History Fanfic / TwosACrowd

* CloningGambit: A deconstruction of a typical heroic application of this trope. The original Luz needed to be at [[TwoTimerDate two places at once, the Owl House and Reality Check Summer Camp]], so Eda, [[LockedOutOfTheLoop without telling Luz]], made a clone of her to fill in for her for the duration of camp. Eda’s plan is then seen played out from the clone’s perspective revealing the [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome consequences of her actions]]. The clone is created [[BlankSlate without sentience]] which the counselors notice but mistake for a coping mechanism. As the clone is made more like the original and [[HumanityIsInfectious spends time with people]] they develop their own sense of self, [[DuplicateDivergence branching from the original]]. Eda is oblivious to this and continues to treat the clone [[JustAMachine like a tool]] which results in the clone learning [[TomatoInTheMirror what they are]]. Following this revelation, the clone suffers mental anguish [[IdentityBreakdown questioning the nature of their existence]] and realizing [[YourDaysAreNumbered they serve no purpose once summer camp is over]]. Once they encounter Eda again, they [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters fight back]] [[TheDogBitesBack against her influence]], [[CallingTheOldManOut calling out]] what she’s doing as it [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil really is]]. When the original Luz [[StumbledIntoThePlot barges in]] she responds to the situation by thanking Eda (for trying to solve her [[TwoTimerDate summer camp dilemma]]), unknowingly dismissing all the trauma the clone went through. It’s not until the clone gets the original Luz to [[ArmorPiercingResponse see things from their point of view]] does the original empathize and starts seeing them as a person. With the original now on their side, Eda [[HeelRealization is forced to reach the same conclusion]]. Upon arriving back at camp, the clone [[InternalReveal tells the counselors what’s been going on]], rendering Eda’s plan [[AllForNothing moot]] as the original will have to face the consequences of skipping out on camp anyway.

* GenreSavvy: Once ‘Luz’/Lus discovers her nature as a clone she determines she can’t tell anyone due to it being [[CassandraTruth unbelievable]] and she’s in danger because [[ExpendableClone clones are expendable by nature]].

* GrewBeyondTheirProgramming: A biological example. ‘Luz’/Lus was [[BornOfMagic created]] without sentience, magically programmed to follow orders and behave like the original Luz ([[BlankSlate after some fine tuning]]). However, as time passed and Eda kept making her more like the original she developed a bond with the camp counselors who [[LoveImbuesLife treated her like a person, caring about her and encouraging her]]. With that she developed sentience and her own [[DuplicateDivergence personality]].

* PsychicLink: Its established early on that ‘Luz’/Lus has recurring dreams of the Boiling Ilse’s, and later that the original Luz has recurring dreams of Reality Check Summer Camp. Once the two meet and [[TouchTelepathy physically touch each other their mental connection grows a lot stronger]] to the point where they can see each other’s memories and [[SharedDream dream share]]. Chapter 11 reveals they can [[Telepathy talk telepathy to each other]].

* PsychicLink: Its established early on that ‘Luz’/Lus has recurring dreams of the Boiling Ilse’s, and later that the original Luz has recurring dreams of Reality Check Summer Camp. Once the two meet and [[TouchTelepathy physically touch each other their mental connection grows a lot stronger]] to the point where they can see each other’s memories and [[SharedDream dream share]].

* ReadTheFreakingManual: Eda neglected to read most of the manual for the cloning artifact due to it being written in an ancient language and the parts she did read she mistranslated some of it. Most of the conflict [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot could have been avoided]] if Eda took the time to translate and fully read it.

* ClonesArePeopleToo: On a meta level, as ‘Luz’/Lus is the main protagonist the narrative naturally has this perspective.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: During the original Luz and ‘Luz’/Lus argument in chapter 9 the POV shifts between the two of them and from their respective perspectives they both have valid points even if ‘Luz’/Lus ultimately has the moral high ground. From the original Luz’s perspective ‘Luz’/Lus is coming out of nowhere saying they have a right to ‘their’ life so it’s understandable that the original Luz would be defensive of the clone trying to live any part of her life. While from ‘Luz’/Lus perspective she is just trying to find a compromise that let her live and has no intention of taking over the original’s life and the original Luz is being a bit of a hypocrite by making a fuss over it.

%%* MythologyGag:

** The camp counselors are ones to Eda.

* InUniverseCatharsis: Lus finally tells the camp counselors the truth of her existence in chapter 12. After giving a little evidence to back her story they fully believe her, telling her [[ClonesArePeopleToo she is a person]] and is [[DeclarationOfProtection safe with them]]. This does wonders for the girl’s mental state.

%%* CloningGambit: ‘Luz’/Lus is a product of Eda’s plan to make sure the original Luz’s absence goes unnoticed in the human realm.

* CloningGambit: ‘Luz’/Lus is a product of Eda’s plan to make sure the original Luz’s absence goes unnoticed in the human realm.

%%* WhamEpisode: Chapter 4

!! Due to the nature of this fanfic’s mystery, spoilers have been unmarked, read at your own discretion.
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* TomatoInTheMirror: ‘Luz’/Lus suffers a massive one in chapter 5
* WhamEpisode: Chapter 4

* WhamLine: The end of chapter 4

%%* MorallySuperiorCopy: Zigzagged. Under the tutelage of the [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure camp counselors]], ‘Luz’/Lus can come across as this to the original Luz, under the guidance of the [[AntiHero heroic but immoral]] Eda. However, in chapter 8 & 9 when [[CorneredRattlesnake pushed into a corner]], ‘Luz’/Lus is willing to take [[ShootTheDog morally questionable actions]] that surprise the original.

%%* GrewBeyondTheirProgramming: A biological example. ‘Luz’/Lus was [[BornFromMagic created]] without sentience, magically programmed to follow orders and behave like the original Luz. However, as time passed and Eda kept making her more like the original she was learning from the camp counselors making her develop into her own person with sentience.

* DuplicateDivergence: Due to being at Reality Check Summer Camp with morally responsible guidance, ‘Luz’/Lus develops into a separate person from the original Luz.

%%* FightingFromTheInside:

* CopiedTheMoralsToo: Zigzagged. Eda intended for ‘Luz’/Lus to have the original’s morals, but her plan fell apart because she copied them too well. ‘Luz’/Lus gained sentience and broke free of the artifact’s control because she was made too much like the original Luz.

* AmnesiacHero: Downplayed. ‘Luz’/Lus has trouble recalling pre-camp memories and doesn’t remember how she got to camp. This is explained as ‘Luz’/Lus was [[ReallyWasBornYesterday created the day camp started]] (and so doesn’t have any natural memories before camp) while her pre-camp memories where magically downloaded into her from brain scans of the original Luz by Eda (and because she didn’t fully read the artifact’s instructions probably didn’t do it 100% correctly).

%%* JerkassRealization:
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* JustAMachine: Eda’s attitude towards ‘Luz’/Lus until chapter 10.

* SwitchingPOV: The story mainly shifts the POV between the camp counselors and ‘Luz’/Lus. The story also tends to shift the POV between the parties having a conversation to get each of their perspectives.

* MorallySuperiorCopy: Zigzagged. Under the tutelage of the [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure camp counselors]], ‘Luz’/Lus can come across as this to the original Luz, under the guidance of the [[AntiHero heroic but immoral]] Eda. However, in chapter 8 & 9 when [[CorneredRattlesnake pushed into a corner]], ‘Luz’/Lus is willing to take [[ShootTheDog morally questionable actions]] that surprise the original.

** In chapter 10 the original Luz remarks that she can’t hate her clone because she can’t imagine hating herself, [[Recap/TheOwlHouseS2E1SeparateTides not yet]][[ Recap/TheOwlHouseS3E1ThanksToThem at least]].