Fictional Characters, Free Will? (The writer decides) · 9:19pm Dec 16th, 2022

DOUBLE SUBJECT BLOG

DO FICTIONAL CHARACTERS HAVE FREE WILL

Another thing I get so incredibly irritated with that this person I'm dealing with... she keeps going off at me that, "At least I try to simulate free will. You on the other hand give no free will at all to your characters, and instead you make them do things like a control-freak."

But fictional characters (Especially cartoons) DON'T really have free will. It only seems like they do, but really...

Every trait they have...

Every move they make...

Every adventure, or misfortune, or thing that comes their way...

...The writer simply MAKES these things happen to them.

Character's can't do things for themselves...

Look at Twilight here.

-She could study magic
-She could help someone with a friendship problem
-She could go for a nice walk in the park with Spike

She COULD do all those things and more, but the fact remains you have to MAKE HER do those things.

And all those traits she has...

Twilight Sparkle is a very well educated pony and is the one with the most formal education of the mane cast. She takes things seriously, almost to a fault, but does all that she can to look out for her friends.
She has an intense need and thirst for knowledge, primarily when it comes to magic and learning her limits.
Because of Twilight Sparkle's need to succeed and vast intelligence, she is also insanely organized.
She values Princess Celestia very highly and only accepts perfection in an effort to please the princess.
This can be an issue for Twilight Sparkle, as it can make her seem very selfish and bring out her more negative traits. Twilight Sparkle is known to freak out and have anxiety attacks that affect everyone around her when she knows that the princess will be stopping by. Her nervousness can take a hard grip on her and amplify her almost non-existent social skills. When this happens, she tries to solve her problems with magic and things she's read instead of relying on her friends, making any issues she had formerly grow exponentially.

Those traits are still just given to her by the writer. It's not like Twilight REALLY chooses to be this way... Somebody MADE her think and act like this.

Even if it looks like Twilight is thinking for herself, and deciding her destiny, in the end, she's still being WRITTEN to do those things.

At the end of the day, there is no denying or arguing it: Characters don't have any true free-will, while it may seem as if they do, and you can treat them like they do... They have to take their orders from whoever's writing them, or they can't really do anything, and that includes THINK.

I'm among those who prefer to treat them all like puppets on a string (which they are) so YES... I AM a control-freak to the characters, just as any writer is.

THE WRITER DECIDES

Because it is my Fanfiction, and I am the one writing it... I am the one who decides the fates of the characters-- What they do... What happens to them... What doesn't get to happen to them.

It doesn't matter what COULD happen, nor what OTHER possibilities there are... A single story can only take on ONE course at a time, and it all boils down to what the writer wants, meaning.

Yes, I don't deny it... BB CAN let go of his past and Terra, and move on to his own future.

I also don't deny that good things CAN happen to him or other characters if they work hard, act, decent, and other things...

...But as writer of my own fanfiction... I don't like or even want that to happen.

I am extremely furious for BB giving up like that, letting Terra get away with such bad behavior, and other things I can't stand him doing (and I have been for nearly 17 years now) and NO... I will NOT let go (For I do not wish to, and it's pointless to anyway.

So instead, I want BB and Terra to either reconcile and get back together...

Or, I want him not only to take it super hard that he's practically driven to suicide...

And worse, I need him to be DRIVEN to want to do it... so I make his life a living hell (As if I were punishing him for his actions and his failure)

-Automatic doors don't open for him
-Drivers never give him the right of way
-The titans are even bigger A-holes to him than ever (Especially Raven)

...As the writer, I WANT THINGS happening to Beast Boy, and want them to happen LIKE THIS (The way I make them)

That's why I get incredibly frustrated when viewers butt their nose in where's it's not wanted-- making suggestions that can ruin my plans for the writing, or straight up DEMANDING that I change the story to suit their preferences.

"When we read a story, we EXPECT the writing to be good and the characters to be well-developed too.

That's not Expecting... that's DEMANDING, especially when you say

"MAKE BB MOVE ON AND MAKE HIM BE GOOD!" (The stubborn lady I'm dealing with actually said that) That's just being a demanding bully.

As the writer of the story, I CAN and DO make the demands of what the characters do, but you as a viewer... you can point out a couple of flaws here and there (Politely if you please without hostility!) But you have say whatsoever in how MY STORY should be written.

I am the Writer, and I will decide what happens.

And for example, that stubborn lady I deal with keeps throwing a whole bunch of "WHAT IFS" my way, and I give straight up answers.

"What if Beast Boy met another girl who was just like Terra?"

Then... I will write it so the girl rejects him, and even slaps him in the face.

"What if that girl truly IS in love with BB and she wants to give him a chance?"

Then...

-I will make it so BB turns her down flat
-I'll have it start out okay, but end in disaster (The girl will dump him like Terra, or she'll even die)
-I will have BB killed so he CAN'T even try.

...Either way, it's not going to work out, because I, the writer, DON'T WANT IT to work out.

I do not want Beast Boy living in comfort, happiness, or a bright future... UNLESS Terra is with him. If she dumps him, it's bad enough, if he willingly lets her go and attempts to move on... He in for MAJOR punishment and TORTURE from me! It is so MAJOR, it probably hasn't been invented yet... but when I DO think of it... even world leaders would say "Oh, Mykan... Lighten up!" (Okay, that's an exaggeration)

The point is... I'm the writer, and I will decide. If I want BB to be miserable, I will do what it takes to bend to story in every way to

You are viewer, and I'm not here to cater to YOUR specific needs. (Especially since I don't LIKE your preferences)

"MAKE BB MOVE ON, AND MAKE HIM GOOD!"

...No!