Line #40 Main/EmotionalTorque


1	->''"Once you decide that you're going to have the death of Spock, then how does that affect the other people? Why is it there? I got a lot of stick from a lot of people from the very beginning about the idea of killing Spock. Somebody said, 'You can't kill him.' And I said, 'Sure you can. The only question is whether you do it ''well.''"''
2	-->-- '''Nicholas Meyer''', Director of ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan''
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4	''The overriding goal of all storytelling is to get a reaction from the audience -- [[ComedyTropes a laugh,]] [[TearJerker a tear,]] a [[{{Satire}} desire to change]], or maybe [[ItSucks a desire to kill the storyteller]].''
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6	There is nothing more saddening than a story that gets an [[SoOkayItsAverage apathetic reaction]]. A story should influence and affect us. The storyteller wants to see their audience pay attention, hang on their words, and applaud with a standing ovation when it is all done.
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8	Why do you think Franchise/{{Superman}} has lasted so long as a character? It is a combination of {{escapism}} -- you dream of doing what Superman is doing, flying around with a cape rustling behind you -- and WishFulfillment -- you dream of being able to help the world as much as he can.
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10	[[TheOldestOnesInTheBook Ancient myths]] also entranced the world. These stories have entire religions based upon them. Even today there are [[CreatorWorship storytellers who have created their own devoted worshipers.]]
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12	As far back as UsefulNotes/AncientGreece, people have wondered, ''Why are we drawn to {{tragedy}}?'' Why would people willingly watch something they know is going to make them feel sad, angry, or scared?
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14	Because art isn't about making you feel good. It's about making you ''feel''. '''Creator/{{Aristotle}}''' suggested, "''A {{tragedy}} is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself ... with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions.''"
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16	Catharsis is a concept that relieving your emotions in one format can influence other components of your psyche. It is a hard experience to describe; it isn't quite like joy or happiness, neither is there an emotion called "epic." The best way to describe your favorite moments is satisfaction. Here, we'll call it [[TitleDrop emotional torque]].
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18	Think a little about FridgeLogic and the WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief. They work and exist solely because we are caught up in the story. We should be so caught up in the moment of what is happening that we don't think about the illogical, the unhistorical or the faulty science.
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20	Right beside this is going the distance required by the story. The story and characters have to do the needed actions to establish themselves and their use. The ButtMonkey has to get beaten up, the villain has to do something villainous, etc. If there is a war going on and no one gets hurt, [[BloodlessCarnage no blood gets spilled]], and there isn't even a smudge of dirt on them, then it is rendered ineffective and [[UnexpectedReactionsToThisIndex gives the wrong impression.]] It's like a JerkAss that doesn't do one mean thing.
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22	These {{trope}}s are Tropers trying to catalog their emotional reactions:
23	[[index]]
24	* [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Awesome Moments]]
25	** SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic
26	* CatharsisFactor
27	** StressRelievingGameplay
28	* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments
29	* GutPunch
30	** PlayerPunch
31	* HateSink
32	* SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments
33	** SugarWiki/SweetDreamsFuel
34	* NauseaFuel
35	** {{Squick}}
36	* NightmareFuel
37	** ParanoiaFuel
38	* ShockingMoments
39	* TearJerker
40	** TheWoobie
41
42	These are variations of PlayingWithATrope regarding the emotional tone that a trope is used for:
43	* PlayedForDrama
44	* PlayedForHorror
45	* PlayedForLaughs
46
47	These tropes are when the emotional reaction overrules more common sensibilities:
48	* RuleOfCool
49	* RuleOfCute
50	* RuleOfDrama
51	* RuleOfFun
52	* RuleOfFunny
53	* RuleOfRomantic
54	* RuleOfScary
55	* RuleOfSexy
56
57	When the use of Emotional Torque fails to function as intended, or even at all, the following things tend to happen:
58	* AngstAversion happens when the work is too depressing or upsetting for viewers to tolerate.
59	** TooBleakStoppedCaring can result when the tone is not only too dark, but feels ''pointlessly'' dark.
60	** {{Wangst}} is what happens when TheWoobie is felt to complain ''too'' much.
61	* {{Glurge}} is the result of a work which attempts to deliver an inspirational message, but the message is incompetently handled such that it falls apart when [[FridgeLogic subjected to any meaningful critical thinking]].
62	* {{Narm}} is when a dramatic moment that's intended to be serious instead devolves into being accidentally humorous instead.
63	** NightmareRetardant is a failure of NightmareFuel that's more silly than scary.
64	* RomanticPlotTumor emerges from a poorly-written {{romance}}.
65	* ShockFatigue happens when a work tries too hard to be {{shocking\|Moments}}, to the point that the audience begins to expect the shocks.
66	[[/index]]

Context Main / EmotionalTorque