Sodor Monsterverse

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***Sodor Monsterverse*** (abbreviated as ***SM***) is a fan-made series of online illustrations created by Monster Steam in 2017. It is an alternate universe project that is primarily based upon the media franchise *Thomas and Friends*. The first content relating to the AU were posted on the Internet via DeviantArt on May of 2017.

## Information

### **Creation**

The early roots for *Sodor Monsterverse* started somewhere around late-2015. At that time, the AU did not have a defined narrative yet, or even a name. The overall idea was born out of a desire to craft a continuity from scratch, using the many existing characters from *Thomas and Friends*, and re-imagining/designing them as strange creatures of the sort. Monster Steam did not want to make the locomotives human, given the immense popularity of humanized universes within the community. There were points where Steam drew the engines as dragons and robots, as well as lions.

### **Common elements**

#### **Characters**

*SM* has an extensive cast of recurring characters. As the very name of the AU suggests, the most prominent stars are giant creatures of varying shapes, colors and sizes - all whom are typically referred and categorized as "monsters". Due to many of the most recognizable ones being somewhat based upon vehicles and other machines, their exact species nomenclature is often a pun or portmanteau for the sake of simplicity (or sometimes an original term altogether). The monsters that are based upon trains for example are collectively referred to as *locomotive dinosaurs*. Creatures designed after cars, lorries and buses as such are referred to as "roadents" (etc). There are also some other creatures that (more traditionally) come in the form of dragons, golems, mutants, mechs (robots), and even aliens. Virtually every monster is in fact either stated or implied to possess distinct powers, as being highly resistant against human weapons. Monster Steam has noted that one can even safely consider just about any Sodor monster to be a Western type of *kaiju*.

*SM* also has a wide cast of human characters. The most pivotal ones being Sir Topham Hatt, and by extension the rest of his family. There are also certain groups and associations such as the Sodor Island Council (the island's government organization) and the Sudrian Military - serving as Sodor's primary defense against monster attacks. Even minor characters like workmen involved somewhat - they are usually not given confirmed names but their roles are generally to help train and care for perhaps already-tamed monsters.

#### **Location**

The central location of *SM* is the namesake Island of Sodor, which is the place that monsters regularly inhabit and/or attack. The island has a fairly diverse landscape that includes forests, plains, beaches, and mountains. Some stories are set in locations outside of Sodor, such as Misty Island as well as the Mainland, which typically refers to the rest of the United Kingdom.

#### **Plot, timeline & themes**

*SM* tells the stories of its main timeline in the form of "arcs", which are placed within different eras - namely (in order) Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond (starting from year 1945 to present day). The tones, styles and themes can vary depending on the arc. In several parts of the Bronze and early-Silver eras (arcs 1- 5) for example, the plots tend to range from simple bonding morals to high-stakes action featuring multiple monsters at a time. The late-Silver, Gold and Platinum eras (arcs 6 - 10) are tonally darker and complex by contrast. In all eras, during the events of a monster attack, people are usually tasked to either evacuate or make an effort to put a stop to it. Some would intend on studying, understanding, and potentially befriending the beasts, while others want to stall or destroy them outright. It is common for the monsters to be portrayed as heroic saviors or ruthless villains. Sometimes they are purely neutral and can even be interpreted as metaphorical stand-ins for general unpredictability.

#### **Aesthetic style**

*SM*'s visual style is not always consistent, although most artwork relating to it shares common characteristics such as sharp, bold lines, cartoonish colors, and textural detail. Many characters are of the same or similar species and tend to look similar, though the smaller details generally help to reinforce each and every one of their identities. While it is true that the colorful art style can be very appealing to children - whereas certain plot elements are considered more suited for older audiences - Monster Steam has stressed a few times that *SM* overall was designed with universal appeal in mind.

## Trivia

* *SM*'s original title, *"**Dinosaur Locomotives**"* (*aka "Dino Locos"*) and the AU's logo (as well as the name of its titular species) were changed to accommodate the intention to expand the diversity among the roster beyond just the locomotive characters.
* Many of *SM'*s plot elements and scenarios tend to be either roughly or loosely inspired by the events that have happened within *Thomas & Friends*. Thomas wrecking a station master's house (*Thomas Comes to Breakfast*), Edward saving passengers during a storm (*Edward's Exploit*), and Henry being locked up inside a tunnel (*The Sad Story of Henry*), to name a few examples.