if you created your own original superhero story, what tropes and dynamics would it to have?

Oh, anon this ask is a gift! I said a couple months ago on TikTok that I want to write shitty romance novels, just shelves full of my paperbacks in the back of book stores and libraries. I want to churn out a pulp novel every six months with oil painting covers with impossibly perfect people in ridiculous poses, that kind of shitty romance novel. I can explain why, but I guarantee that superheroes will be the next prominent subgenre of romance novels within a decade or two. Basically what I'm saying is that when I do publish my own stuff, it'll be in a novel format, not a comic because I can't draw or work collaboratively although marvel if you need a token lesbian writer next June, call me I've got some ideas.

Okay, so I've got two halfway fleshed-out concepts. 1. the Catwoman archetype. 2. street hero v government-sanctioned hero.

Okay, so you have the Catwoman archetype. The femme fatale in leather doing crime, but nothing that hurts people only property. She's always slim, sexy, femme, and bi but rarely has lasting relationships with women and never dates women that aren't also slim, sexy, and femme. Examples include Catwoman (dud), Black Cat, Poison Ivy, Mystique, etc. She's doing crime because of sympathetic backstory and motivation and the right dick persuades her to the good side, but she's always back to her old tricks and women while she's at it. This is a harmful way to portray bi women and is only there for male titillation. I hate it despite the fact that I love these characters.

So how would I do it? So how I envision this trope is from the perspective of the Catwoman. This gives her more humanity, the audience can see her sympathetic backstory and motivation from her perspective, we get to see her outside the leather suit, we see her revel in crime and in her own skill, see her choose to manipulate men with her body and laugh when they fall for it, choose to not manipulate men and earnestly fall in love with them and be crushed when they assume she's just using them, see her get used by men because this is what she's been told she's good for. I want a Catwoman that is jaded and the charm is all fake. And I want a butch superhero to fall in love with her. Like seriously I could name twenty sapphic comic characters and not a single one is butch (like they got so close with the cw batwoman). When I say butch, I don't just mean masc, I mean butch. Sure her hair is short and she dresses in men's clothing and she's got a sensible pair of combat boots, but she acts butch. Being butch isn't just about style, it's behaviors, it's anticipating your partner's needs, being chivalrous, and flirting gently in a way that constantly ensures she's into you and your whole thing. It's masculinity that is built for feminity. Like if you're butch, you get it

okay, so we have the catwoman and the hero. The hero needs the catwoman for a job, stealing something from the bad guys to save the world or something, and at first, the hero is hesitant. she's heard bad things about the cat, she's not trustworthy, and she'll betray you for the money in a heartbeat, but the hero is desperate so she asks the cat for help. the cat doesn't trust the hero, she's seen a million heroes and they all want her for her skills and her body but they don't respect her, but whatever she'll betray this one for the money as soon as the moment is right. The hero is new to the super thing, still wide-eyed, earnest, and far too serious. The cat makes some quip that makes it seem like she doesn't want the job and the hero immediately is like okay I'll find someone else and the cat is like I'm just joking obvi and the hero is like well I don't want to pressure you into anything you don't want to do. and the cat is like huh that's new. while preparing for the heist, they get closer. Cat likes that the hero doesn't try to make a pass at her, that she sees her as more than a pretty face and clever hands. The hero respects her, even if she doesn't agree with her methods, but she doesn't treat her like an object or a tool like other heroes. She doesn't try to get the cat to join the good guys, but leaves the door open anyway because there's always time to change. The hero recognizes that the leather catsuit is a performance and she can respect that, her super suit is the same performance, her men's shirts are the same as the cat's full face of make-up. They're different kinds of armor, but armor nonetheless. They do the heist and fall in love, maybe they have the third act break down about what cat does with the money. but once they are together, cat doesn't change. Both she and the hero are criminals, who is the hero to challenge her for breaking the law? But as the hero grows closer to cat, she sees that the money is to support her family, her community, etc. They're both people going outside the law because the law was not built for them or their people.

so yeah, I want a deconstruction of the Catwoman femme fatale but I also want it to be a butch4femme romance

okay, vigilante v government soldier superheroes. So comics do this a lot and I hate it because the government heroes are always framed as the right ones in the narrative unless the government is evil and you know it's evil because idk lex luther runs it and I just think it's boring and doesn't ask the right questions. Comics have always been a tool of propaganda, but after the United States entered WWII, they stopped questioning the government, at least not in a radical way. I would love to see a street-level hero that hates the police and fights against them. And you might be thinking isn't that the punisher or any corrupt cop storyline? And yeah, but that is tied up in an honor code system of justice and the idea of police reform. I want a hero that is seeking restorative justice. Technically Matt Murdock is this, but he still believes in the prison system so it's still retributive justice. Like seriously for a guy that is interested in the law and the deeper philosophy, he never stops to ask if prison and redemption are the same things. I want a street-level hero that knows that the police don't protect them and their community, the police are just guards of private property. I want a superhero that doesn't kill and doesn't turn people into the police, but seeks to solve crime at its source, not just punish the people that do it. I want a hero that understands why crime happens because people are desperate and they have to do something. I want the vigilante to come into conflict with the government soldier and the soldier to realize that they don't know how to make things better because they don't understand the people.

but like I said, pulp romance. I love the dynamic of normal guy x superhuman. I love the way the superhuman gets so protective of the non-powered one because they're so fragile. Love that the non-powered one is filled with so much spite and compassion that they simply have to be a hero no matter how much of their own blood they spill. Okay so, vigilante is the non-powered one, just some poor kid with some fighting skills and maybe a few homemade gadgets. government soldier has superpowers, got them through experimentation or something. They both want to do good and they both come from poor backgrounds. Vigilante sees that the system was not built for them and decides to work against it, super soldier thinks they can change it from within. super soldier is sent to handle the vigilante because the government has deemed them a threat because they're beating up cops and stealing shit. Super soldier gets to the city, tries to take down the vigilante, fails (obviously) eventually comes to the conclusion that the vigilante has skills so they try to recruit them to the government's side, fails (obviously). Eventually, super soldier tries to handle crime in the city and the vigilante regularly stops them from stopping crime. and the super soldier is like "there's good in you, why are you protecting these low lives?" and vigilante is like "they're not low lives dumbass, they're trying to pay for insulin, please don't punch them out." Vigilante starts using the super soldier to help them fight crime because god fucking damn it, they just won't leave. They're kinda friends?? coworkers with begrudging respect is the better word for it. And they sleep together because again, pulp romance. As they hang out more, they exchange tragic backstories and world views slowly over time. super soldier is from a poor rural area, they needed a way out, a way to provide for their family so they volunteered for the super soldier program (yes this is a metaphor for how the military preys on poverty). Vigilante shows super soldier the lives of people in the city, how everyone is just doing what they can to get by, and that those in power use the police to keep their wealth to themselves and that is by design. Super soldier gets kinda defensive about this, "well, I'm employed by those in power. Surely it's just the bad ones that are hurting people." and vigilante is like "sorry dude, you're just a mega cop. remember how you were sent here to deal with me even though you know I'm good? Yeah, that's because I'm a threat to their vision of power, a threat to their private property." and super soldier is like, huh. Eventually, super soldier leaves or challenges the government, and only then is the vigilante interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with them, only then do they consider calling them a hero. In this story, I'd also want to have more superheroes/vigilantes running around aside from the leads. Like with non-government heroes, there's this lone wolf/bad boy that doesn't play by anyone's rules thing. That's not what I'm advocating for, the main character vigilante gets their power, their sense of authority, their heroism from the people, and the fact that they are serving their community. They seek to bring justice that heals, not punishes. Like there could be another vigilante that is going too far and the people of the city reject them, and fights them their own way. MC vigilante gets help from the people (see spider-man train scene).

TBT (even though it’s Sunday here)

//So I had a dream yesterday where I dug this old rp-turned-fic with everyone, so here’s me actually doing so. The rp was done pre Thor 2, if I remember right, on an old forum rp site. ‘Becca’ is an oc of the friend the original rp was written with and gave me permission to fic with her.

Anyway, here’s my Loki:

"How many times must I ask my guests to bow? Is it not customary to bow to your ruler?"

As he walked into the icy throne room, Loki’s voice was reflected its low temperature.

My throne room. He mentally reminded himself with a smile.

He stood before his throne, looking down at the trio of prisoners his guards had brought in. There was the archer Clint Barton, better known as Hawkeye; S.H.I.E.L.D agent Rebecca Coulson, daughter of a man that Loki had thought he had killed himself and much to Loki’s surprise: the god of thunder himself.

Thor.

Loki couldn’t help but grin at that, even if his guards had to force the trio to their knees.

"Even those human usurpers of your thrones were shown the proper respect and were bowed before, were they not? So why don't you just make it easier for yourselves and follow in their footsteps?"

He sat down on his icy throne and leaned against its tall back; a smirk on his face as he watched the three prisoners. He kept his eyes on them for a moment before moulding the smirk into a more curious expression.

"Tell me, who was it that managed to catch not just the daughter of the famous agent Coulson, but also the archer and my dear brother Thor? I shall have to reward them greatly." He asked with a chuckle. He knew exactly what had happened, but felt the need to ask anyway because he knew it would wind them up. He loved testing people, deliberately pushing at people’s buttons and watching their reactions, seeing how long it took for them to snap.

Years had passed since the event that had been labelled as ‘the New York incident’ and Loki had returned to Earth, or Midgard as he knew it; not with an army this time, but alone.

He had snuck in the ‘back door’, appearing briefly to mock agent Coulson after learning he was alive, before seemingly disappearing again. He’d begun his plans in secret, slowly bringing down S.H.I.E.L.D one agent at a time until the agency had crumbled and those remaining had fled or went underground. Once they were out of the way, the world of superheroes fell into chaos, arguing with each other or falling to other villains, or simply just leaving the situation alone, hoping Thor would fix it once they learned Loki was the cause.

By then, it had been too late and all Thor could do was join the rebellion.

Now here he was, along with two of Loki’s biggest problems; some of those who had been actively rebelling against Loki’s takeover.

His cold eyes met Rebecca’s. She had a defiant look about her as he stood over them. It reminded him suddenly of Coulson himself and Loki found himself wondering briefly where the man was. Loki figured the two would have stuck together, but it seemed he was wrong, unless he was simply back at the rebellion’s hideout.

Loki watched as her eyes briefly focused on one of his guards that stood by the throne. He knew exactly which guard it was, simply by watching as her eyes flashed with anger before she finally spoke to him.

"I promised myself that I would never, ever bow to you. You're a coward." The room was beautiful but it was also cold, something that Rebecca could tell echoed the looks of their captor.

Loki went to respond to her, but instead took a step back as his question about their capture was suddenly answered. It wasn’t Rebecca who spoke however, her expression changed for a moment, irritation briefly showing before she hid it.

"You know damn well how we got here! You took over my Tasha's mind and turned her into something she's not!" He didn’t have to look to know it was Clint who had spoken. He’s the only one who’d refer to Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, in such a way. Besides, having spent so many years alongside Thor, Loki knew the thunder god’s voice when he heard it.

"It is ridiculous how many of you insist I am so, when in fact, I am not." Loki replied with a shake of his head, getting up from his throne to start pacing. "I believe to be a 'coward', I must first fear doing or enduring unpleasant or dangerous things. From where I am standing, that does not appear to be the case. Do you know nothing of my history dear Rebecca? I have endured far worse than anything you could have. I have died before for a start."

He paused at Clint's words, remaining still for a moment before he grinned. The grin was not a happy one, like one that in the past would often have been seen on Thor's face, but one that showed pleasure.

"Whatever do you mean Hawkeye?" He asked, his voice perfectly calm, using Clint's codename mockingly. "I only helped her return to what she was before S.H.I.E.L.D 'fixed' her. You of all people should be aware of her past as a killer, as a pawn for the highest bidder..." He added, glancing over his shoulder to watch the archer's reaction.

Clint attempted to stand and was forced back to his knees by the Frost Giant guards on either side of him. He wanted to hurt Loki, kill him for insinuating something so terrible about his Natasha. Yes, once upon a time the Black Widow had been an assassin; a spy in the service of the bad guys who wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty for whoever needed her. But the look in Natasha's eyes as she had taken Clint and the others down and captured them, was not the look that his Natasha gave. Clint knew what that look was. That was the look that one had after Loki had mind controlled them.

"You didn't fix her you little bastard, you hurt her!"

The words about being a coward had bothered Rebecca as she listened; her eyes never leaving the so-called ‘god’. "Cowards fear more than the unpleasant Loki. For starters, cowards fear those that they know have more power than they do. The reason you took over Earth and not Asgard was because you fear Thor and Odin. You fear that you will never be as good as either one of them. And you know what? You're right. You will never be even half the man that Thor is."

"I do not wish to be a 'man' like Thor!" Loki suddenly snapped before spinning around to face Rebecca, hands clenching into fists.

Barely a few seconds had passed before his expression softened again, before he was back to the usual cold personality people saw. "Why would I possibly want to lower myself to a mere mortal?" He asked icily before turning his gaze on Clint, shaking his head at the archer's outburst as if he hadn't just done the same. "Why would I want to be something so breakable, so... weak?" He added the last part just to wind Clint up more, smirking as he watched him.

"You know; It's a pity because your brother is a good man," Rebecca growled, glancing from the defeated Thor to the man who stood above them, by his throne he made himself.

As Rebecca watched him, she couldn’t help but wonder: Where was Tony Stark to help them? Or even Captain America?

They were stuck in this jam and they had to get themselves out of it.

"Thor cares about his subjects; he cares about what happens to the people in his realm. Look what you've done to ‘Midgard’ in just a matter of days. We had beautiful cities, beautiful libraries and places. You and your men have destroyed it!"

Clint seethed as he listened to the exchange, his hatred for Loki growing every time the self-proclaimed god opened his mouth. "You're too weak to do your own fighting. You couldn't capture us on your own; you couldn't take down your own brother yourself. Hell, Rebecca and I are those Midgardian's you always say are so weak and you couldn't stop us, but Tasha could!"

"Clint..." Rebecca warned him; worried about what would happen if Loki was pushed too far. She wasn’t really too keen to find out just how bad his temper could get.

But it was too late; Clint was beyond angry and let it slip; the words Rebecca had feared would come out. "And guess what? Phil Coulson's still alive as well!"

"Clint!" Rebecca groaned, wishing more than ever that she could slap the archer for making such a mistake.

"He is not a good man!" Loki shouted, stomping a foot on the icy floor. His emotions seemed to snap back and forth depending on who it was he was speaking to; as if Rebecca and Clint were talking to different people entirely. "He abandoned those who needed him at the words of a woman who thinks herself a warrior! He sided with a bully in place of doing anything to stop their cruel taunting!" Tears shined in his eyes for a moment before Loki hid the pain and quickly blinked to clear them away, quickly switching back to his oddly polite demeanour. "And we have not destroyed this place. This building is the only one I have changed."

He then glared at Clint, towering over the kneeling prisoners from the icy platform his throne was on. Hesitating for a moment, Loki glanced at the guards, only stepping down to their level once he felt sure the prisoners weren't going to escape.

"I'm too weak am I Barton? Who was it that brought down S.H.I.E.L.D? On. Their. Own. Why do you think your precious 'Tasha' was strong enough to take down you two agents and Thor?" He leaned forward so that he was closer to Clint's eye-level.

The three prisoners grew quiet as their captor approached them. Fear ran through Rebecca's mind. What was going to happen to them? What was in store for them when they were to be dealt with? She watched Loki lean down to be eye level with him and took a deep breath

"It was me Barton who brought them all down one by one. It was me who lent some of my powers to agent Romanoff so she could capture Thor. ME!"

At the mention of Coulson, Loki did not look all that surprised; he merely raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Oh I know he is Barton. I spoke to agent Coulson myself before starting all of this. Did he not tell you?" It had actually been a while before starting his attack, years even, when Loki had returned briefly with his new plan to take over Earth after being stopped the first time. He had even come close to succeeding before Coulson had caught on and stopped him. His point was though, that he had still seen the agent, who apparently hadn't ever mentioned it to the others.

There was something deep down that Rebecca sensed made Loki speak of Thor in such a matter. Before she could respond to it all however, Thor spoke; the first time he’d done so since they were captured.

"Loki...I knew not what I was doing when we were younger. I thought of nothing but my own foolish gain but you needed my friendship and I understand that now. I understand that I let you down brother. Sif was a woman whom I thought I loved. She should have never come before you brother. Never…"

"Be quiet." Was all Loki said in response to Thor, trying his best to keep any emotion from leaking into the words. It didn't quite work though.

"None of you realise just how powerful your new king can be." He said as he stood in front of Clint, speaking slower than normal, both to make sure they listened and to regain control of his emotions. "Thor has seen it, but denies it as he does all the times his 'brother' has helped him over the years. I can capture Thor; it is not all that difficult. He proved that himself, in the jar they built for the green monster...on the ship you helped me destroy." His smirk returned, only to suddenly disappear again as Clint spat on him. Instead Loki froze; a surprised look on his face. He stayed like that for a moment before slowly reaching a hand up to wipe his face, faking amusement as he did so.

"You may think you are strong. You may think you've won but you won't, you won't win. You couldn't even capture your brother on your own! You failed and had to have someone do your dirty work for you, just like last time." Clint growled.

"You may be powerful but you are still a coward. The sooner you rid the world of us the sooner-CLINT!" As Clint was grabbed by the throat, Rebecca felt real fear. There was a real hatred in Loki’s eyes that was usually only saved for Asgardians like Odin and Sif and Rebecca was afraid that Loki was going to kill her friends. Yes, it had occurred to her that Loki may kill them but being shown it was a different story entirely. Clint clawed at Loki's hand, choking as he tried to get an answer out, only managing to sputter out Tasha's name.

"You dare spit on your king? Has no one taught you such actions would lead a man to his death?!" Loki hissed.

"Stop it Loki! Stop it!" Rebecca screamed.

“You couldn't even capture your brother on your own… You- You failed… and had to have someone do your dirty work for you. Jus-just like last time…" Clint managed to get out, struggling for breath.

Loki ignored Rebecca's pleading as he focused his anger on Clint, accidentally tapping into powers he tried his best to avoid ever using; his hand gripping Clint's throat turning blue as he unwillingly brought out his Jotun Frost Giant side. It didn't really help that his throne room was decorated in a way similar to the one in Jotunheim. He'd wanted it that way because the ice was cold and intimidating and figured it was appropriate for his rule. Loki hadn't decorated it himself though; he’d made some of his Frost Giant guards do it for him.

Clint couldn't breathe. It felt like a glacier was crushing his windpipe and when he looked down, he realized why. Loki was part Jotun. Loki had the blood of the Ice Giants coursing through his already cold veins and heart.

It took him a moment to realise what was happening, Loki jumping slightly before quickly letting Clint go, staring at his blue hand for a moment before crossing his arms to try and hide it.

Rebecca did her best to get over to Clint, only being able to struggle against the guards. "If he's dead you bastard, you can make damn sure that I'll kill you when we get out of here." There was no doubt in her mind that they were going to get out. She planned to do whatever it took to free her friends before they found a way to call for any reinforcement.

Any other time Loki would have pointed out there was likely already a metaphorical line of people waiting to kill him, but right then he was more worried about the power he’d accidentally used.

"Take the prisoners to the cells." He said emotionlessly after a moment to the guards holding them and turned his back on the trio, stepping back up to his throne. He didn't sit though, instead remaining standing, his back to them. He stayed silent for a moment, but not having heard the guards take the trio away yet; he couldn’t resist the chance to gloat.

Though he still had his back to the prisoners, Loki rolled his eyes.

"I did no such thing you poor excuse for a Coulson. You'd know it if I'd killed him." He said before turning just enough to look at Rebecca. "I'm sure you would try telling me how I won't succeed, and then make a poor attempt at my life. Like your father did." He added with a grin. Even if Coulson had survived, he knew it would hurt her.

Those words really hurt Rebecca, leaving her struggling to keep tears from forming in her eyes. Her father had died, almost, when she was young and those thoughts still broke her heart. She had lost her mother at a young age and her biological father had abandoned her when she was born. With a deep breath she growled at him, "You're not even half the man that my father is. When he comes to save us...he'll kill you..."

Hearing Rebecca's words, Loki burst into laughter. "Oh really? With what? That pathetic excuse of a weapon he used last time?" He shook his head, glancing at her with a dark look in his eyes. "Oh how I'd love to see him try. The agent who could not save himself... I dare say he'd come close, but fail once more."

Rebecca wasn't sure what hurt her more, the cruel words that left Loki's mouth or the fact that he was right.

"Make sure they are in separate cells." Loki said to the guards before turning away from them once more.

Memories plagued the agent’s mind, memories of how she had almost lost her father once, and she sunk to her knees as the guards dragged her, Clint, and Thor to the dungeons. Upon seeing them, she laughed; these were the rooms that she knew too well. She realised she had known where to find Loki because he had taken up residence in what was once Stark Tower.

Leaning against the wall of the cell, Rebecca muttered to herself, "Come soon pops...we need you..."

Forefront 9: Reversal and Denial of Traditional Social Concepts

The release time of Incredibles 1 and Incredibles 2 is 14 years apart. This is a long time, during which Pixar has already been acquired by Disney (Associated Press, 2006). However, Incredibles 2 not only connects well to the previous work in plot, but also overturns Incredibles 1. Director Brad Bird exchanged the identities of the protagonists Bob Par and Helen Parr, and analyzed the hero's secular problems.

In Incredibles 1, due to the serious destructive power of superheroes, the government enacted a bill not to recognize the legal status of superheroes, resulting in superheroes in the world having to hide their identities. The protagonist Bob was forced to be an ordinary and unachievable clerk. His talents and ambitions were put away. Such days are torture for him. Although Bob is extremely powerful, he is also helpless in the face of reality. Such a superhero image is more realistic and close to life, and it is easier to win the empathy of the audience.

Interestingly, in an interview at the beginning of Incredibles 1, Bob once said that he envied the life of ordinary people, but later when he really lived such a life, he could not accept it. In contrast, Helen showed her pursuit and ambition in the interview at the time. After the decree, she enjoyed this ordinary and even prohibited her children from using superpowers outside.

In Incredibles 2, because the Parr family revealed their identity, they faced a crisis of survival. Fortunately, they have gained the attention of rich man Winston Deaver, whose wish is to help the superhero's identity become legal again. In order to achieve their goal, they chose Helen to conduct anti-crime propaganda activities. As a result, we see that Bob, who was secretly a hero outside of Incredibles 1, became the househusband in Incredibles 2, and his wife Helen served as a superhero image spokesperson.

I think the development of this plot has led to the social topic of Gender Division of Labor. Schnelbach also talked about the division of labor and awakening of women in the family in this film (Schnelbach, 2018). This reversal and contrast in the film actually shows the society's presupposition on the gender division of labor between men and women. Men are not good at raising children, and women should educate their children at home. It first throws out this proposition, and then gives a corresponding refutation. At the same time, on the one hand, this exchange of division of labor successfully created a joke for the film, on the other hand, it also constitutes a deeper reflection of this work. Bob has reacted negatively to family labor and was exhausted by it, and then finally realized the importance of family labor. Whether it is social labor or family labor, there is no difference in the value of the two. He completed his transformation.

It can be said that Bob and Helen formed a contrast with each other, and rebelled against their past self. And through some experience, the two finally reached a reconciliation with each other and themselves. Incredibles 2 not only has interesting stories and cool superpowers that appeal to children, it also involves discussions about personal values and self-awareness. The important thing is that the rebellion and reversal of traditional social concepts conveyed in the film is subtly integrated into the story, making the audience feel interesting rather than boring. I think this film is similar to the point of view expressed in my work. We are all trying to tell stories that oppose traditional social definitions in interesting ways. This film expresses serious topics in interesting stories, this aspect of preaching without letting the audience feel bored is worthy of my study.

Reference:

Associated Press, 2006. Disney To Buy Pixar For $7.4 Billion. [online] Available at: <https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/24/business/disney-to-buy-pixar-for-74-billion.html> [Accessed 22 July 2021].

Pixar Animation Studios, 2020. Incredibles 2 (2018) - Pixar Animation Studios. [online] Available at: <https://www.pixar.com/feature-films/incredibles-2> [Accessed 24 July 2021].

Schnelbach, L., 2018. Incredibles 2 Is A GREAT Action Movie, With An Even Greater Message. [online] Tor.com. Available at: <https://www.tor.com/2018/06/18/incredibles-2-review-brad-bird-sction-movie-with-meaning/> [Accessed 24 July 2021].

Concerning Doctors: Why It’s High Time the Doctor Wasn’t White

During a wee conversation with @oodlyenough, she pointed out that in the run-up to casting a new Doctor there are usually multiple think pieces on why the Doctor should be played by a woman, but few about why the Doctor should be played by a person of colour.

So I decided to write one.

By the time Peter Capaldi leaves Doctor Who, the Doctor will have been played by a white man for 54 years. That’s enough of a reason to argue a casting change—in a perfect world, that would be the only argument you’d need—but what are some other reasons why the Doctor should be a person of colour?  

In-universe, the Doctor should regenerate in to a person of colour because he can. In The Sarah Jane Adventures, the Eleventh Doctor established that he could regenerate in to “someone who looked like [Clyde Langer]”. We’ve also seen via Romana’s first regeneration that bodies of all sizes and species are available to Time Lords. It’s also canon that the Doctor has little control over his regenerations, and thus it’s a little ridiculous (and unbelievable) that he’s always somehow regenerated in to a white person.

Out-of-universe, the first reason is that it would be good for the BBC to make Doctor Who more diverse. Out of 54 years of main companions, only two of them haven’t been white. And as previously mentioned, all twelve Doctors have been white. It’s a sad statistic for such a long-running show, and if allowed to continue it could be a damning one. At the end of the day, the BBC is a business, and if it doesn’t keep abreast of audience desires and trends, it could risk losing that audience. The landscape of science fiction and TV as a whole is changing, and while fans are loyal that loyalty can be stretched thin. The casual audience, tired of a lily white show, could take its viewing figures elsewhere. Star Trek: Discovery is poised to be an incredibly diverse show. HUMANS and Preacher and Luke Cage have POC leads. Sci-fi film is also getting more diverse, with titles like Pacific Rim and Star Wars: Rogue One choosing to cast people of colour. The longer the BBC clings to Doctor Who’s original format, the more backward it will look. The more viewers it will lose. The less merchandise it will sell. And in the end, the less money it will make. It might not be the most palatable point, but it is a valid one.

The second reason is that, when it comes to championing diversity, Doctor Who has been very good at talking the talk but it needs to walk the walk. Doctor Who may be a show about an alien who flies around in a police box, but it’s also about non-violence, and fairness, and inclusion. It celebrates people’s similarities, and their differences, and its chief villains—the Daleks—are creatures who don’t just kill, but seek to eradicate diversity. These messages can come from a white face, but if it’s only a white face then they start to look a bit hypocritical. They also can only be so powerful, as by walking around as a white man the Doctor makes use of white male privilege. The only reason why he has to convince people to listen to him is because he’s a stranger, not because he’s fighting against a prejudice those people might have. Oh, the audience might know that the Doctor is an alien—and thus could face discrimination—but those characters usually don’t. He passes for a human white man. So when he calls for characters to be less prejudiced, it’s from a distance. When he tackles racism, it’s as someone separate from it. While that distance is an interesting story to explore, it would be even more interesting to see the Doctor truly affected by the things he fights for. To have to fight for a voice or fair treatment because it’s being actively denied him, just like it is for real people of colour. Doctor Who already uses its stories in good ways, but it could go further. It could truly embody the messages it sends.

The third reason is that people of colour deserve to have access to the same rich roles that white people do. The Doctor isn’t just an “alien” character or an “eccentric”. He’s a scientist, and a superhero, and an outcast; he’s a teacher, and a student, and a lover, and a friend. He’s a rebel. He’s the smartest person in the room. A character like that shouldn’t only be available to white people. White people shouldn’t be the only ones who get to play rich, multifaceted characters. And audience deserve to see people of colour in those roles. People of colour are constantly asked to identify with white characters, to look beyond a character’s appearance and find commonalities. POC audiences deserve the same ease with fiction that white people enjoy, and white people need to appreciate and connect with stories that aren’t about us. For once, white people need to do the legwork on Doctor Who, while kids of colour get to rejoice in a hero who looks just like them.

The fourth, and final, reason is that it’s vitally important right now that our heroes aren’t white. You can argue that Doctor Who is escapism and doesn’t have to reflect what’s going on in the real world, but Doctor Who is a popular show with a global reach, and it should use that position to its fullest extent. We now live in a world with Muslim bans and rising white supremacy. After Brexit, hate crime rose by 41%. A village in Hungary wants to be white-only. The world is only getting smaller, and consequently we all need to learn to be more accepting, and it’s clear that messages of acceptance coming purely from white faces is not having the desired effect. Captain America has talked about “standing up for what’s right” and is anti-fascism, but clearly our idea of “what’s right” is skewed. Thor understands that having power doesn’t mean using it to oppress people, but that message is clearly getting lost. By having our heroes be people of colour, there’s the hope that our perceptions of POC will change and those messages will truly be heard. Because let’s be honest: what we see in fiction does affect our real-world perception and our real-world actions. Fiction can, whether creators intend it or not, fuel prejudice. Because fiction does not happen in a vacuum. So if your POC characters rarely have dialogue, or are a stereotype, or are never complete, fully human characters—if POC don’t appear in your story at all—then you can’t be surprised if audiences then have trouble relating to real-life people of colour. It’s not a shock that some white people then struggle with the reality of POC’s humanity, and do hateful things. Fiction is complicit in the shaping of our world, and Doctor Who has the chance to shape it into something better. It can hold people up, truly, if the Doctor was a person of colour.

It boils down to this: as a white person, I feel well represented on Doctor Who. It has spent 54 years giving me people to effortlessly identify with, and showing people who look like me saving the world, and that’s more than enough. It’s time for other fans—for POC fans—to have their turn. It’s time for all kids to see themselves as the hero. So when you talk about who you’d like to play the Doctor, I hope that instead of Tom Hiddleston or Ben Whishaw you think of Ace Bhatti or Nikesh Patel. I hope you think of Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, or Gary Carr, or Tom Wu, or Dan Li; Danny John-Jules or Ray Panthaki; Razza Jaffrey or Riz Ahmed. I hope you remember that the Doctor can be anything, and should. Diversity isn’t a dirty word; it reminds us that we’re all human--far more alike than we are different. And if we’re all alike, then there’s nothing there left to hate.