Is it okay to write about Sean from the Original Series?

Subject: Is it okay to write about Sean from the Original Series?
Author: Mirage Fontane
Posted on: 2019-01-12 19:59:00 UTC

I've had an idea to feature a Bad Slasher in my first mission, since it's mostly badsex, and Luxury's Wiki page says that both her and Agent Sean are available for borrowing. However, Sean hasn't been seen at all since he broke up with Lux in the Original Series, and he's not listed as a free-to-use character. I had an idea to bring him back from MIA status, but I wanted to ask if it's okay or if I should choose a different character.

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Is it okay to write about Sean from the Original Series? by Mirage Fontane on 2019-01-12 19:59:00 UTC

Don't forget to have your own agents too! by twistedwindowpane on 2019-01-14 14:31:00 UTC Reply

That's one of the things you need in your Permission attempt, your own agent bios. It shows that you know how to create a PPC character that's not going to be overpowered, etc.

-Twistey

I already do, in fact. by Mirage Fontane on 2019-01-14 15:47:00 UTC Reply

I have two agent characters already with written missions (although of course I won't publish those yet), plus another one I'm still working on.

Sorry to be nitpicky twice in a row, but... by twistedwindowpane on 2019-01-19 23:17:00 UTC Reply

...ideally you shouldn't write a mission before you get Permission and then publish it when you get Permission. I say this because this hereto unforeseen guideline prevents people from getting Permission and then accidentally or intentionally wrecking the PPC universe. Why not instead just hold off on writing any more for these misisons, and then when you have Permission, re-read and get others to beta-read them before you publish them to make sure that they follow PPC canon properly?

-Twistey

hS covered this below. by Neshomeh on 2019-01-20 00:14:00 UTC Reply

I don't want to discourage you from helping people out with good advice (because it is good!), but in situations like this, try to check out what's already been said before you post, and make sure you're not piling on someone who's already been advised. Thanks! {= )

~Neshomeh

What, never? That doesn't sound like me! by Huinesoron on 2019-01-12 23:10:00 UTC Reply

[Checks]

... huh.

So I have actually cameo'd Sean, but that scene is set prior to their breakup. He also has a passing mention in a Despatch mission, which MAY be his latest confirmed appearance.

Wait, hang on! I haven't checked the Histories... nope, once again his cameo is set early (1999, I think). His appearances in Lux's backstory would also be early.

Um... I would say that you could bring him back, but you'd want to think carefully about how you did it. Ten years ago, someone killed off Makes-Things, which was generally disliked and ultimately kinda retconned. Writing something about a TOS character that people don't appreciate seems likely to get a similar reaction.

hS

This is quite different from Makes-Things by Hieronymus Graubart on 2019-01-13 15:08:00 UTC Reply

People who don't appreciate Sean’s continued existence can just continue to ignore him; there doesn’t need to be any reaction.

So, should we add Sean to Category:Free-to-Use and/or Available NPCs, or should we remove Sean from Both Lux and Sean were created by Jay and Acacia, but they seem to have become part of the general canon and thus may be used by anybody.

HG

Which is why I said 'be careful'. by Huinesoron on 2019-01-13 17:13:00 UTC Reply

If, for instance, Sean was reintroduced as part of a DIA story, with him going crazy and having to be locked up, there could easily be flashback. Or if he was introduced with the explanation that Lux had kept him locked up all these years.

Etc etc.

hS

No, it's nothing of that kind. by Mirage Fontane on 2019-01-13 17:33:00 UTC Reply

(Only read this if you want to know how I'm planning on bringing Sean back, I suppose)

My explanation is basically that he got lost in a plothole on a mission. I did have a more complicated storyline in mind, but so far it's only an idea, and I probably won't work too much on it until I'm more experienced with PPC writing. But I'm not planning any major alterations to his character, only to have him around again.

I vote for free-to-use. by Neshomeh on 2019-01-13 15:49:00 UTC Reply

Seems weird for Lux to be available but not Sean. Also, I wanna know what he's up to these days. {= )

~Neshomeh

I guess we'll see how that goes. by Mirage Fontane on 2019-01-13 00:02:00 UTC Reply

And sorry, I didn't know about the cameos. Anyway, I already have an alternate solution to him returning in case people don't like what I'm doing with his character - but I would like to bring him back if possible, please. Right now, all I have planned for him is a supporting role in my agents' first mission, and I thought of having him along because the fic I picked is one heck of a bleepfic, and I thought an extra agent might come in handy.

What fic did you pick, anyway? (nm) by Cringe-Factoryy on 2019-01-13 22:40:00 UTC Reply

This one: by Mirage Fontane on 2019-01-14 09:12:00 UTC Reply

(WARNING: Link NSFW/NSFB. It's a bleepfic - that should say enough.) It's also on the Claimed Badfic list.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8440604/1/A-New-Shade-of-Green

... Okay then... (nm) by Cringe-Factoryy on 2019-01-15 00:44:00 UTC Reply
Oh dear god, my eyes. by Neshomeh on 2019-01-14 17:19:00 UTC Reply

Obvious troll is obvious, and it takes a lot to make me want to spork my own eyes out these days, but damn, that did it. Ooo-ee. o.o You sure you want to start THERE? You wanna bring poor Sean back and subject him to THAT?

Not necessarily saying it shouldn't be done. I'm just sayin' that if Sean's been lost in a plothole or something all this time, he may not have any more intestinal fortitude than the raw rookies, and remember, he's almost as much of a flake as Lux. If the plan is for him to be helpful, I'd rethink the plan. He's more likely to be comically UNhelpful—which would be good for distracting the rookies and the audience from the terrible things happening in the fic, which could work.

Naturally, these are not questions that need immediate answers, as Permission comes first, but that's my two cents anyway.

~Neshomeh is going to steal some of Nume's Bleepka now.

Whoops, sorry. by Mirage Fontane on 2019-01-14 17:35:00 UTC Reply

If it's any consolation, it caused a great deal of pain to me, too. And yeah, no, Sean's not particularly helpful in the mission I wrote, he's mostly there as an extra hand (and has a comedic moment or two). I figured that untangling this mess would take more than just two rookies.

Wait, you already wrote this one? by Neshomeh on 2019-01-14 18:14:00 UTC Reply

What were you going to do if we'd said Sean shouldn't be used?

How many missions have you already written, by the way?

~Neshomeh

Also, I haven't posted any of the missions I wrote. by Mirage Fontane on 2019-01-14 18:38:00 UTC Reply

Nor am I going to until I get Permission. :)

[Raises hand] by Huinesoron on 2019-01-15 08:55:00 UTC Reply

So... part of the point of Permission is checking that you're set to write decent PPC missions. If you're writing them in advance, please give them a thorough second draft before you post them afterwards, because the discussion around your Permission request (which will hopefully be successful!) will definitely contain points that the PGs think you need to keep in mind when writing.

hS

Will do! by Mirage Fontane on 2019-01-15 09:42:00 UTC Reply

What I'm doing right now is more practice than anything else. If I get Permission, I'll edit everything I wrote thoroughly before I post it.

And that's good. by Neshomeh on 2019-01-14 20:48:00 UTC Reply

But you were talking about this one like it was just an idea, like you hadn't started it yet, which now feels like a deception in hindsight. Since we already know you got ahead of yourself with writing, don't pretend you haven't done things you've already done, okay? Just be honest. We're way more likely to forgive honest enthusiasm than we are to forgive lies and cover-ups. {= )

~Neshomeh

I'm really sorry if it came off that way. by Mirage Fontane on 2019-01-15 09:38:00 UTC Reply

I wasn't lying or trying to deceive you. I've felt like it would be okay to practice writing missions so long as I don't post them, and featuring Sean really was just an idea - if you guys said no, I would have scrapped what I wrote and started anew. I wasn't pretending anything, which is why I said several times here and in the chat that I've already staryed writing. O really am very sorry if it seemed like I was trying to trick you

Thanks. by Neshomeh on 2019-01-16 16:39:00 UTC Reply

And I'm sorry if that was a bit harsh. Without wishing to go into the gritty details, I'll just say that past experiences have made me a little suspicious of this sort of thing. But enthusiasm is good! The more wrong I am to be suspicious, the happier I'll be. {= )

~Neshomeh

I would have rewritten the mission with Lux instead. by Mirage Fontane on 2019-01-14 18:32:00 UTC Reply

And probably grumbled a little at the extra work, but it'd have been my fault for not asking first. :"D First I saw Luxury's Wiki page that said they could both be used, which is why I'd picked Sean and started writing without asking, but I realized halfway through that things are a little different.
I've written two, plus an interlude. I'm not planning on writing anything else until I get Permission - maybe another interlude at most, if I feel like it, but no missions from now on. I just needed to get these two out of my system.