Gif Essay – Fan Pains
I’ve been thinking a lot about fandoms lately – the good, the bad and the something else! I’m a fan of nearly everything, am I the greatest fan of one particular thing (in my head yes!) probably not! Later on this week the gang will be getting together to talk a little bit more in-depth about fans and what we get up to, now though I want to talk about ‘Fan Pains’ or ‘Fanains’ for short (it still counts).
To help me explain this better I’m using the power of gifs, because if you can’t learn it through a gif, it’s probably not worth learning! There are seven stages of ‘Fanains’:
Hope > Excitement > Patience > Anger > Denial > Acceptance > Meh
Each of these can and will vary from person to person but any fan worth his/her salt will encounter some of these steps as they await the next instalment in their movie/comic/cartoon/TV/book series! Here’s how to self diagnose each stage:
Hope
You’d think with a name like ‘Hope’ this would be a nice stage but it’s the catalyst for all the evil to come:
It starts out fine, you’ve just finished the last book/episode and you’re left on a cliffhanger but that’s cool – you’re imagination can help for the time being…
Oh no wait… your mind goes to dark places, what if the creator gets it all wrong and your favourite character gets the chop? Hope turns to fear!
The fear will dissipate with time and teasers but it’s always there, as long as there is hope, there is fear!
Excitement
Nothing is going to keep you from the sequel!
Just when you feel yourself slipping, a teaser for a trailer appears…
Then another, then a website (not The Arcade, because we’re deadly) posts a spoiler without warning…
Then a third teaser for the fourth trailer and excitement turns to anger but…
Patience
You can make it through this, it’s just a little while longer…
Seriously, I know the production was hit by unprecedented natural disasters but…
Oh come on! Can’t you reshoot stuff and tack it on the Blu-Ray special, I am sick of waiting…
Anger
That’s it! Enough is enough! This isn’t fair anymore!
What the hell?! They can’t just change a character’s appearance?! He always wears a suit! Like ALWAYS!
No this isn’t just about the suit, this is about everything we’ve been through together! My money!
Denial
This pretty stage goes hand in hand with anger rather well! When you can’t get mad… run away and hide!
When they find you, delete everything bad you ever said about the upcoming book and just lie!
They won’t remember, they won’t doubt your love was blinded by lusty rage!
Acceptance
It’s here! It’s finally here and it’s all coming together so well!
This is everything you wanted and more!
This is the life-changing show/book/comic/movie/cartoon/album you were waiting for!
Meh
When questioned later by friends and loved ones, you’ll play it cool!
This was the last instalment of your favourite thing ever! What’s next?
And the cycle begins all over again!
What show/book caused you ‘Fanains’? Did I miss a stage?
Let me know in the comments below!
Editor-in-Chief, part-time super villain and hoarder of cats. If you can’t find me writing, I’m probably in the kitchen!
