Alternate Universes

[kriadydragon]

These days I find myself giving more and more into AU ideas. Another thing I love about the SGA fandom is the ability to explore alternate universes without feeling wierd about it, because the concept of AUs are actually canon. At the same time, though, I still feel wierd about writing them, even a little guilty as some ideas feel too much like character-stealing original fic. At the same time, though, they're still fun concepts to explore;)

But I have my limits - both in what I write and what I'll read. AUs work best for me when the team is still a team and, most importantly, when the characters are still in character; when there's some kind of bad-guy to defeat, adventure, or challenge to overcome; when the overall feel of the story is still very much "Stargate" no matter the setting or time period. I'm not really sure how to explain the latter, just that there are some stories I've read that might as well be original fic, and some that feel like the characters really have stepped into an alternate universe, with their minds reprogrammed to fit in that universe (yeah, I know, cheesy description, but it's a positive description, I promise ;)).

So, I suppose you could say there has to be a touch of canon in order for an AU to work for me, and that touch of canon needs to be the characters themselves. When the personalities are altered just as much as the setting, that's when I stop reading.

What are your thoughts/opinions on AUs?

Comments

[karri-kln1671.livejournal.com]

I like well-written AUs, but for me they still need to be in the Stargate universe (so, Milky Way or Pegasus or even a made-up galaxy with an original group of aliens, but with stargates), and the characters need to be in character.

AUs in which their names are pasted onto original characters or they're set in average real world settings (no stargates or other alien tech, ie. no Goa'uld, Ancient, or Asgard) hold no interest for me.

I'll read AU for most fandoms if the basic universe of the fandom is in place (ie. changes an episode or season finale and spinning an AU series out of the result) and the characters remain in character.

I watch shows because I like the characters, thus if the characters are OOC, whether it's technically canon-verse or it's AU, then I'm not interested.

That's a huge part of my issues with ship and slash. The characters are (pretty near) always out of character in such stories. (I suspect because when it's in character for the characters to end up romantically entangled, the show's writers take full advantage of it.)

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I can read almost any type of AU as long as it involves the conditions I mentioned in the post - even if the story isn't set in a sci-fi universe. Writing it, though... I have ideas, but have a hard time bringing myself to write such stories. and the further from canon the idea takes me, the harder it is for me to write.

I know some will say that putting the characters in very far-from-canon situations (using the eaxmple November SGA gave: Ronon owning a flower shop) is simply another way to explore the characters. I believe it's true to an extent, but a lot of these types of stories I've come across seem little more than wish fulfillment and original fic. And more often than not, it's genreally about porn (back when I was using Storyfinder, you would not believe how many "John the male model and Rodney the phtographer" stories there were, all of them NC-17 slash.)

I've read a few major AUs that have been fun (such as one where the group has mutant powers, but isn't an X-men fusion, and pirate AUs - yeah, I like 'em, I admit it ;)) and as long as the characters were in character, with the team intact, I could kind-of, sort-of buy it. More often than not, though, no matter how fun the AU, most tend to be hard for me to swallow.

[wildcat88.livejournal.com]

I enjoy the occasional AU. I can go either way - set in Stargate universe or putting the team in another. Either way, they have to read like the team. Ronon needs to be a warrior. Rodney has to be a snarky genius. John absolutely must be the lay-his-life-on-the-line guy he is. Teyla must be a strong woman.

Changing their character while keeping the names does not work for me whether AU or not. It's fine to put them in the Old West as long as I can hear their voices and see their faces when I read it. Leave them on Atlantis doing their regular jobs and change who they are (whether ship/slash or just how they react and speak) and you've lost me.

[novembersga.livejournal.com]

*nods*

EXACTLY! Well said!

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Exactly. If I can't see them and hear them in my head, then it might as well be original fiction.

[a-pilgrim-soul.livejournal.com]

Pretty much what the others have said - I don't have any objection to the kind of AU's where its still very much "our" characters but if I'm being honest there really needs to be some kind of tie to the Stargate universe as we know it for it to work for me. Otherwise, its just an original fic whose characters happen to have the same names and physical appearance as some TV characters and that just doesn't interest me in the slightest.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's why I have such a hard time with AUs, even the ones set in the Stargate Universe. There's a temptation to change who the characters are, including their relationships toward each other, and I worry about subconsciously crossing that line. Plus, the more it feels like original fic - even with the character as is and in the Stargate Universe - the more I want to make it original fic using my own characters.

[novembersga.livejournal.com]

I normally like to stick to canon. However, several piece of art have intrigued me and lead to being tempted by AUs. Particularly those of a historical setting. (Such as the team in a Western setting, World War II, Pirates/Sailing ships etc.) There are a few of many examples below.

http://leyna55.deviantart.com/art/SGA-Regency-AU-85409712
http://leyna55.deviantart.com/art/Steampunk-Atlantis-82000054
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u66/iconcandy/manips/MasterandCommanderManip.jpg

Whatever the setting, the characters still need to speak, behave and react as they would in canon. Otherwise, no, thank you.

Unfortunately, many if not most of these stories turn out to be slash/OOC. Ronon would NOT own a bakery or flower shop, nor would John for that matter. *shudders* Know what I mean?

To me 'AU' says Alternate 'Universe' - not Alternate 'Personality' When you slash an SGA character they are OOC plain and simple. When the characters behave or speak/react in such a way that is different from canon, then they are no longer recognizable. They are OOC.

I second what karri said in that I love the 'characters' whatever the setting if they are OOC I'm not interested.

I also agree with you that the team should be a team in some way. They should be together and it should have that same 'feel'. I know exactly what you mean.

My preference is still for canon, and I will stick with that 99.9% of the time. But that doesn't mean I'll exclude a well written AU if done right. :)


On another subject: How do I get the rest of Rites and Rituals? I have to know what happened to poor Jeremiah!

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

My preference is the gang still in a sci-fi universe, but with a twist (Ex. I'm working on a dragon AU: it's still kind of the Stargate universe, it's just that everyone has dragons:D) But historical settings come in second. Because with both - at least most of the ones I've read - there's still a team, there's still adventure, and they're usually written so well I can actually buy the characters existing in such a setting.

With Modern Earth-side fic, it depends. Keep Sheppard military and Rodney a genius, then I'm pretty good. I even have an Earth AU I want to write for Christmas - hoepfully. No Stargate program, but Shep's still military and Rodney a genius who works for the military. Ronon's and Teyla's backgrounds I'm still working on, because I want those backgrounds as similar as I can make them to their backgrouds on the show. Ronon's past is set but Teyla's is still giving me trouble.

But the more a character's background is changed, the harder it is for me to buy that they belong in that world. Their pasts make up too much of their personality, so even if they act the same in the story, if you make Ronon a flower shop owner like you said or Rodney a genius cook... I mean, the ideas are cute and all, but it's still borderline original fic to me.

As for Rite and Ritual - and basically all the stories on Elfwood - I've set them aside for now until I'm ready to invest my full attention to them. When that happens, it'll be because I'm going to have them published.

[novembersga.livejournal.com]

"My preference is the gang still in a sci-fi universe, but with a twist"

*nods* It's where they fit the best. I was intrigued however, by how they would be in a historical setting (mostly out of curiosity.) But, we both know where that got the proverbial 'cat'. (LOL)

Dragon AU and Earth-side fic: Sounds great! I agree John fits best in the military and I have trouble seeing Rodney as anything but a scientific genius.

"Their pasts make up too much of their personality,"

Exactly. Their experiences help make them who they are. They are each of a basic personality type, but life experiences kind of 'fine tune' each individual.

Regarding Rite and Ritual: I can wait. It's an interesting story but I'm glad your attention is focused on SGA. (I hope that didn't come out wrong) When you are ready to finish it, I'll read it. For now, I'm thrilled you write in the SGA fandom and I don't want to draw your attention away from John and his team. I am hopelessly obsessed and you are a remarkable writer.

I'm looking forward to your AUs if/when you are able to write them.

Have a good one! :D

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Heh, actually it's kind of a bad thing that my attention is so SGA oriented. I need to get some more original fic done, especially now that my book's published. I have a lot of ideas I want to get out there, but fanfiction tends to be a distraction ;).

[abracah.livejournal.com]

I basically feel the same way as everyone else has posted. I watch the shows for the characters and I like them enough to read fanfic. If they aren't portrayed as "themselves" then there is no interest in finishing the story for me.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

When I first got into fanfcition, it boggled me that anyone would want to change the characters in anyway - whether it was a slash story, het story, or AU. I've come to have a better understanding of what it is about the various genres that appeal to people. I still wish for more stories that keeps everything as is. AUs are fun, but fanfiction for me was like getting episodes not aired on TV, with the bonus of extra whump ;). I enjoy AUs - writing and reading them - but prefer the characters to remain in their universe and as is.