Title: Propagation.
Author: CnJLC.
Rating: T.
Genre: Alternate Universe / Alternate Power.
Status: Abandoned.
Fandom: Worm.
Summary: The Thinker entity survives, in a way. Years later, Taylor triggers with powers stronger than most, but as she tries to be a hero, other instincts are setting her on a different path- one that leads away from humanity. Seventeen chapters.
Link: Spacebattles.

This is an old favorite of mine that’s abandoned, but I thought it should at least be put up for review.

It’s AU to an extreme as Cauldron acting differently has put many characters on different roads, even before Taylor triggers. This story isn’t afraid to go in directions other writers avoid, like Taylor leaving Brockton Bay and being a hero someplace else. This requires an extensive OC list, which can be mixed, but this fic tries its hardest to expand Worm’s world and do things no stories have done before or since.

The biggest problem of this fic is that Taylor is too powerful. She’s an entity and those require fancy powers, but even seconds from death, Eden was able to give her every power under the sun. It saps tension when Taylor has a “I win!” button in every fight, and the writer tries to focus on Taylor’s mental state instead, but it doesn’t work. It’s hard to care about the OCs when Taylor shows them up easily and even she doesn’t care that much about them. She’s on a completely different level than every character and limiting her to street politics just doesn’t work.

This could be fixed if Eden only had enough time to give Taylor a few powers, ones that would make her strong, but not strong enough to level the playing field. I’m not sure if this story was abandoned because the writer got distracted or if they wrote themselves into a corner, but even if someone else continued it, it’s almost unworkable with how powerful Taylor is.

I still like it though, and I wish there was more of it.

3.5/5.

 

It's been quite a while since I last read this, so I'm not prepared to give a rating. However, I do believe you've missed the thrust of the author's intentions, even if he did not precisely accomplish everything planned.

The powers, however great they may be, of the protagonist (the extent to which Taylor Hebert qualifies depends upon your interpretation of the events, but anymore would be spoilers) are secondary to the internal and external existential struggle to define "Taylor's" identity and agenda in the face of the changes she has undergone and the viewpoints of those aware as to the reality of her situation.

Unfortunately, the story was abandoned before this theme could be more deeply developed, but (with the exception of the power testing scene, which are usually subpar or unnecessary), the majority of power uses I remember serve to establish changes in the protagonist's mindset as much as they do actions scenes or statements of strength. I do recognize, though, that the use of her powers are used to separate and set her apart from her peers, which I think was intentional as a matter of characterization and the existential pressures previously mentioned. As I said though, the story is currently too short to judge if that trend would continue, and it could have descended into the faults you recognize.

I do agree that the other characters are used somewhat ineffectively, but as internally-focused as "Taylor" here is, it's somewhat understandable as a difficult balance though not excusable.

Overall, I think that the story's themes and motifs are simply too poorly developed in the few chapters available to adequately provide fodder for judgment.

 

I remember reading and enjoying this. As a result of Taylor getting a different power, the story took a reasonable (and sizable) divergence from canon. It might just seem good compared to most Worm fanfics but the simple fact that it didn't regurgitate the same old shit made me smile. Like, the author actually explores a new setting after the first few chapters and Taylor's OP power is used to develop her character. It also seems to drive forward the main conflict - that is, Taylor's growing distance to other people vs. her human instincts and core character.

Not a perfect story by any means but at least it tried to do something more ambitious. It's a shame it was abandoned. 4/5