What is it about this 'ship that grabs you?

[Mistress Euclid]

I asked this question in another 'ship, but I wanted to ask it here, too.

My reasons for liking A/T are probably different from most A/Ters. For me, they're 2/3 of my OT3, so liking fic that features these two as a pair is a natural extension of that.

But I'm in the unique position of not having 'shipped for them while the series was in production. So I want to know what it is that drew you in to 'ship for Archer/T'Pol, those moments that gave you that melty, 'shippy feeling, whether you saw them living Happily Ever After or if UST would've made you happier, etc.

Talk to me!

[Brandyjane]

Right now I definitely prefer TnT. However, when the series was running, I 'shipped Jon and T'Pol quite a bit, off and on, for the first couple of seasons.

First - and this is really a silly reason, I admit - when I started watching, I went into the show really liking Scott Bakula and I expected that the captain would be my favorite character. I just wanted the captain to end up with the lead female. I admit, that's really dumb, but that's how my interest in Archer/T'Pol started. I did have better reasons for shipping them later, though!

Second, I liked the idea that the captain who once resented Vulcans so much might fall in love with one. While Trip and T'Pol bickered a lot, I never had the feeling that Trip had the same level of resentment toward Vulcans that Trip did, so I thought it might have been more significant if Archer and T'Pol had gotten together.

Third, since Trip and T'Pol are essentially the same rank, it's okay for them to be together. But since Archer is the captain and she is his first officer, I think a relationship would have been off-limits. In a lot of ways, the fact that it's forbidden makes it more alluring - at least for me. I don't think T'Pol or Archer would, under normal circumstances, act on their love/attraction while she is serving under him, so if the writers had taken the show in that direction, there would have been several seasons of bittersweet angst. Assuming that eventually, in the last season or two, they were allowed to start a nice, adult relationship, I could have really enjoyed that angst.

Fourth, there were several episodes where their friendship was shown to be growing that I really liked. For example, I loved how Archer fought for her in "Shadows of P'Jem." I've always thought that was a turning point in how T'Pol viewed their relationship (platonic friendship or otherwise).

Finally, one reason I used to argue for Archer/T'Pol over Trip/T'Pol is that I thought that in real life a relationship between Archer and T'Pol would probably have been more likely to be successful because T'Pol and Jon are closer in temperament than T'Pol and Trip - especially after Jon carried Surak's katra. Opposites do attract, but in the long term it can be hard to keep a relationship going between two people who are so different. (This isn't an appropriate place for me to explain why I've since changed my mind about Trip/T'Pol, but don't be surprised if you ever read something I post where I explain all of my reasons why Trip and T'Pol are so alike. )

[Mistress Euclid]

First - and this is really a silly reason, I admit - when I started watching, I went into the show really liking Scott Bakula and I expected that the captain would be my favorite character. I just wanted the captain to end up with the lead female. I admit, that's really dumb, but that's how my interest in Archer/T'Pol started. I did have better reasons for shipping them later, though!

I don't think it's silly at all! I think it's human nature to want to see an actor you're attracted to in a romantic context.

Also, I can totally see the taboo nature of the relationship...but then when it comes to taboo, you're kind of preaching to the choir here.

[Honeybee]

With Archer/T'Pol there's a real forbidden attraction. We learn in the 4th season that Archer wouldn't break the no fraternization rules for a woman, Erika, that he had been dating prior to his promotion. I can't see him willing to risk losing his first officer, on whom he depends, to pursue a relationship. The fact that there is deep friendship and sublimated attraction there on both sides just adds a very star-crossed subtext to their whole relationship. It's about the line both of them would like to cross but won't.

Even in my TnT stories, I've never shied away from the attraction between Archer/T'Pol because it's an important element of the story.

[Aquarius]

If they did anything with it, I see it as kind of a Mulder/Scully thing: you keep wanting them to...it keeps looking like they're going to...and then something else happens.

[Brandyjane]

First - and this is really a silly reason, I admit - when I started watching, I went into the show really liking Scott Bakula and I expected that the captain would be my favorite character. I just wanted the captain to end up with the lead female. I admit, that's really dumb, but that's how my interest in Archer/T'Pol started. I did have better reasons for shipping them later, though!

I don't think it's silly at all! I think it's human nature to want to see an actor you're attracted to in a romantic context.

During the original Shipper Wars, the accusation of, "You only want T'Pol to end up with _______ because ________ is your favorite character," was one of those bombs that people would throw to stop the conversation. I learned to be wary of confessing things like that really fast! But this is a much friendlier place than that one was. Here you can actually dare to confess that you can see the merit in a 'ship that's not your first preference without being called a traitor or worse. Amazing!

[Aquarius]

Well, you just hit the nail on the head why we created this place. There is room for fans of all characters, actors, and 'ships from the show. Nobody likes to be shamed for what they love. No one should have to stay in the closet, either. Somewhere along the way Gene's message of IDIC got lost. We think it's time this segment of Trek fandom got with the program.

And yes, Scott Bakula is HAWT!

[asearcher]

I watched ENT because it was the next franchise in ST. I had enjoyed Bakula in QL (specifically because of the way he played Sam) but due to the ending of that show, I didn't follow his career and didn't see anything else he did until ENT. Thus I missed a whole lot of the work he did between QL and ENT.

I never wrote a fanfic until 2005 and didn't write an ENT one until 2006, long after the series ended. Add to that, I didn't even know what a ship was at that point. I just figured the series was showing friendships...although since Roddenberry kept throwing in those occasional romances...I figured that was part of the writers deal...trying to spice it up a little.

It was 2005 when I started to look closer at Bakula's career and catching up on his movies and started to go to shows he was doing. That's been fun but it had nothing to do with why I liked Archer as a character. I simply like the way Bakula handles a character.

As to ENT, saw a growing friendship with Archer that was very deep. That started in the first season and just keep growing. There are so many scenes that I got the A/T'P start. I don't think I can name them all. That's not to say they're weren't deep friendships formed throughout the crew but I saw A/T'P as something special...something that could be more at some point.

As I started to write fanfic...the A/T'P 'ship' (if I had to choose one) simply make more sense to me. Trip was an emotional rollercoaster and T'Pol was...well...Vulcan. I didn't think that ultimately they'd work out together. However...the deep friendship that A/T'P had indicated the potential for something more. Even before season 4, though, I never though that Archer would do anything while on the mission. It would simply be too difficult with him being captain...however...after the mission...then I think it makes total sense.

Anyways...that's why I like A/T'P as a ship. However, you won't see that type of romance before the end of the mission except in his (and perhaps her) dreams unless there's a compelling reason or opening to do so (e.g. AU.)

[gammara]

I never even knew what a "ship" was until after Enterprise. I really - bottom line - like people who care about each other. I think really that's my only ingredient to liking a "ship."

[Brandyjane]

Same here, Gammara!