Who would be the best and worst characters to be stuck inside with?

[petra]

Please tell us who you would love and hate to be stuck with, day in and day out. Remember to include the fandom they're from, too.

Comments

[petra]

I think the winner of "best indoors companion" would be Arthur Shappey of Cabin Pressure. Fortunately for me, his creator thinks so too and has been doing a series of vlogs on the subject.

The worst indoors companion I can think of (barring homicidal maniacs) would be Miles Vorkosigan of Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series. Canon says that when he's cooped up in a small place it only makes him more likely to take it over. Given how much time he spends on spaceships, as well as his physical limitations, he ought to be better at small-space living, but his refusal to go with the flow would drive me up a wall in short order.

[cynthia1960]

Oh dear sweet Jesus, Miles would be the absolute worst! We've got canon showing how shitty he would be in Diplomatic Immunity. On the other hand, Ivan Vorpatril would probably do just fine because he would have official permission to chill out.

[petra]

We have a lot of canon on how bad Miles gets when he's cooped up. He starts plotting immediately and if there was nothing to plot against or organize, what would he even do with himself?

Ivan would probably be fine, yes. He has a much more stolid mentality than his manic coz.

[cynthia1960]

Yeah, DI came to mind to me first because it was one of my last re-read books.

[via_ostiense]

OMG you are 100% right about Miles.

[petra]

He should be so much better at inactivity than he in fact is, given his life experience. But nope.

[via_ostiense]

He gets worse at it with practice, not better!

[desireearmfeldt]

Cordelia and/or Aral would probably be above average quarantine companions, though.

[petra]

True, they both have the training and temperament for staying in a limited space for an extended period of time.

Doctor Who

[beccaelizabeth]

The worst would be The Doctor, because their ability to cope with boredom is notably terrible even in the short term.

The best would be The Doctor, because they could cheat with the TARDIS and not be stuck.

Alternately the best would be Captain Jack Harkness, because he would have Ideas about how to pass the time, and an effectively endless stash of anecdotes.

Re: Doctor Who

[petra]

Being actually stuck inside with the Doctor would be appalling, I agree. It would only be any fun if you got to bug out in the TARDIS right when things got to a cabin fever pitch.

Jack would also be a good candidate for being stuck inside with. He doesn't strike me as easily bored.

[dine]

I've been reading lots of Harry Potter lately, so both that quickly sprang to mind are from HP

Luna Lovegood - love. I think her quirky approach to life could be interesting, and would definitely broaden my horizons

Dolores Umbridge - worst. she would drive me right round the bend with her extremely annoying vocalizations, the nauseating pink everything - even the ever-present kitten themes would grate upon my nerves

[petra]

Aw, being stuck with Luna would have its upsides. She's another person who is not easily bored.

Umbridge would be terrible to be stuck with in any context, you're totally right. Just the thought of it is enough to make me glad I don't have to deal with her.

[dine]

yeah, I think Luna could be a cool stuck-inside-together companion. not easily bored is definitely a quality under these circumstances

Umbridge would be the worst under any circumstances, I think

[ex_flameandsong751]

Luna would be fun to be stuck inside with. She's also a very sweet person, I can imagine she'd be good when news was scary. "Hey, let's take a break from this and try to see some nargles."

Umbridge would be a nightmare to be stuck with. I like kittens but I do not like her.

[dine]

I think her sweetness was what first propelled her to the top of my list, but the fun quality would also enliven one's days

kittens are awesome - Umbridge is not!

I love your icon

[ex_flameandsong751]

Re the icon - thank you! :D

[ex_flameandsong751]

Of course, Tolkien springs to mind here.

Best indoors companion might be Frodo or Samwise, because hobbits are exceedingly good at creature comforts and making sure the people under their roof are well-fed and cozy. Samwise would be great with potatoes.

Maglor might be interesting to be stuck indoors with since he's musical and likely has a lot of fascinating stories of all the places he's been and things he's done, but on the other hand he might also be the worst because he might have a sad and need a lot of cuddling. Wait, cuddling Maglor isn't a bad thing...

Worst indoors companion would be Thranduil. (Worst-worst would be Morgoth or Sauron, but I'm not counting them here.) I could see Thranduil as being very bossy and uptight about everything and having an attitude problem and that's not the kind of person you want to be cooped up with even if he is hot 😂

[petra]

I think Samwise would be an excellent stuck-inside buddy. He probably knows a zillion recipes and twiddles to keep the food supply interesting.

Thranduil would be one of my contenders for worst, definitely, though I have to figure that Tolkien elves have to negotiate space better than people do or they wouldn't be able to co-exist with the same other elves indefinitely.

[ex_flameandsong751]

Well, yes. Most Quendi would probably be rather pleasant to be stuck inside with, I think - especially Noldor, and their bardic talents and/or crafting ideas - plus I'd never tire of ogling them. 😂

Elrond would be another contender for good to be stuck inside with, since he's a healer...

[mesotablar]

I am pretty sure he wouldn't be 'The Best' but I would really want to try living with Aslan from Narnia. An all powerful magic talking lion? yes please! but unless he eats air I think there would be much work required to feed him... but think of all the stories and wisdoms you would hear (in Liam Neeson's voice). Definitely worth it.

The worst, well there are so many options aren't there? monsters, vampires, carnivorous animals that are not Aslan, thrill killers, Hitman: Agent 47, drug addicts suddenly cut off from their supply. Really really though I would hate to be stuck with a doppleganger (yes, I'm watching The Vampire Diaries). The idea of basically an evil copy of yourself living with you would be horrible. Though if I'm honest I doubt I would even survive living with a normal-non-evil copy of myself

[petra]

If I had an all-powerful magic lion in my house during a pandemic I would be inquiring closely into just how all-powerful he actually was, let me tell you what. Even if he did have an intensely soothing voice.

I have enough trouble living with the one of me I'm stuck with; being stuck with an evil doppleganger would be plain old appalling, you're right.

[mesotablar]

It has been a long time since I read the Narnia books, so I am not entirely sure 'all-powerful' is even an accurate vague descriptor. But I have seen the memes where he is called the Morgan Freeman of the animal world so that has got to be fairly close to all-powerful in fiction realms right?
:D

[petra]

I don't think Aslan is omnipotent. He's certainly got a lot of power to wave around, though, and I wouldn't be surprised if he could stop a plague in its tracks.

[rhi]

Joe Dawson from Highlander would be a joy -- 30 years plus of studying immortals and a joy of story-telling makes him the best person to be sheltering in place with.

Fox Mulder of the X-files, however, would drive me up a wall or himself into a coffin inside a day, I think.

[petra]

Oo, a storyteller is the right kind of person to be cooped up with for sure.

I haven't seen enough of the X-Files to know what Mulder's redeeming characteristics are. His lack of skepticism would pall quickly for me.

[beccaelizabeth]

Joe would be good company

[mific]

In the Losers fandom, best would be Cougar as he's endlessly patient, being a sniper. He'd mostly sit around under his hat, being easy on the eye. Worst is a tie between Jensen and Aisha. Jensen would bogart my computer and probably mess with it so much it'd be unuseable (by me), and Aisha would just kill us all.

[petra]

Oo, good one. Aisha probably doesn't have the experience with hurry up and wait that the others do, either