How Is Wally'S Sacrifice Reimagined In Fanfiction To Deepen Artemis'S Grief And Growth?

Wally’s sacrifice in 'Young Justice' fanfiction often serves as a catalyst for Artemis’s rawest character arcs. I’ve seen stories where his death isn’t instantaneous—he lingers just long enough for Artemis to plead with him, amplifying her survivor’s guilt. Some fics twist the timeline, making Wally vanish during a covert mission, leaving Artemis to unravel cryptic clues about his fate. One standout had her discovering his journal post-loss, filled with unsent letters that reveal his fears about inadequacy, mirroring her own. Writers love contrasting her sharp archery skills with emotional vulnerability—like her snapping bows mid-panic attack or hallucinating his voice during stakeouts. The grief isn’t just tears; it’s her adopting his reckless tactics to 'honor' him, only to realize she’s spiraling. A recurring theme is her forging alliances with unlikely allies (think Cheshire or even Lex Luthor) to investigate his disappearance, blurring moral lines. The best fics make her growth messy—relapses into anger, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and eventual redemption through mentoring new heroes who remind her of Wally’s idealism.

In fanfiction, Wally’s sacrifice is rarely just a heroic moment—it’s a seismic event that fractures Artemis’s identity. I’ve read fics where his death is staged; he’s actually imprisoned in a parallel dimension, and Artemis spends years decoding interdimensional tech to reach him. The emotional weight comes from her duality—outwardly a stoic leader, privately drowning in 'what-ifs.' One epic fic had her founding a sanctuary for speedsters, obsessed with preventing similar losses, while her own health deteriorates from sleep deprivation.

Other stories explore alternate universes where Wally survives but is irrevocably changed—brain damage from speed force overuse, or amnesia that makes him view Artemis as a stranger. These versions force her to confront love as a choice, not just a feeling. A particularly haunting fic depicted her volunteering for suicide missions, believing death would reunite them, until Black Canary stages an intervention. The narrative parallels between Artemis’s precision as an archer and her chaotic grief are striking—she can calculate trajectories flawlessly but can’t navigate life without him.

Some writers delve into magical realism: Wally’s ghost haunting her goggles, or speed force echoes allowing brief conversations. These devices underscore her refusal to let go. The most profound growth happens when she channels grief into systemic change—exposing flaws in hero protocols that got Wally killed, or training younger heroes to prioritize teamwork over glory.

Artemis’s grief over Wally in fanfiction often becomes a mirror for her unresolved insecurities. I’ve noticed a trend where his sacrifice isn’t physical—instead, he’s trapped in the speed force, and Artemis spends years researching ways to retrieve him. The twist? She discovers he chose to stay there to stabilize the timeline, forcing her to grapple with loving someone who prioritizes duty over her. One poignant fic had her adopting Wally’s habits—drinking his favorite smoothies, wearing his old shirts—as a form of self-punishment.

Other reimaginings focus on Artemis’s relationship with the Team post-loss. A common thread is her pushing them away, only to return as a hardened strategist who uses Wally’s notebooks to outthink villains. Some fics blend genres, like a noir-style story where she becomes a detective obsessed with solving cold cases he left behind. The most innovative take I’ve seen had Artemis developing phasing abilities from residual speed force energy, making her literally unable to hold onto anything—a metaphor for her grief. These stories excel when they show her rebuilding identity beyond 'Wally’s girl,' whether through rediscovering her roots with Jade or inventing new fighting styles that hybridize his improvisation with her discipline.