Dream on

So, instead of preparing for my trip, I am writing meta. Go me! (also, note: I am leaving for several days at 6 am GMT on the 20th so expect comment delay)

And what am I intending to ramble about? Canon. Namely, the line between canon and interpretation.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about canon vs. interpretation – just how explicitly does something have to be stated in canon to make it, well, canon instead of interpretation? What is fact and what is subtext?

For example, let’s take Lorenzo in Once Upon a Time in Mexico. When we first see him, he is performing ina a dingy dive with scantily-glad dancer girls. He kisses a girl, gets handed a whole lot of money, and the announcer goes off to tell that it’s Mariachi happy hour – a song for 5 pesos, a kiss for 20 pesos and a fuck for 50. he’s walking away, runs into an old friend,. Who asks him – note; this is a translation, since I don’t understand the Spanish that is spoke ant that point – “Still fucking around=?” to which he doesn’t answer and just says “Let me get Fideo:”

Later, we get to hear him gripe about money repeatedly – “can’t buy half a tequila with this shit”, “Fuck honor. We need money” and “Wonder how much we’re going get paid for this shit” I should also note that after wondering how much they would be paid, he winks and blows a kiss t a richly-dressed, middle-aged woman. Other characters make references ´to Lorenzo wanting things, especially tomorrow – “enough for everybody, even you Lorenzo”.

Now, these are all facts that relate to the question, “is Lorenzo a whore in addition to being a gun-slinging mariachi with a guitar case-flamethrower?”

There are people who would say that yes, this would make it canon that he is a whore. Others would deny it vehemently.

Now, as a point of comparison, let’s take, say, Will from Pirates of the Caribbean. Who makes references to craftsmanship, lives at a forge, clearly works there – and in addition, is verbally confirmed to being a blacksmith repeatedly. “You are a blacksmith and this is not the moment for rash actions”, “I’m sorry. Blacksmith’s hands - I know they’re rough.” And “After all… he is a blacksmith”

Even without these quotations, I am sure that a majority of people would agree on Will being a blacksmith. It is evident in canon from everything else in addition to the lines.

… and I have no idea just where the hell am I going to with this line of reasoning. I guess I am trying to ask just how much canon evidence is needed for something to be canon instead of matter of interpretation? Would someone calling Lorenzo a whore make it more canon than anything that is already pointing out towards it? Or would removing any references to Will being a blacksmith make him not one? How much DO different sort of canon evidences weigh in the grand scale of things?

I know I am still confused as fuck. Thank God for “practically canon”.

I beluieve Angel just channeled Jamie:

It was all right; he could do with a moment to compose himself. He needed to stop the near-imperceptive trembling of his hands, and he most likely should not – would not – think of Elizabeth in such an improper manner!

*sigh*

Silly boy, he is.