Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
People flock to the theaters, desperately trying to buy tickets for opening night so they can claim they were one of the first ones to see it. Some wear their official merch shirts with the movie poster on them; some wear costumes they spent weeks on to ensure that each detail was correct. Everyone stocks up on popcorn and candy so they can stay until the very end of the movie because are you really a fan if you leave before the end-credits scene?
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And all of this is just for the premiere of the latest Marvel movie.
Movies, television shows and books offer a great escape from reality. Fans love to discuss their favorite scenes and characters. When you get into these fandoms, the people within them start to feel like friends and family who you can connect with over your favorite media. With opportunities such as Comic-Con available to meet other fans of your favorite franchises, it is easier than ever for fandoms to thrive and grow.
But what happens when you’re on the outside of these fandoms?
“Large fandoms can have varying opinions on the newest content supplied by their favorite franchise, which results in the polarization of the fandom.”
Larger franchises like Marvel, Star Wars and DC have dedicated fan bases — maybe too dedicated. Fans of these franchises can get extremely intense. People invest time and money into cosplay, rewatch movies and episodes hundreds of times to catch every little hidden reference and even save up to attend Comic-Con every year.
If you are just a casual fan who does not participate in every aspect of the franchise, it can seem as if you are not accepted by the rest of the fandom. If you do not read the comics and watch everything associated with your chosen fandom, then the rest of the fans will not accept you as a real fan. This leads to casual fans being ostracized if they do not meet certain requirements due to the cultish behavior of fandoms.
This cultish behavior makes fandoms unwelcoming for casual or newer fans. Fandoms are supposed to be a way for all fans to celebrate and enjoy what a franchise offers them. However, more intense fans deter people from getting into certain franchises with cultish fandoms.
Not only do cultish fandoms dissuade people from getting into franchises, but their attitudes can also cause division within a fandom. Large fandoms can have varying opinions on the newest content supplied by their favorite franchise, which results in the polarization of the fandom. People are unwilling to be swayed from their opinions and do not accept the differing opinions of other fans. The polarization of large fandoms also makes them unwelcoming to newer fans.
The cultlike behavior of fandoms needs to stop. No matter how invested someone is, everyone should be allowed to enjoy and participate in franchises. Whether you are a new fan or have been a fan since the beginning, everyone should be accepted by others who like what they like. Fandoms should not be about who is right or knowing everything about a movie but rather about the love of the franchise.
Reach Hana Pavelko at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @hanasolo13.
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