An explanation about Omegaverse: Its history, terminology, and a detailed descriptions about Alphas, Omegas, Betas and Gammas and how they all fit together.
CHAPTER 1: Overview / History
Omegaverse (also known as A/B/O(/G) or simply Alpha/Omega) is one of the most prevalent, long-living and popular AUs in fandom. Though it originates as a smut-centric, niche AU, it has long-since grown to accommodate the need of contemporary fandoms and fans alike. Though it remains very smut-centric, there are a lot of themes that are often included (if not exclusively tied with) the omegaverse AU.
It details a world where people are divided according to two sexes instead of one: a primary sex (male or female) and a secondary sex (Alpha, Omega, Beta or Gamma). Though the primary sex will constitute for a large portion of the individual’s reproductive anatomy, the secondary sex will modify and emphasize a particular demeanor within the individual’s reproductive physiology.
In general (and especially for betas), secondary sexuality will vary somewhat between individuals. There is no super hard or fast rule for every omega male or alpha female or thensome, just general anatomy for each secondary sex and some of the things they can expect of their body and mind.
It is also not unheard of or impossible for an individual not to identify with the anatomy of their secondary sex just as much as their primary, and are able to take hormones to supplement or suppress characteristics of the typing they identify as. For example, it isn’t uncommon for, say, a Beta-A male or female to take alpha hormones, or a Gamma male or female to take omega hormones.
Background / History of Omegaverse
From the Alpha/Beta/Omega page on fanlore:
“The trope originated in Supernatural fandom with a few very specific AU kink meme prompts for the J2 RPF ship. The first one was in May 2010 and has also been identified as the culprit responsible for the popularity of knotting in SPN fandom….The trope was a natural extension of SPN’s popular werewolf and knotting kinks.”
The origins of omegaverse go as far back as 2010, as stated in the quote above, from the Supernatural fandom. The SPN fandom at the time was known for it’s abundance of inhuman characters, monsters, demons and thensome, often taking inspiration from mythology and popular adoration of monsters for a majority of it’s lore.
Werewolves were a very common theme in various SPN fanfics, and is what spawned the original inception of omegaverse as a way to include the popular heat, knotting and male pregnancy kinks without including most other aspects of a werewolf AU fic, such as shape-shifting.
Omegaverse took hold as a pan-fandom AU soon afterward, but remained associated mostly with male/male smut, due to its origins only including males as alphas or omegas. Even today, omegaverse is still regarded as a smut-centric AU due to the elements most popular works include, but has diversified with the inclusion of several other sexes (Betas and Gammas) as well as including sexual relationships outside male/male.
Primary Sex: The base sex of an individual, commonly either male or female, but exceptions occur with a combination of the two. These are not influence secondary sex (females are not more likely to be omega, etc).
Secondary Sex: Commonly referred to as the ‘modification’ of the primary sex. Secondary sexes (or types) refer to being Alpha, Beta, Omega or Gamma. It is not influenced by the primary sex.
Sexual Orientation: An individual’s attraction to specific, often primary sexes. Specific terms, such as type-sexuality, refer to an individual’s attraction for specific secondary sexes.
Gender: The state of being male, female, a combination thereof or a lack thereof, typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones. Gender has no correlation with primary or secondary sex.
Type / Typing: Shorthand for referring either to an individual’s overall secondary sex or a Beta’s specific typing (A, O, or otherwise).
Alpha: Commonly the most territorial of the typings and are commonly (but not always) the most dominant. They exhibit knots and go into ruts.
Beta: A general term for someone who is between being an Alpha or Omega. They are able to detect scents and are able to scent others, but they do not possess all the anatomical or biological parts of either an Omega or Alpha. The most common Beta-types are Beta-A and Beta-O, with the letter indicating which side of the spectrum they lean.
Omega: Commonly the least territorial of the typings and are commonly (but not always) the most submissive. They exhibit heats and will have a womb or womb-like structure (depending on the primary sex).
Knot / Knotting: A bulge of muscles at the base of a cock that swells either when erect or before orgasm, often to keep both individuals from separating during and after ejaculation to ensure conception. A knot, regardless of primary sex, will last anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour.
Rut / Rutting: A period of 3-5 days where an Alpha-identified individual will act more possessive and territorial than normal, but not specifically in need of mating with someone. Normally, rutting periods are more common after being mated, as part of a biological cycle to protect said mate.
Scenting: Alphas, Omegas, and Betas all give off a very specific sort of scent as a personal marker to their primary and secondary sex. They all have the ability to scent others, which is simply the process of spreading their specific scent on another person or object (often by physically rubbing against them).
Beta-Type: The specific leaning of a Beta on the secondary sex spectrum, commonly either being Beta-A or Beta-O.
Estrus / Heat: A period of 3-5 days where an Omega-identified individual will experience sexual excitability and have an increase in fertility. This often comes in tandem with a large release of pheromones to communicate the biological shift to others.
Pups: A general term for young of Omega-identified individuals, but can also refer to children in general.
Slick: A word describing the increased self-lubrication that Omega-identified individuals experience, specifically during their heat.
Nest / Nesting: A structure that Omega-identified individuals build, most commonly during heat and while pregnant. It can vary in appearance, but serves a calming purpose and dates back when a nest was required to keep an omega-identified individual safe during heat and pregnancy, as it was often built specifically to be hidden. Some still consider nest-building to be part of an omega-identified individual’s courtship or heat cycle process.
Suppressants: Medication given to Alpha or Omega-identifying individuals, specifically to suppress rut or heat cycles. It can also suppress the fertility of the individuals, and is often referred to in conversations about birth-control.