Finally, it's out. General thoughts about the whole saga from Volume 1 to Volume 7.
As I mentioned before, it still feels strange to read the conclusion of this saga. For as long as I remember, or at least as long as I started to post my own stories, this specific saga was in progress. If my memory doesn’t betray me, it even started when the old (now defunct) Board still existed. Sure, there were sometimes months in-between updates, but whenever I went to the Board, I knew in a corner of my mind there would be a chance this saga was updated. That doesn’t mean I liked every part of it, I think I’ve been pretty vocal during those years, but this saga is part of the landscape of the Board. It feels weird to know there won't be updates anymore - at least not to the main saga.
Plus, this saga also holds a special place in my personal experience on this Board. While it’s not the saga that gave me the inspiration to write (that would be The Greatest Actress of All), it’s clearly one that gave me the motivation to keep on writing when the enthusiasm of the first months wore off – something it shares with trackman’s saga about Tina and her sisters. Ever since I started to post my own stories,
To Steal a Spacesuit was being written in parallel across the years. There was something stimulating to know several long sagas were being written at the same time as mine, and it helped me keep going.
Reflecting back on the whole saga is a stimulating exercise, though my memories of the early parts are blurry and I don’t have the time to read everything again.
The most interesting thing to note about the
Spacesuit series and its spin-offs (about your stories in general even) is their consistency. They all share the same contemporary setting, with an emphasis on “classic” modern-day uniforms and clothes, and from time to time a rarer uniform. They also share the same relatively realistic setting. ("Realistic" as in "no magic, no comicbook superpowers or gadgets"…) When compared with other story sections that experimented with other settings and genres (fantasy, historical fiction, comicbook or spy flick aesthetics), yours stand out by its consistency and choice to remain grounded.
When it comes to consistency, I can also mention the narration. The stories all share the same style: fondness for intertwining multiple storylines and a wide roster of characters, slow-burn build-up to the climax… I’m not going to dwell on this topic though. It’s probably the one I discussed the most in my comments across the years, and I’ve already mentioned many times the pros and cons of these narrative choices in my opinion (satisfying climax, possibility for many cliffhangers and twists when the storylines collide VS difficulty to keep up with the high number of characters and arcs and pace of the main story that can be slowed down by the subplots).
If there is a narrative trope of yours I’ll never get tired of, it’s the character banters, quips and one-liners. Almost every part had at least one quotable line – and many had a lot of them. I think they’re a key reason why I never got tired of this saga. Even if the uniforms and the uniform stealings scenarios can become repetitive at some point (there are after all only so many situations and types of uniforms), the character banters (and the narration’s quips) allowed for a refreshing change.
Of course, the characters themselves were the other key reason I kept wanting to read the saga. Reflecting back on the whole saga also allows to see how much some of the characters have changed. It still feels weird to remember how Bridget, Bobbi and Felicia were back in the first part… The character development was progressive though, and felt natural and logical. I found Bobbi's and Felicia's mirror development interesting from a narrative standpoint, with Bridget serving as a middle ground.
Many characters were introduced over the course of this story, so I can’t do all of them justice here. The most honorable mentions:
- Of course, I have a special fondness for Ashley. Given the fact I harassed you with my jokes about her, I suppose I’m a bit responsible for her development. Most likely the biggest development of this saga – from a one-note “victim of the week” to a recurring joke character to a secondary character taken seriously by the narration. Quite the accomplishment. And I think we still don’t even know what her eye color is.
- Dr. Chen. Had someone told me I’d grow fond of this villainess back when I discovered her in Part 1, I wouldn’t have believed them. And yet I did. She’s a bit of an oddity among your cast, in the sense she’s most likely the less “realistic” character – with a larger-than-life ego, grandiose plans, a fondness for monologues, and an inability to just SHOOT the heroine when she’s captured. Chen is basically a James Bond villainess trapped in your setting, and I ended up loving her for that.
- Felicia became the most sympathetic of your characters in my eyes at the end. That observation feels a bit strange, since for a good chunk of the saga I was a lot more neutral towards her – during some parts of the saga it felt a bit like she was in the background. She wasn’t the main character like Bridget, and wasn’t an outsider like Bobbi.
- Prema’s and Moira’s subplot wasn’t needed, but I won’t deny it felt wholesome at the end.
- As the main character, Bridget benefited from a head start when it came to investment, so to speak, since the story revolved a lot around her. She did her job good, and had an interesting development, with a conclusion that served as some middle ground. I never felt strongly about her, but she carried the weight of the main plot well.
- Jenna and Hargrove would have made for interesting antagonists – different from usual. A shame they only appeared at the end.
- And Bobbi… is the character for whom my sentiments were the strongest – in one way, then in the other. Make of it what you will.
I won’t pretend the reading was always pleasant when she was on-screen, but I won’t deny I was invested during a good part of her development.
However, consistency didn’t mean the saga never introduced new themes. The early parts are very “first degree” (hopefully the expression exists in English…) What I mean is that they played the uniform stealing tropes straight (to use the TvTropes expression). In a way, they are the reflection of “simpler times” – years ago, when every possible “classic scenario” had yet to be explored in every directions. Then, as years went by, the stories started to explore, discuss and deconstruct the concept (trope) of uniform stealing itself, with its ramifications, its moral boundaries, its consequences in a ‘plausible’ society… Sometimes, it allowed for jokes, and sometimes for more serious character development. Clearly a strong point of the saga in general.
While of course there is some sadness to see this saga conclude, since it’s connected to many memories of my time on this Board, I’m content to see its end. I prefer to know this story has reached a satisfying conclusion. Of course, it’s an open-ended epilogue which leaves enough trails for potential spin-offs, and I’m all on board with that. I think it was the best kind of conclusion for such a saga, given its lengths, its themes, and its high number of characters. However, the main saga has received closure, and that’s a good thing. I used to be an avid reader of fanfictions, and there was nothing more frustrating than starting a good story, only for it to never reach its end.
I admit an other reason I’m happy this saga was concluded is more practical. The more years pass, the less time I have to read and review on this Board. So I’m glad I could see the end of the saga before my time here would end. And I confess lately I am less motivated. Part of it is linked to my lack of free time lately, part of it is linked to my likings changing. On that topic, I remember back at the end of Volume 6, when you mentioned you were happy I was still invested in Bobbi’s storyline, I resisted my urge to answer that I had given up on the character by that point. (Maybe it shows? I refrained myself from talking much about her during Volume 7.) Sure, I was curious to see how her arc would conclude, but it was mostly that – curiosity, not investment. In general, moral greyness (a key element of your stories) often bothers me more than it used to, so I ended up un-invested in many of your secondary characters. Reading while rooting against characters who are inevitably going to get away is not always a pleasant experience. In that regard, I’m also glad this saga concluded.
In a way, this specific arc was interesting in that it made me reflect on my expectations as a reader. What I like in a character, what I don’t like. And how a development that is gradual and logical (therefore well-done when it comes to narration) can trigger a viscerally negative emotional reaction. With a villain or a morally grey character, I prefer them to be grandiose and larger-than-life and/or with tragic backstories. Bobbi had two wrongs in my eyes – 1) she felt mundane in her motivations; and 2) while she always claimed her life was bad before she was introduced to uniform stealing, I don’t remember the narration of the early parts ever emphasizing it. She had one good friend, and didn’t seem bad about herself, so to me she comes more out as a bully on a power trip who’s using a flimsy justification. (If you allow me one digression, for the same reasons I was surprised to see how much positive reaction Safiye was getting. In my eyes, Safiye’s greed and the lengths she would go to for money (backstabbing close friends and allies, being accomplice in mass murder and attempted gang rape...) made her especially mundane and petty compared to the other main antagonists – and she wasn’t even grandiose to make up for it.) Still, a story that manages to make one deeply think about their own expectations and tastes is always successful at something.
So to conclude my experience when reading this saga sometimes had its downs, had many ups, and was either way an experience I was glad to go through. And I’m happy to see it receive the closure it deserves, my personal feelings about some developments notwithstanding.
I thought it would be a nice subversion of expectations to reveal that Hargrove had placed her there intentionally, to show that she's well-rehearsed in the methods and means of uniform thieves. And to show that Hargrove also doesn't mind utilizing some underhanded tactics (even at the expense of her own employees) to get what she wants.