#that ones more fandom specific but that’s not my problem

[sinzai]

Heya!

I've recently gotten really into the whole SBI fandom, and I've got the time and motivation to write a fic, specifically a Hero (Institute) and Villain (Syndicate) one.

The problem is that I wasn't a huge fan of the dsmp back in 2020-2022, so I'm missing a lot of interactions and habits between characters that I find too troublesome to scour the internet for. I've read a lot of fics to understand how the sbi and other bigger groups work, but when it comes to characters that I barely come across in fics, I'm completely uneducated.

For example, I have trouble understanding Hannah (Hannahxxrose)'s relationship with a lot of people, such as Dream, Niki, and just the Syndicate in general. Are there people she particularly hates/loves? Anything specific about her that makes her more unique or special?

What about Jack? I've seen him as a good friend of Niki's or as a Syndicate member, but other than that I don't understand his dynamic with others.

I know Foolish gets paired up as Puffy's assistant or apprentice often. Why is that? Who else is his character particularly fond of? What's his relationship with Benchtrio? Does he get paired up with others? Is Puffy more like his mom or his older sister?

Is Fundy often portrayed as Wilbur's son in these types of fics, or is he just there. What's his role in the Syndicate. What are his aspirations? Who does he have a good relationship with and who does he dislike? Is he typically a kid or a grown man?

As for Eret, Punz, Antfrost, Purpled and Aimsey (is she ever mentionned?), my knowledge on their characters is close to zero. Any and all information, like which side they're on, their good friends and their enemies and they're usual role in their organization is greatly appreciated.

If I do end up writing this fic, I can't promise that I'll keep everyone here, or that all the information will be included or respected lmao. But, if you can answer any of these questions or have simple requests, please make sure to let me know 🙏

[the-worms-in-your-bones]

Absolutely love the part of the tumblr ecosystem where people just make up media and everyone else just goes ‘yeah, I’ll talk about this like it’s real’

[aclownsclownery]

"Aroace people can still date"

Yeah and aroace people can also bash your skull in and thats what this aroace person is gonna do if you keep using this as an argument to ignore a characters identity

[burinazar]

:( patheticposting

nearly literally reduced to tears rn by how overwhelmingly it feels like nobody cares what I make or like or think about and how meaningless any of my creativity and love and effort is

[fox-mulder-gets-pegged]

Me when I see people reducing fictional women (especially woc and queer women) to The Bitch/The Mom/The Keeper Of The Braincell/The Reason Your Gay Ship Isn't Canon/The Sexy One/etc

[tasmanianstripes]

Maybe it's the result of my main fandom for the majority of my life being one where canon just genuinely doesn't exist, where there are so many different canons and literally any sort of interpretation of a single character is correct and can range from a moronic maniac with a chainsaw to a depressed old asshole boss, but

Literally who gives a fuck about canon?

Especially when the character is practically a blank slate or if it's an AU

Like, I'm sorry, but if you're butthurt about a mischaracterisation of a fictional character in an Alternative Universe then I don't think you understand what an AU is

[ladyluscinia]

Not going to put this directly on the long discussion chain that prompted it because it's somewhat topic adjacent at best and I have no intention of derailing a discussion of fandom racism, but - while reading some of the "Izzy critical" responses that @bromelads got - I did see mention of one thing that I have both passionate feelings about and a near constant desire to elaborate some oft ignored context for. So.

One of the things mentioned as a source of discomfort in fandom for "Izzy critical" poc was posts rejecting that Edward was growing or healing in 1x09 and 1x10, suggesting that it mostly serves to empathize with Izzy over Ed and to make Izzy's actions look better at the expense of Ed's character / softness. The same person who gave this example later agreed that there's some truth in the idea that Izzy crits' misinterpretation of Izzy fan meta has something to do with the (very baffling) perception that we all don't like Ed or think he's the simplified villain of Izzy's story or something, which I just want to a) appreciate for a second because I do actually adore Edward so much, and b) mention specifically because I think the whole Ed healing debate is a great example of that.

I'm not going to argue why I am staunchly in the "Ed wasn't healing" / "Kraken was inevitable" camp because I've done it before, but I do want to point out some related thoughts around that argument that I've picked up on each time it loops back around.

I feel like a lot of the people who strongly disagree with or get mad about that take frame it as though we are minimizing or rejecting the existence of Edward's softness entirely. It's like... Ok, so there is a distinct sequence of moments where Edward is displaying emotional vulnerability or a draw toward fine things that fans noticed, and then they interpreted the pink robe Ed's "healing" as all that starting to pay off in his character development (before being interrupted by an external obstacle: Izzy). A very straightforward A -> B. Only when I push back against B and say "hold on I don't see any healing in 1x10," then I feel like people hear me rejecting that all the moments of A meant anything at all. If I see the shadow of the Kraken as an internally motivated obstacle being built in earlier episodes, then I must think that's the dark and violent payoff, and the evidence of softness was a diversion or manipulation or just not going anywhere significant in character terms.

Which is very frustrating to me because Edward is a romcom protagonist.

Yes, this is very obvious to everyone. But it matters in this debate because protagonist status comes with very significant guarantees - namely, Edward is going to grow / heal / get his happy ending, etc. We've even got Stede's S1 arc (which remember is still unfinished too) as a good example of structure and focus on internalized character flaws framed by plot hurdles. There is no version of this story arc where Edward ends as the Kraken, and I have never seen anybody suggest he's not currently on a character arc toward growth and healing and a circle of true companions in Stede's crew who love him for who he is.

So when I or anyone else says he's not there yet, it's almost exclusively because we are arguing about where he is on this character arc in 1x10. Of course the appreciation for fancy clothes and slow mornings with overly sugared tea is going to pay off! Of course he's going to become friends with the crew (I'm rooting for Frenchie S2 bonding)! Of course he's going to get to beat back that self loathing he's carried since his dad! But people get defensive and angry like you are personally targeting them and declaring their blorbo an irredeemable asshole because you suggest character development major enough to drive a character driven show probably takes more than a few weeks of easygoing vacation to reach final form. That's not what I'm saying at all!

Interpretations upsetting or offending people even when written with a complete lack of malice is nothing new, but it really seems like making up a whole army of guys to get mad at for takes is happening more and more. (And I'll admit I'm probably getting more and more guilty of this myself as my understanding of what exactly people are arguing in different fandom city states gets more and more fractured. Meta builds off of meta, and if you randomly see one post by one blog you already disagree with, you might be missing a lot of context to clarify what they actually mean vs "of course that's the awful take you would have".)

[sickosdotjpg]

challenge level extreme: reblog gifset of That One Actor You Like full-on snotty drippy-nosed red-eyed messy crying in That One Scene without being a complete animal in the tags

[waywardsalt]

i hope im bellum’s biggest fan

[redstarfish-art]

Me: {A person who does not ship ZoSan but enjoys fanon depiction of their canon-typical interactions} Me: *decides to go looking for fanart involving either characters* Me: Hm...this is a dangerous game I'm playing.

[pandoratheprocrasticreator]

.

[starlooove]

I’ve already said all my issues with ice queen Janet Drake and idc enough to go into it again HOWEVER I will say if u want an abusive parents interpretation the very closest thing u can get to canon with her is Timmy turners mom

[girlyliondragon]

I DID NOT JUST SEE LIZBERT X FILBO SHIP SHIT ON AO3.....

I THOUGHT WE STOPPED THESE PEOPLE HOLY SHIT

They made her CHEAT with EGGABELL too?? What the FUCK and why is that here????!

[espresso-cookie]

my bitchass thinking about cookie run multi animator projects again

[levbolton]

My stats made me realised that people actually do not like my writing, and again i can’t force people to like it, but the realisation made writing unpleasant

[senadimell]

uuuuugggggggh, I really want this fic to be ALREADY finished at the same level of quality that I produced for the opening bit

(which i guess expecting it to be done and easy discredits how much work went into the opening bit but still....it’s so so far from being done and i wish it was already done because i want to find someone who is also in love with this idea and analysis and talk to them about it)