⢠While you are alive, what recourse do you have but to live? ⢠⢠they/them/she/her ⢠queer ⢠40 ⢠⢠villain apologist ⢠PFP by @ladyofthebruinen
In Which I Have Thoughts About the New Republic: On the Siege of Arkanis, the Fall of the Galactic Empire, and the Rise of the First Order
Inspired by this post, from the insightful @darthnostra.
Following their victory at the Battle of Endor, the New Republic places the planet Arkanis under siege. They have their reasons, of course; home to Commandant Brendol Hux's officer academy, whose reputation for churning out model servants of the Empire is well-established, and "lack[ing] the 'social unrest' that plague[s] other Imperial worlds" (Wookiepedia), Arkanis appears to be populated almost exclusively by Imperial loyalistsâor, at the very least, by citizens unwilling to challenge the regime. An assault on the planetâs surface, therefore, can be considered an assault on the Empire itself; to borrow the words of the New Republicâs Colonel Ward: âThey chose a side, and it wasnât ours.â
This is a convenient oversimplification.
There are several important details to keep in mind while evaluating the Siege of Arkanis, and they are as follows:
A siege, variously defined, is âa military blockade of a city or fortified place to compel it to surrenderâ (Merriam Webster), âthe surrounding of a place by an armed force in order to defeat those defending itâ (Cambridge Dictionary), or âthe act or process of surrounding and attacking a fortified place in such a way as to isolate it from help and supplies, for the purpose of lessening the resistance of the defenders and thereby making capture possibleâ (Dictionary.com). Wikipedia provides a more detailed definition, adding that blockades are often âcoupled with attempts to reduce the fortifications by means of siege engines, artillery bombardment, or mining,â with victories decided either by military force or resource attrition. In the case of intergalactic warfare, in which ground assaults have been rendered more or less obsolete, surface attacks are carried out from the relative safety of starshipsâa less extreme orbital bombardment, if you will.
The Siege of Arkanis is brief. It begins and ends in the year 5 ABY, concluding with the total surrender of Imperial forces and the annexation of the planet as a New Republic territory. The Imperial Remnants seem convinced of Arkanisâs impending fall by 4 ABY, a full year earlier, suggesting a lack of military might on the part of the planet and/or a lack of faith in the collapsing Empireâs ability to support an Outer Rim world in the midst of Inner Rim conflicts and uprisings in the Core (Aftermath: Life Debt). Given the brevity of the siege, it is highly unlikely that the New Republic achieves victory through resource attrition.
Arkanis, at the time of the Galactic Civil War, is not an economic powerhouse, despite its designation as capital of the Regency Worlds (Wookiepedia). There is âold moneyâ on the planet, and, located along two major trade routes, it likely sees a decent amount of off-world traffic, but its average citizenâs on-world career prospects are limited to service or trade. The planetâs only canon-identified spaceport, Scaparus Port, is a nothing of a seaside town marked by a handful of merchant shops (Wookiepedia). The local industry, fishing, comes with severe occupational hazards due to the presence of carnivorous megafauna in the planetâs ocean(s), and it is not uncommon for fisherfolk to sustain permanently disabling injuries in their line of work. Arkanis Academy, though dangerous in its own right, is an appealing alternative for the planetâs youth that promises purpose, reliable income, andâmost importantlyâa way off-world, as well as relatively safe employment (e.g. food production, groundskeeping, and maintenance jobs) for locals unable to enroll. Under the Galactic Empire, Arkanisâs most valuable export is military officers, and its most stable economic institution is the Imperial academy.
Given the above, a plausible summary of the Siege of Arkanis might read as follows:
Following the Imperial Remnantsâ refusal of terms for the surrender of Arkanis in 5 ABY, the New Republic placed the planet under siege, initiating a blockade of all interplanetary travel and communications alongside a strategy of combined orbital assault and surface-level bombing runs. Strikes targeted infrastructure, grinding on-world commerce to a halt and stranding high-ranking officials of the Regency Worldsâincluding Empress Leeya herselfâin their residences while Imperial holdouts formed a garrison within the fortified Arkanis Academy. Unable to maintain their defense in the face of dwindling munitions, significant damage to the academy grounds, and mounting casualtiesâand suffering low morale after the disappearance of academy Commandant Brendol Huxâthe remaining Imperial forces surrendered after a period of six weeks.
"That's all well and good," you may be thinking, "but this is war we're talking about. What's the problem?"
The problem, as I see it, is twofold:
The Moral Problem: The "Imperial holdouts" referenced in the summary above comprise local bureaucrats, academy instructors, and countless sub-adult cadets. In targeting Arkanis Academy, the New Republic makes both a sound strategic choice and a horrendous moral one; they cripple their enemy's ability to defend the planet, eliminate a link in the Imperial Remnants' personnel supply chain, and knowingly execute children. (I've chosen not to refer to the cadets as "child soldiers" here because, prior to the siege, they have not seen combat.) This is to say nothing of the locals who become collateral damage by virtue of their limited economic opportunities. (Are we to believe that the unnamed mother of Armitage Hux, a "kitchen woman" exploited and abandoned to New Republic bombs by the father of her child, deserves her fate?)
The Political Problem: In Claudia Grayâs Bloodline, readers are introduced to Lady Carise SindianâArkanis senator, Elder House scion (Thereâs that âold moneyâ I was talking about!), and First Order sympathizer. Over the course of the novel, Sindian works to undermine Leia Organaâs influence in the Senate and strengthen the position of the Centrists, a group of politically-aligned worlds longing for âthe return of certain aspects of the Galactic Empireâ (Wookiepedia); though Sindian is caught and punished for her shady dealings, her constituency votes with the Centrists to secede from the New Republic following the public formation of the First Order in 29 ABY. (You read that right: 25 years after the events of the Galactic Civil War, there is still bad blood between Arkanis and the New Republic.)
Though taking Arkanis by force is expedient, this decision sets the stage for decades of anti-Republican sentiment on the part of both the planetâs richest and poorest citizens. The nobility, affronted by any change to the status quo, resent the New Republic for subjecting them to the indignity of deprivation. (Is this a good time to mention that I headcanon Maratelle Hux nĂŠe Sindian?) The commonfolk, left reeling in the wake of economic disaster, resent the New Republic for removing the most reliable of their already-limited means to put food on the table. (And, you know, for all the bodies they had to bury. Or whatever it is one does with oneâs dead on the space equivalent of a peat bog.)
Itâs no surprise that Outer Rim worlds like Arkanis are among the first to ally themselves with the First Order. Both parties share a sense of injustice; they have suffered immenselyâparticularly those too young to have had a say in the conflict between the Empire and the New Republicâand want to see their worlds set right. (Definitions of ârightâ may vary.) When Armitage Hux, Arkanisian refugee and General of the First Order, stands before the assembly on Starkiller Base and says, âAt this very moment, in a system far from here, the New Republic lives and wheezes, staggering onward, depraved and ineffectual and unable in any way to support the citizenry it claims to serve. Meanwhile a host of systems are left to wither and dieâwithout aid, without care, without hope,â you have to wonder how much of that righteous anger is just a rhetorical decision (The Force Awakens novelization).
okay, i am deeply sorry, i know a lot of you on this website are not a big fan of kids and children in general but PRETTY PLEASE can we just NOT normalize the âi donât like/i hate children but i donât wanna hurt themâ? because, thatâs not fucking possible, okay? thatâs two views you can NOT simultaneously hold.
because, letâs talk for real, the problem isnât just direct violence â itâs the dehumanization of children, which feeds prejudice against childhood, childism, and adultism. this logic IS NOT neutral, and itâs one of the most sophisticated ways prejudice gets perpetuated.
ânot liking/hating childrenâ reinforces the idea that theyâre annoying, dramatic, inconvenient... less human â and therefore easier to discard, silence, or sacrifice for adult comfort.
elisabeth young-bruehl defines childism as prejudice against children as a social group, comparable to racism, sexism, and homophobia. it functions like any other -ism: an ideology that legitimizes treating a group as property, as inferior, or as available for exploitation. she also shows that childism isnât limited to extreme cases of violence â it shows up in a whole range of practices that arenât in childrenâs best interest: neglect, underfunding of schools, the abusive use of medication on childrenâŚ
saying âi donât like/i hate childrenâ isnât an innocent preference or just a phrase â itâs literally the biased expression of a worldview that dehumanizes and diminishes this group. thatâs exactly what childism is.
young-bruehl emphasizes that adults who practice childism âall rely upon a societal prejudice against children to justify themselves and legitimate their behavior.â [p.1] a lot of people may not consciously âhateâ children or raise a hand to hit them â but the prejudice allows them to tolerate structures that harm children on a massive scale (child poverty, incarceration, violence, abuse, exploitation, neglect, etc.).
rebecca adami uses the concept of childism to analyze adult resistance to actually implementing childrenâs rights: prejudice against children gets translated into laws, policies, and practices that deny basic freedoms and normalize their subordination. just like a racist can say âi donât want to see black people getting hurtâ while supporting policies that harm them â an adult who âhates childrenâ is, in practice, feeding the cultural climate that makes violence against children thinkable, justifiable, or dismissed.
adami also shows that childism helps us understand how children are exposed to âprejudices, negative attitudes and discriminatory structures in societyâ â and how this connects to the weak implementation of the un convention on the rights of the child.
the old idea that âchildren are just mini adultsâ has been challenged by childhood sociology, and children are now recognized as rights-bearing subjects who deserve to be heard and respected in their choices.
claiming itâs âfine to dislike and/or hate childrenâ means refusing them that status â putting them back in the position of nuisance, of ânoisy things,â of objects. which is exactly what critical theory identifies as the core of adultism and childism.
madeline lane-mckinley argues we live in a world that is âdeeply against children,â where theyâre treated as extensions of the family, the state, or capital â not as autonomous people. she also talks about âadult supremacyâ and proposes a politics of solidarity with children, understanding them as comrades in the fight for a better future.
lane-mckinley also points out that the figure of the child has historically been weaponized in service of white supremacy, empire, and political projects that decide which children deserve protection â and which ones can be abandoned to poverty, war, forced migration.
in other words, discourses of hatred and contempt for children participate in the symbolic economy that makes some childrenâs lives more exposed to violence.
and finally â in ethical and political terms, there is no way to separate âhatingâ (or âdislikingâ) children from passive participation in structures that authorize harm against them.
the only position thatâs coherent with childrenâs rights and with critiques of childism is to let go of that hatred and commit to recognition, listening, and active solidarity.
I'm actually gonna elaborate on that First Order Gender Post a bit.
So. The thing is. In real life, it isn't uncommon for people who've experienced abuse by men to develop an aversion to men.
But the other thing is...people in real life are also existing in a world where violence and abuse are frequently (a) gendered, or at least (b) socially framed as gendered. In a society that is systemically patriarchal and misogynistic, people are taught basically since birth that men have a monopoly on physical strength, authority, violence, and the ability to inflict trauma. People are taught to view "violence" as something distinctly male. This is part of why abuse by women isn't taken as seriously; society doesn't treat women as fundamentally capable of being perpetrators of real, serious abuse or assault.
So, when a person who has been abused by a man develops a fear or distrust of men as a result, it's not just their individual trauma that influences that fear; it's the combination of (a) the fact that they personally experienced violence at the hands of a man, and (b) the fact that they are taught over and over and over again since day one that this is basically normal and inevitable and something any man might do.
(This isn't intended to discredit such trauma responses or deny any gendered violence statistics in real life, for the record; it's intended to illustrate that there is a strong socialization factor in why "I was abused by man/a man" so often translates in victims' minds to "therefore, I cannot trust men in general not to hurt me.")
The reason why I don't believe that Hux would develop a similar fear/distrust of men is because, as he was not raised in a society that treats violence as a Male Thing, he would have no reason to see his father's gender as a significant factor. In his culture, violence is something everybody is expected to be both a victim and a perpetrator of. The notion that "victimhood = feminine & perpetration = masculine" is simply not culturally present.
What is very much culturally present is the idea that violence is tied to hierarchy and rank. In the First Order, there is no societal expectation for women to endure mistreatment by men, but there is a societal expectation that citizens will endure mistreatment by their superiors. That authority gives people the right to treat their subordinates however they like, up to and including physical violence--and, while this one isn't touched on in canon as far as I know, likely sexual violence as well.
Abuse occurs (or rather, is commonly believed and expected to occur) not on a male-female axis, but on a superior-subordinate axis. We also know that most of the high-ranking officer ranks in the First Order are occupied by older officers, especially Civil War veterans who previously served the Empire.
What this means is that in terms of who Hux would have been conditioned to see as "potential abuser" material, it makes very little sense for him to associate his father's gender with that abuse; it makes a lot of sense for him to associate it with his father's age group, though. And with the idea of not being in charge. Any situation where Hux isn't the ranking officer in the room is, in his mind, a situation where somebody could feasibly hurt him, and those situations are likely (until he takes over the army) to involve older staff.
I don't think Hux's lack of any gender-related biases is because he's somehow too logical or smart to fall for that sort of thing; I think if he had been raised in a society with similar patriarchal norms as real life, he would probably be distrustful of men because of his father. But he was raised in a non-gendered rigidly-hierarchical society where the primary predictor of abuse is rank, and we see no indication that the ranks tend to be gendered.
And then he would proceed to mention all the flaws that led the Empire to meet its doom and would mention all the reasons why the First Order is so much better
WIP Big Bang/WIP Reverse Bang 2026 - Schedule & FAQ
Schedule
All times are by 11:59pm PST. Convert time zones.
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Sign-ups-Â April 1st - June 1st
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Check In #1-Â May 22nd - May 29th
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Check In #2-Â June 15th - June 22nd
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Snippets Due-Â July 1st - July 11th
Big Bang Art Claims/Reverse Bang Fic Claims-Â July 17th - August 14th
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Check In #3-Â July 22nd - July 29th
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Posting Claims-Â August 23rd - September 1st
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Check In #4-Â August 31st - September 7th
Official Big Bang/Reverse Bang Postings-Â September 8th - November 30th
Emergency Big Bang/Reverse Bang Postings-Â December 1st - December 31st
Good question! This is a Big Bang with one goal in mind: to clean out your fanfic drafts folder. These are stories that were unfinished for whatever reason, that authors returned to and completed, and the art that goes with them!
What is the WIP Reverse Bang?
Itâs similar to the regular Big Bang, except itâs for artists to finish WIP artwork (either traditional art, digital art, fanvideos, fanmixes or filk) and get a fic in exchange of at least 1000 words.
Is there anything not allowed?
Content wise, no. Problematic fandoms are fine. RPS/RPF is fine. Incest and underage pairings are fine. Graphic violence is fine. Non-con/dubcon is fine. Things like that I know have been hinted at in questions asked and as long as you tag for them, weâll allow it. Also, canon settings with mostly OCs and original fic/art is also allowed (though it is harder to pair you with someone for fic/art). We just ask that it be tagged properly with any content warnings you would deem fit and be given the appropriate rating for the level of sex/violence there is in the fic. Just bear in mind that while original work is allowed you may not get art for it. However, we absolutely do not allow AI generated writing or art for either bang; it will result in a permanent ban if you are caught using AI in any capacity.
How many fics/art pieces can we sign up for?
We absolutely donât mind multiple sign-ups; I know one year someone submitted 50 fics to finish, and got at least half of them done. We just ask that when you sign up with more than one fic/art piece you give each fic/art piece a unique user ID (please do not use the same ID for all your fics/art pieces...itâs important to have different IDs for the check-ins.
We encourage you to sign up for all the fics and art projects you plan on completing before May 21st and then dropping the ones you can't complete prior to snippets submissions; however, if you finish projects well before snippet submissions, we may consider letting you add new projects into the bangs on a case-by-case basis.
Is a piece that is part of another event (like a zine, FTH, or even another Big Bang) allowed as long as all the dates for posting line up?
Yes, we have no problem with you combining our event with other ones as long as you don't post new parts before July 1st (we will definitely give permission for early posting in that case).
Will I get emails about the bang?
We only email participants when their WIP has been claimed for art/fic. Please keep this fact in mind when deciding whether you want to participate; it is your responsibility to keep track of the schedule and know when check-ins and other events in the Big Bang/Reverse Bang are taking place.
If you need a reminder about due dates, the FAQ/Schedule is pinned on top of the Tumblr and Dreamwidth blogs and we use the Discord to remind participants of important dates in the Announcements channel. The pinned post on Tumblr is updated as we add links to specific things for the Big Bang/Reverse Bang, and if you join the Discord you can choose to get pinged when we make announcements regarding the events. The Discord is open year-round to both participants and non-participants, and the permanent invite link can be found above under the schedule next to the Mod email.
On that note, if you have any questions or are having trouble communicating with your artist/author, please do email us! Our email is [email protected]. We will do our best to respond quickly.
Do I need a Tumblr/Dreamwidth/AO3/etc. account to participate? Are we allowed to participate without joining the Discord?
No! You donât have to have an account on anything to participate, though you will need to have somewhere to post your finished work. Having one or more accounts will help for you to follow what is going on with the bang (we crosspost to Dreamwidth and Tumblr and heavily use our Discord server at the moment), but they are not required to participate. You can always leave comments anonymously or with an opensource ID.
The Discord server is optional, as it is just another way to interact with your fellow writers and get updates on important dates. Itâs not mandatory you join, however.
The fic I'm writing is actually multiple fics, but all part of one cohesive story. Is that accepted in the event?
Submitting fic in a series/interconnected fics under one idea is perfectly fine. When it comes time to do art claims, you can submit snippets from either the new fics you wrote or the ones you already finished, and then you and your artist can decide whether you want art just for the new fics or the project as a whole.
Is a co-written piece allowed (i.e.: a piece that is currently in-progress, co-written by two or more authors, that otherwise fits all the other criteria)?
Absolutely! The way we essentially want co-authored fics to work is this: when you sign up, you use one primary email address and pick one check-in ID to be used by both of you for the event. We're trusting if you co-author a fic together that you will talk to each other regularly, so we don't need both/all authors' emails, but if you want to give them to us I can make a note of it in the spreadsheet. (but please do let us know you are co-authoring a fic so we can let your artist be aware they will be communicating with two authors instead of one when we get to that point...you can give an artist specific info when you both contact each other).
The check-in ID and email will be used every time you fill out a form requiring them, and only one of you has to fill it out for each form (so you're only submitting your info once that way). If you have to contact us via mod email you can use either author's email, but either way you must include the check-in ID so I can look up your info by check-in ID instead of email.
Is there any way to enter the bang anonymously? Like would it be okay to put our work in an anonymous collection on AO3 or something?
There is a way, apparently, that you can anonymously post a fic to AO3 and if you want to go that route you may. However, the collection that we use to collect works each round is not anonymous, and there are the bragging posts that you post on your posting day, which you would have your username on whichever platform you use, and you do have to post bragging rights to complete your participation in the event. But if you want to, you can email the bragging rights to the mod email and we can post them on Tumblr and Dreamwidth on your behalf, which would give you anonymity on the bragging rights end as well.
I was just wondering whether I'm sworn to secrecy on which projects I'll be finishing up, or if I can shout it out to the world?
No one is sworn to secrecy once theyâve signed up (aside from posting new parts to fic thatâs already up somewhereâŚwe ask that you refrain from doing that until at least July 1st)! You can post snippets to your audience as you write them and you can talk about the specifics of your WIP wherever you want. When art claims for WIPBB and fic claims for WIPRB come around, you can advertise for your fic or art project by using specific tags for the fandom/characters/ships for your project on Tumblr posts with the links to the claims lists and you can post the link to claims in Discord servers outside of our Discord server or wherever else you can advertise with the specific info for your project..
We also have a Discord server where you can chat with other current and former participants, and we occasionally run writing sprints, where you can add more to a fic in a certain amount of time. We also have a channel for being able vent in, where you can complain or ask for help or whatever else you feel like talking about when it comes to struggling with a fic. Once you sign up (either as someone trying to finish a WIP project or someone making art for WIPBB or writing a fic for WIPRB), you can use the link at the top of this page to join the Discord.
What do you mean by minimum word count to enter the WIP Big Bang? Can an outline count towards those first 500 words that are needed at sign up?
This is a WIP Big Bang, therefore we ask you to have at least 500 words of your story drafted when you enter. You can have it written out and posted to a fic site of your choice or just have it stashed in a file in your computer, either option is fine as we're not asking for proof at sign-up. We have also admitted work on an outline before so yes, if your outline is fleshed out enough to cover a 7,500 word+ fic, weâll allow it.
Is there a minimum word count for the finished fics?
7,500 words for each finished fic, but the sky's the limit, right?
I see that the fic minimum is 7500 words and that published WIPs are acceptable - but what if the WIP Iâm considering is already more than 7500 words? Is the expectation to add an additional 7500 to it?
No. You can add as much or as little as you need to finish the story, though we do expect at least 1,000 or so new words if your WIP already meets the word count.
What happens if an author finishes the fic they signed up with but itâs less than 7,500 words? The intent was to go over the minimum but once they got into it the story was shorter than they thought and stretching it out would make it less good. Do they have to drop out at that point?
If your WIP is under 7500 when you finish you can drop out of the main Big Bang and, if you would like, post it during the Mini Bang in January/February, but it wonât get art.
What about fics that are already posted on AO3 in part? Do those qualify for the bang?
It's okay if you have posted a few chapters of your fic already (you never know when the muse deserts you, after all), we just require you to refrain from posting more until posting begins here. All we ask is that you not post any public updates to the fic until August 1st (or July 1st with the modâs okay). We donât want you to lose kudos and comments so donât worry about pulling the fic down, just hold off on updates for now.
I have a fic I wrote a few years ago, but only the first couple chapters are posted on AO3 because I was never happy with the rest of it and knew it needed major revision. Is that something I could use for WIP Big Bang? The entire fic has been posted, but only on one platform, and it would be rewritten for AO3 and WIPBB.
I think revising a fic for posting would work, as long as you have at least 500 words done, will have 7,500 words at a minimum when itâs done, and are planning to add more to the fic. Simply rewriting what you have would be a gray area, but if youâre going to take stuff out and add new scenes, either in the old scenes place or on its own, you should be fine.
Are multi-chapter fics allowed?
Yes, multi-chapter fics are allowed and even more so encouraged if your fic is lengthy.
What's the etiquette around OC-centric stories? Ones that are set in a well-known fandom and use several characters, but still lean a lot on original characters? Are they discouraged, or fine?
Based on my own personal experience making art for a story that had a heavy OC presence, itâs not something we discourage at all, but be forewarned when it comes to the art accompanying your fic your artist may not be able to incorporate the OCs into your art. Not everyone makes art of a hand-drawn or digitally drawn nature, so it helps if you have people for face claims ahead of art submissions, and you and your artist communicate regularly. You can also end up with art not featuring the OCs at all, just the canon characters, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Your other options are to bring in an artist you trust with your vision of your OC or to make your own art (we do allow that, we just need to be told during the check-in before art that youâre bringing in your own artist if you go that route, or that youâre doing your own artâŚthere will not be a need to sign up in the artistâs sign up, however), or to opt-out of art entirely. So thereâs plenty of options to call on when it comes time for art.
What is the minimum requirement for the WIP Reverse Bang?
Weâll allow an outline of what you want to create or a rough sketch if you have it for digital/traditional art, and at least 15 seconds of fanvideos or filk (fic songs) recorded, or an outline and notes. Fanmixes can be partially finished with either some of the music picked or some of the art made/a combination of the above.
What do finished products for the WIP Reverse Bang look like to be considered complete?
Art must be fully drawn and at least shaded, if not fully colored. Filk and fanvideos must be at least one minute long and fully finished to the fanartistâs vision. Fanmixes must have a front and back cover and at least 8 songs picked out, and there must be an available playlist on Spotify, YouTube or for download.
Can I swap out a fic/piece of art if my muse abandons it again?
When you sign up, you give us the information on the potential fic(s)/art piece(s) you want to finish. If, say, one piece isnât working but one you didnât sign up for is, you can switch them out as often as you desire. It is absolutely okay to switch fics all the way up until snippets are due. By then, we hope youâll have however many fics you plan on doing to at least 80% completion since rough drafts are due not much later. You only need to let the mods know if you need to change a check-in ID you used; in that case, just drop an email to the mods at [email protected] with the new information (title, fandom, etc.) as well as what your old check-in ID is and what you want your new check-in ID to be.
What are 'check-insâ?
These are a way for us to see what you've been up to and for you to make sure you're still on track. It will give you a little nudge/reminder if you need it, but they are not compulsory. Basically a form is posted that you fill out with your check-in ID (unique for each fic) and a checkbox to let us know youâre still participating, plus a section for any notes for the mods.
How are the check-in IDs used?
They are solely for the organizational purposes of the mods, which is why we ask you use a unique check-in ID for each project, especially if you're doing multiple projects in WIPBB or WIPRB or participating in both events. Each ID being for a separate project allows us to keep all the information you submit during check-ins and for snippets in one line on our spreadsheet. You donât have to share your check-in IDs with anyone else if you donât want to.
How much progress should authors be making between each checkpoint? (Percentage-wise from our estimated total wc, I guess?)
Ideally, with each check-in, you should be at least 25% closer to finishing. The end word count for fic only really matters in that the fic needs to be at least 7,500 words when done, so itâs more your progress towards finishing that should be measured, not so much the word count.
What are 'art claims' and âfic claimsâ?
The claims are when anonymous summaries of the story go up for artists to choose from for WIPBB and fic writers to claim for WIPRB. Artist sign-ups and art claims are the same thing, as are author sign-ups and fic claims for WIPRB; we use one form each for both things, and that way the artists and authors donât have to sign up for an event they may not end up participating in. However, as the event has expanded much more than we ever could have dreamed when we started, we can no longer guarantee every fic will get a piece of art/every art project will get a fic. Mod Ragna will usually try and claim at least one project from every participant in the WIPBB for art, but that is not always feasible.
It is based on a 'first come, first served' basis and artists/authors may choose up to three potential stories/pieces of art, in case their first choice is unavailable. If there are more stories than artists, there will be a second round of claims wherein artists may choose a second story to work with, and on until we have completed four full rounds (we have changed the process we use as of the 2026 round and no longer have a pinch-hitting period in order to streamline the schedule). Same goes for fic claims; weâll do multiple claiming periods until all four rounds of claims are done. You are more than welcome to bring in an artist/fic author of your own, and we also encourage sharing the links to the summaries outside of Tumblr (which is the only platform we do advertising one right now for fic/art claims) to get more people potentially interested in claiming it.
If a fic or piece of art up for claiming is rated explicit (R, NC-17, etc.), please only claim the story if you are over 18 years of age. Some authors and artists may be uncomfortable working with underage artists or authors on explicit works. We do not verify ages in any way for the bang, so this is solely on the honor system.
What are the snippets requirements?
For the WIP Big Bang, we require you to supply one to three snippets from your fic (preferably three), between 500 â 1500 words each. The snippets will be sent to the artist after they have claimed your story. They're to help the artist match your story for artwork the best way he or she possibly can. Itâs helpful to choose scenes or parts of scenes that you feel best represent your fic, but donât feel like they have to be perfect to be submitted. Along with the snippets, we will send your artist the basic fic info and your email, so the two of you can collaborate more if you would both like.
WIP Reverse Bang snippets is the art (at whatever level of completion you are at) uploaded to an image hosting site/YouTube/an audio steaming site and you only need to upload one piece of it. Weâll link to the site in the claiming post that you use so art will be thumbnailed/snippets of video or audio will be used. If youâre submitting a fanmix, we ask for at least the back cover graphic with the song listing.
Will the three snippets per story we have to send in for WIPBB be the ones we want the artist to make art for? Or can it just be random snippets and then later the artist and I can check together to see which scenes would work best for art?
Ideally, you and the artist will be communicating once youâre each sent each otherâs contact information, and youâll give your artist a chance to read all that youâve written at that point. Thatâs what happens in most cases. If your fic gets picked by an artist and they donât work with you, then the snippets you sent will be what the artwork will be based on. Itâs a good idea to know that, while most of the time the artists work closely with the authors, there are a few exceptions to that.
Can I submit snippets on a Google Doc document/Google Drive link/Ellipsus link?
Yes, if you want to go that route instead of uploading fic snippets directly to the form or linking directly to your art you may! We only ask you make the link public and viewable to all before you submit it for claims consideration. If you do not, we will give you until the end of Round 1 of claiming to fix the issue before your summary is removed and you will then not receive art for your WIPBB project or fic for your WIPRB project.
My fic is not in English. How do I get art for my fic in art claims?
If your fic is not in English and you are not offering an English translation as well, please contact the mods via the mod email so Mod Ragna can make a cover and maybe a graphic/chapter covers while working with you on pictures of characters and English translations of snippets (you would just email the translated snippets directly to her and wouldn't submit snippets for art).
If you are including an English translation, submit snippets in English for art claims, and feel free to post both the English and non-English fics to the AO3 collection as well as provide a link to both in the Tumblr/Dreamwidth bragging rights.
Why arenât the WIPBB fic snippets posted on the claims page like the WIPRB art snippets?
Currently, we do not post fic snippets to the claims post, nor are we planning to; we send snippets privately to the artist who has claimed them. As snippets are 500 - 1500 words each and there are one to three of them submitted per fic, the sheer amount of participants precludes us from posting them directly onto the claims form for space/organizing issues. Furthermore, some snippets submitted include explicit scenes and scenes of graphic violence and we respect the fact that our participants may not want them posted publicly outside of where theyâre posting their fic.
Is there a minimum/maximum requirement for my art for WIPBB?
There is no strict minimum, but we do ask artists to remember that the authors are writing a minimum of 7,500 words and your artwork should reflect that. You can do anything you like, including banners, wallpapers, icons, mixes, vids, gif sets, picspams, etc. Suggested guidelines for art are 500x500px (or equivalent of smaller pieces like banner + spacers, cover + icons, etc.) for traditional art, digital art, and manips; 2 minutes for vids; 8 songs + cover art for mixes; and 6 images for gif sets and picspams. We also ask that when you are in contact with the author, you work with them to see if there is anything specific they would like (i.e. a wallpaper, book cover, etc.). The art is your work, but having ideas doesn't hurt!
My fic had art made earlier, before I added new chapters. Can I ask for new art?
Yes, you may put your art up for art claims even if you have art previously made, as thereâs a good chance new art will be including the newer stuff youâve written.
I want to make my own art for the WIPBB. Can I sign up for someone else to make art for me too?
Respectfully, if you plan on making your own art we ask that you do not put your fic up for art claims, in fairness to people who are unable to make their own art and are up for art claims. Each fic gets one artist, and if you make your own art and request art from someone else, that would mean you have two artists, which is unfair to the other participants.
I signed up just to finish my fic and donât necessarily need art. Do I have to have my fic claimed for art?
No, absolutely not! If you donât want art at all or want to make your own art, all you hae to do is ignore the snippet submission portion of the event.
What do I do if I have problems or concerns about my author/artist?
Sometimes authors and artists do not get along and this may cause problems with working together. If this happens to be the case with you, please email the mods and we will try to do what we can so that everyone has a chance to have fun at WIP Big Bang!
If you have not heard from your author/artist in some time after trying to contact them, you can reach out to us via email and we will try to get in touch with them for you.
What are the rough drafts requirements?
For the rough drafts, stories or art should be at least 75% complete. You will not have to turn them in to us, just assure us that you are at that point. Anything less is at the discretion of the mods and those authors should speak to one of the mods asap.
What is, and do I need, a beta?
A beta is basically a person who goes over your work to make sure that there are no spelling/grammatical errors and they can even be of assistance in helping you with story lines, etc. It is highly recommended that a beta looks over your work before posting. If you are having trouble finding a beta, try this post.
How early can I start posting new chapters of my work?
Posting of chapters on AO3 or your own blog (or wherever you usually post) generally starts August 1st, but you can post earlier (as early as July 1st) if you let us know you have a long story.
Where can I post my fic/art?
Stories and art can be posted to your own personal journal, Tumblr, ff-net, AO3, or wherever you like. For those of you with AO3 accounts, we will set up a collection that will go live on the day of the posting. If you donât currently have an AO3 account but would like one, you can contact the mods for an invitation code to see if they have any available. You can also add yourself to the AO3 Invites Request queue.
What does posting look like? Do we have to post the whole thing on the day, or can we stretch it out between when posting starts and our date? Iâve had a few longfics get killed by big bangs forcing posting to happen on a given day, and would prefer to avoid that if possible.
For most fics, posting to AO3/FF.net/other places will be allowed to start on August 1st and you can stretch it out as many posts as you want as long as the complete fic is up by your posting date. However, you can send us an ask/e-mail about posting as early as August if you have an extremely long fic/something with a long posting schedule. Mostly what we want is the fic to be completely up on the website of your choice by your posting date, and I know some people donât want to overwhelm their readers. So we want to work with writers to give them ample time to post the story up to their posting date.
Now, as for posting to the communities, you get to choose which day your link to the story and bragging rights are posted. Posting will be tiered; you'll each get your own posting date that you and your artist will decide on together, and we have a range of dates from September 8th to November 30th with five stories and art projects posting a day between both WIPBB and WIPRB participants. The post with date claims will go up on August 23rd and you'll have to choose your date by September 1st.
Posting has to be finished by your chosen posting date to the comm. Projects for WIPBB and WIPRB should be posted to YouTube/Soundcloud/Spotify/Tumblr/Dreamwidth, and on your claimed posting date you will make a post to Tumblr or Dreamwidth using the Bragging Rights form. Please do not add your project to the WIPBB/WIPRB AO3 collection until the project posting is completely finished!
If you want to embed the art for your project into an AO3 post, you can do that as well. Fic should be posted to the writing site of your choice on your posting day, and art should be posted to a site where it can be hosted permanently; if you post to AO3 weâll have an AO3 collection open for each specific year which is open to all WIPBB fics/WIPBB art projects and WIPRB art projects/WIPRB fics. You are allowed to archive lock your WIPBB/WIPRB projects as well. Art for WIPBB and fics for WIPRB will be due on the chosen posting date to the comm between the authors and the artists as well.
If you are posting your Bragging Rights to Tumblr, you can submit the Tumblr post to our blog before your posting date as well, or post to your own Tumblr and tag the WIP Big Bang blog by adding @wipbigbang in the body of the post. Either way works for us. If you are posting to Dreamwidth the post will be queued until you chosen posting date. If for some reason you canât post your bragging rights to Tumblr or Dreamwidth, you can email your Bragging Rights to the mod email and we will post them on your behalf to both Tumblr and Dreamwidth and send you the links. Posting your Bragging Rights is mandatory.
If for some reason you miss your posting date, you have from December 1st until December 31st to post to the community, during the month of emergency posting dates. So hopefully there should be plenty of time to get a longfic up and posted to the website of your choice and our BB.
What am I posting to the Dreamwidth/Tumblr community if Iâm posting the fic elsewhere?
Youâll be posting what we call bragging rights. Itâs a small form you fill out and post to the community with a link to your fic. We will post a template for posting artwork and stories to the comm closer to the posting date. Once your Bragging Rights have been posted to Tumblr or Dreamwidth, you will take the link to that post and submit that link into the final check-in form to signify you finished your project before posting ends at midnight PST on January 1st. If you do not submit a link to your bragging rights, you will be banned from being a WIPBB author/WIPRB artist for one round,
Bragging Rights are mandatory for WIPBB authors and WIPRB artists, who had agreed in the posting dates claim to post their fic/art by December 31st. The Bragging Rights posted to Tumblr or Dreamwidth are how we know you completed your fic/art, and that's why the link is supposed to be to your Bragging Rights, not just the fic art. Bragging Rights are not mandatory for WIPBB artists and WIPRB authors, as they did not sign the agreement to post by December 31st. We love having them, post Bragging Rights but as they did not sign the agreement when posting dates were chosen, they are not required to post them and don't have to post anything to the final check-in form.
Can I get an extension?
Absolutely! We will try our best to accommodate you as long as they are discussed with the mods via [email protected]. Extensions when it comes to submitting snippets is a little tricky, as there's just about a week of turnaround time from when we stop accepting snippet submissions to when we put the first round of claims up; however, if you contact us via the mod email, we can accept your summary without having your snippets sent at the same time, and sometimes we can take the information after the snippets submission form has closed as well (though this is much rarer and must be done sooner rather than later).
We can definitely offer extensions when it comes to posting dates, and the entire month of December is available for emergency posting or posting if you missed your assigned date in September, October or November. Just let us know through the mod email if you need to change your date (you can also choose to post in December directly in the posting dates sign-up form).
There is no need to have extensions on our four check-ins, as they're all optional.
Can I drop out?
We have high hopes that everybody who signs up can actually finish the round and share in the joy of the reveal with us, but real life can unfortunately get in the way and we completely understand! You must drop out via sending an email to [email protected], and we would prefer you drop by before art/fic claims start (July 16th) if you want art for your fic/fic for your art project, or August 14th if you arenât getting any art or fic. But we take drop outs all the way to December 31st, realistically.
If you are dropping your project and you have been assigned an artist/author, it is your responsibility to inform your partner that you are dropping your project. In this case, all we need for the email is your check-in ID, whatever posting date you've been assigned (if you have one) and whether you are participating in WIPBB or WIPRB (so I know which spreadsheet you're on).
If you are dropping and your project is still up for pinch hitting, give us your check-in ID (for the spreadsheet) and your fic fandom/title (for the pinch hit form) and let us know whether it's WIPBB or WIPRB.
If you are dropping and you haven't been assigned an artist/author, all you need to do is send us your check-in ID, whatever posting date you've been assigned (if you have one) and whether you are participating in WIPBB or WIPRB (so I know which spreadsheet you're on).
If you are a WIPBB artist, WIPRB author or a pinch hitter and you just can't complete your project by December 31st, let us know immediately and also inform your project partner as well, as that is your responsibility.
Is it possible to be banned?
We do have a banned users list. We hope to use this to encourage participants who are having issues to communicate with the mods. We want to help you! The way the ban works is that participants, either WIPBB authors or WIPRB artists, will be banned for dropping out without notifying a mod via the mod email account at [email protected]. This means that anyone who has signed up to post and picked a date for posting and has not posted or talked to a mod by the time the posting period ends (January 1st of the following year) will be banned. Dropping out is not in and of itself a banning offense, so please do not panic if you have to drop out! We understand that there are many reasons you may need to drop, and we want to work with you.
Bans will last one round or until the issue is resolved, whichever comes first. To resolve a ban, authors will have to finish and post the story they signed up with, and artists will have to finish and post the art for the story they claimed. Three bans will result in a permanent ban from the bang.
As of the 2026 round we have expunged the block list, so everyone who may have been banned before is allowed to try again. It will definitely be in effect for the 2027 round, however.
I have a question/concern thatâs not mentioned here.
If you need help, you can always contact a mod and we will do our best to make sure that you get your story/art finished. The best and fastest method of contact is through our email, [email protected].
2026 WIP Big Bang/WIP Reverse Bang Sign-Ups Extended!
So as I have not been able to do the advertising for the last few weeks due to laptop issues, the sign-ups for the 2026 round of WIP Big Bang & WIP Reverse Bang will be extended to June 1st. The first check-in will still take place between May 22nd and May 29th, but this is optional (as are all check-ins). Sign up links are below:
2026 WIP Big Bang/WIP Reverse Bang Check-In #1 Is Live!
Check-In #1 is also now live! Please remember that all four check-ins are not mandatory so if you do not do it or you accidentally miss one of them, it's totally fine. This form is used for both WIPBB and WIPRB, so please fill it in once for each project you are completing for either Bang. You should be using a different unique check-in ID for each project if you are completing multiple projects**, so if that's not the case send an email to the mod email account ([email protected]) with check-in ID substitutions you may need and then do the check-ins with the new IDs you want to use (I currently have not set up the spreadsheet because I still do not have my laptop fixed and back in my possession yet, but as soon as I get it I'll switch stuff over).
** If you want to check in with one project (if you are doing multiple) and simply list the rest of your check-in IDs in the Notes to Mods section, we will accept that as well!
Hux hates summer and cannot stand the heat...but it means he can stare at poe whos getting ready to go for a jog in his tshirt and shorts (he will deny his staring) (he has one eye slightly cracked open)
Summer, on Ajan Kloss, was akin to standing behind a thruster while simultaneously having a bucket of hot water dumped over oneâs head. The jungle moon was revoltingly humid on a good day; the summer only made things worse.
There was a reason the Resistance did not need to resort to torture. Simply having to live on their base was bad enough.
Hux sighed, and then immediately regretted it as it forced him to take a larger-than-usual gulp of the thick, swampy air. It tasted of damp stone and jungle rot. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his coveralls andâshamefullyâwas forced to lean his back against the wall of the cave they used as a makeshift hangar. The stone, at least, was a degree or two cooler than the air and Hux allowed himself the indecorum of leaning just to feel it press against his damp back.
How heâd ended up with this life was beyond him. He barely even remembered the events after the traitor trooper Finn shot him in the thigh. It was all flashes of pain and arguing and being carried over Dameronâs shoulder like a sack of stolen ration bars as he protested much too weakly to be believable.
He tried not to think about it too hard. He was unwilling to deal with theâŚemotional unravelling he suspected would occur if he pulled too hard at that thread.
Thankfully, he was immediately offered a distraction by way of Dameron himself. Hux heard him before he saw himâas was often the caseâand Dameron was laughing. Again. The audacity! To laugh when everyone else was suffering miserably from the heatwave.
Dameron, having grown up on the similarly provincial and sweaty Yavin IV, was used to this sort of weather. Just another thing he was annoyingly proficient at.
Hux had tried remarkably hard to hate him. Heâd failed.
Ah, just another failure to add to the ever-growing list.
Dameron appeared from behind a stack of crates and Huxâs mouth literally dropped open. Because Dameron was not wearing his usual orange flight-suit. He was not wearing one of his usual retro-rebel-looking get-ups either: there was no pale tunic, open at the neck; no irresponsibly tight trousers; no scuffed brown boots to the knee; no nerf-leather flight jacket.
He wasâŚindecent. That was the only word Hux had for Dameronâs current attire. Or lack thereof.
He was clad in a white sleeveless vest, the sort one might wear as an undergarment, which clung to every hard, defined plain of his torso, to the extent that he might as well be topless. His legs were bare from ankle to mid thighâtoned and sun-browned and beautifulâwith the smallest, tightest, orange shorts anyone could have ever conceived of, barely covering his modesty. The whole outfit was capped off with a pair of running shoes and white crew socks, sans any form of sock-suspender.
Actually, the lack of sock-suspenders was a mercy. Hux might have actually had a nosebleed right there in the hangar if Dameron had shown up in sock-suspenders.
Huxâs mind unhelpfully provided an image of Dameron in only socks and suspenders, which did nothing to lower his already dangerously high temperature.
Dameron spotted Hux immediately and made a bee-line for him. Hux snapped his mouth shut before he was caught gaping and attempted not to stare at Dameronâs legs. He probably failed.
Yes. He definitely failed. Because Dameron was grinning at him in that infinitely punchable way of his.
Except Hux did not want to punch him. He wanted toâŚpush him against the cave wall and ravish him.
âHeya, Hugs!â Dameron beamed.
âDameron,â Hux replied. Heâd long since given up trying to get Dameron to call him by his actual name.
âYou alright? You look a little flushed.â
âItâs the heat,â Hux snapped. It was. Mostly. He forced his tone into something less rude. âIt is intolerable.â
Poe nodded. âRight? Itâs a scorcher today! Makes me wanna find a river or lake or something and take a dip.â
That was also not helpful. For now Hux was picturing Dameron naked and wet.
âHmm,â Hux managed, intelligently.
âIâm going for a jog,â Dameron said.
âAre you insane?â Hux asked. It was not the first time heâd directed such an enquiry towards Dameron and would likely not be the last. âSurely this weather precludesâŚsuch physical exertion?â
Poe shrugged. âNah, Iâm used to it. And yâknow, I donât go running into action so much nowadays. Gotta keep my body busy or Iâll go nuts.â
Ah. Yes. Hux had observed this. Dameron required regular stimulation or physical activity else he became irritable and restless. Hux was personally more than capable of finding ways to engage his mind but Dameron seemed to need to do practical things to burn off the energy. Like a child. Or an overexcited domesticated canine.
A bead of sweat trickled down Poeâs neck and into the collar of his vest. Hux swallowed. He most absolutely did not suppress the urge to lick it.
âWell,â Hux said, hoping to bring this conversation to an end. âHave aâŚtolerable time.â
Dameron laughed as if Hux had said something hilarious and slapped him on the shoulder. Hux barely even flinched this time. He was learning. Dameron touched often, but never cruelly. Hux hated how much he liked it.
âYep! If you donât see me again, Iâve probably melted into a puddle somewhere in the jungle.â And at that, he jogged away from Hux and towards the jungle track. Hux was treated to the glorious sight of Poeâs rather delectable posterior bouncing merrily as he departed.
For a brief moment, Hux considered following him just to watch his thighs pump and his arms swing and that backside move beneath those inappropriately tiny shorts.
He didnât. Of course.
But he had to concede one point: perhaps this intolerable weather had some benefits.
Do you think hux might subconsciously enjoy the company and feel safer around women due to all his abusers being men and the person who offered him safety being a woman?
So the thing about this headcanon is that I do see why it's so popular...but I think it relies on a generous interpretation of exactly how much "safety" Hux ever had. Yes, the closest things he has to "positive" relationships are with Sloane and Phasma, but both of these relationships are explicitly transactional and Hux is aware of this. It's nice to think of Sloane as his mother figure and Phasma as his bestie-slash-sister-figure, but canonically speaking, they're coworkers Hux has an agreement with. They're allies, not family.
Additionally, I believe that absence of evidence isn't necessarily evidence of absence.
The First Order is quite gender-balanced. We see plenty of women in the ranks, at all levels of the chain of command. Stormtroopers, junior officers, supreme council members, and more importantly, there's nothing on-screen to indicate that this is unusual. The First Order's uniform is unisex, none of the characters ever draw attention to gender as something that matters in the First Order culturally speaking, there's just...no actual evidence of the First Order being a society that observes gender as something important.
Even Brendol Hux himself, as far as I know, never actually expresses any overtly gendered sentiments. His personality definitely aligns with a type of man that tends to be misogynistic and homophobic in real life, but in-universe, it seems like his issue with Armitage is less that "he's weak, and a man should be strong," and more that "he's weak, and a soldier should be strong." His behavior towards Phasma especially suggests to me that he prizes his idea of strength as a gender-neutral trait.
Basically every headcanon on the First Order caring about gender comes from comparing them to real-life political entities and ignoring whether there's any canon evidence for that comparison. Brendol's personality aligns with real-life misogynists, so he must diegetically be a misogynist; the First Order as a country has some parallels with Nazi Germany, which was (among other things) extremely patriarchal, so the First Order must be diegetically patriarchal; but in my opinion, what's actually on-screen and on-page strongly suggests that the First Order is a largely non-gendered society.
So with all that in mind, I don't think it makes sense for Hux, who was raised in the First Order, to view the abuse he's suffered as a gendered ordeal. He hasn't had any genuinely positive experiences with anybody of any gender, and we don't know that he hasn't had any negative experiences with women (although I concede that we don't know that he has, either).
...I do think Hux would have some serious ageist biases, though. Especially with the generational divide in the Order; he's less likely to view Brendol & Co.'s behavior as a matter of masculinity and more likely to see it as a matter of age. He definitely pre-judges older people a lot more harshly than younger people, whether or not they've actually done anything to deserve it.
vaporwave
pixelskylines
blakekathryn
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