History YMMV / Discworld

** It's important to note that the ''vast'' fandom had absolutely no problem with Sybil being cast as black, it was that she was now a gorgeous, slim young woman who moonlights as a vigilante. The casting of Lara Rossi also made some fans a bit squeamish as the age difference between her and Richard Dormer (Vimes) is quite apparent.

---

* FanonDiscontinuity: The one thing 99.99% of the fandom can agree on is that there was never an adaption of Literature/NightWatchDiscworld made by the BBC. Never ever '''''ever'''''.

* WTHCastingAgency: The casting announcements for the BBC series based on The Watch have been contentious at best, with many fans on a scale between "scratching their heads" and "livid." Of particular note, Sgt. Keel is being played by a black man -- despite the books making it a plot point that he and Vimes look alike. Vetinari, CMOT Dibbler, Doctor Cruces and Lupin Wonse have all been gender swapped. And Sybil Ramkin, described in the books as an older, rotund, white woman, has been cast as a young, attractive black woman. About the only casting decisions fans seem to agree with are for Vimes and Carrot. Fans are particularly baffled after the spot-on casting of other Pratchett adaptations, like ''Series/GoodOmens2019'' and ''Hogfather''.
----

* FandomDiscontinuity: The one thing 99% of the fandom can agree on is that there was never an adaption of Literature/NightWatchDiscworld made by the BBC. Never ''ever'' '''''ever'''''.

* MagnificentBastard: Lord Havelock Vetinari turned Ankh-Morpork from a broken down, weak city run by a cut-throat, utterly insane monarchy into the most powerful city in the entire Disc, run by a highly efficient government that headed by himself, dominating through cultural and economic might rather than force of arms. Vetinari also happens to be a genius who is the one man who [[VetinariJobSecurity keeps the city in line, knowing without him, it would collapse into chaps, so that none may challenge or remove him.]] Well aware of how terible the world can be, Vetinari utilizes trickery and manipulation to better it and will happily manipulate other heroes to deal with threats to his city. While Vetinari does not believe a perfect world is even possible, he will scheme, lie, cheat and manipulate all to improve what he can, and is never not in control of events as they unfold.

* AuthorTract: While almost all the books examine real life issues, they usually avoid leaning too heavily onto this trope, informing the stories rather than dictated them, showing rather than telling. Every once in a a while however, Terry's views on religion, race, integration, etc etc etc, take precedence and grind the story to a halt. These moments became a lot more blatant after he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers, as the books in general became much more heavy-handed. Fans overall agree this is the biggest flaw with Terry’s writing and some even think it caused SeasonalRot.

* StoicWoobie: Without a doubt, [[AC:Death]] is the best person for his job, but it clearly takes its toll on him at times, most obviously when [[spoiler:he has to collect the souls of his apprentice Mort and daughter Ysabell, at the end of their lifespans]].

* CompleteMonster: See [[Monster/{{Discworld}} here]].

* CompleteMonster: [[YMMV/{{Sourcery}} Ipslore the Red]]; [[YMMV/WyrdSisters Lady Felmet]]; [[YMMV/{{Hogfather}} Jonathan Teatime]]; [[YMMV/TheFifthElephant Wolfgang Von Uberwald]]; [[YMMV/NightWatchDiscworld Carcer Dun & Captain Findthee Swing]]; [[YMMV/IShallWearMidnight Cunning Man]]. See those pages for details.

* CompleteMonster: [[YMMV/{{Sourcery}} Ipslore the Red]]; [[YMMV/WyrdSisters Lady Felmet]]; [[YMMV/{{Hogfather}} Jonathan Teatime]]; [[YMMV/TheFifthElephant Wolfgang Von Uberwald]]; [[YMMV/NightWatchDiscworld Captain Findthee Swing]]; [[YMMV/IShallWearMidnight Cunning Man]]. See those pages for details.

** He has also set up VetinariJobSecurity several times: the most obvious is in in ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant'' when he leaves to pursue Angua and Fred Colon is left in charge, the watch falls apart. Not surprising given that [[ForegoneConclusion it's Fred Colon]], but Vetinari lampshades that as everyone knows Vimes and Carrot will be back soon, no criminals take advantage of the Watch’s self destruction for fear of their wrath. The book ends with Carrot very politely bullying the collapsed watch back into shape by reminding them they swore an oath to the king to do their duty.

** Despite Vimes' almost suicidal urge to be normal in a [[WorldGoneMad World Full Of Crazy]], he often does things that fall under RefugeInAudacity, such as [[spoiler:arresting the military leaders of both Ankh-Morpork and Klatch under charges of Behaviour Likely To Cause A Breach Of The Peace]] in ''Discworld/{{Jingo}}''.

** Granny Weatherwax started out as a supporting character in ''Discworld/EqualRites'', but basically took over the book from the real protagonist by sheer force of awesome and ended up being the focus of the rest of the books set in Lancre.

** Ankh-Morpork's awful cuisine, which is referenced particularly in ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant'' and ''Discworld/ThiefOfTime'', is based on two things: firstly, the pop-culture perception of British food being awful and/or British people making [[LethalChef awful chefs]], and secondly the very real lineage Britain has of low-quality food and ineffective quality control laws. Think the description of Ankh-Morpork chocolate in ''Thief of Time'' is awful? In the real world, underhanded British chocolate companies have tried since the earliest times to swindle customers by cutting their cocoa powder and hot chocolate with things like ''brick dust'' and '''red lead'''.

* NightmareFuel: In ''Discworld/{{Maskerade}}'', Granny Weatherwax lists, [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial in suspiciously specific detail]], all the things she would do to someone physically, if she were a bad witch. But as she's not she just laughed [[GoodIsNotNice an in no way evil laugh]], and went to deal with [[spoiler:Salzella]] via headology.

*** To put that into perspective: The other recurring protagonists of their respective sub-series, Tiffany Aching, Granny Weatherway, Sam Vimes, have year-long periods of happiness between their books. On the other hand, all of Rincewind's books end with him trapped in some hellish place until the start of his next book. The poor guy cannot get a break. The sole exception to this was the end of The Light Fantastic, where he had at least some peace and quiet until the events of Mort (and from there, until ''Discworld/{{Sourcery}}'' happened later).

* CompleteMonster: [[YMMV/{{Sourcery}} Ipslore the Red]]; [[YMMV/WyrdSisters Lady Felmet]]; [[YMMV/{{Hogfather}} Jonathan Teatime]]; [[YMMV/TheFifthElephant Wolfgang Von Uberwald]]; [[YMMV/NightWatchDiscworld Captain Findthee Swing]]. See those pages for details.

* AuthorTract: While almost all the books examine real life issues, they usually avoid leaning too heavily onto this trope, informing the stories rather than dictated them, showing rather than telling. However, Terry's views on religion, race, integration, etc etc etc, became a lot more blatant after he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers, as the books in general became much more heavy-handed.

*** To put that into perspective: The other recurring protagonists of their respective sub-series', Tiffany Aching, Granny Weatherway, Sam Vimes, have year-long periods of happiness between their books. On the other hand, all of Rincewind's books end with him trapped in some hellish place until the start of his next book. The poor guy cannot get a break. The sole exception to this was the end of The Light Fantastic, where he had at least some peace and quiet until the events of Mort (and from there, until ''Discworld/{{Sourcery}}'' happened later).

* CompleteMonster: [[YMMV/WyrdSisters Lady Felmet]]; [[YMMV/{{Hogfather}} Jonathan Teatime]]; [[YMMV/TheFifthElephant Wolfgang Von Uberwald]]; [[YMMV/NightWatchDiscworld Captain Findthee Swing]]. See those pages for details.

* MagnificentBastard:
** Granny Weatherwax is a powerful witch who exploits the misconceptions of others more than she bothers to use magic, often disguising herself as a dotty old woman, rather than one of the strongest magic users in the world.
** Nanny Ogg, like Granny, is a powerful witch disguised behind a dotty old lady. And it's been suggested by the author that this dotty old lady bit has even fooled [[spoiler: ''Granny'', as Nanny may well be the stronger witch.]]
** Lord Vetinari almost single-handedly turned a shitty city run by a cut-throat, utterly insane monarchy into a shitty city that is also a thriving metropolis run by a highly efficient government that, even if most people don't particularly ''like'' it, pretty much everyone acknowledges is one of the more successful systems in the world.
** Lady Margolotta, who is also a BastardUnderstudy. In ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant'' Vimes initially assumes ''she'' taught the young Vetinari, but turns out it was the other way around.
** Moist, Magnificently self-Lampshaded:
---> ''"I wonder... am I really a bastard or am I just really good at thinking like one?"''

* CompleteMonster: [[YMMV/WyrdSisters Lady Felmet]]; [[YMMV/{{Hogfather}} Jonathan Teatime]]; [[YMMV/TheFifthElephant SavageWolves Wolfgang Von Uberwald]]; [[YMMV/NightWatchDiscworld Captain Findthee Swing]]. See those pages for details.

* CompleteMonster:
** Lady Felmet from ''Discworld/WyrdSisters'' is modelled after LadyMacbeth, only more sadistic and cruel. The Duchess participated in the overthrow and murder of King Verence I for her husband Leonald to gain the throne for her own benefit and power. Once she inherits her position, she encourages a brutal suppression of peasants and witches alike while using the Fool to spread a propaganda campaign. Revealing herself as a {{sadist}} who loves ColdBloodedTorture, Lady Felmet personally engages in inventive torture with captives. When [[NeverMessWithGranny Granny Weatherwax]] removes the mental walls she put up and shows her all the evil in her own mind, she shrugs it off. Unlike [[HeelRealization most ''Discworld'' villains]], the Duchess is fully aware how evil she is. She just doesn't care.
** ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}'': [[AxCrazy Jonathan Teatime]] is a PsychopathicManchild who horrifies even hardened criminals who’ve earned their reputation on murder. Lord Downey let him into the Assassin’s Guild out of pity that his parents died, only to later suspect that [[SelfMadeOrphan he killed them]]. If he is [[PsychoForHire sent to kill someone]], he will mercilessly slaughter them, [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill their family]], and [[BadPeopleAbuseAnimals their pets]]. He kills any accomplices he has the instant [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness they're not currently useful to him]], not excepting Ankh-Morpork's most gifted lock-picker who was an incredibly valuable asset to the Guild. The most terrifying thing about him is that he honestly [[ObliviouslyEvil doesn't understand that his sadistic behavior is wrong]]. He sees no difference between having a friendly chat with a man and stabbing him to death.
** [[SavageWolves Wolfgang Von Uberwald]] from ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant'' is a {{Sadist}}ic [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolf]]. Before the book starts, he murders his little sister, Elsa, because she isn't a bimorphic werewolf and, as such, is "[[FantasticRacism impure]]." He takes the werewolf tradition of [[HuntingTheMostDangerousGame hunting humans through a forest]], and adds the cruel twist of [[HopeSpot giving them the illusion that they've escaped]] before ripping them to shreds. He doesn't care about all the political power he and his family can gain through the civil unrest; he just likes being sadistic.
** [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Captain Findthee Swing]], the leader of [[SecretPolice the Unmentionables]] on ''[[Discworld/NightWatchDiscworld Night Watch]]'', is the reason his time period is so corrupt. Swing is a TautologicalTemplar who uses people's measurement arbitrarily to decide whether someone is good or bad in his eye. He sees himself and his supporters, such as the [[AxCrazy psychotic]] [[SerialKiller Carcer Dun]], as good and his enemies and victims, like [[GoodIsNotNice hero Sam Vimes]], as evil. When Vimes enters Swing's base, Vimes sees people who have been [[ColdBloodedTorture physically]] and [[MindRape mentally]] tortured, one of them is so broken that he does not resist when Vimes [[MercyKill kills him without hesitation]]. Vimes finds Swing about to torture a man tied to a chair, before he comes in to fight Swing to the death.

* AuthorTract: A feature of the later books, sadly. Terry's views on religion, race, integration, etc etc etc, became a lot more blatant after he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers. Previously, they were present, but informed the stories rather than dictated them, showing rather than telling.

* AuthorTract: Terry's views on religion, race, integration, etc etc etc became a lot more blatant after he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers.

** Lady Felmet from ''Discworld/WyrdSisters'' is modeled after LadyMacbeth, only more sadistic and cruel. The Duchess participated in the overthrow and murder of King Verence I for her husband Leonald to gain the throne for her own benefit and power. Once she inherits her position, she encourages a brutal suppression of peasants and witches alike while using the Fool to spread a propaganda campaign. Revealing herself as a {{sadist}} who loves ColdBloodedTorture, Lady Felmet personally engages in inventive torture with captives. When [[NeverMessWithGranny Granny Weatherwax]] removes the mental walls she put up and shows her all the evil in her own mind, she shrugs it off. Unlike [[HeelRealization most ''Discworld'' villains]], the Duchess is fully aware how evil she is. She just doesn't care.

** Pretty much any scene where the Feegles cut loose. Actually, pretty much ''anything'' to do with the Feegles, really . . . They're just that awesome.
%%* CreepyAwesome: Mr. Teatime.

%%** Magrat herself has a lot of this, as does Agnes Nitt.

** [[AxCrazy Jonathan Teatime]] is a PsychopathicManchild who horrifies even hardened criminals who’ve earned their reputation on murder. Lord Downey let him into the Assassin’s Guild out of pity that his parents died, only to later suspect that [[SelfMadeOrphan he killed them]]. If he is [[PsychoForHire sent to kill someone]], he will mercilessly slaughter them, [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill their family]], and [[BadPeopleAbuseAnimals their pets]]. He kills any accomplices he has the instant [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness they're not currently useful to him]], not excepting Ankh-Morpork's most gifted lock-picker who was an incredibly valuable asset to the Guild. The most terrifying thing about him is that he honestly [[ObliviouslyEvil doesn't understand that his sadistic behavior is wrong]]. He sees no difference between having a friendly chat with a man and stabbing him to death.

** [[AxCrazy Jonathan Teatime]] from ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}'' is a PsychopathicManchild. Lord Downey let him into the Assassin’s Guild out of pity that his parents died, only to later suspect that [[SelfMadeOrphan he killed them]]. If he is [[PsychoForHire sent to kill someone]], he will mercilessly slaughter them, [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill their family]], and [[BadPeopleAbuseAnimals their pets]]. He kills any accomplices he has the instant [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness they're not currently useful to him]], not excepting Ankh-Morpork's most gifted lock-picker who was an incredibly valuable asset to the Guild. He horrifies even hardened criminals who’ve earned their reputation on murder. The most terrifying thing about him is that he honestly [[ObliviouslyEvil doesn't understand that his sadistic behavior is wrong]]. He sees no difference between having a friendly chat with a man and stabbing him to death. The real kicker is when Teatime tries to use Death as a HumanShield against a weapon powered by the beliefs of children. It only hurts monsters, and goes through Death harmlessly, but kills Teatime stone dead.
-->'''Susan:''' But... he was a man.\\
'''Death:''' [[AC:I think they know quite well what he was]].

** Ankh-Morpork's awful cuisine, which is referenced particularly in ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant'' and ''Discworld/ThiefOfTime'', is based on two things: firstly, the pop-culture perception of British food being awful and/or British people making awful chefs, and secondly the very real lineage Britain has of low-quality food and ineffective quality control laws. Think the description of Ankh-Morpork chocolate in ''Thief of Time'' is awful? In the real world, underhanded British chocolate companies have tried since the earliest times to swindle customers by cutting their cocoa powder and hot chocolate with things like ''brick dust'' and '''red lead'''.

** [[AxCrazy Jonathan Teatime]] from ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}'' is a PsychopathicManchild. Lord Downey let him into the Assassin’s Guild out of pity that his parents died, only to later suspect that [[SelfMadeOrphan he killed them]]. If he is [[PsychoForHire sent to kill someone]], he will mercilessly slaughter them, [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill their family]], and [[KickTheDog their]] [[AndYourLittleDogToo pets]]. He kills any accomplices he has the instant [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness they're not currently useful to him]], not excepting Ankh-Morpork's most gifted lock-picker who was an incredibly valuable asset to the Guild. He horrifies even hardened criminals who’ve earned their reputation on murder. The most terrifying thing about him is that he honestly [[ObliviouslyEvil doesn't understand that his sadistic behavior is wrong]]. He sees no difference between having a friendly chat with a man and stabbing him to death. The real kicker is when Teatime tries to use Death as a HumanShield against a weapon powered by the beliefs of children. It only hurts monsters, and goes through Death harmlessly, but kills Teatime stone dead.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: There is quite a substantial group of fans who hold the view that Carrot is evil and/or TheChessmaster. It helps that he is almost never the POV character - we get to hear what Vimes or Angua think ''about'' him but hardly ever see Carrot's actual thoughts.

*** To put that into perspective: The other recurring protagonists of their respective sub-series', Tiffany Aching, Granny Weatherway, Sam Vimes, have year-long periods of happiness between their books. On the other hand, all of Rincewind's books end with him trapped in some hellish place until the start of his next book. The poor guy cannot get a break. The sole exception to this was the end of The Light Fantastic, where he had at least some peace and quiet until the events of Mort (and from there, until TheSourcerer happened later).

** Gaspode has his Woobie moments also.

** Pretty much any scene where the Feegles cut loose.