Driven Wild Universe

From DariaWiki

The Driven Wild Universe is a series of Daria stories in quasi-script form by Kara Wild, forming a detailed alternate universe. The series currently contains twenty-two "episodes."

Background

The Driven Wild Universe (or DWU) is meant to play out several "what ifs?" regarding the Daria series, consequences occuring if just one thing were changed. In the case of the DWU, this change involved Quinn getting glasses in the first episode, "Rose-Colored Lenses." While the early episodes of the Driven Wild Universe could have taken place within the series proper, once Quinn chooses to wear her glasses permanently (from "Cheered Down" onward) the fanfiction series breaks from Daria and runs along a parallel path. Kara Wild has stated the the true break occurs after Daria episode 307, "Daria!"; from that point onward, while certain series developments remain (such as the introduction of Tom Sloane as Jane Lane's boyfriend), others such as "Psycho Therapy" never occur because they have already played out in the Driven Wild Universe.

An intriguing AU series, the Driven Wild Universe's main focus is on Quinn's evolution from popular person allergic to school to a glasses-wearing math prodigy who sees a new world opening up before her. (The series proper would later provide its own perspective in Is It Fall Yet? and "Lucky Strike.") At the same time, Wild felt compelled to tweak other dynamics that she felt were stagnant in the series, such as Helen's relationship with Jake. In time, she would give nearly equal coverage to Helen and her sister, Amy Barksdale. Some critics charged that Wild did so at the expense of Daria, who, as the title characer, should have been the star. Wild pointed out that she was already being well explored on the series proper; however, during the final episodes of the series, Wild would beef up Daria's role, having her come face to face with the dark side of Quinn's success in math. Jane makes fewer appearances in the DWU than in the series proper, mainly providing much-needed common sense and support.

History

Plotlines

Warning: The following may contain plot or ending details.


Quinn Learns That She is Smart

Quinn getting glasses launches the Driven Wild Universe, leading to some of its brightest and darkest moments. At first Quinn wants nothing to do with her glasses, believing correctly that they will hurt her popularity, but finally the lure of being able to see the blackboard proves too great. Quinn wears her glasses continuously from "None in the Family" to "Into the Fire," much to the pleasure of her math teacher, Alfred Phelps. Believing that Quinn possesses great talent in math, Phelps presses her to focus on her studies, first enlisting Jake to watch over her at home ("Of Absolute Value") before taking over the job himself. As with her glasses, Quinn at first resents Phelps's extra attention. However, as she grows to enjoy math, even going so far as to remain on Lawndale High's mathletics squad ("Charge of the Math Brigade") in the face of ridicule, she sees Phelps as more of an ally. With her family troubles picking up in the final episodes of the DWU, Quinn views Phelps as a surrogate father, someone upon whom she is dependent for her math success. Quinn's final challenge comes with demonstrating to herself that the talent for solving problems comes from her, not her math teacher.

Daria has mixed feelings about Quinn's glasses and math fixation. When Quinn first gets glasses, Daria hopes that it will compel her to look beyond looks and popularity. She encourages Quinn to focus on her studies and even dares to hope that a shared vision problem will bring them closer together. However, Quinn's utter denial of her glasses discourages Daria, as does her uninterrupted popularity once she starts wearing them all the time. Yet it is Quinn's demonstrated talent in math that really gets under Daria's skin. Daria tells Jane in "Memory Road" that while she may not resent the actual talent, she does resent that people treat Quinn as though she is an intellect just for being bright in one subject for a short while, without suffering the lumps that Daria has suffered for being a brain. Daria questions whether this undercurrent of resentment is what drives her growing suspicion of Phelps's behavior, before deciding that concern for Quinn is the real motivator. Quinn, however, thinks that everything Daria does to question or expose Phelps is motivated by pure spite. A wall forms between the two sisters, before Daria learns to accept Quinn's math prowess and Quinn learns that Daria really does care about her.

Helen Finds Herself

The Fashion Club Gets Up-Ended

One byproduct of Quinn getting glasses is that the Fashion Club dynamic is thrown asunder. Whereas in the series proper, the FC remained fixed until nearly the end, in the Driven Wild Universe, Quinn is dropped from the club in "Andrea Speaks" once it is proven beyond a doubt that she wears glasses. For a short time, Quinn fills the void by serving as Lawndale High's head cheerleader ("Cheered Down"), while a vengeful Brittany (whose spot Quinn stole) is accepted into the Fashion Club. However, Stacy and Tiffany quickly grow tired of Sandi and elect to make Quinn the Fashion Club president, prompting Brittany to retake her old spot and an outraged Sandi to quit. Betrayed and vulnerable, Sandi strikes back by running for student body president against Jane ("Outvoted"). In the end, the students choose Jodie, but Sandi gets into student government as vice president thanks to her mother, Linda Griffin, bribing Ms. Li. Jodie is never able to forgive, and Sandi is never able to forget, prompting a vicious fight between the two in "Surreal World," in which Jodie challenges Sandi's fitness to hold office. Not long afterward, Jodie receives an anonymous racist note ("Primarily Color") that she thinks is from Sandi, which causes Sandi to be suspended until she demonstrates to Jodie that she is innocent. Embarrassed by her behavior in "Surreal World," Sandi does some soul-searching and starts to make amends. She drops out of student government, apologizes to Jane for her treatment in "Outvoted," and secretly joins a Unitarian Universalist church ("Tomorrow Never Knows").

Meanwhile, as Fashion Club president, Quinn lives in constant fear that Tiffany and Stacy will change their minds and replace her with Sandi. She tries to keep them happy as best she can, but sometimes her paranoia proves too great, causing Quinn to act just as bad as Sandi does at her worst, as Stacy points out. These fears fall by the wayside, however, as math takes up more and more of Quinn's time. At first Quinn is fearful that the FC will scorn her and hides the fact that she is on the mathletics squad, but once they learn the truth, Stacy and Tiffany are accepting. Quinn's increasing absences, however, cause the club to fragment, prompting Stacy in "Into the Fire" to respond, "You mean there's still a Fashion Club??"

Themes

Controversies

Installments

Original Characters

External links

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