Sunshine Revival Challenge #7

[kingstoken]

Challenge #7

The Ferris Wheel
Journaling: Life in fandom goes through ups and downs. Reminisce about the "wild ride" of your time in fandom or in other online communities.

Well, probably one of the wildest fandom experiences I personally experienced was I was in Supernatural fandom on November 5, 2020. I want to preface this by saying I did not ship Destiel, it was not one of my ships of choice, but you obviously could not avoid if you were in the SPN fandom. Anyways, I watched the episode live then went on tumblr afterwards and it was crazy! And not just because Destiel went semi-canon, this was the same night the 2020 US election was happening so results were coming in, we were still in the middle of the pandemic, there were rumours that Putin was talking about resigning, rumours of Sherlock season 5, and other things I'm sure I forgot about. Anyways, I remember I stayed up as late as a could (which wasn't very late because I like an early bed-time) and then I went back online early in the morning and it was till going on and I had to catch up on so much. Anyways, it is very hard to describe how crazy that time was, everyone was freaking out but also having a fun time. If you can check out the Fanlore article, we editors tried our best to document it, but it is really hard to capture what a phenomenon this was.

I'm sure if you know about this event you know about this vid, but if not, give it a watch, it kind of captures the madness of it all:

Watch on YouTube

Comments

[muscle_wizard]

I was also there for that surreal night and I'll never forget it. That YT vid you linked is the closest to a time capsule of that time I think we'll get!

I was on Discord with some friends when somebody dropped the link to the clip of the confession and I was just, shocked lmao. I haven't actively been involved with SPN since my high school/college years but I have a lot of fondness for a lot of its principle ships - but the fact it was during the week long election counting, multiple fandoms blowing up, and then belatedly, [Destiel going canon in Spanish.]

I'd never seen so many edits to this meme in 24 hours. Glorious.

[kingstoken]

Yes, it was pretty much a week long event, although it is Nov 5 everyone remembers. And yes, that meme was used to much!

[author_by_night]

That video is excellent.

I somehow forgot that it happened at the same time as the Destiel of it all! Of course, I'm not in the SPN fandom, but I know so many SPN people, so I was very aware of it.

[kingstoken]

Its hard to believe that all that stuff happened on the same day! I think even if you weren't in SPN fandom at the time you still couldn't possible avoid it.

[author_by_night]

SPN is like that town I've only been to a handful of times, but have heard so much about for twenty years.

[kingstoken]

What a great metaphor!

[kitarella_imagines]

Gosh that does sound like a wild night!

5th November to us Brits just means Bonfire Night (or Guy Fawkes Night or Firework Night, depending on what we prefer) where we have a big bonfire and set off fireworks. Although in 2020 I doubt there were many parties going on.

Not sure how we survived that year of 2020 tbh.

[kingstoken]

Bonfire night sounds like fun!

[kitarella_imagines]

It is fun, it has a very grim history however, like most English traditions. It is from the 17th century, this is a summarised version of the history:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/15351828

However since the late 20th century people haven't bothered with burning an effigy of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire. I remember 'penny for the Guy' when I was little, when kids wheeled a straw man round asking for pennies for him, but that tradition died out. I think unfortunately the Americanised Halloween has taken over in England now.

What used to happen was: there would be a big bonfire that people would gather round, people would let off fireworks nearby. We would eat jacket potatoes, toffee apples, flapjacks, marshmallows, sausages: sometimes the potatoes and sausages would be wrapped in foil and cooked in the bonfire. Most towns and cities in England still have a community event on Bonfire Night.

When I was little, I lived in a big house with a big garden, after it got dark we'd light a bonfire at the end of the garden and the neighbours would join us. Their teenage sons would set off fireworks, we'd eat, drink and be merry. Such happy days and happy memories! People don't really gather round like that anymore, they are always glued to their phones. Such a pity.

[pauraque]

I've seen that video before but it still cracks me up. Putin googling "what is destiel" XD

[kingstoken]

So may good memes in there

[walgesang]

I've never seen this video before, what a wild ride. :D I vaguely remember about 75% of that, so it was a great refresher. I do love the "Stop the Count!" meme with the actual Count. XD

[kingstoken]

The Count Von Count twitter account actually responding to Donald is so funny!

[spaciireth]

This was such a weird thing to watch unfold as a non-American on the very outside of the SPN fandom (I'd stopped watching long before but was still vaguely aware of what was going on). I remember seeing memes referencing both Destiel and Putin and that was how some people heard of the Putin rumours in the first place.

[kingstoken]

It was weird even in the fandom! But still fans were having a lot of fun.

[thatjustwontbreak]

I remember this! I'm not huge into Supernatural but I follow so many spn ppl and tumblr was absolutely WILD that night. I feel like they talked about it extensively on Ride or Die but I can't figure out what episode it is (or if it's just a fabricated memory because it was such a thing).

[kingstoken]

It was a wild night! I don't do it justice trying to explain it.

[dr_zook]

Oh man, I vaguely remember everything, at least the parts I tried to not actively repress! But I have missed the Count Count meme, what a shame! Thank you for reminding.

[kingstoken]

You\re welcome! The Count meme is the best.