Stories where "Alternate Universe" tag is being abused · 9:53am Jan 21st, 2015
So we've all seen the fics where Alternate Universe is used as a Panakeia((Greek word meaning "cure for all things")) for every kind of weird ass headcanon right?
I mean hell I've done my own fair share of alternate universe weirdness in my the tagged fic.
But there are some things that often come out as contrived, weird for the sake of being weird, and generally break my suspension of disbelief.
For example unless you explain to me why or how the Elements of Harmony brainwashed someone I won't believe they can do it. Nope, not believing it.
You can't just go use "Ipse Dixit" ((Because i fucking said so)) and not get the middle finger by me.
It's another thing for someone to be "cleansed" from an evil taint but actually changing your mind with these? You're pushing what I can believe. Especially when the Elements of Harmony are a holy artifact that is beyond the personal bias of ponies deeming what it the ponies think as good, good. At such points you need to give explanation why the elements do stuff like that and not just wrap your headcanon around a narrative description.
Hell I know for example that if I give Chyrsalis and the changelings Luminol sight ((Luminol is used by forensic investigators to detect trace amounts of blood left at crime scenes, as it reacts with iron found in hemoglobin. It also can find other bodily fluids like sperm)) everyone will be creeped out and generally ask "Why?".
AU tag gets abused for completely weird headcanons that are weird just to incite reactions out of people. It's what I like to call "Like-bait". Most of said stories are poorly executed, and lack proper depth. I instantly dislike said stories.
Have you encountered weird headcanons or stories that are weird for the sake of being weird?
Also... considering rewriting the fic before I submit it to EQG.
Lets not forget when people use the AU tag for haveing a character act out of character for the duration of the fic.
2737567 Without any explanation for doing so.
Personally, I'm not as observant of these kinds of trends but I suppose having a story tagged as an Alternate Universe just for the sake of one detail like a canon-character's origins/back story to include an original character and establish his/her relation to the canon character would be a bit excessive.
Still, if the story is good, who am I to complain. *shrug*
2737626 Sure if the story is good it is good. But "reaction bait" stories tend to not have a good execution.
2737632 Yeah, it is disappointing at times to select a story with a specific tag and read it only to find the story lacking many if not all of that tag's qualities *cough*Romance*cough*
2737636 The thing is that world-shaking things like there not being any Luna is too big of a revelation in order to be done in 3k words.
2737641 Oh, you're talking about There is no Luna? I haven't read it yet since I don't really follow the feature box stories very often since clopfics seem to dominate it at times so you'll have to forgive me for my ignorance on that subject.
2737646 Not only that. But the general "Elements Brainwash people" like "To lose when you win". BULLSHIT EFFECT OF ELEMENTS AMIRITE?
2737648 Okay just read it and while I don't feel as strongly as you probably do on the subject, the story felt...lacking, for lack of a better word to describe it so I can see where you're coming from.
I've read stories where the Elements of Harmony 'purifies' the evil from the target, nearly vaporize characters(inspired by the 'Friendship cannon I guess), and or transform a character from their native species to another. There was even one story where the Elements had counterparts in the form of weapons.
However this 'version' of the Elements felt rushed since the writer used the whole 'whatever the Princesses says is true' shtick. I don't mind stories that use that if they portray Celestia and Luna in the right way but the story just went in a strange direction for me when Chrysalis used the f-word.
2737691 Tell me what difference does it make from the "reform spell" Twilight wanted to use on discord?
2737702 Little to no difference since the basic concept behind both is to change the subject's behavior and mentality to something else, in the reform spell's case, it would make Discord more compliant and orderly, which is a contradiction in and of itself.
And as for the Elements in the story you showed me, the subject more or less put themselves in a protective shell to protect themselves from the Elements' effects, for Discord, his petrification and for Chrysallis, being shocked into a coma sealed away in her mind and while it's not the most vicious rendition of the Elements I've seen, the implications behind it are far more sinister than I would care to think about.
2737725 They should have warned her! They difference between what they did and lobotomy to me is small. VERY SMALL.
2737756 Indeed, it's really scary if you think of some of the things that was presented in the show and how dark and morbid it potentially is.
Twilght's Want it, Need it Spell for example, one story actually had an obese unicorn casting it on himself when he entered a supermodel agency, So many mares and only one pony, they fought each other before agreeing to share him...everypony got a piece of him, literally
and to top it off, it was presented as a form of dark humor.
And as for the reform spell, there was another story somewhere on this site where Twilight actually cast it on Discord...only for Discord to cast it on everypony else so they can be as 'harmonious' as he was. The plot was simplistic yes but just like with Chrysalis, the implications behind it made me thankful that Discord ate the spell in the show.
2737777 Yes I've read that. What I mean is when the way the Elements of Harmony work against morality if you don't explain to me how they work you can't just use the "Fuck you that's how they work" excuse. Because I can also say when you pay me "Fuck you you didn't ask for invoice."
2737925 I see, well given the fact that the story was a one-shot, I guess the author didn't want to detract from the point of the story with too much explanation of the Elements' powers...though that ended up with the lackluster explanation in the story itself so yes, the explanation could have been more detailed but the main point of the story was Chrysalis' plans backfiring in an unexpected manner.
2739180 Regardless that and the Luna fic are to me dislike worthy stories.
So, you're complaining about people who use AU tags in place of properly explaining their headcanons with deference to the show?
Yeah, I can get behind that.
2857288 Yea i guess that's something I don't like. Plus headcanon that's weird and edgy just for the purpose of being weird and edgy.
2857520 Yeah, then it's just pointless.
If it's going to be weird and edgy than at least give a reason. It doesn't even need to be said explicitly, just a mystery would do if it's done well.
2857641 The thing is that said stories are simply headcanon wraped within a story. Like for example what "There is no Luna" is.
2857715 Headcanons in stories are fine if they're properly explained and have a reason instead of just being there 'because'. Stories made just because you have a headcanon can be good too, heck just look at the Petriculture cycle. But stories made just so you can explain a headcanon aren't cool.
2857766 The last sentence... that's what I'm saying. What's Petriculture though?
2857777 Linky link link. It's a series of stories starting with a one shot name Petriculture. It's pretty good, all in all. I thought the first one was okay but my favorite in the cycle is Inscape. If you have anything to say on stories based on headcanons, I'd advise you read that.
Heck, I'd advise you read it anyway, it's not bad.