Canon Compliant

Synonyms:	Original Flavor
See also:	Canon Divergence AU, Canon
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Canon Compliant is a term used to describe a fanfic's relationship to canon. It is applied to fanfics that are not set in an alternate universe, and is usually an indication that the fan writer made an effort to at least not contradict known canon details, plot developments, character back story, etc. However, in practice, canon compliance is more of a sliding scale and less of an absolute in fanfic, except perhaps for Canon Nazis.

What is and isn't accepted as canon compliant can vary between and within fandoms; some fans will argue that headcanons that are seen as having some canonical basis for interpretation or characters they perceive as being coded in a certain way make some interpretations canon compliant, while other fans will draw the line for compliance much closer to the official canon material only (see also: Out of Character).

Fic headers often contain information about what the fic is compliant with (e.g. diverges after season 2, compliant with movie canon, etc.). Canon compliance can be difficult to achieve in open canons and in RPF fandoms, where an idea that fit with canon at the time the fan started writing could easily be contradicted by further developments by the time the story is posted.

Some fans use the term canon compatible for works which they feel do not quite fit being compliant with the original canon, but no not actively go against anything established within canon.

[quillingmesoftly]
The Three Grades:

Canon Compliant: “This fic goes along with canon.” (Because I like it? Because I’m too tired to disagree by writing my own fic? Who knows? The author may or may not tell us.)

Canon Compatible: “Listen, I know it ISN’T canon, but think of it as Microsoft Office for Mac, it’s COMPATIBLE with canon, and that counts.”

Canon Complicit: “I have not died a hero, so I have become an accessory to the Villainy of Canon.”

[actuallyfeanor]
Canon Compatible is a great term for when your fic is Probably Not What Tolkien Would Have Wanted but it doesn’t really contradict anything in canon either

[quillingmesoftly]
#you can install this fic without canon crashing and that’s what matters

Classification

Far past fics - fics that flesh out, or take place long before events of canon (Ie. A founding of Westeros fic, based off known lore.)

Near past - similar to far past, the fanfiction fleshes out more recent history that canon doesn’t fully explore. (Ie. James courting Lilly in seventh year)

Interlude - takes place within the canon story. Those are ‘missing moments’ fics; between two books, two episodes, two seasons or two games (Ie. Master Thaidakar reacting to Hoid’s message.)

Extended scene - similar to the above, it fleshes out a described event, fulling describing a scene that was not explored.

Alternate perspective - the story or scene told from someone else’s Point of view (ie. Charmed Life told from the perspective of Chrestomanci)

Canon Continuation - A story taking place in the near-future of canon (Ie. Kagome and Inuyasha’s new journey together after she returns to the past)

Mid-future - taking place some distance from canon, but not so far that it has become myth (Ie. The next Avatar after Korra is born)

Far Future - taking place in the distant future of canon, where canon has become myth (Ie. A new turning of the Wheel)

Timeless - capable of taking place at any point in the series

See fanworks tagged Canon Compliant on Archive of Our Own.

Fanworks

Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples.

• untitled, ^{Archived version} by DimLightArt

Resources, Meta, and External Links

• i just saw the tag “canon complicit” instead of “canon compliant” and im laughing its like “canon is a criminal act that i unfortunately support with this fic” (Aug 2022) - Tumblr post