Line #28 Main/SlidingScaleOfEndings


1	Originally, the word "[[ComedyTropes comedy]]" meant that the story [[HappyEnding ended on a positive note]], and the word "{{tragedy}}" meant a DownerEnding (or, at the very least, a BittersweetEnding). The meanings of these words have evolved over time, but the concept remains: Some stories end happily, and others...not so much. This is a scale of how happily a given story is bound to end. See MultipleEndings when a work has more than one possible outcome (good, bad, AND neutral).
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3	[[index]]
4	!!Good Ending
5	* BelatedHappyEnding: When a story has an AmbiguousEnding or NoEnding, but a sequel or continuation gives the story as a whole a HappyEnding.
6	* DeusExMachina: Something completely out of left field saves the day.
7	* GoldenEnding: Top of the list, variant of MultipleEndings. Usually invoking EarnYourHappyEnding. EverybodyLives is generally a prerequisite.
8	* TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin: ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin - The good guys defeat the bad guys.
9	* HappilyEverAfter: The good guys get married and live out the rest of their lives together at the end of the story.
10	* HappyEnding: The good guys win, the bad guys get their comeuppance or redemption (depending on the villain), and everyone is happy.
11	* EarnYourHappyEnding: The good guys will have to slog through a great deal of mud and tragedy first, but, ultimately, everything ends well. At least, for the [[OnlyTheLeadsGetAHappyEnding ones that survive]].
12	* EverybodyLives: ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin.
13	* ShockAndSwitchEnding: A good ending that seemed like it was going to be a bad ending turned out to be [[DoubleSubversion false]].
14	* SurprisinglyHappyEnding: You have braced for a BittersweetEnding, but things turned out a lot better than you expected.
15	* WinWinEnding: In the end, things work out for everyone in the story, [[TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin heroes]] and [[TheBadGuyWins villains]] alike.
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17	!!Neutral Ending
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19	* AmbiguousEnding: The ending is left purposely vague in some way, so that one or more outcomes are unknown.
20	* BittersweetEnding: An ending that is both happy and sad. For example, the good guys win, but if there's no telling on if the villain will return back to power, or due to terrible tragedies, they will not be able to fully enjoy the victory. The second example is the heroes die but everyone else is happy.
21	** PyrrhicVictory: One side wins, but they are so ruined that the net benefit is minimal or even negative. Often the result of a BittersweetEnding, sometimes results in a RayOfHopeEnding.
22	** RayOfHopeEnding: The bad guys win, but there are still hints that the heroes can turn things around, and all is not lost.
23	* CliffHanger: An ending that occurs in a conflict with unpredictable outcome. BolivianArmyEnding is a subtrope.
24	* HappyEndingOverride: It's a happy ending, but something happens in the period afterwards and before the sequel to ruin it; the sequel is a chance to start again.
25	* JokeEnding: A variant of MultipleEndings that is PlayedForLaughs instead of being an integral and/or serious part of the story.
26	* LeftHanging: An ending with some serious plot threads left unresolved.
27	** WhatHappenedToTheMouse: If the plot threads aren't important to the main plot.
28	* MeaninglessVillainVictory: The bad guys succeed, but their victory becomes worthless. Ultimately, whether it's turn out to be a good or bad ending depends on the context.
29	* MultipleEndings: A character's actions in the game decide how the ending turns out.
30	* NoEnding: The ending is ambiguous. Did the heroes win, or did they all die horribly? The author or creator [[ShrugOfGod ain't talking]], so it's up to the viewer to decide.
31	* OnlyTheLeadsGetADownerEnding: The ending is happy for the overall setting and secondary characters. Not so much for the main characters.
32	* OnlyTheLeadsGetAHappyEnding: All well and good if you have the protagonist ball. Anyone else? Sucks to be you!
33	* GainaxEnding: The ending is confusing and full of MindScrew; differing interpretations can lead it to being placed in any of these three categories.
34	* PostClimaxConfrontation: The ending features one final battle to the death between the protagonist and at the very least one still surviving antagonist that easily serves as a chance for the former to truly clean things up and likewise subsequently truly resolve his current conflict following his given work's climax.
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36	!!Bad Ending
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38	* DownerEnding: The good guys lose. They might at least get to take the villain down with them, though.
39	** TheBadGuyWins: Or not.
40	** SuddenDownerEnding: A DownerEnding to an otherwise happy/light-hearted work.
41	* EarnYourBadEnding: A bad ending out of multiple endings that can only be seen if the player goes out of the way to achieve the requirements to watch it.
42	* HaveANiceDeath: You've lost the game and are dead but at least you get a cheery message about it.
43	* ShaggyDogStory: An AntiClimax renders the events of the whole story moot.
44	** ShootTheShaggyDog: The bad guys win. Or nobody wins and the whole ordeal is a waste of time and human lives.
45	* ItsAWonderfulFailure: A game player has screwed up big time and has to watch the repercussions.
46	* SuddenDownerEnding: You fought hard, you got that Infinity plus one sword, you pulled OneHundredPercentCompletion...And the best you can get is a SadisticChoice.
47	* CruelTwistEnding: A story that screws the heroes at the very end.
48	* DiabolusExMachina: Similar to the above, but it comes out of nowhere.
49	* {{Esoteric Happy Ending}}: HappilyEverAfter in the mind of the writer/director, DownerEnding or ShootTheShaggyDog for the audience.
50	* EverybodyDiesEnding: Exactly what it sounds like.
51	** RocksFallEveryoneDies: Similar, but applies to a ShowWithinAShow under the control of a character in the main show.
52	[[/index]]

Context Main / SlidingScaleOfEndings