Written by FanFiction.Net author Dead Composer
in 2004, Arthur Goes Fourth and its two sequel series is an Arthur fanfiction that showcases the adventures of Arthur and friends in the fourth, fifth and sixth grade. The original installment started with eight separated, but connected stories. Installments onward were their own stories with more chapters.
These series take liberties with the established Arthur universe. A lot of liberties. While the slice-of-life issues that defined the original show still play a part, they are given a backseat in favor of more superficial elements like alternate dimensions, time travel, fantasy creatures, scientific experiments gone wrong, magic, extraterrestrials, etc for various overarching plots. And, like many a fanfiction, these series delves into darker, more mature subjects and themes, with the characters even susceptible to death. To sum it up, the Arthur universe is completely turned on its head.
One of the more famous ongoing Fanfiction.net stories on Arthur, the series has been kept going for at least 6 years, with the original characters and plots bringing in a lot of fans. The Fourth series has eight installments and the Fifth series has ten installments. Sadly, the series seems to have entered Dead Fic territory in the second installment of the Sixth series, leaving the story on a massive cliffhanger.
Arthur Goes Fourth includes examples of:
- An Arc: Each of the 3 series are broken down into separate arcs, though are often connected with each other.
- Anyone Can Die
- Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering?: Played straight with Binky on two occasions, parodying Pinky and the Brain.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Often done in some of the stories, mostly in response to reviews.
- Breather Episode: The major plot of a chapter would often be interspersed with a B-plot, which is often a slice-of-life issue that is more in line with the original show in comparison to the darker stuff in the fanfiction.
- City of Adventure: A lot more action happens in Elwood City throughout the course of the 3 series.
- Comic-Book Time: Inverted as, unlike the show, the characters age and advance through the grades.
- Crossover: The Simpsons and Doctor Who feature in the middle of the fifth series.
- Darker and Edgier
- Dream Sequence: In lieu with the show.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: A major plot point in the early Fourth series, as Francine and original character Beatrice "Beat" Simon develop feelings for one another. Later dropped due to circumstances in later installments.
- A House Divided: A side-plot in the early part of the Fifth series when The Coopers split apart due to religious disagreements.
- Imaginary Friend: In a twist, averted completely with Nadine, D.W.'s Imaginary Friend in the show. In the first installment of the Fourth series, it's revealed that Nadine is a real person who later befriends D.W. A time traveling mishap would cause Nadine to go back in time and accidentally meet a younger D.W. That is where D.W. would get the inspiration to create the imaginary Nadine, none the wiser.
- Mirror Universe: The final couple of stories in the Fifth series deals with an alternate universe where Earth is conquered by aliens. Sue Ellen in this universe is entirely evil.
- Not Allowed to Grow Up: As mentioned above, inverted. This is however only apparent with original character Beat Simon, where, in the early part of the Fifth series, she goes through premature puberty.
- Punny Name:
- Original character Odette Cooper. Chapter Four of the first Fourth installment has an Imagine Spot where Fern is Agent Fern Gully.
- Arthur goes to fourth grade, and later fifth and sixth grade. The author was considering titling the 'Fifth' series Arthur's Fifth Symphony.
- Put on a Bus: Frequently happens in the series for certain, but often has plot twists connected to it.
- Reality Warper: Clive's powers are a variation on this: he can swap out any possible reality for another, and only he and a few select people will be aware of the difference. The last three entries in the 'Fifth' series are all about people trying to get control of him.
- Relationship Reveal: In true fanfiction fashion, the ship teases hinted in the show go all the way in the series for several characters. Often, they do not last.
- The Virus: The middle of the Fifth series has an alien invasion force spread a virus all over the planet, causing all adults and teenagers to suffer paranoid delusions.
- Time Police: The Kron, who are basically Time Lord stand-ins. Curiously, the series eventually crosses over with Doctor Who—and this is referenced.
- Time Travel: Future-Augusta created a device that could send the user back in time—only back. This was used by April to prevent her parents' murder.
