Max/Liz
From Fan History Wiki
| “ | Liz: So when you healed me you risked all of this getting out didn't you? Why?
Max: It was you.'' | „ |
| — Roswell, The Pilot, | ||
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
Max/Liz is a conventional Roswell pairing featuring Max Evans and Liz Parker portrayed by actor Jason Behr and actress Shiri Appleby.
They're the main couple of the show and through their relationship the story started and ended in the first and last episode where Liz Parker is the voiceover who open and close the story.
Because they're created in the original story(s) they are considered a canon couple in both the television series created by Jason Katims and in the original books by Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns
[edit] Fan History
[edit] Origin of the shipper name
Max and Liz fans are called "Dreamers" among the fandoms.
Everything was created in one of the most famous fandom boards ever: fanforum.com
When roswell aired the first time many people loved their relationship so much that they created a thread in order to talk about them.
The title of the thread started to change mirroring the feelings of their fans.
When the couple broke out in the episode "The Balance" from season one the fans changed the title of the thread into "Awaiting Max and Liz's dreamy reunion" that became "Cherishing Max and Liz's Dreamy Reunion" when they finally were a couple again in the episode "sexual healing".
Right now the definite title of the thread is "Cherishing Max&Liz" and it's still active at the fanforum.
The fans started to call their self "Dreamers" because their dream was a reunion of the couple as soon as possible (when they weren't together) and because Max called Liz as his Dream Girl in the episode "Blind Date" from season one.
Also, their fans are called Dreamers because they believe in true love no matter what and their dream is to find a love like theirs even if they know that it's rare.
Because of the title of their appreciation thread at the fanforum, Max and Liz fans can be called Cherishers too (even if this shippername is not so used)
[edit] The first shipper thread
Actually, M/L fans are the first fans ever that created an appreciation thread about a couple at the fanforum. Here the message from one of the administrators:
- "Hi everyone! I don’t know if you all know this, but the Cherishing Max & Liz thread was the very first shipper thread in all of Fan Forum! I used to think the Dawson and Joey shipper thread on the Dawson’s Creek board was the very first shipper thread here, but the person who started that thread actually got the idea from this thread, so you Max and Liz fans (and I consider myself to be a Max and Liz fan) started a tradition of expressing your love and support for your favorite couple that has been copied on almost every board here, so bravo to all of you! I’m glad to see that so many people still post on this thread."
-- Jerry D, fanforum admistrator
[edit] Story History
to be added.
[edit] Recurring Themes
- The Soulmates: Max and Liz are often called soulmates by both the other characters and the writers of the show.
Max fell in love with her when he was just a little boy and it seems that no matter what they're always meant to be together and even when someone try to change the future they still find their way back to each other.
They often seem to understand each other without talking and they always accepted each other for how they really, flaws too.
They share a deep connection that is beyond any physical touch and it doesn't have a rational explanation.
Liz is the only one person that got some flashes from Max when he healed her (in general he's the only one who see things inside the people he's healing)
Through Liz, Max is able to get more informations about his origins.
In season three while she's sleeping Liz, who is into another city away from her home, feels when Max dies and she knows without any doubt that he's dead. Max's soul survive for her and in the end she's able to bring Max back from death with her kiss.
She also saved his life another time in season two by projecting her image to Max while he was in New York, far away from Roswell, New mexico.
- Romeo&Juliet: Canon parallelism. M/L are compared to Romeo&Juliet for their forbidden love relationship.
Liz is a human girl, Max the half alien hybrid clone of a fallen king from another planet who has a destiny that force him into another path where he can't choose who he wants to love.
Once, Maria called them "Modern Romeo and Juliet against the world" because of the nature of their relationship and how, in season three, Liz's father forbid her to date Max.
[edit] Soundtrack
[edit] Official Theme
Joseph Stanley Williams and Snuffy Walden composed some music themes for Max and Liz used into their scenes.
The most used ones are some guitar themes played by Greg Arreguin that are still available as background music of the official DVD's menus (especially season two and three).
However, it's not possible to find a complete version of the theme(s).
[edit] Songs
- Here with me by Dido - official opening theme of roswell. We can listen the song in the last scene of season 1 episode "Destiny" when Max and Liz kiss in order to say goodbye
- I love you by Sarah McLachlan - last scene from the episode "Leaving Normal", Max hugs Liz after her grandmother died
- We haven't turned around by Gomez - Episode "Heat Wave", season one. Max and Liz first kiss
- I Shall Believe by Sheryl Crow - Episode "The end of the world", season 2. FutureMax and FutureLiz wedding dance. Soundtrack of their story in season two
- Tres dìas by Jason Behr - Episode "The end of the world", season two. Max singing a serenade to her with a mariachi band
more to be added
[edit] Writers' words about them
| “ | The Max-Liz connection works so well, as is so popular with "Roswell"'s fans, because, in Moore's opinion, "It's very romantic in the classic sense of the word. Max is a young man from another planet, with secrets. He saved her life in the first episode, and they became soulmates across time and space. It's a classic set-up. Beyond that, the appeal of their relationship has a great deal to do with the chemistry between Shiri Appleby and Jason Behr." | „ |
| — Ron Moore, con-executive producer & writer Ron Moore talks Roswell in Dec Starlog, | ||
| “ | Who is your favorite Roswell character and why?
"I'm still in love with all of them. But I will say that I find the Liz/Max relationship to be the heart and soul of the series. I think that both Shiri Appleby and Jason Behr are tremendous talents and I never get tired of watching them on camera. | „ |
| — Ron Moore, con-executive producer & writer Crashdown.com, | ||
| “ | Heart and Soul of Roswell, i think that Jason [Katims] would share this opinion, has always been the relationship between Max and Liz. That's where the plot begins. He saved her life and he exposes himself at the same time. The love between those two characters is fundamental to the show's success.</big></big> | „ |
| —(Ron Moore, Roswell season 2 DVD, Ask Not commentary), | ||
To be continued
[edit] Fan Fiction
[edit] Popular Dreamer Fanfictions
- Blue Remembered Hills by WR
- Of Cabbages and Kings by WR
- Innocent by Mockingbird39
- Captivated by Darkness by Ash
- Fight the Break of Dawn by Ash
- Fading Into Twilight by Ash
- Darkest Days by Ash
- The Experiment Series by LivE
- Captive Hearts by Breathless
- Dying Embers by Breathless
- Maxeo and Lizziet by Breathless
- A Special Kind of Love by Breathless
- A Walk in the Park by Breathless
- Revelations by EmilyLuvsRoswell
- Antarian Sky by Rosdeidre
- Yours by Deejonaise
- When love isn't enough by Deejonaise
- Elisabetta and Massimiliano by Deejonaise
- Serendipity: Every Path Leads to You by Majesty
- The Bitter Dregs by Tasyfa
- I'm Lost Without You by Janetfl
- Stay With Me by Janetfl
- Angel of Silence by Janetfl
- The Art of Seduction by Janetfl and Killjoy
[edit] Max/Liz Sites
- Roswell Heaven "Fanfictions archive/board"
- The DDD.net - site
- Roswell the promise - site
- Roswell Fanatics - fanfictions archive/board
- I shall believe - fanfictions archive
- Deelicious Abyss - fanfictions archive
- Deejonaise Dreamer archive - fanfictions archive
- Dreamer Idolatry - livejournal artistic community
- CosmicDream - Max&Liz arts shrine
