I think a woobie does need to be both kickass and damaged. It's the conflicted nature that sells it. The fact that they need a hug so badly but would never deign to ask for one.
Why couldn't Giles have shackles like any self-respecting bachelor?
Xander ,'Beneath You'
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Polter-Cow - Jun 27, 2005 11:03:06 am PDT #4771 of 10002
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
Atropa - Jun 27, 2005 11:03:10 am PDT #4772 of 10002
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
I also think Destruction is woobie-esque, as is Delirium. I could be over-woobiefying, though. Or perhaps The Endless lend themselves to woobieness.
Hmmm. I don't get a sense of woobieness from Destruction or Delirium. Del has Barnabas to keep an eye on her, and Destruction ... I just don't see him needing a hug, a blanky, and some hot soup. Or someone petting his head.
Morpheus has the emotionally-crippled-and-needs-a-hug-and-a-bowl-of-soup thing down cold, but when I think "woobie," I think of someone who needs protecting from the harsh uncaring world, not from his own choices.
But he makes those choices 'cos he doesn't quite understand the world around him, poor baby.
I sense another round of re-reading Sandman in my future. Oh darn.
Calli - Jun 27, 2005 11:04:01 am PDT #4773 of 10002
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs
Well, maybe if you interpret "cuddle" as "athletic sex."
I'm good with that. The "[Male Character X] is a woobie that needs teh healing sex" subculture could use a female version.
Polter-Cow - Jun 27, 2005 11:04:12 am PDT #4774 of 10002
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
Hey, Broomy, you should buy me all of Sandman for my birthday. I'm just saying.
Gris - Jun 27, 2005 11:04:50 am PDT #4775 of 10002
Hey. New board.
Maybe it's a term that can only apply to people that try to give off an image of strong or scary, but don't back it up and make you want to hug them anyway.
Batgirl could fit that, I'd imagine. So could Aeryn, perhaps (haven't watched, am speculating, don't shoot me.) Buffy, even, perhaps, only I don't think she generally does, or Willow-trying-to-kill-Glory, maybe. Maybe it happens in Dark Angel at some point, if they ever develop characters beyond hot boy and hot girl. Might could happen with Rebecca in The Inside, too. I think Clarice Starling has it a bit.
Scrappy - Jun 27, 2005 11:04:59 am PDT #4776 of 10002
Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
Faith?
Jesse - Jun 27, 2005 11:05:51 am PDT #4777 of 10002
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
CRYING CHRISTIAN TROY.
Polter-Cow - Jun 27, 2005 11:05:58 am PDT #4778 of 10002
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
Faith in the alley at the end of "Five by Five," maybe.
Jessica - Jun 27, 2005 11:06:33 am PDT #4779 of 10002
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
For the sake of procrastination (ye gods, I do NOT want to be at work today!), the Endless from least to most Wooberific:
Death, Desire, Destiny, Destruction, Delerium, Dream, Despair.
[edited to show that I know the difference between least and most]
§ ita § - Jun 27, 2005 11:07:24 am PDT #4780 of 10002
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
people that try to give off an image of strong or scary, but don't back it up and make you want to hug them anyway
See, Cass is strong and scary. She can beat Batman in hand to hand combat. The implication, however, that she's emotionally strong (as opposed to precisely cauterised) that one may draw from her physical capability is where the woobie comes in. She's a lost little girl who can beat the world's best non-meta assassin.