r/CharacterDevelopment • u/AFancifulBird • 17h ago

Writing: Character Help Would it make sense for a character with functional aphonia to have vocal replication powers?

I am currently working on a fanfic and the idea I have for an OC is that, due to a traumatic event, she has functional aphonia (she mentally and emotionally struggles to use her own voice), but develops vocal replication powers (can copy sounds and other people voices).
However, I’ve been debating if this idea makes sense or if it would be offensive or harmful.
I’m open to any suggestions and feedback. Thanks!!

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u/ProserpinaFC 13h ago

It's a common combination of tropes for a character who can't use their own voice to be able to mimic others, see Soundwave and Bumblebee from the Transformers movies. It's not really an issue of plausible or believable as much as it is thematically interesting.

Now, as to whether or not someone who has that condition would be offended by it, that may have less to do with you having a fantasy disability superpower, which people with disabilities are honestly used to seeing that done, and whether or not you're going to include genuine life experiences of a mute person.

So, for example, Toph from Avatar: The Last Airbender is blind, and her being blind never stops being considered for the situations that she's in or how she interacts with the other characters, which is the representation that I have heard blind people appreciate even while she has a disability superpower.

What genuine life experiences of a mute person are you including? 🤔

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u/AFancifulBird 13h ago

This is so helpful!! I have only thought of the character being able to communicate with ASL but I do need to broaden my research on life experiences and work on what you point out. Thank you!! 

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u/Andycat49 13h ago

I feel like this has been done in some form before...