Kat Bashing

[jps1926]

I was just curious about what everyone here thinks about Kat bashing. I personally don't have a problem with it as long as it is well written and pertains to the story. I think that sometimes people take it too seriously. What do you think? I hope I'm not opening a can of worms here on who's better for Tommy, it's just a general question.

[.liz]

I honestly don't really care about Kat bashing. Probably because I'm a huge Kimberly, especially TK fan, that kinda amuses me a little bit *guilty grin* I don't have any problems with her as a character because I've read some stories in which she was portrayed very well and I actually liked her. Now for the bashing thing.. I admit I did that before and after a while it got me thinking if I was doing the right thing. A few people asked me what would I do if Kim was the one who got bashed, whether or not I'd get angry. Maybe I'll be a little upset, but it's easy for me: I won't read the story (especially if there's a warning but apparently some people just couldn't see that). Of course, I would be sad if someone bashed Kim, but that's just it. Fanfiction is made to channel your imagination and as a friend of mine said, some people would like it and some wouldn't. I'm not talking about Kat only, but every character out there. So I agree with you. I don't have any problems with bashing as long as it's reasonable and well written.

But in the end, I think if it's not really necessary, don't bash the character.. which is why I'm experiencing a writer's block because I want to stop putting Kat as the bad person. Shame on me

[rapunzl]

LOL - considering what board you just posted this on, I think you know what the majority thinks about "who's better for Tommy." ;D

Personally, I feel both ways.

On one hand, I don't think Zordon would have allowed a person who doesn't possess the "qualities of a ranger" to carry a power coin; I also like to think that Kim and the other rangers were a better judge of character than that. So stories which make her outright mean or nasty just for the sake of barreling through a plot point don't really appeal to me. I think Kat was a very sweet character who just happened to step in the middle of a beloved couple, thereby bringing out the "wrath of the fans."

That being said, I do distinctly remember Zordon saying that there may be side effects to Rita's spell over her. Unlike Tommy, Kat broke out of her spell on her own - there was no destruction of a mystical artifact that ended the spell. Therefore, stories that use that fact creatively or somehow utilize the lingering effects of the spell (even years later) aren't so bad... at least in my point of view. It's the same kind of reasoning as to why Tommy (or Jason or Kim or Billy or...) aren't horrible people: what you do under mind control isn't your fault.

[.liz]

Jun 16, 2008 14:12:23 GMT -5 rapunzl said:

I think Kat was a very sweet character who just happened to step in the middle of a beloved couple, thereby bringing out the "wrath of the fans." .

Lol, yeah, I second that. I just think that it's the director, writer or whoever's fault for writing that letter and pairing Kat with Tommy. I mean, why it had to be Tommy? There're Jason, Billy, Adam, Rocky.. but well, the Red ranger always gets the spotlight, lol.

[shawn30]

I'm really against the bashing, myself. But not so much that its a huge deal. Usually you can tell pretty early on if a writer intends to turn Katherine into someone she wasn't on the TV show. I sually avoid those stories as I just don't see anything wrong with the character at all. It's just her and Tommy had no chemistry, IMHO, and felt forced romantically. But the character was sweet, warm, and a champion for Tommy after the Letter and through Zeo. I think they share a strong friendship and that felt genuine. I've never complained to any author about Kat bashing cause I shrug it off, but no, I'm not a fan of it.

[jps1926]

Honestly, I was never a big fan of Kat, but I must admit Shawn, you made me actually like her through your story The Glory Days.

[Kim]

When I first started getting back into PR, I was all for the bashing (let's face it, I watched the show when it first began, Kim was my fave and continues to be my fave), but it has seriously gotten out of hand, and as the last 4 years have gone by, I've gained a new respect for Katherine as a character. I agree with Shawn, she and Tommy are the closest of friends, but the chemistry of their romantic relationship was forced, plus, the circumstances in which his bond with Kim was formed were not present for his bond with Katherine. If you can come up with a plausible and realistic way for her to be mean (and I can say that the lingering side effects of Rita's spell, given a good writer, could be a great way to go) then I'm game, but overall, I don't like bashing the characters. There were different characters on the show for one reason - so that the fans had SOMEONE to related, no matter what.

[bloomingviolets]

Personally, I think the main reason for all the Kat bashers out there was because fans couldn't accept that Tommy could also possibly be happy with Kat. Kimberly was a very popular character - everyone was able to watch her grow the entire time she had been on the show. When she left, naturally everyone was upset and never gave Kat much of a chance from the start.

For me, I liked Kat from the start. I wasn't a fan of the Tommy/Kat pairing but I didn't really mind it. I was actually hoping for more of a Billy/Kat or Jason/Kat pairing. The writers really should've let other characters have meaningful relationships too and portray it so that its not just Tommy getting the spotlight.

*scratches head*

......did that make sense?