Shipping

Shipping is a lens of media interpretation that focus on the, cheifly romantic or sexual, relationship between two or more characters as the primary axis to engage the work. The recent surge in popularity of Goncharov has resulted in a surge of slash ships between characters, many of them queer as to recognise the homoerotic subext conveyed by the 1973 movie.

Critics of shipping often call it reductive, missing the point, or outright false information. This page doesn't seek to answer or rebutt those critiques. It is simply meant to nuetrally document the most popular ships used by fans of the film as analytical lenses.

## Goncharov / Katya

A short placeholder vibes explaination awaiting an actual write up:

*They got married out of shared love for each other and now they stay married out of a mutual loathing of the other.*

## Katya/Sofia

Katya's relationship with Sofia is one that has come under much critical media analysis. Whilst some see their relationship as purely based on their common desires and convenience, others argue that the dynamic hosts a homoerotic subtext.

A notable moment that many perceive as Katya trying to express her emotions towards Sofia is the understated border scene. The two have a short conversation regarding the attack they have been subject to, which quickly drifts to the topic of mortality. Katya is then famously quoted as telling Sofia:

"I wish you did not have to die. You, who would easily give up your life for your own strange purposes. I see no lies in you, Sofia, and yet you mystify me. I do not see a good person when I look at you. And yet, when I imagine someone finding you dead, I know that they will find flowers growing through your bones."

This quote has been critically interpreted in many ways, and whilst the most common interpretation is that this scene mimics a confession, others argue Katya is more concerned for herself and her newfound perception of life. However, most agree that this pairing was absolutely intended to convey implicitly queer themes, although the development of their relationship does not follow a typical romantic pattern.

You can find fanfiction relating to these ships, and other fanworks, on the Fanfiction page.

## Andrey/ Goncharov

A short placeholder vibes explaination awaiting an actual write up:

*Guy who's only watched gay porn: Getting a lot of homoerotic vibes from this.*

## The Polycule

There are lots of variations of polyamorous ships, but the one most common variation, known as "The Polycule," consists of four characters: Sofia, Kayta[sic], Goncharov, and Andrey. The Polycule is fundementally intertextual ship as it is often explained in a way that requires a baseline understanding of the concept of "Quadrant Shipping" which was first coined and popularized by *Homestuck.*

Sanitizing the explaination of the dianamics of its homestuck, it functions like this:

* Sofia and Katya], like in their stand alone ship, as lesbians who love each other.
* Katya and Goncharov, like in most interpretations of their stand alone ship, thought they loved each other in the past and now loath each other but stay together case the loathing 'kinda hot.'
* Goncharov is an asexual stablizing influence in Andrey's life. This is notably in conflict with most Goncharov/Andrey readings.
* Andrey is stablizing influence on the polycule itself, mediating conflict between Goncharov and Sofia that left unchecked would fester and grow worsening both their relationships with Katya and probably cause The Polycule to collapse.

1. ↑ Zwoelffarben. *Tumblr's Most Popular Polycule*. Tumblr.