A word to abuse survivors: This entry contains my favorable opinions about the Eristine ship and they will probably upset you. So, a trigger warning is in order and you probably should not read this entry.
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Both! Now, I ship Eristine because there are fanfics here on Wattpad that do present their relationship in a healthy way.
Erik did some really bad stuff and I feel really sorry for him because of what he went through! There is nothing wrong with shipping Eristine as long as you read and write fanfics in which the relationship is healthy. In the 2004 movie, I think Christine did love Erik as well as Raoul, but she chose the sane and safe choice. Why do I think she loved Erik? I think she loved Erik because she kissed him and because she looked back at him sadly when she was leaving with Raoul in the boat.
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Because it is a work of fiction, it's OK to want them to have a second chance together. I specifically ship 2004 Erik and Christine. My reasons why are they'd make a good couple after Erik gets better mental health-wise. We have the ability to write stories in which Erik pursues Christine in a more respectful way. Unlike the original novel or the stage musical, Christine doesn't try to commit suicide in the 2004 movie. Christine can forgive Erik if we want. Love is stronger than fear. Anything is possible in fiction! Not all E/C shippers/Team Phantom phans are delusional, love-sick idiots who have never been in a relationship. I'm fully aware that Erik and Christine’s relationship is unhealthy, imbalanced, and abusive. I know that it would have been an abusive relationship if she stayed with him in reality. But in fanfiction, it doesn't have to be that way. They can have a good and healthy relationship, especially after he let her go. I know he loved her because he let her go, not because he killed people, stalked her, kidnapped her, abused her, manipulated her, and threatened to kill Raoul. I don't rationalize his wrongdoings as love or romantic.
Also, I’m aware that Phantom wouldn't be as memorable and as good if Christine stayed with Erik in any canon version of the story. As I've said before, we have the ability to play around with the story through fanfiction.
In my phanfic Her Angel of Music, I gave Erik and Christine six months before they were reunited so they both had some time to heal from the events of Phantom. I also had Christine tell the readers that she loved Erik because of the good she saw in him before she left with Raoul, their common love of music, and for who he truly he is (a broken, creative man who just wants to be loved and accepted).
In my phanfics, Christine was born in 1850 so she's 20 and Erik is 28. In the movie, Christine was born in 1854 so she was 16 and Erik was in his early thirties. I also will only read Eristine phanfics in which Christine is 18+ or her age is not specified. The only exception to this age gap rule is when the phanfic is set in the 2004 movie. Also, it was common back then for the man to be significantly older than the woman.
At the same time, I'm not a Raoul hater. On the contrary, I love him! Phanfics that portray him as abusive, a jerk, or a fop make me frustrated. The only story I like in which Raoul is bad is a POTO and Beauty and the Beast crossover. The only complaint I have against Raoul is that he pushed Christine into being the bait for his trap for the Phantom and he didn't take Christine seriously. I actually love Raoul in the movie.
I ship Raoul and Christine too because they're beautiful together and All I Ask of You is a beautiful song. Also, Christine was obviously really happy when she was with Raoul.
However, with phanfiction, she can be happy with Erik, too.
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I also have some real-life boundaries. In reality, I do not condone toxic relationships or expect people I care about to have another go with abusive partners!
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and then Add to home screen.