If a character is out of character...

[Bendy 1,821]

Say a fan fiction if a character is out of character... or just generally unlikeable.

 

If a character let's say Twilight Sparkle was in character (very close in character) and behaves in a manner very similar to the show and something hurtful happened to her. Or she got killed in the story. I would feel upset, because that's the Twilight I know and love.

 

However, (this personally would be my most hated fandom version of her) if she had become out of character (very out of character) in certain stories (you can guess the ones I'm talking about) where she's a xenophobic, condescending elitist, misanthropic, hate mongering violent brute that treats other people (especially humans) horribly.... yet she's 'good' somehow as described by the author.

 

And she dies in said story... I don't really care and sometime I am even glad she died, for as far as I'm concerned that wasn't Twilight Sparkle... but an another pony ('evil' pony) that was using her name in that story.

 

Do you feel the same? Or do you have any other points or other opinions?

Edited July 4, 2015 by Bendy

[Sri Aegislash 21]

To this I agree, even if the writer to told me to like the second Twilight you described and see her as the protagonist, I would refrain since I have my own opinion.

 

I really do not like the designated hero trope in which the character is portrayed as a protagonist and given praise by other characters when the character is really malevolent. This is why I do not like most TCB fics and Modern SpongeBob.

 

I would not feel sympathy towards a Twilight who shows wrath and hatred towards other species since such traits are unlikable 

Edited July 4, 2015 by Sri Aegislash

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,677]

That would send conflicting messages to me, which would make the fan fiction less enjoyable overall. If they had a particular character be completely out of character and still expected us to react the same as if they were the exact same character, that would instantly take me out of it. In that case I would rather approach it as a different take on that character, a different version. If the author still wants us to acknowledge that it is the exact same character though, even when that character has done things that they would never actually do, then they've lost me.

[VengefulStrudel 1,495]

If a character is that out-of-character and unlikable, I'd probably stop reading the story, unless it had some really good redeeming element. I wouldn't feel sorry if such a Twi died in the story though, hell, I'd probably be glad.

 

Though, if the author expects people to react to the character as if they are not the same character as the show, why not just make a new one? It'd actually benefit the story.

[Shanks 10,816]

If they are going to have a character be out of character in a fanfic than the author better have a good reason for it, alternate universe being a very good one if done correctly of course. In this scenario we also have to have a reason to care why said out of character character died. If they are just a random jerk than what emotional connection will the reader feel to said characters tragic demise?

[Empty Room 512]

If the character is OOC, then I can't really see them as that character, and obviously won't have the same feeling I have for the canon character. If I read a fanfic where Rainbow Dash hates everyone, likes to kill people, and she faces consequences, then I'm not really going to feel sorry for her.

Edited July 4, 2015 by Blackened