I think I like a lot of the Darker MCD Au's I see because they are genuinely focused on Aphmau and actually giving her agency. To many of the fics I read are using her as a self insert to swoon after a man, and I get it, but I loved MCD cause I loved Aphmau.
I shipped Garmau, I loved that ship, but I was fine if the ship never happened because all I truly wanted was Aphmau to win and the story to get an ending as a kid. I wanted more story. It's why I'm attached to MCD season 3, because it was the start of a possible end, and end I wanted.
MCD Season 3, Aphmau was going through it but she never lost her agency. Even as a mother and lord. She was still her but too many people cause they hated the Aaron Shad thing even though that was a great addition and pushed her along well. Katelyn and Emmalyn were also major factors in the season but never talked about in favor and Garroth and Laurence who were doing, pardon me, fuck all. I know I am emotionally attached to Liochant and write about him a lot but I also acknowledge he is very unimportant.
I do think people forget that without Laurance and Garroth, Aphmau is still Aphmau and would have a story. With out her, Garroth and Laurance and all other characters are nothing.
i really wanted to add something meaningful onto this but i'm on a lot of painkillers.
BUT one thing i will say is that Rebirth didn't help the epidemic of people y/n-ing aphmau. That series sexy-babied her, made her lord by a fluke, and then gave GARROTH a whole conversation about how he should be lord, and people want him to be, bc he'd be a good one, but he's refusing the title. Like huh... The guy who ran away from O'Khasis because he didn't wanna nepo baby his way to lorddom bc he knew he'd suck at it? That guy?
They literally took all of her agency, gave it to a character that canonically has like no agency at that point in the story, and then threw in so much fanservice it'll make your head spin. Because GUYS, the woc literally doesn't matter, she's just tits for her Fun Interesting Intelligent White Male Love Interests to motorboat.
also yeah people who like darker stuff tend to either treat female characters much worse or much more favourable so that doesn't surprise me. Esp bc a lot of darker rewrites are inspired by GOT, so they gotta make Aph their Daenerys. Or what's the point? Even people who are doing it backed by interests in like horror and stuff, Final Girls are goated and everyone knows that.
