#i sold most of my fandom life to stay afloat

[nym-wibbly]

D'you still have the NAs or EDAs?

Mostly no - I sold them after I got too ill to work. I kept the Timewyrm quartet, Damaged Goods, The Left-handed Hummingbird... maybe the Ben Aaronovitch ones?

[kolachess]

Pingxie Quote Translations / Analysis - Ten Years Promise + Origin

Ah yes, this is the most famous Pingxie quote, and also the reason why I jumped on the Pingxie fic-writing / Tumblr posting train. This quote is a little special, because it wasn’t spoken directly in the novel, but rather by the original author in an interview. Hence, I will explain the quote, the context in which it came about, and why it’s such a nightmare to translate and interpret.

Original Text (adapted):

用我一生, 换你十年天真无邪

Translation:

My lifetime, in exchange for you a decade of innocence and purity.

Analysis / Callouts:

用我一生 - This technically says, ‘use my one lifetime’. The word 生 here is interesting, because it means life, but when used in conjunction with ‘一‘ or ‘one’, it gives the connotation of ‘lifetime’ more so than straightforward ‘life’. 

天真无邪 - The words here are ‘tian zhen wu xie’. Look familiar? They should be! First off, 天真无邪 is a common Chinese phrase meaning ‘innocent and pure’. You can read more here (MTL). Second, 天真 is Wu Xie’s nickname meaning, again, ‘naive’ or ‘innocent’. 无邪, which means ‘no evil’ is homonymous with 吴邪, Wu Xie’s name. So these last four words are poetic in that it means Zhang Qiling wanted to keep Wu Xie innocent and pure, but it’s also a beautiful play on his two names.

Do you see how a straightforward translation can’t capture the multi-dimensional artistry here? 😭 (Side note: I’m not sure if perhaps Wu Xie’s nickname was derived from this saying, but ah... still beautiful IMO.)

Background / Source:

Nanpai Sanshu AKA Xu Lei, the original author, had an interview in which in the interviewer asked about the fate of Wu Xie and Zhang Qiling. This interview was conducted around 2010(?) and somewhere on the internet (Chinese internet archive is terrible, especially back then), but there doesn’t seem to be any question of the authenticity of this interview. I believe I found a whole ‘transcript’ here? I’ll have to read it in original Chinese at snail pace sometime... because the MTL version has me cracking up in confusion and a little skeptical of just how they could be so blunt about the fan service (but then again, Nanpai Sanshu has sold out to fujoshi... ah, more at the end).

Original Interview Text:

南宫苓 ：吴邪在整部书里会不会是最惨的那个人？他和瓶子最后是不是真的要死一个？

南派三叔 ：吴邪最惨 一生都是一个注定的悲剧 但是老张也不容易

南宫苓 ：然后？

南派三叔 ：延迟了整个悲剧的发生

南宫苓 ：然后他们了一起杯具了？

南派三叔 ：用自己的一生，再换你十年的天真无邪

Translation:

Interviewer: Is Wu Xie the most tragic character in the entire novel? Is it inevitable that, between him and Pingzi [Menyouping AKA Zhang Qiling], one of them will have to die in the end?

Nanpai Sanshu: Wu Xie’s fate as the most tragic is a set tragedy, but Lao Zhang [Zhang Qiling] doesn’t have it easy either. 

Interviewer: And then?

Nanpai Sanshu: Delayed the inevitable tragedy.

Interviewer: And then they encountered tragedy together?

Nanpai Sanshu: Using [his] own lifetime to exchange you another decade of innocence and purity. 

Analysis / Callouts:

You might notice the quotes are slightly different. I presume fans adapted / simplified it so 1) it sounded like it was actually being spoken by Zhang Qiling, rather than the author speaking for him, and 2) it was more poetic sounding without losing any of the meaning. Hence why that version is more broadly circulated. 

The difference of Nanpai Sanshu’s quote and the adapted quote is 1) the replacement of 自己的 with 我, or ‘[his] own’ with ‘my’, and 2) the omission of the word 再 or ‘another’. I’m a little less sure why this second change happened, but I guess it’s somewhat implied enough.

The implication from this interview is that (at least originally), Pingxie is supposed to have a tragic ending. Perhaps Zhang Qiling was supposed to die in the Bronze Gate.

Confused? What does this quote / interview actually mean in the broader context of Pingxie! Why is translation / interpretation of this so hard?

So normally, in a fandom, fan theories can always be traced back to the original text. But in DMBJ verse, we have the added chaos factor in that... the original author himself has no idea what’s going on anymore. Nanpai Sanshu started DMBJ as a fanfiction of another series, ‘Candle in the Tomb’ or ‘Ghost Blowing out the Light’, it then exploded into a craziness of its own that he did not anticipate, and he has since been widely accused of catering to fans and selling out (the growing shameless milking of Pingxie is the result 🤣).

And so it’s very possible that his original plan was indeed to give a rather tragic ending to the Pingxie relationship and DMBJ series, but since this is now his cash cow, he’s a bit reluctant to part with it. Although I think more so than money, he probably just doesn’t want to disappoint fans; he was / is very stressed as result of all the mounting pressure. And hence all the back-peddling and trying to explain away what appear to be plot gaps / holes to make it so that Pingxie can continue.

As a writer, this has me face-palming big time. Don’t sell out to your readers unless you were planning on that kind of input to begin with! As a fan though... I’m glad Pingxie continues! 😂. But ultimately, I have no qualms with someone adapting the course of events to fan input as long as it stays true to the characters and you can still have a smooth plot (and yes, I want Pingxie to continue). 

So Nanpai Sanshu, I feel you. I still think you’re brilliant, and I thank you for keeping the Pingxie boat afloat! And I do understand the desire to not disappoint fans. But you’ve really written yourself into a corner haven’t you... best of luck.

[drwcn]

wangxian au: lan wangji is a music major taking an elective in introduction to anatomical sketching, and wei wuxian is the nude model who, as one student said in the class chat, is “the most perfect human specimen ever created”. Poor Lan Wangji is plagued with lots of inappropriate thoughts. His life gets even harder when he discovers Wei Wuxian has moved into the dorm room across the balcony from him and has a tendency to not close his curtains. 

Gusu is the name of the prestigious semi public-semi private university, mostly known for its Humanities, Arts and Music faculties. The Lan family founded the university and is still part of governing body. The Twin Jades are very understated, but have garnered a substantial fandom in campus, and maybe even extending to other campuses like the business school across town.

Lan Wangji is a sophomore. He lives in dorm even though he and his brother have their own place downtown because LXC thought it’d be a good opportunity for his lil brother to make some friends.

WWX is a talented artist who can't afford art school. He works three jobs to keep himself afloat: barista, art model for the university, and contact wall painter for a reno company. 

WWX doesn't really live in dorm. Technically he's not even a student there. The room he's staying in is Nie Huaisang's (a freshman) who doesn't need that room per say because he's got NMJ's empty apartment while NMJ's frequently off on business trips.

wwx’s old apartment’s landlord sold the apartment to move out of the country, and the new landlord is greedy and jacked up the price, so if NHS hadn’t offered WWX his dorm room, he’d be living in his ratty old second-hand Toyota. 

WWX’s parents died when he was very young, leaving him in the care of the Jiangs but the Jiangs also died in a plane crash not long after. While the Board of Directors of the Jiang's enterprise kept custody of the two heir/heiresses (Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli) they had no reason to keep hold of WWX so poor baby got put through the foster system.

wwx ran away when he was a teen, dropped out of high school and got in with the wrong crowd and went to juvie for a year. He has a tattoo of a bunny on his rib cage which makes LWJ weak. 

what wwx doesn’t know is that jyl and jc has been trying to find him since jyl came of age and wrangled the rights/control of her company from the greedy, greedy paws of the BoD. But his records were all sealed, so they have no clue where he is.

Technically, dormitories do not allow NHS to lend his room out to non-students, so for weeks, WWX paraded around his residence as NHS to make sure NHS doesn’t get into trouble. When Lan Wangji starts coming to hang with WWX, words travel fast. 

NMJ texting LXC: “Our little brothers???? Are banging??????” 

LXC texting Meng Yao: “I heard Wangji has started dating Huaisang, should I interfere? Have not seen it for myself, but I am concerned.” 

Mo Xuanyu (a high school senior and NHS’s best friend): “My dude, why has my brother just texted me about you possibly hooking up with Jade 2, what the fuck??” 

Wen Ning who goes to the same school as Mo Xuanyu and also a part-time barista with WWX says, “Did you know that Lan Zhan guy you keep talking about is dating my friend Mo Xuanyu’s best friend, Nie Huaisang???”   

LWJ knows WWX isn’t NHS bc he knows NHS from before, but he doesn’t bother correcting anyone until at family dinner, his Uncle Lan Qiren says: 

"Wangji, I want you to know that although I didn't initially approve, if you and Huaisang are happy together, than I support you."

LWJ, ".............................................."

Lan Wangji does not know Wei Wuxian is essentially homeless because WWX keeps saying he’s only living at NHS’s dorm because his own apartment flooded

Until NMJ comes back into town unexpectedly forcing NHS back into his dorm and WWX who hates imposing himself on other people goes to live in his car. 

Lan Wangji finds out, and brings Wei Wuxian back to his own dorm. 

In a day, words spread across campus like wild fire.

WWX reunites with the Jiangs when his boss is contracted to paint Jiang Cheng’s new apartment 

Jiang Yanli is devastated that her little brother is essentially homeless. “What do you mean A-Xian doesn’t have a home? What do you mean he can’t afford an education? What do you mean he works three jobs? Are you eating? Why are you so thin???? I -” 

Jiang Cheng cries for three hours straight but will throw hands if anyone dares to bring it up. 

LQR does not approve of WWX. “He has a criminal record!” Then for LQR's 50th birthday, LWJ brings a huge scroll painting of Cloud Recesses (the ancient private scholar academy that Gusu University was founded upon).

LQR: "....this is.....very impressive. Wangji I had no idea your dapple into visual arts was so fruitful. Are you switching majors?" LWJ: "No Uncle. I did not draw this. Wei Ying did."

Wei Wuxian *innocently* “Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, you’re so well formed, so symmetrical, so proportional, will you ever consider letting me draw you?”  

Lan Wangji *straight faced* “On one condition.” 

WWX, “name it.” 

LWJ, “Draw me like one of those French boys.” (LXC showed him the movie bc he knew his brother had a romantic side.) 

WWX  *chokes* 

WWX makes the sketch, but instead of a necklace it’s the Lan family wrist tie (a modern version of the head ribbon) that LWJ suggests they use, and it’s looped suggestively around his neck and one of his wrists.

From that point on, WWX starts making other (less salacious) drawings of LWJ, using different medium and different techniques in different settings (acrylic, oil, digital, watercolor and pencil sketches). He binds it into a portfolio, including the original “french” drawing, and names it Every Shade of Blue (Chinese ‘Lan’ = blue). He gifts it to LWJ. 

LWJ is blown away and suggests WWX use this to apply to Gusu and try for the scholarship. After some convincing, WWX agrees. 

But he forgets to remove the nude sketch of LWJ. 

Lan Xichen and other Lan Elders are on the admissions committee.

The ambulance had to be called. 

LWJ and JYL fight for the right to help pay for WWX’s tuition. Neither gets the opportunity, because WWX wins the scholarship.  

[primergon]

our love has gone cold ,you're intertwining your soul with somebody else , optimus / fem!reader

Summary : “ I don’t think I can change the way I feel about you Prime,” You whispered in defeat, shrugging your shoulders. You look around, avoiding his gaze. You used to hate how you can never tell what he was thinking, but tonight, the expressiveness of his eyes – no, optics, nearly scared you.

The tall grass swayed with the wind, hypnotic under the half-moon looming above.

“ But we can’t always have what we want, can we?”

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Category: F/M

Fandoms: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime

Relationships: Optimus Prime/You, Optimus Prime / Reader, Optimus Prime & You

OPTIMUS was a giver.

He was kind, considerate, selfless. You can’t remember the last time he accepted anything for himself. His generosity had scared you at one point, because you can’t wrap your head around the fact that he would easily lay down his life for others, that he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt himself to protect you, that he would sacrifice everything for the sake of one person.

A Prime never puts himself first.

He was always the one to give, never to receive.

You watched him from afar, slowly approaching. Raf was the first one to spot you, and the child zipped past Miko and Jack, with a speed that would’ve given him a perfect grade in P.E, before hugging you. Soon enough, Jack and Miko followed – announcing your presence to the Base.

Once you peeled yourself away from the crowd of Autobots eager to greet you, you exchanged a few words with June, catching up on things. You and Ratchet even shared a few words, proving that it has indeed been a while since you visited.

In the end, your eyes landed on him, and you both shared a smile.

You spend the whole day with the kids, going on patrol and having lunch.

“ You’ve been traveling a lot, huh?” Miko clapped, leaning against your shoulder to look at your scrapbook. In under four months, you’ve managed to explore most of the cities in your country, earning yourself more than a handful of stories to keep the children entertained.

The afternoon peeled itself away, and before you know it, it was nightfall. You debated on whether you should ask Fowler for a ride or to ask Wheeljack to drop you off – but Optimus beat you to it, and here you are now, sitting with your legs tucked under your chin ( and shoes off, per request) against his driver’s seat.

The small crack by the window reminding just how cold the nights in Jasper could get.

“ Are you cold?” He asked, interrupting the silence.

“ Don’t worry about it.” You patted the steering wheel, “ I’m fine.”

Your fingers lingered against the surface, and you can feel the soft vibrations underneath, coaxing you to keep your hand there. Yet, you pulled away.  There was a certain kind of tension in the air, an intruder to your usual routine. The silence suggested that you’ve only met him today, even if you’ve had known him for months.

As much as you wanted to talk with him, your mouth just doesn’t work the way it used to around him.

What happened? You thought. What happened between us?

Usually, the cab would be filled with chatter, paired with your obnoxious laughter – “ Admit it Prime, you find my laughing annoying.” He would always deny it, and you hated how genuine he sounded when he claimed that your laughter reminded him of home.

It was only natural for the silence to suffocate the both of you, it was only waiting until one of caved.

“ Are you doing well?”

You can’t help but scoff at that. “ That’s very ambiguous. Physically? I’m fine. Mentally? That’s debatable. Emotionally? Let’s not even go there.”

You let out a weak laugh, but it sounded strained, forced – and Optimus must’ve sensed this, because his driving began to slow.

“ How’s – how’s Team Prime holding up? Any news on the Decepticons?”

He hesitated, nearly tumbling on his own words – and that never ceases to amaze you. Optimus was always the one for powerful speeches and moving words, to see him so unsure was unusual. You used to find it amusing, using it to poke fun at him. Now, it only made you sad – for what specific reason, you still don’t know.

As the dirt road behind you disappear under his wheels, Optimus told you what had happened the past few months. In your absence, you seemed to have missed a lot, and the Leader was more than willing to keep you up to date. Yet, that still wasn’t enough to chase away the silence – which would fight for every opportunity to leak through the seams of your conversations.

Once he ran out of things to say, you were back to listening to the asphalt road crunching under his tires.

You felt awful for not saying something - anything, but you just can’t.

There was a weight anchoring your heart, an uncomfortable weight that prevented you from saying his name on your tongue. It was like a foreign language you can’t pronounce, and so you opted to stay quiet – even if you both had to suffer for it.

“ Do you have a place to stay tonight?”

Your eyes slightly widen, giving away your surprise. “ You remembered that I sold my house ?”

While it was true that you had told him about putting your house up for sale, you didn’t expect him to actually remember it. You couldn’t even vividly recall the exact moment you’ve told him, hinting that it must’ve been something you’ve peppered into your mindless babbling weeks – no, months, ago.

And he still remembers it.

“ I remember.”

You ignore the heaviness in your heart.

“ I’m…I’m staying with my boyfriend.”

His driving stopped.

It wasn’t spontaneous – no, only Wheeljack and Smokescreen stops out of the blue. You had actually gotten a bloody nose once because of Wheeljack’s driving. You’ve never seen Optimus so concerned.

When you’re with the Prime, he was careful to slow down before hitting the breaks. Yet, you could still feel the sudden tension in his frame, the metal sizing up beneath you.

There was a moment, and you were forced to listen to the crickets outside – their chirping noisier than the sound of your breathing.

“ I see.”

He didn’t move, and you wanted to call him out for it – but you yourself were stuck, glued against the seat.

“ Optimus…” You finally croaked out.

He started the engine, only to have you open the car door, stepping out immediately.

You walked out of the road, hiking up a hill. You didn’t have to turn around to know that he was following you, his footsteps sending tremors all over the ground. Throughout the walk, you let your mind wander.

Memories began to flood your vision – you could still feel his lips against yours, ghosting against the column of your neck. His hands were warm, circling your waist, pushing back your hair. If you close your eyes, you’ll be able to hear his whispers in the dark, tracing down your skin. You’ve memorized the sound of his laughter by now, his rare and genuine moments of joy. Even when he was with you – his laughter was rare, but that didn’t stop you from etching it to the back of your mind.

You were starting to regret it, because these days it was the only sound you can hear whenever you’re alone.

There was a small stream beside you, the water trickling down a clump of rocks. The grass brushed your ankles, the dew soaking the socks peeking out of your shoes. Here, the isolation was enough to hide his towering frame from prying eyes.

You both stared at each other, waiting.

“ I’m glad to hear that…you are happy.”

For some reason, you hated how indifferent he sounded, how calm and collected he seemed. You wrapped your arms around yourself. At his words, you let out a chuckle.

Happy.

Were you happy?

You’ve only met your boyfriend a month ago. It was sudden, it was spontaneous, it was so unlike you – yet you didn’t have the heart to admit that it was more convenient than wanted. When things ended between you and Optimus, it was as if you’ve been pushed out of a boat and into the water. Out of fear, out of desperation – you’ve been trying to grab onto things to keep yourself afloat.

As cruel as it sounds, your boyfriend just so happens to be there. In the end, you’ve committed an act of selfishness, all because Optimus was too selfless to let you stay.

“ How do you know I’m happy?”

He raised his eyebrows at this.

The leaves rustled above you, shaking its branches against the breeze. “ I guess, I can be happy with him. He treats me well. He brings me flowers, he drives me home, he kisses me.”

At this Optimus tore his gaze away, staring at the flowers peeking out of the bushes.

“ I can be happy with him.” You ducked your head. “ But not as happy as I was with you.”

There was a stinging behind your eyes, trying to force out your tears – but you didn’t want to cry. Not now, not in front of him. Not when you know he could no longer bring himself to wipe them away, so you settled for tipping your head back, furiously blinking away the itch.

Your fingers wiped the corners, and you cleared your throat.

“ I can’t ask this from you.”

He sounded so defeated, so helpless, and you hated that. He was Optimus Prime, Leader of the Autobots. The symbol of hope, resistance, courage – so why did he sound so terrified standing before you?

You hated it.

“ Who made it your decision? It was mine too.” You argued, stepping forward. “ Yet, you didn’t even give me a chance to choose.”

Primes. You were a fool to think that you can offer him anything greater in magnitude than his primacy, than his duty, than his responsibility. When it comes to Optimus, you should have known that you could never be anything other than a liability.

A Prime is a martyr – a savior who needs to be willing to throw himself into the fire when asked. The fact that he was starting to second guess his choices when you came along was enough to scare him into ending things with you.

It was as if the thought of being selfish, even for a little bit, terrified him.

“ I don’t think I can change the way I feel about you Prime,” You whispered in defeat, shrugging your shoulders. You look around, avoiding his gaze. You used to hate how you can never tell what he was thinking, but tonight, the expressiveness of his eyes – no, optics, nearly scared you.

The tall grass swayed with the wind, hypnotic under the half-moon looming above.

“ But we can’t always have what we want, can we?”

When your eyes met, his expression was enough to make you cry. Even when you were back inside his cab, you couldn’t shake off the wounded look. For a fragment of a second, his face had shifted into one of sadness, longing, grief, regret.

Yet, he’s made his choice.

It was time for you to make yours.

When you reached home, your boyfriend was by the porch waiting for you. You had climbed out, thankful that the shadows paired by the distance concealed the empty driver’s seat. He looped his arms around your waist, twirling you around.

Your boyfriend leaned down to kiss you, and you complied, catching his lips. You spent some time by the walkway, with him embracing you. With your boyfriend’s back against the red and blue rig, you were able to watch Optimus parked under the trees – your eyes catching the way his side-view mirror reflected the tender moment.

You could almost imagine his expression, and that was enough for you to pull your boyfriend into another kiss, leaving you to listen to the sound of him driving away into the night.

That night, a part of you wished he had intervened. You wished that he had given in into his desires, into his want, into his selfishness – yet he didn’t, and you spent the entire night trying to shrug off your disappointment. You turn your body towards the window, watching as the curtains flutter against the breeze.

You could no longer feel the weight of the body next to you, and here, tonight – you feel more alone than you’ve ever been.

Optimus was a giver, you tell yourself.

He was kind, considerate, selfless. You can’t remember the last time he accepted anything for himself. Now, under the silver glow of the moon and the stillness of the night, you can remember why you were afraid of his generosity in the first place.

Optimus was a giver.

Then why does it feel like he had just taken something away from you?

A/N : I listened to The 1975′s Somebody else while writing this :,)

Will you look at the time, its sad O'clock. I love this song so much and it gave me the inspiration to write this one shot. I'm so sorry that I keep putting my characters in the same scenery, I'll try to be more diverse in my choice of...environment ? Tundra ? Setting. Yes, I'll try to explore different settings. I hope you guys like this, because I have major feels for OP and let's face it, the guy is always dying !!!

No one : Absolutely no one : Optimus : Due to personal reasons, I will be passing away

Like ??? Why ?? You did this, for what ??

Major martyr complex. This is something I had fun exploring, hope you're all well !

( If you want to submit a request, we can discuss it through my Instagram : @/primergonn ! If you don't have instagram, then feel free to leave it here, it'll show up in my inbox <3 )

[kuwaiti-kid]

The Force of Funding: How Star Wars Fans Stay Positive

Fandom has always been a challenging field to navigate.

When you take a large group of people who are passionate about something, mix in contradictory opinions, disappointment, and the internet’s ability to instantly connect fans with content creators, actors, and other creatives, it’s easy for fandom to turn toxic. But what happens when fandom takes their disappointment and their passion and turns it into something positive? 

The Star Wars fandom has never been immune to toxicity. Infamous fans — or rather haters — are known for harassing Star Wars: The Phantom Menace performers Ahmed Best and Jake Lloyd. Despite the critical success of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, actress Kelly Marie Tran deleted Instagram due to fandom backlash, following Daisy Ridley’s 2016 social media departure.

In 2018, an academic report revealed that haters had been weaponized by Russian trolls to sow seeds of discord in the wake of The Last Jedi, leading a strategic campaign against director Rian Johnson, members of the cast, and vocal fans on social media. Data analyst, Katie McCort, identified a systematic pattern of targeted harassment against female Star Wars fans by analyzing thousands of tweets between 2017 and 2019. 

It would be easy to counter hate with hate, but fans have actively fought against perpetuating a toxic narrative within the Star Wars fandom. Following the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, disappointed fans of Adam Driver’s character Ben Solo banded together to show their gratitude by raising funds for Driver’s non-profit Arts in the Armed Forces.

In one month, over four thousand fans contributed to the fundraiser, raising a total of $90,000 (after processing fees, $86,413 was donated to AITAF). This is the sort of positivity that should be uplifted and celebrated in fandom space. While people from all walks of life contributed to the fundraiser, the majority of the fans were members of the Ben Solo fandom and the overlapping Reylo fandom (those who ship the characters Ben Solo and Rey). 

When Star Wars author Charles Soule announced on April 15th that he would be hosting a benefit auction for the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, Star Wars fans were quick to jump at the opportunity to lend their support to comic shops and indie bookstores. For the first auction item, Soule agreed to appear on a Star Wars podcast for an in-depth discussion. 

The second auction item was a signed copy of Soule’s wildly successful Rise of Kylo Ren comic, as well as a 500-word non-canon and unofficial story about Ben Solo or Kylo Ren with art by Will Sliney. Brad Whipple started the first GoFundMe fundraiser to help “fans around the Star Wars community who want to contribute” and “guarantee Ben Solo’s newest story is told to all fans!”.

Yet again, the draw of Ben Solo inspired fans to come together, already raising over $13,000 between the two auctions in just four days. Brad Norris organized the second GoFundMe fundraiser to bid for Soule to appear on the What The Force podcast.

Interviews 

I spoke with a few of the fans at the forefront of the campaign to get a closer look at their involvement, their love for Ben Solo, and the impact of positivity in fandom. 

Brad Whipple is the host of Friends of the Force Podcast and the driving force behind the GoFundMe fundraiser to bid on the unofficial short story.  Whipple explained that “the majority of people, especially during COVID-19, can’t afford to donate $700+ individually on a comic book. But when we’re talking about a $5 donation? That’s a lot more realistic.” He was shocked by how quickly the fundraiser grew: within 45 minutes, they had raised over $1,000. 

“A lot of people are saying [that] this is the happiest they’ve felt in months because we’re getting a new Ben Solo story in addition to helping charity.” The draw of Ben Solo has certainly helped the success of this campaign, as well as past efforts. “I think [it] shows that movements like #SaveBenSolo do ultimately have a positive impact.” Whipple believes that a character like Ben Solo “gives us all hope that even in the worst circumstances, we can come out on top, and I think that’s why he resonates with so many fans.” 

Whipple noted that the money that has been raised by the campaign would help to change someone’s life and help businesses stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis. “At the end of the day, I think everyone will be thankful for whatever new story that we get because it will help us keep the love for Ben Solo alive, give us hope that maybe we haven’t seen the last of him, and enable us to be a positive force for change in our communities during one of the most pressing circumstances of our lifetime.” 

Brad Norris started his GoFundMe page after seeing Brad Whipple’s. He was drawn to the fundraising efforts, “As a person who worked in an independent bookstore in Chicago all through college, and who loves comics, and my local comic shops, it is a cause I can get behind in a heartbeat.”

Once he saw that Soule was auctioning off an appearance on a podcast, he knew exactly which podcast he wanted to have that honor. As a Patreon supporter of Marie-Claire Gould’s podcast What the Force, he reached out to her to see if she would be comfortable with the opportunity before he set up the GoFundMe. 

Norris believed that the campaign was one that all Star Wars fans could get behind. “However,” He was careful to point out, “within that fandom, it’s Reylos who have moved monetary mountains to support causes like this that center around Ben Solo.” A sentiment that the author of this article agrees with. Consistently over the years, Reylos and Ben Solo fans have turned frustration into donations, making a positive impact in the world. 

“Charles Soule knocked it out of the park with his The Rise of Kylo Ren comic series, and the fandom was so hungry for more Ben Solo content after The Rise of Skywalker.” Norris continued, “I don’t think there’s another single character in current fiction that has united as many people around them as fervently and continuously as Ben Solo. And it’s great to see that love translate into real-world charity and assistance for people in need.” 

Marie-Claire Gould was overwhelmed by the opportunity to interview Charles Soule when Norris reached out to her. Before the GoFundMe began, both he and another fan and friend of the podcast had already committed to a $300 bid. After Soule upped the ante by offering to answer an ‘I shouldn’t answer the question’ if the fundraiser reached $1500, and additional questions for each additional $500s, she has been looking for ways to drum up interest on social media. 

“There is an [misperception] on who consumes Star Wars media now. The base of fans interested in feminine gaze has grown over the last five years to the point of pushing comics to be sold out. Ben Solo fans are a huge factor in that, as a character, he is identifiable to many people who consume feminine gaze media, and [he] drives a desire to have more content and stories about him.”

While Ben Solo is certainly a draw for the short-story auction, Gould also praises Soule as “a trusted creator of Star Wars content for a long time, his handling of Poe, Anakin & Obi-Wan, Vader and the Fall of Ben Solo all required a careful touch. He is a thoughtful, thematic, and symbolically driven creator that many in especially the female side of the fandom were drawn to even before he took on Ben Solo.” 

Gould tempers her enthusiasm, wary of the double-edged sword of positivity. “[When] anything positive happens in fandom [it] tends to come with backlash driven from the global village wanting to judge what others enjoy in fiction. I think people should focus on the positive things we produce and ignore the negative. As George Lucas said, “Seek Joy,” and you will know you are on the right path.” 

Evie Giacomo used to work in comics, she was inspired by everyone’s enthusiasm for Soule’s campaign and found herself quickly outbid. “The fact that everyone wanted to pool their money together so we can raise more money together than any one person alone and share Soule’s story widely meant a lot.”  

She also participated in the AITAF campaign, “I especially love how Joonas Suotamo threw his energy behind the campaign, too.” Referencing the Chewbacca actor’s promise to participate in the viral #BenSoloChallenge if fans got the fundraiser to $75,000. Vee noted that this is how the Ben Solo and Reylo community responds, “We turn those negative feelings into something positive.

We really latched onto the AITAF campaign and poured a ton of energy and money into it.” She also pointed out that the fandom “decided to channel our misgivings with Episode IX into campaigns thanking Daisy Ridley and Kelly Marie Tran for their performances and role in shaping Star Wars.” Her favorite fundraising campaign, however, was the Reylo Charity Anthology, which raised $25,000 between two volumes for non-profits like RAICES, Save the Children, and many others.

For those who donate to the campaigns, Giacomo decided that she wanted to find another way to give back and incentivize supporters. “For the past few weeks, I’ve been making little needle-felted blue butterflies inspired by [Star Wars Roll Out: Ben Solo and the Bug Hunters Chapter 2]. For anyone who donates to the campaigns and shares a screencap confirmation with Giacomo, she is raffling off a handmade felted blue butterfly.

With two days left in the campaign, Whipple wanted to “thank everyone who donated to this cause. It has been such a bright spot for many during these tough times we’re living in, and I think this will all be something we can look back on with our Star Wars family and remember the positive impact we made.” 

Conclusion 

Unfortunately, toxicity tends to garner more attention and page clicks across pop-culture news. It’s important to remember that there is an incredible fanbase that is dedicated to spreading positivity and helping where they can. It is often easy to listen to the loudest, angriest, and most hateful voices — but there are forces of good within the Star Wars fandom that are giving their time, money, and creative efforts to make a change wherever they can.

The Ben Solo and Reylo fandom are just one part of the Star Wars fandom, but they deserve a round of applause for everything they have done. While the character of Ben Solo may have met an untimely demise in The Rise of Skywalker, fans keep the legacy alive through charitable acts of goodwill. 

Charles Soule’s auction ends on April 20th. At the time of this article’s publication, fans have raised nearly $15,000. 

The post The Force of Funding: How Star Wars Fans Stay Positive appeared first on Your Money Geek.

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