The Omegaverse (or OV for short) is an alternate universe trope that was founded in the fanfiction community back in the 2010. Around that time, OV could mainly be found in Supernatural fandom, but it's definitely branched out into other communities since then. The Omegaverse had been formed by combining elements from the Mpreg trope and the werewolf genre (without all the actual shifting and other werewolf stuff, though PNR OV where shifting and all that takes place do exist)
In this universe people are commonly categorised under three designations; Alpha, Beta or Omega. Alphas and Omegas are usually considered the minority in the OV, while Betas are considered the majority. Though, unlike in the werewolf/shifter genre where being an Alpha, Beta or Omega is usually a title or "mystical calling", in the Omegaverse, these designations are ACTUAL genders, or well more specifically, secondary genders.
(A lot of guides on the OV, especially when written by (avid) readers from the eastern Or queer interpretation of the OV, commonly break down or explain the designations "six genders", and these six genders are "Alpha Male", "Alpha Female", "Beta Male", "Beta Female", "Omega Male" and "Omega Female". Though the western and why choose interpretation of the OV usually (at least from what I had seen) doesn't mention or explain how the different designations are considered/categorised under six genders).
In some Omegaverse stories one can know what their secondary gender (or designation) is from birth, either determined through some kind of test or procedure, which is usually done after they're born or during their younger years. In other stories people only start presenting during or after a certain age, usually it's sixteen, other times it's eighteen and other other times it's twenty one. It all depends on how an author worldbuilds their Omegaverse stories.
There are also secondary differentiations (some also call this "designation switches") where, because of some kind of internal or external reason—like being sick or someone being bombarded by a more dominant designation's pheromones—people who have already presented or been informed by the goverment, doctor etc. of their secondary gender, can present (or "awaken") for a second time in their life. This is commonly seen when a Beta presents as an Omega later in their life.
Though secondary differentiation isn't a common trope explored outside of most queer and eastern fandoms, and sometimes, depending on the worldbuilding, a secondary differiantation can even be harmful or even deadly to the person going through it. There is also the chance that a secondary differentiation can "fail", and the person who's secondary differentiation fails usually ends up with half formed glands, or glands that don't work like they're supposed to (i.e. them not being able to "pick up" on others' pheromones and vice versa or they can't go through a "proper" estrus cycle and so on) plus some other health and mental side effects. These people are commonly considered "defective" and the outcasts and misfits of society.
Every author and reader has their own interpretation when it comes to the Omegaverse, which is perfectly fine and we love to see the different takes on this subgenre/trope, but all Omegaverse books do (and should) include the basics that make up the Omegaverse, which are the different designations (or secondary genders (or "sub-sexes" as it's called by others)), which are commonly Alphas, Betas and Omegas, though other designations like the Enigma, Delta, Gamma, Sigma and Zeta can also be found in the Omegaverse.
An estrus cycle, commonly known as a heat (for Omegas) or rut/burn (for Alphas), nesting (for Omegas) or denning (for Alphas), knots (there are also double knots) and locks (Alpha males and females respectively (though in some OV worldbuilding, especially in the fanfic community, all Alphas, whether female or male has a peen and it's accompanying knot), slick (Omegas, whether male or female) and glands (which commonly only Alphas and Omegas have, though some Omegaverse stories will have Betas having glands as well, even if "less active" than an Alpha or Omega's gland).
(Glands are usually an organ on the back of the neck that "controls" the release of one's pheromones or scents, it's very very sensitive and if injured in any way it can be harmful or even deadly to the person whose gland was injured. The gland is commonly the place where Alphas and Omegas can mark and bond each other, either during an estrus cycle or whenever the author's worldbuilding allows it.)
Some Omegaverse stories will have all Omegas, whether female or male give birth (which is usuallly called Mpreg (when a male can get pregnant)). Some Omegaverse stories will include destined/fated mates or scent matches and imprinting/bonding commonly found in the werewolf genre and soulmate AUs.
Some Omegaverse stories will have pack dynamics and bondings that also have their own rules on how they're formed and how they work. Some Omegaverse stories might not have pack dynamics or bondings and just feature pair bondings. Some Omegaverse stories will include auras, something that usually only Alphas and Omegas can see and manipulate. It all really depends how the author has fit the theme into their stories.
Some Omegaverse stories will have Dominant and Recessive designations. Some Omegaverse stories will include scent suppressors, blockers, inhibitors or anti-dispersers. Some Omegaverse stories will include heat/rut suppressors or boosters or inducers. Some Omegaverse stories will have gland removals or faux glands. Some Omegaverse stories will have diseases and illnesses all dependent on the harming or weakening of a gland (like pheromone imbalance, where either an Omega or Alpha are usually (extremely) allergic to other designations' scents and so on (except for their mate's scent in some cases).
Some Omegaverse stories will have Omegas (and Alphas, in some cases) having to wear collars to protect their glands, incase of forced biting/marking. Some Omegaverse stories will include academies or institutes aimed at the education and discipline of Alphas and Omegas. Some Omegaverse stories will include Alphas and Omegas having to live on compounds or in designated communities until they're of age or married/mated off. Some Omegaverse stories might not even include the concept of marriage itself, and mating is the way to go.
Some Omegaverse stories might feature a matching rate/system, usually done by the goverment, where Alphas and Omegas with the highest pheremone matching rate are considered to be "destined mates" and, in some stories, are even obligated by the goverment to be together. Some Omegaverse stories also feature the manwha style ranking system found in the Hunterverse too. WIth Omegas or Alphas of higher rankings being revered and respected. Some Omegaverse stories might even adopt the concept of an Omega being able to "calm" an Alpha like a Guide can calm a Sentinel/Esper from the Sentinel AU and Guideverse.
Again, for those who aren't sure, the Omegaverse is an ALTERNATE UNIVERSE trope (meaning an alternate reality from ours) where all these terms and concepts are a regular and mundane phenomenon in that universe. They're not considered fantastical or otherworldly, neither does having these basics that makes an Omegaverse automatically make your story fantastical or otherworldly.
However, your Omegaverse story CAN be considered monster/PNR if you're story ALSO includes fantastical and paranormal elements ALONG with the basics of the Omegaverse, like monsters (gargoyles, ghouls, giants etc.), shifting, magic, time travel and so on. If your Omegaverse story doesn't include any fantastical or otherworldly elements than it doesn't automatically fall under monster/PNR.
Again, every author and reader will have their own take on the Omegaverse. Some will just have the basics of the Omegaverse. Some will create their own subuniverses based on the Omegaverse universe that has their own terms and rules when it comes to their universe.
As long as your Omegaverse story follows the basics rules and guidelines of the Omegaverse you can do whatever your heart desires with it. Again, for your story to be considered OV your story needs to have ALL the foundational aspects of the Omegaverse (the concepts of designations, glands and pheromones, estrus cycles, scent matches/fated mates (though some stories don't include these), pack and/or pair dynamics and bondings and so on).
Again, this is just a BASIC guide on the Omegaverse for a different perspective and a nore indepth read, feel free to also check out The Unofficial Omegaverse Field Guide by A. Ramsey
Comments ()