1 | '''Basic Trope''': The antagonist(s) break the fourth wall to threaten or attack the audience. |
2 | * '''Straight''': [[RealityWarper The main villain]] [[SerialKiller Crimson]] disembowels his victim before whipping his head towards the camera with an accompanying ScareChord and exclaims that the viewer will be his next victim. |
3 | * '''Exaggerated''': |
4 | ** Not only does the above happen, but if the viewer has visited the show's official website, they get [[AlternateRealityGame email and text messages]] from "Crimson" in which he threatens to murder them. |
5 | ** [[SerialEscalation Exaggerating things even further, he actually does murder the viewer.]] [[labelnote: Possible explanation?]] Crimson is the main villain in a ShowWithinAShow and he [[NoInnerFourthWall murders the person watching the show.]] [[/labelnote]] |
6 | ** Crimson is the main villain of a computer game and refers to the player by data from the computer, such as username or Steam account name, and starts attacking the computer, [[DeletionAsPunishment deleting files]], renaming and encrypting directories, leaving messages in various folders or [[ParanoiaFuel the registry]], [rendering the machine unbootable by some means or [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking changing the wallpaper via a 9% chance]]. And not even running the game in a virtual machine will stop this from happening. |
7 | ** Crimson is ''a real person'', and the show actually happens ''in real life''. Maybe the show is a documentary, or BasedOnATrueStory, or a RealLife example of DeadlineNews. Something similar could happen in print in the form of a memoir or confession by Crimson himself. |
8 | ** The work itself contains an actual BrownNote, meaning the audience really ''isn't'' safe.[[note]]It's probably nothing ''too'' dangerous, if only for fear of lawsuits. If it is dangerous, it probably has to come with a warning like the ones for EpilepticFlashingLights. But the audience doesn't need to know that part.[[/note]] |
9 | ** Crimson’s ultimate goal is to outright destroy the real world. |
10 | ** The work is a stage play or other live performance, and Crimson literally walks into the audience and chooses a victim to drag onstage for a little "audience participation." |
11 | * '''Downplayed''': |
12 | ** Crimson turns towards the camera and notes that [[RealismInducedHorror "serial killers exist in your world, too."]] |
13 | ** Crimson [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall simply discusses with his current victim]] how serial killers "[[ThisIsReality aren't just something they make up for a TV show]]": they're TruthInTelevision, [[ParanoiaFuel they could be anywhere]], and [[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse They Look Just Like Everyone Else]]. |
14 | ** Crimson throws a knife past the camera. [[InUniverseCamera It falls over,]] showing the person who was holding it laying on the ground, recoiling in pain. |
15 | ** Crimson is only aware of the fourth wall in a meta sense, and threatens to attack characters from other fictional properties. |
16 | ** Unfortunately for the characters watching a ShowWithinAShow, there really is NoInnerFourthWall. |
17 | * '''Justified''': |
18 | ** Crimson is a HumanoidAbomination of immense power and extreme cruelty. As such, he is not limited by the walls between different planes of reality. |
19 | ** There was NoFourthWall there to protect you in the first place. |
20 | ** [[RealAfterAll Crimson is actually the show's creator]]. He made it under a fake identity. |
21 | * '''Inverted''': |
22 | ** Crimson verbalizes his concern that the viewer is "spying" on him and that he could be ambushed at any moment. |
23 | ** The fourth wall does not protect Crimson from the actions of the viewers, and when he tries to harm the viewer, the viewer (a floating arm) punches him. |
24 | ** Crimson looks at the camera...[[PetTheDog and gives it a hug]], [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments claiming he'd never hurt his audience]]. |
25 | ** [[MindScrew Turns out the]] [[TheWalrusWasPaul viewer IS Crimson.]] |
26 | ** Crimson taunts the viewers that even though he can't kill them, there's also nothing they can do to help his victims. |
27 | ** The hero Olive suggests that he can protect the viewer from dangers in real life, too. |
28 | ** Crimson is ultimately stopped when [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail the director suffers a fatal heart attack.]] |
29 | * '''Subverted''': The way Crimson faces the camera when he talks, we think he's referring to the viewer, [[FourthWallPsych but he actually talks to another one of his victims in the show...]] |
30 | * '''Double Subverted''':....Before he explicitly refers to the viewer and says he'll be paying him/her a visit very soon.. |
31 | * '''Parodied''': |
32 | ** Crimson tries to stab through the screen, only to have his knife stopped by the glass: |
33 | -->'''Crimson:''' DIE! *KLINK* Heh. That's new. Oh yes, where was I? DIE!!! *KLINK* *KLINK* *KLINK* Gah! Dammit! This is really [[NightmareRetardant killing the mood!]] YOU. Don't you dare change the channel! We're not done here! No, wait! Not the [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Oprah netwo-]] *STATIC*. |
34 | ** Crimson decides that while he figures out who should be his next victim, he'll have some fun torturing the viewers by [[PokeThePoodle forcing them to sit through a bunch of commercials]]. |
35 | * '''Zig Zagged''': Crimson sometimes breaks the fourth wall, but other times he acts as if it doesn't even exist. |
36 | * '''Averted''': Crimson never breaks the fourth wall. |
37 | * '''Enforced''': "Crimson's already a pretty crazy guy, why not just have him try and kill ''the audience''?" |
38 | * '''Lampshaded''': |
39 | ** "You really didn't think I noticed you? You really thought you were safe behind that screen!?" |
40 | ** "Going after ''them'' next, Crimson? I thought you knew better." |
41 | * '''Invoked''': Crimson was a real life criminal who was [[SealedEvilInACan sealed]] [[TrappedInTVLand within a work of fiction]]. He is now trying to get out and murder you for enjoying this fiction. |
42 | * '''Exploited''': Crimson gets killed by [[TheHero Olive]] because he's too busy threatening the audience to notice him. "[[BondOneLiner Leave them alone. They're just here to watch.]]" |
43 | * '''Defied''': Crimson attempts to break the fourth wall and assault the viewer- only for the viewer to remind him that he's in a television show. |
44 | * '''Discussed''': "Wouldn't it be funny if Crimson broke out of the show and attacked us?" Bob says, shortly before the above actually happens. |
45 | * '''Conversed''': "Jeez! I thought Crimson was gonna stab me to death from behind the television screen!" |
46 | * '''Implied''': Crimson finds the creepiest moments to combine {{Aside Glance}} with a PsychoticSmirk, when there's no in-universe reason for him to do so, but never actually says anything unambiguously indicating he knows about the fourth wall. |
47 | * '''Deconstructed''': |
48 | ** A lot of viewers find the whole "breaking the fourth wall" scene gimmicky and trite, and [[{{Narm}} think that it actually took the drama out of the episode]]. |
49 | ** Crimson went insane because he had NoFourthWall, realizing that he isn't real. |
50 | * '''Reconstructed''': |
51 | ** But actually, the entire point of the scene is to [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstruct the premise of slasher flicks]]. If we think it's fun to see [[YouBastard innocents butchered from the comfort of our bedrooms]], would we enjoy it as much if the roles were reversed? |
52 | ** However, maybe he doesn't have to be; [[DoNotDoThisCoolThing he might have some followers out there]] [[ParanoiaFuel who will do his work for him]]... |
53 | * '''Played For Laughs''': Crimson takes the time to threaten the audience during a fight with the hero Olive, [[AudienceWhatAudience who tries looking in his direction, but doesn't see anything.]] |
54 | -->'''Olive:''' *angrily grabbing Crimson* [[WesternAnimation/TurtlesForever Why do you keep doing that?! Who are you talking to?!! There's no one there!!!]] |
55 | ** The viewer makes a crass comment about one of Crimson's victims, prompting Crimson to reach out of the TV and slap them. |
56 | ---- |
57 | Quick! Get back to TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou, before the BigBad crashes through your computer monitor, tablet or smartphone! |
58 | |
59 | [[spoiler:Too late, I'm here, wave your hand and say hello to Crimson.]] |
60 | ---- |
61 | %% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion: |
62 | %% |
63 | %%* '''Played For Laughs''': ??? |
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/context.php
FollowingContext PlayingWith / TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou
Go To
- Show Spoilers
- Night Vision
- Sticky Header
- Wide Load