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Destiel’s downfall is the sign of the end of an era for AO3 | Polygon

polygon.com · 2,875 words · saved by 1 readers

“The story of AO3 was very much trying to be a home for things that had gotten kicked out of other places”

Counting fics, as Destiel fans will tell you, is serious business these days. At the beginning of 2025, users of fanfiction hub Archive of Our Own, or AO3 , were eager to see the list of the top 100 most popular ships of 2024. Who would come out on top? Would Buck/Eddie reign above Aziraphale/Crowley ? Where would the year’s new hot ships from shows like Hazbin Hotel and Arcane end up? But when the list was released , some fans immediately took offense at the placement of certain ships. For Supernatural fans , longtime standby Destiel (Dean/Castiel) ending up lower than expected was a shock. “

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