io9: Our Fascination With Canon Is Killing the Way We Value Stories

[Ryan.]

Our Fascination With Canon Is Killing the Way We Value Stories

As the pop culture we love becomes increasingly dominated by vast franchises of interconnected worlds and stories, so does it become dominated by one, singular question from diehard fans: Is the thing we’re about to consume canon to everything else we’ve consumed before? It’s an attitude that’s...

io9.gizmodo.com

As the pop culture we love becomes increasingly dominated by vast franchises of interconnected worlds and stories, so does it become dominated by one, singular question from diehard fans: Is the thing we're about to consume canon to everything else we've consumed before? It's an attitude that's turning our love of stories into some bizarre, archival competition.

Canon is not inherently a bad thing, of course—it can provide structure to chaos and it can provide a sense of not just continuity, but stakes as that continuity progresses. The idea lets characters bear the impact of events on their journeys across not just one narrative, but many, allowing them to grow and change to the point that they might even be entirely different kinds of people compared to where we first met them.

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It's fine if you want something to matter to a world and characters you care about, but it shouldn't be the be-all-and-end-all to your investment in them, either. Fandom is such a wide, shareable passion, full of different opinions and interpretations about a thing, united by a shared, vested interest and love for storytelling. Valuing the sterile facts of those stories more than the things about them that make us think or feel is a sad thing indeed.

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More at the link above but here is my favorite bit from the article:

The hunger for facts above all else leads to things like "filler episode" becoming a derogatory term for stories that don't advance the larger ongoing plot of a narrative or don't include some shocking new revelation that someone can add to a list.

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We see the use of the term "filler episode" everywhere, especially used incorrectly or as just a way to say "I didn't like that episode because it didn't contribute to what I think the overall story is." That stood out to me the most after seeing that term being used in the Mandalorian thread.

Don't get me wrong. I like an overarching story and facts as much as the next person, but I also love those stories that focus more on character building even if aren't related to the main plot going on. Also, people need to learn the how to use the term "filler" correctly.

 

[B-Dubs]

This is a good essay. There's definitely some legit complaints about filler in anime adaptations, but outside of that it's all kinda crap.

 

[maruchan]

No.1 reason I hate friends cannon. Why himym is better cannon even with shitty ending

 

[HardTimesFamilyPride]

I def agree with the overall point. Some stories are more about themes, lessons, character studies, etc. Not everyone cares about how parts of a story fit into a fan wiki. Not every story is meant to be consumed in that way. A friend of mine refers to people who obsess over this as bug collectors lol (half-endearingly because he's big on canon).

 

[sphagnum]

I blame the Prots for cutting out fun little stories like Judith and Tobit. They started the trend of complaining about filler!

 

[Slayven]

IT's FOMO and not wanting to watch something wrong.

 

[Okabe]

They make good cameras though...

 

[MidnightCowboy]

I find the vast majority of good adaptations are faithful in spirit rather than content. Taking liberties is important. Of course that can backfire as well. It's a balancing act.

 

[B-Dubs]

IT's FOMO and not wanting to watch something wrong.

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Yeah, but it also breeds the stuff where people act like promotional material is spoiling the story.

I find the vast majority of good adaptations are faithful in spirit rather than content. Taking liberties is important. Of course that can backfire as well. It's a balancing act.

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Right. There's some stuff that doesn't translate from medium to medium. If I wanted to turn If on a winter's night a traveller.... into a move, I'd have to make some real changes. It just wouldn't translate as is due to how it's written.

 

[Gundam]

I agree.

 

[Slayven]

Yeah, but it also breeds the stuff where people act like promotional material is spoiling the story.

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I would also say bingeing, no way can you asborb the naunces and etails of 8+ hours in one setting. You know how many conversations i have had with people complaining something wasn't explained when it turns out the person was on their phone while watching somehting?

 

[Kalentan]

I mean to an extent I can agree but I don't think there is wrong for wanting a unified vision on something. For me at least the reason I like sticking to a "canon" is just so that if I get invested in a character I know it will likely be followed up on. It's not perfect but I'd rather have it than a wild west of anything goes and one second a character you've seen develop really well is just completely different for no reason in another.

Edit: At the same time though: "What if" stories and stuff clearly not meant to be taken seriously are fine. If a cross over happened that was not canon but still fun then it was still worth while.

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

This article nails right in the head the way I feel about this subject.

Also:

Google Star Wars or the Marvel movies and you will likely see as many articles and videos with headlines like "X Confirms Y is Canon," "X Questions Answered By [New Media]," or "X Things We Learned About Character Z in This New Book/Movie/TV Show" as you will critical essays about these stories, if not more. And before someone accuses me of throwing stones in glass houses: Yes, io9 totally does this too. Like I said, discussing canon can be fun, it can add a lot to a series!

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I have seen Resetera threads like this on here.

 

[Saifu]

Agents of Shield says hi.

 

[Shy]

A lot of people on this board need to be told that. especially the Star Wars fans.

 

[HardTimesFamilyPride]

I mean to an extent I can agree but I don't think there is wrong for wanting a unified vision on something. For me at least the reason I like sticking to a "canon" is just so that if I get invested in a character I know it will likely be followed up on. It's not perfect but I'd rather have it than a wild west of anything goes and one second a character you've seen develop really well is just completely different for no reason in another.

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I get it and it can be frustrating at times but you gotta remember that sometimes the character serves the story and not the other way around.

You know how many conversations i have had with people complaining something wasn't explained when it turns out the person was on their phone whi

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Like how many people complain about TLJ but can't seem to even get basic plot points correct whe describing their issues with it?

A lot of people on this board need to be told that. especially the Star Wars fans.

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👆

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

Agents of Shield says hi.

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And? That doesn't disapprove of what the article is talking about overall.

 

[Kalentan]

I get it and it can be frustrating at times but you gotta remember that sometimes the character serves the story and not the other way around.

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True but if you need to suddenly change a character drastically just to make a specific story happen, then why write that story in the first place? Cause clearly at that point the story wasn't going there, it was suddenly forced in that direction. But what I'm mainly talking is in reference to stories that are supposed to be taken seriously as a "continuation" of a story. (Edit: And no, something like The Last Jedi, since no doubt it will be brought up, isn't a bad example. It's a good example of taking characters and moving them in an interesting direction without rewriting history)

If the character acted wildly different in some crazy one off story that has no bearing on anything else then that's fine. I read enough cross-over fanfic to know I like seeing characters in different contexts and doing things that in their original story might not have otherwise done.

 

[Deleted member 8741]

I love this point and I will ride or die for it.

I think lore is fun, but I am exhausted and beyond caring about the canon discussions. I want a story that makes sense for the most part and will reveal something about myself or the world.

I feel like all of the fun has been taken out of most stories and media the last few years.

 

[HardTimesFamilyPride]

But what I'm mainly talking is in reference to stories that are supposed to be taken seriously as a "continuation" of a story.

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Got an example?

 

[Kalentan]

Got an example?

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I was less speaking in terms of specific examples but much in the way of what I wouldn't want to see.

Like if a character acts one way in one book and then in the next book acts completely different just to make some events happen I wouldn't like that. Now if it's well reasoned why the character took that shift in character development there is no problem.

So yeah less that this is a rampant thing but more so something I wouldn't want to see.

 

[HardTimesFamilyPride]

I was less speaking in terms of specific examples but much in the way of what I wouldn't want to see.

Like if a character acts one way in one book and then in the next book acts completely different just to make some events happen I wouldn't like that. Now if it's well reasoned why the character took that shift in character development there is no problem.

So yeah less that this is a rampant thing but more so something I wouldn't want to see.

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Ah fair enough and I think that's a good example of when this kind of consistency is important.

 

[rhandino]

The hunger for facts above all else leads to things like "filler episode" becoming a derogatory term for stories that don't advance the larger ongoing plot of a narrative or don't include some shocking new revelation that someone can add to a list.

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The reason I stopped reading online communities for Steven Universe after a while.

The obsession with "lore" and the pure annoyance at the Beach City Episodes was jusT horrible.

 

[jack_package_200]

The Fly is one of the best episodes of Breaking Bad and dumbass fans shit on it for focusing on character rather than advance the plot or let Walter White be their power fantasy.

 

[Dreavus]

The term filler is a manga —> anime thing isn't it? Like an anime that "catches up" to the manga it is adapting and the creators will literally "fill" episodes until new chapters of the manga come out that they can use to advance the "real" story.

 

[TheIlliterati]

I definitely hate when people call episodes of a tv show filler incorrectly. Naruto and One Piece have actual filler, existing only to pad a season that doesn't have enough content. Mandalorian may have episodes that don't drive the main plot, heck they may suck, but they're not filler.

 

[Border]

The term filler is a manga —> anime thing isn't it? Like an anime that "catches up" to the manga it is adapting and the creators will literally "fill" episodes until new chapters of the manga come out that they can use to advance the "real" story.

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I can't tell you where the term "filler episode" originated, but the first times I heard it were in association with the TV show LOST.

The phrase itself could be decades-old though, since heavily serialized media like soap operas and wrestling tend to lean hard into filler material. I wouldn't be surprised if it had been previously used to describe an episode of Days of Our Lives or WWF Smackdown.

 

[WrenchNinja]

someone didnt live through Naruto filler hell

 

[Border]

I honestly don't even know what "filler" actually has to do with "canon". Yes, audiences are often disappointed when an episode doesn't really advance the ongoing story, but that seems completely tangential to the issue of canon. People who complain abou filler generally have no problems accepting filler episodes as canon. If they are done really well, even filler episodes generally get respect.

 

[RestEerie]

canon............ delighting you always

 

[JDSN]

The filler stuff is a pointer when a person lacks introspection and the ability to see any piece of art beyond what's in the surface.

Saw it used a bunch of time on that Castlevania s3 thread usually mentioned along with complains about too much talking.

 

[Yukari]

After TROS.
Lucasfilm should consider releasing more Legends Content.

 

[breander]

I don't mind small imperfect breaks in canon but when my wife who can barely remember even watching previous entries in a series looks at me and goes"Wait what? That doesn't make any sense!" then there is a serious problem. Like seriously I think Rise of Skywalker broke her. She really couldn't articulate why it was bothering her just that it was. Just this general nagging feeling something wasn't right and she was witnessing a glitch in the matrix.

 

[Border]

I don't mind small imperfect breaks in canon but when my wife who can barely remember even watching previous entries in a series looks at me and goes"Wait what? That doesn't make any sense!" then there is a serious problem. Like seriously I think Rise of Skywalker broke her. She really couldn't articulate why it was bothering her just that it was. Just this general nagging feeling something wasn't right and she was witnessing a glitch in the matrix.

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TROS is kinda stupid in a lot of ways, but how does it really break canon?

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

"filler episode" is quickly becoming the new "plot hole" for me.

 

[Wubby]

A lot of people on this board need to be told that. especially the Star Wars Trek fans.

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This.

 

[Syril]

The reason I stopped reading online communities for Steven Universe after a while.

The obsession with "lore" and the pure annoyance at the Beach City Episodes was jusT horrible.

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Spoiler

Gee it's like Steven's need to intervene in the lives of everyone he knows to the point where his self-worth is tied to helping other people was developed in those episodes.

 

[breander]

TROS is kinda stupid in a lot of ways, but how does it really break canon?

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The Emperor being alive and light speed skipping just off the top of my head.

 

[Kalentan]

The reason I stopped reading online communities for Steven Universe after a while.

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Basically look at the discussion regarding Castlevania Season 3. Lots and lots have called the season: "Filler".

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

I can't tell you where the term "filler episode" originated, but the first times I heard it were in association with the TV show LOST.

The phrase itself could be decades-old though, since heavily serialized media like soap operas and wrestling tend to lean hard into filler material. I wouldn't be surprised if it had been previously used to describe an episode of Days of Our Lives or WWF Smackdown.

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My understanding is that its origin I exactly what the poster you were responding to said - arcs in anime adaptations of ongoing manga where they have no material to adapt but still need to keep producing new episodes until that material is produced. Since they can't do anything that would potentially conflict with future chapters, the only option is to make stories that were by necessity completely and totally inconsequential in the long term.

 

[Deleted member 2085]

lol
This is a common complaint for the new season of Castlevania.

 

[Ryan.]

The Emperor being alive and light speed skipping just off the top of my head.

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Is that breaking canon or just something one didn't want/expect?

 

[Deleted member 2229]

Is that breaking canon or just something one didn't want/expect?

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I wouldn't say it breaks canon (lightspeed skipping) but it definitely goes against everything you're led to believe about lightspeed travel in Star Wars including in TLJ.

People bitch and moan about Holdo's attack breaking Star Wars space combat, but it's in the OT that you want to calculate your jumps carefully to avoid collisions or getting into precarious situations. Holdo's attack just builds off of that showing just how dangerous that can be by weaponizing that. It has insane collateral damage which is another reason as to why you wouldn't want to be doing that in open combat on top of the low probability of it even working.

TROS lightspeed skipping throws all that out the window and says "nah its fine, look how cool this is!"

Again, not "canon breaking" but definitely goes against the series prior intentions.

 

[Dark Ninja]

Comeback after you sit through 800 episodes of Naruto and Boruto and they are on the third flashback arc and re-using animation every other episode to pad out the 10 min of new content.

 

[MegaManTrigger]

A lot of people on this board need to be told that. especially the Star Wars fans.

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I agree. The biggest issue with Star Wars fans is that they expect people to buy into the extra material that clearly was not part of the film, as if it fixes the inherent story flaws.

I can't tell you the number of times I got yelled at for calling the prequels crap because I found them to be deeply flawed and poorly written, only for a star wars fan to tell me I was wrong because canon.

 

[Castor Archer]

Basically look at the discussion regarding Castlevania Season 3. Lots and lots have called the season: "Filler".

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Seriously, there were people who claimed to have skipped half the episodes because they "looked" like filler. Like what?!

 

[Ryan.]

I wouldn't say it breaks canon (lightspeed skipping) but it definitely goes against everything you're led to believe about lightspeed travel in Star Wars including in TLJ.

People bitch and moan about Holdo's attack breaking Star Wars space combat, but it's in the OT that you want to calculate your jumps carefully to avoid collisions or getting into precarious situations. Holdo's attack just builds off of that showing just how dangerous that can be by weaponizing that. It has insane collateral damage which is another reason as to why you wouldn't want to be doing that in open combat on top of the low probability of it even working.

TROS lightspeed skipping throws all that out the window and says "nah its fine, look how cool this is!"

Again, not "canon breaking" but definitely goes against the series prior intentions.

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I mean, yeah it's cool looking but the scene goes out of its way to show how dangerous it is.

I agree. The biggest issue with Star Wars fans is that they expect people to buy into the extra material that clearly was not part of the film, as if it fixes the inherent story flaws.

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I don't know how many fans are really expecting you or others to invest time and money into the expanded media. I've seen them discuss it in the OTs and other threads, but that's not necessarily meant to be a way to say "well you just need to read the books to understand."

It's weird though. A lot of people that have decided to have a huge freak out of what's discussed in visual dictionaries, novelizations, and comics are the ones that always say they'll just stick to the movies (or just the OT) because they don't some non-movie content, yet they're always the first ones in those threads.

 

[MegaManTrigger]

I don't know how many fans are really expecting you or others to invest time and money into the expanded media. I've seen them discuss it in the OTs and other threads, but that's not necessarily meant to be a way to say "well you just need to read the books to understand."

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Many people I've spoken to here and beyond, have tried to tell me that I am wrong for calling a story flaw as a "flaw" because of x, y, z, novelizations. The best example is Emperor Palpatine's inclusion in Eps. 9, I said it was a bullshit explanation and I got "he was cloned in the x,y,z novels/comics/etc." as if it was supposed to justify the storytelling decision made for Ep. 9

It perfectly encapsulates your OP where the fans care more about canonical references than the story as a whole. And that's a problem.

 

[Ryan.]

Many people I've spoken to here and beyond, have tried to tell me that I am wrong for calling a story flaw as a "flaw" because of x, y, z, novelizations. The best example is Emperor Palpatine's inclusion in Eps. 9, I said it was a bullshit explanation and I got "he was cloned in the x,y,z novels/comics/etc." as if it was supposed to justify the storytelling decision made for Ep. 9

It perfectly encapsulates your OP where the fans care more about canonical references than the story as a whole. And that's a problem.

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I don't think people, especially here, are saying you're wrong when they are stating simply what happened in something. And to your example, I know that a lot of people here, while they acknowledge that that's how it's established to have happened, don't really like the idea and how it wasn't explained in the film either so I don't think they're calling you wrong either.

 

[Deleted member 15240]

Absolutely agree. I've come to hate the idea of canon. All that matters is whether the story in front of you is any good. Conversations about canon can be fun little distractions or exercises in creativity but ultimately canon does not matter one bit. I'm watching NGE right now and yeah, it can be fun to discuss whether EoE and the anime ending happened at the same or are alternative depictions of the same thing or whatever. But what matters is that I enjoy watching both endings and I don't care what the "canon answers" to any of the questions they raise are.

When people care about canon you get things like the obsession with Snoke. The need to have everything answered in accordance with the canon. As if Snoke going "I'm Darth Plagueis" would've made for a good story just because it would tie back into the canon. If it were up to those fans the aim of a SW movie would be to have a wookieepedia entry with as many hyperlinks to other wookieepedia articles as possible.