Taylor Sheridan has a specific vibe. It’s gritty. It’s loud. It’s often very masculine. But when Special Ops: Lioness hit Paramount+, something shifted in the digital underworld of fandom. Suddenly, the tactical vests and desert warfare weren't just for the dads watching Yellowstone. They became the backdrop for a massive surge in special ops lioness fanfiction, and honestly, the sheer volume of work being produced right now is staggering. If you head over to Archive of Our Own (AO3), you’ll see the "Lioness (TV 2023)" tag glowing red hot.
It isn't just about the guns.
The show gave us Cruz Manuelos and Joe. That dynamic? It’s pure fuel for writers. You have Laysla De Oliveira playing this raw, traumatized, incredibly capable marine, and Zoe Saldaña as the hardened handler who has to break her to make her. It’s a recipe for "hurt/comfort" tropes if I’ve ever seen one. Fans aren't just rewriting the missions; they are filling in the massive emotional gaps Sheridan leaves in the scripts.
The Cruz and Joe Dynamic: Beyond the Mission
Most special ops lioness fanfiction focuses on the friction between Cruz and Joe. Why? Because the show is built on a foundation of moral ambiguity. Joe is constantly asking Cruz to lose her soul for the sake of the state. In the fanfic world, that translates to thousands of words exploring the "what if" moments after the cameras cut to black.
You’ll find stories that dwell on the silence in the surveillance van or the unspoken tension during those brutal training sessions.
One common trend in the community is the exploration of Cruz’s recovery. In the series, she’s put through the wringer—physically and psychologically. Writers take that trauma and use it to build intimacy. It’s rarely about "happily ever after" in the traditional sense. These stories are messy. They’re dark. They reflect the high-stakes environment of the CIA’s Lioness program. Fans seem obsessed with the idea of Joe being the only person who truly "gets" what Cruz has become.
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The undercover assignment that required Cruz to get close to the daughter of a high-value target was meant to be a cold, tactical maneuver. Instead, it became the emotional heart of the first season. This is where special ops lioness fanfiction really exploded. The "enemies to lovers" or "forbidden love" tropes are firing on all cylinders here.
There is a specific kind of heartbreak in the show’s finale that fans simply refused to accept.
On sites like Wattpad and AO3, you’ll find "fix-it" fics. These are stories written specifically to change an ending the fans found too painful or unsatisfying. In these versions, maybe Cruz doesn't just walk away. Maybe Aaliyah finds out the truth and the story turns into a "runaway" thriller. The creativity is wild. People are writing 100,000-word epics just to give these two characters a chance at a life that isn't dictated by the CIA or international terrorism.
Realism vs. Romance in Military Fandoms
Writing about special forces isn't easy. You can tell which authors have a military background or at least spent way too much time on Wikipedia looking up "Direct Action" protocols.
- Some fics read like a technical manual for a Tier 1 operator.
- Others are 100% focused on the "slow burn" romance between leads.
- A few managed to blend the two, using the terminology of the trade—"breaching," "extraction," "going dark"—as metaphors for emotional vulnerability.
It’s a weirdly specific niche. You have the "Tactical Realism" crowd who will leave a comment if you get the caliber of a weapon wrong. Then you have the shippers who just want to see Joe and Cruz finally have a conversation that doesn't involve a mission briefing. Both sides of the fandom contribute to the health of the special ops lioness fanfiction ecosystem.
The show's move to a second season only poured gasoline on the fire. New characters mean new dynamics, and the introduction of different "Lionesses" gives writers more room to create Original Characters (OCs).
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Finding the Best Stories Without Getting Lost
If you're looking to dive in, don't just search the title. You have to use the filters.
Filter by "Kudos" if you want the stuff the community has already vetted as the best. But if you want the raw, experimental stuff, sort by "Date Updated." The special ops lioness fanfiction community is particularly active on weekends after new episodes air. It’s a fast-moving stream.
Look for tags like "Canon Divergence." This is the gold mine. It means the author is taking the established world and veering off into a new direction. Maybe the mission in Kuwait went differently. Maybe Joe’s husband, Neil, plays a different role in the fallout. These are the stories that actually challenge the source material.
The Ethical Grey Areas
What makes this show different from something like SEAL Team or The Unit is the focus on the female perspective in a world that is traditionally hyper-masculine.
Fanfic writers are leaning into that. They write about the isolation of being a woman in the special ops community. They write about the toll it takes on a marriage, like Joe and Neil’s. In fact, a surprising amount of special ops lioness fanfiction focuses on Neil. He’s the anchor. He’s the one dealing with the "domestic" side of the war. Writers love to flip the script and show the "wife at home" trope through a male lens, highlighting the stress of a husband who knows his wife is in a kill zone but can't call her.
It’s complex. It’s nuanced.
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How to Start Writing Your Own Lioness Story
Maybe you’re tired of reading and want to contribute. Great. Start with a moment the show skipped.
Think about the long flights on the C-17. Think about the paperwork. Think about the quiet moments in the "safe house" where no one is actually safe. The key to good special ops lioness fanfiction is tension. If there isn't a threat—either internal or external—it doesn't feel like the show.
- Step 1: Pick your pairing or focus. Is it Joe/Cruz? Cruz/Aaliyah? Or maybe a gen-fic (no romance) about the team?
- Step 2: Research the jargon. You don't need to be a Green Beret, but knowing the difference between the CIA's SAD (Special Activities Division) and a standard Marine unit helps.
- Step 3: Focus on the internal monologue. TV shows have to show, not tell. In fanfiction, you can tell us exactly how terrified Cruz is, even while she’s holding a steady aim.
The Future of the Fandom
As long as Taylor Sheridan keeps churning out high-stakes drama, the fans will keep writing. The Lioness program is a perfect sandbox. It’s secretive, it’s global, and the stakes are literally life or death.
The beauty of special ops lioness fanfiction is that it doesn't need a massive budget or a streaming platform to exist. It just needs a fan who wondered what happened after the credits rolled. Whether it's a short "missing scene" or a massive multi-chapter epic, these stories keep the characters alive long after the season ends.
If you're looking for your next read, check out the "Lioness" tag on AO3 or look for curated lists on Tumblr. The community is welcoming, but be warned: once you start reading about the "Lady Longhorns," it’s hard to stop.
Actionable Next Steps for Fandom Newbies
- Check AO3 Tags: Specifically look for "Emotional Hurt/Comfort" and "Post-Mission" to find the most popular Lioness themes.
- Join the Discord: Many Taylor Sheridan fanbases have specific channels for fanfiction where you can get "beta readers" to check your work for tactical or character accuracy.
- Cross-Reference Real Intel: For more immersive writing, read up on the real-life "Team Lioness" concepts used by the US Military in Iraq and Afghanistan to understand the historical context of the show.
- Engage with Authors: Fanfic thrives on feedback. If you find a story that captures Joe or Cruz perfectly, leave a comment. It’s what keeps the writers producing more content for the rest of us.