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zaliachimeraI'm sorry, but if you are a 'loremaster' (read, YouTuber with an outsize influence on the fandom) and you put out a 15 minute theory video, in which the theory boils down to 'I think this (really obvious) symbolism may symbolise something :O', then you shouldn't be allowed to offer narrative critique, especially when from comments you have made, you did so with the expectation that the writers would listen to you.
Basically, the new Destiny DLC, Lightfall, came out (I may do a review or something if I get around to it), several of the BNFs (all dudes who make YouTube videos), didn't like it (and I have suspicions that at least some of that was because it didn't give them any easy answers to make videos about).
One of them put out a video about the new raid. In the raid there is this:
It is the symbol of the Witness (the big bad) wrapped around with roots created by the Traveller (the thing that gives the heros their powers). And it points at a large hole that was cut into the Traveller by the Witness, which has already been stated to be a wormhole.
So this guy's theory is that the giant and incredibly obvious thing that looks kind of like a key, is pointed at the incredibly obvious thing that looks like a keyhole, may be pointing at where we should go next?
YOU THINK?
Made especially annoying when the main mechanic of the raid is making Light and Darkness balls (the Light balls even look like the Traveller) point in the direction we should go. And he didn't even mention that this is what the mechanic is!
*drags hands down face*
And this is someone who played Lightfall and said that it was bad and 'left the story in a dangerous place' and I just... dude...
I have an issue with the BNF 'loremaster' concept in general. I feel like they have an outsize influence on the fandom. They state a lot of their theories and opinions as fact, and people also take their words as facts.
Example: This one stated in a video that Toland and Osiris were 'great friends'. I have searched for the evidence of this. I have scoured the lore. Nowhere does it have any reference to them being friends.
They almost definitely knew each other personally, and it is not incomprehensible that they were friends (I tend to think of Toland as Osiris's slightly obsessive ex - but that is vibes, not canon fact). But it is not a fact. It is your headcanon.
Meanwhile, there are people doing incredibly well thought out analysis of stuff like the Vex and music and what it tells us about them, but because it's not made by a BNF Youtuber (rather, being from the transformative side of the fandom), it doesn't get attention, doesn't get a million subscribers, etc.
It feels like a place where the concepts of Curative vs Transformative fandom apply - loremasters curate information (sometimes badly), and can also make careers out of it, and develop some real clout, while transformative works, for various reasons, some of them legal, are kind of hidden away. Not that I am expecting to get paid for fanfic - it is my hobby! But it is frustrating to have people offering critiques of a narrative (which have led to devs and writers getting harassed because some fans of the BNFs take their words as gospel!), when they often have a poor grasp of how stories function and are structured, and little interest or understanding of how characterisation works.
See the many videos of 'Ana/Eris/Drifter will betray us because Dark Future lorebook!' when they entire point of the story is that we avert that future.
I love a good dark future as much as the next person but it's not hard to tell that the point is we are going to make sure it doesn't happen.
Basically, the new Destiny DLC, Lightfall, came out (I may do a review or something if I get around to it), several of the BNFs (all dudes who make YouTube videos), didn't like it (and I have suspicions that at least some of that was because it didn't give them any easy answers to make videos about).
One of them put out a video about the new raid. In the raid there is this:
It is the symbol of the Witness (the big bad) wrapped around with roots created by the Traveller (the thing that gives the heros their powers). And it points at a large hole that was cut into the Traveller by the Witness, which has already been stated to be a wormhole.
So this guy's theory is that the giant and incredibly obvious thing that looks kind of like a key, is pointed at the incredibly obvious thing that looks like a keyhole, may be pointing at where we should go next?
YOU THINK?
Made especially annoying when the main mechanic of the raid is making Light and Darkness balls (the Light balls even look like the Traveller) point in the direction we should go. And he didn't even mention that this is what the mechanic is!
*drags hands down face*
And this is someone who played Lightfall and said that it was bad and 'left the story in a dangerous place' and I just... dude...
I have an issue with the BNF 'loremaster' concept in general. I feel like they have an outsize influence on the fandom. They state a lot of their theories and opinions as fact, and people also take their words as facts.
Example: This one stated in a video that Toland and Osiris were 'great friends'. I have searched for the evidence of this. I have scoured the lore. Nowhere does it have any reference to them being friends.
They almost definitely knew each other personally, and it is not incomprehensible that they were friends (I tend to think of Toland as Osiris's slightly obsessive ex - but that is vibes, not canon fact). But it is not a fact. It is your headcanon.
Meanwhile, there are people doing incredibly well thought out analysis of stuff like the Vex and music and what it tells us about them, but because it's not made by a BNF Youtuber (rather, being from the transformative side of the fandom), it doesn't get attention, doesn't get a million subscribers, etc.
It feels like a place where the concepts of Curative vs Transformative fandom apply - loremasters curate information (sometimes badly), and can also make careers out of it, and develop some real clout, while transformative works, for various reasons, some of them legal, are kind of hidden away. Not that I am expecting to get paid for fanfic - it is my hobby! But it is frustrating to have people offering critiques of a narrative (which have led to devs and writers getting harassed because some fans of the BNFs take their words as gospel!), when they often have a poor grasp of how stories function and are structured, and little interest or understanding of how characterisation works.
See the many videos of 'Ana/Eris/Drifter will betray us because Dark Future lorebook!' when they entire point of the story is that we avert that future.
I love a good dark future as much as the next person but it's not hard to tell that the point is we are going to make sure it doesn't happen.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-28 07:41 pm (UTC)I don't even go here but boy is this a relatable problem. 😂 Loremaster BNFs tend to frustrate me too, for the same reasons: stating theories and headcanons as facts, never admitting that they don't know something, encouraging followers to ask them lore questions and receive the answers as gospel.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-28 09:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-03-29 12:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-03-29 01:24 pm (UTC)I mean, it happens in the more transformative side of fandom too - we have the term BNF for a reason! But there is a difference between a BNF who is just popular within fandom where sure, their headcanons may influence a lot of people, and this kind of thing where the BNFs are making careers out of it, and have a certain amount of connection to the people who make the game because they are 'influencers'.