Sunshine 2023 #3: crossover fics

[alchemicink]

Here we are with sunshine_challenge #3! This was an interesting prompt that somehow got me reminiscing about my early fanfic-reading days.

Bluebell: In the language of flowers, the bluebell is a symbol of humility, constancy, gratitude and everlasting love. It is said that if you turn a bluebell flower inside-out without tearing it, you will win the one you love, and if you wear a wreath of bluebells, you will only be able to speak the truth.

I gotta admit, my attention went immediately to that bit about speaking the truth while wearing a wreath of bluebells because that sounds exactly like the kind of silly sitcom-like fic premise I would write 😅

Just imagine, for example, the team from Stargate SG-1 somehow getting into this kind of situation (maybe the bluebells are magic alien flowers here??) They carry around a big secret all the time when they're on Earth (the Stargate program is a classified government program, after all), so how would they react in a situation where they could only speak the truth? How would they find a way to hide the secret behind what they do for a living?

I don't know the answers to these questions, but I'm pretty sure Jack would find a way to make sarcastic jokes about it!

Anyway, I've just always been fascinated with stories where characters are hiding a secret, and I love the reveal of other people finding out that secret. That's actually one of the reasons why I'm a big fan of crossover fics.

Back in my high school days, one of the things I used to browse ff.net for was Stargate SG-1/Yu-Gi-Oh crossovers. And yes, I realize that's a rather strange combination, and there were not many at all, but it really scratched an itch in my brain. I absolutely loved to see how the characters from each series would react to meeting each other. And I kept reading each story in anticipation for the big reveal. When would the YGO cast learn about the existence of the Stargate and its connection to Ancient Egypt? When would SG-1 discover the secrets behind the Millennium Items? Who would reveal the truth and how would it be revealed? How will the reveal change how everyone interacts?

That's what always kept me reading.

There are plenty of reasons to like or dislike crossover fics, and I totally understand if they're not your cup of tea. I do think it's a difficult concept to pull off sometimes (and I don't know if I've been successful in my own endeavors to write crossovers), but revealing the truth (with or without a wreath of bluebells) has always been one way to make those stories interesting.

I wanted to wrap up this post with two recs for my favorite crossover fics, especially now that Ao3 is back up. They're long fics, but both do the kind of "secrets hidden/truths revealed" discovery thing that I really love. (Of course there are plenty of other reasons why these are great fics too! This is just one aspect.)

The Dragon-King's Temple (Stargate SG-1/Avatar: The Last Airbender)

ashes in my mouth, fire in my soul (My Hero Academia/Yu Yu Hakusho)

I will also recommend checking out intoabar, which is a fun annual crossover challenge. (I got to post my first ever completed crossover fic this year thanks to this challenge!) It's a great place to browse around for more crossovers that may strike your fancy.

I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on why they like or dislike crossover fics!

Comments

[vriddy]

Keeping secrets and when they are revealed makes for such engaging plots, when it's well done!! I can see how crossovers with secrets on both sides would make it even more interesting! This was interesting to read, thank you for sharing :D

[alchemicink]

Secrets on both sides just means double the excitement 😁 thanks for reading!

[enemytosleep]

Okay but now I'm like ... more YugiOH crossover ideas, please? What other series could be connected to the Shadow Realm, etc?

I'm glad you are already familiar with intoabar as I was going to link it to you. I haven't written many crossover fics, but if the idea hits me I've indulged.

I think one of the barriers for many people is knowing how narrow the audience will be. I know I appreciate when people manage to write a crossover including a series I don't know, but revealing enough context for me to still enjoy the fic on its own. Requiring canon knowledge for more than one series can make it much harder to access (but fanfic should be for fun and for the creators, so this isn't a complaint!).

[alchemicink]

There are so many possibilities for ygo crossovers because other than the magic aspect, they fit right in any regular universe! I should do a deep dig through the fics on ao3 sometime to see what pops up these days...

You raise a good point about the narrow audience. I know I've had some ideas before that I wanted to write but knew no one else would read it. So I'm still thinking them over and wondering if there's a way to make them more appealing to a wider audience. It's a tricky line to figure out! Thanks for sharing your thoughts 😊

[silveradept]

Crossovers are all sorts of fun, especially the ones that do their best to make the shared space run smoothly according to the rules of whichever universe the plot is taking place in at the time. And a lot of them do end up with having some of those secrets to have to work around or through, starting at "we're not from around here" and going all the way through something like what the SG1/YGO fic you were describing would potentially have to work with.

I'm so glad that you enjoyed intoabar. I've been participating for a few years now, and it really helps me stretch my thinking as to how I'm going to make two things that don't necessarily have anything in common with each other work in a shared space.

[alchemicink]

Yeah, I tend to be drawn more to crossovers where the author puts a lot of detail into meshing the different universes together. It's probably harder to work with, but it can pay off in a very satisfying way.

Intoabar was so fun! Depending on which fandoms you pick, I can see how it might be more challenging one year than another. I agree, it's a great way to stretch your thinking. I'm looking forward to participating again in the future!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts 😊

[dr_zook]

When would the YGO cast learn about the existence of the Stargate and its connection to Ancient Egypt? When would SG-1 discover the secrets behind the Millennium Items?

Aaaaah, my mind just expanded tenfold!! XD I've never been really into both fandoms (although I did enjoy reading YGO, back in the day), but I love the way you think! I'm generally not averse to crossover fics, some of the best fanfiction I've ever read are crossovers. (I even wrote some, I just realized, haha.) It's a bit like fanfic x fanfic, I guess, a real treat for connoisseurs who like to broaden their horizon! XD

I love the concept of intoabar-- but sadly haven't finished the job I got assigned with some rounds ago. (It was supposed to be some teamwork, but we somehow lost track of it.) Glad you're having fun with it. :D

[alchemicink]

Isn't it so fun to think about? 😁 there were only a handful of crossover fics out there for these two fandoms but I was always fascinated by the potential. I like the way you describe it as fanfic x fanfic!

Even though you never finished your intoabar fic, I think it's really cool that you tried! I think I'll definitely participate again in the future just to see what I come up with 😊

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!