I don't understand why people who work in the entertainment industry, try to go completely out of their way to insert things into the projects they work on. Not light-hearted things, like little jokey references; that usually isn't a big deal...I'm talking about more serious, story-impacting stuff. Like romantic pairings with main characters. Of course, not everyone in the industry does this. I'm sure most don't, but still...
Having opinions and headcanons is one thing, but if you're working directly on someone else's project, you shouldn't be using your position to weave them into official products without permission. Especially if these things cut into what was already established. Or something that was being built up into becoming established. Changing the narrative for yourself, isn't fair to fans who were paying attention to the story.
Even if you may not personally like certain aspects of a story or character, these things are the way they are for a reason. Unless you're helping to improve a story, with a better way of reaching the goal, you shouldn't force things to go your way. It's not your project. If you want that much creative control, why not make your own project where you get to take the characters in whatever direction you want? That's a whole lot more considerate than essentially spiting others, simply for wanting to see that canon story develop or be maintained.
If something is actually happening, people want to know the truth. Making what you want to happen look like fact, even after the person in charge already openly and honestly debunked it, you were already told you weren't allowed to impose this, or it's something that's obviously not true...isn't helping. It's causing agitation between fans. If you're suggesting something in your work for that project, that isn't intended by the creator or the company, isn't that baiting by default??
As a creator myself, someone who wants to hopefully create big projects, like shows, where I would need a team, it would be...really disheartening to know that someone I hired, was actively working against the goal I created, instead of helping me...that would be incredibly disrespectful. Would they like it if someone else did that to them? I'm sure they wouldn't...
One instance of this happening, that stays fresh in my mind, is when someone claimed to have snuck a fanon ship into a project they were working on as a request for a friend. The project in itself isn't canon to the one that the characters derived from, but it's an official product that came from the same company. A lot of people don't understand the difference and now think that this unauthorized cameo, confirmed this pairing. I could be wrong, but it doesn't seem like any of the employees in that discussion, bothered to make a statement to remind us that this doesn't count...
What makes this action extremely concerning is that there was an incident online where a group of people in support of that fanon ship, were angry that the source material wanted to pair one of those characters with someone else. They started harassing fans that didn't agree with them, and even tried to sabotage a harmless fan event centered around another ship involving the second character. It's possible that the employees of that project weren't aware of this situation or somehow forgot...but surely, there had to be at least one person who remembered when this happened, who worked on the source material and saw that employee discussion...or saw the fanon pair being included into that project, that could have discouraged them from suggesting something like that...? Or for them to be the one to remind us that this pairing isn't canon, so there wouldn't be any future confusion? It was very oddly handled...
This...whole thing was odd, because...what was THAT about?! Just because someone asks you to do something that goes against your responsibility as a member of that company, doesn't mean you HAVE to do it. What did you mean by that? What were your intentions when you added these characters like this? Because considering the circumstances surrounding the source material...this came off as a pretty malicious dig at a certain group of fans, who didn't deserve that...
What happens if the source material comes back in some big, important way, and the characters in that fanon ship aren't portrayed in the same way as that cameo? What if the people in charge had planned to go in a different direction? Doesn't that create a high possibility of the ones who support that fanon ship, getting mad and attacking people who don't agree with them? By giving the supporters a false sense of hope, without properly addressing this action, if feels like they want all of this harassment to ramp up again...it was so disappointing to see employees--at this level!--act so carelessly...
Now...I didn't make this post for anyone to attack those who they suspect of doing these types of things, I made this post for awareness. When it comes to entertainment, we're all aiming to have a fun time enjoying that thing we like. No one should have to deal with avoidable, drama coming from the place that makes it. (Fandom drama is bad enough...)
I want fans to know that this happens and to be mindful of it if it comes up in their circles. I want creators to know so they can prevent this from happening to their projects. And I want those who think it's ok to go around acting like this, to reconsider. It does matter when you treat your audience like this, and you should think about how your actions could reflect badly on you, your co-workers, the creators you're working with, and company you're representing.
