• Every now and then I see book covers of the pulp novels and magazines from decades ago and wish I could have been born back when pulp fiction was fresh and un-ironic. Then I remember how much I love the internet. Fortunately, those two things are coming together thanks to Pro Se Productions.

• The always amusing FactPile matches recently put up a knockdown-dragout between Link and Eragon. Who would you guys choose for the win?

• Blastr has the first pics of Joseph Fiennes as Merlin in the upcoming Camelot. There’s also a brief interview with Fiennes where he says, when describing their version of Merlin, that “he is more of a warrior monk and less of a Zen Obi-Wan Gandalf,” thus immediately earning my love for dropping a ton of nerd-bombs in one sentence! You go, Shakespeare!

• Anyone else wish they would stop mentioning all these extra roles for X-Men: First Class? I like Rose Byrne, and I think she’ll make a good Moira MacTaggert, but each new character on screen means less actual time for character growth, which made the first two films so great and the most recent two so dizzyingly awful, almost on par with the Street Fighter film.

• Speaking of which, Hugh Jackman has dropped out of the film Avon Man so he can train for Wolverine 2. Hopefully the writers are training, as well, by watching Bryan Singer’s films and seeing what he did right.

• Ever notice how when you walk into the fantasy section of a bookstore, you’re suddenly surrounded by millions of covers with a beautiful woman holding a weapon? Orbitbooks examines this phenomenon, and notice that the ladies have gotten increasingly bad-ass in the last year. Awesome.

• You know what, I’m just going to let this video speak for itself.

EMBED-Living Stormtrooper Prank Scares Girl - Watch more free videos

• I’m not the kind of person who immediately dismisses a movie based on the trailer — which is probably naive, for the most part. But I don’t know … this trailer for the upcoming alien film Monsters looks like there’s absolutely nothing original in it. But who knows? Might be worth a look.

The Starz cable channel has gone full-on fantasy. And why wouldn’t they? Last January’s Spartacus: Blood and Sand and this summer’s The Pillars of the Earth miniseries were their two highest-rated series ever.

Now Starz is continuing along the same fantasy theme with a new 10-episode series, Camelot, coming in 2011, starring Joseph Fiennes as Merlin, Eva Green as Morgan, and Jamie Campbell Bower as Arthur.

Eva Green (Morgan)

But after literally hundreds of movie and TV adaptations of the King Arthur legend (one currently airing on the SyFy Channel!), is there really anything left to tell?

Maybe not, but the producers promise it’ll be unlike any Camelot-themed project so far: smart, sophisticated, and realistic to the Dark Ages in which it’s set.

“The magic really lies in the political essence of the piece,” star Joseph Fiennes told a gathering of critics at the Television Critics Association in Los Angeles last week. The characters have “very strong agendas politically, and that’s what I’m excited about, where the power lies rather than sort of slaying dragons and things like that.”

Still, Fiennes was quick to point out, “Yes, there will be some dark arts and we’ll see people changing shape and things disappearing!”

As most Camelot-themed projects do, Camelot uses Thomas Malory’s classic Le Morte d’ Arthur as its source material.

“We’re starting right from the birth of Arthur, and we’re going through,” said the show’s showrunner and head writer, Chris Chibnall. “We’re just about to [film] our version of the sword in the stone this week, which is not like any other version you’ve seen. And we’ll go through and kind of try and tell what might be the truth that lies behind the myth. What would have been the [real-life] events that could have contributed to these myths? What was interesting to me when we were talking about Camelot was excavating what it might be like to have lived then, and how these stories might have come about.

“We have a grand plan,” Chibnall said, “which, if we get things right, I hope we’ll have multiple episodes, multiple seasons.”

Joseph Fiennes (Merlin)

As for the all-important relationship between Merlin and Arthur, “Their relationship really is from when [Arthur] was born,” Fiennes said, noting that Merlin carefully plans the trajectory of Arthur’s life.

“I think of Merlin as a sort of cross between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Donald Rumsfeld,” Fiennes joked, referring to Kenobi’s mentoring qualities and Rumsfeld’s political agendas.

“Their relationship takes many different turns and shifts,” Fiennes said. “[Merlin is] sort of tutor. He’s a father figure. He’s a brutal headmaster. He’s got to give this boy all of the tools to be king in a ruthless world, and he has to do it in a very short space of time. So there’s a lot of ‘cruel to be kind.’”

According to the Chibnall, Camelot won’t have quite the sex or violence of Starz’ envelope-pushing Spartacus.

“This is an adult drama, of course, but I think we are our own show,” Chibnall said. “The amazing thing about Camelot is you can talk about political pursuits.”

That said, expect plenty of romance. “The extraordinary thing in all the versions of Camelot and the Arthurian legend is it’s all about the romance,” he said. “It’s all about the passion. It’s all about great ideals compromised by falling in love with the wrong person … And also, we have some beautiful actors as well, so, frankly — anyway, let’s move on.”

Said Fiennes, “There will be, I’m sure, scenes of intimacy, scenes of violence, but I think really underpinning that, and I think it’s a big difference in what I’ve witnessed, is that there’s a very deep sense of character and narrative.”

Interestingly, Fiennes actually grew up near Stonehenge, a place that factors into some of the Merlin legends.

“I used to climb those rocks, and there was some kind of myth that Merlin brought those stones and built that himself for some pagan ritual,” Fiennes said. “But I certainly, at the age of nine or ten, was climbing them — marauding all over them. And they’re very full of energy, so maybe there’s some lineage to that moment to where I am now. Who knows?”

The project, an Irish-Canadian co-production, started work in June at
Ardmore Studios, just outside of Dublin, which, for the record, is where John Boorman’s 1981 movie Excalibur was also shot.

But the producers say they’re taking strong advantage of the Irish countryside as well.

“”We want the richness and vibrancy, and we want a sense of reality to it,” Chibnall said. “Big and bold and cinematic and epic. It’s like the country has been waiting for Camelot to be there because the landscapes are perfect for the Dark Ages.”

The Starz network really put itself on the map this year with the breakout success of its flagship original series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand. The low-fantasy sword-and-sorcery epic attracted a huge following, largely due to the fact that it was just so original – there really was no other series like it. (And we really dug it here at TheTorchOnline.com!)

When the schedule for the upcoming season was announced, it was interesting to note that the network had added not one but two more fantasy or fantasy-ish series with Camelot and Pillars of the Earth (a mini-series). They’re also co-producing the next season of the UK sci-fi series Torchwood in collaboration with the BBC.

This, from a network whose only other original programming is currently a couple of reality shows (non-fantasy programming like Party Down was recently canceled).

Pillars of the Earth isn’t exactly fantasy, but rather historical fiction, set in Medieval England and focusing on an architect named Jack Jackson.

From Starz:

“This epic tale of passion and greed begins when a mysterious secret disrupts the succession to the English crown and an unlikely member of King Henry’s family takes the throne. A power struggle between Henry’s daughter, Maud, and nephew, Stephen, causes England to be torn by war as battles rage for the rightful heir. Meanwhile, Bishop Waleran Bigod and the Hamleigh family manipulate the conflict to satisfy their own ruthless ambitions. Within this tumultuous setting, Prior Philip fights insurmountable obstacles to keep Kingsbridge and his dream of building a magnificent cathedral alive. The task is daunting, but master-mason Tom Builder, his gifted stepson, Jack, and noblewoman Aliena work together to achieve their dreams. And in the process, the long-hidden secret is revealed.“

Despite its lack of magic, I’m going to hazard a guess that Pillars will have enough palace intrigue to keep readers of TheTorchOnline.com satisfied.

Their other medieval England series, Camelot, is yet another adaptation of Arthurian legend — apparently, the landscape has room enough for this and Merlin. Production has yet to begin, and no word has come out yet as to whether the tone will be similar to Spartacus – over the top, stylized, comic book aesthetic — or a more sober, serious Arthurian affair, such as the TNT version of Mists of Avalon.

What we do know is that they’ve amassed a number of reputable actors, including Eva Green as Morgana and Joseph Fiennes as Merlin, which is a sign of good things to come — good actors usually choose good projects.

So what do you think? Is Starz quietly branding itself the Fantasy Channel?

• Craig Horner, he of Legend of the Seeker fame and abdominal muscles that make me not want to eat for three weeks, sat down and gave a huge, ranging interview, including some fan questions. It was so big that it had a part 1, and a part 2.

• Speaking of the Legend of the Seeker, the Save Our Seeker Campaign is still moving forward. Could the fact that Bridget Regan says she still hasn’t been released from her contract be giving them hope?

• A grouchy old man most famous for being the least successful man in his famous family has suggested that children give up the magic of Harry Potter for the “real world of science.” I suggested that he stick his tongue into one of his famous vacuum cleaners instead of ruining childhood.

• Harry Potter himself fears that, 30 years from now, someone will feel the need to remake his beloved movies. I fear that Daniel is correct, because by then we’ll watch 3D holograms while our hover cars drive themselves.

• Warner Bros. intends to release Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest for most game systems September 1, meaning you’ll have something to do as the weather turns cold.

• When I’m not consulting with the president about how to fix the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, I enjoy mind games like who would win, Percy Jackson or Ezio.

• The cast for Starz new series Camelot has been announced. I have no problem with Ralph Fiennes as Merlin, Eva Green as Morgana, or Tamsin Egerton as Guinevere, but I’m sorry, there is no way that I can see Jamie Campbell Bower as Arthur.

• We appear to be two weeks away from the release of the first trailer for Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

• The first pictures of Growl have hit the web. I see a lot of muscled tattooed men, and Katee Sackhoff looking like she just saw a werewolf eat someone, but I’m not seeing a lot of werewolves. But since they’re describing this as Fight Club vs. Werewolves, I’m withholding judgment.

• The MIT Science Fiction Society has issued a review of Twilight the novel (worth clicking!).

• It’s not easy keeping boys on the straight and narrow – just ask Angel Coulby, who plays Guinevere in the BBC’s Merlin.

• The trailer for the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows video game has been released, and is jokingly being called Gears of Hogwarts. It’s designed as an over-the-shoulder shooter, err, wander? caster? and I have to admit, it feels just a touch weird.

• In case you were wondering what the Guinness World Record for most people dressed as superheroes is, the number you’re looking for is 1,245 in Melbourne, Australia, last week. I highly recommend the gallery.

• As author of The Magicians, Lev Grossman is painfully aware that fantasy novels don’t generally get taken seriously in literary circles. Even George R.R. Martin, who dominates the best seller lists for weeks at a time, can’t get a decent review. But he’s hopeful his world can start to change that, especially once his sequel, The Magician King comes out next year.

In a move that seems to have been inspired by their break-out success with Spartacus: Blood and Sand, the premium cable channel Starz has okayed a second TV fantasy series, Camelot, a contemporary retelling of the King Arthur legend.

Despite its modern setting, the show will be based on Le Morte d’Arthur, Thomas Malory’s 15th compilation of most of the King Arthur mythology.

The ten-episode series will reportedly debut in mid-2011.

Last year, NBC aired Kings, a contemporary retelling of the King David legend, but without much ratings success.

Camelot will be produced by Graham King, who won an Oscar for The Departed (and who also has in the works movie versions of the children’s fantasy The Invention of Hugo Cabret and the sci-fi novel Hyperion) and two producers of The Tudors, Morgan O’Sullivan and Michael Hirst.

Starz’ first original TV series was Crash, but has had its greatest success with their second offering, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, a ratings sensation that was renewed for a second season before it even debuted.

Ah, HoYay!

What is this term exactly? It’s the smooshing together of the gleeful cry “Homoeroticism, yay!” It’s what happens when a fan perceives the possibility of homoerotic subtext in his or her fandom of choice. It can be as flagrant as two scantily clad women rolling around in the surf together, or as fleeting as a “gay look.”

It’s a highly subjective phenomenon, to be sure – much HoYay is easily brushed aside as wishful thinking, and usually not even all fans of the concept can agree on whether the HoYay is even there.

I had an eye for it very early on, before the term even existed: at age eleven I brought a copy of The Return of the King to my teacher to ask her why Sam had married Rosie Cotton, when he was clearly in love with Frodo. I had certain passages, which I felt proved their love, underlined in pen. She urged me to think of Frodo and Sam’s relationship as just “a very strong friendship,” and also not to mark up my books. Me: “Yeah, right.”

I discovered HoYay and sarcasm on the very same day!

Years passed, and the internet assured me that tons of people got the Frodo/Sam thing. I can’t remember when I first saw the term HoYay, but I certainly knew exactly how to apply it once I did: “Like Xena!”

We fantasy fans have plenty of HoYay on our hands, but none more overt, none that so skirted the border of subtext and text, as the relationship of Xena and Gabrielle. Other HoYay goldmines in fantasy television include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Smallville, and Lost.

And after seeing the first season of Merlin, it looks like we have an up-and-coming contributor on our hands.

Now, Merlin is a family show, so for those eagerly awaiting the racy or naughty moments between Merlin and Arthur (or Morgana and Gwen): not gonna happen. The subtext is not sexually charged. The most we can really hope for is innuendo, but as any fellow Doctor Who fan knows, innuendo is a little thing that makes a big difference.

I know when Merlin was writhing on the bed moaning Arthur’s name during “The Poisoned Chalice,” I wasn’t the only one in my household who tittered and blushed, despite the fact that nothing remotely sexual was really going on.

But other than the above example, featuring what I can only assume is Colin Morgan’s “sex-face,” Merlin HoYay is generally pretty tame. There is certainly nothing tremendously suggestive of either young man actually being gay. In fact, I would describe the subtext between the two leads as not so much homoerotic, but more “homo-romantic” — and nowhere near as blatant as on many of the other shows I’ve mentioned, especially early in the season. However, for the HoYay aficionado, there is plenty of subtext to spot.

For me, “The Poisoned Chalice” was the episode where I first saw the potential for some simmering HoYay, and from then on I was on alert for more subtext. But I found that for the first half of the season, it arrived on an exceedingly slow burn, and it was all highly subjective.

For example, one of my favorite little moments is in “Lancelot,” when Merlin asks Gwen to play a round of Would You Rather… Arthur or Lancelot?

Most probably see this as an innocuous, playful moment. Those who are familiar with the classical Guinevere will see her reply as ironic foreshadowing. And those who have their eyes peeled for HoYay see this as a question that has clearly been on Merlin’s mind ever since Lancelot started sharing his bedroom (which Lancelot does for the entire episode, even after being Knighted).

See how fun spotting the HoYay can be?

Much of the HoYay speculation on Merlin is generated by the relationship between Merlin and Arthur, and the somewhat suggestive ways it develops over the course of the season. Merlin devotes himself to Arthur quite early on, despite initial misgivings, yet is constantly aggrieved by his inability to be completely honest with him regarding his secret magical nature; Merlin is “in the closet,” magically speaking, and all of his angsting over this plays out very reminiscent of a young man with a forbidden love on his mind. Every time he almost tells Arthur his secret, it’s as if he’s about to proclaim his undying love, with his big earnest eyes and trembling pouty lips (one example of the many, many “gay looks” that are thrown around Camelot).

My theory is that if Arthur does not already suspect that Merlin is a warlock by the end of the season, he almost certainly suspects that Merlin has an enormous crush on him.

Arthur, for his part, is inordinately familiar with Merlin from almost the beginning — there isn’t anyone else in his life that we see him smirking at or bantering with in such a friendly way. He’s also unable to get a handle on the master/servant aspect of their relationship: he’s willing to defy his father and risk his life for Merlin as early as Episode 4, and eventually his constant commands, demands, and berating of his manservant become a strange little joke between them. Arthur insults Merlin; Merlin is overly happy about this — it’s their thing.

By the end of the season, Arthur’s unlikely devotion to his servant has become common knowledge to everyone except Merlin. Gwen, Morgana, Merlin’s mother, Gaius, the Great Dragon, even Uther – they all, at some point, will take Merlin aside to tell him how good he is for Arthur, how much Arthur obviously trusts and needs and likes Merlin, and what a totally cute couple they are.

(Okay, it was really only the Dragon that said that last one, and he said it in his vague dragon-speak that Merlin is apparently incapable of deciphering.)

If you don’t see the HoYay, far be it from me to press it upon you. As I’ve said, it’s very subjective, and there are certainly enough potential heterosexual pairings around. I enjoy Gwen’s awkward flirting with the boys as much as I enjoy the intimacy and affection between her and Morgana. But I must warn/tease you that after a point, the Merlin/Arthur HoYay stops being subtle, and I think any fan would be hard-pressed to ignore it – specifically episode 10, wherein Merlin brings Arthur home to meet his mother and ex-boyfriend.

And the boiling point is the entirety of episode 11, which I have been known to (lovingly) refer to as “the gayest gay thing I have ever seen on television.” And yes, I’ve seen Torchwood.

The story of King Arthur has been adapted for the large and small screens more times than anyone can count, due to the beauty and majesty of the story (and having nothing at all to do with the fact that it’s in the public domain!).

Later this month, NBC offers up Merlin, a series that gives us the story from the point-of-view of Arthur’s famous wizard (the first thirteen episodes aired last fall in the U.K. as The Adventures of Merlin).

In this version, Merlin is still young and cute, with an equally young and cute supporting cast of familiar names: Arthur, Lancelot, Morgana, and Guinevere (or “Gwen” as she’s known here, which some studio head no doubt thought would appeal to young people more.)

But how have other adaptations of Arthurian legend fared? Let’s take a look into the past and see…

The Mists of Avalon

Four Torches (Out of Five)

Though not as good as the book on which it’s based, this 2001 TNT miniseries showcased a feminist reimagining of Camelot, where the women did the heavy lifting when it came to pushing the plot forward. For a made-for-TV movie, the production values were pretty admirable, and it boasted some surprisingly good performances, most notably Julianna Margulies as Morgaine and Angelica Houston as Vivianne. Despite the slightly dragging pace toward the end, and the fact that Arthur and Lancelot suddenly appear out of nowhere in fake beards and Prince Valiant wigs to show the passage of time, this is still one of the better versions of the story out there.

Merlin

Two Torches (Out of Five)

Same name, same network as the upcoming adaptation, different project. In 1998, the peacock network gave us a glimpse into the whole life of Merlin, beginning with his youth and leading up to his old age. Unfortunately, the writers thought they would “improve” upon the source material by adding an antagonist named Queen Mab, a character made famous by Mercutio’s speech in Romeo and Juliet, which only made the already nebulous story even murkier, and they wasted the talents of Helena Bonham Carter, cast as Morgan Le Fay, but given precious little screen time. Particularly dreadful was Rutger Hauer, who sounded more American than Uncle Sam, reminding more than a few of us of that middle-aged actor at the Renaissance Fair that you just feel sorry for.

Excalibur

Four and a Half Torches (Out of Five)

Though dated within an inch of its life, this movie still pretty much rocks. Artfully directed by John Boorman, Excalibur is a compressed, 120-minute version of almost the entirety of Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur, which is one of the best known works of Arthurian literature, and what many people consider “canon.” The film covers all the bases: Uther wining the kingdom, the sword in the stone, Arthur’s young life, Merlin being trapped in a tree, Lancelot and Guinevere, Mordred, the quest for the Holy Grail … name it and it’s in there. Nicol Williamson chews the scenery — but in a good way — as Merlin, and Helen Mirren steals the show as Morgana. Come to think of it, when is Morgana (Or Morgaine, or Morgan le Fay, whatever you want to call her) not a scene-stealing role?

First Knight

Three Torches (Out of Five)

The lore of Arthur is almost biblical in its complexity, but First Knight stripped everything away but the love traingle between Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot. Here Arthur is a robust, aging king, played by Sean Connery, while Lancelot gets to be the slightly younger, sexier dude, played by Richard Gere doing his best impression of Kevin Costner in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Both of them looked too old to be messing around with the stunning Julia Ormond as Guinevere, but that’s Hollywood for you. While one misses the magical elements of Camelot, and the antagonist Malagant (a minor character from Arthurian legend) lacks any real sense of malice, the film is actually quite romantic and passionate. A good breaker-inner if you’re dating someone who has yet to see just how geeky you really are.

King Arthur

Four and a Half Torches (Out of Five)

Taking a well-known and well-loved fantasy story, removing all of the magic, and turning it into a gritty, severed-limbs-and-all war movie is an awfully risky move, as evidenced by 2004’s lukewarm Troy. But Antoine Fuqua’s King Arthur, which came out the same year, was so much better than it should have been, and took many people by surprise with just how slick and watchable it ended up being. Much of its strength is in its casting: Clive Owen is a strong and fascinating Arthur, Ioan Gruffud makes for a sympathetic and earnest Lancelot, and then there’s the film’s secret weapon in Keira Knightly, who is the most bad-ass Guinevere you will ever see. Here the character has been reimagined as a “Woad” (the film’s version of Picts, native people of Scotland), and she fights harder and more viciously than any of the men in the final epic battle scene. Plus she’s not too hard to look at in her leather and green body paint.

Camelot

Half a Torch (Out of Five)

So, this musical came out … uh, one might remember … hmm … sorry, I just threw up in my mouth a little.

Black Knight

Five Torches (Out of Five)

Renowned thespian Martin Lawrence, perhaps best known to many for his work on the London stage as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company, brought his theatrical charisma and dramatic gravitas to the role of Jamal Walker in Black Knight, a fiercely intelligent and moving adaptation of Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Though it was robbed of the Academy Award in a shocking upset to Daddy Day Care, Black Knight remains in the heart of the public as the definitive cinematic glimpse into life in Camelot.

Looking to buy any of these King Arthur adaptations (or any other media)? Support TheTorchOnline.com by purchasing it through this link.

When people think of fantasy, they tend to think of rings to be destroyed or dragons to be slain. But at the heart of many — if not most — fantasy tales is a love story. This isn’t to say we don’t enjoy the destroying of the ring or the slaying of the dragon. But it’s often the love story, when done right, that makes us care.

Here are some of fantasy’s best, most memorable love stories:

Guinevere and Lancelot

The mythology surrounding King Arthur and his knights is dizzying in its complexity, and there is no one true canonical account of how things went down in Camelot. But no matter who’s telling the story, most agree on one thing: something hot and heavy happens with the king’s wife and his best knight. The affair of Lancelot and Guinevere is legendary, and whether it’s told with sympathy or harsh judgment, the fact remains we just can’t stop talking about it.

Robin Hood and Maid Marian

He robbed from the rich and stole from the poor. She was rich, but totally dug his politics. Whether it’s Errol Flynn’s flamboyant fey archer or Kevin Costner’s brooding everyman, Robin has always fought the good fight, all the while being outlawed by the Sheriff of Nottingham and Prince John. And girls just love their bad boys, don’t they?

Buttercup and Westley

A love affair between a farm boy and a…well, we never really knew exactly what she was before the movie gets going…is torn asunder when said farm boy, Westley, leaves to find his fortune and is allegedly killed by pirates. Buttercup, numb and unhappy, then becomes betrothed to the prince until she is abducted by some baddies, then abducted again by the Dread Pirate Roberts, a dashing masked fencer in black. But, oh! Who is under that mask but good old Westley, and when Buttercup is let in on the secret, the sparks fly again and never stop.

Willow and Tara

This is easily one of the most unique and beautiful love stories that ever played out on television. TV is shamefully lacking in both quality and quantity in its representation of LGBT characters, but one show was brave enough to unapologetically follow two women who fall in love…who also happen to be demon-fighting witches. Seen on the cult hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the relationship between Willow and Tara was often the most stable on a show full of heterosexual relationships, and brilliantly and touchingly portrayed by Allyson Hannigan and Amber Benson. The purity of their love made it that much more shocking when Tara was senselessly killed by a villain who wasn’t even gunning for her.

Han Solo and Princess Leia

Star Wars is science fiction, you say, not fantasy? Take a closer look at it and you’ll see it’s simply the story of a prince rescuing a princess — with swords and magic, no less! In any event, when we first met Han and Leia, she is a brat and he is a scoundrel. That’s more or less what they are at the end of the story as well, except for two things: they have successfully helped to overthrow the empire, and they have fallen very much in love. The pivotal moment in their relationship occurs in The Empire Strikes Back, and is a scene that has been scorched into the memory of many a young romantic. Han has been captured by Darth Vader, and is about to be frozen in carbonite as Leia looks on. Things are looking pretty bad. Terrified for his life, Leia can’t help herself and finally admits, “I love you.” Han, in true tough guy form, looks at her and replies, “I know.” But in his eyes we see just how much he loves her in return.

Jean Grey and Scott Summers

First introduced in the early 60’s, the two X-men codenamed Phoenix and Cyclops have been through a lot, and so has their relationship. But somehow, they always seem to make it work…even though she’s dead right now. (But don’t expect that to last.) As one of Marvel Comics’ flagship couples, their love was never tested more than during that Hamlet of comic book storylines known as the Phoenix Saga. Jean is given godlike abilities, and upon losing herself in her absolute power, she absentmindedly destroys an inhabited world. She, Scott, and the rest of the X-Men then fight off an army sent to bring her down until ultimately she sacrifices herself, believing she’s too much of a risk to stay alive. Then other things happen. She comes back bad. Then she comes back good. It gets confusing. It’s still confusing. But one thing that has never been confusing is the strength of their passionate bond.

Lestat and, Well, Everybody

Before she found Jesus and ruined her career, Anne Rice cultivated a series of novels called The Vampire Chronicles, which centered on Lestat, a pansexual rock star vampire. Lestat quickly became an icon for his fluid sexuality and outrageous behavior, and his lovers were many, yet he managed to imbue each love affair with a seemingly intense significance. Chief among his mates were Louis, his perpetually gloomy best friend, and Gabrielle, who in his former human life was…his mom. (Even the undead have oedipal issues.) It was Lestat’s ability to voraciously love and be loved by many that’s made him an icon to emo kids everywhere.

Beauty and the Beast

Before you protest a children’s movie being on the list, think back to that first time you watched Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and tell me you weren’t enamored by Belle’s quirky innocence and intrigued by the Beast’s agitated longing. True, she was his prisoner, and this might be the most romantic case of Stockholm’s Syndrome ever committed to film, but that scene where he dressed up for dinner and she joined him in her iconic yellow gown is forever etched in our collective memory. And when he swept her along the dance floor, we all sighed and enjoyed this tale as old as time as though it were the first we’ve heard of it.

Sam and Frodo

There are many kinds of love in this world, and a love story doesn’t have to tell of a passionate affair that ends in the bedroom. In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo is sent on a journey that will almost certainly lead to his death, and without hesitation his loyal servant, gardener, and best friend Sam volunteers to accompany and protect him. The humble hobbits then face a world’s worth of danger, and the key to their survival is their true and honest love for each other. Much has been speculated about the true meaning of their relationship (in the end, Sam is torn between marrying another hobbit named Rosie or living with Frodo, and at Frodo’s urging does both), but whether those hugs and kisses shared between them meant anything more than friendship is ultimately up to individual interpretation. Whatever the measure of their love, they went to hell and back together, and we’re lucky to have tagged along.

Superman and Lois Lane

This one goes without saying. Even someone who has never cracked open a comic book knows of the relationship between the last scion of Krypton and the feisty Daily Planet ace reporter. Lois and Clark have been together from the very beginning — since Action Comics issue #1 in 1938, then spanning countless incarnations throughout the years, perhaps most memorably in Richard Donner’s classic film, Superman. Christopher Reeves and Margot Kidder made movie romance magic, which reached its zenith when he takes her on a moonlit flying session and we hear her inner monologue, wondering if this handsome guy can read her mind as she stares at him in wonder. Hearts melted quicker than if blasted by heat vision, and we all fell in love with this immortal super-couple.

Ten great fantasy love stories? No, there are far more than that! Here are some honorable mentions — but, of course, even these are just the tip of the iceberg!

Achilles and Patroclus – Many historians agree that Achilles and Patroclus were seen by the ancients as a couple, but the ridiculous de-gaying of these characters in 2004’s Troy (“This is Patroclus, my…uh…cousin! Yeah, he’s my cousin.”) assured that the masses that get their knowledge through pop entertainment never even knew they were in love. Nevertheless, Achilles’ quest for vengeance after his lover’s death is one for the ages.

Buffy, Angel, and Spike – Maybe I’m biased, but while I appreciate that millions hung on the relationship between Buffy and Angel, then later Buffy and Spike, then later the tension between Spike and Angel, I get a little tired of angst and self-loathing. However, there was real beauty in some of the connections between the slayer and her vampires, and it will always be remembered by fans.

Arwen and Aragorn – A touching if relatively simple love story (Boy meets Girl, Boy gets separated from Girl due to a history-altering quest and achievement of kinghood, Girl gives up immortality so she can live and die with Boy), not that much time is really given for us to dwell on their relationship, and its overshadowed by the platonic bonds between the other characters. Still, it’s the most prevalent romantic relationship in all of The Lord of the Rings, and thus deserves a nod.

Xena and Gabrielle — ‘Nuff said.

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