I just posted a rant on this subject (I hadn't seen seperis's post, it got to me!) - but, yes, yes, and yes!
I think one problem with OTPing is that it encourages one to view all romance as incredibly significant. If Rodney & Keller became "more than friends" then it had to be true love - we the TV audience were supposed to see it that way. Even though I don't think that's what was intended by the writers or the actors. That Rodney came to love Keller (to whatever extent) doesn't diminish his feelings for his team. But they were gone and he was left - and they all would have wanted him to be happy!
...Besides, well, I kinda am an OTPer (and getting moreso with John&Rodney, though it's in a semi-gen way?) and even 'interrogating the text' from that perspective - I still don't get it. It's not like Rodney knew what to do and refused to do it until Keller died. Rodney didn't have any idea what to do, he makes that clear! As soon as he figures out how to save everyone, then he does it - he takes the long shot as soon as he figures out there's actually a shot to be taken, as opposed to just impossibility. I rather suspect that if Keller hadn't died, but Rodney had figured it out anyway, he would've gone ahead and devoted himself to that obsession, even if Keller argued for him to put it behind him. He certainly had no interest in listening to her advising him such when she was on her deathbed.
Not to mention, Rodney clearly never gives up on John. A year later, even not knowing how to save him, he's still saying, "Sheppard's not dead." Heck, you could argue that Sheppard's death didn't break him because he never allowed himself to believe Sheppard was truly gone.
(I think the ep might work better from the gen-OTP perspective at any rate. A slasher can get depressed that Keller is replacing John as Rodney's love interest; but we see no sign that he makes another best friend!))
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I think one problem with OTPing is that it encourages one to view all romance as incredibly significant. If Rodney & Keller became "more than friends" then it had to be true love - we the TV audience were supposed to see it that way. Even though I don't think that's what was intended by the writers or the actors. That Rodney came to love Keller (to whatever extent) doesn't diminish his feelings for his team. But they were gone and he was left - and they all would have wanted him to be happy!
...Besides, well, I kinda am an OTPer (and getting moreso with John&Rodney, though it's in a semi-gen way?) and even 'interrogating the text' from that perspective - I still don't get it. It's not like Rodney knew what to do and refused to do it until Keller died. Rodney didn't have any idea what to do, he makes that clear! As soon as he figures out how to save everyone, then he does it - he takes the long shot as soon as he figures out there's actually a shot to be taken, as opposed to just impossibility. I rather suspect that if Keller hadn't died, but Rodney had figured it out anyway, he would've gone ahead and devoted himself to that obsession, even if Keller argued for him to put it behind him. He certainly had no interest in listening to her advising him such when she was on her deathbed.
Not to mention, Rodney clearly never gives up on John. A year later, even not knowing how to save him, he's still saying, "Sheppard's not dead." Heck, you could argue that Sheppard's death didn't break him because he never allowed himself to believe Sheppard was truly gone.
(I think the ep might work better from the gen-OTP perspective at any rate. A slasher can get depressed that Keller is replacing John as Rodney's love interest; but we see no sign that he makes another best friend!))