Mutually Fictional: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

This is a special kind of crossover trope, where the characters from Show A will enter the universe of Show B--both shows of which are "real" to us. In other words, neither is a [[Show Within a Show]]. In addition to finding out that they're trapped in the universe of Show B, the characters of Show A discover that they themselves are the subject of a Show A in the universe of Show B. The characters from Show A are, in essence, ''simultaneously'' [[Trapped in TV Land]] and a [[Refugee From TV Land]]. This isn't a [[Real World Episode]], since both universes are depicted as being [[Up the Real Rabbit Hole|equally "real"]].

 

{{examples}}

== [[Comic Books]] ==

* Once upon a time, [[Milestone Comics]] and [[DC Comics]]' [[Superman]] [[Bat Family Crossover|books]] participated in a [[Crisis Crossover]], ''Worlds Collide''. The ''Blood Syndicate'' (essentially a [[Villain Protagonist|streetgang with powers]]) were the first Milestone characters to meet Superman, and although they thought he was just a local wannabe, they all immediately knew who Superman was, what he could do, etc. because Superman was a comic book character in the Milestone 'verse. ("Does your mama know you left the house looking like Clark Kent?!"). Superman doesn't have the same benefits, realistically, since the Milestone Comics characters were hardly a household name, and he's not much of a comic fanboy.

* The first ''Futurama/Simpsons'' Bongo Comics crossover comes about as the Brainspawn zapped the Planet Express crew into an old ''Simpsons'' comic. The second has the ''Simpsons'' characters {{spoiler|and later, many other fictional characters}} materialising into the reality of ''Futurama'' from a comic by one of Farnsworth's inventions. However in their Bongo Comics crossovers, [[The Simpsons]] are pointed out as the fictional ones in [[Futurama]]'s "real" universe. It should be only one way, being built off the idea in "The Day the Earth Stood Stupid" where the Brain can take people into worlds of fiction but since Matt Groening cameos on [[The Simpsons]] as the creator of Futurama...

 

* [[Fanfic]] author [[Jared Ornstead|Jared "Skysaber" Ornstead]] used this trope to invert the [[Self-Insert Fic]] trope of [[Author Avatar]]s knowing everything about the [[Trapped in Another World|worlds they visit]]; there's always a [[Show Within a Show]] based on his life in each one, and at least one of the characters is guaranteed to be a fan.

* In the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' and ''[[Fate/stay night]]'' crossover [[Fanfic]] "Fictional", Harry is a servant created by Caster from the book series. A big part of the plot is Harry coming to terms that all of his hardships were [[Title Drop|fictional]] and how to deal with it after the obligatory freak out. And you know, deal with being a slave (*cough* Servant). Did I mention that he also has to hide his scar, because other people freak out when they meet Harry Potter too?