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 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

 * Vampire AU

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 snowday, 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 or Jack Black), 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).

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 on fanart.

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

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 ELSA WERE THE VILLAIN OF FROZEN (SPOILERS) by Rob Manion
 * Queen Elsa {Frozen} | War Princess by Informal Fallacy
 * {The Big Four} Villains | March of the Poozers by Informal Fallacy
 * If Hiccup and Toothless Were the Villain (How to Train your Dragon) by DoofenshMarkInc
 * If BRAVE Were A Horror Movie by DoofenshMarkInc
 * MOST HORRIFYING Trailer of FROZEN If It Were a Horror Movie by DoofenshMarkrInc
 * Frozen Elsa / Carrie White {crossover} TRAILER (read description) by LyrcVideos
 * The Incredibles Gone Wrong! (Horror Trailer) by DoofenshMarkInc
 * HTTYD 2 Gone Wrong! Stoick Vs. Hiccup by DoofenshMarkInc