Cinder is the missing Lunar princess, and Iko’s her best friend. Kai is an Emperor and being perused by Levena as a political pawn. Wolf is one of Levena’s mind controlled soldiers who was sent after Scarlet, whose grandmother was part of Selene’s rescue team. Winter is Levana’s stepdaughter, and Jacin was raised alongside her and they basically the only family they each have left. Cress is Levena’s secret weapon who has been trying desperately to warn Earth about Levana’s plans, and is the daughter of a rouge Lunar scientist defying Levena.

I had tons of drawings and sketches from The Lunar Chronicles back when I read the books, but this one was the boldest and the one I’m happiest with!

Like wow look at how Cinder doesn’t like fancy dresses she’s so cool and different and wait. Oh her best friend Iko is fashion obsessed and also a badass? Oh Winter is conventionally attractive and still cool as fuck? Oh….

Wow look at Scarlet and how badass and angry she is she’s not like those other overly emotional— wait what? Cress cries a lot and that’s totally fine? Winter is an emotional wreck and Scarlet fully helps and supports her through it in her own ways? Oh….

Wow cress is a hacker that’s so cool she’s obviously the most capable woman— oh shit Cinder is the best mechanic in New Beijing? Oh Scarlet is a pilot and runs a whole ass farm? Oh that’s not even any of their main personality traits????

Oh ew Winter wears ball gowns everywhere and her problem is that she’s too pretty and she’s obsessed with this one boy that’s so stupid— oh wait? She’s slowly losing her mind because she refuses to manipulate others? She uses her docile appearance to her advantage and understands social structures better than anyone else there? Even though she doesn’t have any STEM abilities it’s her ability to make people feel heard and understood that makes her so powerful?? Oh.

Even Iko who’s the most fashion-obsessed boy-crazy of the bunch is still deeper than that, a lot of that coming from her desire to be seen as her own person and establish an identity apart from her programming, which is just very real to growing up. Girlhood is a spectrum, and when you only see one type of girl, you get the message that that’s the type of girl it’s okay to be.

TLC doesn’t just subvert that, it actively addresses it. Cress is jealous of the others sometimes, and she actively has to remind herself that it’s not Iko or Winter’s fault that they’re conventionally attractive, and it doesn’t make anyone any less of a person. Scarlet initially assumes that Winter is doltish and crazy and doesn’t realise until much later that she’s much more than she seems. It feels uncomfortable to read those parts now for me, mostly because I recognise myself in them. We’re taught to see other women as rivals, but jealousy is treated as an evil trait instead of a normal symptom of our upbringing. Showing it, letting it be something we all have to overcome, letting ourselves be ugly for a moment, is just as important as showing why our jealousy is misguided.

Show me all the girls. Show me the girls who had boy band posters plastered on their walls. Show me the girls who would rather wear cargo pants than skirts. Show me the girls who love high heels and fancy dresses. Show me the girls who fall somewhere in between. Show me the girls who like science and the girls who like to fight and the girls who spend all day wrapped in stories and fictional worlds. Show me the girls who dream of their Prince Charming and the girls who never even thought about it.

Because this fandom is dead and those of us still standing deserve to read the gems.

(art by: @vvivaa)

All Time Fav:

1-800-CAPTAIN (by lovelunarchron) https://archiveofourown.org/works/5347382/chapters/12347996

Desperate to not be alone again for the holidays, Cress hires a man to pose as her boyfriend for her family’s annual Christmas celebration.

Cinder/Kai:

like real people do (by songandsilence) https://archiveofourown.org/works/1472797

The dreams start as soon as she escapes from prison. He doesn’t think much of it at first - she is the most wanted fugitive on earth at the moment, and at least 75% of hisi day is spent in conversation about her, whether it be her motive, her origins (Luna, he has to remind himself), her plans. Her picture follows him everywhere. It is on every screen, every newscast. Just as Torin is his shadow, she is as well.

(Missing moments - mostly during ‘Scarlet’)

against the clock (by nicole_writes) https://archiveofourown.org/works/10547732

Soulmate timers have been helping connect people who belong together for all time and still, Cinder gets the guy who can’t even figure out it’s her. 

Lilac and Gold and You (by au_moins_jessaie) https://archiveofourown.org/works/64832608

Cress thinks she’s pregnant and is freaking out. When she tells Cinder, Cincer offers to take a pregnancy test alongside her. But just for moral support, right?

deja vu (by crescentchat) https://archiveofourown.org/works/39846189

Kai and Princess Winter are set to be married, with the fate of Earth resting in their communion. With newfound access to TVs and devices, which are not available in Luna, she quickly recognizes her long lost cousin. What is an 18 year old Emperor to do?

Cress/Thorne:

Protected (by MadeOfStardustAndOreos) https://archiveofourown.org/works/25658644

Newly reunited with her friends, Cress and the gang finally get the chance to sleep in actual beds - even if they belong to the Lunar Aristocrats whose house they’ve just broken into. Safe once more, Cress can‘t help feeling helpless over always needing rescue from her friends.

Luckily, Captain Carswell Thorne is there to eliminate any fears - including his own. After all, he really can’t be sure of Cress’s safety unless he’s by her side 100% of the time...

A missing moment from Winter.

Someday Soon (by Mistakesweremade/PastyPirate) https://archiveofourown.org/works/18237812

“Are you just going to stare at me all day?” She asked, nerves curling in her stomach as they often did when she flirted with the line they’d set. The sight of him in navy blue boxers didn’t help.

“I figure I should try to desensitize myself so I can protect you better,” he tilted his head as he spoke, warmth curled next to the nerves, “I don’t think it’s working.”

“Come on Captain,” she gestured towards the water, “the longer you stand there ogling at me the more likely someone will come by and ogle the both of us.”

“And it’ll be the best day of their lives.” He announced haughtily, swaggering towards her and taking the hand she stretched out to him.

In which: Cress realizes something during a later afternoon swim.

Safe (by MadeOfStardustAndOreos) https://archiveofourown.org/works/23826835

For their first night after leaving Luna, Cress and Thorne are left to themselves on the Rampion. Struggling to fall asleep, Cress is finding fewer and fewer reasons for why she isn’t sharing a bed with her Captain.

ft. Wolf with tomatoes and Throne returning to his beloved, a.k.a. the Rampion

do it, i dare you (by cresswell) https://archiveofourown.org/works/7225465

“This is a very bad idea,” Cress said.

“No this is a very good idea,” Thorne replied, his voice muffled by Cress’s thigh. “I am just a very bad influence.”

Til Death Dop Us Part (by lovelunarchron https://archiveofourown.org/works/13257282/chapters/30328461

After getting dragged to LAs Vegas by her friends, Cress Darnel wakes up the next morning to find she accidentally married an ex-conman named Carswell Thorne. When their attempt to annul their drunken nuptials takes a turn for the worst, the newlyweds must learn to live with each other... for better or for worse.

pacific ocean eyes (by crescentchat) https://archiveofourown.org/works/61105936/chapters/156126943

A trilogy of unconnected Cresswel oneshots for the 2024 Lunar Chronicles Ship Weeks!

Scarlet/Wolf:

staring (by crescentchat) https://archiveofourown.org/works/62210548

Wolf is staring at another woman. Before Scarlet considers that this is highly unlike him, she does something very much like her, and flies off the handle.

Reaffirming of trust ensues (featuring your friendly neighborhood Cress and Thorne).

his favorite time (by BadOldWest) https://archiveofourown.org/works/1119437

This lazy, sun-tired, sore-muscled time of day was his favorite. When everything was quiet and soft. After work, after dinner, after a nice long bath, where he was warm and fed and clean. 

Questioning Ran (by idon’tnap) https://archiveofourown.org/works/40540767

When Scarlet and Wolf encounter Ran in the woods in the book Scarlet, Wolf says that Scarlet wouldn’t be able to get any answers out of Ran because he was taught to withstand torture.

So Scarlet tries another method of questioning.

Lupus Domesticus (by tonkzart) https://archiveofourown.org/works/20972819/chapters/49869107

Scarlet and Wolf arrive home after months on the Rampion distributing antidotes, ready to settle into their new life together. They haven’t slept together yet. 

Winter/Jacin:

Girl of Seasons (by peanutbutterapple) https://archiveofourown.org/works/11164551

“I know,” Winter said, turning her eyes back to the air, the side of her face still pressed into this shirt. She thought she meant it, I love you.

“Good,” Jacin said. He leaned his head against the top of hers, and Winter thought he meant, I love you too.

touch of snow (by crescentchat) https://archiveofourown.org/works/60908206/chapters/155585212#workskin

A trilogy of unconnected Jacinter oneshots for the 2024 Lunar Chronicles Ship Weeks!

landscape (by shireith) https://archiveofourown.org/works/56645314

‘It’s a curious thing how getting to know someone-or remembering someone, in Winter’s case-doesn’t always turn them into any less of a stranger. Winter would look at Jacin in search of something, and he would look back, but only for an instant, before his whole figure recoiled in itself and the secret moment they’d shared shimmered away like a mirage.’

Glimpse of Winter and Jacin as they readjust to each other.

Set somewhere after the epilogue in Winter.

Iko/Kinney:

To the End of Their Days (by orphan_account) https://archiveofourown.org/works/5256503/chapters/12128636

A collection of one shots set post-Winter, focusing on the four main couples, as well as Iko and Kinney, and the return to normal life after a revolution for some, the adjustment to a brand new life for others, and a bright future for all.

Arguing in Defense of My Humanity (by breadmakesyoufat) https://archiveofourown.org/works/27170632/chapters/66359734

“I love it when you’re confrontational” he whispers softly, and her eyes flutter slightly as she laughs softly in response.

Lava (by MagicAndConstellations) https://archiveofourown.org/works/14086842

Cinder and Kai are in Luna for a diplomatic meeting. While their parents are at meetings, the Imperial prince and princess are babysat by Iko. Kinney receives a comm from Ciner asking to check on the trio as Iko hasn’t been answering her. 

Idiotic Tendencies (by FloraIrmaTylee) https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11993100/1/Idiotic-Tendencies

Iko thinks that Kinney’s only redeeming quality is his attractiveness. Somehow, because she decides to hate him, the universe pushes them together. 

An Android Goes to the Ball (by andypolymetis) https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11983788/1/An-Android-Goes-to-the-Ball

Iko wants to fo to the party, but it comes with a catch.

Multi-ship:

More than the moon (by Kass) https://archiveofourown.org/works/5358704

I wish, more than anything. Four happily ever afters.

Colors of The Heart (by regolithheart) https://archiveofourown.org/works/5589640/chapters/12880513

A collection of post-Winter one-shorts focusing on each of our favorite ships // Blue: Kiko / Yellow: Cresswell / Red: Wolflet / Green: Kaider

Platonic:

Carswell’s Guide to Being Vulnerable (by lionofsounis) https://archiveofourown.org/works/11545311

“What are you doing?”

“I’m giving you a hug, you idiot.”

“Cinder--”

“Shut up, Thorne.”

Thorne visits Cinder in the hospital for a slumber party chat about their crushes. Toenail painting not included. Some H/C, mostly banter. Both of them being sappy idiots and best friends.

Grounds for War (by suchastart) https://archiveofourown.org/works/7632229

“Can’t believe they lost my reservation,” Thorne says, dropping his duffel on the ground and looking around at the room, hands on his lips. ”Wow. Look at this!”

Cinder is looking. She is looking especially closely at the bed sitting in the middle of the room. The problem is not with the bed, but that there’s only one of them, and that it seems like Thorne will be sharing the room with her and Kai, too.

thawing (by moonlitserenades) https://archiveofourown.org/works/6190228

Jacin visits Cress in the hospital. 

How to Freak the Hell out of Carswell Thorne (by midnightsnapdragon) https://archiveofourown.org/works/31304240

Jacin’s acting scarier than usual, and for the life of him, Thorne can’t figure out why.

Throne’s Pyramid (by mxtaryii) https://archiveofourown.org/works/64205821

@captainthorne ranking everyone in the rampion crew from least to most favorite