[Hated Trope] Crossovers that fundamentally don’t understand the source material

[u/Calvinball08]

When a crossover basically does the exact opposite of what the source material clearly lays out because the creators clearly just don’t care about the source material at all.

Emil - Dead by Daylight

The one that inspired this post. Emil as a character is the most hopeful, optimistic, and kind character in the entire NieR series, maybe in all of Yoko Taro’s games (maybe aside from Yonah). His goal is to help as many people as he possibly can and even when he goes through immense suffering he always comes out the other side ready to keep on helping people.

Then Dead by Daylight adds him as a killer skin, because “he looks creepy.” You know, the aspect of the character that’s his biggest struggle, that causes him to be scared of how people will judge him, and that makes him hate himself. That’s what we’ll base our entire concept on. Genius idea.

Iron Giant - Ready Player One

Technically you could argue that it’s not an example because it’s just a part of the game and Wade is the one misunderstanding the source material. To that I raise you that this is actually an in universe example of the trope, with the game including the Iron Giant as a crossover where you can use him as a weapon, thereby misunderstanding the source material.

Also it’s probably the filmmakers completely misunderstanding the source material/not caring as well.

[u/_InNeedofAdvice]

I already know that a lot of people are going to point out that the Emil in Dbd is just Joey cosplaying. And you know what? They sorta have a point. Legion is a group of outcasts who feel out of place and I could see them playing Nier and sympathizing honestly with ALL of the protagonists, especially Emil and Kaine.

However.

The DBD crossover with Nier Automata was a crossover with AUTOMATA. Yes Emil is in Automata but the Emil we get is Replicant/Gestalt Emil. And the thing that frustrates me even further is that we got 3 skins in the crossover, and for some reason, they chose Emil instead of 9S, you know, the THIRD PROTAGONIST OF AUTOMATA. I would go even further to say that 9S makes even more sense as a skin for legion than Emil or an Emil cosplay does.

9S physically matches legion, looking like a teenage boy.

He uses a blade, which could easily be broken or something to be made into a knife.

He has a similar mentality to legion: feeling betrayed by a system that was supposed to support them and make things make sense, which leads them to feel like outcasts. They answer this feeling of loneliness, angst, and betrayal with violence and rebellion.

9S literally goes mad through the final act of Nier: Automata, meaning he would be easy fodder for the entity to trick into becoming a servant.

9S is literally the perfect candidate for a legion skin, but they went with Emil in an Automata crossover. It feels baffling.

[u/Inner-Common9073 → u/_InNeedofAdvice]

9S would probably make more revenue as a Survivor, it's hard to imagine his base form being a killer, since most people who know Nier Automata haven't actually played the games. He just isn't that scary or imposing, and he just isn't nearly as popular as 2B.

That being said, I do agree that it would make sense. He is arguably the most involved and overall protagonist of Automata as a whole.

[u/CaptainTeemo01 → u/Inner-Common9073]

Moreover, 9S is basically a teenager and he looks like one. DBD isn't allowed to include characters that young

[u/Caw-zrs6 → u/CaptainTeemo01]

Plus, I think the reason they included Emil is because of Yoko Taro, the creator of the Nier series. Like seriously, look up any picture of the guy and you'll find at least one where he's wearing an Emil mask.

[u/Individual_Map_6684 → u/_InNeedofAdvice]

I think having 9S be a killer would be a bit of a spoiler for what happens later in the game, even if I agree it does fit (especially when compared to Emil).

[u/CaptainApplesaucee → u/_InNeedofAdvice]

While I do think we should've had 9S, im pretty certain it's not even a cosplay of Emil, but rather a reference to an Emil cosplay Yoko Taro himself did. So it's like... a cosplay of a cosplauy??