Sliding Scale of Shipcest Acceptability

[azdaema]

How acceptable an incest ship is considered is directly related to how much canon already "went there." The excuse "They started it!" is not just for squabbling schoolchildren.

Tier 1: Canon

They might still say we're crazy for shipping it, but at least we're not crazy for seeing it. They might not want it to be a thing, but they can't deny it is a thing.

Examples:

• Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia (various)
• Cersei and Jaime Lannister (Game of Thrones)

Tier 2: Shipteased

These are not canon ships, but they do have some deliberate canon acknowledgement. They are more than merely "accidentally mishandled the tone." Canon went there—it didn't stay there, but it went there.

Examples:

• Cheryl and Jason Blossom (Riverdale)
• Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker (Star Wars)
• Bluths (Arrested Development)

Tier 3: Extenuating Circumstances

There are some extenuating circumstances which make this ship more acceptable than it would otherwise be. There's weird chemistry between the actors. There are no other characters in the story to ship them with. They're adopted siblings. There is some defense that makes shipping them more excusable than it would be otherwise.

Examples:

• Alex and Justin Russo (Wizards of Waverly Place)
• Pevensies (The Chronicles of Narnia)
• Thor and Loki (MCU)

Tier 4: General

No significant canon basis, or defense beyond the standard, "they have a compelling relationship and I want to see that go further." There is no "excuse." This is when the backlash really kicks in.

Examples:

• Simon and River Tam (Firefly)
• Violet and Klaus Baudelaire (A Series of Unfortunate Events)

Tier 5: Added Offence

There's something that makes shipping them extra subversive. For example, they come from "family media" (aka media for the whole family, including but not limited to children), or when their canon does an usually good job of capturing a sibling relationship that feels very real. People get extra outraged.

Examples:

• Dipper and Mabel Pines (Gravity Falls)
• Soren and Claudia (The Dragon Prince)