#thanks so much! [ooc meme respones];

[bountyman]

(whispers all of the above for the canon questions thing :3c)

questions for muns of canon muses! || x || no longer accepting || 1-9

What is the biggest headcanon deviation from the canon material that you have incorporated into the way you write your muse? Why did you come up with it?

I actually try pretty hard not to deviate from canon material, especially since Josh lives in a time where a lot of the problematic things presented in the show are fairly accurate. Fortunately, even in a problematic era, Josh is pretty liberal about a lot of things. Despite serving in the confederacy (he was drafted, not serving by choice), he isn’t racist and treats minorities with a heckuva lot more respect than the other characters, even if he doesn’t understand them or their customs completely. He’s very protective and defensive of them. There are a lot of times when he goes out of his way to fight for native tribes, etc. BUT I’m getting off topic… 

Despite Josh being more liberal and generally accepting and open-minded for his time, he’s also pretty sexist. I don’t try to cover that up in my portrayal. BUT I totally retconned the “To the Victor” episode from my RP canon just because it’s so ridiculous and out of character half the time. Josh is forward with women and, yeah, sometimes a little forceful, but he’s only that when he feels something spark between himself and that woman. He doesn’t force them into a kiss and hold them there when they obviously don’t want him to. And he CERTAINLY doesn’t give a crap about whether or not women wear dresses or jeans. Sure, he has his views on what’s ladylike and how he thinks women should look and act and so on, but in the long run? It doesn’t phase him that much and he keeps his views to himself.

Maybe I’m not scholarly enough to appreciate the nod to the Greek play Lysistrata, but I could rant for days about how much I hate “To the Victor”. It’s the only deviation I’ve made to canon. Everything else, I try to stay true to.

Do you have any controversial headcanons that go against what is generally accepted by the fandom? Do you incorporate this into writing your muse or keep it to yourself?

Considering there isn’t a talkative fanbase–if there’s a fanbase at all–for Wanted: Dead or Alive, not really?

What is something that was never addressed at all in the canon material that you have independently developed for your muse?

Why Josh started bounty hunting and what happened to his parents / the majority of his younger life. I’ve also developed the relationship between Josh and Susan far more deeply in my headcanons than canon gives us. Namely, having them travel a while longer together before falling in love. I might make proper HC posts for that.

Have you made any outright changes to the canon material in order to write your muse the way you wanted (entire scenes you chose to omit, chapters you say never existed, things you assume were never said, etc.)?

Ahh, I guess I sorta answered that in the first question. I omit the “To the Victor” episode. Just because it peeves me off that much.

What is an aspect of your muse’s canon material or canon existence that you never had the opportunity to explore but really want to?

Answered here!

What is the general opinion of your muse’s fandom about them? Do you agree with it?

I don’t know what the general opinion is of my muse within the fandom since the fandom is so tiny. We all probably think Josh is a great guy, though. How could you not? 

For movie or TV muses, what is your muse’s favorite scene? Why? Can you show a screenshot?

This one is hard to answer because there are SO many scenes that I love. Practically any scene in “The Twain Shall Meet”, “BaaBaa”, and “The Cure”, all three are fantastic episodes. But I think one scene that always stands out to me the most in reflection of Josh’s character is a scene in “Surprise Witness”. We see Josh get angry a lot over the course of 94 episodes, but the scene where he visits Domingo in the jailhouse… man, it’s CHILLING. I could do a whole breakdown of that scene alone, gushing about McQueen’s delivery and the intensity in his eyes and voice. I won’t, but because I love this episode so much, I may go into more depth in a separate post later on.

Just know that this scene ^^^^ and the steel in Josh’s voice when he says “I’m gonna watch you hang” is absolutely incredible. Better yet? How you can SEE Josh mentally trying to pull himself out of that moment of boiling anger and hatred before he leaves. It’s the first time we see real murder in Josh’s eyes. If he wasn’t so tied to his own morals, I’m certain he would have beaten Domingo within an inch of his life for killing Leon and he would have enjoyed it.

"Surprise Witness” may not be an episode with the most fascinating plot (it’s actually sort of slow in comparison to other episodes), but it’s still a great episode that adds much needed depth and insight to Josh’s character. I love it.

For movie or TV muses, what is a scene with your muse that you hate? Why? Can you show a screenshot?

Literally anything from “To the Victor”. But specifically this. I think I already explained why I hate this part. Unfortunately, it’s not the worst scene of the episode, but it is the worst scene that involves my muse’s characterization.

I hate how he INTIMIDATES this woman, circles her, gets up in her personal space, close to her ear, and tells her what makes a “real woman”. 

Like??? Okay. Josh is known for bluffing and being threatening, doing whatever he can in order to scare or force information or reactions out of criminals so that he doesn’t have to use actual violence. I can let that slide… EXCEPT SHE’S NOT ACTUALLY A CRIMINAL??? ALL THE MEN IN THE TOWN ARE JUST PISSY BECAUSE ALL THE WOMEN LEFT THEM AS PROTEST AGAINST THE OWNERSHIP OF GUNS (which admittedly is really silly given the time period and fact guns were a necessity then) BUT THAT DOESN’T MAKE HER OR ANY OF THE OTHER WOMEN CRIMINALS. Josh!! Wouldn’t!!!! Do THIS!!! TO A CIVILIAN!!!!!!! And did the writer of this episode completely forget that Josh has traveled with women who regularly “acted like men” by wearing pants / shooting guns / fighting / etc.??? Did they forget that Josh didn’t so much bat an eyelash at any of those women??? THAT HE LITERALLY COULD NOT CARE LESS???????????? THAT HE HAD RESPECT FOR THEM REGARDLESS OF NOT LOOKING OR ACTING LIKE THE SOCIALLY TYPICAL WOMAN???????????? And!!! If that isn’t enough!! HE DOES THIS AFTER SHE SLAPS HIM:

EXCUSE ME. I know he’s getting paid for this crap, to try to bring the women back, but what the heck, Josh??? I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that Josh thought forcing a kiss on a woman who obviously does not like him or want to be kissed would somehow “bring her to her senses” to start acting like a “real woman” OR the fact that the writers thought it was necessary to have a moment after where Strata looks like she’s considering it, like one nasty kiss changed her mind. I think if it had actually worked, I might have screamed. Thank heavens the actual resolution of this episode–though weak and still excruciatingly stupid–isn’t quite that stupid.

I won’t pretend that W:DOA isn’t a product of its time to some degree in most every episode, but “To the Victor” is just an OOC train wreck that I can’t forgive. 

For movie or TV muses, what other character played by your muse’s actor/actress has a lot in common with your muse?

I haven’t seen many of Steve McQueen’s films, but I can say that Vin from The Magnificent Seven is basically Josh. They’re practically the same character personality-wise. They’re both drifters, quiet, use really bizarre metaphors / idioms / analogies, they’re generally caring and understanding, and have an eye for pretty women. Vin just speaks more clearly and isn’t a bounty hunter.