Gundam Canon Policy: Navigating Multiple Timelines
The Gundam metaseries is home to numerous timelines, each with its own unique stories and adaptations. To ensure clarity and consistency, it’s essential to establish a clear canon policy.
Understanding Entities
An “entity” refers to any character, mobile weapon, faction, location, technology, or conflict within a specific timeline. This definition will guide our approach to separating articles and maintaining canon integrity.
When to Separate Articles
Two key factors determine when to separate articles:
- Significant differences: If an adaptation diverges significantly from its source material, it may require separate articles to maintain accuracy and avoid confusion.
- Animation precedence: When an adaptation is animated, it takes precedence over non-animated source material. Conversely, if non-animated media is adapted from animated source material, the original animated version remains the main article.
Separating Articles: A Step-by-Step Guide
To ensure consistency, follow these protocols when a new work adapted from an existing work is announced:
Different Name, New Article
If the new entity has a different name from its counterpart, create a new article without moving or redirecting the existing one.
Same Name, Non-Animated Media
If the new entity has the same name but is from non-animated media, create a new article with a disambiguation string appended to the title.
Same Name, Animated Media
If the new entity has the same name but is from animated media, move the existing article using Special:MovePage, appending a disambiguation string without leaving a redirect. The original name is then free to use for an entirely new article.
Post-Separation Protocol
After separating articles, update the entity’s infobox by adding the tabs= parameter. This will create a comma-separated list of each counterpart, including itself, with semi-colons separating page titles from tab titles. Consistently apply this format across all counterparts.
Example: For the RX-78-2 Gundam and its counterparts, the tabs= parameter would include:
tabs=RX-78-2 Gundam;Main, RX-78-02 Gundam;Origin, Gundam G40 (Industrial Design Ver.);G40, RX-78F00 Gundam;G-Dock, Gunboy-Wilbur;For the Barrel
When new canon is introduced, follow the protocol and update the list of tabs for each entity.
By adhering to these guidelines, we can maintain a clear and consistent canon policy for the Gundam metaseries, ensuring that fans and contributors alike can navigate the complex world of Gundam with ease.
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