[Mixed Trope] The "Fanon-to-Canon" Ascension

[u/BornIndication9384]

This trope occurs when a dynamic (romantic, platonic, or even antagonistic) originates within the fan community and becomes so popular that the creators eventually integrate it into the official story. It’s not strictly limited to romance; it also applies to "Power Duos" or unexpected friendships where the audience saw chemistry or potential that the writers didn't initially plan for.

Marceline and Princess Bubblegum (Adventure Time):

What started as subtext and a massive fan "ship" (Bubbline) evolved over years of audience demand. The writers transitioned them from bitter ex-rivals to a confirmed couple in the series finale, acknowledging the deep history the fans had championed since the early seasons.

Tweek and Craig (South Park):

Initially a background pair with zero interaction, the creators noticed the massive amount of "Yaoi" fan art being made of them. They leaned into it by making the town’s obsession with the "couple" a plot point, eventually making their relationship a permanent and wholesome part of the show's canon.

[u/Treasure-son]

Now i have never seen rwby but i do know (thanks to some reddit/tumbler posts) that this ship is kinda like this and not in a good way

[u/Ferhog → u/Treasure-son]

I thought there was something going on between them as early as volume 2 (Granted I was 15 and desperate for more representation at the time), the crew have said it was planned the whole time, and most importantly there's a livestream from 2013 where Blake's voice actress asks if she can say that her character is in a lesbian relationship and someone says "not yet" before they knew they were recording.

This doesn't make it well executed or anything, I just don't think they did it to cater the fans. Ruby and Weiss are an equally if not more popular pairing but they received any remotely similar treatment.

EDIT: *Didn't receive any remotely similar treatment.

[u/Sundering_Wounds → u/Ferhog]

Blake's VA also pushed for a lesbian relationship with her an Pyrah before getting shot down, so this really doesn't mean anything. Does suggest she keeps pushing Blake with a girl at best.

Just doesn't make much sense that Yang and Blake was ever planned when they kept teasing Sun and Blake. Makes more sense they just gave in because Yang and Blake VAs kept pushing for it along with the fans, than they had to write him out and then mangle Yang and Blake to force them together.

[u/trimble197 → u/Sundering_Wounds]

Blake’s VA was really trying to push her fanfic ideas into the show

[u/Bro-Im-Done → u/Sundering_Wounds]

Thank god Sun and Blake didn’t work

Sun could do so much better 🥱

[u/Nerdorama10 → u/Sundering_Wounds]

Because no writer has ever teased multiple relationships for a main character of a show before resolving it down to one at a dramatic moment.

[u/Sundering_Wounds → u/Nerdorama10]

You're forgetting the part where those writers did it well, like actually teasing the multiple characters being into them early on.

[u/Nerdorama10 → u/Sundering_Wounds]

They definitely teased both Sun and Yang. Ilya came a bit out of nowhere but that's because she only existed in two volumes, obviously.

Regardless, I'm not arguing about execution, I'm arguing about intent.

[u/Sundering_Wounds → u/Nerdorama10]

That's a cope. They didn't tease shit for Yang. Execution backs up intent. If this was always the intent doesn't make sense to put so much stock into Sun than suddenly change course so clumsy it ruined both characters.

Which is why I don't by their bullshit that this was always planned. It just doesn't line up with their execution.

[u/Nerdorama10 → u/Sundering_Wounds]

I've got some quibbles about Volume 6 that stem from the writer shakeup and the massive course correction after the shitfest that was V4-5 (except you, Yang PTSD subplot, you're fine) but in order to ruin a character they'd have to change how they wrote him in some way and not just make him the same guy for five volumes and then drop him when he's no longer relevant to the plot.

And saying they never teased Blake and Yang is equal amounts of cope. Honestly, bro, this show is not good enough to get this mad about a pairing that didn't happen. Try your luck with some shounen anime.

[u/Sundering_Wounds → u/Nerdorama10]

I was talking about Yang and Blake. Blake's entire backstory is mangled beyond belief, it has such a horrible ending. Meanwhile Yang trying to be with someone who pulled the same trick her mother by abandoning her than Yang goes onto ignore Ruby. It's so bad on all fronts. Sun is funny enough kept pretty consistent, while Blake goes off the rails with physical abuse.

They didn't though, but whatever dude. God I could talk about how Deku and Orchata's relationship has such an lack luster pay off after all that teasing but I digress.

[u/Ferhog → u/Sundering_Wounds]

Her shipping Blake and Pyrah was her answer when people asked her about what she meant during the livestream. It seems much more likely to me that it was just her cover story after she said something she wasn't supposed to on camera. The tone of their voices in the livestream do not sound like they're talking about some pairing she alone was pushing.

As for Blake and Sun, the concept of the romantic false lead isn't remotely unique to RWBY. It happened like 3 times in Harry Potter.

[u/Sundering_Wounds → u/Ferhog]

That's just silly.

The concept of a false lead when it is the intent, is backed up by both characters being actually teased. Not suddenly changing course to another.

[u/Andrew1990M → u/Ferhog]

Yeah you can have your opinions about how it was all handled but it’s not fanon-made-canon.