Dark AU

Dark AU (also known as the Evil Four AU) is a popular AU (Alternate Universe) within the Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons fandom. In the AU, Rapunzel, Merida, Hiccup and Jack Frost are all changed into darker versions of themselves. As it is not canon, ideas for this AU are shown through fanfiction, fanart, and other fan-made works.

About the AU
In some fanfics, either Jack Frost from Rise of the Guardians, Merida from Brave, Rapunzel from Tangled or Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon  are changed into a dark version of themselves, usually by Pitch Black, making it a Seasons Guardians AU scenario on Pitch's side of the conflict. This may sometimes cause much conflict and destruction among the members of the team. Some fans also indicate that the Big Four run into dark counterparts of themselves.

The choices in each of their films define who they are, and fanfic writers like to imagine what they would be like if they took the road not taken.

Popular Spin-off AUs

 * Akumatized Supervillains
 * American McGee's Alice
 * Black Butler
 * Criminals
 * Dark Side
 * Death Note
 * Decepticon
 * Descendants
 * Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
 * Angels of Death
 * Horror
 * Monsters
 * Phantom of the Opera
 * Realm of Darkness
 * Supervillains
 * The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
 * Tokyo Ghoul
 * Vampires
 * Werewolves

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III
The Dark Spirit of Betrayal, supposed to be Guardian of Change, Element of Earth/Air, and Spirit of Autumn. Out of all the Big Four, Hiccup's place in Dark AU has been explored the most. The most common scenario portrays him as simply a victim of prejudice for the sake of his dragon and branded as an Outcast by his tribe, leaving him bitter and vengeful (often called Outcast Hiccup or Hiccup the Outcast). Other cases show that the loneliness and alienation inflicted on him by his tribe and his father left his mind in a fragile mental state, leading to murder or some degree of sadism to those who would be considered his friends and family.

Jack Frost
The Dark Spirit of Mischief, supposed to be Guardian of Fun, Element of Water, and Spirit of Winter. In the film, Pitch gives Jack an offer to join him in his crusade of extinguishing the hope and light in children, allowing him to be believed in. He appeals to Jack through the shared loneliness they have and, in this AU, rather than rejecting the offer, he joins with Pitch instead. He becomes an enemy to the Guardians and slowly grows into an infamous figure in folklore of the mortals, children of the world knowing him not from the joys of a snow day, but through the harsh and bitter cold of an unforgiving part of the year. Jack has two recurring designs; he either wears a black version of his hood, his skin, hair and eye colors matching that of Pitch (better known as Black Jack, Jack Black or Dark Jack), or his hair and body is covered in spiky icicles like a fur coat, almost as if his humanity was slowly being consumed by his squandered power (appropriately called Icicle Jack). He is sometimes reffered to as Jokul Frosti.

Merida DunBroch
The Dark Spirit of Chaos (or Misfortune), supposed to be Guardian of Courage/Freedom, Element of Fire, and Spirit of Summer. Many have made the observation that Merida's situations parallel Mor'du, and that she would be just like him if she did not mend the bond. Not only would her mother and brothers stay as bears forever, but the four clans would devolve into war and destroy themselves, much like Mor'du and his brothers did to their kingdom.

Rapunzel Corona
The Dark Spirit of Doubt, supposed to be Guardian of Creativity, Element of Air/Earth, and Spirit of Spring. Instead of being kind and tolerant of Gothel's imprisonment, she grows bitter and vengeful, losing the sweet spirit that she had in her original storyline.

Queen Elsa of Arendelle
Instead of finding peace in the wilderness, hoping her isolation will keep her sister and kingdom safe from her powers, Elsa becomes bitter and vengeful, scorning her parents for locking her away and inflicting her pain and anguish upon the helpless citizens. In the original draft of Frozen, Elsa was originally meant to be the villain, building an army of ice golems (Marshmallow being the only one to make it in the finished product) with intentions of destruction and/or conquest, unofficially nicknamed Evil Elsa or the "Ice Queen". This version of Elsa was notable for having a "villain's collar" on her clothes and shorter hair parting upward from behind, a trend still found today in fanart.

Princess Anna of Arendelle
Instead of Anna believing that she and Elsa would someday bond again, trying to be understanding and be patient with her, Anna would resent Elsa for shutting her out and being cast as the "spare"; for being the second born and the second in line for the throne. So instead of wanting to go after Elsa and bring her home after her "icy outburst", she'll use the chance to take the throne for herself and use the people's fear to get rid of her "ice witch", older sister. As well as becoming a bride that Hans could truly learn to love, as he too wants to be king and doesn't get along with his older brothers.

Hiro Hamada
Instead of standing aside and watching his friends trying to stop Baymax from harming Callaghan, Hiro puts on Yokai's mask so he could use his stolen Microbots to hold his "former" friends back so Baymax could for fill his orders, or uses his stolen bots to exact his revenge himself. Which later led Hiro to loss his senses of forgiveness, kindness and understanding, as his rage and hatred consumes him and his mind. As he becomes a Obake-like character.

Tadashi Hamada
Instead of Robert Callaghan being the masked man, fans sometimes have the title of Yokai be given to Tadashi. With the fire causing Tadashi to loss his way and scared him on the inside as well as the outside, along with losing his memory; which would have Callaghan twisting Tadashi's mind and telling him lies so he could turn him into his "little helper" in his task. Tadashi as also been given the identity and nickname of Kitsune, which is a fox spirit in Japanese, Yōkai folklore that has the power to take on the form of a human; and uses the trickster side the fox rather than the kind, guardian side of the fox spirit.

The Once-ler
This AU focuses on the Once-ler's "Greed-ler" side, as some fans view Greed-ler as a monster, uncaring and money hungry-like character. So instead of realizing his actions towards the Truffula Forest and the animals living in it when the last of the trees were cut down, he and his family would try to find an other Truffula tree forest that he could use to make more of his Thneeds. Oncest even as Greed-ler as a Hyde-like character that whispers dark thoughts into the Once-ler's ear, telling him how to do things and sometimes acts as a reminder of what his greed and actions had done to the Truffula Forest.

Mavis Dracula
Since her grandpa Vlad that told Bela that he had raised his son to hunt and kill humans "like a good boy" in Hotel Transylvania 2, it could mean that Vlad would drill the darker side of vampires into his granddaughter's head, should he had been a lot more time with Mavis during her childhood years. Which could have Mavis wanting to seek revenge on humans for killing her mother, and forcing other monsters into hiding (as Dracula had mentioned that killing a human would bring a lot of "darker monsters" back into the world).

Vanellope von Schweetz
Should Vanellope had been swallowed by a Cy-Bug like King Candy/Turbo, she'll be transformed into a virus like him. As the Cy-Bu's nature twist her thoughts and "delete" her child, fun and sweeter side, which could lead her to seeking revenge on the people that have cast her out for being a glitch.

Kubo
Instead of only having one of his eyes taken that night and his mother escaping the attacked fortress with him in her arms, Raiden the Moon King and his twin daughters succeeded in their task. Which has Kubo with both of his eyes taken and being raised in the heavens beside his grandfather and aunts, as the Moon Prince (fans have also given him the second dark nickname of Moon Kubo). In Raiden's care, Kubo views the human world as his grandfather does and was told that his mother was a traitor, that wanted him to be "weak" like his mortal father that stole her away from their family.

Norman Babcock
Norman's dark self is a bit like Agatha's, and is sometimes given a similar version of her enraged specter form. As Norman's built up feelings of hurt, from living people seeing him as a freak, caused him to "explode" like Agatha did at her trail.

The Light Fury
In some darker fan-made versions of the third film, the Light Fury is Grimmel's loyal dragon and the willing bait so she could lure Toothless into one of her master's traps for him.

Fanfiction

 * The Final Four by DisneyDame88
 * Extinguished by DisneyDame88
 * Random Evil Big Four Drabbles by randomobsession123
 * Cast Shadow by TreepeltA113
 * Distorted by katy-did
 * Let it Go by Ember Neutron
 * The New Dragon Hunter: Hiccup by katherined
 * I'm Not Giving Up On You by HotTopicLuver

Videos

 * The Big Four | Evil! by TheLoversReversed
 * The Big Four || Happy Halloween  by MrsMadnessPurple
 * «ι'м ωαкιиg υρ» {Ｔｈｅ Ｂｉｇ 4} by xChaseTheWind
 * What If Jack Frost Were The Villain in Rise of the Guardians? by DoofenshMarkInc.
 * If Hiccup and Toothless Were the Villain (How to Train your Dragon) by DoofenshMarkInc
 * HTTYD 2 Gone Wrong! Stoick Vs. Hiccup by DoofenshMarkInc
 * If BRAVE Were A Horror Movie by DoofenshMarkInc
 * MOST HORRIFYING Trailer of FROZEN If It Were a Horror Movie by DoofenshMarkrInc
 * The Incredibles Gone Wrong! (Horror Trailer) by DoofenshMarkInc
 * IF ELSA WERE THE VILLAIN OF FROZEN (SPOILERS) by Rob Manion
 * "Let It Go" Redo Storyboards (1st draft)  by Bonka272
 * Queen Elsa {Frozen} | War Princess by Informal Fallacy
 * {The Big Four} Villains | March of the Poozers by Informal Fallacy
 * Frozen Elsa / Carrie White {crossover} TRAILER (read description) by LyrcVideos
 * ROTBTFD Fan Move: The Birth of Dark Jack Cutscenes by KR Lavearyn
 * ROTBF (FANMOVIE) - Dark Jack Scene {ONGOING} by KR Lavearyn
 * The Queen Of Night 🌙 Elsa's The Moon Rises  by Dream.Chaotically.Theater.
 * Dark Queen Elsa ~ You'll Be Back by Dream.Chaotically.Theater.
 * Elsa & Anna: Angel Of Darkness (Hallows Eve Vid) by Dream.Chaotically.Theater.
 * Evil Elsa: Be Prepared 🎃 by Dream.Chaotically.Theater.
 * The Moon Rises|Elsa  by Kate Ralph
 * lullaby for a princess or prince  by Katy Jelsa Love
 * Anna and Elsal Lullaby for a princess  by New Day
 * The Frozen Plagues - (Prince of Egypt/Frozen Fanvid - Let My People Go Cover) by othellia
 * If Hiccup was the villain... by TheNightandtheFury

Articles/Links

 * BH6 AU Ideas | Darkpath