Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Inverted Fate?
I meant to RESET the timeline, but something happened and now I don't have any of the SOULs. Almost everyone is in different places, but, act the same as they ever did. Even the WORLD feels different! Hehe. It’s like a dream come true! A whole new “game” to explore... But that IDIOT still has the power over the timeline, so I guess I’ll just have to “play nice” for now. Taking place after a failed Undertale Pacifist run, Inverted Fate explores what would happen if Asriel did reset the timeline- but something went horribly wrong and resulted in a brand new world. The six “Lost Souls” from this fight have had their destinies misaligned, though their personalities remain intact, and their choices have had drastic consequences on this new world. Even those not “swapped” still live different lives due to these choices, so this is not a straight retelling. Lastly, Flowey (and Chara) remember the old timeline, while Frisk only has the haziest deja-vu. Papyrus also joins the duo as a party member! You can learn more about this AU’s premise by watching its intro and prologue segments.
Q: But isn’t this just Underswap?
I think the fact that I’m here is a pretty big red flag, and if that’s not enough, I remember everything that happened before, right down to the moment I absorbed the kid’s useless friends and became a god. But nobody else remembers, including the human. Not that I’m complaining.
Bear in mind, too, that similar concepts can be executed in dramatically different ways. For example, IF Sans does not merely wish to join the guard-- he actually succeeded in spite of his laziness, as he’s less likely to be ripped to “little smiling shreds.” Papyrus’ friendship with Undyne is also preserved, with Papyrus as her silly but well-meaning lab assistant. There may still be familiar elements of the roles the characters assume, but you’ll just have to wait and see how they manifest.
Q: Are there any content warnings I should know about?
Content Warnings (Mild): Mentioned/implied suicide, death mention, implied fictional substance abuse, depression, canon typical character death, mild language, a few flashing images, some scary imagery, characters dealing with trauma, abandonment issues.
Overall, Inverted Fate tackles its dark subject matter in a similar manner to Undertale, thus the comic we consider more of a PG than a PG13.
Q: Can I do a “take” of this AU?
Flowey's bluntness aside, I really do not want 'takes' on Inverted Fate. With the time put into planning and creating this story, it isn't something I'm open to. Inverted Fate is not an open concept. Fanworks clearly labeled as fancontent is fine, but do link to this blog or the website. I don't want the AU to come to a point where many don't know the AU's original story.
Q: Wait, there’s a website now?
Indeed there is! At invertedfate.com, you can read the entire comic with integrated music, sound effects, and streamlined presentation that's very heavily reccomended. The website also includes April Fools specials, phone calls, and a secret page terminal with some bonus stories!
Q: So what are the Secret Pages?
Secret Pages are side stories that flesh out the characters/world of Inverted Fate. Most of what's covered here will eventually come up in the comic, however if you want some more information on the in-universe history, it can be accessed here! At this page, you can... a) Get a list of clues towards the codes to unlock the pages (more hints in the #secret-pages tag on the blog) b) Read lore archives from the comic in one easy-to-access place c) Unlock an extended teaser of the animated Undyne fight d) Get past the security measures, jump the firewall and all if you want the answers on a single platter. This method is the hardest, though, and it might just be easier to read along and pay attention to solve hints.
Q: Why does the human talk?
And keep in mind that Inverted Fate is a comic. I felt that making Frisk the protagonist of their own story was more appropriate to the medium and would allow me to explore their journey on a deeper and more personal level. Plus, it's just more fun to write, as someone who prefers fleshed out protagonists in RPGs compared to player projection. Comics do not have players, so there’s really no reason to try to imitate the player projection angle in the first place. I understand that some people are fond of nonspeaking Frisk headcanons and that is SUPER valid, but it’s just not the approach I chose for this project.
Q: Why is Flowey acting nice?
I still remember everything, you know. I know just grabbing the SOULs again won't cut it. Besides, this is MUCH more interesting. I can be their "best friend" and their "guide." The one person they trust above everyone else...
Q: Are there ships?
Undyne and Alphys are probably still pining for each other, but this story’s not about the romance.
Overall, Inverted Fate is not an AU that focuses on shipping. Undyne and Alphys still possess mutual feelings (albeit with a heavy dose of IT’S COMPLICATED), and ships like Dogamy/Dogaressa and 01/02 still apply.
Admittedly, since I started the comic, I have grown a soft spot for one or two ships I didn’t ever intend on writing but ended up with decent chemistry and development (those being IF-specific Charisk and Papyton), but while I do like these, the story itself really isn’t romance-focused.
Q: But what about Frisk and Papy-
No. Frisk here is twelve, while most of the cast are adults. While it's true that they flirt and have a 'date' with Sans, I want to make clear that I do not condone shipping minors and adults. The date segment was meant to be a joke that neither character took seriously within Inverted Fate. In hindsight, I could have handled the lead up to that a bit better. However, I will be blunt: I am not okay with shipping IF Frisk with any adults. The same applies to other underage characters. I'm also not comfortable with lewd content featuring these characters. I cannot control the art and writing people make and I will not go out of my way to attack them, but I can and will discourage this. Frisk's relationships with monsters are purely platonic. If you must ship them (or any of the other kids), I would prefer it be kept to age appropriate stuff.
Q: Can we make shipping fics, art, or comics?
If people wanna make ship fan content, that’s fine. HOWEVER, I am against any and all IF content that involves kids being shipped w/ adults, F*ntcest, Ch*sriel, M*ttablook, and any ships involving Undyne with male characters. I know I can’t control the fans, but I please ask that you not ship these in my AU.
Q: Will you post shipping fanart?
Yes, although with exceptions. One, I will not post nsfw material. Two, fo/ntcest, Cha/sriel, and Fra/ns WILL NOT be posted here in any capacity, along with any other child x adult pairing and IF Papyrus x IF Asgore since it makes me personally uncomfortable. No Undyne x male characters, either. Charisk I'm okay with, but those will be tagged for others who wish to avoid it. Also, when it comes to ships with the younger characters, I will only post stuff that is G-rated at most. Just because I reblog shipping fanart does not mean it is canon. I want to give fanartists a proper spotlight, so if you dislike a ship, be respectful. If you wanna avoid ships, you can blacklist the tag #shipping. I also try to tag any specific ships for the works I reblog.
Q: Why are you okay with Charisk but not Ch/asriel?
I do not consider the IF versions of Frisk and Chara siblings. They met as strangers, and as older kids (Frisk is 12 and Chara was 13 when they died), and the connection they developed is more akin to a strong friendship/partnership than familial. Additionally, Chara simply refuses to view anyone but Asriel as their sibling. The difference, to me, is that Chara spent years with the Dreemurrs (three years in IF) and came to view all of them as their family and the Dreemurrs in turn viewed them as such, too. A mutual case of “this is what we are,” but for Frisk and Chara, that’s just not the way they define their connection.
I realize this is a huge can of worms and that not everyone is comfortable with this ship, and I respect that. I also don’t ship Charisk in ANY fanworks that do treat them as siblings because I just don’t care to pair adoptive sibs.
If you want to avoid any Charisk fanart, I will be tagging it as #charisk!
Q: Is Asriel swapped with anybody? What about Chara/insert other character here?
Yep, I get to be EMPTY again. Isn’t that fun? As mentioned, the only direct swaps are with the six 'lost souls'- Toriel with Asgore, Papyrus with Sans, and Undyne with Alphys. Other characters may change based on the effects of the main swaps, however, as evidenced by Mettaton's more shounen-inspired design and the fact that Blooky knows who he is, it isn't always the case. Best I can say is don't expect things to be 100% the same, since I'm putting a lot of thought into cause and effect. Chara and Asriel in IF, however, will be addressed later on.
Q: Do you have a Discord server?
Yes.
Q: Do we fight Papyrus in the last corridor?
Actually, as of 2021, I’ve basically decided I’m not going to do a Genocide run comic. At some point, I may do a written summary of my ideas for how I would have handled such a run (I’ve talked about it a bit in IF’s Discord), but I’d rather wait to release art and music concepts until later so not to overshadow the main story.
Q: What do you mean there’s no Genocide Run?!
It was never gonna be canon to the main plot in the first place, but on further reflection, I’m just tired of the fandom overhyping edgy corridor battles and ignoring all the other wonderful things Undertale has to offer.In Undertale, the Genocide run serves an important role in deconstructing RPG tropes and completionism in gaming, but IF is a webcomic and its Frisk has a distinct backstory, personality, and goals that simply would make no sense in such a violent context.
Flowey needs everyone alive for his plan, Chara does not resent Asriel and monsterkind due to Frisk’s actions in the previous timeline proving to them that Asriel WAS right to show mercy, and Frisk has severe emotional baggage related to fighting due to many mistakes they’ve made.So you may be wondering, why keep it a secret? Well, I’ve talked about some of my plans in IF’s Discord server and I may do a written summary/some mockup art of some of the ideas I had at some point, but for now I’d rather wait so not to overshadow the story that matters.
I’d also generally prefer if people not make genocide run fan stories/comics/etc for Inverted Fate. At the end of the day, I can’t stop you, but on a personal level, I just feel like it goes against the spirit of the AU and doesn’t make sense for the characters.
Q: Will there be a Photoshop Flowey fight?
Besides, look at what I accomplished on ACCIDENT! Do you really think I’d settle for the same old routine? I’ve got BIGGER plans in mind...
Q: Well, will [insert scene from the original Undertale] happen?
Inverted Fate is not a retelling of Undertale, but a new story. While parallels may exist, the same events will not always unfold.
Q: What’s going to happen next? What about [insert any other spoiler questions here]?
Please just read the comic to see what happens. I’m not just gonna give away all the answers when this is a narrative fanwork.
Q: When will you update again?
When I have enough content to release. I’m a working adult juggling multiple projects and an RL job, so I need time to produce enough material to get us a nice update schedule again. Best way to keep updated is to join the discord!
Q: Can you add a reference to [insert fandom here]?
IF has a fair few of references, but taking requests would feel less sincere. I don't want this to become References: The AU.
Q: Is Chara the narrator?
Yes. They remember canon just like Flowey.
Q: Who is Captain Cryptic?
Chara.
Q: How come Undyne is still a boss if she’s Alphys? How can Mettaton still be a boss if she is?
She's Undyne, and she has her reasons. This isn't a reskin or a personality swap.
Q: Is Undyne evil?
No, but she is a major threat and antagonist to Frisk. She was also antagonistic in Undertale, and there’s simply more time dedicated to this side of her character here. However, this doesn't make her irredeemable, and the reasons for her actions will be explained in the story.
Q: What about Muffet? Grillby? Monster Kid? [Insert other minor character]?
I don’t want to give away every detail in this FAQ. :P Rest assured, a majority of Undertale’s characters will appear in this comic. How they appear and what parts they play in this new story are for you to discover later.
Q: What happened to A Shift in Fate?
It’s on hiatus for the time being. Maybe it’ll resume when the Storyshift reboot progresses.
Q: Any plans for Gaster?
Other than the occasional mention and some vague allusions, no. A Gaster subplot would convolute things, and I'd rather focus on other characters. That being said, if you really want some Sweet Gaster Lore™, you can find more direct information about him on the Secret Pages. And keep in mind that popular Gaster fanon like the void and him being forgotten do not apply here. He was scattered across time in space, and no longer exists in one piece.
I also do not consider Mysteryman to be Gaster. Rather, I see Mysteryman as one of many fragments, like the piece one of the Gaster Followers carries. I realize this and the memory thing go against the popular fanon, but please respect that this is how it is in my AU.
Q: Why do you use Megalovania for Sans? That’s Chara’s theme!
If you are a fan of Megalochara/player/etc theories, that's fine. I do not want an argument about the motif selection. I use Megalovania as a secondary motif because sans. is extremely limiting in its shortness, and to demonstrate the duality of Sans' character. See this post for more info. Think of Megalovania to Sans as Oh! True Love to Mettaton, BAaTH to Undyne, etc. In this AU, Once Upon A Time and Beta Undertale represent Chara.
Q: What’s the deal with Inverted Jape?
Inverted Jape and its sequel are two noncanon April Fools comics. They can now be read on the website. Try not to take them too seriously. :P
Q: Is WHY...? canon? What about One Shall Prevail?
Neither WHY...? nor One Shall Prevail are canon at this time. There was a time when OSP was on the OST, but I have since decided it no longer fits my vision for the AU and am honestly tired of both songs and the way they overshadow the OST.
Q: So which tracks ARE canon?
Anything in the OST is considered official to the AU, along with some tracks on the website that have yet to see a SC release (e.g. the Hotland battle theme). That being said, there are some tracks on the site that are placeholders- e.g. the Ace Attorney music for Mad Mew Mew in Part 14. These are merely temporary tracks. Likewise, I sometimes use tracks from UT- some as placeholders, and others because the UT track simply fits the situation.
Q: What is @scinanigans?
It is the official askblog for Inverted Fate. Originally intended to be a IF Frisk + Papyrus askblog, it has since expanded. Many characters can and will answer questions, including Frisk, Papyrus, Flowey, Sans, Undyne, Mettaton, Napstablook, Alphys, Asgore, and Chara.
At this time, Toriel is unavailable for questions, as are most minor characters.
Q: Is @scinanigans canon?
The actual askblog is not- that is to say, the characters in the comic are not getting asks from the userbase within IF canon and asks will not influence the flow of the story. However, any information revealed about the characters within the IF universe is indeed canon to IF’s world and backstory.
Q: Why does Chara have talksprites on the askblog?
Because it’s more expressive than just using plain text and I wanted to make them. :P ...Also for other reasons you’ll understand if you keep reading the comic!
Q: How come asks take so long to answer?
I have a LOT of asks, both here and on the askblog, and I’m juggling this comic, two fanfictions, my patreon, and an RL job at the same time. It can be a bit overwhelming and sometimes I just don’t have the energy. I will try to answer asks when I can, though.
Q: Do you still RP on the askblog?
I’d LOVE to do more RPs with the IF cast, I’m just really busy right now so I’m not really reliable. I’m most comfortable RPing on Dreamwidth, which is a site... not a lot of people use outside of the DWRP niche, haha. So it’s kinda up in the air otherwise. I’m not opposed to RP. I’m just not super available at this time.
Q: Is the dub official?
Yep! I’m directly involved in the project, and our team is working very hard to make it an enjoyable adaptation. You can find all the episodes here! This also means that the dub voices are canon to the AU, but since people might get the wrong idea...
Q: What are Frisk and Chara’s genders?
In Inverted Fate, they are nonbinary. Gender in the Undertale community is a hot issue that I don't have the authority to explore, but I will use they/them for characters such as Frisk, Chara, Napstablook, Monster Kid, Riverperson, etc due to being described as so in Undertale. This isn't me arguing about what's canon to Undertale, but what felt right for my AU. Please don't argue about gender headcanons with me, as those asks will be deleted on-sight. Their voices in the dub may not mesh with your interpretation, but we cast based on personality and performance above all else. Please use they/them when talking about these character.
I am not interested in debating their genders within this AU and will delete any asks that try to do so.
Q: Can I translate your comic?
Please do! Just let me know if you put a translation out, so I can reblog it. And if you need anything clarified, please feel free to send a message to my main blog (megaderping) and we can hash it out. Or you can poke me on discord.
Q: How should we handle pronouns in fan translations with gendered languages?
My personal preference is either avoiding pronouns these characters or looking up unofficial genderless pronouns that people in LGBT+ communities for a given country have invented. Alternating pronouns/terms with a gendered connotation (masculine/feminine forms of human, child, etc), is another option. Otherwise, go with whatever term is used in cases where gender is unknown if there really is no other way to communicate it. My preference is definitely keeping the neutrality of these characters’ gender if you can, though, as it is very important to a lot of people, including myself.
Q: Can I submit fanmusic and fanart?
Please do! While I do plan on creating my own music for the AU, I love fanworks and will happily reblog them here. Just use the AU’s tag or ping me directly, and I’ll see what I can do. If you want some references of IF characters, check out the characters page! As for how to make sure I see your art, using the #inverted fate tag is your best bet, or messaging me directly.
Q: What about nsfw fan content?
Okay, so I have some strict rules regarding IF nsfw. First: I will not post it on this blog. Second: do NOT post it in the main tag. If you must make 18+ IF content, use a tag like inserted fate or something. But on a personal level, I am very opposed to any NSFW content that features the young characters in IF, like Frisk, Chara, Monster Kid, etc. I know aging up is a thing and I’m not gonna open that can of worms- but, personally, I just ask that people refrain from any lewds with the kids or any incest and minor x adult ships. I can’t stop people and I won’t track people down. It’s just a personal request from this AU’s creator.
Q: Can I sell fan merch? What about commissions?
I am okay with people commissioning art of IF characters, but I’m personally not comfortable with people producing fan merch to sell at cons. While I technically can’t stop it, I do this comic mostly for free, so it’d be a bit awkward if people were to profit off of my comic while I generally do not. At the very least, please talk to me first.
Q: Can I cosplay Inverted Fate?
Please do! I’d love to see it!
Q: What programs do you use?
I use a combination of programs! For sprites and tilesets, I use a combination of Paint.net and Paint Tool SAI. For Paint.net, I highly recommend looking into custom plugins, like these here and here and also here. I also use Tiled to create maps using tilesets. Undertale tilesets conform to a 20x20 pixel grid. If you want some examples to reference, you can check some that I had gathered here. I also highly recommend checking out Spriters Resource for the original Undertale sprites as a size reference. Make sure you ALWAYS sprite at 1x resolution, not 2x as it appears in the game. This is the best way to avoid subpixeling.
Additionally, you can find the original Undertale maps here and this is a great tutorial for battle sprites.
I then put everything together in Photoshop using unedited caps as a reference for dialogue spacing, object placing, and the like. Font-wise, I use Determination Mono for dialogue, Determination Sans for menus, and UT Sans and Papyrus for text boxes. This font for battle stats, this font for Napstablook’s “really not feeling it” text, this for menu stats, and size 16, faux-bold DotumChe for the word bubbles in battles. For music, I use FL Studio with a variety of soundfonts. I may make a more comprehensive list at a later date.
Q: Can I RP from this AU?
Yes, but I ask that you wait until characters are officially revealed before making RP accounts for them and to make it clear that they are unofficial and please try to at least familiarize yourself with the comic. The nature of my swaps does not follow a simple template of the swapped character getting all the actions/motives/traits of the character they replace, so knowing the source material is ideal if you’re serious about this. It’d also be super cool if you linked back to the blog or the website.
Q: Can I write fanfiction?
As long as you make it clear that the fanfiction is just that- a fanwork- and link back to the original comic. I would also prefer if said fanfics try to stay accurate to my characterization and not, say, use Frisk as a self-insert. Link back to the original AU so people can know the source. Ultimately, I know I can’t control what people do. I’m just passionate about my story and characters. I certainly don’t mind reading fanworks, though!
Q: Can I make a crossover with IF and another AU?
Sure, though with a few small stipulations. One, Ink did not create this AU. Flowey/Asriel did. Two, I’d rather not have Error destroying my AU. :P Three, my characters are NOT aware that their AU is an alternate universe in the first place. That always bugs me with AU crossovers- the characters knowing that their AU is X variant. Lastly, there are some AUs I’m also not comfortable with (e.g. Frans AUs, Fontcest AUs) and would rather IF not be crossed over with those. As a side note, Pap has an interdimensional transporter to easily facilitate AU antics! There’s even the option of having socks appear in your AU that were dropped by IF Sans. It’s a little gag that he uses the transporter for dumb shenanigans like that.
Q: What about AU combinations? E.g. Inverted Swap, Inverted Dust, etc.
Please do not make “Inverted Swap”. In general, I’m not a big fan of AU combos unless they have a care and understanding of the AUs being combined to make it more than, say, “Inverted Shift” where suddenly Asriel and Chara are dressed like IF Pap and Sans. If you wanted to genuinely combine the ideas and principles in IF with another AU, that’s fine. Exploring ideas like IF + Underfell is also fine. All I ask is that IF not be fused with... - Underswap - Altertale - Dusttale - Axetale - Any AU that straightwashes Undyne, has incest or pedophilic ships. - Any AU that has the premise of “character goes ‘insane’ and kills everyone”.
In general, I prefer IF be kept way from geno-adjacent stuff in AU fusions.
It’s also very unlikely IF would be able to merge with some AUs like Glitchtale and Handplates due to conflicting lore.
Q: May I make a fangame? Fan battles? Dubs?
PLEASE ask for permission and note that it is unofficial when it comes to fan battles. I don't want fan content spreading misconceptions about my AU. Generally, I like to be consulted on fan fights so that I can help answer questions about choices not shown within the comic. It’s also probably easier for you because then I can provide the necessary assets in their native quality instead of having to rip from the comic panels. Dubs are fine as well if you link back to the blog and give proper credit, but do not use the animated dubs. We do not want our animations repurposed; however you can subtitle/translate our dubs. As one final note, I’m really apprehensive about full fangames and generally ask that they not be made. IF is an incomplete story, so in order for me to approve such an ambitious project, I would need proof that there is genuine commitment to such a huge undertaking and would want to be highly involved.
Q: Can I upload your music to youtube as extensions, part of song compilations, or otherwise?
Absolutely not. The only youtube account allowed to upload my music is my own. Any violators will be asked to remove the content at minimum. This is a matter I take very seriously.
Q: Then what can I use your music for?
Fandubs, speedpaints, fan battles, and the like are acceptable. Essentially, if YOU are making something new and it is not merely a reupload, that is fine. Taking my song, splicing a part of it with other Undertale remixes? No. You cannot do that. And any other types of mashups must be approved from me first. I apologize if I seem protective, but I put a lot of care into my work.
Q: Can I reblog as kin?
I know little about kin and hold nothing against the otherkin community, but Inverted Fate is a very personal project to me. If you identify with my characters, that's totally cool and I am very flattered. But as these interpretations of the characters are so near and dear to me, I'd prefer if the tags weren't used on official posts.
Q: How can I support your work?
You can always swing by my Ko-fi page! All donations are appreciated, as my job doesn’t often give me very good hours. I also have a Patreon now, which has a ton of cool incentives, like concept art, music WIPs, unreleased tracks, and more! This is all optional, but greatly appreciated!
Q: Something in your comic, on your blog, or in the Discord server made me uncomfortable! What should I do?
Please don’t hesitate to contact me in private. This is EXTREMELY important to me. I know some content creators do not react kindly to fan concerns, but I would much rather know when something goes wrong so I can learn from it in the future, and in the case of the IF Discord server, I and the moderation team will do whatever we can to hear any concerns and act accordingly. You can reach me on my main tumblr @megaderping, on twitter at Derpisms, or over Discord.
Q: I have a question that isn’t here. What do I do?
Submit an ask, and I’ll see what I can do. However, I ask that you check the current asks to see if it’s been covered. Pertinent tags also include #secret pages for asks related to secret pages, #lore for questions related to IF lore, #fallen humans for questions related to the humans, #status update for... well, status updates.
