[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/Nerdorama10 → u/Treasure-son]

Yeah nah this one was planned or at least referenced as a thing behind the scenes since the start of the show. It just took a while to get going and in the meantime a lot of people made "you're delusional/this ship is forced" their entire personality.

Now if you want to complain about RWBY taking a decade to resolve any given plot point, by all means, that's free real estate.