So I've actually been dying for your take on the Dani/Superboy situation in YJDW. I know it's coming up in the next few chappies, but idk I just love the parallel between Danny's acceptance and love for Dani and Clark's seeming rejection and awkward acknowledgement of Connor. I feel like it gets glossed over a lot in other fics, and they really don't go too deeply into the emotional implications that this has for Connor when he sees the familial relationship they have vs what he has with Clark.
The Dani-Superboy situation is certainly going to come up⌠although not for a quite a long while in-story; weâve got a solid amount of stuff to cover in this one first.
Weâre only just moving into the YJ part of YJ:DW at the moment but Conner and Clarkâs relationship is going to get background development throughout. By the time Dani gets involved in earnest our Superboys will have figured out something a smidge healthier, but yes - even then the idea that Danny accepted Danielle so readily does leave somewhat of a bitter taste by comparison.
TBH the thing that interests me more and that seems to be weirdly absent in a lot of DP x YJ fics for reasons I donât understand is the relationship between Dani and Conner themselves. Weâve seen our share of âDanny goes off at Clarkâ or even âseeing Danny interact with Dani inspire-guilts Clark to step up his gameâ but thereâs strangely little about Dani and Conner interacting, or their dynamic as some of the only two people in their combined universe who can empathise with each otherâs situation. I think theyâd have a lot to talk to each other about finding personal value and individuality, and working out what to do when you were intentionally created for a specific purpose but chose to deliberately turn away from it.
âSee, youâre not a real boy, youâre a weapon and you belong to meâ
âYou. Exist. To serve. Me!â
Iâm surprised that this parallel gets so little relative attention.Â
I can see them being very defensive/ protective of each otherâs autonomy and right to be treated with respect. There is a scene planned where Conner mistakenly thinks Phantom had been treating Dani the way Clark treated him and he goes off.
Also I like the idea that, despite being physiologically 2-4 years younger and about a third of Connerâs size, Danielle is the âolderâ and more experienced of the two, and more mentally/ emotionally developed/ healthy in her own sense of identity because of both it and her relationships with others.
To use a rather stale meme:
Broke:Â Â Danny yells at Clark and shames him into being a better original.
Woke:Â Seeing Danny and Dani together inspires Clark to work harder.
Bespoke:Â Conner gets a pint-sized life coach who encourages him to value himself regardless of what Superman thinks.
