother. Cuddling is acceptable, but that's it.

[Reply #38 on:]

Oh... God... I'm going to visit my grandmother in just a few days, now I will never get that picture out of my head. I hate you.

[Reply #39 on:]

Does she like to bake sugar cookies?

And I'm sorry for any emotional distress my comments may cause you in the coming days. I suck.