Hey, I saw a post about this and I’m not gonna tag it cos I don’t want any drama, it just made me think.

So this person was saying people shouldn’t write grimdark TAZ fic because they were missing the point of the show – hope and optimism above all else.

I kinda saw where they were coming from (though I’m always hesitant to tell anyone what they should/shouldn’t write) – I personally don’t like reading straight TAZ angst.

But I think they were a little bit missing a point. I think, for a lot of people, fiction is giving yourself the happy ending you didn’t get. TAZ is full of hope and optimism, that’s what makes it so beautiful.

And if I write a story for TAZ that has abuse, or sexual assault in it – it’s not because I want to be edgy, it’s because I want to be able to pretend that I and people like me can get that happy ending too. EVEN IF horrible things happen to us. Even if they’ve already happened. The beautiful, optimistic ending isn’t just for the well-adjusted characters. A character who’s abused can get that ending too. That means SO MUCH to me.

I can’t speak for anyone else. But if I write Taako experiencing assault – it’s not because I want to hurt him. It’s because I want to believe these things could happen to him, and he’d still come out being the brilliant, brave, unapologetic man he is – and he still gets a happy ending. Because if I can give that to Taako; I can give that to myself.

Anyway, just some thoughts on Stuff.