Pillars of Literature: Alternative Universes and you! · 2:48am Mar 10th, 2015
PILLARS OF LITERATURE: ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSES AND YOU!
As of late, I have noticed a rather odd trend among reviewers and some fellow writers. Whenever the term "Alternate Universe" comes into play, there is a shift in the tone of the conversation. What was once spoken with acceptance suddenly turns into a subject that garners scorn and jeers, if it’s addressed at all. The argument is made that the AU tag is little more than an excuse to get away with "original" content and characters, an idea that is also viewed with uneasy eyes. It’s baffling, especially since such concepts are welcome elsewhere in the fiction world.
I believe the reason isn't so much because people are determined to maintain a certain "purity" based on the show's canon—though this can be considered a large reason to certain subsets—but rather because people simply don't quite understand what exactly the idea of an "alternate universe" is. The times it is tossed around, it is treated like a buzzword rather than a full-fledged concept. As such, it has become a nebulous idea from person to person. Still, the most prominent reaction is fear, leading to readers and writers shutting it out in order to maintain their bubble of the known.
While I certainly do not claim to know the exact reason why people act this way, there is a certain understanding that isn’t too difficult to comprehend. People often tend to fear the different, after all. Alternate Universes often thrive on the idea that things very different from the norm and that change is a major part of the journey.
In this installment of the "Pillars of Literature", I plan to showcase a few examples of Alternate Universes in fiction in the hopes of ensuring my fellow writers and readers understand that the idea is not something to fear, but to welcome and explore. I'll also explain why the tag “AU” that is used in many stories is essentially obsolete due to certain developments in the show itself.
Section one will talk about why the AU tag is moot and what evidence supports this, section two will explore the many different variations of AU that exists in fiction in the hopes of clearing up confusion, and section three will list four of the main qualities that make a good AU story in the pony fiction community.
As usual, I do not claim to be the end-all authority on this matter. I’m sure there are many others who would do doubt question me and my conclusions. I, naturally, welcome such discussions. The idea is to get the ball going and have people open their minds to the possibility of seeing AU in another light.
Now, without further ado, let's begin.
Section One: Why the "AU" tag is no longer necessary
Going back to what was stated earlier, the “AU” tag is something many writers either fear or shy away from due to its radical nature of altering the established “norm” within the pony fiction community. This varies from simple ignorance of the workings of alternate universes (which this document hopes to rectify), to a sense of inadequacy when it comes to writers being able to represent works from the AU genre, be it fantasy or sci-fi based. Whatever the reason, the writer in question ends in a position in which he shuns the idea of using an AU setting, sometimes even going so far as to denounce it and those who use it as “altering the canon in a negative way.”
Of course, to understand that, one must first analyze just why a writer or reader might feel that way.
While the real details as to why the show became such a massive hit with the older demographic is a debatable subject all its own, It is no secret that one of the most cited reasons among fans is that MLP: FIM gained its popularity due to diverting from the established norms of most children programming, what was “acceptable” as far as fan demographics are concern, and because it portrayed a world and characters that many viewers genuinely came to love. It’s a world that, while certainly beyond anything that can be found in today’s society, still has its share of troubles and tribulations that tested the main six characters in ways that brought out the best in their personalities, which can theoretically transfer to seeing the best of humanity being showcased as well. As such, it’s understandable that many of the same watchers of the show would take offense when their world is taken and altered, sometimes in unsavory ways. The anger is partially warranted, however, and that’s because—and let’s be honest here—the majority of fiction written about the show is not exactly a shining beacon of literature.
So, it should come as no surprise that readers are instinctively conditioned to jeer whenever they hear the words or see the tag “AU”. In their eyes, they see only the worst that an author can do, which is, quite frankly, a lot. “AU” is as avoided as a certain other popular tag, sometimes for the wrong reason: OC, or Original Character. I spoke a little about the natures of OC in the very first blog I did for the Pillars of Literature, so I won’t repeat myself on the matter.
As the show progressed, however, one major event came along that changed the nature of how AU is viewed, both within the show, and in the writing produced by its fans, for its fans: as of the fourth season and in supporting media, the nature of Alternate Universes has been embraced by the canon via the Magical Mirror.
Let’s look at the evidence to this fact.
Those who have followed the show will no doubt remember Equestria Girls, the movie that premiered on June 16, 2013, soon after the end of season 3 and before the premiere of season 4.
For those that do not know the story, here is a synopsis to catch you up to speed. For those who are familiar with the story, skip ahead:
Equestria Girls is set shortly after the events of the show's third season finale. Newly crowned Princess Twilight Sparkle visits the Crystal Empire for a royal summit with princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadence. That night, Twilight's crown and Element of Magic is stolen by a unicorn named Sunset Shimmer, a former student of Celestia. After a chase through the castle, Sunset drops the crown through a magic mirror and follows after it. The princesses inform Twilight that the mirror leads to a different world and task Twilight with retrieving her crown on the other side before the portal closes again.
In the other world, Twilight and Spike are transformed into a teenage human girl and a dog/ While struggling to adjust to their new bodies, Twilight investigates the nearby Canterlot High School where she encounters several human students and faculty members resembling ponies in Equestria, including her friends. She befriends the five girls, helping to bridge the animosity that Sunset had created between them in the years prior to Twilight's arrival. Twilight discovers that Fluttershy found the crown and gave it to Celestia, the school principal, who mistakes it for a prop meant for the elected Princess of the upcoming Fall Formal. Twilight decides to run for Fall Formal Princess against Sunset to retrieve the crown. Sunset tries sabotaging Twilight's campaign, first by uploading a humiliating online video of Twilight behaving like a pony, and later framing her for wrecking the formal decorations in the school gymnasium. However, Twilight's new friends, including Sunset's ex-boyfriend Flash Sentry, help counter these ploys and improve Twilight's popularity among the students.
At the formal, Twilight wins the election and the crown, but Sunset steals it after threatening to destroy the portal to Equestria. Upon donning the crown, Sunset transforms into a demonic creature and uses her newfound powers to brainwash much of the student body into becoming her army. When Sunset attacks Twilight, her friends race to save her, evoking the crown's magic that protects them and temporarily gives them pony-like attributes. The magic of their friendship reverts Sunset to her human form and breaks her spell on the other students. Sunset becomes repentant, and Twilight asks her friends to look after Sunset in her absence. Twilight and Spike return to Equestria, transforming back to their original forms on arrival and reuniting with their friends.
The movie introduced the Magical Mirror into the MLP lore. The mirror serves as a powerful tool capable of accessing other realities, serving as a bridge and gateway. While the story of the mirror remains mostly shrouded in mystery (there is no mention of it prior to the movie, and no real background to its origin), the mirror is still a powerful enough relic that the princesses are aware of its existence and usage. This, naturally, prompts the question of previous usage by other individuals.
One doesn’t have to look too far for an answer. While most of the community considers it as non-canon source, it is the only other official form of narrative by the entity responsible for the show’s inception. Until it is declared as no-canon by the powers that be, then it is just as valid as the show itself: The IDW Publishing comic book version of MLP: FIM, which gave us more on the nature of the mirror. From issues No. 17 through 19, we are not only introduced to a secondary mirror located within Canterlot Palace, but we also learn its original owner was none other than Starswirl the Bearded. It is thanks to the second mirror that we are shown yet another version of Equestria, one where Discord is a super hero, Trixie ascended into alicorn-hood, both Celestia and Luna are villainous characters, and the only being keeping some semblance of order in the land is none other than King Sombra, who was never corrupted by whatever shadows tainted both princesses. While we are not quite given much details on the world itself, the fact that it exists serves as yet another in-canon example of Alternate Universes.
Finally, on September 27, 2014, Rainbow Rocks was released. This movie not only returned viewers to the “human” reality of Equestria Girls, but further reinforced the nature of the mirror serving as gateway and bridge between the pony reality, and the human reality. This time around, the portal was opened using a specialized device (created by none other than Twilight) to open the gate at will, allowing indefinite travel between both realms. We also learn that the villains of the movie, the Sirens, were exiled from Equestria by Starswirl the Bearded, further linking him, the mirror, and alternate realities to the canon. In fact, if it hadn’t been for Starswirl’s actions in the far past, the events of the movie would not have transpired.
So, to conclude the first section, I have given three examples to the canon of the show (two of which are undeniable, and one that can be potentially debated) demonstrating how alternate realities are not only known, but integrated. What does this mean for fiction? Simple: the usage of “AU” is not an obsolete artifact of a time when the idea was viewed as strictly “fan made”. This is no longer the case, as canon itself allows for multiple worlds to exist without it interfering with the main storyline. Any reality is potentially feasible and visitable by the MLP cast and those close to them. Nothing is now truly “AU” anymore.
Of course, just because it’s no longer necessary in its current wording, doesn’t mean people know what “AUs” are. That’s where this blog comes in. Join me in section two, as I give you a short lesson on the nature of Alternate Universes and its many facets.
Section Two: What are "Alternate Universes”?
To put it simply, an alternate universe is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality co-existing with another. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality itself.
While the terms "parallel universe" and "alternative reality" are generally synonymous—they can be used interchangeably in most cases—there is sometimes an additional subtext implied with the term alternative reality, one that implies that the reality is a variant of another, often a "canon" reality. The term “parallel universe” is far more general, without any connotations implying a relationship or lack of relationship with other universe/s.
Fiction has long borrowed an idea of “another world” from myth, legend and religion. Heaven, Hell, Olympus, Elysium, and Valhalla are all “alternative universes” compared to the standard realm that heroes reside in. A few Greek philosophers reflected deeply on the idea of parallel realities, the most famous being Plato. His insights into the workings of such metaphysical forces resulted in "Platonism". Platonism, in its simplest form, states that the upper reality of any realm is perfect while the lower earthly reality is an imperfect shadow. Both are similar, but both oppose one another.
Modern fiction often presents the concept of alternate realities as a series of planes of being where the laws of nature differ, allowing magical phenomena of some sort in many cases. The concept was also found in ancient Hindu mythology—such as in the Puranas, which expressed an infinite number of universes, each with its own gods. Similarly in Persian literature, The Adventures of Bulukiya—a tale in the One Thousand and One Nights—describes the protagonist Bulukiya learning of alternative worlds/universes that are similar to but still distinct from his own.
In dark fiction or horror stories, the parallel world is often a hiding place for the eldritch. Oftentimes, the protagonist/s is/are forced to confront effects/entities of that other reality leaking into his/her/their world. In most of the work of H. P. Lovecraft, the Doom game series, or even Warhammer and its 40K variant, such is the case, with malicious forces being either summoned forth by crazed cultists or through stellar alignments (H.P Lovecraft), accidentally stumbled upon while performing teleportation experiments (The Doom series), or fought off using trillion-strong armies and schizo tech (40K). In such works, the nature of the other world is often left mysterious, known only by its effect on our own world, or the lingering madness brought on to anyone unfortunate enough to be a witness to it.
The idea of another “dimension” has become synonymous with the term “parallel universe” as of late. The usage is particularly common in movies, television, comic books and in modern prose science fiction. In written science fiction, “new dimensions” more commonly—and more accurately—refer to additional coordinate axes beyond the three spatial axes with which we are familiar with. By proposing travel along these extra, normally unseen, axes, the traveler can reach worlds that are otherwise unreachable and invisible.
There are many examples where authors have explicitly created additional spatial dimensions for their characters to travel in order to reach parallel universes. Examples range from the Doctor of Dr. Who to the characters from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In both works, access to additional spatial realms allow for new travel possibilities.
Another popular motif of parallel universe works is that time flows may be very different, so much so that a character returning to one might find that time has passed very differently for those he left behind. This is found in folklore, such as when King Herla visited a Fairy and returned three centuries later. Although only some of his men crumbled to dust on dismounting their horses, Herla and his men who did not dismount were trapped on horseback.
While it is entirely possible to write fictional universes exclusively, the division between fantasy and science fiction becomes fuzzy when dealing with stories that explicitly take place elsewhere—especially when said familiar universe is portrayed as a subset of a multiverse—and enter another one. In such cases, picking a genre becomes less a matter of setting and more a matter of theme and emphasis. Care should be taken when this arises, as the choice can make or break the story and whatever tone.
Here are some examples of AU categories that can be found in fiction.
Stranger in a Strange Land
Fantasy authors often want to bring characters from the author's and the reader's reality into their created worlds. Before the mid-20th century, this was most often done by hiding fantastic worlds within hidden parts of the author's own universe. Peasants who seldom—if ever—traveled far from their villages could not conclusively say that it was impossible that an ogre or other fantastical beings could live an hour away, but increasing geographical knowledge meant that such locations had to be farther and farther off. Characters in the author's world could board a ship and find themselves on a fantastic island, as Jonathan Swift does in Gulliver's Travels, or be sucked up into a tornado and land in Oz. These “lost world” stories can be seen as geographic equivalents of a parallel universe, as the worlds portrayed are separate from our own and hidden to everyone except those who take the difficult journey to get there. The geographic “lost world” can blur into a more explicit parallel universe when the fantasy realm overlaps a section of the “real” world, but is much larger inside than out.
After the mid-20th century, perhaps influenced by ideas from science fiction, or perhaps because exploration had made many places on the map too clear to write about, many fantasy worlds became completely separate from the author's own world. A common trope is a portal or artifact that connects worlds together, prototypical examples being the wardrobe in C. S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, or the sigil in James Branch Cabell's The Cream of the Jest. The main difference between this type of story and the lost world above, is that the fantasy realm can only be reached by certain people, at certain times, after following certain rituals, or with the proper artifact. In some cases, physical travel is not even possible, and the character in our reality travels in a dream or some other altered state of consciousness. Often, stories of this type have, as a major theme, the nature of reality itself. Questions about the nature of reality and how dream-worlds can have the same "reality" as the waking world are raised by the characters. Science fiction often employs this theme—usually without the dream-world being “another” universe—in the ideas of cyberspace and virtual reality.
Between Worlds
Most stories in this mold simply transport a character from the real world into the fantasy world where the bulk of the action takes place. Whatever gate is used—such as the tollbooth in The Phantom Tollbooth, or the mirror in Equestria Girls—is left behind for the duration of the story, until the end, and then only if the protagonists returns home. In a few cases, the interaction between the worlds is an important element, so much so that the focus is not on one world or the other, but on both. Interactions between magical and scientific universes, and the protagonists' attempts to restore and maintain the balance between them, are major plot points in some tales.
Myth, Religion, and “Elfland” worlds
As stated earlier, myth and religion has had very long tradition of establishing parallel worlds and alternate realities on which other realms are set. Heaven, Hell, Olympus, Elysium, Tartarus, Hades, and Valhalla are all “alternative universes” compared to the standard realm that heroes call home. These world often have different rules than the standard realm, and are often used as plot devices, either as the realms heroes must traverse in order to speak to the gods, face off against the villains, or just as a test of heroism.
That brings us to the worlds often called "Elfland." Elfland (or Faerie land in some cases) is the otherworldly home not only of elves and fairies, but also of goblins, trolls, and other folkloric creatures that have an ambiguous appearance in folklore and legend. On one hand, the land often appears to be contiguous with “ordinary” land. In other cases, it is viewed as a representation of hell or an underworld of some type. This is not exclusive to English or French folklore, however. In Norse mythology, Alfheim was also the name of what today is the Swedish province of Bohuslän. In the sagas, it said that the people of this petty kingdom were more beautiful than other people, as they were related to the elves, showing that not only the territory was associated with elves, but also the race of its people. While sometimes folklore seems to show fairy intrusion into human lands, at other times, the otherworldly aspects are clear. Most frequently, time can flow differently for those trapped by the fairy dance than in the lands they come from. In an additional complication, it may only be an appearance, as many returning from Faerie land find that time "catches up" with them as soon as they have contact with ordinary lands, resulting in physical and mental changes that can have drastic repercussions.
Fantasy writers have taken up the ambiguity of Elfland to their advantage. Some depict the land of the elves as a full-blown parallel universe with portals as the only entry point. Others have depicted it as the “next land over”, difficult to reach for various reasons—magic or otherwise. In some cases, the boundary between Elfland and the more ordinary realm the heroes hail from is not fixed. Travel to and fro is possible by those in the know, but can have lethal consequences for the unwary or unwelcome.
Fantasy Multiverse
The idea of a multiverse is as fertile a subject for fantasy as it is for science fiction. It allows for epic settings and godlike protagonists. Among the most epic and far-ranging fantasy “multiverses” is that of Michael Moorcock. Like many authors after him, Moorcock was inspired by the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, saying:
It was an idea in the air, as most of these are, and I would have come across a reference to it in New Scientist (one of my best friends was then editor) ... [or] physicist friends would have been talking about it. ... Sometimes what happens is that you are imagining these things in the context of fiction while the physicists and mathematicians are imagining them in terms of science. I suspect it is the romantic imagination working, as it often does, perfectly efficiently in both the arts and the sciences
Unlike many science-fiction interpretations, Moorcock's Eternal Champion stories go far beyond alternative history to include mythic and sword and sorcery settings as well as some worlds more similar to our own. However, the Eternal Champion himself is incarnate in all of them.
Fictional universes as Alternative Universes
There are many examples of the meta-fictional idea of having the author's created universe—or any author's universe—rise to the same level of “reality” as the universe we're familiar with. Some fictional approaches definitively establish the independence of the parallel world, sometimes by having the world differ from the book's account. Other approaches have works of fiction create and affect the parallel world in unexpected ways. These stories often place the author, or authors, in a position where they question their purpose as “creators,” as if writing were an act of creating a new world or an act of discovering a pre-existing world. Occasionally, this approach becomes self-referential, treating the literary universe of the work itself as explicitly parallel to the universe where the work was created.
An early instance of this was in works by Gardner Fox for DC Comics in the 1960s, in which characters from the Golden Age (which was supposed to be a series of comic books within the DC Comics universe) would cross over into the main DC Comics universe. One comic book did provide an explanation for a fictional universe existing as a parallel universe. The parallel world does “exist” and it resonates into the “real world”. Some people in the “real world” pick up on this resonance, gaining information about the parallel world which they then use to write stories.
unfortunately, fictional universes as alternative universes can also have the detrimental effect of causing widespread confusion in certain situations. Retcon after retcon has made superhero arcs almost impossible to discern and follow, alienating even the most dedicated of readers. It's hard to care if each new alternate universe demands a reset in emotional investment all the time, thus leading to many comic book readers dropping the storylines altogether. Caution must be used when employing this particular instance of AU writing.
Hyperspace
Perhaps the most common use of the concept of a parallel universe in science fiction is the concept of "hyperspace." Used in science fiction, the concept often refers to a parallel universe that can be used as a faster-than-light shortcut for interstellar travel. The form of hyperspace varies from work to work, but the two most common elements are:
At least some (if not all) locations in the hyperspace universe map to locations the known universe the story takes place in, providing the "entry" and "exit" points for travelers.The travel time between two points in the hyperspace universe is much shorter than the time to travel to the analogous points in said universe. This can be because of a different speed of light, different speed at which time passes, or the analogous points in the hyperspace universe are just much closer to each other.
While use of hyperspace is common, it is mostly used as a plot device and thus of secondary importance. While a parallel universe may be invoked by the concept, the nature of the universe is not often explored. So, while stories involving hyperspace might be the most common use of the parallel universe concept in science fiction, it is not the most common source of fiction about parallel universes.
Time Travel and Alternate History
Parallel universes may also be the backdrop to or for the consequence of time travel, their most common use in fiction if the concept is central to the story. Time-travelers in fiction often accidentally or deliberately create alternative histories. Ordinarily, alternative histories are not technically parallel universes. Concepts are similar, yes, but there are significant differences. When characters travel to the past, they may cause changes in the timeline that result in changes to the present. The alternative present will be similar in different degrees to the original present as would be the case with a parallel universe. The main difference is that parallel universes co-exist whereas only one history or alternative history can exist at any one moment. Another difference is that moving to a parallel universe involves some inter-dimensional travel whereas alternative histories involve some type of time travel. There is one method of avoiding this issue, however. Said method is to travel "sidewise" in time.
The term "sidewise travel" was taken from Murray Leinster's Sidewise in Time. In the story, characters pass through many different alternative histories, all of which descend from a common branching point. Worlds that are similar to each other are considered closer to each other in terms of this sidewise travel. For example, a universe where World War II ended differently would be “closer” to us than one where Imperial China colonized the New World in the 15th century. H. Beam Piper used this concept, naming it “paratime” and writing a series of stories involving the Paratime Police who regulated travel between these alternative realities, as well as the technology to do so.
Universe “types” frequently explored in sidewise and alternative history works include worlds where Nazis won the Second World War (Man in the high Castle, Wolfenstein: The new Order), a world where technology advanced via the use of steam power (Steampunk/Dieselpunk works), worlds where technology reached a high point despite modern processors and chipsets not being discovered (Fallout series), and even worlds where technology has far outpaced our modern world due to certain periods of history never having taken place (E.I. the Dark Ages, Fall of Rome, Burning of the Great Library of Alexandria, etc.)
Counter Earth, Convergent Evolution, Convergent Evolution due to contamination and Simulated Reality
Counter earth:
The concept of a “Counter-Earth” is similar to that of the parallel universe, but is actually a distinct idea altogether. A counter-earth is a planet that shares Earth's orbit but is on the opposite side of the Sun and, therefore, cannot be seen from Earth. There would be no necessity that such a planet would be like Earth in any way, though typically in fiction, it is usually nearly identical to Earth. Since counter-earth is always within our own universe, travel to it can be accomplished with ordinary space travel.
Convergent Evolution:
Convergent evolution is a biological concept where unrelated species acquire similar traits because they adapted to a similar environment and/or played similar roles in their ecosystems. In fiction, the concept is extended whereby similar planets will result in races with similar cultures and/or histories. Technically though, this is not a type of parallel universe since such planets can be reached via ordinary space travel, but the stories are similar in some respects. Star Trek frequently explored such worlds.
Convergent Evolution due to contamination:
A similar concept in biology is gene flow. In this case, a planet may start as different from Earth, but due to the influence of Earth culture, the planet comes to resemble Earth in some way. Technically, this is not a type of parallel universe since such planets can be reached via ordinary space travel, but the stories are similar in some respects.
Simulated Reality:
Simulated realities are digital constructs featured in science fiction such as The Matrix and Neuromancer. In such works, the question posed by characters is often what defines reality, and what defines the "fake" world they inhabit or constantly travel to.
Section Three: A list of recommended AU tropes
While the above section described the many ways AU can be applied in fiction writing, such usage is but the first of many steps towards developing a proper narrative. The second move comes down to an understanding of narrative and characters, especially if one chooses to write an AU on something that already exists. While reading, I noticed four main parts that make or break any attempt at making a good AU-based story. While these points apply to pony fiction, they can also be used for any other type of fiction as well. These points are as follows:
1. Usage of OCs in a manner that, rather than relying on the factor of their 'non-canonicity', they are fleshed out as three-dimensional players that have wants, needs, and flaws. This overlapped in many ways with just how to develop characters well. One needs not go too far into strange territory to satisfy this particular point.
2. Using the setting either to deconstruct, deconstruct and then re-construct, or to showcase a certain message that may have been overlooked in the show proper. Not just relying on the fact that it's a different world, but rather give meaning as to why its a different world. Why are events taking place, and what to they mean to the characters?
3. Using elements that are familiar to fans of the show in a way that challenges them to think about how it is portrayed in the first place. Just why do we love AJ's tenacity, or Dash's flawed sense of loyalty? Also, using said qualities to deliver an even stronger overall message, be it how even the best of intentions can go horribly south, or how misunderstandings can eventually develop into huge problems.
4. A sense of "fun", for a lack of a better word. Was the AU setting chosen because it allowed for greater storytelling freedom?
Conclusions and Final Thoughts
Alternate universe fiction is a tricky form of storytelling that allows for a varied amount of settings, characters, and situations that go beyond the norm. Can it be a daunting task to work with a style of fiction that demands knowledge of some rather high-end scientific theories and overly complex timelines? Certainly, but the amount of freedom given to any author that understands and fully harnesses AU is simply mind boggling. If freedom in storytelling is the endgame, then proper use of alternate universes prove to be very powerful tools to harness. To be afraid or against its use limits the scope with which fiction can be created, and in turn leads to possible stagnation. In the end, there is much more to be gained than lost.
Finally, the nature of the AU tag in pony writing, as stated earlier in this essay, has reached a point where it is mostly moot. A simple wave or description by a character can completely set any story within canon with the aid of the mirror. As such, such tales stop being AU, and instead become more of an “elsewhere” affair. They ask more questions pertaining to “What if” rather than stating something is fully concrete. In the world of fiction (especially pony fiction) nothing is ever concrete. There will always be someone else who will expand on the ideas presented.
With that, I end yet another instance of the Pillars of Literature. My longest blog yet, no less. Hope you all enjoyed my writing and got a bit out of it to boot.
Until next time, stay frosty everyone, and have a good day (or night, if you happen to be reading this after sunset).
For those who have stuck around this long and have read this far, well, first I would like to thank you for reading my stuff. I'm constantly seeing ways to improve myself. I don't got much news since last time I made a blog: got my job that keeps me busy and I now have net. However, I have been working on a few things. I won't say much of what it actually is. instead, i'll allow these concept images do the talking for me.
For those interested, the artist is a good friend of mine going by the Fimfiction name of TapeDiggity.
Enjoy!
Grogar Tambelon the V:
Sun Beam:
Elsewhere Luna:
Mabus:
Canon Design:
Promo'd the fuck out of this.
~Skeeter The Lurker
2864119
Heh. That was faster than expected. Thank you.
2864126
For you? I couldn't be quicker.
~Skeeter The Lurker
So if my stories involve OCs that originate from a country made of my own design, would that be considered an "elsewhere" affair or an AU?
2864213
Depends. If you provide a deep-enough backstory to said country and set it within the politics of, say, Equestria in a way that meshes with the canon, you could get away with an "elsewhere" setting by using the mirror. Otherwise, it would be AU setting, as it's a complete new location that may or may not mesh well, causing further changes to the rest of the world.
2864260
Well... okay maybe the country does have some canon backstory. It's basically the original ponylands before the Three Pony Tribes migrated to Equestria, and later after Celestia drives away the Windigoes, it became a mixing bowl of a home, housing many races in one country. I also renamed the country to reflect its rebirth from an frigid, dead wasteland to a bountiful land that accepts any. Come to think of it, I may have to rename it again to better fit that theme. 'Magistrum' doesn't really suggestion anything about transformation into something better, does it?
2864316
Yup, you might need a new name. Still, so long as you give enough detail-wise, you'll be fine.
1) So, branching timelines don't count as AU?
2) Which story are those pics from?
2864420
Branching timelines can count as Alternate Timelines, so they are AU. The trick is to make sure that they are given enough detail.
They are for a story I am currently working on. I'm keeping some of the details close to the vest for the time being. More details will be given in due time.
2864414
Hmm... and what if the story also happens to take place in the future? Still different enough to be considered an AU or not?
2864440
cool.
2864462
At that point, It does come a lot closer to AU, yes. However, there are ways you can still try and keep it more or less grounded to some type of canon. One method would be to use the mirror as a sort of 'link' between that reality and, say, the one of the show. Another would be to state that it's future events, so it's diverting, but still taking off from a point that's more or less still within possible canon. It really comes down to how close or far you want things to be to a "canon".
If you feel you have to go all out though, then don't be afraid to.
Fascinating. I do like how you've categorized the different types of AUs.
2864488
Ok thanks.
Why have I not heard of you until now? You are so followed.
This actually does surprise me. I didn't know this. While I adore alternate universes simply by virtue of being a giant nerd, I kinda assumed that everyone else enjoyed the what-iffyness of alternate takes on established canon.
2864646
This is a sad truth. Had I the power, I would push to change the wording of the tag itself to "What if" or even "Elsewhere story," as both better represent the idea pony AU fiction 90% of the time.
2865654
Million-dollar question I stopped asking about two years ago, heh.
Why, thank you sir. You've made my day
You're in a small camp that is, thankfully, starting to grow. Why it's growing is a bit of a issue however, as it measn that much of the die-hard fanbase is vanishing. It's a two-edged sword, really. The die hard consume pony fiction the most, but are the most anal about changes to the canon they love. They mostly want to see things stay the same for one reason or another. There have always been those who push the envelope, and a few breakout hits in said categories, but the status quo for a long time was that the different was not well liked.
2870840
Tell me about it. That's why I wrote it and posted it, so people would know.