>>I guess the central/non-negotiable aspects of the AU is that characters have a secondary sex/designation as alpha and omega (and possibly beta as well), and these come with specialized/dimorphic biology/biological urges of some kind. <<
Among the key aspects in my observation are making gender an explicit thing to talk about, how much is biology and how much is psychology. Very often, consent is a main feature too. Those are overlooked in most genres, but omegaverse is just one of the best frameworks if you want to discuss sex/gender and challenge expectations about it. The details vary from one version to another, but it's always fundamentally about those things. The reason the details differ is because writers like to challenge different things. So sometimes heat is a biological imperative that's lethal if not completed, other times it's just a strong urge that people can overcome with willpower. Sometimes alpha females have a penis (or in several memorable examples, an enlarged hollow clitoris like a hyena) and other times not. It's very interesting to explore.
>> For me, personally, though, I think the appeal of omegaverse lies in two tropes that are commonly utilized in omegaverse: (1) D/s dynamics and (2) dubcon scenarios facilitated by biological heats. <<
I like those parts. For me, I love best the ones that aim to include some worldbuilding and logic, especially if the author actually understands how biology works in nature, because animal sex can get really weird. But kinky omegaverse pr0on can be fun too.
>> I don't have time this month, but I probably could write a whole post about how I also think Star Trek's Mirrorverse setting is good for telling kink porn stories, <<
Thoughts
Among the key aspects in my observation are making gender an explicit thing to talk about, how much is biology and how much is psychology. Very often, consent is a main feature too. Those are overlooked in most genres, but omegaverse is just one of the best frameworks if you want to discuss sex/gender and challenge expectations about it. The details vary from one version to another, but it's always fundamentally about those things. The reason the details differ is because writers like to challenge different things. So sometimes heat is a biological imperative that's lethal if not completed, other times it's just a strong urge that people can overcome with willpower. Sometimes alpha females have a penis (or in several memorable examples, an enlarged hollow clitoris like a hyena) and other times not. It's very interesting to explore.
>> For me, personally, though, I think the appeal of omegaverse lies in two tropes that are commonly utilized in omegaverse: (1) D/s dynamics and (2) dubcon scenarios facilitated by biological heats. <<
I like those parts. For me, I love best the ones that aim to include some worldbuilding and logic, especially if the author actually understands how biology works in nature, because animal sex can get really weird. But kinky omegaverse pr0on can be fun too.
>> I don't have time this month, but I probably could write a whole post about how I also think Star Trek's Mirrorverse setting is good for telling kink porn stories, <<
It's one of the older kink settings in wide use.