Is it okay to remove bad traits from canon characters?

[Sidewinder]

In some of my alternate universe stories, I removed traits that I found undesirable for the protagonist and antagonists, e.g., Silverbolt's fear of heights (as mentioned here) and Starscream's stupid tendency to whine, "I should be leader!" in front of other Decepticons-- including Megatron, the very person he's scheming to overthrow!

Is it okay to do so? How about stories set in the canon universe? Have other fanfic writers on this board done so?

[Sea Skimmer]

If your going to start making major modifications to characters, then I say just create your own and work with them. It will make you a better writer in the long run.

[Sidewinder]

I have created some original characters for fanfics, including a Mary Sue (here) and a borderline Mary Sue (here). I also have some original stories and story settings in my mind, but they're taking their sweet time coming out-- it's like the gestation period of an elephant!

[Rhoades]

I believe it's okay to make changes if it'll help make a better story or if you believe that the negative trait is simply not workable or doesn't make sense in the first place. I've known I've done it in the past.

As long as they're minor changes, you should be fine.

[consequences]

Write a story about them getting over their damned problem, and set it up as a prelude for whatever you intended to do in the first place. Or better yet, look at the problem they have, write a story about them trying to fix it, and just see where that takes you and them.

[Knife]

Depends on the character and the universe. With SW, there is a huge amount of back story to each character and probably instances where the character has done things that are not in character with other books/movies.

In cases like this, yes you can cherry pick shit for your character. ST also has enough shit written/produced on it's characters that they are hardly consistant in that universe.

[Instant Sunrise]

I would use your story to remove the traits from a character. For example, say you have a character who is a sniveling coward. Push him against a wall, until he can nolonger run, and make him take a stand and be brave, and use that as a vehicle to change him.

Rather than a sudden change without explanation.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

In some of my alternate universe stories, I removed traits that I found undesirable for the protagonist and antagonists, e.g., Silverbolt's fear of heights (as mentioned here) and Starscream's stupid tendency to whine, "I should be leader!" in front of other Decepticons-- including Megatron, the very person he's scheming to overthrow!

Is it okay to do so? How about stories set in the canon universe? Have other fanfic writers on this board done so?

Generally, I agree with the others who have posted on the subject. You should not arbitrarily remove traits from established characters. If you do so, you'd might as well change their names as well. Writing a story about how they're trying to get over the aforementioned annoying traits can be good, but one has to consider just how deeply embedded these traits might be in that character's psyche. Sure you might be able to cure some character of his fear of heights, but if he was a rude, arrogant jerk with the power to incinerate anyone who told him that he was a rude, arrogant jerk; chances are fairly good that he'll probably still be a rude, arrogant jerk at the end of the story.

[Edward Yee]

Do not arbitrarily remove, but ease them out seems to be the best method. With Star Trek, though, it seems easier to momentarily "forget" about certain bad traits.

[Singular Quartet]

Do not arbitrarily remove, but ease them out seems to be the best method. With Star Trek, though, it seems easier to momentarily "forget" about certain bad traits.

Just make sure they stay forgotten throughout the entire story, or if they do resurface, give good reason for them to resurface. Remember, you want your writing to be better than that of the above average star trek writer.

[The Aliens]

This is why I like writing in a universe, but not with canon characters. I lveo Star Trek, and I have two fanfictions set in that universe, but all of them are full of my own alien races, characters, and ships, because I'm not a huge fan of the literary aspects of what exists in canon (pardon the term ). I would have to make such sweeping chages to the characters presented that they wouldn't be the same anymore at all- why not just create new ones from scratch?

To answer the OP, I don't change charcaters in my fanfiction, but the vast majority of my fanfiction is set in a sci-fi universe that remains consistent with canon, but with totally different charcaters and settings.

[Sidewinder]

Generally, I agree with the others who have posted on the subject. You should not arbitrarily remove traits from established characters. If you do so, you'd might as well change their names as well. Writing a story about how they're trying to get over the aforementioned annoying traits can be good, but one has to consider just how deeply embedded these traits might be in that character's psyche. Sure you might be able to cure some character of his fear of heights, but if he was a rude, arrogant jerk with the power to incinerate anyone who told him that he was a rude, arrogant jerk; chances are fairly good that he'll probably still be a rude, arrogant jerk at the end of the story.

Examples where I had a good reason to remove bad traits include Rage, an alternate universe fic where a time traveller's mistake results in Optimus becoming a Decepticon instead of an Autobot. It's also a vicious rant against the stupidity of 80s cartoon heroes, as demonstrated in this scene where the time traveller fucks with Optimus' mind to change him back into an Autobot:

'Optimus...' The voice echoed in the Red Storm's head, like distant thunder.

'Who...?' Optimus focused his optics, seeing only darkness. His integral processor ran a diagnostic of his radar and sonar as he lowered and raised his shutters. The sensors were functional, but he sensed nothing... an infinite void. 'Where am I?'

'Optimus, this world is wrong... it must be fixed... give me the Matrix, so I can fix it...'

'What do you mean, the world is wrong?' Rainbow lights surrounded the Red Storm, forming an image of another world. 'What?!' He watched an Autobot with his visage-- Optimus Prime, the Autobot Commander he could've been-- stand in the Temple of Vector Sigma, facing the Aerialbots. Alpha Trion-- the last Autobot minister of the Temple, before Optimus captured it to support Dion's propaganda campaign-- had used his own power supply to reactivate the supercomputer; his body laid on the floor, nothing more than scrap metal.

"He gave himself up just so we could have some jets?" said Blaster, the Autobot communications specialist. "That's nuts!"

"No, one Autobot gave his life so that six could be born," said the Prime, referring to legends that Vector Sigma was an incarnation of Primus, a medium through which the God of Creation gave life to the Transformers. "He made a choice-- the kind of choice I hope they'll be able to make when the time's right." The Decepticon Optimus watched the Autobot Optimus turn to the supercomputer. "Vector Sigma! Give these machines personality worthy of him who created me. Let them think for themselves-- to grow in knowledge and wisdom-- and let them always value freedom and life, wherever they find it!" Confusion filled the Red Guards Commander's CPU as the Prime faced the Aerialbots. "Welcome to the Autobot team! I am Optimus Prime, and we welcome you Aerialbots."

"Uh, hi! I used to be a courier ship, but, um, now I think I'm... Silverbolt?"

'My enemy?' The Red Guards Commander was too confused to express rage or hatred.

'I wasn't built to be your enemy, to fight against you. I was built to fight for you, and you were built to lead the Autobots to victory.'

'No... the Autobots are cowards and weaklings, unwilling and unable to be conquerors... they deserve to be conquered.' Optimus, a loyal Decepticon, shared Megatron and Shockwave's views.

'You didn't see them that way.' An image of another Earth replaced the other Cybertron.

The Prime looked into Silverbolt's optics, sharing the Aerialbot's fear. "Silverbolt, what happened to you out there?"

"I... I don't know. I just couldn't take being that high in the air," answered the Aerialbot.

"Any ideas as to why?"

The Decepticon's anger at the Autobot burned away his confusion. 'You should've asked Soundwave to scan the new soldier's mind to know his weaknesses!' Optimus once endured this painful process to prove his loyalty.

"Well, back on Cybertron, I was just a low-level cargo transport," explained Silverbolt.

Anger became hatred. 'You should've reprogrammed him to overcome this weakness!'

"Silverbolt, I've got an idea: I'm making you commander of the Aerialbots. It'll give you something else to worry about instead of your fear of heights," claimed the Prime. "Now go on, join the others."

'You demonstrate your incompetence by giving these responsibilities to this incompetent fool! You don't deserve to exist!' cursed Optimus.

'You deserve to be him. You will be him.'

Rainbow lights blinded Optimus as telepathic energy surged through his spark. "Ahhhh!"

Examples where I arbitrarily removed the bad trait include Transformers vs G.I. Joe: War of the Worlds, where Starscream is smart enough to NOT let Megatron know he's plotting to overthrow the Decepticon Commander. But then, the author of Dreamwave's Transformers vs G.I. Joe arbitrarily ADDED bad traits to the canon characters-- my rewrite is a rant against this too.

Before you cry, "Foul!" over what I did, think about the bad traits Kevin J. Anderson arbitrarily added to Luke Skywalker in the 'Jedi Search' trilogy and 'Darksaber'.

[The Aliens]

Before you cry, "Foul!" over what I did, think about the bad traits Kevin J. Anderson arbitrarily added to Luke Skywalker in the 'Jedi Search' trilogy and 'Darksaber'.

Unfortunately, those arbitrary traits are now part of the character, and unelss you're writing AU, where your timeline supercedes KJA's, that's the character. In my opinion, you have to try to remain as consistent as possible with that portrayal of the character so long as you're writing in that universe.

[Sidewinder]

Before you cry, "Foul!" over what I did, think about the bad traits Kevin J. Anderson arbitrarily added to Luke Skywalker in the 'Jedi Search' trilogy and 'Darksaber'.

Unfortunately, those arbitrary traits are now part of the character, and unelss you're writing AU, where your timeline supercedes KJA's, that's the character. In my opinion, you have to try to remain as consistent as possible with that portrayal of the character so long as you're writing in that universe.

I guess it's a good thing all of my stories have been AU so far. Remind me to AVOID writing in the canon universe and having to deal with such bullshit.

[Rhoades]

I guess it's a good thing all of my stories have been AU so far. Remind me to AVOID writing in the canon universe and having to deal with such bullshit.

The way I see it, every piece of fanfiction is AU.

About re-working character traits, sometimes it's not always a case of completely erasing a trait thus risk making a different character, but think of it as re-packaging a trait. Your Starscream example, he still dispises Megatron's position and has a desire to claim leadership. The difference, as you're well aware of, is how you're presenting that character. These are my two cents.