Subject: Why are mini-authors not adoptable?
Author:
Posted on: 2022-01-22 22:26:14 UTC
While editing the page for mini types, I added the note next to the mini-author bullet point about this, but I think it'd be a good idea to provide a concrete explanation for that for the benefits of readers as well. What's the official explanation?
First, to clear up a point people seem confused about: a misspelling of an author's name makes a mini of the same type as any other misspelling in the continuum. J.J.R Tolken, Tolkein, Tokein, and so forth are all mini-Balrogs.
As to why they aren't adoptable, we're talking about the name of a real person here, not a fictional character. Not only that, but a real person regarded as the creator of a universe. Both from an out-of-universe and an in-universe perspective, an author mini has a greater status than others of its type—one that should be treated with respect, not made into a commodity for a few to possess and others to envy. It would simply be in poor taste.
Why hasn't this been spelled out up till now? It was just understood. But I suppose that's because we all used to come from more or less the same fannish background, and now we don't.
~Neshomeh, sighing in grouchy old person.
The Tolkien minis were listed on the original mini-Balrog adoption list as unadoptable. As the creator of the whole concept of minis, I figure that's a decision she had the right to make.
hS
Maybe the Tolkien minis help out the Headmasters/Headmistresses? I mean, I'm sure they wouldn't mind some small, fiery buddies. Y'know, just carrying paperwork, grabbing pens, etc etc lmao
Since Real Person Fic is somewhat frowned on, I don't think any OFU wants to make the Headmaster/mistress actually part of the plot. This is how OFUM handled him - he doesn't even exactly claim the title, just says "You can call me that". Over at OFUDisc, we just say The Hat, and just indicate a vague approval of the mission of the OFU. (Which became quite poignant in 2015. :-/)
So yeah, I'm not sure Heads have paperwork. That's what Course Coordinator Miss Cam, or Administrator Dr. Huinesoron are for.
hS
The Annoying Dog is basically Toby's self-insert OC, and, as a being of pure chaos and comic relief, would make for a good headmaster. Not good in the "will actually run the school properly" sense, but good in the haha funny GET BACK HERE WITH MY SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT!!! sense.
One exists and is a real person. The other is an annoying talking dog. I trust the difference is comprehensible. =]
The Annoying Dog is the ideal headmaster for a school in a comedic setting. We can just say that Toby himself got the invitation and responded but never showed up, and instead the dog showed up and asserted itself. But all it does is lie upon the headmaster's couch and sleep, so ASGORE must take the role of acting headmaster. Sometimes the dog wakes up, and those are worse days for everyone.
Unlike the PPC they've never been centrally "controlled" - Miss Cam used to hand out permission to write them, but didn't really care what you wrote. Feel free to have as much fun as you like speculating on what it would be like, but ultimately any decisions would come from the person who chose to write an Undertale OFU.*
*Though if they called it OFUU, Miss Kaye will get even more annoyed.
hS
When I saw the words "author mini", my brain made a leap to the fic's author, which... Doesn't make a lot of sense, in retrospect, but hence me saying what I said. But I absolutely agree that a canon's creator's name is on a different level than a fictional character's.
I'm not an expert on PPC lore, but when it comes to minis of particular canons, a general rule of thumb is to avoid coming up with mini types that are based off human or humanoid characters, unless there's absolutely nothing else you can use. Humanoid minis tend to look like toddlers, but minis are seen as pets, and combining those two to keep a human mini is a bit... weird.