History Main / TheClimax

->''"There are centuries of trial and error inside the "hero's journey," in which a young man is called to adventure, challenged by trials, faces a climactic battle and emerges victorious, changed and a hero. ... Its pattern is inciting incident, rising tension, explosive climax, and denouement. What does that remind you of?"''

[[quoteright:325:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_climax.png]]
[[caption-width-right:325:Refer to the chart!]]

In {{soap opera}}s, each story line tends to have a climax which brings together most of the characters involved, and is the dramatic high point of the arc. This climax often occurs in [[SoapWheel the middle of another arc]]; thus, when one climax is resolved, the show starts building up to another, separate one.

[[quoteright:325:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/plot_8864.bmp]]

!No examples, please; this merely [[Administrivia/DefinitionOnlyPages defines the term]]. %%https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1644184945085449000&page=2#comment-28

-->-- '''Creator/BritMarling''', "[[https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/opinion/sunday/brit-marling-women-movies.html I Don’t Want to Be the Strong Female Lead]]," ''[[UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers New York Times]]''

->''"Blahblahblahblah SOMETHING HAPPENS blahblah"''
-->-- '''Creator/NeilGaiman''' on storytelling

-->-- '''Creator/NeilGaiman''' on storytelling.

[[IThoughtItMeant If you're looking for]] ''that'' kind of climax, we would like to direct you to SexTropes.

-->-- '''NeilGaiman''' on storytelling.

[[IThoughtItMeant If you're looking for]] ''that'' kind of climax, I would like to direct you to SexTropes.

->''"Blahblahblahblah SOMETHING HAPPENS blahblah"''
-->-- '''NeilGaiman''' on storytelling.

One of the [[OlderThanFeudalism oldest storytelling devices]] in history, the climax is the point, usually in the [[ThreeActStructure third act]] (but sometimes in the second), in which the story reaches its very height, where the {{Conflict}}ing forces collide in a manner that resolves the conflict -- one way or another -- with the {{Denouement}} sweeping up the pieces. When the BigBad and TheHero duke it out over the MacGuffin. When the detective has his showdown with the murderer. Etc.

One of the [[OlderThanFeudalism oldest storytelling devices]] in history, the climax is the point, usually in the [[ThreeActStructure third act]], in which the story reaches its very height, where the {{Conflict}}ing forces collide in a manner that resolves the conflict -- one way or another -- with the {{Denouement}} sweeping up the pieces. When the BigBad and TheHero duke it out over the MacGuffin. When the detective has his showdown with the murderer. Etc.

In an {{arc}}-based TV or radio show or comic book, it is common to have a minor climax in each episode, and build up to a major climax at the [[SeasonFinale end of the series]]. Additionally, the final episode or two frequently make up a GrandFinale, a massive climax [[{{Denouement}} which wraps up all (or at least most)]] dangling plot threads.

Possibly the [[OlderThanDirt oldest storytelling device]] in history, the climax is the point, usually in the [[ThreeActStructure third act]], in which the story reaches its very height, where the {{Conflict}}ing forces collide in a manner that resolves the conflict -- one way or another -- with the {{Denouement}} sweeping up the pieces. When the BigBad and TheHero duke it out over the MacGuffin. When the detective has his showdown with the murderer. Etc.

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Climaxes are often associated with a [[FinalBattle big fight]] of some sort (which frequently occurs in the action genre), but more low-key stories can have climaxes via TheReveal or other devices. It depends on the nature of the conflict that the story has been running on.

In {{soap opera}}s, each story line tends to have a climax which brings together most of the characters involved, and is the dramatic high point of the arc. This climax often occurs in [[SoapOperaWheel the middle of another arc]]; thus, when one climax is resolved, the show starts building up to another, separate one.