Top 5 Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday – Favourite Non-Canon Ships 

Top 5 Wednesday is a meme created by Gingerreadslainey where followers post book-related stuff every Wednesday. To join T5W and see the topics, check out the Goodreads page.

Today’s topic is …

Favorite Non-Canon Ships
–These are the couples you love, but they never got together in canon (canon meaning: what actually happened in the text). OR that did get together, but weren’t together in the end of the series. OR a couple you ship but it’s actually impossible for them to be together because they are from different worlds, franchises, etc. Let your shipper heart run wild.

Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow from A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin

I knew the second I saw this week’s topic who would be my number one non-canon ship: Dany and Jon. While the characters have never even met, this has not stopped fans (including myself) from insisting that they WILL get together. If you cater to the R+L=J theory as I do, this technically means that Dany is Jon’s aunt, but let’s not think about that. Not to mention, the series is called A Song of Ice and Fire. Ice=Jon. Fire=Daenerys. It works!

Zuko and Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender series

There are so many people who are upset that Zutara never happened, myself included. It just seemed like a natural progression of their relationship. Both Zuko and Katara learn so much through the other; their powers are naturally divergent, but they are still able to become friends which showed that the Water Tribe and the Fire Nation did not have to be enemies after all. The show’s central theme is balance and no two characters epitomized this balance like Katara and Zuko did. There are parallels throughout the entire show, so Kutara even makes logical sense within the theme of the show! When Aang and Katara got together, it felt too much like “the hero gets the girl” trope. Zuko and Katara shared a deeper connection and stronger chemistry than Kataang. Still not over it.

Dorian Havilliard and Chaol Westfall from the Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

When I first started reading Throne of Glass, I suspected that Dorian was gay. Then I saw how close he and Chaol were and I thought, “How awesome would it be if they got together?!” Unfortunately, Maas pandered to the stereotypical love triangle for a few books, pitting two best friends against one another. I wanted Chaol and Dorian to get over Aelin and just be with one another. I feel like no one loves Dorian as much as Chaol does – Chaol is literally disowned from his family and his inheritance because he chose to be with Dorian. And when Dorian told Chaol he loved him in Heir of Fire, my heart shattered. These are two best friends who feel like so much more and deserve to be happy – I think the only way they can be happy is with one another.

Clarke and Lexa from The 100 

  

From the moment Clarke and Lexa met, they were shipped by practically everyone. I loved the tense relationship they had, infused with chemistry and longing. Lexa betrays Clarke, Clarke betrays Lexa – their relationship was highly complex and it takes a long time for Clarke and Lexa to finally get together. I love a slow burn. Then, of course, the writers of the show screwed everything up and I almost stopped watching The 100 altogether. Lexa and Clarke are no longer together, but they will always remain so in my heart (and in the hearts of every other Clexa shipper).

Enzo Valenciano and Raffaele Laurent Bessette from The Young Elites trilogy by Marie Lu 

In the books, it is very obvious that Raffaele is in love with Enzo – but Enzo does not reciprocate his feelings. Raffaele has never told Enzo this (I haven’t read the last book yet, so I can’t be 100% sure) even though he has the power to make Enzo fall in love with him. Their relationship is that of prince and servant, but also that of two best friends. Raffaele is the first Young Elite Enzo recruits and would do anything for Enzo. Enzo, too, protects Raffaele, even going so far as to kill a man who abused Raffaele. I’ll always believe there was something more to their relationship then pure friendship, even if Marie Lu tells us otherwise in the final novel.

This was such a fun week, even if researching brought tears to my eyes. Do you have a favourite non-canon ship that you will sail no matter what the canon says? Let me know in the comments and get involved in T5W!