Will and Alyss are trans here’s my essay

We talk a lot about how funny it is that Flanagan unintentionally wrote the gayest love story between Halt and Crowley in TEY, but holy shit we don’t talk enough about how he also managed to accidentally write the two most trans characters ever.

Alyss and Will being trans is a semi-popular headcanon that’s been in the fandom for ages now, but I haven’t seen many people really dive into why this headcanon is so prevalent. I think that partially has to do with the fact that, like any lgbtq+ identity, it’s pretty difficult to clock someone as trans without relying on trans stereotypes. Really, any character in the RA series could be trans if you chose to believe it since being trans doesn’t look any certain way. That being said, I do think there are some pretty clear qualities and experiences that Will and Alyss have that feel very close to my own experience with being transgender.

Physical appearance is usually the first thing people point out/notice when talking about this headcanon. Will is short, more so than one might expect from a cis man. Alyss is taller than most men and also has a deep voice. I have mixed feelings about people pointing to this as the only reason they think they’re trans. I mean, it makes enough sense for it to be the only reason since one part of being trans is the fact that one’s body doesn’t match their gender identity. What I don’t like about that being the only reason is that there’s so much more to the trans identity and experience than “body don’t match :(“

But that’s the cool thing about Will and Alyss, their physical appearance effects their perception of themselves the same way it does for a trans person (or a cis person really, but it feels much more prevalent in trans people). In the first book, Will is clearly uncomfortable with his height; almost any time it’s brought up, he replies with “I haven’t had my growth spurt yet”, almost defensively. Then, as Will becomes more comfortable with who he is, you can see it bother him less and less. I love this bc it’s exactly what happened with my dysphoria as I transitioned. The more I got to know myself and discover myself, the less my dysphoria bothered me.

As for Alyss, she is so clearly so confident with her appearance. She never tries to hide her height or voice. Although we don’t get to see her journey with those qualities, the way she’s so confident feels like something the earned. It’s something she maybe used to feel insecure about, then decided she gets to decide what femininity means to her. Her height and voice contribute to her elegance and femininity rather than contradict them.

Another thing about Will is his name and how it relates to his identity. I know Flanagan didn’t intend for any of this to be some trans allegory, but goddamn can I relate my trans experience to it. Will grew up without a last name, and you can see how deeply that effects him. It wasn’t just that he was “Will no-name”, he was missing a part of his identity. Hell, he said verbatim “at least you know who you are” to a fucking owl because he felt so confused and unheard (which btw is the most edgy teen thing he ever did).

Though you can see this missing part of his identity bother him less as he gained a support system, it’s still clear that he felt like something was missing. If he didn’t feel like something was missing, he wouldn’t have been so incredibly happy when he became “Will Treaty”. And when he got his last name, you can tell he’s proud, not because he finally has an identity, but because he finally has a name to match the identity he’s spent so long discovering and cultivating. He no longer expresses any sadness or grief that he doesn’t have his father’s last name, because he doesn’t need it to know who he is. He’s Will Treaty, and he’s perfectly happy with being exactly that. This is the most trans-coded naming experience holy shit.

Anyway that’s all I have to say about this (for now at least). Go give your local trans friend a kiss.

Ok but hear me out. What if Will and Alyss are T4T

paper revolutions

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/4wNXU9g by NamesAreNotImportant A boy who has felt unwanted all his life ends up in a group of risk-loving people who are just in the middle of a social revolution, changing a few laws, oh, and a second part of the Civil War. There’s a family fluff going on, with Will finding not only friends, but parent-figures and siblings. Alyss learns to scare people with her eyes from a master at the craft. Cass is intent on changing the world and Horace is of the opinion that simple explanations are nothing to complicate. Crowley is alternately hero and public enemy number one, depends on who you ask. Halt knows more than everyone thinks. Berrigan writes new versions of songs, and Duncan is integrated with chaos. Beware, paper lords, moats and a few insults await you. Canon begins to flee across the oceans somehow in the second book… but don’t you worry, it will return when you least expect it! Words: 7839, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M Characters: Will Treaty, Alyss Mainwaring, Halt O'Carrick, Crowley Meratyn, Gilan (Ranger's Apprentice), Horace Altman, Cassandra | Evanlyn, Pauline duLacy, Original Ranger Character(s) (Ranger's Apprentice), Duncan (Ranger's Apprentice), Other(s) Relationships: Crowley Meratyn/Halt O'Carrick, Alyss Mainwaring/Will Treaty, Gilan & Crowley Meratyn, Halt O'Carrick & Will Treaty, Pauline duLacy & Alyss Mainwaring, Horace Altman & George Carter & Jennifer "Jenny" Dalby & Alyss Mainwaring & Will Treaty Additional Tags: Angst and Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Found family my beloved, father & son relationship, LGBTQ Themes, trans male character(s), Trans Female Character(s), Wilyss T4T, non-binary character(s), Everyone is Queer, Deal With It, Crowley Meratyn the Corps Mum, Parental Halt O’Carrick, established Cralt, Gilan is a good big brother, everyone stans Lady Pauline, Crowley & Cass the chaotic diplomatic dream team, Alternative Universe – Canon Divergence, Some politics, homophobia & transphobia, but rest assured it all has a happy ending, and the Rangers are unyielding, Social Anxiety, will has trauma, Self-Esteem Issues, implied depression, Past Abuse, some internalised transphobia, queer solidarity, co-parenting at its finest, Duncan is an ally, neurospicy people are here as well, Other Additional Tags to Be Added read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/4wNXU9g

Rangers Apprentice Headcanons.

Aka I’m trans and desperate for representation and also Halt and Alyss are trans too

Halt:

- unusually small for a man

- cuts his own hair (with his knife); I know quite a few trans guys who learnt to cut their own hair because they couldn’t get a hairdresser to give them a decent men’s haircut

- hates cutting/neatning his beard (only does so on Pauline’s insistence); he associates his beard with masculinity

- was very willing to run away and start a new life after his brother tried to kill him. Also it’s implied (when Halt is talking about training with Pritchard) that halt had already made plans to leave; maybe he wanted a chance to start over as a man?

- on the subject of Ferris, if Halt was assigned female at birth, then that could be why ferris thought he was entitled to the throne

Alyss:

- very tall and has an unusually deep voice; in The Sorcerer in the North, its her height and deep voice that Buttle recognises her by

- good at using makeup to changer her appearance; a skill she learnt in order to pass?

- jealous of Evanlyn; could stem from frustration that evanlyn finds being feminine so easy

Anyway Pauline is very supportive of her trans husband and protege and Will loves and admires his trans wife and mentor.

Horace, Jenny, George etc and Evanlyn when she finds out are very supportive of Alyss and Crowley, Duncan, Pritchard, Gilan etc are very supportive of Halt.

Height comparison, Ranger edition

Halt is the shortest, and we love him for it

Will is a smidgen taller than Halt (about a centimeter)

Maddie is about a centimeter taller than Will on a good day

Crowley is about an inch (~2.5 cm) taller than Will

Gilan is fiVE INCHES taller than Crowley because his defining personality trait is his height

Bonus: Alyss is taller than Will for sure, possibly taller than Crowley, because AMAB people tend to be taller and now she can tell transphobes that she is more woman than they will ever be

Drew an Alyss for Trans Awareness Week because I headcanon her as trans 💙💗🤍💗💙 

Transfem Alyss is grand👌💕 transphobes can leave 🤷🏼‍♂️ support trans women and transfem enbies or go home.

RA FANFICTION CHRISTMAS

Merry holidays to everyone! I’m coming here to present the fanfics that have been submitted into RA Fanfic Christmas Challenge on AO3. 

Many thanks to everyone who participated! I’m very happy that you decided to take part! 

Without further ado, I present to you the fanfictions that have been submitted:

The Snowball fight by solarishashernoseinabook

@solarishashernoseinabook

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: Not Rated Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Will Treaty, Horace Altman, Alyss Mainwaring, Jennifer "Jenny" Dalby, George Carter (Ranger's Apprentice), Baron Arald (Ranger's Apprentice), Original Characters Additional Tags: Fluff, Snowball Fights, Revenge, all the characters are kids in this one, trans!alyss Summary:

When the Ward children get in trouble for having a snowball fight, they come up with a way to get their revenge. Not as serious as I'm making it out to be, promise

a ra christmas by ace_bookdragon

@ace-bookdragon

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Will Treaty, Alyss Mainwaring, George Carter (Ranger's Apprentice), Jennifer "Jenny" Dalby, Horace Altman Additional Tags: did not feel like adding relationships because it's the ward and i'm lazy, Poetry, Fluff Summary:

The Ward is celebrating Christmas, and it's poetic.

5 times the wards got into trouble and 1 time they didn't by Hessy

@araluenrangerdanger

Chapters: 1/6 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: ward kids, Horace Altman & George Carter & Jennifer "Jenny" Dalby & Alyss Mainwaring & Will Treaty Characters: Will Treaty, Alyss Mainwaring, Jennifer "Jenny" Dalby, George Carter (Ranger's Apprentice), Horace Altman, Baron Arald (Ranger's Apprentice), Pauline duLacy Additional Tags: slight bullying, the ward kids are the best, medieval christmas stuff researched at 11pm, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I wrote this instead of studying, RA Christmas Fanfic Challenge Series: Part 10 of Ranger's Apprentice Summary:

The young Ward kids decide to make a nice Christmas surprise for baron Arald... but can they make it without getting in tight spots?

Pritchard by and_crowley_lives1

@just-apprentice-ranger-things

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Graphic Descriptions Of Violence 

Relationships: Crowley Meratyn/Halt O’Carrick Characters: Crowley Meratyn, Halt O'Carrick, Pauline duLacy, Will Treaty, Gilan (Ranger's Apprentice), Berrigan (Ranger's Apprentice), Samdash (Ranger's Apprentice) Additional Tags: Murder, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Minor Character Death Summary:

Halt and Crowley lose control, and they find themselves having to deal with Pritchards death. They have to let go if the past and look forward to the future.

A special Christmas by Maeve_Lynn

@ranger-melany

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Pauline duLacy/Halt O'Carrick Characters: Halt O'Carrick, Pauline duLacy, Will Treaty, Gilan Davidson Additional Tags: Christmas, mistletoes are a trope for Christmas, friendships Summary:

Every year, Halt has a Christmas dinner with Lady Pauline and his apprentices. However, the young Rangers have different plans for this year

Once again big thanks to everyone who participated! Have a merry holiday season! 

Hey hey hey! My new fic is out! :D

Rating: Teen and up Archive warning: No archive warnings apply Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M Characters: Will Treaty, Horace Altman, Alyss Mainwaring, Halt O’Carrick, Pauline duLacey, George Carter, Jenny Dalby, Crowley Meratyn, Keren, Morgarath, Original Characters Tags: Angst, Child abuse, Alternate universe - Morgarath wins, Will doesn’t get an apprenticeship, All the ward children feature in this one I don’t care if it’s contrived damnit, rebellions, tags/relationships/characters to be added as they appear, trans!Alyss Language: English Summary: Halt is unable to attend Will's Choosing Day and he doesn't get selected by anyone. Will gets sent off to a farm with the expectation that he'll live a quiet, albeit unglamorous, life. And then it all goes wrong. Now 21, Will is on the run, Morgarath is king, and Duncan and his family are dead. But Will gets wind that there's a rebellion in the works. Someone from Duncan's family is still alive, and Will is determined to help them get the throne back.

Thank you so so much to Mel and Thursday for beta reading, you two are awesome <3

A lot of the first part of this chapter is taken directly from the chapters where Will's choosing happens, but slightly altered to be in my style instead of Flanagan's and to condense the events a bit. Everything after the first text break (and a paragraph or so before it) is fully original writing.

This is more of a prequel than an actual first chapter but I can't select "Prequel" as an option so. The story really kicks off in the next chapter lol.

RA Fanfic Challenge #3: QUESTION Revealed!

Hello again friends! Thank you so much to those who supported this event and especially to those who participated! I’m so excited to be able to reveal these to y’all, as I know the writers put in a lot of work! Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns relating to this event–I’m always looking for feedback and look forward to hosting another one!

Here’s a quick link to the collection for easy access!

Without further ado, here are the fics our wonderful writers posted for this event!

During All Of This I Have One Question by @lifeofroos

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Gilan & Halt O'Carrick Characters: Crowley Meratyn, Halt O'Carrick, Gilan (Ranger's Apprentice) Additional Tags: Escape, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Questions Summary:

Crowley has an idea and plays a prank on Gilan and Halt. They handle the situation quite well, I would say.

How to Get Halt O’Carrick to Pop the Question by @shipper-of-things

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Crowley Meratyn/Halt O'Carrick Characters: Crowley Meratyn, Halt O'Carrick Additional Tags: Bows & Arrows, Marriage Proposal, RA Fanfiction Challenge, Prompt Fill, One Shot, Near Death, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort Summary:

A guide by Crowley Meratyn

Halt Pops the Question by @solarishashernoseinabook

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Pauline duLacy/Halt O'Carrick Characters: Halt O'Carrick, Pauline duLacy, Original Ranger Character(s) (Ranger's Apprentice), Minor Jenny Dalby Additional Tags: romantic dinners, Proposals, Talking About Marriage Summary:

Halt has something very important to ask Pauline, and puts together a romantic dinner to do it.

A Mysterious Invitation by @araluenrangerdanger

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Crowley Meratyn & Halt O'Carrick Characters: Crowley Meratyn, Halt O'Carrick, Farrel Additional Tags: RA Fanfic Challenge, RA Fanfic Challenge #3, aka don't tell me that Stilson didn't leave a mess in his office just to mess with Crowley, Paperwork Club, Question - Freeform Series: Part 8 of Ranger's Apprentice Summary:

When going through years old paperwork, Crowley finds something disturbing... A funeral invitation. But it can't be true, or can it?

Bloom in Grace by @aseikh (me!)

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jennifer "Jenny" Dalby & Alyss Mainwaring, Pauline duLacy & Alyss Mainwaring Characters: Alyss Mainwaring, Jennifer "Jenny" Dalby, Pauline duLacy Additional Tags: Questioning, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Queer Themes, Queer Character, Gender Identity, Trans Alyss Mainwaring, Friendship, trans awakening, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Transphobia, Coming Out, Gender Dysphoria, Gender Confusion, RA Fanfic Challenge #3 (Ranger's Apprentice), RA Fanfic Challenge Summary:

Alexander Mainwaring has been in the Redmont ward since he was a baby. He has grown up with his fellow wardmates, Will, Horace, George, and his best friend Jenny, and they've always gotten along well. When Alex finally meets the Redmont Head Courier, he is confronted with feelings that he wasn't prepared to deal with. (Trans!Alyss)

Question by @ranger-melany

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Original Female Character(s), Halt O'Carrick, Crowley Meratyn, Will Treaty, Gilan (Ranger's Apprentice) Additional Tags: RA Fanfic Challenge #3 (Ranger's Apprentice), Questions, Pain, Comfort, Siblings Summary:

After a brave decision, Halt goes to his apprentice, to talk with her, however, it's a bit more complicated than he had thought.

The Picnic Plot by @araluen-arrows

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Cassandra | Evanlyn/Alyss Mainwaring, Horace Altman/Will Treaty, Alyss Mainwaring & Will Treaty, Cassandra | Evanlyn & Will Treaty Characters: Cassandra | Evanlyn, Alyss Mainwaring, Will Treaty Additional Tags: Fluff, Marriage Proposal, my attempt at getting back into writing after what july was, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting Summary:

"Then Alyss gradually came into view, threading her way through the tall grass, and Cassandra had to remind herself how to breathe. The noon sun haloed her hair in a crown, backlit in amber so Cass could see the individual strands curled around her shoulders, the light sweeping across her cheeks, the heat in her eyes that was not surprise but a kind of anticipation."

And the Beast Asked a Question by @dear-ranger-i-drank-your-coffee

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Characters: Morgarath (Ranger's Apprentice), Teezal, kalkara, wargals Additional Tags: RA Fanfic Challenge, major character death is teezal getting vibe checked but there's like. three characters in this., Filling in canon gaps, RA Fanfic Challenge #3 Summary:

Morgarath finds an enemy he can't stare down in the Mountains.

I am forcibly trans-ifying every one of the ward kids. Will? Trans. Horace? Trans. Alyss? Trans. Jenny? Trans. George? Trans. No one is safe from my grasp. I am an underrepresented trans man with a god complex and no one can stop me.

the tallest [trans] courier, alyss mainwaring! 

the gals in ra don’t seem to cover their hair much; i’m fixing that

over the edge

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/i6EYGsL by Anonymous “ You’re a sight, dear, a lovely, compelling, wonderful sight “ OR: alyss edges will. (spoiler: they both enjoy it) Words: 1061, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M Characters: Will Treaty, Alyss Mainwaring Relationships: Alyss Mainwaring/Will Treaty Additional Tags: thigh riding, Edging, Young Love, They are both adults in their 20’s in this btw, Praise Kink, Trans Will Treaty, Trans Alyss Mainwaring, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/i6EYGsL

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jennifer "Jenny" Dalby & Alyss Mainwaring, Pauline duLacy & Alyss Mainwaring Characters: Alyss Mainwaring, Jennifer "Jenny" Dalby, Pauline duLacy Additional Tags: Questioning, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Queer Themes, Queer Character, Gender Identity, Trans Alyss Mainwaring, Friendship, trans awakening, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Transphobia, Coming Out, Gender Dysphoria, Gender Confusion, RA Fanfic Challenge #3 (Ranger's Apprentice), RA Fanfic Challenge Summary:

Alexander Mainwaring has been in the Redmont ward since he was a baby. He has grown up with his fellow wardmates, Will, Horace, George, and his best friend Jenny, and they've always gotten along well. When Alex finally meets the Redmont Head Courier, he is confronted with feelings that he wasn't prepared to deal with. (Trans!Alyss)

Just realized I never shared this on here! I wrote a trans!Alyss piece for the most recent Fanfic challenge that I like :D Enjoy

by Aseikh

Alexander Mainwaring has been in the Redmont ward since he was a baby. He has grown up with his fellow wardmates, Will, Horace, George, and his best friend Jenny, and they've always gotten along well. When Alex finally meets the Redmont Head Courier, he is confronted with feelings that he wasn't prepared to deal with. (Trans!Alyss)

Words: 4242, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Gen

Characters: Alyss Mainwaring, Jennifer "Jenny" Dalby, Pauline duLacy

Relationships: Jennifer "Jenny" Dalby & Alyss Mainwaring, Pauline duLacy & Alyss Mainwaring

Additional Tags: Questioning, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Queer Themes, Queer Character, Gender Identity, Trans Alyss Mainwaring, Friendship, trans awakening, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Transphobia, Coming Out, Gender Dysphoria, Gender Confusion, RA Fanfic Challenge #3 (Ranger's Apprentice), RA Fanfic Challenge