What Does Word of God Mean?
Fandom CultureA statement about canon made by the creator outside the work itself — interviews, tweets, commentary tracks. Fandom argues perpetually about whether word of god is binding.
Word of God in Practice
When a creator announces a character's backstory, sexuality, or fate somewhere other than the actual text, fandom must decide what to do with information canon never showed. The term (popularized through TVTropes and now general fandom vocabulary) frames the core dispute: some fans accept word of god as canon's fine print, others hold that what isn't in the work doesn't count — a position with deep roots in death-of-the-author criticism. J.K. Rowling's announcement of Dumbledore's sexuality, never depicted in the books, became the defining case study and sharpened fandom's skepticism of retroactive declarations. In fic, word of god is freely obeyed, ignored, or contradicted, which is fandom's whole relationship to authority in miniature.
Example usage
"It's word of god that the character survived, but the show buried him on screen, so the fandom respectfully declines."
Related Terms
Death of the Author
A literary-theory concept holding that a work's meaning belongs to its readers, not its creator's stated intentions. Fandom invokes it to justify interpretations — and transformative works — that the original author never sanctioned.
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Canon
The official source material and everything established as true within it — the events, characters, and facts of the original book, show, game, or film. Fanfiction defines itself in relation to canon: following it, bending it, or discarding it.
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Jossed
When new canon contradicts a fan theory, headcanon, or fic — your interpretation has been jossed. Named for Joss Whedon, whose plot twists routinely demolished fan speculation.
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TPTB
The Powers That Be — fandom shorthand for the showrunners, studios, and executives who control a canon. Used since the Usenet and mailing-list era, usually with an eye-roll built in.
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More Fandom Culture Terms
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