i just saw the tag “canon complicit” instead of “canon compliant” and im laughing its like “canon is a criminal act that i unfortunately support with this fic”
The Three Grades:
Canon Compliant: “This fic goes along with canon.” (Because I like it? Because I’m too tired to disagree by writing my own fic? Who knows? The author may or may not tell us.)
Canon Compatible: “Listen, I know it ISN’T canon, but think of it as Microsoft Office for Mac, it’s COMPATIBLE with canon, and that counts.”
Canon Complicit: “I have not died a hero, so I have become an accessory to the Villainy of Canon.”
Canon Compatible is a great term for when your fic is Probably Not What Tolkien Would Have Wanted but it doesn’t really contradict anything in canon either
#you can install this fic without canon crashing and that’s what matters
Canon Composite: “This is made up of the pieces of canon I accept, while discarding the stupid stuff.”
Canon Defiant: “I understand the author has made a decision, but given that it’s a stupid-ass decision I have elected to ignore it.”
Canon Casserole: “This is thrown together from a mix of canon, previous adaptations, random headcanons from the back of my mind, and a dash of ‘just because I want to’ for spice”