You're mc parents. They bad or they death?

[Garon]

I've been noticing this trend a lot lately. Bad abusive parents or they're dead. Even in my novel, my mc's father is the worst person in the world. So I was wondering what kind of parents your mc has? Is there an objective reason for this?

 

[HelloHound]

sybil's mom is great and her dad is dead but I separated her and mom via river in 5 chapters :)

 

[TotallyHuman]

I know @CupcakeNinja has a lot to say about it

I've been noticing this trend a lot lately. Bad abusive parents or they're dead. Even in my novel, my mc's father is the worst person in the world. So I was wondering what kind of parents your mc has? Is there an objective reason for this?

Mostly bad and dead or irrelevant. In one story there's an amazing mom but also not particularly important. In another there is time travel so they are first dead then irrelevant but foster father figure is awesome. In my most popular story the foster mother-like figure is a yandere but somehow I got carried away and made her a normal love interest instead of making it creepy. Which I find shameful, I had to have had guts and made it creepy and uncomfortable! Oh well.

 

[georgelee5786]

His mother is alive, but has moved back to her birthplace. His father is dead. Both were good parents

 

[l8rose]

So, I just decided to go through the main characters of all the recent stories I've written, and I've come to a rather odd conclusion...

Spoiler: I think I need to write a story with a happy set of parents...

Ethara's dad specifically knocked up her mom to produce Ethara and then sacrificed the mom to an incarnation of madness. This was a plot point because Ethara was pulled through time (twice) to ensure she would become powerful and the final sacrifice to rewrite existence.

Ara's parents are complicated, her dad has multiple wives but her mother is his main wife. They did love her as much as any war-like orc parents could love but kinda hands off relationship. Especially after she bought her way out of the clan and went on to be an adventurer. They are pretty much non-existent storyline wise but they're based on the Elder Scrolls game lore for Orcs.

Ava's dad died when she was a kid and her mom got murdered by a Dr. Frankenstein-style serial killer who briefly resurrected her head (as that was the only part of her he kept). This was also based on an in-game storyline from Dragon Age 2.

Rachel's parents died when she was a kid and her grandmother raised her. Grandmother also died to protect her from witches. Initially, the lack of parents was because I wanted the character to have very little connection to the other characters around her besides her best friend. The grandmother part features in later as it's one of those things the character isn't aware of until much later (if at all) in the story.

Nissa murdered her parents (along with all of her clansmen except her two brothers) and then repressed the memory. She was born with the destiny of being the leader of her clan of druids but her younger triplet brother was jealous because he wanted that role (cause power). So he manipulated her into thinking the rest was out to get her. Centuries later, she's alone and only really remembers the basics and that she has a brother so it was the driving force behind her character development. And I had plans on her trying to hunt down the 'killer' of her clan which would make her her own antagonist but I never wrote the second part of the story.

Renamable PC from Brittleshade: Catalyst has parents who hate them because they don't have a strong power/ability. The parents also sent their youngest daughter off to an arranged marriage with a sociopathic necromancer who may or may not have murdered them. The PC always has a shit family background while searching for their sister is the driving force behind the start of the IF.

I may have some unknown issues with my parents....

 

[RepresentingEnvy]

It makes it easier to isekai the MC if they have nothing to go back to. Stories where they have something to return to in the isekai will usually see them trying to get back or something. (Not always though)

 

[RiaCorvidiva]

going through the stories I've written:

Runological Attraction:
Yulia's mother is dead and her 'father' is evil
Amari's mother is alive and a good parent; her father is misguided and antagonistic, but not evil, and ends up dying tragically in Book 4
Cassandra's father is alive and becomes a better parent over the course of the story, going from antagonistic to an ally. Her mother is alive but bedridden

The Legacy of Dragonfire:
Elissa's parents are both dead before the story begins
Zethira's mother is antagonistic, though whether or not she is 'evil' is subject to interpretation. Her father is dead.

Isekai Speedrunner:
Ashley's parents are never mentioned. It's hinted that her relationship with them was rocky, though neither was 'evil'
Samantha has good parents, if an overbearing father.

Godslayer Lysette:
Lysette's parents both die in chapter 1 and this event is the impetus which starts the story.

so, uh 16 parents. 8 are either dead from the start or are never mentioned in thestory, 3 are antagonistic, 4 if you count Cassandra's father. And the others are good or at least neutral.

 

[QuercusMalus]

This has been a thing for a lloooonnngggg time. For two simple reasons: First, by making them absent its less characters for them to try to write into the story. Secondly, it's a quick, easy way to establish a tragic backstory for the character.

 

[Garon]

So, I just decided to go through the main characters of all the recent stories I've written, and I've come to a rather odd conclusion...

Spoiler: I think I need to write a story with a happy set of parents...

Ethara's dad specifically knocked up her mom to produce Ethara and then sacrificed the mom to an incarnation of madness. This was a plot point because Ethara was pulled through time (twice) to ensure she would become powerful and the final sacrifice to rewrite existence.

Ara's parents are complicated, her dad has multiple wives but her mother is his main wife. They did love her as much as any war-like orc parents could love but kinda hands off relationship. Especially after she bought her way out of the clan and went on to be an adventurer. They are pretty much non-existent storyline wise but they're based on the Elder Scrolls game lore for Orcs.

Ava's dad died when she was a kid and her mom got murdered by a Dr. Frankenstein-style serial killer who briefly resurrected her head (as that was the only part of her he kept). This was also based on an in-game storyline from Dragon Age 2.

Rachel's parents died when she was a kid and her grandmother raised her. Grandmother also died to protect her from witches. Initially, the lack of parents was because I wanted the character to have very little connection to the other characters around her besides her best friend. The grandmother part features in later as it's one of those things the character isn't aware of until much later (if at all) in the story.

Nissa murdered her parents (along with all of her clansmen except her two brothers) and then repressed the memory. She was born with the destiny of being the leader of her clan of druids but her younger triplet brother was jealous because he wanted that role (cause power). So he manipulated her into thinking the rest was out to get her. Centuries later, she's alone and only really remembers the basics and that she has a brother so it was the driving force behind her character development. And I had plans on her trying to hunt down the 'killer' of her clan which would make her her own antagonist but I never wrote the second part of the story.

Renamable PC from Brittleshade: Catalyst has parents who hate them because they don't have a strong power/ability. The parents also sent their youngest daughter off to an arranged marriage with a sociopathic necromancer who may or may not have murdered them. The PC always has a shit family background while searching for their sister is the driving force behind the start of the IF.

I may have some unknown issues with my parents....

I mean. Ava's mom cosplaying midir from God of war. I don't see any issues)
I see a pattern. The authors kill the parents so as not to waste time on them, or to make the story dramatic and influence the mc. Quite a simple method in my opinion. But the absence or negative influence of parents on a child can greatly influence the character. I can’t judge how well you implemented it. I haven't read your novels, sorry.

And yes, I hope you have a good relationship with your parents.

 

[l8rose]

I mean. Ava's mom cosplaying midir from God of war. I don't see any issues)
I see a pattern. The authors kill the parents so as not to waste time on them, or to make the story dramatic and influence the mc. Quite a simple method in my opinion. But the absence or negative influence of parents on a child can greatly influence the character. I can’t judge how well you implemented it. I haven't read your novels, sorry.

And yes, I hope you have a good relationship with your parents.

To be fair, Ava's mom wasn't one that I planned. It just happens in the game like that. And most of the parents are non-entities in my stories as my main characters are almost always of the age to be out and on their own. Very few are impacted by their parents besides the tragic backstory ones.

And that's okay, only the Dragon Age / Skryim fanfictions and the Brittleshade demo are online but they're kinda niche. =P

 

[nemonusquam_]

They dead. They dead dead.

 

[Sylver]

I have two MC's, a hermit/farmer and a cat girl.

His parents, we do not know if they're alive or not. He was born into slavery so he has no knowledge about his parents whereabouts, and likely he prefers not to think about that.

Her mother is warm, loving, nurturing yet also expresses tough love. She leads a clutter of cat girls so she has a lot to work with and feels this pressure about being the rock or the person everyone looks to for comfort, when deep inside she feels the same way her friends and family do.

Her dad isn't around. Or is he? Okay I can't say, he's currently MIA but maaaaaaybe he'll be mentioned in the story?

Foreshadowing

 

[K5Rakitan]

Very nice Christian mom, and a dad who isn't Christian but likes to sing, so he shows up to sing in the church choir with his wife.

 

[BearlyAlive]

Downright evil parents, the mom owns a military bootcamp and a PMC, the dad's a shady merchant that doubles down on the mobster-don vibes.

Their relationship with their kids is pretty fluffy and harmonious, though.

 

[Pixytokisaki14]

I've been noticing this trend a lot lately. Bad abusive parents or they're dead. Even in my novel, my mc's father is the worst person in the world. So I was wondering what kind of parents your mc has? Is there an objective reason for this?

Very supportive of their little gunsmith

 

[Temple]

Is there an objective reason for this?

So the MC won't have connection with them.

 

[CrimsonGenius]

His dad is dead, mom alive. She is lovely mother

 

[Comiak]

both Alysara's parents are alive and supportive.

 

[melchi]

both Alysara's parents are alive and supportive.

Authors that don't kill their MC's parents are my hero.

 

[2wordsperminute]

I didn't kill off my MC's parents, but after chapter 1 he has no way to ever see them again so they might as well be as far as the story is concerned.