By G.P. Avants

Fandom has taken a hit as of late. Don’t ask me why but when multiple fandom universes intersect, we are bound to see sparks just from the collision. A little friction, opinion, and points of view are normal and how we tackle it might make all the difference.

Two universes that have had opposition since they first intersected at a comic-con a long time ago have had Neeks divided ever since. It comes down to this telling question: Do you like Star Trek or Star Wars? This is what I am hearing from the fans. It is assumed that you have to be in one universe of the other. Sadly your answer can set off an interstellar war, well, maybe just a very heated debate that gets the Klingon (or Mandolorian) in people fired up. 

“May the Force be with you always.”

Why? Do you know what happens when neeks loose it?

                                                            *****

 That molten core inside Levy has been stirring up over the past hour. That frustration and anger sizzles underneath his skin.  He finds himself staring at his invention. It is perfect except for that stupid, stubborn, bolt. With my luck it will be the one thing the judges point out that will cost me the scholarship. He hisses between clenched teeth. “Not this time.”

He grips the wrench in his right hand, locks on the bolt and puts his left hand on the frame of the Fizz-E- Drive.  “Which of us is more stubborn?” he says. 

His grasp on it is so tight that Levy can feel the blood pulsating in his hand and wrist. Gritting his teeth, he gives the bolt an exasperated final twist. 

CRACK! 

The bolt snaps off at the head.

“What?!” Before he can duck, the bolt head thwacks against his eyebrow. “Aye!” Grabbing for the red burning sensation over his right eye, Levy fears the worst. “My eye!” 

Like a chain reaction, the connecting wires and pieces break off violently as a number of tight copper wires snap.  

PING! PANG! PING! 

A trio of lightning fast wires slash his left forearm like a wild cat’s sharp claws. Levy is a millisecond too slow. He turns abruptly in pain. “You…stupid…!” With a screech from his lips his wrench is airborne, breaking an empty beaker three lab stations over. “… worthless piece of junk!” Levy’s eyes feel aflame. From his furious perspective, everything in the room appears to ignite into a blazing red. Even his breath feels like a thick raging smoke. His mouth and nostrils hurt. “How many stinking hours have I wasted on you?” His invention seems to stare back with two gears like sad puppy dog eyes begging for a second chance. Levy clasps the metal frame.  

“It’s too late for THAT!” he growls, focusing his pent-up rage on the shivering metal invention. If he had enough upper body strength, Levy would tear his invention in half. No such luck. So, amidst the gasps and screams of the onlooking student inventors, he lifts his pleading metallic victim above his head.

 “You…” 

The air fills with screams and gasps. 

“…stupid..”

With a heavy clunk, the prototype crashes to the hard-white tile floor.  

“…stubborn…” 

The internal engine, inside its housing, breaks free. 

“…useless thing!” The veins budge on Levy’s skinny neck “I hate you!”

In Levy’s mind the scene feels more like a detached moment caught in a horrific slow-motion experience. As the Fizz-E- Drive smashes into the white tile floor, he watches the outer frame twists and snaps. It breaks like an oddly round piñata, metal pins, tiny silver gears, and soda spraying to the four corners of the lab.  

Everyone in the lab and in the adjacent open door to the science hall appears frozen, holding their breath for what might happen next. 

The crash and rattle settle into a deafening silence except for the sound of Levy’s quaking chest heaving with irregular spasms. Every eye is on Levy. Hunched and staggering, Levy draws his fists to his body. 

“What just happened?” Mr. GQ questions as he rushes over to examine the situation. “Levy. Look at me!”  

In a disembodied sort of haze, Levy uncurls his sticky brown fingers and red hands. “What just happened?” Levy asks. Even his voice sounds distant and remote like someone else is mouthing the words. He is shaking all over uncontrollably. 

                                        ******

Okay, well Levy had a lot of pent up issues. Maybe he had issues with his fandom choices, I don’t know. My point is that we make a mess of things when really there is a whole fandom universe to transverse. Why should we angst over which we have to limit ourselves too? 

Seriously, why do we have to choose between the two? They are both great in their own right. There is such diversity between them that these two shows don’t complete with each other. Next, I will have to choose between Harry Potter, Narnia, or Lord of the Rings? (That isn’t a thing is it?) I haven’t heard anything about voting for only one fantasy, horror, anime francize. So why is there even an issue.

Does this effect the superhero multiverse as well? Please don’t make me decide if I like Spiderman with Toby MacGuire or the Amazing Spiderman with Andrew Garfield. I enjoy them both for different reasons. It’s the same if Willy Wonka with Gene Wilder or Johnny Deep. I despised the idea of tampering with one of my top five favorite childhood movies of all time. However, they created something not to replace the classic, but came up with a whole new retelling.

My question again is why do we have to choose? Last time I checked; it was a free country where we have lots of great choices. We have so many choices to pick from out there why not sample a variety of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, heroes, etc? You never know if you might add a new fandom, realm, or action hero to your collection?