I think it’s really important to talk about how different people have different power fantasies.
For example:
For some people, the idea of someone redeeming a villain is a power fantasy.
For other people, the idea of a villain being defeated is a power fantasy.
And for other people, the idea of a character owning their villainy is a power fantasy.
I would argue a lot of fandom conflicts re: villains come from people being unable to see that their fantasies, which put them in control of a narrative (and all three of these are designed to give the author or reader control of the narrative in different ways) are someone else’s horror stories.
I think this is a really interesting look at power fantasies and I personally have experienced all three, regarding different characters.
I would argue, however, that most of these fandom conflicts actually come from the reverse situation. That is, it’s not people looking at their own fantasies and being unable to see that these fantasies are horrifying for others (though that does, of course, happen).
I see, more often, people looking at other people’s fantasies and declaring them to be horrifying. That they are objectively bad and harmful and representative of whatever it is people find to be dangerous. And that, in fact, their fantasies or empowering at all, but rather symptoms of societal sickness.
So rather than saying a lot of fandom conflicts re: villains come from people being unable to see that their fantasies are someone else’s horror stories, I would say that a lot of fandom conflicts re: villains come from people being unable to see that different people have different fantasies in the first place. That it’s not that they’re thinking of their own fantasies at all. But that they’re seeing only their own horrors in the fantasies of others.
Good meta, but I wanna add:
For some people, the power fantasy is not necessarily “someone redeeming a villain” but “a villain being redeemed”; that is, they identify more with the villain going through the redemption, rather than the hero offering redemption, or the villain who owns their villainy.
Idk if you could really call it a power fantasy exactly, but it serves a similar purpose. It can be really cathartic to see a character who is in the dark and alone be reached out to, to see a hero extend a hand and good faith and help them back into the light. To see someone believe in them, to see them better themselves and heal.
It’s okay to identify with vulnerability instead of (or in addition to) power, is what I’m saying.
I’m working on super cool duo short-haired-Claudia and long-haired-Benji!
Of course, no fedoras allowed. I really don’t know what the hell was thinking AR when she decided that fedoras were cool. 🤷🏻♀️ Berets are better XD *thinks of all Gucci stuff*
Also: do I need to make Benji darker? I feel this level of pale is good enough, but Im not that sure (and I don’t want his skin to end up looking too red?)
don’t have anything in common with me anymore, and are bored by the things i post
feel obligated by whatever personal reason you may have to keep following me, even if literally any of those above things apply
this applies to mutuals as well. your dash should be your happy place, so no hard feelings and i wish you the best in life
I’m adding here that I don’t actually check my followers list ever – I only ever check the number if I’ve had a rash of new follows – so if you’ve got any anxiety about offending me, don’t worry, because I literally won’t see. Your dash is your safe and happy spot, and if my content doesn’t jive with what you want to see…that’s fine with me.
listen binch. no one has an original style. no one pulls a unique style of art out of their ass. we get to where we are through observing others and being influenced by them and that’s how art works
Friendly reminder that fan-made content (fanart, fanfic, fanvids, etc) are:
extremely time consuming. Remember someone actually took time out of their life to create that, time they could’ve used to, idk, sleep, for example
entertainment you’re consuming for free. I can’t stress this enough: you’re enjoying someone else’s craft for free. You paid exactly zero money to look at/read/watch it.
S H A R E D with you, not made for you. This is the most important point: someone created that, put it online and you found it. No one forced you to consume that fanwork, you C H O S E to do it.
Whenever you feel like leaving a mean comment, anonymous hate or make a ~clever post about how ‘lol look at all of these overused tropes every fic writer crams into their fics’ remember you’re being a dick to someone who shared their work with you. You’re not being funny, you’re not being edgy, you’re not being brave for calling something out – you’re being a dick.
I-want-my-IWTV 