I'd started writing this page with the intent for it to be serious, to be academic, to fit Jon and Elias's personal styles (I mean, just look at the theme here!) but, alas... that just ain't me.

(I'm still keeping the theme, mind. The aestheticism!)

But I'm honestly super terrible at describing why I like something and there are people far more intellectual than me to really dig deep into why this pairing works, so! This is just my nice little page, filled with nice little reasons why I (and maybe you!) are obsessed with JonElias.

"Fine, fine, I'll be more lovely."

- Jonathan Sims 'MAG017: The Boneturner's Tale'

The man, the myth, the God! What a funkly lil guy we have here. Look at him! He's sad. He's soggy. He has the worst luck imagineable. He's an orphan, for christ's sake (side note: this is one of the only canons where I felt the orphan background actually fit the character! What a joy TMA's writing is).

But also - he's got an acrid tongue. He's mean. He's unpleasant. He seeks revenge. He's dismissive, arrogant, aware of his shortcomings and bulldozes through them, because why in god's name shouldn't he?

But also - (we can do a lot of these here, haha. He's wonderfully dynamic!) Jon has a soft side, too. Far below, under the surface of all his stress, but we get hints of humour and genuine camaderie with his assistants. His history with Georgie, the journey he takes into the Buried for Daisy. Dedicated and kind - kind as an action, here, less as words. He might not be nice (or 'lovely'), but he's got a strong moral core.

"Yes. If you die, I'm afraid you probably won't be able to claim your expenses. Now, if you'll excuse me?"

- Elias Bouchard 'MAG116: The Show Must Go On'

Listen. Listen. Yes, he ends up being the Biggest Bad the world has ever known, has caused untold pain and horror, totally abusive to Jon, sure, sure.

But he's so funny.

Humour is such an important aspect to chemistry, and Elias has it in spades. It's all in the little asides - dry, sardonic, never for the sake of another. Which is so him, isn't it? All these jokes for his own amusement, nevermind anyone who might be listening.

But beyond that, of course. This is an evil man - selfish beyond belief, so utterly terrified of his own death that he'll commit the world to hell in order to delay it. And commit Jon to a hell of his own making - the forming of his Archivist. The forming of his Archive. And it's not like Jon was the first! A whole slew of rotten luck'd souls to consolidate Elias's schematics and ambitions. There's the possibility of cliche, here; 'oh, so he just wanted power?' But the strength of TMA's writing comes through once more - it's the depth of Jonah's continual fear, but also the acceptance that, yes, the Web may have had a hand in things, but don't they always? The strangled 'good luck' at the end - we get too few moments with Elias, but when he shows up, there's a very human aspect to him.

Also, he loves scheduling! On Wednesdays!

[PLEASURED EXHALATION]

'That's... That's quite nice, actually. Tingly... but sort of freeing.'

- Elias Bouchard 'MAG092: Nothing Beside Remains'

The quote that launched a thousand fics! Well, maybe - I was still catching up on TMA when this episode came out, but my god. Pleasured exhalation? Mr. Sims! I assume JonElias was a decently sized ship before but honestly this entire episode has some great quotes ('the beating heart of [the institute];' 'Our master, Jon;' 'Elias, am I still human?') that fans must have gone insane over. If someone out there wants to give us a little history of the JonElias fandom, please let me know and I'll link to it!

Anyways. Shipping! JonElias! The point of this shrine, this sort-of ship manifesto!

The best thing about this ship is the simplest one - both Jon and Elias are my favourite characters. Thus, I will smash them together like Barbie dolls and have them kiss to my heart's content. But that's a little boring for everyone else, so:

Reason two! The dynamics! And my god these two have a whole host of them that are just delicious to partake in. Let's get into it!

boss/employee - It's basic. It's classic. It's twisting that typical power dynamic but even more-so in this case, because the boss is a literal avatar of fear and is forcing Jon to become one as well. And with that comes a whole host of powers we can work with! Pre-Jon knowing what the hell is going on, we can have Elias voyeuristically spying on him at all times. And afterwards? Jon can do the same! Both of them checking in on one another in private moments, Elias air-dropping emotions, physical feelings, and memories, into Jon's mind... (okay, these last few are certainly not canon. But the possibilities are endless!)

And a work-life balance? Pshh. Jon staying far too late after work, perhaps even using the (canon!) storage room with a bed. Plus basements, archives. Offices. So many offices. And desks, and fitting snugly under them, along with hopefully-locked-doors, Rosie none-the-wiser right outside. All I'm saying is that when you read a JonElias fic and it's a one shot and it takes place in the Institute? Someone's desk is playing a star role.

mentor/student - All the fun of the above except now you have Elias delightfully urging Jon to use his burgeoning powers of compulsion and knowing! Delightfully urging, mind, except his urging is him saying literally nothing of use whatsoever, telling Jon that 'these are things [he] must discover on [his] own'. (You go girl, give us nothing!) And on the other hand, you have Jon, terrified of what he's becoming, but always running off to confirm things with Elias, to ask him what the hell is going on, what's coming, what is happening to him? ('Am I... Elias, am I still human?') And while Elias gives only a trace of an answer, he's still the only one Jon can confide in. There's no one else.

Of course, this mentorship, and Jon's compulsion powers, nets us the staggaringly wonderful brand of fics in which Elias decides to sit Jon down and ask Jon to compel him, to teach him how to control his powers better. And then things get horny (Mr. 'tingly', hm?) and there are many fics like this and they are all amazing. I will eat them forever.

a monstrous love - Jon becoming something more than human, all at Elias's will, and Elias so enamoured with him; all these questions, the paranoia, the distancing himself from his team, chomping at the bit to free himself from his humanity when he sees fit - Elias Watching him, always, proud as can be. The consistant reminder that they are part of the same team, as it were - 'Our master,' '...in the world that we have made,' 'that we serve'. Elias inviting Jon to his side as an equal, a partner to witness and consume their efforts.

and more! - Alright, this page is long enough, but just know that it could be longer! I'm not too good at talking about the things I love, but that's what the testimonials page here is for! I've collected some fans' thoughts on JonElias, and they are all brilliant, so please check it out!

And now, I am Looking at you, fellow fans - make your own JE shrine! Go write fic, art, make a playlist, a zine, comment on all the JE things that you adore! Keep the love alive!

I've met a ton of amazing people in the TMA fandom, but it's with the JonElias folks that I truly feel like part of a community, and I will always be so grateful for that. Thank you all so much <3