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List Of Alternate Universes

Alternate Universe (also known as alternate reality), is commonly abbreviated as AU and it is a descriptor used to characterize fanworks which change one or more elements of the source work’s canon. The term most often refers to fanfiction, but fanart can also depicted the characters in AUs.

Unlike regular fanfiction, which generally remains within the boundaries of the canon set out by the author, alternate universe fiction writers like to explore the possibilities of pivotal changes made to characters’ history, motivations, or environment.

Alien Invasion AU – In which the story deals with an alien invasion when canonically it does not ever happened.

All Human AU – In which characters who are canonically non-human are now humans, with corresponding changes to their backstories.

Alpha/Beta/Omega AU – Often referred to as A/B/O or even Omegaverse. It is a growing kink trope of an AU wherein some or all the characters have defined biological roles based on a hierarchical system, with the terms originating from animal behavior research. There may be werewolf, knotting, or other animalistic elements involved, or the characters may be otherwise purely human. The characters are either Alphas (dominant males or females), Betas (ordinary working class), or Omegas (submissive males or females).

Amnesia AU – In this AU, a character (canon or not) suffers from amnesia which may or may not be temporarily. If lost or alone, sometimes they have no form of identification on them, or records to help make identifying them easier. The amnesic character sometimes build a new life somewhere else with other characters or they’re found by someone that knew them from before. They might help them regain what they lost or not if they happened to be a ‘bad’ person (the reverse can also happen, in which a bad character finds the amnesic good character to convert them to the bad side).

Ancient Egypt AU – It is also known as Pharaoh AU and in this AU the canon story is replace with the setting of Ancient Egypt. The characters are mostly still themselves, but they are either a part of the royal family, servants to the royal family, normal citizens or all of above.

Android AU – This AU is mostly set in a futuristic world. In which the main character or most of the cast are turn into androids. Sometimes they do not have ‘free will’ or true ‘consciousness’ until something happens to make them go beyond their programming. Writers might set it up as they were created to serve different purposes, such as a bodyguard, solider, caregiver and so on. Usually they pair the android character with a human character that helps them understand what it means or feels to be human. In other cases it becomes something similar to Absolute Boyfriend (also known as Zettai Kareshi) where they are mail order androids which can be customized from online or from catalogs. Usually for the purpose of dating, sex or platonic companionship. If not, they may have originally been human, but turned into an android for whatever reason, usually for terminal health reasons or to prevent their death.

Angel/Demon AU – When angels and demons exist (in the case of canons that don’t have them) or a character is recast as one of them. However, these kind of AUs don’t necessarily need both beings in the story as some tend to focus on only one of them.

Animal Shelter AU – Is also known as Pet Shelter AU. In this AU the characters either work at the animal shelter, are volunteers or looking to adopt a pet.

Antique Shop AU – Similar to the Flower Shop AU or Bookstore AU. In which, one half of the main pairing is the shop owner or cashier and the other is or becomes their favorite customer.

Apocalypse AU - This AU covers all sorts of apocalyptic scenarios; pandemic (whether natural or man-made), robot uprising, nuclear holocaust, natural disasters, resource depletion, monsters (like vampires, Kaiju, etc.), aliens, astronomical (like asteroid, solar flare, etc.), end of the world (which is a future time-period described variously in the eschatologies of several world religions) and so on. Most apocalypse AUs are all about exploring certain themes, which depend on whatever the catastrophic event the writers want to put the characters of a fandom through. Be it the classism, social unrest, societal upheaval, the psychology aspect of survival or how the characters rediscover the ancient ways of hunting and foraging for food, preserving food, building shelter, and so on. To be more specific of what kind of apocalypse the AU will be about, most will give it a label such as Zombie Apocalypse AU, Vampire Apocalypse AU, etc.

Archaeology AU – In which a character is an archaeologist that studies historical artifacts, structures (e.g. standing and ruined buildings), and so on. Usually they uncover something old like jewelry, a tomb, temple, or whatnot from an fandom that’s set in historical times, fictional or mythical pre-history (i.e. Viking Age, Feudal Japan, Middle-Earth, etc.). The object or actions of the archaeologist character triggers a curse, they get transported back in time, or they dream of another character’s life during those times (or they dream of their past life).

Arranged Marriage AU – Similar to the Marriage Law AU, only the difference is that not all the characters are required to be married. It is mostly focused on only one pairing and it is usually a pairing that wouldn’t normally get together such as crack ships or doomed ships.

Assassin’s Creed AU – Is an AU that puts the characters of another fandom into the plot and setting of the action-adventure stealth video game. Sometimes it does not and it just borrows the idea of the characters either being Assassins’, who fight for peace with free will, or the Templars, who desire peace through control.

Atlantis AU – Is not to be confused with Undersea AU. In this AU the characters from a fandom are placed into the setting (and sometimes borrow the plot as well) of the 2001 American animated film Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

Avatar AU – Is also known as Bender AU (not to be confused with Na'vi AU) is an AU that puts the characters into the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and/or The Legend of Korra. This AU gained popularity due to the concept of the characters being able to manipulate one of the four elements.

Baby AU – When the entire cast or most of them are reverted into children or babies. Usually one of the characters is still an adult that takes care of them, while someone else figures out how to change them back into adults again.

Babysitter AU – Is also known as Nanny AU. In which one of the character has a younger sibling, younger family member or is a parent with a child and needs a babysitter for them. This AU can also apply for pets.

Bakery AU – When most of the cast of a story works at a bakery while the rest are customers.

BDSM AU – Is when the entire cast is either a dominant or a submissive and BDSM relationships are considered the norm. Be advised that while a healthy BDSM relationship is consensual and not dangerous, if handled incorrectly it can result in abusive behavior which is offensive and considered bad BDSM etiquette.

BioShock AU – In this AU, the characters of a fandom are portrayed as the characters from the video game series BioShock. Writers find the idea of the characters being trapped in the underwater city of Rapture (or the floating city of Columbia) appealing while they face ADAM-obsessed enemies and the iconic, deadly Big Daddies (or Handyman/Songbird).

Bonnie and Clyde AU – In this AU, two of the characters in a fandom (usually a pairing) take on the roles of the American criminal couple, Bonnie and Clyde. Together, they traveled the land robbing people and killing when cornered or confronted.

Bookstore AU – When most of the casts works at a bookstore. If not, usually a few of the characters work there, while the rest of them are customers. Another version is the Library AU, in which one or two of the characters are librarians, while the rest of the cast spend their time looking for particular books to read or for information.

Bounty Hunter AU – Is also known as Recovery Agent AU. These AU stories usually focus on a pairing, in which one of the characters is a bounty hunter, who captures fugitives for a bounty and the other is the fugitive.

Business AU – In which the story is set in an office building and the characters are employees. Sometimes it is focus on one character who works as a personal secretary and another character as their boss.

Catboy/Catgirl AU – Is when a canon character becomes a half-cat person, thus having cat ears, a cat tail, fangs, and claws.

Circus AU – In which the story is set in a circus and the characters are circus performers or customers.

Coffee Shop AU – Also known as Barista AU. In most cases, one half of the main pairing is the barista and the other is or becomes their favorite customer; in some stories the whole cast works at a coffee shop.

Corpse Bride AU – Is an AU where the characters from another fandom are placed into the roles and/or plot from Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride.

Crime AU – In which the characters of a story are various type of criminals, such as burglars, bank robbers, gangsters, drug dealers, smugglers, hitman/fixer and so on. This AU focuses on their criminal lives. It is similar to the Mafia AU.

Dance AU – Is an AU that has one or two characters that have a passion or interest for dancing. They go out to clubs or join a dance studio to learn. Or they own a dance studio and prefer to teach it. Sometimes the entire cast are students of a dance school.

Dark Fantasy AU – Is a subgenre of fantasy, which incorporate darker and frightening themes of fantasy (such as the dark and frightening side of human nature, psychology and the weird, sublime and uncanny). It also often combines fantasy with elements of horror or has a gloomy, dark (or grimdark) atmosphere, or a sense of horror and dread. Examples of this type of genre that this AUs might use are Stephen King’s The Gunslinger, Glen Cook’s The Black Company, Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, etc.

Darkside AU – Is when the canon villain of the story succeeded in their ultimate mission or goals and the AU story focuses on the outcome of it. For example: In Harry Potter, what would happen if Voldemort had won? Or what if Tom Riddle had been successful in sucking out all the life energy from Ginny and had come back alive?

Dead Space AU – Is when the characters of a fandom are place into the setting or plot of the science fiction survival horror video game, Dead Space.

Delivery AU – In this AU, a character is a food delivery driver for either pizza, Chinese, or groceries. The restaurant or store they work for gains a regular customer, which is another character that usually is who they’re paired with.

Deserted Island AU – Or also known as Uninhabited Island AU. Is when a main character and another character are trapped or stranded on a deserted island, usually from being shipwrecked, their plane crashing, or they were left behind. Sometimes this includes the entire cast of the fandom and other times it just focuses on a pairing.

Disability AU – Related to this AU and is most commonly used is Deaf AU, Mute AU, and Blind AU. In which one of the characters is born or becomes impaired with an cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or some combination of these. Usually these types of AUs explore what the character’s life is like now with the disability, how those around them behave/interact with them and so on.

Dog Walker AU – In this AU, a character (which may or may not be canon) has a dog and is need of a dog walker. This set up is usually a way to bring together a pairing.

Dragon AU – In this AU, it’s centered around a world inhabited by dragons. One or more characters that are canonically human are changed into dragons or have dragons forms. Usually they coexisted with humans, but not always. And sometimes this AU includes wizards, witches, princesses, and of course knights.

Dystopian AU – Is set in a dystopian society that is not the original setting of the canon. Some of the most famous examples of dystopian fiction that these AUs stories use are George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange.

Fairy Tale AU – In which canon characters are put into situations and/or settings from Disney’s fairy tales, such as Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Frozen, etc. Other times it’s uses the Grimm’s fairy tales versions, which is a much more darker telling of the stories. These AU stories do not have to be exactly like the fairy tales, as the writers put their own spin to them.

Fake/Pretend Relationship AU – Is also known as Fake Dating AU (or Fake Marriage AU). Is when two characters are throw together in extended proximity and then explore the hidden, or not so hidden, feelings that develop. This AU covers all sorts of pretenses; marriages of convenience, undercover identities, investigations, financial schemes, immigration schemes, high school reunion dates, wedding dates, making someone jealous, and so on.

Fallout AU – In this AU, it places the characters into the plot or setting of the post-apocalyptic role-playing video game series, Fallout.

Fantasy AU – In which the story takes place in a fantasy universe where magic is normal, technology is nonexistent, and magical creatures or mythical beings exist. Some of the most famous examples of fantasy fiction that this kind of AUs use are The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, His Dark Materials (which begins with The Golden Compass), and The Wizard of Earthsea collections.

Fatal Frame AU – Is also known as Project Zero AU. It places the characters of a fandom into the survival horror game. The most popular of the series that these AU stories picked is the setting and plot of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly.

Flower Shop AU – Similar to the Coffee Shop AU and the Bakery AU, but instead the entire cast works in a flower shop. Or one of the characters works there while the rest are customers.

Fortune Teller AU – In this AU, a character is a fortune teller (they might be a fraud or genuinely clairvoyant) and another character comes in as their customer.

Genderswap AU – Is also known as Genderbend AU. In which one or more characters in the story switch binary sexes, such as depicting a male character as a cis woman.

Genie/Djinn AU – In which one of the characters is a Genie, who is capable of granting wishes. They’re found by another character (usually who they’re paired with) that helped them or freed them from whatever they were imprisoned in. And as an reward the genie character will grant them three wishes (or more). When it’s the latter, the AU usually turns into a Aladdin type of story or I Dream of Jeannie.

Ghost AU – Is also known as Paranormal AU. In which one of the characters is a ghost and they haunt the location of where they were killed (or they died naturally). They may even haunt whoever disturbed their resting place or they have unfinished business and want someone – usually a living character’s help to finish it. But them being a ghost doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re actually dead. Sometimes a character may appear as a ghost, but is actually alive and in a coma. Another reason is that they may even have ghost powers/abilities. Other times they are truly dead, but can be bought back to life with magic. Or they may be able to possess another character’s body permanently, instead of temporarily.

Ghostbusters AU – In this AU the characters from another fandom are portrayed as either ghosts or the people that “bust” them.

Groundhog Day AU – Is an AU, inspired by the 1993 American comedy fantasy film, Groundhog Day. In which a character (usually only one character) is caught in a time loop, doomed to repeat a period of time (often exactly one day) over and over, until something is corrected.

Hanahaki Disease AU – In which everything is still canon, except an fictional disease known as Hanahaki exists within it. Those that catch the disease coughs up flower petals when they suffer from one-sided love. Their lungs get filled with the flowers and their respiratory system grows roots. They choke on their own blood and petals, and die. It can be cured through surgical removal, but when the infection is removed, the victim’s romantic feelings for their love also disappear. Sometimes this also removes the victim’s ability to ever love again. Another way to be cured of it is for the object of the victim’s love returns their affections, thus making the love no longer unrequited.

Harem AU – Or Reverse Harem AU is when a story that doesn’t contain any polygamous or love triangle relationships turns into one. Usually, but not always, the main character has something happen to them that attracts the other characters to them. It might be from a love potion, experimental perfume, spell gone wrong, sex pollen, and so on.

Haunted House AU – Or Haunted Castle AU, in which a character moves into a new home or castle and doesn’t know that it is haunted (usually by a ghost, sometimes a demon or some other type of creature). Another option is that they are dared (or force) by their friends (or so called friends) to spend the night in it.

High School/College AU – In which the characters are shown in high school or in college together. They are often done with characters who canonically meet later in life, altering or entirely overwriting their original backstories. Similar to this AU is the Boarding School AU and the Elementary School AU.

Hocus Pocus AU – In which the characters from another fandom are placed into the character roles and/or plot of the 1993 American comedy horror fantasy film Hocus Pocus.

Holiday AU – In this AU, a holiday that doesn’t exist or happen in canon, because of location, time period or characters’ views does. Usually this is done as a one-shot, chapter special or filler episode, which allows characters of a fandom to celebrate or commemorate and/or experience an event or tradition of cultural or religious significance. Such as Samhain/Halloween, Yule/Winter Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah/Chanukah/Ḥanukah, New Year’s Day, Saint Valentine’s Day and so on.

Hogwarts AU – It is also known as Harry Potter AU. In which the characters from other stories are placed into the setting of Harry Potter. These can be coexistent with Harry Potter canon, or ignore it entirely. But they are often portrayed as students of Hogwarts instead of teachers that work there.

Hospital AU – In which the characters of a story are doctors, nurses and patients in a hospital (sometimes it is set in an asylum).

Host AU – In which a canon character of a fandom has become a host to an alien organism/parasite/entity or an supernatural, sentient object (e.g. gauntlet, armor, school uniform, etc.) that forms an symbiotic bond with them.

Host Club AU – Or Hostess Club AU, is an AU based off Ouran High School Host Club. It focuses more on the idea of the male characters of a fandom forming or joining a Host Club to earn money by catering and entertaining women. These clubs are distinguished from strip clubs in that there is no dancing, prostitution, or nudity.

Hooker AU – Where one or more of the characters is a sex worker. The more common is the Pretty Woman-type fantasy of a hooker with a heart of gold, rescued from life on the streets by a client. Sex work of all kinds is portrayed: brothels, escorts, street prostitution, “call-girls” as well as strippers and go-go boys. Most of the time one character of the pairing is the hooker and the other the client, though some stories have both characters as prostitutes (sometimes along with other canon characters, in either a brothel-type setting or living on the streets).

Hunger Games AU – In which characters from other stories are competitors in the Hunger Games.

Ice Cream Shop AU – When the casts works at an ice cream shop. Sometimes one of the characters owns the shop, while the rest are employees or customers.

Imaginary Friend AU – In this AU, a character has an imaginary friend, which is another character that they ‘imagined’ usually in their childhood. The imaginary friend (also known as invisible friend) isn’t always human, they may take on the shape of an animal or other abstract ideas such as ghosts, monsters or angels.

Imprinting AU – Is not related to the Soulmate AU, but it is similar and was made popular by the Twilight series. The idea was that a character would imprint on another character, who they become unconditionally bound to them for the rest of their life. The imprinter is deemed to be the “perfect match” to the imprintee.

Jurassic AU – It is also known as Prehistoric AU or Dinosaur AU. In this AU, characters travel, survive and spend time with ancient, prehistoric and extinct animals from Prehistoric/Jurassic past. Sometimes they are turned into dinosaurs and other kinds of prehistoric animals. This AU can also refer to other Jurassic/Prehistoric tales, books, films and TV shows, such as Dinosaur King, Prehistoric Park, Dinotopia, Ice Age, Dinosaur Planet, The Lost World, and more.

Labyrinth AU – In which the characters from another fandom are placed into the setting and/or plot of the 1986 fantasy film Labyrinth.

Law Enforcement/Military AU – In which the cast are policeman, federal agents, soldiers, marines or whatnot and the story focuses on their work and lives.

Life Is Strange AU – In this AU, the characters of a fandom are put into the roles and plot of the video game Life Is Strange. These can be coexistent with Life Is Strange canon, or ignore it entirely. If it’s the latter the AU usually borrows and plays around with character’s ability to rewind time at any moment.

Lovecraftian AU – In which the AU contains elements to or reminiscent of the work of the American fantasy and horror fiction author H.P. Lovecraft.

Mafia AU – In which the characters are in a mafia, usually there are more than one mafia family existing in it. These AU stories focus on the mafia’s life. There’s murder, extortion, corruption of public officials, gambling, infiltration of legitimate businesses, labor racketeering, loan sharking, tax fraud schemes and stock manipulation schemes. Sometimes these AU stories are set in the 1920-90s era.

Magic AU – Incorporate magic in stories where there is no magic present in canon.

Marriage Law AU – It spawn from the Marriage Law Challenge in the Harry Potter fandom, in which the premise is to forced marriage between a Muggle-born to a Pure-blood (or Half-Blood) due to a new decree passed by the Ministry of Magic to help preserve the magical population.

Master/Slave AU – In which the cast are place in an universe where slavery is an accepted economic and cultural institution. Some stories treat this as a significant moral problem to be resisted and overthrown if possible; others treat slavery as an unchangeable institution.

Mating Cycle AU – It is also known as In Heat AU. In which the characters are in an AU where it’s the norm for them (it does not matter if they’re human or not) to feel the urge to have sex for biological reasons outside of their control (in other words, they go into Heat or a Rut as most animals do).

Medium AU – Is when one of the characters is a ‘Medium’, who has the ability to communicate with spirits of the dead and/or be able to see them. Sometimes the character works with a local law enforcement agency in criminal investigations to solve cases, but other times the spirits go to them to resolve their problems and cross over into the light, or the spirit world (similar to the American supernatural television show Ghost Whisperer). The rest of the characters are either ghosts, their friends or co-workers.

Merpeople AU – Or also known as Undersea AU, in which a story is set in the ocean (or a large lake) and the characters are turned into mermaids and merman. Sometimes it’s focus on only one character that becomes a mermaid/merman and another character that is human. When it’s the latter the AU usually turns into a Little Mermaid type of story. Sometimes the characters are Cecaelia (a race of sea beings with an upper body of a human, and the lower torso of a squid or octopus). If not, they might be some other type of sea/water creature that is humanoid (or has a human form), such as a Kelpie, Selkie, Water Dragon, etc.

Model/Photographer AU – In this AU, the focus is usually on a pairing, in which one of the characters is a model and the other is the photographer.

Modern AU – In which characters from a historical (or pseudo-historical) canon universe are placed into a modern setting.

Monster AU – In which the characters are changed into non-human creatures, such as Incubus/Succubus, Naga, Oni, Centaur, Banshee, Siren, Dullahan, Kitsune, Changeling, Satyr, Selkie, Minotaur, Faun, Goblin, Troll, Orc, Imp, Harpy, Fairy, Jinn, Gorgon, and other kinds of monsters.

Monster Under The Bed AU – It is also known as Monster In The Closet AU. This AU usually focuses on a pairing, in which one of the characters is an ordinary human and the other character is a monster who lives underneath their bed (or in their closet).

Mundane AU – In this AU the stories that are canonically set in a Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror have those genre elements removed. The resulting AU takes place in our own mundane world without magic, non-human creatures, time travel or alien technology. This AU is sometimes known as Non-Magical AU, which refers to fandoms like Merlin or Harry Potter that canonical have magic become ‘non-magical’.

Na’vi AU – In this AU the characters are placed in the world of James Cameron’s film, Avatar and are portrayed as Naʼvis; a blue alien race that reside on Pandora.

No Human AU – Also known as Animal AU, is the opposite of All Human AU, in which characters that are canonically human are now non-humans. In this AU the characters are typically turned into cats, dogs or sometimes even into birds.

Noir Detective AU – In which the characters are put in a typical ‘40s or ‘50s film noir environment. Sometimes this AU is done as a homage towards the style, in which the characters are still their canon selves, but the plot or aesthetics are given a noir slant.

Opposite AU – In which canon personalities and backstories are swapped out with an opposite versions of themselves. Such as a quiet shy character may become loud and outgoing.

Pacific Rim AU – In which the characters are put into the world of Pacific Rim (most often as Jaeger pilots). This AU gained popularity due to the concept of Drift Compatibility that made for excellent shipping interactions.

Pen Pal AU – Is when two characters (who have met in canon) have not met each other in this AU. Sometimes they live in the area and other times they don’t live on the same continent. Usually it is their school that sets them up as pen pals. If not, it is because one of the characters writes a letter to the wrong person/wrong address or they accidentally texts the wrong person.

Percy Jackson AU – It is also known as Camp Half-Blood AU, which is from Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians. In this AU, the characters from another fandom are all demigods who are training at Camp Half-Blood. Sometimes the characters follow the same plot and roles of the characters in the canon story.

Peter Pan AU – This AU borrows the Neverland setting (that is inhabited by mermaids, fairies, Native Americans and pirates) or the Peter Pan’s story from the novels or films, sometimes both. In which characters from another fandom are in the roles of the canon character in the story instead.

Phantom of the Opera AU – In this AU the main characters within the French writer Gaston Leroux novel The Phantom of the Opera are replaced with characters from another fandom. Sometimes it follows the same plot and setting, but other times it borrows some ideas from it.

Pirate AU – When the whole cast are pirates and it is focus on shipboard life, usually it is set in early nineteenth-century Europe. Sometimes it’s pirates in outer space.

Pokemon AU – In which the characters are put into the world of Pokemon (most often as Pokemon trainers).

Prison AU – In which characters meet for the first time in an prison environment where they have to depend on each other.

Private Detective AU – When one of the characters becomes a professional detective while the rest of the cast are their clients or the detective’s contacts in the police department (sometimes they work in other fields, in which the Detective character would call them for favors or help to help solve difficult cases).

Pushing Daisies AU – In this AU, the characters are put into the American fantasy mystery comedy-drama television show Pushing Daisies. One of the characters would have the mysterious ability to resurrect the dead through touch and another would be a detective that they would work with to solve murder cases. Sometimes the rest of the cast would be those that have been resurrected by the one with the power.

Reincarnation AU – In which stories with historical canon setting have the characters become reincarnated into a modern setting and in doing so they are quite similar to their canon selves. Other times the characters or just one of them is reincarnated into another world, which they may or may not retrain their memories from their previous life.

Reverse AU – Also known as Role Reversal AU. Is when the roles (and sometimes backstories) of the characters are swapped, such as the hero is the villain and the villain is now the hero.

Robin Hood AU – In which the characters of a fandom take over the roles in the English folklore or one of the many adaptions/retelling of Robin Hood. The focus is usually on one of the characters becoming Robin Hood, a legendary heroic outlaw who robs from the rich and gives to the poor. This AU doesn’t necessary have to take place in the same setting though and could be in modern times.

Rockstar AU – Is also known as Musician AU. In which the main casts is a popular music band or one of them is a solo artists with many groupies which may consist the rest of the characters of a fandom. Or they work within the same industry.

Romeo and Juliet AU – In this AU the main characters within the William Shakespeare story Romeo and Juliet are replace with characters from another fandom.

Roommate AU – In which the characters in a fandom are all living together in an apartment or an house. Usually this kind of story is focused on two characters that become roommates.

Royalty AU – Where one or more characters (who canonically aren’t) are members of a royal family. This usually goes hand in hand with a historical period, featuring a Medieval AU or Regency AU, although some works are set in Modern times or even the Future.

RPG AU - Also known as Gamer AU is when an original character or canon character, live their life as an RPG (role-playing) game or with some form of gaming mechanics.

Seer AU – It is also known as Oracle AU or Soothsayer AU. In which one the characters is born with or gains the power to foretell the future (or has precognition abilities).

Silent Hill AU – It puts the characters of another fandom into the video game world of Silent Hill. Sometimes the AU story coexistent with Silent Hill canon, or other times ignores it entirely, in which the writer makes their own version.

Single Parent AU – In which a character has a child, adopts, or becomes a parent in someway and raises them on their own.

Sleepy Hollow AU – In this AU it places characters from another fandom into the roles and/or uses the plot based on the gothic story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by American author Washington Irving. Some may even use the 1999 film adaption of Sleepy Hollow by Tim Burton or the 2013 crime/horror television series, Sleepy Hollow.

Sky High AU – Is an AU that puts the characters of another fandom into the setting and plot of a 2005 American superhero comedy film, Sky High, which is about an airborne private school for teenage superheroes.

Soulmates AU – Is when two (or more) characters are fated to be together, sometimes through multiple lives and/or into the afterlife. Sometimes but not always, the pairing might have a characteristic that helps them to find each other, such as identical or complementary birthmarks, tattoos, scars, or a string-of-fate that’s tied to their other half which becomes thicker and shorter the closer they get to them. Some stories only need a character to hear, see or touch their soulmate to know who they are.

Space AU – Where a fandom that is canonically set on Earth becomes set in outer space.

Spy AU – Also known as Secret Agent AU or Espionage AU. The whole cast is turned into spies, sometimes they work for the same organization, government or they operate independently. Other times the AU is focused on only one or two characters that are the spies.

Steampunk AU – In which a story is turned into a futuristic/sci-fi version of a 19th Century, usually Victorian or Edwardian containing clocks, gears, springs, steam power, analog computers, airships, etc.

Stranger Things AU – Is an AU, in which characters of a fandom are placed into the plot and settling of American science fiction-horror show Stranger Things.

Street Racing AU – In which the AU story focuses on unsanctioned and illegal form of auto racing that occurs on a public road. The characters are either drivers/racers, mechanics, police/undercover cop, flagger, and so on.

Sugar Daddy AU – Is also known as Sugar Mama AU. Is an AU where a character is a Sugar Daddy that offers support (typically financial and material) to a younger companion (which is known as a Sugar Baby) in exchange for being in the relationship (it doesn’t have to be sexual either).

Superpowers AU – In which the characters have superpowers and are either heroes and/or villains.

Sword and Sorcery AU – Is a subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. Most often there is an element of romance in this AU, as well as the elements of magic and the supernatural. Unlike works of high fantasy, the tales, though dramatic, focus mainly on personal battles rather than world-endangering matters. Examples of this genre that this type of AUs uses or borrows from are Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian, Rob J. Hayes’ The Ties That Bind, Karl Edward Wagner‘s The Book of Kane, and so on.

Tarzan AU – In this AU it’s based on the novel or film Tarzan. The canon characters are replaced with others from another fandom to explore the story with them in the roles instead.

Tattoo Parlor AU – In which the characters either work there as tattoo artists or are clients.

Telepathy AU – Is also known as Mind Reader AU. In which one of the characters is born with or gains the ability to communicate with thoughts or ideas (or even just read minds) of other characters.

The Addams Family AU – Is an AU, in which the characters are placed into the plot and setting of the 1991 American supernatural black comedy film The Addams Family.

The Mummy AU – In this AU, the characters of another fandom are placed into the roles, plot and setting of the 1999 American action horror film The Mummy.

The Terminator AU – Is an AU where the characters from another fandom are placed into the plot and setting of James Cameron’s 1984 American science fiction film, The Terminator.

Time Traveler AU – Is when a character from the future travels through time to the past for whatever reason (studying, criminal punishment, etc.) or because they lost control of their power and meets another character from that time period and they usually falls in love with each other.

Titanic AU – Is an AU where characters from another fandom are placed into the setting and plot of James Cameron’s Titanic, a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film.

Treasure Hunter AU – In this AU the characters are treasure hunters, tomb raiders, paleontologists and archaeologists. Basically they’re people that search for ancient treasures (like the Ark of the Covenant, Blackbeard’s Treasure and the Llywelyn’s coronet, etc. ) and forgotten, lost and even legendary places, and undercover myths and legends, as well as how they were made. Related AUs to this is Tomb Raider AU, Indiana Jones AU and Uncharted AU.

Tron AU – In this AU, the characters from another fandom are placed in the Grid, a digital world contained within a network of computers. The characters could be Users; regular human beings sent into the grid through the SHV 20905 or they could be programs created in the world.

Urban Fantasy AU – In which the canon story of the fandom has been replaced with an urban setting. This AU is usually set primarily in the real world and contain aspects of fantasy, such as the discovery of earthbound mythological creatures, coexistence or conflict between humans and paranormal beings, and other changes to city life.

Vampire/Werewolf AU – In which vampires and werewolves exist (in the case of canons that don’t have them) or a character is recast as a vampire or werewolf. However, these kind of AUs don’t necessarily have to contain both species as some tend to focus on only one kind.

Van Helsing AU – It is also known as Dracula AU, which is based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic horror novel, Dracula. This AU doesn’t have to follow the novel, as some prefer to use other stories based on it, such as the 2004 American horror film, Van Helsing. Usually one of the characters takes on the role of a vampire hunter and the other as their archenemy, Count Dracula. The other characters are usually cast as fellow hunters, vampires, monsters or regular civilian humans.

Victorian AU – In which characters from a modern or future-set story are relocate to a stereotypical Victorian romanticism era.

Western AU – In which the characters are transplanted into the “Old West”; or sometimes, especially in science fiction stories a Space Western equivalent, which may involve a western-type plot without horses and cattle ranches.

Westworld AU – The characters of a fandom are placed in Westworld, a fictional, technologically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populated by android “hosts”. The park caters to high-paying “guests” who may indulge their wildest fantasies within the park without fear of retaliation from the hosts, who are prevented by their programming from harming humans. There are five other theme parks, which sometimes these AU stories may explored with the characters.

Wonderland AU – In which the story and the characters are turned into their own version of Alice in Wonderland.

X-Men AU – In this AU, it depicts a world in which a small proportion of people are mutants, who are born with superhuman abilities activated by the “X-Gene”. The characters of another fandom sometimes coexistent with X-Men canon (be it the comics, cartoons, or films), or ignore it entirely. But they are often portrayed as students of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

Yandere AU – Is when a character in a fandom is turned into a Yandere, which is a type of character who is initially very loving and gentle to another character, but their devotion to them becomes destructive in nature, often through manipulation, violence and/or brutality.

Zombie Apocalypse AU – Also know as Zombie AU. In which stories that don’t contain an zombie apocalypse have it happen to them.

Note: This isn’t a complete list of AUs, but I will keep updating it whenever I come across something new (or someone lets me know what I’m missing). Also, keep in mind that sometimes an AU story is combine with others elements. For example, instead of the very common AU story about the characters attending a regular high school in modern times, it can be a magical school or a superhero school (similar to the film Sky High or the X-Men comics). It might even take place in a futuristic world or historical time. Sometimes AUs stories may focus on an OC (Original Character), Self-insert or Reader-insert and not just canon characters of a fandom.

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