How Should the CAP Saga End?

[methodwriter85]

So, in the Bloodlines thread Tiger brought up that we're running out of years. And unless Mark decides to do prequels, he's right.

 

How should the CAP saga end, do you think? It looks like Mark intends to bring the CAP family to present-day, which should be somewhere in 2010 by the time he gets around to that last story.

 

Mark has made clear his intentions to cover 9/11, so there will be at least one story in 2001. I think it might be interesting if before that, he also did a story set in 2000, about the dot-com bubble bursting. Since the Schluter family is big on the internet, it makes sense. And of course, the theatrics involving the 2000 Presidential Election might be interesting to cover, and the legalization of same-sex civil unions in Vermont.

 

Then, I think, I'd like to see a 2004-2005 story. Gay marriage in Massachusetts, the nasty election campaign between Bush and Kerry with its "Swiftboat Veterans" for truth, the Indian ocean Tsunami, and Hurricane Katrina, which some started the chain of events that lead to disillusionment about Bush, and began the ball rolling for the Democratic victories in the 2006 mid-term election.

 

What about you guys? It's going to be interesting to see how the CAP family enters the 21st century.

 

Added May 26, 2010: Paya just made a very interesting point. I myself have been guilty of not talking about how the story should end, but instead talking about what should happen as we get there. So I'm expanding the scope of this thread to include just general speculation about what the future of the characters are.

Edited May 26, 2010 by methodwriter85

[Tiger]

Hmmmm...

 

I think a good place to end it would be the inauguration of Barack Obama. It seems like a fitting point in time.

[paya]

Hmmmm...

 

I think a good place to end it would be the inauguration of Barack Obama. It seems like a fitting point in time.

 

Yeah, Wade could be politically involved in it, it would top everything and evade the Obama disillusion some people feel... Or it could end with some big family event. But I'm afraid that could be JP's funeral...

[Mark Arbour]

I'm very flattered with the way you guys think. It's as if when I stop writing CAP, time ends. It doesn't, it goes on. I can't?

[Tiger]

Yeah, Wade could be politically involved in it, it would top everything and evade the Obama disillusion some people feel... Or it could end with some big family event. But I'm afraid that could be JP's funeral...

[Nephylim]

I'm very flattered with the way you guys think. It's as if when I stop writing CAP, time ends. It doesn't, it goes on. I can't?

 

 

Why not move into the future... what's wrong with an openly gay President with his First.... erm... Lord? I think Wade would make a fab President and the campaign would be hilarious. You could probably write a whole 50 chapters just on the campaign alone.

[Mark Arbour]

Or I could do a Star Trek spinoff. The descendants of the Crampton/Schluter/Hayes family f**k Captain Kirk (or the other way around).

[jenni]

Yeah, Wade could be politically involved in it, it would top everything and evade the Obama disillusion some people feel... Or it could end with some big family event. But I'm afraid that could be JP's funeral...

 

I don't ever want to see JP, Stef, Brad or Robbie die!

 

I'm all for anything that extends the CAP series. One thing Mark always does well is have stories with actual plot that don't just feel like filler, so I'm sure anything he came up with would be good.

 

I like the idea of the political stories, although I think having too much recent politics in a story can be dangerous because it can turn a story you're reading purely for enjoyment into something that is emotionally stressful, especially if you get as wound up about politics as I do. I like the way it has been in the background so far in Mark's stories. It is talked about, but is never a primary focus.

[Ivy]

Ok now the Capt Kirk idea is just way out there.....

 

however, I think Mark has set it up so that he could go on indefinitely....if JP and Steph do eventually pass (I said eventually because this just cannot happen in the near forseeable future!), there will be someone to head up the family. Brad, Matt, even little Wll could take over. Events in the near recent past would lend themselves well to the storyline (Katrina, Obama, etc.)

 

It would be an adventure in future prediction (which is not Mark's style), rather than historical reference but it could be fun.

 

Let's see, Robbie win's an Oscar for one of his movies, Will competes in the winter olympics (and wins), Jack wins the Nobel prize for discovering a cure for cancer (pick one, there are so many types), Wade is first governor of California then who knows, Matt becomes NHL commisioner and hockey becomes the first major sport to openly accept gay players, Brad makes millions by selling off his dot.com stock before the bubble bursts and buys islands all over the world so that he can surf anywhere anytime, the possibilities are endless...

 

I just know that I will be reading till the very end, may it be a long, long time from now in a galaxy far, far away where no man has traveled before..lol

 

 

[paya]

I'm very flattered with the way you guys think.

[Conner]

Hey, Mark, how about giving Canada another NHL team?

[Tiger]

In the future is a good idea! An epilogue 20 or 30 years from now. Unfortunately this probably does mean JP and Stef being dead as well as Brad and Robbie being senior citizens. It would be pretty cool though.

[Mark Arbour]

Hey, Mark, how about giving Canada another NHL team?

 

I'm all over that!

[GoWithIt]

While the contextualization of the earlier CAP novels was very important, I feel like the more we get to know and love the characters the less we need it to understand them. I would love to see what happens with Wade's political career or how Brad and Robbie deal with aging and empty nest syndrome. Even if we lose the fun and amusing historical side notes or fun cameos, its really the characters that keep us coming back obsessively every other day to see when the next chapter is posted.

[methodwriter85]

I don't like the idea of doing future-set CAP stories because the historical context is very integral to the ambiance of the story. Mark is great about capturing how the world was at some point. This can still work when the CAP story reaches the present, because Mark knows what present-day America is like and can capture contemporary U.S. society. But if you take them to say, 2015, when Wade is old enough to consider a presidental run, you are taking them from the historical timeline of our world and imagining the Crampton clan in a world that hasn't happened yet. While there's nothing wrong stories that take place in the future(I loved Back to The Future Part II), I don't think its right for the CAP Saga. And hey, some stuff can be explored already without putting them in the future. Brad and Robbie, along with Claire and Jack, will be empty-nesters by '05. Remember, Brad and Robbie settled down when they were 23. Darius graduates high school in 2000, then J.J. and Will in 2005.

[rjo]

The only good thing is that people live longer now days. The question is can it end. I one for will be very sad if it does. :wacko:

[Mark Arbour]

I don't like the idea of doing future-set CAP stories because the historical context is very integral to the ambiance of the story. Mark is great about capturing how the world was at some point. This can still work when the CAP story reaches the present, because Mark knows what present-day America is like and can capture contemporary U.S. society. But if you take them to say, 2015, when Wade is old enough to consider a presidental run, you are taking them from the historical timeline of our world and imagining the Crampton clan in a world that hasn't happened yet. While there's nothing wrong stories that take place in the future(I loved Back to The Future Part II), I don't think its right for the CAP Saga. And hey, some stuff can be explored already without putting them in the future. Brad and Robbie, along with Claire and Jack, will be empty-nesters by '05. Remember, Brad and Robbie settled down when they were 23. Darius graduates high school in 2000, then J.J. and Will in 2005.

 

If I wrote ahead to, say, 2015, you'd have to time travel forward to pick the music. And tell us the winning lottery numbers.

[Mark M]

Hey, Mark, how about giving Canada another NHL team?

 

You must be from toronto

I'm all over that!

 

Bah!!!! just Because canada owns at the world juniors... -.0!

 

Anyway i think CAP should end with obama, and have like someone raciest make a big show about it....Jim Crampton perhaps?? Wonder if JP will go back to Clarmont when bill dies? I think CAP should end devestatingly and then get really awesomly good. I'm not sure somehow a sunset at escorial would seem to be a wonderful picture to write. (Maybe Escorial is sold....to Matt and Wade??? It's Obvious that JP and steff will not live there forever, and Neither will Isador or frank, they've staied around this long, but someone has to take over the ownership of the house....to keep the family in cheque....maybe Darius or will will surprised us?? Who knows. But either way i agree CAP shouldn't go into the future, it's not the basis of the story. We may or may not have a long way to go. but at 1999 already who will be next on our list to switch into for personas? Another kid? an Adult? a Teenager? (funny how elder writers write about teenage years)

 

Anyway I'll be excited for CAP when it ends, and sad at the same time, maybe one day i'll print if off and get it bound in a book(s) with permition of course. but it's good reading matieral for anyone who is a reader. Reading level on it though is like......12-13.....but hells no will i let that age read it....maybe 15-16 i'll let someone of that age read this matierial. but no younger.

 

Anyway. It Saddens me that Granger is all we'll have left.....Mark any Ideas on an entirly NEW series? or Short-story?

[Mark Arbour]

Anyway. It Saddens me that Granger is all we'll have left.....Mark any Ideas on an entirly NEW series? or Short-story?

 

Wait a minute. I like George. Besides, you're acting like this whole thing is over, like I'm up to 2010 already. I fit 3 stories into the 90's. Let's not bring out the funeral barge just yet.

[Tiger]

Wait a minute. I like George. Besides, you're acting like this whole thing is over, like I'm up to 2010 already. I fit 3 stories into the 90's. Let's not bring out the funeral barge just yet.

 

Well, it started in the 60's, so that's why there are people worried about it. I mean, it really is more than have over in the whole scheme of things.

[alphadog415]

Let's not bring out the funeral barge just yet.

 

OOOOPS! I've got a call to make...

[alphadog415]

Mark -

My two cents is for it to continue into the aughts. The next generation of kids coming into their own. JP having to deal with the fact he is being pressured to step down as chair of the Dept. when he turns 65. Maybe Mrs Danfield will be always just out of sight keeping an eye on her star pupil even though he has revolted. (Like Tiberius Ceasars mother) Someone should happen to be in NY on 9-11. Steph and JP are both republicans so they should have plenty to say about George after he gets elected. Matt and Wade should get married. Wade would make a great behind the scenes guy in politics! (Hint! Hint!) Matt gets an econ degree and a Masters and goes to work for The Fed in San Francisco. Robbie and Brad should branch out a bit and have something like a world vacation. Maybe rescue some homeless surfer guy trying to drown his despair because his family dumped him when he came out and now his gay buds dumped him because he is positive. (Yes that does happen) Maybe one of the kids joins the military and ends up in Iraq. That would disturb JP. Of course there has to be new people brought into the family...

 

Well that's it for me. OK only for now...

 

Dave

[methodwriter85]

Good call about J.P. being pressured to step down as department head when he turns 65 in '01. That makes a lot of sense that as the J.P. heads into his Golden Years during the 'aughts, he's going to have pressure to retire. As for Stefan, he is ten years younger than JP, so he won't be dealing with retirement just yet. Instead, he will being dealing with the dot-com bust and the real estate meltdown.

[Mark M]

Real estate meltdown in like Oct of 08???? Anyway...............Funeral barge has been bombed....so yeah lol. :D good times I like George too

[Mark Arbour]

Good call about J.P. being pressured to step down as department head when he turns 65 in '01. That makes a lot of sense that as the J.P. heads into his Golden Years during the 'aughts, he's going to have pressure to retire. As for Stefan, he is ten years younger than JP, so he won't be dealing with retirement just yet. Instead, he will being dealing with the dot-com bust and the real estate meltdown.

 

Pressure to retire? In academia? Unlikely. Maybe as department chair, but even then, probably not.