fan-characters

[mccoybrows]

Are they a wonder or an abomination?
Do you have any?
Air your opinions and/or OCs. I'm sure we'd all like to see them!

Comments

[fisher_queen]

I like OCs and hey, my two favorite Trek RPG ones actually became original characters in one of my own original worlds instead so it can really work out. :)

[captn_noligin]

They're not always bad.
Its tricky to get them right, but some OCs are done well.

also, I aprove of your location.
:D

[mccoybrows]

Who wouldn't want to be in that location, eh?

**winkwinknudgenudge**

[azora_mysta]

Original Characters are a mixed bag, but I think that's obvious. There are definitely cases where you want to use them---a new alien threat, for example, can spice things up.

Bridge crew OCs are trickier, because more often than not you have a canon character who can do the job just as well. It makes me a sad panda when Uhura is shoved aside so a sparkly lady (or gentleman, of course) appears with an even more talented tongue to get into Spock's pants. But if there's a job you need for your story to work and there's no canon character to fit the bill without warping their personality, making an OC makes sense.

This goes for all fandoms, but OCs really bother me when they become the centerpiece of the story to the extent that the canon characters only exist as props to praise the OC, often twisting them out of character in the process.

See this story for a short parody that takes this to extremes---incidentally, it's the story that coined the term 'Mary Sue', first published in 1974. Yes, this fandom is so damn ubiquitous that we

[mccoybrows]

I've been looking for that story forever!

finally

♥

[kryptongirl]

Oh my god, THIS STORY! SNORFLE!

[lisaee]

Admittedly I tend to read fics with OCs if they're backing characters only, but I've fallen in love with some. Obviously it depends on how well written and fleshed out they are!

In a fandom like Star Trek or, say, Harry Potter, OCs are somewhat inevitable with such a large universe to play in. Just so lon as they're believable.

[hazel_belle]

if the character is written really well, and the fic itself has substance and i don't feel like i want to strangle the character for doing something.

i like it when the have flaws and when they can be good at something, like we already have the bridge crew who are the best at their fields, so make the OC good at like something else like "certain styles of martial arts only" or "something random that no one things will come in handy but it will".

but if you make mary sue or gary stu and you have them only as yourself to screw around and be "their on truuuu luvvv" DONT.

[phbtonyou]

Or sweeping and mopping floors where others do not. OR BAKING. I KNOW A CERTAIN GQMF WHO IS A FABULOUS BAKER. ♥♥♥♥♥♥

[hazel_belle]

YOU CAUGHT ME! SURPRISE!

LOL. Bakers and Maids, thats what the USS Enterprise needs, dontcha know?