Central Theme / Fan Works

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• Better Bones AU: Centers around ideologies of violence and xenophobia and how they lead to tragedy and cruelty. One goal of the rewrite is to show clearly how these things are bad rather than have a Broken Aesop as can happen in canon Warrior Cats.
• Bequeathed from Pale Estates: Duty and responsibility vs. personal happiness. Rickard Stark, Hoster Tully, and Tywin Lannister all chose the former with complete neglect for the latter for their children, and it backfired on them almost every single time: Lyanna ran off with Rhaegar because she hated her engagement to Robert and Brandon used "rescuing" her as an excuse to avoid marrying Catelyn (actions that caused Robert's Rebellion); Lysa went mad and started conducting an affair with Petyr Baelish behind her husband's back; and Cersei started having her own affair with Jaime, passing off three of their bastards as Robert's and risking a potential war were this secret to come out. Ned, meanwhile, believes that there needs to be a balance between the two, hence seeking a Perfectly Arranged Marriage for each of his children; it works out splendidly for him and for them.
• Beyond Heroes: Of Sunshine and Red Lyrium: The triumph of love over despair. The situation being what it is during Dragon Age: Inquisition, there's plenty of despair to go around; and in this version, the Inquisitor - Bethany Hawke - suffers plenty of it up close and personal. But love, both hers for others and that of others for her, prevents the Despair Event Horizon every time.
• Born to Be Wilde: At its core, wacky hijinks and capers aside, the story is about how much someone will do and sacrifice for their family. All throughout the fic, examples of strange and dysfunctional families abound, but it's made clear again and again how their members would move heaven and earth out of love for each other. Carla Hyenandez fights as hard as she does and crosses several of her own morals in order to help her adopted family and pay them back for accepting her as a cub, finally reaching the apex of her arc when she admits that she can ask them for help instead of trying to do everything herself. Harvey is a similar adoptee, and despite his pyromaniacal tendencies and slew of mental problems, he only begins to recover and reform when he's reminded of how much his adopted sister loves him anyways. Lady Lang allows herself to die and gives up full control of her empire just to keep her family safe, and Felix Sr goes on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge to avenge her, only stopping when he realizes how he's hurting the rest of his family in doing so. And finally, the twist ending is that Reynard realized long ago how much harm he was doing to his family, and proceeded to organize one of the greatest crime sprees in Zootopia's history just so his son could foil him and be seen as a hero... all of which he only realized after seeing his ex-wife nearly killed because of his own actions.
• The Bridge:
  • Forgiveness is hard to do and has to be worked for, but it's the only way to break cycles of retribution without killing someone.
  • While love and hate can both motivate, ultimately love is undoubtedly stronger than hate, and not as likely to consume you as hatred is.
  • Obsessing over the past, be it lost status, deceased romantic partners, or old conflicts leads to ruin. Learning to let go is the only way to heal.
• A Chance Meeting of Two Moons: Synchronization.
• Change Up: For the first few chapters at least, appearances matter and perception is reality when trying to make it as a superhero.
• Child of the Storm has several:
  • Life is not black and white - hard decisions are necessary and sometimes good people must do bad things, while even evil beings may sometimes Pet the Dog.
  • Our friends are our strength.
  • Revenge rarely achieves anything but more misery.
  • Actions have consequences - usually extensive and unforeseen.
  • And of course, the classic - With great power must also come great responsibility.
  • Just because a Big Bad is defeated doesn't mean things will get easier.
• Cinders and Ashes: the Chronicles of Kamen Rider Dante: "How one copes with grief, especially those stuck in the anger phase of the Five Stages of Grief."
  • Cinder Road Saga: "Is it alright to Cope by Creating if it's really just Revenge via Storytelling?"
  • Cinder Fall Saga: "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility... But you can't bear all of it alone."
• In Code Geass: Colorless Memories there is an undercurrent theme in the main character Rai's arc in regards to what exactly he is looking for in his search for his memories, what his future could be and the truth behind his past.
  • There's also a recurring symbolic of the moon and the color blue in many of Rai's internal thoughts. All of which seems to have some correlation with his contractor E.E, who has blue hair, wears silver clothes and has a moon generating a blue aura around herself.
  • The meaning of truth and facing certain uncomfortable truths as well.
• Code Prime: A recurring theme of R1 is that a person has to accept and learn from their mistakes in order to grow as an individual. Lelouch undergoes a more heroic route in this story thanks to having the Autobots tell him when he screws up and how to fix it, while Suzaku's problem with this is made worse by a lack of support and Megatron manipulating him into making poorer choices.
  • Related to this is the theme of redemption. Many of the heroes are working to live past their mistakes and past assumptions. But as part of the Adaptational Heroism present through the story, many of the Britannians who were complex enemies of canon instead are given a chance to make it all right. To truly work to atone for everything whether they deserve it or not, and find a home in the greater family that the heroes became.
  • Another theme is The Power of Trust and the importance of working together in order to accomplish goals. The Autobot-Black Knight Alliance are able to work together and trust each other in order to cover weak spots and complete missions while the fighting between the Decepticons and Brittania, as well as both faction's internal squabbling, leaves them vulnerable to backstabbing that hinders their efforts.
  • The nature and influence of Hope. What it can drive people to become. How it can change people. And how fighting to spread that hope all around the world became the central mission for The Alliance.
• The overarching theme of Cinderjuice (also known as the "Contractually Obligated Chaos" series) is that love (in all of its forms) is stronger than anything, even death.
• Codex Equus:
  • "Vicious Cycles" - Vicious cycles as a result of the flaws of mortals, spirits and gods as well as the very nature of the world/universe itself are referenced throughout Codex Equestria, and how it affects everyone and everything trapped in them. How great beings and civilizations constantly rose to greatness, only to fall into decline and destruction, repeating itself endlessly for aeons are explored, as are the efforts of Dazzleglow and others to break and escape the Cycle. The Equestrians' and other heroic characters' struggle to ensure friendship and harmony prevails over enmity and disharmony is framed within this context, portrayed as an epic struggle to overcome the moral and natural evils that resulted in such Vicious Cycles to occur for the future of Sapientkind. The overarching question: Are we and those who would follow us destined to repeat the same mistakes?
  • Legacies - how we should come to terms with the burden, consequences and memory, good or ill, of those before us and what we ourselves leave behind. Can we live up to our predecessor's achievements and rise even greater? Should some legacies be left behind and forgotten?
  • Progress in all forms comes with its benefits and its prices.
  • The fundamental nature of Sapientkind; are Ponies and other races and sapients fundamentally good or evil? Or both/neither? Are all that is good and perfect always doomed by what is evil and flawed? Can one rise above their innate nature to be better? What can they do if they can't?
  • The 'Changeling/Dragon Trilogy' has "Hatred is like an infection; the longer it's allowed to fester, the more victims it leaves. And those that give into it are the first it claims."
    • Also from the trilogy: "Great and wonderful fates can be thrown aside in pursuit of obsession."
  • With entries like the ones with the Clovenists: Do the ends justifies the means in achieving a better world? Even if utopia can be achieved, is it worth the costs and the price? Is there a perfect world that can be reached for all, or is it fundamentally subjective to the self-interests of those reaching for them, like the Autorists, the Tribalists and other Evil/Fallen mortals and immortals whose dreams are a nightmare for others not them?
  • The self-destructive nature of Evil and how it'll ultimately ruin itself (with the exception of evil directed towards constructive purposes). Also Deconstructed as just because they're doomed to fail doesn't mean they shouldn't be stopped by the forces of good, especially when they will cause enormous amounts of damage even in short-term success and have a tendency of taking everyone down with them when evildoers fall.
• Conversations with a Cryptid has three ongoing themes:
  • Sometimes working within the system one opposes is far more effective in changing it than attacking it from the outside.
  • Regardless of one's reasons for abusing one's family, leaving a family behind or hurting someone, it does not make it okay.
  • The importance of maintaining one's health even in stressful situations.
• All three of the Danganronpa K.R.D. Chronicles Series Fic have one:
  • Danganronpa: Memento Mori: The dangers of toxic heroism, and how it can cause people to act irrationally.
  • Danganronpa: Komm Susser Tod: Working around a problem instead of addressing it will only lead to further problems.
  • Danganronpa: Paradise Lost: Can a person truly redeem themselves for what they've done? And if they can, then what should be done about their prior crimes?
• A Dovahkiin Spreads His Wings:
  • Obsession with the past is unhealthy, and learning to move on is part of life and growing up.
  • Your children are individuals who need to make their own choices, not dolls for you to smother and control.
• Escape From The Hokage's Hat has two on the nature of personal growth:
  • One needs to take accountability for their actions and be willing to admit when they are wrong.
  • The past, good or bad, should be remembered as it plays a part in shaping the person you are. It should not, however, become a shackle that drags you down or prevents you from making choices that lead to a better future.
• Fallout: Equestria: No matter how bad things seem, or how long it may take, friendship and good will will always win out in the end.
  • Fallout: Equestria - Project Horizons: When you fuck up, don't expect forgiveness. All you can try is to do better in the future, and hope that when you die you've sufficiently come close to making up for it.
  • Fallout Equestria: Pink Eyes: The innocence of a child is the most pure thing in the world, and adults could stand to learn from it.
• Fall of Starfleet, Rebirth of Friendship is about fighting to remain true to one's ideals.
  • Its sidestory, Evolution of Friendship, is about fighting for one's identity.
• Gal Pals: Karma will eventually reach anyone, even if they got away with many wrongdoings.
• The Good Hunter has several themes and questions, all of which revolve around one concept: the perils and consequences of Awakening the Sleeping Giant.
  • The motives and reasoning for provoking the Sleeping Giant, either because of arrogance, honour, vengeance, or the notion that the Sleeping Giant is too dangerous to live. Of course, this has consequences.
  • How far will the Sleeping Giant go to maintain his neutrality, all for a desire to be left alone in peace? What does "being neutral" mean in a conflict of two sides? Staying out of the conflict? Or fighting for his own side?
  • Can the powerful Sleeping Giant sleep forever?
• Hands (OMORI): The pain, yet necessity, of having to denounce someone you idolized if they've done the unthinkable.
• Infinity Train: Boiling Point asks what makes a person "Strong", and the ramifications of Misplaced Retribution.
• Infinity Train: Star Finder: There is a question about moving on, from burying your past to tying loose ends, and when your past comes back to haunt you.
• Jaune Arc, Lord of Hunger: The costs of taking shortcuts in the pursuit of power and whether Power at a Price is a price worth paying for.
• A Knight's Tale as Inquisitor: Moving past grief, learning from mistakes, and accepting the current reality of the situation at hand in order to start anew and do better in the future.
• Mass Effect: Human Revolution: Among other themes, at the racial level (as seen with Roegadyn/Krogan, the Fiera/Asari, and even the humans), how do you deal with impending obsolescence?
• Despite being "irreverent pony videos" that have plenty of Black Comedy, My Little Pony: Totally Legit Recap did develop some notable themes:
  • Probably the most central; Sulking in misery, pessimism, and fear of failure, instead of trying to make the effort to better yourself just wastes time that could be used trying to actually live a happier life, and self-awareness and passive acceptance of your miserable life, doesn't change that.
  • And as a compliment to the above, even in a cynical world, you can still find happiness and redemption if you try.
  • To a lesser extent, being older than someone, does not automatically make you wiser or more mature, and sometimes you just have to suck it up and move on.
• Pokémon Story: Sinnoh Journey: The precarious balance between your personal goals and your friendships that may or may not be related to them.
• Poké Wars has the central theme of how hatred and bigotry accomplishes nothing but just turns even those who would be allies against you. There's also a running theme of how no matter well-intentioned you are, a war always brings suffering.
• Raphael's Big Mistake: Recovering from a traumatic event, and forgiving someone who has hurt you.
• The Raven & the Owlet: Redemption through love, be that platonic, romantic, or familial. Lilith and Boscha starts out just as bad as they were in the original show, if not worse, but grow into much better, happier, and healthier people through the love (familial for Lilith, platonic-turned-romantic for Boscha) they have for Luz.
• In Say It Thrice and its prequel, The Power of Friendship is the central theme.
• Showa & Vampire as many of them, but these four are the main ones:
  • Your past isn't the key influence on your life; it's the now that counts.
  • Love comes in many forms: romantic love, familial love, brotherhood-based love, and one based around sacrifice (usually of life) for the other person.
  • Once you start the Cycle of Revenge, you must continue that course until your enemies are defeated - or you are.
  • Humanity is defined as being able to empathise with one another - the prime example being the vampire Moka being much more human(e) than the cyborg Dr. Gebok.
• Some Things Never Change: Both stories explore the complexities of how determination can affect the characters' lives and being in various ways, both subtle and overt, and how the end result can be worthwhile or utterly pointless depending on the reasoning and mindset behind said determination. Tellingly, mindsets driven by envy and jealousy are portrayed in a much more negative light.
  • In Squidward's case, his determination is framed as ultimately detrimental by showing how his one-sided feud with Squilliam was utterly pointless and fruitless due to the sheer gap in talent, skill, and money between the two, and Squidward's own inability to reflect on his flaws for the longest time.
  • In Plankton's case, it's presented as being simultaneously the only reason he's been able and willing to keep going for so long despite years of failure, but it is also framed as being the reason his life is nothing but miserable failure, as his inability to self-reflect and just realize the pointlessness of trying to repeatedly steal the Krabby Patty Formula has left his life and his marriage in shambles. The former especially quite literally, once his synthetic body gives up the ghost and he dies.
  • Sandy's determination in her backstory and present are presented more positively, as her willingness to fight against the odds coupled together with her smart investments and good use of her skills and intelligence enabled her to achieve her dreams. It's only portrayed more detrimentally when she also acknowledges that her daredevil tendencies ultimately burned out her body, thus leaving her unable to enjoy her favorite hobbies as much as she used to.
  • Mr Krabs' story, while mostly for humor and being otherwise unconnected, shows him as incredibly determined to complete his journey to be rejuvenated by the Fountain of Youth, with the unspoken implication that he will achieve that goal because he's not the type to roll over and quit in the face of great odds.
• Somos Familia: The relationship between Death, Sorrow and Joy, and how they interact with each other.
• Steven Universe: Alternate Future: In addition to the established themes of the source material, an important theme is change and how to deal with it. Steven has to deal with everyone moving on with their lives except for him, while Black Rutile believes she can enforce her idea of change.
• Temporal Anomaly:
  • Power as both a force of creation and destruction.
  • The positive influence honest love can have on even the most amoral individuals.
• With Pearl and Ruby Glowing: The struggles sexual abuse survivors face, and the support they can find.
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Messiah: Evil stands alone; Good stands together. Also, your sins can be forgiven, but you have to genuinely want to be forgiven for them.

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