The Basic PPC Charge List: BSG Edition
This is based off of the LotR Charge List, and acts as a reference guide for those willing to PPC BSG badfic. Enjoy.
The Basic PPC Charge List: Battlestar Galactica (2003) Edition
Protectors of the Plot Continuum
Canon Protection Initiative Headquarters
February 4, 2009
MEMORANDUM
To: All Assassination and Reconnaissance Departments
From: The Sunflower Official
Please find enclosed the current official list of basic offenses against Canon for which fan-written characters in the Battlestar Galactica (2003) fandom may be charged with disrupting the Continuum. As all agents are to a certain extent autonomous while in the field, amplification of these rudimentary charges is encouraged as long as it does not violate Canon Protection Initiative policy. It is noted that the list is not exhaustive and is subject to further revision. To nominate a frequent or egregious offense for inclusion on the list, simply contact the Department of Records, Accounting, and Tabulation (DRAT). Please do not ask for a raise while doing so.
A. CANON VIOLATIONS
1. Character Disruptions
1.1. Causing personality alterations and character ruptures
1.2. Causing improbable romantic liasons between canon characters (e.g. Saul Tigh/Kara Thrace?!)
1.3. Breaking up a canon romance, especially in favour of an original character
1.3.1 Initiating romantic liaisons without regards to canonical plotlines
1.4. Causing a character to act like a lovestruck fool, especially over an original character
1.5. Causing male characters to be mysogynistic or chauvinistic; creating "Designated Mysogynistic Bastards"
1.6. Causing female characters to be antagonistically feminist
1.7. Creating gratuitous uncanonical younger siblings or offspring of canon characters
1.8. Causing a canon character to abuse/harrass/molest his or her child(ren) or subordinates (only exception is Socrata Thrace)
1.8.1. Causing individuals of known chivalry and honor to abuse/harrass/molest anyone
1.8.2. Causing individuals of known chivalry and honor to become a pervert
1.9. Otherwise slandering persons, groups, or races
1.10. Upstaging canon characters
1.10.1 Stealing lines
1.11. Causing an original character to be one of the Final Five/Original Humanoid Cylon Models (e.g. The ‘lost’ thirteenth model)
1.12. Altering the number or the composition of the Humanoid Cylons
1.13. Confusing Cylon model numbers
1.14. Claiming to have knowledge about Earth
1.14.1. Usurping Laura Roslin’s role as the Dying Leader
1.14.2. Not being viewed as insane because of that
2. Social Disruptions
2.1. Changing the physiology of any canon race
2.1.1. Giving Cylons Vulcan ears or any characteristic of any other non-human race
2.1.2. Altering the physiology of a canon character (e.g. Bill Adama with vampire fangs)
2.1.3. Causing male pregnancy
2.2. Changing the social conventions and structures of a canonical society
2.2.1. Causing Colonials known to worship the Lords of Kobol to suddenly convert/become an atheist without reason
2.2.1.1. Causing Cylons to convert with no reason
2.2.2. Forcing arranged marriages without reason
2.2.2.1. Causing divorces with no reason
2.2.3. Changing the mode of dress, shelter, or transport in any Colonial or Cylon society
2.2.4. Causing individuals of known heterosexual orientation to be suddenly and unaccountably eager to engage in homosexual relations
2.2.5. Changing the government of the Twelve Colonies or any city within the President’s administration. (e.g. from democracy to monarchy)
2.2.6. Giving paper corners
2.3. Creating non-canonical races (e.g. vampires)
2.4. Confusing family trees (e.g. Kara Thrace as Laura Roslin’s niece)
2.6. Instilling elements of fantasy in a science fiction television show
2.6.1. Replacing Colonial/Cylon technology with magic
2.6.2. Other gratuitous use of magic
2.7. Claiming to be Pythia/have a mysterious destiny
2.8. Failing to recgonize the importance of certain days (e.g. Colonial Day, Adama’s Anniversary)
2.8.1. Failing to recgonize the importance of certain people (aka insubordination) and getting away with it
2.8.2. Failing to recgonize the main religions in the BSG fandom
2.8.3. Celebrating (or causing canon characters to celebrate) Earth holidays
3. Environment Disruptions
3.1. Changing the layout of ships and basestars
3.2. Altering the location of key canon plot events
3.3. Altering history or the known backstory of a character
3.4. Deletion or overriding of key canon scenes in a non-AU fic
3.5. Changing outcomes (e.g. not nuked!Earth) in a non-AU fic
B. SPACE-TIME DISTORTIONS
1. Causing time compression or expansion
2. Using unnecessary tense and person shifts
3. Causing anachronistic behaviour
3.1. Causing canon characters to use archaic speech
3.2. Singing (or causing canon characters to sing) pop songs from Earth
3.3. Causing canon characters to use Earth psychology
4. Causing events to happen out of canon plotline order
5. Changing timelines or characters’ ages without cause
6. Causing events to eventuate solely for the benefit of the original character without regard to canon plotlines
7. Changing outcomes (e.g. not nuked!Earth) in a non-AU fic
8. Bringing technology from Earth to the Fleet/Cylons (e.g. Laura Roslin with an iPod)
C. TECHNICAL IMPROBABILITIES
1. Use of bad biology
1.1. Employing impossible medical cures
1.1.1. Curing Laura Roslin’s cancer
1.2. Creating non-canonical races (e.g. vampires)
1.3. Causing logistically improbable romantic liaisons (e.g. Human/Centurion)
2. Use of bad physics
3. Use of bad plot devices
3.1. Employing dei ex machina
3.2. Creating "cute animal friends"
3.3. Gratuitous use of magical jewelry
3.4. Displaying magical Mary Sue powers
3.5. Instilling elements of fantasy in a science fiction television show
3.5.1. Replacing Colonial/Cylon technology with magic
3.5.2. Other gratuitous use of magic
3.6. Possessing a Viper/Raptor/Raider/Any other sort of ship with unique properties
D. LANGUAGE ABUSE
1. Mangling of the English language
1.1. Bad grammar and syntax
1.2. Punctuation errors
1.3. Spelling errors
1.3.1. General spelling errors
1.3.2. Errors in spelling of names, aka "creating mini-Centurions"
1.4. Bad formatting
1.4.1. Compressing paragraphs
1.4.2. Not bothering to delineate dreams from reality
1.4.3. Creating in-text Author’s Notes
2. Inventing languages and passing them off as canonical languages
3. Abuse of the Muses
3.1. Scrawling pitiful doggerel and calling it poetry
3.2. Taking canon quotes or poetry and contorting them to make them refer to an original character
3.3. Quoting song lyrics of any description, particularly those of Britney Spears and her ilk (aka "song fics")
4. Giving original characters inappropriate names
4.1. Mangling a canon character’s name for the benefit of an Original Character (e.g. “Hey, my OC’s name is Lori Rosalynn and she has an original name that is most definitely not ripped off of Laura Roslin!”)
5. Causing canon characters to use archaic speech, Shakespearean English, or Olde Englishe
6. Gratuitous tense shifting (e.g. past to present)
7. Gratuitous point-of-view or person shifting
8. Employing melodramatics
8.1. Employing Urple prose that will make even Jim Theis proud
8.1.1 Using said Urple prose to describe the original character
9. Causing an original character to have an unbearably beautiful voice
10. Mangling terms and acronyms
10.1 Confusing military ranks
10.2. Not using the word ‘frak’
E. SUBJECTIVE CHARGES
(Note: These charges may not necessarily be officially supported by the Administration if disputed and do not constitute legal cause for assasination on their own; however, they are authorized for use by PPC personnel if sufficient charges have been accumulated under other sections to warrant assasination or incarceration of the subject.)
1. Annoying/Disgusting PPC agents
2. Displaying extreme stupidity or causing canon characters to act stupidly
3. Committing fashion crimes
4. Employing melodramatics, especially melodramatic death speeches (may need to be given post-humously)
5. Hitting on PPC agents’ lust objects
6. Claiming than the fanfic is "not a Mary-Sue" when it has all the recognized characteristics of one
7. Pretending to dislike or be angry at a lust object when it is PAINFULLY OBVIOUS that the original character only exists to enact the author's own wish-fulfillment fantasies as the lover/partner of her crush.
8. Giving paper corners
NOTES:
1. Some charges may be listed under more than one section of this document.
2. This document is in no way an exhaustive list of possible entries for a charge list, but instead encompasses the most frequently-used charges which are authorized by PPC Headquarters and will be supported by the Legal Department if dispute arrises.
3. The main and first entry on any charge list for the Department of Mary-Sues is "Being a Mary-Sue." This item is mandatory for inclusion on a DMS charge list, but must be substantiated by other charges in order to be legally recognized.