User blog:AustinDR/When Do Dark Fics Go Too Far?

I know, I know; a dark fic doesn't exactly have to be in line with the series it's based on, but I believe that's a terrible way to look at things. If anything, I feel that a dark fic based on any show, game, or movie should at least be respectful of the original source. Plainly speaking, part of my disdain for fanfics started when I first joined the Subpages Cleanup forum on TV Tropes for the Complete Monster forum. In short, a complete monster is the worst character in their work who are purely evil. They have no mitigating factors (like a sympathetic backstory), they are the most heinous characters by their work (they need to be able to stand out according to the baseline, and be heinous by what's nasty according to the work: (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=6vic3f9h1cy5qivsenw8llok&page=3255#81356). In short, I had gotten a total of 40 or so candidates approved, one included being Linka Loud from Stories and Tales from Dimension 63 by Ultra Omega. But anyway, part of the dislike for fanfics or fan works in general was because several fanfics were proposed on the forum that fell under grimdark. The most blatant of the bad examples came from children's programs that were warped in order to introduce darker subject matter that no one in their right mind would ever conceive. So, as short, part o fthe reason as to why I hated fanfics at first was because some of them would be dark for the sake of trying to be "edgy" or "hardcore." Besides that, I also do feel that some fanfics can be a waste of time, but I digress.

So, it isn't a surprise that the Loud House has gotten a few dark fics. Which I find hilarious. Most of them range from being okay, to outright terrible whether they're badly written, mean-spirited, or in between. For instance, one especially bad was a NSL AU (most of them are bad in general, or numerous). In it, the parents get arrested, and the girls get sent to a foster home. Lynn commits suicide for no real reason, Lori tries to kill Lincoln the moment she saw him, etc. Now, I didn't really care if the characters were OOC (read that one blog where I basically say that having a character act OOC works as long as it makes sense in the story); what made me dislike the story, however, was some of the aspects of it. Besides Lynn killing herself, Lola gets adopted by a pedophile who lets her know that he has plans for her when they got home. So, as a dark fic...it honestly comes off as grimdark, and slightly too judgmental for the characters involved.

OK, so now for stories that are slightly better with their dark subjects, but are still a little off. Requiem and Syngesophobia are good in their own ways. The latter deconstructs the fighting that happens in the show and introduces realistic consequences for it, while Requiem explores what would happen if the emotional center of a family were to disappear. However...both of them have their flaws. With Requiem, I feel now it's leaning heavily close towards grimdark. The plot is already pretty dark, but then the author introduces underage drinking and relations, something that the actual show would never even dare to cross. While I understand that there is a reason behind this, it still comes off as unnecessary. And as for Lincoln's suffering...really, I feel that the author is drawing it out for all that it's worth. I found some scenes unintentionally funny because of how they're implemented. I mean, Lincoln assuring Lucy that he'd always be there for her whether or not he does die? Sweet, yes, but it's also pretty corny. As for Syngesophobia, a lot of the punishments that the girls receive are actually hilarious because they each fit in with their character traits. I honestly did not know whether the author was being serious there, or if he had a sadistic sense of humor. I mean I do, as I mostly enjoyed the fact that the girls were actually being punished for the crap they pulled in the actual episode. The rest of the fanfic was good, though.

Ultimately, I'm not saying that there shouldn't be any dark fics based on the show. The question is when does it stop being a story, and only exists for grimdark? For instance, say that one of the kids was abducted by the Yakuza, and forced to work under excruciating circumstances in a factory. Would that be a suitable fanfic based on the show? Really, I could see that premise work for any type of crime series, but not the Loud House. Or have a fanfic where Luan kills people, and mixes their meat into the cream pies she throws with. Definitely doesn't sound like a grimdark synopsis, right? Really, that's my issue with a lot of fanfics based on cartoons; they go far beyond the brink of reality. For shows like MLP: FiM, for instance, you have a ton of fics to choose from. Whether it's Cupcakes, Rainbow Factory (the song based on the story is rocking, though), or even Sweet Apple Massacre (which I advise you to NOT read...unless you drink gallons upon gallons of brain bleach), these stories take what should be a wholesame kid's show, and perverts them for their own nefarious purposes.

So...when is a dark fic based on a show (in this case, cartoons) stays well within line of the show they're inspired from, but don't oversell their darkness? Well, one way I look on it is whether or not the story adds something new to the show. I love Stories and Tales from Dimension 63 primarily because it changes the setting of the show, but it is nowhere near as dark as some fanfics. It introduces a sci-fi adventure, several different dimensions, etc. Really, that was the only loophole that I had to get Linka Loud upvoted on the Complete Monster forum.

Though, I guess what I primarily dislike about dark fics based on the show is that they miss the point of the show. One of the genres of the show is comedy; as such, I'd rather laugh than be made to feel bad or any other emotion. I commend Requiem and Syngesophobia for adding more depth to the show, but they ultimately miss the mark. I'm not saying that all stories based on the Loud House need to be funny first and foremost; but considering how terrible life tends to get, at the very least, a funny story, or a slightly heartwarming story would suffice.

So what makes a good dark fic? Violence and death. Re-imaginings. When it has a point. Other (leave answer in comment section)

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