A list of things that GoT, Endgame, and TRoS have taught me:
-Satisfy the plot; if you set something up a certain way, don't just decide to deviate from it for no reason. As a creator I have a duty to satisfy the story, and also the audience. I want the audience finishing my story and going "Yes, that's the end." And be able to sigh, think for a moment, and feel satisfied. Not feel like their time was wasted.
-Answer the Questions; I might not be able to answer every question, but I can answer the points that need a solution. I can at least make it have a logical conclusion.
-Don't Kill a Character for Depth; Characters can die, but a character death should not be the substitute for emotional depth. There should be a reason for the death.
- Don't Unexpectedly Kill a Character; kind of a second part to the one above. Especially when it comes to main characters, just suddenly having them die when there was no reason for them to? Just so you can shock people? You should know the ending of your characters from the beginning of the journey. If you don't know their ending, then you can't truly bring justice to the character.
- Stop Being So Fucking Tragic; Look, sometimes tragic stories are beautiful, but I personally think they should mostly stay in the historical and indie genres. Not science fiction and fantasy. Some tragedy is good, but why the does THE END have to also be tragic? I go to movies and read books to ESCAPE tragedy and heartache. Yes there's a little through the journey, but the end is always worth it. Don't say your film/show is hopeful, or fun, or even bittersweet and not deliver. Say it with me now: A main character surviving ALONE is NEITHER hopeful, fun, or bittersweet. It's just fucking SAD!
-It's OK for the Audience To Guess the Ending: I think the biggest thing this decade is creators being obsessed with audiences not being able to guess how the story ends. Here's a fucking shocker for those creators: IF NO ONE CAN GUESS THE ENDING THEN YOU HAVEN'T SET UP THE STORY WELL! You can make an audience member go "hold up, is this ending going to happen?" And have that uncertainty, but if no one saw how your story would end (with the exception of mysteries) then you didn't set up the story in a cohesive enough manner.
-Once a Story Is Done, It Should be Done; I can slightly understand killing off a main character to prevent some other outside parties from putting pressure to make "more" even when the story is done. However, this is the point of standing your ground. You are the owner, it is your property, and you have the right to make the decision to say "No, I ended that story in a satisfying way. Yes, the characters are still alive but their time is over." Also, on a side note with that, make sure that if you ever sign your creative work to someone to help distribute, you make sure the contract says nothing about them owning the franchise and continuing it with or without your support.
- Romance Should Make People Happy; If your story is going to have a romance, please don't always make it tragic. Sometimes a tragic romance is beautiful and bittersweet. But when you already have characters who are damaged, bruised, touch starved, and need somebody to love and hold them, why are you making it extra tragic? Why are you making these characters so desperate for real happiness, then not giving it to them? That's dissatisfying, it's heart-wrenching in the worst of ways, and it makes audience's not want to go back and watch it again. Seriously, it hurts too much to watch. What a fucking concept: People don't like to constantly be sucker punched in the heart with endless suffering.
- Don't Create Unrealistic Expectations; These companies are trying so hard to keep their franchise a secret the day of the release; that I'm fine with. What I'm not fine with are what everyone else is forced to say to comply with said policy. They leave audience members with non-answers that give way to wild speculation, crazy different theories, and ultimately leads to everyone's disappointment. You don't want to reveal? Then simply say "I can't tell you." Or "I unfortunately can't talk about that, yet."
- Don't Fanservice; This goes in hand with the plot. If you have a multiple part series, you need to stick with your plan no matter what happens. Sometimes fans want a lot out of a story, which can be both a great and terrible thing. It shows interest in the project, but it also puts pressure on the creator to advance the plot lines the audience wants, and that could simply be too much for both the story and the creator. So stick with your gut, and only change a character or story arc if YOU decide that it's better that way.
These are all not necessarily for all three of them at the same time. Some are for two, some just for one, and some for all. Either way, they are things I have learned from being in these fandoms, spending so much time on each of them, and being brutally disappointed for varying reasons. 2019 has kicked my ass when it comes to fandoms and ships.
If anyone has any more they wish to add, feel free to give it a reblog with your own additions. I look forward to reading them.
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