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raikirikiri · 14 days

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thinking about if konoha ninja who became anbu frequently 'died' so they wouldn't be on any registry and so other villages would get word that notable shinobi have 'died'. they don't do it often, that would be suspicious, but they do it to kakashi. minato assigns him to anbu and apologizes blandly when he tells him his death is going to be faked. kakashi, broken traumatized and depressed, thinks nothing of it.

kakashi 'dies' on a mission months after the death of rin, after obito watched, after he lost pretty much everything and any sense of self he had. his body isn't recovered and the circumstances of his death are unclear.

if im being entirely cruel, this means that no one in the village (guy, asuma, iruka, etc.) would know that kakashi is still alive. they all think he's dead and they grieve him and kakashi... disappears. he doesn't know himself anymore and he can't, because he's dead and he's in the anbu now and that's all that matters. his life for konoha in life and death, always.

obito, being the stalker he is, looks for kakashi. he missed him entering the anbu, he missed the faked funeral, he missed a lot. he tries to find him in his shoebox apartment, stakes out minato's home, sits at the memorial stone and rin's grave. but kakashi never shows up and obito decides he'll check the active missions in konoha, just to know where kakashi is (definitely not to follow him and watch him, that'd be weird, duh). so after sneaking into the hokage's office with kamui, he rifles through the piles of s-rank and a-rank missions, but kakashi's name is nowhere to be found. confused and almost insulted on kakashi's behalf, he checks the b-ranks and below, but no dice.

now obito is getting...nervous might not be the word but he's definitely feel angry at this point. if kakashi isn't home, on a mission, grieiving, or with minato then where is he. obito stalks guy next, finds him sitting on a rock by a stream, glum. he's pale, his eyes are watery, he looks exhausted and obito is definitely nervous at this point. he'd never admit it but for something to get guy of all people down... obito fears for the worst.

through much stalking and espionage, obito finds out where kakashi is.

he's dead.

that can't be right.

he would've heard if kakashi was dead, right? zetsu would've told him. he would've known. kakashi has one of his eyes, he definitely would've known. and obito, pissed, scared, and indignant, opens up the connection between him and kakashi, searching for kakashi's vision, for what he can see. he hasn't done it since that night when rin...

he didn't want kakashi to know it existed, never even wanted to take that chance. but he doesn't care anymore. kakashi isn't dead. it's just not possible.

obito was right. kakashi isn't dead.

but he might as well be.

kakashi has no way out of the anbu now, no way that wouldn't give away konoha's secrets. guy can't help him because guy thinks he's dead, minato can't help him, he killed him in the first place. kakashi will forever live, breathe, and die for konoha. it makes obito's blood boil, he feels reminiscent of the night rin died.

he hates kakashi. he wants to hate kakashi. he can't hate kakashi. he can hate the world, he can despise konoha, he can want to kill minato. but kakashi...

he's never been able to hate him. no matter how hard he tried, how easy kakashi made it for him. when it came to kakashi, his balance between love and hate was never more skewed.

there's a particularly awful mission, kakashi is the only one to return to the village and he's...he's not good. obito watches him laugh hysterically as he washes his hands of blood that isn't there. he's never seen kakashi so broken and it hurts more than he ever thought it would.

obito gets kakashi out of the anbu. kakashi hates him for it, fights him, thrashes against him and his will and ideologies. kakashi doesn't know him, obito was too ahamed to reveal himself. it doesn't matter though, kakashi wants to die. he was happy in the anbu, he says. it'd be a quicker death, a noble death.

you've already died, obito shouts at him, enraged and torn apart. how can't he see it? how can he be so naive and blind to it all?

kakashi doesn't answer, doesn't know what words to say to make this stranger believe he isn't worth the trouble. obito has no choice.

with a shaking hand, he removes his mask. kakashi watches, eyes wide and wet and obito throws the mask to the side to hold out his hand. you've already died, but you can be reborn.

with me.

kakashi, broken tattered and thoroughly sure he's lost it, takes obito's hand. yes, kakashi thinks, he's died. but if this is the afterlife, than maybe things won't be so bad...

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shywhumpauthor · 1 year

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Okay mock executions are fucking terrifying I have not seen nearly enough of them in the whump community.

Whumpee who knows they’re going to die the next week/day/few hours and there’s nothing they can do to stop it. The panic and desperation with no outlet. They claw at their restraints and throw themself at the door to their cell, uncaring as bruises bloom across their skin, or as blood begins to build up underneath their nails. They’re willing to sacrifice everything for the futile, fleeting hope of escape. They scream and beg until their voice goes hoarse even though there’s no one nearby to listen. Eventually, they crumple in on themself to the awful realization that their future is set and cut. They can’t even sleep without their dreams being plagued with this lingering terror. Maybe they’ve seen Whumper kill someone in the manner they’ve told Whumpee they are to be executed, so Whumpee can’t even pretend to think that maybe Whumper is bluffing.

When the day comes, they still haven’t settled into their fate. They’re absolutely hysterical, doing everything they can to stay away from Whumper and [insert place where they were planned to be executed]. Of course, this does nothing. If they won’t walk, Whumper’s men will simply drag them. At one point maybe Whumpee manages to break free for a short moment of hope, managing to throw their elbow against Henchman’s stomach and twist away, actions fueled only by the adrenaline flooding their mind. They take a single desperate lunge towards the door, before something hard catches them upside the head and knocks them down. Their vision is fuzzy and fleeting, hearing nothing but a faint ringing. Maybe they’re unconscious altogether as Henchman picks them up and continues to drag them towards their final destination.

Whumper plays out everything the way it was intended. They tie the blindfold over Whumpee’s eyes, exchange their chains for softer restraints. Whatever. Then when it comes time for the strike, for the blade to pierce through their chest or slit across their neck, all that Whumpee feels is a small prick against their neck, something cold flood through their body before their thoughts collapse under the intensify of the stress and their mind gives out.

Wherever they wake the following day, let it be somewhere much worse than death’s doorstep or a place so peaceful Whumpee couldn’t even begin to comprehend, Whumpee will be terrified. Panicked and confused. Their thoughts will have no answer as they realized there is no one else around to answer their cries. They wonder if this is death, the afterlife or whatever it was called.

That hope is crushed, replaced by even more of a helpless confusion as Whumper strolls through the door moments later, grinning as they ran their fingers across the sharp of a blade.

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itshype · 6 months

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The Green Knight (DC x DP)

Ok listen...listen

In most batman canons Jason Todd dies. And I love exploring that through a DP lens buuuut....

In the batman "White Knight" series, Jason DOESN'T die. The Joker kidnaps him to get batman's secret identity and when Jason (after like days of torture iirc) finally gives it up, the Joker lets him go. Jason fakes his death and leaves Gotham.

Now I don't love the characterisation in this arc but just taking this scenario of Jason not having died but running away is so good in a DP au.

Like if Phantom joins the JLA a few months later and becomes close with Bruce and eventually Bruce asks if there's any way to check if Jason became a ghost and gives Phantom the details of his death. Danny checks with maybe clockwork or a recording and archival focused ghost and returns to report that there was no death for Jason Todd then. No death recorded for Jason Todd at all.

Alternatively, maybe Jason runs away to Amity Park, thinking no one would find him there and he joins as a human member of team Phantom.

So much potential!

#dc x dp #mine #also i updated my masterpost #danny phantom #jason todd #danny fenton #faked death #white knight au #sort of #batman #bruce wayne #dp #dc

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fanfic-obsessed · 2 years

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What's in a death

Here’s an idea that makes me giggle. What about an AU where absolutely everyone in the Jedi Order faked their death at least twice. It is practically a right of passage to die in your Padawan/Master/Grandpadawan/Extended Lineage’s arms then stroll in six months later with a captured criminal and a smoothie.

It changes the grief. Everyone kind of treats the dead like they are on extended undercover assignments. Like they still hold funerals because no one ever knows but everyone is really casual about death because there’s a 40% chance that person you watched die would pop back up (60% if the death was witnessed only non force sensitives, 95% if all that was found was a corpse) at some point in the future. The Jedi even have some kind of scoreboard for who was currently ‘dead’ that only the Jedi and Jedi adjacent(like the clones) know how to read. Things like how many times someone ‘came back to life’ or longest time ‘dead’ (The current record for longest time is Jon Antilles, who was declared dead for three decades before popping back up. No one, not even him, is quite sure that he wasn’t actually dead for part of that time. His life is weird.)

Of course they make sure to inform the Clones. It would be cruel not to make sure that the Clones didn’t know that this was something that happened around Jedi. They are the only non-Jedi that spend such a significant amount of time around the Jedi.

Just picture the Rako Hardeen Arc. No one thinks to tell the Chancellor that the reason they are hesitant in having Obi Wan fake his death is because Dooku, as a former Jedi, knows not to trust a Jedi dying. They hold Obi Wan’s public funeral in front of the scoreboard. So the entire time Mace Windu is giving a eulogy, the entire Jedi Order is watching the time ‘dead’ on Obi Wan’s entry tick upward.

Palpatine is watching eagerly, waiting for Anakin to be torn up about Obi Wan’s assisination so he can encourage him to take revenge. Except it doesn’t happen. No one, including Anakin, appears to be grieving at all. This entire plan was supposed to get Anakin to kill his Master in a fit of revenge and. It. Just. Wasn’t working.

Anakin’s not even feeling abandoned or betrayed. How is Palpatine supposed to work with this?

#star wars #fanfiction prompt #star wars au #star wars the clone wars #sheev palpatine #jon antilles #rako hardeen #rako hardeen arc #faked death #funny

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frozenoj · 1 year

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#susan meachen #meme #supernatural #destiel #i love you #booklr #breaking news #tumblr style #faked death

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browneyesandhair · 2 months

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Annabeth: Hello tall, dark, and handsome. Drink?

Percy: I don’t, actually.

Annabeth: More for me.

(continue reading on ao3)

#pjo #percy jackson #annabeth chase #percabeth #fanfic #my writing #au #au - dark olympus #son of neptune!percy #faked death #(not percy or annabeth)

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case-almost-closed · 4 months

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Maybe in another life

Akai Shuichi x fem!reader Words: 2.5K A/N: Not really satisfied with this one but it won't get better

It was a beautiful day. The sky was bright blue, a pleasant light breeze was blowing through the warmed but still bearable streets and the sun was shining so brightly that not even the tinted windows of the car you were sitting in could dampen it. It was a perfect day all round and it couldn't have been more out of place.

For several minutes now, the car had been parked on the side of the road with its engine switched off, waiting for its drivers to leave, but you seemed to be trapped in a trance, unable to break free. Children and their families passed by the side of the road, laughing and playing with their parents, older couples walked slowly and leisurely hand in hand and several young couples clung to each other arm in arm, seemingly inseparable.

The sight of them drove a knife into your heart, which you had been convinced could no longer feel anything. After another couple walked past your window, carefree and happy, you couldn't take it any longer and turned your gaze forward. This caught the attention of your driver, who was looking at you through the rear-view mirror.

"Are you ready?" You lowered your gaze to your hands, which you had wrapped in black gloves to match the rest of your outfit. "No." Your voice sounded rough and hoarse, torn apart from crying and screaming, but neither you nor he cared. "But I don't think I'll ever be ready Andre."

The man nodded understandingly and got out, walked round the car and opened the door for you, holding out a hand to help you out, which you gratefully accepted. It might not have been the case yet, but you weren't sure if you would be able to walk all the way. Andre closed the door behind you and held out his arm so that you could hook yourself in.

"Let me know if you don't want any more, will you?" Shakily, you exhaled and clung to the FBI agent's arm, because right now it was the only thing keeping you from collapsing on the floor in a crying puddle.

Slowly, step by step, rather than accompanying you, Andre led you to the entrance of the cemetery and with every step you took towards the cruel reality, your heart grew heavier and heavier and tears welled up in your eyes again, even though you had been sure you had none left. Oh, what you would give to travel back in time just to feel his arms around you one last time, to see his little smile and hear the oh-so-rare laugh he sometimes gave you.

You had spent the entire flight from America to Japan in silence, immersed in memories, as if they were bringing him back to you. You could still remember the exact moment when you received that fateful phone call.

Even before James had spoken the words that were forever engraved in your heart, you had known that your husband would never come back to you, you had heard it in how softly and calmly James had spoken and yet he too had sounded choked with tears. You could still remember the feeling of all the air being squeezed out of your lungs and were still able to feel the scratch in your throat from the scream you had let out.

And even here, in Japan, you hadn't been able to do much more. Most of the time Andre, and sometimes Jodie, had sat next to you, either on the sofa, the bed or the floor, while you had burst into tears, rocking yourself back and forth and telling yourself that it couldn't be true. He couldn't be dead. He'd been through so much already, he'd hardly die from one lousy bullet. And yet he had done just that. Akai Shuichi had left his life through a bullet, an object he could handle like no other, and had taken yours with him.

You had put it off for as long as possible and yet you couldn't put it off any longer: You had to visit your husband's grave at least once to say goodbye to him - even if you hadn't been able to attend the funeral. So, with a voice choked with tears, you called Andre Camel, who arrived at your door a short time later to pick you up. And you were grateful for him. Andre had always been a loyal and good friend to you and you knew that Shuichi had made him promise to look after you if anything happened to him. He didn't push you, was patient and gentle and more than once you had caught him with a few tears rolling down his cheek. Andre Camel may look big and scary, but deep down he was a gentle soul with a heart of pure gold.

He slowly led you past the graves and you felt like you couldn't breathe. You knew Andre was looking at you with concern, but you smiled narrowly at him, hoping to reassure him. It didn't really work. "We're almost there, almost there," he murmured to you and you could feel panic rising inside you. You weren't ready for this yet, not ready to face the reality that yes, Akai Shuichi was dead and he wasn't coming back. Andre seemed to sense what was going on inside you and slowed his pace. "Do you need more time?" You gasped and looked down at the ground, hoping to catch your breath, and shook your head. "No. If I stop now, I'll never make it." That was all you could force out from between your teeth, but it was enough for him.

Andre nodded slightly and patted your hand gently and understandingly, leading you further down the path. The gravel crunched under your feet, but all you could concentrate on was your pounding heart and the tears that were burning in your eyes and threatening to spill over. All of a sudden Andre stopped and you stiffened instantly, your gaze fixed stubbornly on the tips of your feet. You were there. Your breathing quickened. You were not ready, but as you had already explained to your companion, there would never be a moment when you would be truly ready. And yet, you had never found anything as difficult as lifting your eyes and looking down at the gravestone at your feet.

It was a plain, black stone with not much engraved on it. The dates of his life. The words "A friend, spouse and great man." A quote. "Fear of death is worse than death itself." You knew it was from Shuichi, after all, he had said it to you often enough when you were worried about him. It didn't have his name on it, but someone had had some green stones set into it. Green, like his eyes. Now you couldn't hold back your tears any longer and allowed them to roll silently down your cheeks. "We left his name out. We didn't want his enemies to find out. Let him rest in peace."

Andre sounded more raspy than usual and when you looked up at him, you could see that the giant also seemed to be struggling with tears. You gently put your hand on his arm, only to let your head rest on his shoulder. "I'm sorry," he sobbed quietly. "I shouldn't be crying, I should be standing by you. He was more important to you, but…" "Shhh," you mumbled, blinking as a tear got caught in your eyelashes. "Who are we to decide which connection, which relationship is more important? He meant something to you, just as he meant something to me. You have your right to grieve, Andre. We all do."

He nodded and sniffled before defiantly wiping the tears from his face. "I'll give you a moment, wait by the car. If you need anything, call me." You nodded and only after he hugged you tightly to him once more did he turn and leave.

Silently, you listened to his shoes digging into the gravel while your gaze was fixed on the surroundings. It was a little out of the way from most graves and set right under a cherry tree. It would be a pain to keep the grave clean, but you didn't care right now. It was quiet and peaceful and you knew Shuichi would have loved it.

Tears dripped onto the headstone as you squeezed your eyes tightly shut, forcing the tears to escape your eyes. "You idiot." Your voice was no more than a whisper. "You absolute moron. I told you 'Don't go to Japan'. I told you 'I have a bad feeling about this'. But did you listen to me? No. And look where that got you." You let out a teary, agonised laugh. "You promised to slow down, Shuichi. You had promised. For me. For us."

Suddenly you could no longer hold yourself up and fell to your knees, tearing your tights, but you didn't care. An irrepressible and irrational rage spread through you and suddenly you felt the need to scream out your frustration, your sadness and your fear so that the whole world would know about your suffering and would have to suffer with you. "YOU PROMISED!!!" Sobbing, you broke down and buried your face in your hands, more or less silently cursing and swearing at him.

In your mind's eye, the last moments you had with him danced over and over again.

"Don't worry," he had said and kissed you on the forehead. "It won't take long. And I promise, after that it really is over. After that, there will be no more overseas missions and dangerous assignments. After that, it's just you and me, just us. I promise." He had put his hand on your waist and moved his hands to your stomach.

It had been no secret that the two of you had considered starting a family and after this assignment, he would have been ready to settle down. Shuichi may not have seemed like a family man at first glance, but you knew better. And after the job, he had promised to devote himself entirely to his family. Except that there would be no 'after'.

You had run out of curses, which is why you were now just trembling in front of his grave. You had no tears left as you pressed your hands to your stomach and tried to suppress the nausea that was rising inside you. "It worked." Your voice was low and bitter and you knew he couldn't hear you, but you wanted him to hear it, so desperately. "We didn't have to keep trying, Shuichi. I am pregnant." The words hung heavy in the air. When you had held the positive test in your hand, you had been overjoyed and had already imagined Shuichi's surprised face. Two days later, James called you.

The thought of raising this child scared you like you had never felt before. You were alone and not sure if you could do it. But as you crouched in front of his grave, you knew that you would make it. If only for Shuichi's sake. This child was all you had left of him. "I will raise it, even if I have to do it without you. I know Andre and Jodie and maybe even James will help me. This child will be the most loved and protected child in the world, I promise you that."

Painfully, you closed your eyes. It was time to go. If you stayed any longer, you weren't sure if you would ever have the strength to stand up on your own.

Gently, you leaned forwards and pressed a kiss to the gravestone. It must have looked ridiculous, but you didn't really care. "I love you Akai Shuichi. And I will see you again, even if I have to wait decades." You stood up with difficulty. You knew that Andre, who was the only one who knew about your pregnancy, would probably have preferred it if you had called him, but you were perfectly capable of doing it on your own. You turned round to face the grave one last time and for a moment you thought you saw a shadow out of the corner of your eye, but your subconscious must have been playing tricks on you. "See you soon, my love." You finally turned round and walked back to the car, one hand still pressed to your abdomen, where Andre was already waiting for you.

~**~ Shuichi heard you get into the car and drive away, however he was unable to move from behind the tree he had been hiding behind. He had only wanted to catch a glimpse of you before he went into hiding for good, but he hadn't expected it to be so hard to see you. He had heard you cursing and crying and he would have loved to come out, wrap his arms around you tightly and apologise for all the grief he had ever caused you. But he couldn't, not if he wanted to protect you, which is why he had leant silently behind the tree with tears in his eyes and listened to you.

And just when he had decided it was time to go, you dropped the bomb that pulled the rug out from under him and brought him to his knees. " I am pregnant." Three little words that were incredibly unimportant on their own, but together shifted his whole world. You were pregnant, carrying his child beneath your heart. At that moment, he almost let his guard down, only to regain his senses immediately afterwards. He had 'got himself killed' to protect you. If he were to reveal himself now, not only you but also your child would be in danger.

A risk he would never take. As much as it pained him to see you grieving, he realised all the more the importance of his mission. He now had one more reason to survive and to win. And these two reasons were enough for him to work himself to a real death. When he heard you murmur one last "I love you", he couldn't resist taking one last look at you. But at that very moment, you had turned to face him again and Shuichi wasn't sure if he had pulled his head away in time.

Although he was no longer Akai Shuichi, but Okiya Subaru, it didn't stop his heart from pounding in his throat, worried that you would go to him. He knew that if you stood in front of him and looked at him, he would no longer be able to resist.

You, however, didn't seem to have noticed him, but had walked on, away from him, and with every step the tear in his heart grew bigger. A single tear rolled down his cheek. "I promise you, love, I will come back. And then I won't leave your side, ever again." Shuichi exhaled and it was as if all the sadness and suffering had left his body with that breath.

Okiya Subaru pushed up his glasses and rose from the grass. He had an organisation to kill.

#akai shuichi #akai shuichi x reader #shuichi akai #shuichi akai x reader #okiya subaru #subaru okiya #case closed #detective conan #andre camel #andre camel is a sweetheart #grieving #hurt no comfort #pregnancy #faked death

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depressed-werewolf · 1 year

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The hero stood on villain’s doorstep a bouquet of flowers in hand. They offered the criminal a shy smile.

“Hi, Villain.”

Villain could do nothing but stare at them in shock.. “You… you’re alive.”

#hero x villain #villain x hero #heroes and villains #villains and heroes #faked death #prompt #writing prompt #dialogue prompt #hero x villain prompt #hero x villain community #hero villain prompt #mediocre writing prompts #a mediocre writing blog #depressed werewolf #this is my ten followers when I finally post something #tw death mention

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clemsfilmdiary · 4 months

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Double Jeopardy (1999, Bruce Beresford)

1/10/24

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true-blue-megamind · 1 year

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I have a question/theory. No one besides Roxanne and Megamind knows that Metro Men is actually still alive. For all everybody else knows Megamind still murdered their hero.

Of course, Megamind saved them from Titan, and made amends by returning everything he stole and fixing the destroyed city but it still was all directly or indirectly his fault.

This brings me to my next point. No one except Megamind, Roxanne, Minion, and Hal himself knows that Titan was ''created'' by our favorite blue alien.

Do you think people might be angry when they somehow find out the truth? Maybe some Metro Man fanboy or fangirl will want to avenge the fallen hero?

Or are we to assume that people are just stupid and shallow and are just happy to have a new hero? Because if that's the case it's kind of sad from Metro Man's perspective. People only liked him because of his powers and looks. What do you think?

MEGAMIND FAN THEORY THURSDAY: Do People Think Megamind is a Murderer?

It’s time again for another Megamind Fan Theory! Special thanks, once again, to our unnamed contributor! Apparently, Anonymous is my biggest fan! LOL!

And now, even though Metroman threatens to frame me next every time I say it: SPOILER WARNING!

If you’ve seen the movie Megamind—and I sincerely hope you have—you already know that one of the biggest ways the film subverts common superhero tropes is by having the Bad Guy apparently win. Of course, we all know that Metroman didn’t really die in the Death Ray blast, but the question is: do people in Metro City know it, too? After all, most or all of the citizenry thought they saw their former hero perish on a live stream. Do they, therefore, still believe their new Defender is guilty of murder? And if so, shouldn’t that affect the way they perceive him? There are entire reams of fan theories examining such questions. Let’s jump into a few of the most popular!

It’s Almost Certain Some People Know Metroman is Alive

The first fan theory centers on the simple fact that Megamind is not locked away in a high-security prison. His ability to take up the mantle of Defender and move about the city freely indicates that he very probably received a full pardon. That brings up the question of whether defeating one supervillain would truly be enough to counteract a first-degree murder charge and eighty-three live sentences. Most fans say no, leading to the supposition that there must have been some sort of trial and subsequent pardon. As a result, many believe that some high-ranking government officials and judges, at least, must be aware that Metroman remains very much alive.

They may not be the only ones. Another popular concept among fans is that Megamind’s reality, like the comics it lampoons, could boast a wide variety of heroes and villains. (It’s not a far fetched assumption; as mentioned in Where Did the Doom Syndicate Come From, we know that there are supposed to be other supervillains in Megamind’s world. It therefore seems probable that there would be other superheroes as well.) In fact, more than a few fans subscribe to the headcanon that a heroic organization exists, offering mutual support and help to caped protectors as needed. Over time, the Megamind fandom has invented several potential titles for this group. One of my personal favorites is the Defenders’ League—a name which plays on DC Comics’ Justice League and thus maintains the original film’s spirit of toying with existing superhero tropes. For the sake of simplicity, that is how I will refer to this association.

Why am I bringing it up? As you may have guessed, many fans theorize that at least some members of the Defenders’ League know their former compatriot didn’t really meet his end. However, there are differing opinions upon exactly how many of them are aware of this fact. Some suggest that Defenders, like their Justice League counterparts, are likely cognizant of a great number of each others’ secrets, up to and including their identities and hideouts. They argue that it therefore seems reasonable to assume most or all of the League would have been apprised of the Metroman situation. As possible evidence, supporters of this theory point to the fact that other heroes aren’t coming out of the proverbial woodwork to avenge their supposedly fallen comrade.

Nonetheless, others disagree. The second—and possibly more popular—supposition is that, while a few leaders within the Defenders’ League know the truth, others may be in the dark. Those who prefer this concept argue that Metroman’s abandonment of his duties would almost certainly have been frowned upon, adding that the former hero would likely have found himself either faced with some sort of disciplinary action or pressured into taking up the role of protector for a new city. After all, such powerful Defenders can hardly be common, and it seems extremely doubtful that Superhero is a job one could easily quit. Indeed, during discussions with other fans such as CrazyDreamer6, the possibility has arisen that other Defenders may initially neither like nor trust Megamind. It’s even been suggested that an especially antagonistic hero or two might attempt to sabotage the blue man’s efforts, believing their action to be either punishment for Metroman’s alleged fate or a means to uncovering Megamind as a presumed fraud.

Whatever the case may be, all of this still does not necessarily mean that the general public would be privy to Metroman’s continued existence. It’s highly unlikely that the Defenders’ League would make that fact widely known even if they were all privy to it. (Imagine the backlash and potential public relations nightmare that might ensue if people realized a Defender had simply walked off the job!) Furthermore, another Megamind fan theory suggests that, as a former supervillain, the blue man’s hearing may have been far more similar to a military tribunal than a civilian court case. This is important because it means the Megamind’s trial may have been far less public and far more secretive. Some argue that this indicates it’s unlikely most ordinary citizens would be aware that Metroman’s supposed murder was proved to be a farce. People would certainly be aware that he had been pardoned, but they might not know all of the reasons why.

Would Metroman Even Want His “Death” to Be Questioned?

This is where another Megamind fan theory comes into play. Some contend that, even if various officials did not choose to disclose it, citizens may have become aware that Metroman was alive because he himself may have told them. In several fictions, the former Defender is portrayed as coming forward, announcing his official retirement, and sometimes even helping his new blue replacement to learn the ropes. Such would definitely be the noble, honest thing to do—and aren’t those two traits superheroes are supposed to personify? Besides, many fans also point out that there appears to be an odd friendship between Megamind and his rival. There seems to have been a “time out” agreement, indicating that their battles may have been more like games and public shows. Additionally, Metroman calls the blue super-genius “Little Buddy.” That hardly seems like a sincerely antagonistic relationship. So it’s conceivable that the former Defender might have come forward to clear his replacement’s name.

Many fans, however, argue that such a thing may not have been possible for the same reasons that the majority of the Defenders’ League may not have been informed. It doesn’t seem particularly likely that people would react well to learning that their trusted and beloved local hero had left them in the hands of a know supervillain so that he go start a music career. Furthermore, it’s possible that the former Defender could have been harassed by rising villains eager to prove their worth as well city governments desperate for a hero of their own. Nonetheless, many suggest that Wayne Scott may have had excellent reasons for hanging up his cape. In the post Why Did Metroman Retire, we examined evidence that Metro City had become too dependent upon having a superpowered Defender around, leading to laxness in law enforcement and constant demands on the white-clad alien. (For example, one unused storyboard shows police refusing to assist in even a small way because they are “on break” as well as an old woman calling for Metroman’s help because she can’t open a jar.) As a result, the former hero may have become not only disenchanted with his role, but also stressed, exhausted, and mentally strained. Some have even proposed that he may have been nearing a breakdown, making his decision to quit a necessary one for his psychological health.

This leads to a supposition which answers one of our anonymous contributor’s questions. Many believe that, if most people still believe Metroman to be dead, it is because the former hero himself wants it that way. Far from being sorrowful about others’ reactions to his supposed demise, he may feel relieved. Imagine the guilt he might experience if people continued to mourn him or harmed Megamind because they believed he was guilty. Keep in mind that, as discussed in previous blog articles, we see the young Wayne Scott being essentially groomed to become a superhero during the school scene. (You can read more about that in the aforementioned post as well as The Warden.) Thus it seems likely that Metroman may not want his faked death to be disbelieved because he feels being supposedly dead is the only way to free himself from the role he was pushed into from childhood.

However, the choice may not have been up to him. There are some competing Megamind fan theories concerning whether or not the general public would believe Metroman was truly gone. Interestingly, both are based upon the character’s inspirations.

The first supposition points to the fact that Metroman is a clear parody of Superman. Clark Kent, as many of you likely know, hides his alternate identity by donning ordinary clothes and a pair of glasses. Some fans contend that, if Megamind’s reality functions similarly to the DC universe, then it’s unlikely Music Man would ever be recognized as being a former Defender. After all, if eyewear is enough to make Superman unrecognizable, then growing a beard would certainly do the trick. Others, however, dispute this, saying that while Clark Kent puts a great deal of effort into maintaining his persona as a quiet newspaper journalist, purposefully fading into the background as much as possible, Wayne Scott’s choice of career—rock star—puts him squarely in the public eye. Making himself the center of attention significantly increases his chances of being recognized.

The second fan theory draws on the other major influence of Metroman: Elvis Presley. As covered in Why Does Megamind Wear Black, the King of Rock and Roll inspired everything from Metroman’s look to the song he plays at his museum opening. Some have expanded upon this to suggest that people may have reacted similarly to the former hero’s supposed demise as they did to that of Elvis. For decades following Presley’s funeral, many of his fans insisted that he was not really dead and Elvis sightings popped up all over the place. Could Metroman’s dedicated aficionados have done the same, claiming to catch glimpses of their icon? If so, some of them were probably right. In short, it’s quite plausible that many citizens may not have believed Metroman was really deceased no matter what they had been told.

Psychology and Superheroes

What about those who actually do believe the former Defender to be gone? Given what we’ve discussed so far, it seems reasonable to suppose that there may be more than a few who fall into this category. If so, wouldn’t they be furious that Megamind could, apparently, commit murder on live TV and still not only get away with it but also be hailed as a hero? To answer that, let’s delve into a little psychology.

According to an article by Dr. Charlie Ebersole on Psychology Today, hero worship can be complicated and potentially problematic. When we look up to someone, we have a tendency to view them differently. “Heroes can be great,” Ebersole explains. “They can inspire us to be better versions of ourselves. However, they can also blind us to their faults.” Just as people were happy to overlook Metroman’s frankly braggartly behavior—just look at the museum opening scene near the beginning of the movie and you’ll see what I mean—they may be willing to forget about Megamind’s shaded past. Some might even make peace with the supposed blood on his hands if they looked up to him enough, and given that he literally saved the entire city from death and destruction, that’s not beyond the realm of possibility. To quote novelist Terry Pratchett, “You can be excused for just about anything if you are a hero because no one asks inconvenient questions.”

It doesn’t stop there, however, because Megamind isn’t only a hero, he’s also a celebrity. Another article, this one from Long Island Psychology, addresses how fame affects the way we perceive people. Society sometimes makes greater allowances for those who are well-known icons. For example, celebrities sometimes receive less severe punishments for infractions than an average citizen might. Of course, people can also judge those they admire very harshly, feeling a sense of betrayal any time that individual doesn’t live up to the nearly perfect standards they have created for them. However, if that same public feels they are getting enough out of their perceived parasocial relationship with a celebrity, they may entirely overlook any bad behavior. The article states that “even if their actions have run counter to their public persona or were illegal in some way, some celebrities are still able to overcome the backlash they may face.”

This really comes down to three things: the aforementioned parasocial relationship, charisma, and marketing. (Yes, I said marketing. We’ll get to that in just a moment.) Firstly, as I’ve said, Megamind saved Metro City, and it’s frankly doubtful whether most of its citizens know that Titan was the result of a misjudgment on the blue man’s part to begin with. (I think it’s also important to mention here that Megamind certainly didn’t want to create a dangerously superpowered man-child and seemed sincerely distraught when Titan turned evil. He truly thought the human was destined for heroism. You can read more about that in Why Did Megamind Choose Hal.) Regardless, the fact is that many citizens of Metro City owe the blue man their lives and presumably enjoy his continued protection. Thus it’s obvious that they are definitely getting a lot out of the parasocial relationship.

Secondly, it can’t be denied that Megamind is charismatic. He knows how to put on a good show and play to a crowd. (Just look at the scene where he finally becomes the new Defender if you want proof.) Furthermore, as seen throughout the movie, Megamind can be charming, funny, and kind. It’s hard not to like the alien genius, and that has likely helped him to win over the masses. The fact that he sincerely cares about the city and all its people, as evinced by the fact that he chose to overcome Titan rather than fleeing, probably helps as well. People often instinctively know when someone legitimately has their best interests at heart.

Finally, there is the marketing aspect to consider. That may sound a little odd, but hear me out. The aforementioned article states: “some celebrities are forgiven by the media, and the media’s reaction to the event shapes the future. If the celebrity is still placed in front of you on a daily basis and placed in a positive light, it becomes easier to forget about their past.” Essentially, it is possible to market a person, rebranding them in a more favorable light. This is important for two reasons. Firstly, as I said before, Megamind clearly cares about the people around him. That doubtlessly makes him a dedicated and earnest Defender, and people are likely to recognize that. Additionally, if they also see him performing acts of heroism in the media over and over again, that will have a natural effect on the way they perceive him.

Speaking of media, the second aspect of this is the simple fact that Megamind is clearly romantically involved with Roxanne Ritchi, and she happens to be a well-known television news journalist. She’s also one of the very few people whom we know for certain is aware that Megamind didn’t really murder Metroman. (In fact, according to the DVD commentary, he always went out of his way not to physically harm anyone even while he was a supervillain. The creators describe him engaging in no worse than theft and vandalism during his brief tenure as “Evil Overlord,” as well as staging his plots in unpopulated areas. Even his preferred setting on his De-Gun, Dehydrate, is nonlethal.) One popular fan theory suggests that, because Roxanne knows all of this and because she loves Megamind, she may have helped to sway public opinion in his favor. Furthermore, it’s plausible that, as a reporter, she may not have been able to pass up a juicy scoop like Metroman faking his own death. However, many fans believe that, if her lover and his former nemesis asked her to keep it quiet, she would. Either way, she would certainly have the skills and opportunities necessary to help Megamind “market” his new image. Of course, this doesn’t mean that it’s not possible some people would still dislike and distrust the Blue Defender, but it would certainly help him to be better accepted.

So, are there people in Metro City who still believe Megamind is guilty of murder? It’s possible, though that may depend on whether Metroman or government officials were willing to let the truth come out. Could such an assumption color the way he is viewed? It most certainly could. However, it’s also likely that even some of those who did believe in the blue man’s guilt may have gradually come to forgive him, especially since he was likely pardoned. Still, most agree that the answer is probably a combination of all of the above ideas, and suppose that the former villain may have to work through some complicated public relations issues in his early days as Defender. Perhaps the upcoming series, Megamind’s Guide to Defending Your City, will shed new light on that. Until then, we have plenty of fan theories to choose from! That ends this post! Thank you for reading this week’s Megamind Fan Theory Thursday!

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