If You Get An Mri And Have Metal Fillings Or A Pace Maker Do You Just Explode.

Has anyone else noticed the 'mid-arc' creep, in the books? Like, the arc will be really good, until part-way through at like, book three or four where it just starts getting bloated with unecessary filler to pad out a book or two before the finale?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with John or Arthur being canon straight guys in a bromance. I'm totally cool with that.

But, as a fan of the series since like— season two I have always shipped them, lol.

I feel like fans tend to ignore the line between "fictional kitty society" and "intentional veiled commentary of real world societal issues" when it comes to critiquing Warrior Cats.

When you read a piece of media, you will always come away from it with two seperate interpretations.

What the author intended

What the reader interpreted

Like, I don't think the Bumble thing was a commentary on abusive relationships in real life, and I don't think, based on how Kate or Vicky talk about and treat Warrior Cats, that it was intended that way, for instance.

—But, the parallels are there for those with eyes to see them, and I think it's worth noting that the fandom treats her situation as if it were supposed to be interpreted that way to start with— as an analogue for real abuse— and are incensed by the way the topic was handled.

Similar to Bumble, I see this with cats like Snowkit, or cats like Jayfeather, who, at the time of their being authored, were very likely not intended to convey the authors' stance on disability.

And, if Jayfeather were to do that then the best thing you can possibly say about his portrayal is that came from a well-intentioned, well-meaning place.

To summarize, I don't think Jayfeather or any other situation / character in Warriors is or was—

Intended to be an offensive caricature / stereotype

Purposefully demeaning to children or older readers with a similar disability, or in a similar situation as to what has been portrayed in Warriors thus far

That his character or any other character comes from a place of bad faith, or underlying bias

—even if some readers feel otherwise.

I will say this.

Personally, I don't think Dustpelt x Ferncloud is a problematic canon ship, or a bad canon ship.

I think they're cute together, and I see no reason to make excuses for or about the Erin's sensibilities back then vs now.

You should be able to ship whatever you want without fear of saying so— and I think if people are afraid to do that, in the fandom, then it says more about the fandom itself then it does about the morality of the ship.

I still can't believe that Warrior Cats get so old, so fast. You're telling me you're already at retiring age at 8 years old? That's absurd.

Out of everything in Warrior Cats that I suspend my disbelief for, this particular choice always makes me laugh. Like, look guys, it's an old man.

Guys, what if I just stopped using tags?

Would love Warrior Cats find a way?

I know there are a ton of Holly fans in the fandom, but I honestly think Jaypaw's pov was the most interesting out of the sibling povs in Power of Three.

Holly is this sweet, kind-hearted cat whose very sincere intentions get her into trouble, Lion is beating the shit out of Ashfur in what is the most heel-turn, dramatic irony mentor-apprentice dynamic possible, and also bumming around with Heatherpaw and Breezepaw—

—and Jaypaw is just pulling quantam mechanic time-travel shit, and playing investigator throughout the whole arc and it's just such good writing. He was such a meddler, and his relationship with Leafpool was such a rug pull once you learn the twist.

Probably my favorite arc just because of how condensed it is, I went back and read it twice after I finished it just to pick up on all the foreshadowing. It's so good.

The results are in! Bramble x Squilf sweep!

By the way, fanfiction isn't the place for reviews or criticism.

When you're a published author, it's like you're preparing a meal in a food competition. You expect a rating and to be told what worked and what didn't to improve your craft and embark on your career.

When you're a fanfiction author, it's like taking some of your free time to enjoy the process of baking cookies and then offering them to someone to be kind.

If you take a cookie from the plate, you don't spit it out and tell them it sucked.

Unless the writer asks for your opinion, you can keep it to yourself.

Adding this to clarify, and you don't have to agree with this by any means, I cannot force you to, but the reason Ao3 and Fanfiction isn't the space for criticism and ratings...is that it is a fan space created by fans for fans.

It isn't school.

It is a space where people with the same interests can congregate and enjoy the same fandom.

When you think about commenting on an fanfic authors fics, don't think if it as fishing around in your pocket to give them a compliment.

Compliments are nice. Most everyone likes compliments.

"I like your character development."

"You paint wonderful imagry."

Those are comments that are compliments. Speaking for myself as a fanfic writer they're nice, but they're not what my fan heart craves.

I want engagement with my readers.

The best comments I get aren't talking about my skill as a writer, but what just happened in the story because you and I (the reader) are already fans of the world created.

Comments like:

"NOOOOOOOO!"

"Did she actually just do that?"

"EXCUSE me?!?!"

None of these comments are compliments and none are critical. They are emotionally aligned with the story. They are engaged and with this engagement we create a little community in this tiny little space we get to call ours.

I cannot stop people from saying cruel things, but I can inform those people of the "dangers" so to speak when people treat fandom spaces like Ao3 as if it's Goodreads.

Writers, who write for themselves and offer it to you out of kindness, can decide that if people are just going to spit out their cookies they don't need to post about them anymore and that is how fandom spaces die.

If you don't like the flavor of cookie they made, or you're allergic to one of its ingredients...don't eat the cookie. Put it back for someone else to enjoy and then go find the flavor you do like.