Part 1/11:

The Surreal World of Fanfiction, Romance Novels, and Cultural Sentiments

A Deep Dive into Fanfiction and Its Cultural Impact

Recently, there was a vivid discussion about the world of fanfiction, particularly the niche inspired by Star Wars. The conversation began with a reflection on a previous segment dedicated to The Acolyte fanfiction, which explores romantic and enemies-to-lovers narratives involving characters played by Manny Justinto and Amanda Stenberg. The hosts recounted live readings of these romantic stories, highlighting how consuming and, frankly, traumatizing some of these fan-created works can be. It was emphasized that these stories are often intensely emotional, sometimes poorly written, yet widely beloved by passionate subcultures online.