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

[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 😊