Headcanons accepted!
The series finale of From Dusk Till Dawn is pretty damn close to perfect. It’s forty-five minutes of sublime character showcases woven into a thrilling plot. Most importantly, Seth Gecko and Kate Fuller reunite in the most deliciously angst-ridden way possible (short version: he brings her back to life with a transfusion of his own blood) before fighting side-by-side to save the world from an evil hell-goddess. They get the job done, and while indulging in an eyebrow-raising amount of bickering and overprotective behavior, at that. Best of all, in the episode’s final moments, Kate joins the Gecko brothers for a bank heist, confirming she and Seth are partners in crime–and life–once more. It’s beautiful. A better ending for my beloved SethKate than I had any right to expect. And yet…
Fanfic gives SethKate shippers even more to scream about, because of course it does! Writers in the From Dusk Till Dawn fandom, unwilling to leave the pair’s ending up to interpretation, have published some truly spectacular continuations of and twists on Seth and Kate’s story. Along the way, these creators have established some pretty solid and widely adopted pieces of SethKate fanon. As someone who’s recently binge-read dozens of fics on AO3, I can attest to how easily they can be accepted as fact. (Like, seriously, try to change my mind.)
My top 12 headcanons from mainlining SethKate fic:
- Seth’s urge to protect Kate doesn’t disappear after Matanzas–if anything, it grows stronger.
- He knows he doesn’t deserve Kate, but Seth wants to give her the world anyway. She has him wrapped around her finger, and absolutely everyone understands this, including him.
- Kate forgave Seth a long time ago and is waiting for him to catch up.
- Fearful of Amaru-inspired nightmares, Kate sleeps with Seth (platonically!) for months after Matanzas for comfort.
- Richie realizes Seth and Kate are in love long before they are ready to admit it, and he’s not above playing matchmaker when duty calls.
- Kate’s a permanent redhead now, courtesy of Amaru, and Seth digs it.
- Seth and Kate’s blood compatibility is legit magical, and they can heal each other’s mortal wounds with transfusions.
- Kate’s a criminal mastermind who enjoys planning Gecko heists to a T. Smart man that he is, Seth follows her directives without (too much) complaint.
- Jackknife Jed’s is their base of operations now, but for Seth and Kate, home is each other.
- “Baby” and “sweetheart” are Seth’s go-to endearments for Kate, and he started using them unconsciously.
- Even in an alternative universe, Seth and Kate will always find each other.
- SethKate are soulmates. Obviously.
Where did I get all of these wild ideas about how Seth Gecko and Kate Fuller’s relationship has evolved since the events of From Dusk Till Dawn? I’m glad you asked! From top-notch, highly recommended SethKate fics like…
Fic Recs
Post-Canon Fic (Or, what happens after Matanzas)
“got to be love or death” by seren_ccd: Kate’s three-year journey to retake control of her own destiny–and get her man.
“I’ve learned to love the ugliest things (like you and me)” by itsactuallycorrine: Seth strolls back into Kate’s life after 6 years in prison. Their reunion doesn’t go the way he’d expected.
“The Torture of Purity” by SecondStarOnTheLeft: In which Seth fails spectacularly at hiding his feelings for Kate.
“hold me, darling, just a little while” by mycanonnevercame: Kate Fuller, that mastermind, convinces Seth they need to get married so they can’t be compelled to testify against each other in court. In truth, she’s got an ulterior motive.
“Give Me the Burden (Give Me the Blame)” by Nevermore_red: Seth’s blood brought Kate back from death once; could her blood have the same healing powers for him?
“to the light, to the light” by mycanonnevercame: How our anti-heroes spent their days (and nights) between Matanzas and the bank robbery…and beyond. Spoiler alert: Lots of bed-sharing involved!
“Pop Goes the Question” by madjm: Leave it to Seth Gecko to overcomplicate a marriage proposal he desperately wants to make.
“merry band of creepily religious teenage vampires” by FortySevens: Or, the one where Kate drags Seth to a Fanglorious show.
Alternate Universe Fic
“the cross i bear that you gave to me” by itsactuallycorrine: Seth and Kate are former Hollywood co-stars with unfinished business. Namely, their inconvenient longing to be together.
“To the Store, To the Store” by caramelle: Fate conspires to bring Kate and Seth to the same local grocery store, where they proceed to bicker their way into serious crushes.
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If you can’t tell, I am completely enamored with these two and their otherworldly bond. Please, please come talk to me about your SethKate headcanons, favorite fics, and theories about what they’re up to 7 years after Matanzas.
In the meantime, I leave you with one more rec, a fanvid from TeamHodgins that will immediately trigger SethKate feels.
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