I’ve been over this, others have been over this, it’s been the subject of one article after another, and it’s still an issue to this day, and why? Well, it’s because we’re different, we have different ideas of how things should go, and inconsistencies in various stories bother some folks more than others. The point is, fanbases are fickle for a number of reasons since everyone has an idea in their head of how something should go and why deviations from the main story are rarely, if ever, a good idea. It could be said that too many fans don’t have a solid idea of why deviating from the main story is a good idea, or that stories have to change and evolve as time goes on, but again, it’s tough to nail down one reason why a fanbase can be so fickle. In truth, it’s not much of a problem until someone takes something a little too seriously and ends up causing a serious amount of discontent that doesn’t stop. Sure, we’ve all been guilty of not accepting change, myself included, but the point is that keeping the story moving forward is the most important thing of all, and the fanbase can become as toxic as people want, but few things are going to change just because someone wants it to. With that in mind, here are five of the most fickle fanbases in pop culture.
5. DC
The DCEU to be accurate has a fanbase that complains from time to time, but when compared to many other fanbases it’s almost as though the DC crowd is willing to accept far more in the way of change when it comes to how their villains and heroes are represented. It could have something to do with smug superiority that some superfans display when stating that they have Batman and Superman as heroes to look up to, and that these and many more trump pretty much any other heroes or villains, or it could be that they don’t want to tip a boat that’s been close to sinking in terms of cinematic involvement. Overall, DC fans are just as chill or rabid as anyone else, but they definitely have a chip on their shoulders at times.
4. MCU
MCU fans tend to be a little mouthier at times since the MCU came on the scene in an explosion of red and gold when Iron Man kicked things off, and the big show has been rolling forward in a way that suggests that it’s here to stay for a while. But as each movie and show has come along throughout the years it’s fair to say that fans have grown tired, bored, and are ready to see something new with each passing month if they could get it. In other words, MCU fans have grown a little spoiled over the past decade, and while a lot of us are still excited at the prospect of anything that’s coming out, there are those that are kind of like a kid at Christmas that will rip through each package without batting an eye.
3. Game of Thrones
It’s hard to know who to be more frustrated with at times, the fans, or the author of the books that didn’t even bother to finish before his idea was taken over by those in charge of making the show. The fact is that Game of Thrones was an addictive show, and it’s fair to think that House of the Dragon will be the same, hopefully, but it’s also a fact that the fans of GoT have been a bit troublesome over the years when it comes to their opinions and their views on how the show went so wrong in season 8. There are times that being associated with fans of a show or movie isn’t that great of an accomplishment, especially since it might make people think that one is a finicky individual that can’t see the entire scope of the story past the failings that are so easily highlighted.
2. Star Trek
There are times when it feels as though it’s not even wise to discuss Star Trek with a hardcore Trekkie without a cursory knowledge of the franchise and how things have developed. But get into a debate over who’s a better Starfleet Captain, Kirk or Picard, and you might as well batten down the hatches and wait for the storm to pass, since otherwise it’s going to be an ear-blistering lecture on the virtues and failings of both captains. But of course, comparing this franchise to Star Wars is without any doubt one of the worst things to do, especially if one happens to be at a convention for either franchise or a comic-con event.
1. Star Wars
If ever there was a greater tug of war between fans or a teeter totter effect in a franchise, it would be hard to imagine if anything could be greater than what’s been seen in the Star Wars franchise. Things have been up for debate since the first trilogy came out, and the Legends canon began with the books, the comics, and the various movies and shows that started to showcase the main characters and their lives after Return of the Jedi. But when Lucasfilm was sold to Disney, huh boy, that’s when a lot of the toxicity ramped up a level or three and things became even more tense, as each passing year it’s been getting worse. You can be a fan, just enjoy the story and don’t stress about the changes to the franchise.
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