Loretend

Loretend is a term used in online discourse to describe a pattern in narrative development where fan communities extend, reinterpret, or expand canonical lore beyond its original boundaries. It is not a formally defined concept in scholarly literature, and its exact meaning varies across communities.

Origin and usage: The word appears as a portmanteau of 'lore' and 'tend' or 'trend.' It has appeared primarily in fan wikis, forums, and speculative discussions since the early 2020s. There is no single authoritative definition, and usage differs by franchise or platform.

Common sense: In practice, loretend describes activities such as filling in missing backstory, proposing alternate timelines, cross-media crossovers, or creating fanon that becomes widely accepted within a community. It can also refer to the ongoing evolution of world-building as new material is released.

Critique: Proponents argue it fosters engagement and creativity, while critics warn it can blur official canon or confuse new readers. Because it lacks formal criteria, examples of loretend are case-specific and often debated among fans and scholars of participatory culture.

See also: canon, retcon, fanon, lore, narrative theory.