Arrow Redesigned X: Background Chapter 1: Alternate Universe Quirks, a DC Superheroes + Arrow Crossover fanfic

ARROW REDESIGNED 0X: BACKGROUND

Story Author's Notes:

When I started this project, I needed to clear my head. I write in another Fandom. I needed to clean my head canon for that Fandom. I started a story in another Universe. The Arrowverse. This AU. I don't pretend to follow all the weird tweaks in canon. The DCU has a bad tendency to restart their Universe every few years. The Arrowverse adopted this tendency with Flashpoint… I don't like it. I won't do that. I don't like to Retcon key characteristics of my characters or incidents that are a MASSIVE deal getting swept under the rug.

That said… I did like some of the plot points made in the Arrowverse. I also love many of the characters and plots presented in the DCU. So, I did both.

Original Posting: 15 Oct 2022

Edit: 22 Nov 2022 (updated background of story, renumbered, updated profile for Part 2, grammar, spelling, World Building)

Edit: 24 Feb 2023 (updated profiles for Part 3, grammar, spelling, World Building)

Edit: 22 Feb 2024 (Updated profiles for Part 3 [new profiles], grammar, spelling, World Building)

Edit: 14 Jul 2024 (updated profiles, grammar spelling, minor World Building)

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Chapter 1: Alternate Universe Quirks

By this time, Arrow had ended its run with the Crisis of Infinite Earths. The series ended with a fade to black scenario. Oliver was dead and now the Spectre. This left the palette clean for FanFic authors to play with canon. That's what I decided to do. How? Not a PeggySue. Not a Fix-it fic. Not a Revenge Fic. None of those appealed to me.

I decided to take what I love about Arrow and fuse it with what I love about the DCU. I guess it could be called a Reboot Fic. I just went to the yacht as the starting point. I also changed the timeline and some of their decisions. They are 20, not 15. I can avoid most of the drama by having them use their brains. The 20 is because they don't have to fit TV age standards. I love the actors, but the show STARTED with Oliver at 28. The only better timeline is Oliver going through his away trauma in his teenage years and returning at 20.

The DCU has a bad tendency to restart their Universe every few years. The Arrowverse adopted this tendency with Flashpoint… I don't like it. I won't do that. I don't like to Retcon key characteristics of my characters or incidents that are a MASSIVE deal getting swept under the rug.

However, I did not agree with some of the decisions the Arrow TV writers chose. I have to think it was an active choice. These decisions bother me enough that I CAN'T think that some idiot just ignored it or left it to chance. That's a separate rant.

TV has some bad limitations. You kill a character off that everybody loves… suddenly you have twins. You need something to make your character act OOC… suddenly you invent a drug that causes that reaction. Then you magic, alternate realities, metahumans… The show don't tell aspect of TV is limiting.

I don't have that problem. I write. I tell, not show. My drugs have causes, affects, and side effects. My magic has rules and limitations. I don't plan on touching alternate realities. My metahumans are a known quantity worldwide. They are not OP.

That said… I did like some of the plot points made in the Arrowverse. I also love many of the characters and plots presented in the DCU. So, I did both.

I love the DCU, but I have some issues with a few of the characters in it. I love Batman, but the man needs therapy. BADLY! It is insane. Seriously, child soldiers… What is he thinking? Then there is Superman… a man who is afraid to sneeze without taking out a city. Too much power by far. How is this idiot vulnerable to mind control so easily?

I love Arrow, but I also have some serious issues with their take on various characters. Slade is an Aussie? Ivo is looking for a drug? Malcolm is a father? Okay, I'll keep that.

Then I grew up. I love comics, but I can't follow comic morality any longer. I love Batman as a character, but the man is responsible for the millions of people the Joker feeds his toxin to and the thousands he kills. Batman is an accessory to mass murder. Yes, I have an opinion about that.

When all was said and done, I decided to create a Fusion of Arrow and DCU. Cherry pick the characters, circumstances, and let my muse free. The Arrow Redesigned Series is the result.

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IMPORTANT NOTES:

I used characters from both the Arrowverse and the DCU. I even used some of their histories. I may have mixed their histories to create a better fit into my story. However, their motivations are all my own. If I want a character to act a certain way, I will have a motivation for that action. I didn't depend on either Arrow (2012) or the DCU (Original, COIE, New52, Rebirth, Legend).

Some of my characters show up just like they did in Arrow (2012), but with their DCU history or personalities). Some of my characters are a cherry pick from the DCU or Arrow to create a new version.

Slade Wilson is a perfect example. Arrow (2012) took a shortcut to explain his healing, strength, etc. Then they made him an Aussie. Seriously, bad work. I fixed him. The Terminator is back in form. A hired merc. American. Not Aussie. He has already lost his eye from Adeline.

Both the Arrowverse and the DCU had some good ideas. My fusion of the two has helped to reduce some of this angst this cause.

Ra's al Ghul is an example of this. I liked the Arrowverse Ra's. The DCU one was more stable, but bent on world domination. Combine the two to get a more stable Ra's that is much shorter-lived and bent on keeping the balance between good and evil. I took it one step further and made him the leader of the largest army in the world.

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TIMELINE

The most important thing I can point out about this AU is this timeline. Our young heroes are only 20 with no real-life experience when they get on the yacht. Sara is still three years younger. Thea is nine years younger. They were eight when Rebecca was killed.

1992 - Tommy, Laurel, and Oliver are born (This puts them all in the same classes for school)

1995 - Sara is born (Three years younger than Laurel)

2000 - Rebecca Merlyn is shot and killed. Malcolm disappears after the funeral. Lances move to Starling from Gotham.

2001 - Thea is born (9 months after Malcolm disappears, 9 years younger than Oliver)

2006 - Malcolm returns to Starling City (absent 6 years) [1]

2010 - Tommy, Laurel, and Oliver graduate High School

2012 - Malcolm announces Undertaking to Tempest. The yacht goes down afterward. (Tommy, Laurel, and Oliver are 20, Sara is 17, and Thea is 11) [2]

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[1] I think that it is unrealistic to train in the League (of Assassins) for only two years and achieve Horseman Status. In theory, it takes years to gain martial skill, but with determination and focus, it can be done much sooner. However, in my AU, a Horseman (Fasir) is not chosen for martial skills. They are trained to be generals. The Horseman (Fasir) is NOT the most skilled warrior, but the best commander for the team. Malcolm can be a good leader when he chooses to be. He can motivate and communicate well. He is good at tactics and strategy. His release was not a given. He had to convince Ra's to release him to return to his son.

[2] The Arrowverse Timeline was the result of TV limitations. They wanted to match the age of the actors to the story. They failed. I don't have that issue. I need naive young adults. I can write about naive young adults. The best thing about writing is that your imagination can fill in the blanks.

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NEXT

Each subsequent chapter is a character or organization profile for my AU. I used these as my reference when writing this story. This is my head canon for this character in my story. I want to help you understand where the characters are coming from. Their origins. This is not a criticism of other works. These are just my thoughts on paper.

I know that many DCU fans will take issue with some of my choices. I'm okay with that. Please provide CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. Don't just vent because your favorites were not featured. By Constructive Criticism, I mean that I am looking for issues I may have missed with my attempts to merge the two and make this story realistic. I am not all-seeing. I frequently find spelling and grammar errors in my works from over a decade ago. Yes, I re-read them constantly.

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