Characterization Tags Repair Prep / Sandbox

This is a sandbox for figuring out what exactly to do with Characterization Tags when it goes to TRS.

Characterization Tags is a page in need of some assistance. Issues listed on its Tropes Needing TRS entry include:

The page is currently in the Main namespace, but is written in the style of an Administrivia page about how not to do things and (technically) doesn't have on-page examples. Discussion in the TRS policy thread also raised the possibility of it better fitting Useful Notes or Fanspeak.
Many of the tag explanations reference works (which Tropes Needing TRS claims is unnecessary) and are potentially a way of sneaking in examples. Note that Characterization Tags isn't currently classified as a Definition-Only Page.
The page is often potholed when people use character tags on the wiki.
One of the redirects is Fanfic Header, which is a distinctly different concept from the main trope and other redirects.

That said, this raises the prospects of several actions to take:

Do we change the namespace of Characterization Tags, and to what if we do so?
Should Characterization Tags be classified as a Definition-Only Page?
Do the various potholes to the page across the site need to be cleaned up?
Is there a different page that Fanfic Header would be a more fitting redirect for?

Wick Check - please check all wicks

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References to the term 21/ 136

Characters.Stars Eyes Of Heaven: His Character Tags marked him as neurodivergent, but haven't specified in what way. (Character Tags redirect)
Anthropic Principle: This is why Fanfic Headers need to issue warnings about Alternate Universe Fic... (Fanfic Header redirect)
Don't Like? Don't Read!: ...given how often readers complain about things like pairings and other story elements, it's also common to use the line as part of a Fanfic Header warning readers about what they can expect to find... (Fanfic Header redirect)
I Do Not Own: Fan Fic writers frequently see the need to begin their fiction with statements that look sort of like the page quote, usually as part of the Fanfic Header... (Fanfic Header redirect)
Creator.Janes Information Group: The Fan Fic Misery Senshi Neo Zero Double Blitzkrieg Debacle, a Sailor Moon/Daria crossover in a Tom Clancy-esque vein, includes an acknowledgment of some of this publisher's works in its Fanfic Header. (Fanfic Header redirect)
Quotes.Youre Just Jealous: The Fanfic Header of My Immortal. Appears in some form in every chapter but the first. (Fanfic Header redirect)
NinjaPirateZombieRobot.New Media: This fake Fan Fic Header. Warnings include selfcest, blasphemy in three different religions, and sex atop a sentient flying manta ray. (Fanfic Header redirect)
Administrivia.How To Write An Example: Keep the fan terms and jargon to a bare minimum. Not everyone is familiar with every fandom's terminology. This includes avoiding Characterization Tags (e.g. dark!Harry, 2012!Hulk), unless the work itself uses them.
Mary Sue: A couple of systems have popped up to classify Mary Sue characters, the most popular of which is a variation on the Characterization Tags system. For example, a Perky Goth sorceress that is also a dragon might be labeled as Goth!Sorceress!Dragon!Sue.
Out of Character: (if a fanfic gets tagged as "OOC", it's usually not a good sign, though writers will often be honest enough to slap the tag on themselves up front).
Second-Person Narration: Characterization Tags are often used to indicate the state of the reader or character(s) they're within the story such as "shy!Reader" or "Teen!Steve Rogers".
Awesome.For A Diamond Is A Marveled Thing: (implied in the Character Tags to be Shy Rose Quartz from SU:F
Characters.FADIAMT Diamond Authority: The content tags of Godspeed You Stargirl reveal that he identifies as nonbinary, though he still uses male pronouns. Multiple narrative points of view have also referred to Steven as "she/her", "they/them", and even "it", none of which he makes any effort to correct. The author clarifies that he has no actual preference and allows people to refer to him whoever they wish.
Fr.Mary Sue: Quelques systèmes ont émergés pour classifier les personnages de type Mary Sue, le plus populaire d'entre eux étant une variation du système de Marques de Caractérisation.
- Translation: Several systems emerged to classify the Mary Sue-type characters, the most common between them being a variation of the Characterization Tags system.
It.Mary Sue: Con il tempo si sono affermati due sistemi per classificare i personaggi Mary Sue, il più popolare è una variazione del Sistema di Characterization Tags.
- Translation: Over time, two systems have become established for classifying Mary Sue characters, the most popular being a variation of the Characterization Tags system.
Nl.Mary Sue: Er zijn een aantal systemen om Mary Sues mee te classificeren. Het meest populaire classificatiesysteem is een variatie op het personagelabel-systeem.
- Translation: There are a number of systems for classifying Mary Sues. The most popular ranking system is a variation of the character label system.
Sandbox.Five Finger Fillet Wick Check: At the party, Male!Tree Trunks is seen doing this wimpily with a spoon. Also has a Characterization Tag
Sandbox.Gender Flip Wick Check: Similarly, Female!Japan (Yamato Nadeshiko with a kimono and hakama) and Female!America (Stripperiffic Plucky Girl with a rather smart mouth) have similar looks. Hetalia must have a huge gender-flip fandom, because they consistently do this right. Also, ewwww, Characterization Tags.
Sandbox.Suspension: Failing to notice trope's placement in special indexes like No Real Life Examples, Please! and No Recent Examples, Please!, or special conditions mentioned in the trope description like Complete Monster, Magnificent Bastard Content Leak, Characterization Tags or Getting Crap Past the Radar.
Sandbox.Unwritten Rules: Characterization Tags are considered fanfiction jargon and are forbidden on this wiki. Don't use them, please.
WMG.The Fairly Odd Parents: In fact, I think these Characterization Tags would be good to describe Norm in stories involving him:
- Neutral!
- Evil!
- Jerk!
- Jerky!
- Romantic! (you know how he's a flirty ladies man)

Potholes in characterization tags 23/ 136

Characters.Dragon Fable Other Characters: Past Jaania (Character Tags redirect)
FanNickname.Pretty Cure: Not!Nagisa and Not!Honoka (Character Tags redirect)
Fridge.The Secret Of Kells: older!Brendan (Character Tags redirect)
Fanfic: ...a piece of biblical apocrypha featuring Angry!Uber!Baby Jesus, or variations on Arthurian Legend where there is no Holy Grail...
Hard on Soft Science: However Future!Psychology teaches nothing but "hard truths"... by the math department.
Martyr Without a Cause: ...after dying in the show, Armada !Prime meets the ghosts of his Generation 1 and Beast Machines counterparts...
EvilIsCool.Webcomics: Also, Evil!Vaarsuvius, for the short time we seem them, pulls off some pretty awesome and ridiculously immoral actions. Like a FAMILICIDE !
FanNickname.Film: Also referred to as ickle!Chekov.
Fanfic.Stars Eyes Of Heaven: Jotaro is explicitly tagged as autistic, Rohan's file labels him with APD, and Okuyasu is mentioned as having high-functioning DPD.
Fanfic.Suite Pretty Cure Variations: Rie is this for Manga!Ruby Toujou, as is Michiko Namita (an Original Character) to Tina Cohen.
FanficRecs.Harry Potter General: Includes Fem!Blaise, Angry!Angry!Really Angry!Harry, and poly shipping.
FanficRecs.Hetalia Axis Powers Authors And Websites: An amazing author that uses the perfect blend of history and a great grip on character motivations, specifically colonial!America as the weirdest sort of "Well Done, Son" Guy you've ever seen.
Funny.To Aruverse Rewrite Project: Troll !Uiharu.
Music.Panthalassa: Even vastly shortened Fusion!Miles is still very lengthy. The album consists of four fifteen-minute tracks.
PlayingWith.Reincarnation Romance: Reborn!Alice retains her love for reborn!Bob's previous incarnation and vice versa, but their current incarnations feel nothing for each other.
Roleplay.The Black Sand Bar: quality!name, such as drunk!Rhoslyn, boy!Vanity, girl!Vanity, and ghost!Fadis
ShoutOut.Team Star Kid: Evil!Sherlock: Now I'll never be able to walk Evil!Watson down the aisle!
WMG.Ben 10 Omniverse: Of course, none of this is including Eon, Evil!Future!Ben, but it may explain why he ends up getting time powers...
WMG.Dungeons And Dragons 1983: This is not an Evil Twin in the usual sense, so a Phantom!Eric could still be using the real Shield.
WMG.My Inner Life: Fic!Link is actually an Elegy Statue.
WebVideo.Phelous: On the less affectionate side of things, he's made a few subtle and not-so-subtle digs at The Irate Gamer's cereal reviews, culminating in kitty!Phelous' Meow Mix video.
Webcomic.Troller: The comic's artstyle draws heavily from Manga, in the design of the human characters and with Chibi!Mindy appearing at ends of sequences.
YMMV.Tokyo Crystal Mew: The denizens of 4chan's /a/ like to refer to Mina and Chi as "Rei" and "Furry!Asuka", respectively.

Used in trope list 13/ 136

Webcomic.The Way Of The Metagamer: Applied extensively during the time travel arc, usually "past!" or "future!". (Characterisation Tags redirect)
Fanfic.The Cries Of Haruhi Suzumiya: Dark!Psycho!Übe!Haruhi, Canon!Everyone else. (Character Tags redirect)
DarthWiki.The Guild Of Rienna (ZCE, Fanfic Header redirect)
Fanfic.Resurrection: Be warned, there are a ''LOT'' of authors notes at the end of most chapters. (Fanfic Header redirect)
Fanfic.Drunkards Walk: Averted: the author uses a format that looks more like a traditional title page. (Fanfic Header redirect)
Fanfic.A Chance Encounter: Used on the summary.
Fanfic.Undocumented Features: Liberally used by the fan community surrounding EPU to differentiate the UF versions of characters from their original source versions; and to distinguish between self insert characters and their real-world counterparts in conversations referencing both.
Literature.American Girls Collection: A similar practice is used to denote MAG dolls who look a bit too much like retired dolls (e.g. "Not!Mia").
Recap.Dawitsus Recompense: May as well be present while Yutaka has her flashbacks, with the Narration referring to the various incarnations of Yutaka as "The Overseeing Yutaka", "The Younger Yutaka", and the "Gothic Yutaka".
Roleplay.Cirque Mystique (ZCE)
Roleplay.Journey Through The Multiverse: Alternate versions of characters, such as The Dark Knight Joker or Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) Bradley are given the prefix "Another".
Roleplay.The Murderverse: Due to The Mockingbird Watches containing characters both named Wally from 2 different games (Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and Centipede (1998)), the GM's narration refers to them as "Pokémon!Wally" and "Centipede!Wally" respectively.
Sandbox.Ferot Dreadnaught (ZCE)

Commented-out notes to not have tags in examples 68/ 136

Indexing/other 11/ 136

Es.Paginas En Espanol (index, Characterisation Tags redirect)
Character Tags (redirect)
Characterisation Tags (redirect)
Fanfic Header (redirect)
Fanfic Tropes (index, no description)
Paratext (index, no description)
Administrivia.Tropes Needing TRS
It.Elenco Provvisorio C (index)
It.Elenco Provvisorio F (index)
Sandbox.Characterization Tags Repair Prep (this page)
Sandbox.Wick Check Project

Sandbox / Characterization Tags Repair Prep

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