Hmm
Remarks made to my recent fic (Instinct) makes me think about death-fic, labeling, and the such.
On one hand, not everyone wants to read about a character very near and dear to their heart dying. Some people can't take the pain of it, and some just don't want to read about it right now.
But on the other hand, if it was labeled as such, you expect it. You wait for it. And you know it's coming. The reaction to what actually happens is less "OMGWTFBBQ" and more "Oh, that's how you did it."
It makes me wonder. If we had known that Joyce was going to die in "The Body," would that have made the sudden pain of that episode less? If we had known Tara was going to bite it near the end of season 6, would it have been as much as a gut punch?
I knew long beforehand that Hughes died. I knew long before I got to that chapter in FMA, long before that chapter was translated to anime. It hurt, especially in the anime. They had made Hughes so beloved to us that Envy's actions hurt. However, if I hadn't known, if it had been a surprise, it would have hurt much more.
Fanfiction is the only thing that WARNS you that there will be something you don't like. Television just throws it on you, the good ones making sure that none of it leaks out. No one knew that Joyce was going to die. Hell, when I saw Amber Bensen's name in the credits, I was all "It's about fucking time." I didn't expect her character to die in the same episode!
The way I think about it is such: It happens all the time in other forms of fiction. They will build characters you love, and slay them. They kill off their own characters without the barest hint of a warning. Would the scene where Alucin dies in Phedre's arms in Kushiel's Dart have been as powerful if the author had to warn you that he died to keep from offending people? I loved Fortun, one of Phedre's Boys. If Ms. Carey had to warn for character death and torture in Kushiel's Chosen, would Fortun's death and Phedre's plight afterwards have been as strong?
If Joss had to warn that he was killing off characters, would Joyce's and Tara's death have been as heartwrenching and surprising?
If Randy had told us that he was killing off a character, or even warned of extreme sadness ahead, soon before starting the "Just Today" arc, would we have been so shattered at Faye's death?
No.
Authors will kill beloved characters all the time. And they don't warn their audience. If a fanfiction author decides not to warn the audience about death, that is their choice. Be angry all you want. They don't need to tell you a thing.
Simply put?
No one on either side of the fanfiction line owes you a damn thing.
Thank you.
On one hand, not everyone wants to read about a character very near and dear to their heart dying. Some people can't take the pain of it, and some just don't want to read about it right now.
But on the other hand, if it was labeled as such, you expect it. You wait for it. And you know it's coming. The reaction to what actually happens is less "OMGWTFBBQ" and more "Oh, that's how you did it."
It makes me wonder. If we had known that Joyce was going to die in "The Body," would that have made the sudden pain of that episode less? If we had known Tara was going to bite it near the end of season 6, would it have been as much as a gut punch?
I knew long beforehand that Hughes died. I knew long before I got to that chapter in FMA, long before that chapter was translated to anime. It hurt, especially in the anime. They had made Hughes so beloved to us that Envy's actions hurt. However, if I hadn't known, if it had been a surprise, it would have hurt much more.
Fanfiction is the only thing that WARNS you that there will be something you don't like. Television just throws it on you, the good ones making sure that none of it leaks out. No one knew that Joyce was going to die. Hell, when I saw Amber Bensen's name in the credits, I was all "It's about fucking time." I didn't expect her character to die in the same episode!
The way I think about it is such: It happens all the time in other forms of fiction. They will build characters you love, and slay them. They kill off their own characters without the barest hint of a warning. Would the scene where Alucin dies in Phedre's arms in Kushiel's Dart have been as powerful if the author had to warn you that he died to keep from offending people? I loved Fortun, one of Phedre's Boys. If Ms. Carey had to warn for character death and torture in Kushiel's Chosen, would Fortun's death and Phedre's plight afterwards have been as strong?
If Joss had to warn that he was killing off characters, would Joyce's and Tara's death have been as heartwrenching and surprising?
If Randy had told us that he was killing off a character, or even warned of extreme sadness ahead, soon before starting the "Just Today" arc, would we have been so shattered at Faye's death?
No.
Authors will kill beloved characters all the time. And they don't warn their audience. If a fanfiction author decides not to warn the audience about death, that is their choice. Be angry all you want. They don't need to tell you a thing.
Simply put?
No one on either side of the fanfiction line owes you a damn thing.
Thank you.