Depends which version of Multiverse Theory you accept.

Subcontinua and PPC missions. by Iximaz on 2015-11-27 03:01:00 UTC Reply

Let me start by explaining where my train of thought is coming from.

In various continua, we know that there are stories within the stories. Take Harry Potter, for instance. In Chamber of Secrets, we learn Ron has a collection of comic books titled Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle. Where there is fiction, fanfiction follows.

So, since the Word Worlds are considered their own independent universes in their own rights... does that mean there are separate branches of the PPC for, or at least agents specialized in, these subcontinua?

Obviously, we'd never be able to do missions into these series because we don't have access to any of this theoretical fanfiction for them (never mind canon to judge against), but people in the PPC ostensibly would.

So, what do you guys think? Do missions into the Martin Miggs universe and various other fictional series happen, and we just never see them? Or not?

Depends which version of Multiverse Theory you accept. by Huinesoron on 2015-11-27 14:25:00 UTC Reply

According to the Division of Applied-and-theoretical Multiversal Physics, there are two main (not-entirely-contradictory) theories on how fanfiction works, Acute Canonical Entanglement and the Compromise Theory. Both propose three levels of reality:

-Atomic world(s)
-Canon worlds
-Fanfiction

Agents can read the Words in fanfic, but not often in canon - though Flowers can read canon words with ease. No agent or Flower has ever read the Words of World One, so it is assumed to be a real, Atomic world.

The difference is that ACE says there is one atomic world (World One), where authors create canons. The Compromise Theory says that there are many atomic worlds, and authors create canons by drawing from those. So there is a real Middle-earth, which Tolkien drew on to create at least two Word Worlds - the 'canon' version, and the Book of Lost Tales. Fanfic then draws on those Word Worlds to create its own, subsidiary Word Worlds.

Under pure ACE, it's entirely possible that only atomic people can create Word Worlds. Under the Compromise Theory, there are atomic people behind the word-based inhabitants of canon, who can write as much as they want.

This may mean that, as with so many things in HQ, the existence of those parts of the PPC depends on your point of view.

hS
In my mind? Absolutely. by doctorlit on 2015-11-27 05:09:00 UTC Reply

I've mentioned before how I believe all "fiction" to be real somewhere in this big, old reality of ours. I'm sure the PPC is much larger in scope than we realize, limited by what we experience of our world's fiction. They must be dealing with fanfiction from most continua that exist. So Martin Miggs is resident to some world, possibly close to the Potterverse world in having Muggles, possibly even our world! (with the Potterverse artist not realizing the character they dreamed of came from a world where "Muggle" has no meaning), and Potterverse people right fanfictions about that, and the PPC surely deals with them.

Of course, in my version of the model, the PPC wouldn't need separate departments/divisions to deal with those, since they wouldn't differentiate between one word world or another, but I know not everyone here shares my insanity, so.

—doctorlit has thought on doing a fully fabricated mission of that sort. Maybe someday.