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This prompt can apply to any time travel story, but I've written it with Doctor Who and Torchwood in mind.
Now, then, fellow Whovians all know that Jack Harkness, will, to use Toshiko's phrasing, "Shag anything if it's gorgeous enough." And who knows how many partners the Doctor's had or will have--he flirts often enough in the reboot, but unlike Jack, he's usually inclined to be more modest, or so it seems, about any off-screen relationships.
And, of course, there are any number of time travelers in other fandoms, or original characters written by anyone who sees fit to write a time travel story.
With all of this time travel, the question--the writing prompt--therefore is, do these people run the risk of being in a relationship with family members without even knowing it? With their ancestors, or their descendents?
Could they be their own ancestors or descendents?
If they could, how might such an encounter go? What attracts them to these unknown relatives? How will the time traveler react upon realizing the truth?
If not, why not? What would stop them?
And just for the heck of it, could they have such a relationship with themselves? (e.g. Time Traveler's Wife)
And again, why or why not? (Ignore the question of genetics on this one, if you please, unless you're writing a story that allows gender-swapping or something of that nature; this one isn't an "own grandpa" question. I'm just curious how fellow writers might allow or prevent a Time Traveler's Wife-style relationship between the time traveler and himself or herself.)
Now, then, fellow Whovians all know that Jack Harkness, will, to use Toshiko's phrasing, "Shag anything if it's gorgeous enough." And who knows how many partners the Doctor's had or will have--he flirts often enough in the reboot, but unlike Jack, he's usually inclined to be more modest, or so it seems, about any off-screen relationships.
And, of course, there are any number of time travelers in other fandoms, or original characters written by anyone who sees fit to write a time travel story.
With all of this time travel, the question--the writing prompt--therefore is, do these people run the risk of being in a relationship with family members without even knowing it? With their ancestors, or their descendents?
Could they be their own ancestors or descendents?
If they could, how might such an encounter go? What attracts them to these unknown relatives? How will the time traveler react upon realizing the truth?
If not, why not? What would stop them?
And just for the heck of it, could they have such a relationship with themselves? (e.g. Time Traveler's Wife)
And again, why or why not? (Ignore the question of genetics on this one, if you please, unless you're writing a story that allows gender-swapping or something of that nature; this one isn't an "own grandpa" question. I'm just curious how fellow writers might allow or prevent a Time Traveler's Wife-style relationship between the time traveler and himself or herself.)
Just what it says on the tin, a writing prompt focusing on the subject of whether time travelers could be their "own grandpa," or accidentally be in a relationship with other relatives without knowing it.
Note this prompt is not asking for details on the relationship itself--just on whether or not it could happen, and why or why not, in terms of the time travel element. It's up to anybody using the prompt whether they wish to write more than that.
Case in point:
My pet theory (which will probably be mentioned all of one time as such within my fanfics) is that Time Lords have an innate sense that allows them to identify close kin, similar to the Doctor's claim that he can sense when any Time Lords are about.
My version requires proximity, however, meaning he could not sense that he has family "somewhere in the universe," but would instead be able to sense if a specific person is closely related to him. It is also subconscious, so he may feel drawn to such a person, yet feel physically ill at the thought of intimacy, without ever knowing why.
And as for Jack, I would say that Time Agents have been, upon recruitment, injected with an artificial "genetic marker" (I'm thinking a specially programmed nanogene that binds to their DNA) that allows them a similar sense... but in their case, it only works on descendents, and only those conceived after the injection, as it basically works by such descendents inheriting the nanogene along with the parents' normal DNA. Likewise, such descendents could recognize each other or Jack, though only those who are already aware of the nanogenes and their function (e.g. Time Agents) will consciously know what they are sensing or the nature of their relationship. The nanogene itself provides subconscious awareness, allowing other descendents (e.g. Steven from Children of Earth) to know that a close blood tie exists without knowing the specifics.
Note that whether they act on that knowledge is entirely by choice--the nanogene allows them to identify close kin but does not actually influence their behavior towards one another.
Also in the case of the Time Agents, this is likely a side effect; the real purpose of such a nanogene/ "genetic marker" is to identify anyone that can be used against them, via methods like blood control, or (in some cases) to allow the Agency to keep an eye on any Agents who may have been involved in or are the result of a breeding program.
For my use, the how and why is irrelevant as a story idea itself... but it adds a certain complication to one of my underlying story arcs, and the nanogene theory solves a plot problem I was having with another story.
Note this prompt is not asking for details on the relationship itself--just on whether or not it could happen, and why or why not, in terms of the time travel element. It's up to anybody using the prompt whether they wish to write more than that.
Case in point:
My pet theory (which will probably be mentioned all of one time as such within my fanfics) is that Time Lords have an innate sense that allows them to identify close kin, similar to the Doctor's claim that he can sense when any Time Lords are about.
My version requires proximity, however, meaning he could not sense that he has family "somewhere in the universe," but would instead be able to sense if a specific person is closely related to him. It is also subconscious, so he may feel drawn to such a person, yet feel physically ill at the thought of intimacy, without ever knowing why.
And as for Jack, I would say that Time Agents have been, upon recruitment, injected with an artificial "genetic marker" (I'm thinking a specially programmed nanogene that binds to their DNA) that allows them a similar sense... but in their case, it only works on descendents, and only those conceived after the injection, as it basically works by such descendents inheriting the nanogene along with the parents' normal DNA. Likewise, such descendents could recognize each other or Jack, though only those who are already aware of the nanogenes and their function (e.g. Time Agents) will consciously know what they are sensing or the nature of their relationship. The nanogene itself provides subconscious awareness, allowing other descendents (e.g. Steven from Children of Earth) to know that a close blood tie exists without knowing the specifics.
Note that whether they act on that knowledge is entirely by choice--the nanogene allows them to identify close kin but does not actually influence their behavior towards one another.
Also in the case of the Time Agents, this is likely a side effect; the real purpose of such a nanogene/ "genetic marker" is to identify anyone that can be used against them, via methods like blood control, or (in some cases) to allow the Agency to keep an eye on any Agents who may have been involved in or are the result of a breeding program.
For my use, the how and why is irrelevant as a story idea itself... but it adds a certain complication to one of my underlying story arcs, and the nanogene theory solves a plot problem I was having with another story.
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All I could think of was the song "I'm my own grandpa" by Ray Stevens 