Fanlore

The official account of Fanlore, a project by the Organization for Transformative Works.

[hypno-gears]

Because I know I'll find at least two contradictory answers if I go searching, what is "whump" ?

Super valid, lol. That's actually a great question because I think a lot of people wonder the same thing. So, for all those wondering, here's my best description.

What is Whump?

I've heard whump described as "hurt/comfort" but very heavy on the "hurt" part.

In other words, it's a fanfiction trope in which the main character goes through a whole lot of torture and trauma, or just had a very bad day in general.

It's popular along us fanfic readers who love fics with lots of drama and angst. It can also be sweet - for example, after the main character has a bad day, their friend (or love interest, if you like shipping) comforts them, and it's adorable.

For example, maybe the main character gets kidnapped. Maybe they get seriously injured in battle. They might get hit with a terrible disease (there's a trope called a "sickfic" dedicated to that specifically).

Essentially, whump is like a trope dedicated to torturing your favorite little guys.

There's whump-related words that might help you understand, as well:

Whumper: Character doing the whump (causing the main character pain). Often a villain

Whumpee: The character getting "whumped" (having a VERY rough day)

Caretaker: The character who, as the title suggests, takes care of poor whumpee after everything happens.

If you'd like more info, I strongly recommend the videos "Popular Fandom Terminology" (both part 1 and part 2) by Coleydoesthings on Youtube. She goes into lots of fandom terms, including whump, and she's really good at explaining it.

Hope this helps!

[fanlore-wiki]

To find out more about Whump, the history of the term and how its been used in fandom, check out the Fanlore page!

[fanlore-wiki]

Introducing Milestone Badges!

Fanlore is finding a new way to thank our editors: Milestone badges!

Fanlore is nothing without our hard-working volunteer editors, who create pages, categorize files, update fandom information, and more. Now when editors reach certain editing milestones, like making 10 edits, 100 edits, etc., they will be able to claim triumphant new badges.

Are you a Fanlore editor? To find out how to check your editing statistics, and how to claim your badges, please visit our help page.

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!

[fanlore-wiki]

Featured Article: Sussex Retirement

Our Featured Article this week is Sussex Retirement!

A popular trope in Sherlock Holmes fandom, Sussex Retirement imagines what happens after the great detective leaves Baker Street behind. Inspired by canon references to Holmes retiring to the Sussex countryside, fans have spent decades reimagining his post-detective life, often with Dr. John Watson by his side. Whether Watson retires with Holmes, joins him later, or reunites with him for one last case, Sussex Retirement stories blend domesticity, nostalgia, romance, and mystery.

The trope appears across countless adaptations, from the original stories to Sherlock Holmes (2009), BBC Sherlock, and more. For many fans, Sussex Retirement represents the ultimate happy ending: a chance for Holmes and Watson to find peace together after years of adventures. The setting has inspired everything from emotional reunions to late-life love stories, making it one of the most enduring concepts in Holmes fandom history.

Want to learn more? Check out its Fanlore page!

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!

[s3aslug112]

chat what is fanlore?

[fanlore-wiki]

Fanlore is a wiki with the goal to "record both the history and current state of our fan communities" from fanworks to fandom terminology. For more info see our About page.

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

#know your fandom history

[fanlore-wiki]

To learn about Lemon and the Citrus scale check out the Fanlore page!

[fanlore-wiki]

Featured Article: The K/S Netfan-Printzine Fan Wars

This week, we’re bringing you a piece of ancient fandom lore with our featured article on The K/S Netfan-Printzine Fan Wars - the clashes between the Kirk/Spock (K/S) print zine community and the online Star Trek fandom.

Print zine fans were authors, readers, and artists who, since Star Trek: TOS was on the air, forged the path in fan fiction writing. Before the internet, letterzines were the only means for fans to have regular and organized discussions with other fans. The K/S fandom, which sprang from the wider print zine community, was highly protective of their works and was adamant on staying out of visible spaces for fear of legal actions from Paramount.

The introduction of Usenet in 1979 ushered in a new generation of Kirk/Spock fans, many of whom were either oblivious to the print zine fandom, neutral towards its existence, or openly dismissive and hostile to these previous fans. The online Star Trek space was also not exclusively for Kirk/Spock fans but included other pairings from Star Trek: TOS, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. For online Trek fans, alt.startrek.creative and alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated were platforms where they could post fanfics without having to conform to traditions or worry about expectations from others.

While the Usernet fan groups grew into lively spaces, Kirk/Spock print zine fans began to feel at a disadvantage in terms of attracting new fans and that their favourite pairing was diluted in this online space. Another point of contention between the two communities was “elitism’’, as zine fans argue that not everyone has access to a computer and the internet, while online fans point out that not everyone wants to pay a yearly fee for letterzines.

The resulting culture clash included turf wars, blacklisting, and blanket statements by fans on both sides who fanned fires fueled by tribal alliances and relationships.

Curious how this epic fandom war went down? Head over to Fanlore!

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!

[fanlore-wiki]

Ship Sunday: Gawaine/Lancelot

Knights of the Round Table doomed to betray each other. This week's Ship Sunday is Gawaine/Lancelot from Arthuriana!

Gawaine and Lancelot are both prominent figures in Arthurian Legend. They meet as rivals, but soon become brothers-in-arms and great friends. Although, depending which stories one follows, they are doomed to betray each other, even leading to their deaths. Many fans are drawn to the pair because of the tragedy of brothers-in-arms growing to hate one another, where others rewrite their story in fanworks, giving them a happier ending.

Are you a fan of this ship? Help us expand their Fanlore page by adding your favorite tropes and fanworks!

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!

[transformativeworks]

Manacles Press’s Fanzines are Moving to the AO3!

Manacles Press, publisher of various fanzines including Nudge Nudge Wink Wink (Professionals), McPikus Interruptus (Wiseguy), and Consupiscence (multifandom), is importing the zines’ fanworks to the AO3! Read all about it at: https://otw-news.org/bdfvy74u

[fanlore-wiki]

Public Domain Fandoms Month: Fanart Pastiche

Have you ever seen a piece of fanart that references, reworks, or imitates a well-known work of art? This is known as Fanart Pastiche, and is common across all fandoms and all art styles.

Popular paintings that inspire fanart include Gustav Klimt's The Kiss, Alexandre Cabanel's Fallen Angel, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's In Bed the Kiss. Commercial art, such as film posters and album covers, can also inspire fanart, as well as other media such as games. Since a lot of historical art is in the public domain, we’re including fanart pastiche in our public domain month here at Fanlore!

Many fanartists create pieces based on a painting, sculpture, or other medium not only to showcase their love for a character or story, but also to hone their technical skills and to practice different art styles. And seeing a familiar, iconic work of art with your favorite characters in it is always a treat!

Do you have a favorite fanart pastiche work? Tell us about it below, and visit Fanlore to view examples from across fandoms!

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!

[fanlore-wiki]

Featured Article: Illya Kuryakin (TV series)

Today's Featured Article is Illya Kuryakin from the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Illya started out as a minor recurring role on the show, but quickly became a fan favorite and was upgraded to a series regular. Illya was the central focus of a large amount of fanworks, where fans often liked to make him cry, perhaps in response to his more controlled and mysterious nature on the show. Although, many other fans complained that he was made to cry too much and that fan creators were making him "whimpy".

Fans also like to explore Illya's past. Since very little about Illya's past is known in canon, except that he is originally from the Soviet Union and attended the fictional University of Georgia, fans like to explore what his childhood and youth were like, and he is often headcanoned as being from Ukraine.

Were you a fan of Illya growing up? Come check out his Fanlore page!

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!

[fanlore-wiki]

Meta Monday: Watson was a woman?

What if we told you Sherlock Holmes’s most famous companion… wasn’t who you thought?

For Meta Monday, we’re spotlighting “Watson was a Woman?”, a delightfully tongue-in-cheek 1941 essay by Rex Stout that asks a bold question about the Dr John Watson we think we know.

He argues Watson must be a woman, based on the way Watson speaks to Sherlock.

From fainting at Holmes’s return, to nursing him through illness, to trying to get him off cocaine, Stout reads Watson’s narration as less “loyal friend” and more “long-suffering wife.”

The result is a fascinating early example of fannish meta: playful, provocative, and deeply engaged with character dynamics long before modern fandom discourse took shape.

Did Stout mean it seriously? Not quite. But like much of fandom, the fun lies in the interpretation – and in asking “what if?”

Curious? Dive into the essay on Fanlore!

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!

[fanlore-wiki]

Ship Sunday: Moriarty/Moran

Today's Ship Sunday is Moriarty/Moran from Sherlock Holmes fandom.

James Moriarty is Holmes' nemesis, and Sebastian Moran is his loyal friend and minion. There is very little canon information about their relationship, except that they are "bosom friends", and that Moran tries to avenge Moriarty's death. Some adaptations give us a little more to work with, but it's mostly the fans who have expanded and explored their relationship. Often referred to as the dark mirrors of Holmes/Watson, some fanworks will be dark in nature, with the pair committing unspeakable crimes together, where other fanworks will focus on Moran's devotion and loyalty to Moriarty, and their friendship turning romantic.

Curious? Go over to their Fanlore page to learn more!

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!

[transformativeworks]

The OTW is Recruiting for Fanlore Chair Track Volunteers, Communications Social Media Moderators (English and Chinese), and Open Doors Import Assistants

Do you have experience in managing or leading people? Are you a frequent Bluesky, Twitter | X, or RedNote user who enjoys helping others? Are you interested in the rescue and preservation of fanworks? The OTW is recruiting! Learn more at: https://otw-news.org/mrx56zjn

[fanlore-wiki]

Public Domain Fandoms Month: Alice in Wonderland

Down the rabbit hole we go! For Public Domain Fandoms, we’re spotlighting Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its ever-evolving fandom!

First published in 1865 by Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland has inspired over a century of fanworks, meta, and reinterpretation. Various adaptations have helped fuel this growth; stage and screen adaptations, including the more recent Tim Burton film, which sparked a wave of new fans and fiction (hello, Tarrant/Alice).

Fans have long debated what Wonderland stands for and whether it’s simple “playful nonsense” or a deeper allegory altogether. As a public-domain work with no need to file off the serial numbers, Alice in Wonderland thrives on transformation, from crossovers and dark retellings to madly creative AUs.

How did you find Wonderland? Add your knowledge and favourite fanworks to the Fanlore page!

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!

[fanlore-wiki]

Join Us for Our Public DoMay Editing Chats!

In celebration of our Public DoMay month we'll be hosting two editing chats on our Discord!

Join us on Saturday May 16, 8pm UTC (what time is that for me?) or Sunday May 17, 3pm UTC (what time is that for me?). Come join us for some fun chatting with other editors and help edit Fanlore pages!

Everyone is welcome - you don’t need to have any experience with editing Fanlore to join in! We’ll be happy to help you.

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!

[fanlore-wiki]

Public Domain Fandoms Month: Anne of Green Gables

We’re highlighting public domain fandoms this month, and today we’re exploring Anne of Green Gables, a 1908 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery. The book and its heroine became so popular that Montgomery expanded Anne’s story through five sequels, and wrote numerous other books in which Anne made appearances.

Written for all ages, it has been considered a children's novel since the mid-twentieth century. It recounts the adventures of Anne Shirley, an 11-year-old orphan girl with bright red hair who is mistakenly sent to Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, a middle-aged brother and sister who had intended to adopt a boy to help them on their farm. The novel recounts Anne’s story as she settles in with the Cuthberts, in school, and in town.

Since their original publication, those stories have grown into a large collection of radio, film, and television adaptations, many of which have spawned their own fandoms. The canon relationship and marriage of Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe is the most popular ship in the Anne of Green Gables fandom; of 2300 works on AO3, 1500 are tagged Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley.

Do you have a favorite Anne of Green Gables adaptation? Share below and learn more on Fanlore!

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!

[fanlore-wiki]

Featured Article: Scisaac

For this week’s Featured Article we’re spotlighting Scissac, the ship of Isaac Lahey and Scott McCall from the TV show Teen Wolf.

This m/m ship is cited as one of the biggest instances of queer baiting on the show, and many believe they were meant to be canon. There are many parallels between them and Scott’s other relationships, even including him saying the same line “I don’t want you to get hurt” to Allison, who was his first love, and to Isaac.

In canon, they didn’t always see eye-to-eye, but still managed to work together for a common cause. With them both being werewolves, they had each other’s back, and Scott went so far as to let Isaac move into his house to look out for him.

Though the ship never reached the heights of popularity that other Teen Wolf ships did, it had a good following, and many metas and gif sets were made about them.

Are you a fan of the show? Let us know if you think this ship should’ve been canon and don’t forget to check out our Fanlore page.

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We value every contribution to our shared fandom history. If you’re new to editing Fanlore or wikis in general, visit our New Visitor Portal to get started or ask us questions here!