Laconic Trope Distinctions / G to I

Part 3 of the Laconical List of Subtle Trope Distinctions. Items are sorted alphabetically by whichever trope is alphabetically first; if you're looking for a specific one, use the "Find" or "Search" function of your Web browser.

Pages: A to C | D to F | G to I | J to R | S to Z

---

G

Gambit Pileup vs. Last Plan Standing vs. Out-Gambitted

• Plans start to multiply within the story...
  • Gambit Pileup: ...drastically.
  • Last Plan Standing: ...and only one of them will come to fruition.
  • Out-Gambitted: ...and directly foil each other.

Game-Breaker vs. High-Tier Scrappy

• A very strong gameplay element...
  • Game-Breaker: Outclasses all its competition.
  • High-Tier Scrappy: Gets hated for its popularity, and sometimes because others can't compete with it.

Gathering Steam vs. Magikarp Power

• To realize its full potential, you must...
  • Gathering Steam: Give it some time. You can see the buildup.
  • Magikarp Power: Put in a lot of effort. It may seem pointless at first, but payoff is worth it.

Generation Xerox vs. Identical Grandson vs. Uncanny Family Resemblance

• Characters in the same family...
  • Generation Xerox: Have lives that turn out very similar to each other.
  • Identical Grandson: Look almost exactly the same.
  • Uncanny Family Resemblance: Look very similar, but more realistically than the previous.

Genocide Backfire vs. Nice Job Breaking It, Herod:

• To eliminate a threat, the Big Bad...
  • Genocide Backfire: ...targets everyone...
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Herod: ...targets the person destined to be a threat...
    • ...and frequently, as a result, causes them to become a real threat.

Genre Savvy vs. Medium Awareness:

• Genre Savvy: Aware of storytelling conventions.
• Medium Awareness: Aware of Paratext and lampshades it. May Break the Fourth Wall.

Gentleman Thief vs. Just Like Robin Hood vs. Karmic Thief:

• Gentleman Thief: Steals with class and style.
• Just Like Robin Hood: Steals from the rich to benefit the downtrodden.
• Karmic Thief: Steals from those who can afford to lost some, but keeps the loot.

Germans Love David Hasselhoff vs. Americans Hate Tingle

• This work is pretty popular in its home country...
  • Germans Love David Hasselhoff: ...and even more popular elsewhere.
  • Americans Hate Tingle: ...but is absolutely hated elsewhere.

Getting Crap Past the Radar vs. Parental Bonus

• Getting Crap Past the Radar: Implied naughty content that isn't caught by the censors.
• Parental Bonus: Joke or reference that kids won't get but parents/older viewers will; doesn't have to be naughty.

Ghostapo vs. Nazis with Gnarly Weapons vs. Stupid Jetpack Hitler vs. We Didn't Start the Führer

• Those Wacky Nazis are armed with:
  • Ghostapo: Supernatural powers
  • Nazis with Gnarly Weapons: Historically accurate weapons
  • Stupid Jetpack Hitler: Ray-guns
  • We Didn't Start the Führer: Literal inhumanity (possibly restricted to Hitler himself)

Gift-Giving Gaffe vs. My New Gift Is Lame:

• Gift-Giving Gaffe: Gift is seen by the recipient as affronting.
• My New Gift Is Lame: Gift is considered by the recipient to be worse than what everyone else is getting.

Giving Up the Ghost vs. Winged Soul Flies Off at Death:

• Winged image of the character's soul appears outside their body to show...
  • Giving Up the Ghost: Their exhaustion.
  • Winged Soul Flies Off at Death: Passing into the afterlife.

Gone Horribly Right vs. Gone Horribly Wrong

• Bad things happen because the project...
  • Gone Horribly Wrong: ...goes awry.
  • Gone Horribly Right: ...works too well.

The Good Guys Always Win vs. Invincible Hero

• The good guy wins...
  • The Good Guys Always Win: ...at the end.
  • Invincible Hero: ...in every conflict.

Good Lawyers, Good Clients vs. Only Bad Guys Call Their Lawyers

• Good Lawyers, Good Clients: If the lawyer's heroic, so are his clients.
• Only Bad Guys Call Their Lawyers: Lawyering up = guilt.

Good Weapon, Evil Weapon vs. Evil Weapon:

• Good Weapon, Evil Weapon: Weapon has sinister connotations.
• Evil Weapon: Weapon is sentient and malevolent.

Gory Deadly Overkill Title of Fatal Death vs. Mad Lib Thriller Title

• Gory Deadly Overkill Title of Fatal Death: Horror film title jampacked with words for gore and death.
• Mad Lib Thriller Title: Mystery/suspense fiction title formula: The + [Meaningful Noun Or Name] + [Noun With Political Or Symbolic Connotations].

Grave Robbing vs. Robbing the Dead:

• Grave Robbing: Stealing dead bodies themselves.
• Robbing the Dead: Stealing the dead's possessions.

Greater-Scope Villain vs. The Man Behind the Man:

• Greater-Scope Villain: Villain in the wider worldbuilding casts a shadow on the plot.
• The Man Behind the Man: Seemingly-main villain was actually taking orders from someone else.

Guide Dang It! vs. Moon Logic Puzzle vs. That One Puzzle

• The puzzle...
  • That One Puzzle: ...is much more difficult to solve than others.
  • Moon Logic Puzzle: ...has a very strange solution.
  • Guide Dang It!: ...requires a guide to solve.

Guy in Back vs. Wingman

• The guy who provides support for the hero...
  • Guy in Back: ...in the same plane.
  • Wingman: ...by flying a different plane.

Guy on Guy Is Hot vs. Yaoi Fangirl

• She thinks two guys making out is hot...
  • Guy on Guy Is Hot: ...because she's red-blooded and female.
  • Yaoi Fangirl: ...because she's a pervert with strange tastes.

Guys are Slobs vs. Men Are Uncultured vs. Men Can't Keep House:

• Guys are Slobs: Men are boorish, unhygienic and can't keep their life in check.
• Men Are Uncultured: Men have no interest in the finer things.
• Men Can't Keep House: Men are bad at household tasks.

H

Ham and Cheese vs. Took the Bad Film Seriously:

• In a movie that the audience thinks is bad, an actor...
  • Ham and Cheese: ...plays their role over-the-top.
  • Took the Bad Film Seriously: ...still plays their role seriously.

Hand Cannon vs. BFG:

• Hand Cannon: A handgun so large and powerful it's ridiculous.
• BFG: A gun that's too large or powerful to be used as an individual weapon, but is, anyway.

Hand-or-Object Underwear vs. Scenery Censor:

• A naked person...
  • Hand-or-Object Underwear: ...willfully covers themselves up with something.
  • Scenery Censor: ...just happens to have something between them and the audience.

Hand Wave vs. Justified Trope vs. Lampshade Hanging vs. Voodoo Shark:

• Hand Wave: Flimsy explanation of the trope.
• Justified Trope: Logical explanation of the trope.
• Lampshade Hanging: Point at the trope, but don't explain.
• Voodoo Shark: Explanation of the trope that makes things worse.

Happy Ending Override vs. Sequel Reset:

• The sequel says that the previous installment's ending...
  • Happy Ending Override: Wasn't as happy as it seemed.
  • Sequel Reset: Wasn't as neatly wrapped-up as you thought.

Happy Fun Ball vs. My Little Panzer

• Happy Fun Ball: An object looks harmless but is actually dangerous.
• My Little Panzer: Toy with dangerous parts or functions.

Harmless Villain vs. Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain vs. Hate Sink vs. Not-So-Harmless Villain vs. Villainy-Free Villain

• Harmless Villain: Doesn't pose a threat and often doesn't really want to.
• Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain: Potentially threatening but too incompetent to be effective and makes you feel sorry for them.
• Hate Sink: May not be the real villain but is intended to be detested by the audience.
• Not-So-Harmless Villain: Not taken seriously but ends up becoming a threat.
• Villainy-Free Villain: Has honest/honorable motivations but an unpleasant personality.

Have a Nice Death vs. It's a Wonderful Failure vs. Nonstandard Game Over vs. Fission Mailed:

• Your game ends...
  • Have a Nice Death: ...and the game mocks you for your failure.
  • It's a Wonderful Failure: ...and the game forces you to sit through a drawn-out Downer Ending.
  • Nonstandard Game Over: ...suddenly, in an unusual way.
  • Fission Mailed: ...NOT! Made you look!

Having a Blast vs. Stuff Blowing Up vs. Throw Down the Bomblet:

• Creating explosions...
  • Having a Blast: As a superpower.
  • Throw Down the Bomblet: As a preferred weapon.
  • Stuff Blowing Up: Because explosions are exciting.

Head-in-the-Sand Management vs. The Quisling:

• An authority figure that aids evil by...
  • Head-in-the-Sand Management: ...ignoring it.
  • The Quisling: ...working for it.

Head-Turning Beauty vs. Ms. Fanservice:

• Head-Turning Beauty: Character's beauty distracts other characters.
• Ms. Fanservice: Character's beauty appeals to the audience.

Heads I Win, Tails You Lose vs I Surrender, Suckers vs Xanatos Gambit:

• Beating me didn't actually help you because...
  • Heads I Win, Tails You Lose: ...the plot requires me to kick your ass in this next cutscene anyway.
  • I Surrender, Suckers: ...being captured is something I use to my advantage.
  • Xanatos Gambit: ...every outcome leads towards a different result I want.

Heart Is an Awesome Power vs. Not Completely Useless vs. This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman vs. What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?

• It seems useless at first...
  • Heart Is an Awesome Power: ...but it's surprisingly powerful in practice.
  • Not Completely Useless: ...until the player finds the one situation in which it's useful.
  • This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman: ...but conveniently, it's exactly what's needed to save the day!
  • What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?: ...because it is useless.

Heel Realization vs. My God, What Have I Done?:

• Heel Realization: "...I think I'm a villain."
• My God, What Have I Done?: "...I think my actions have consequences."

Heroic BSoD vs. Heroic RRoD vs. Super-Power Meltdown:

• Heroic BSoD: Traumatic experience makes you go catatonic.
• Heroic RRoD: Overusing your powers makes you go BOOM.
• Super-Power Meltdown: Overusing your powers makes the whole place go BOOM.

Heroic Fantasy vs. High Fantasy vs. Low Fantasy vs. Standard Fantasy Setting:

• A Standard Fantasy Setting story about...
  • Heroic Fantasy: ...the adventures of an epic hero.
  • High Fantasy: ...the struggle against an epic Big Bad.
  • Low Fantasy: ...something else.

Hero with an F in Good vs. Token Evil Teammate:

• Member of the good guys' team that isn't good at doing 'hero things'...
  • Hero with an F in Good: But they are good at heart
  • Token Evil Teammate: Because they're a bad guy who's been onboarded for whatever reason.

Heterosexual Life-Partners vs. Homoerotic Subtext vs. Ho Yay vs. Odd Couple vs. Platonic Life-Partners:

• Heterosexual Life-Partners: Same-sex friends who act like a couple.
• Ho Yay: The fans notice homoerotic subtext.
• Homoerotic Subtext: The Ho Yay was intended by the writers.
• Odd Couple: Friends with opposite personalities.
• Platonic Life-Partners: Heterosexual Life-Partners with opposite genders.

Hidden Backup Prince vs. King Incognito:

• Hidden Backup Prince: Heir to the throne lives among commoners to keep them safe.
• King Incognito: Royalty disguises themself as a commoner to achieve some objective.

Historical Downgrade vs. Historical Villain Downgrade

• Historical Downgrade: Historical figure's flaws and shortcomings are shown.
• Historical Villain Downgrade: Historical figure's villainy is softened.

Historical Hilarity vs. Historical Person Punchline

• Historical Hilarity: Historical figure makes a cameo appearance.
• Historical Person Punchline: Historical figure makes a surprise appearance.

Homage vs. Shout-Out:

• Homage: Extended reference.
• Shout-Out: Quick nod.

Honor Before Reason vs. Lawful Stupid:

• It's not exactly the smart thing to do, but...
  • Honor Before Reason: ...it's the right thing to do.
  • Lawful Stupid: ...the rules say we do it.

How Can Santa Deliver All Those Toys? vs. Santa Ambiguity vs. Santa's Existence Clause

• How Can Santa Deliver All Those Toys?: The logistics of Santa's operation is questioned.
• Santa Ambiguity: Does Santa exist? Who knows.
• Santa's Existence Clause: 'Don't be silly, Santa doesn't exist!' Except actually he does.

Hub Level vs. The Overworld vs. Playable Menu:

• Hub Level: Small area with entry points.
• The Overworld: Large region containing access portals.
• Playable Menu: Menu with a bit of extra 'activity'.

Humans Are Bastards vs. Humans Are Cthulhu vs. Humans Are the Real Monsters

• Humans Are Bastards: Humans are horrible to each other.
• Humans Are Cthulhu: Non-humans see humans as Eldritch Abominations.
• Humans Are the Real Monsters: Humans are horrible to other sapient species.

Hype Aversion vs. It's Popular, Now It Sucks!:

• Hype Aversion: Avoiding something because it can't live up to the hype.
• It's Popular, Now It Sucks!: Turning away from something because everyone started loving it.

Hyper-Awareness vs. Sherlock Scan:

• Hyper-Awareness: Capable of observing minor details to everything around you.
• Sherlock Scan: Observes minor details to make accurate assumptions.

Hypocrite vs. Straw Hypocrite:

• Hypocrite: Fails to practice what they preach even if they believe in it in principle.
• Straw Hypocrite: Doesn't even believe in what it is that they preach about.

I

I Can't Dance vs. Sucks at Dancing:

• A character can't dance...
  • I Can't Dance: ...and knows it.
  • Sucks at Dancing: ...but thinks they can.

Idiot Ball vs. Idiot Plot:

• Stupidity for plot's sake...
  • Idiot Ball: ...by a normally smarter character.
  • Idiot Plot: ...by many characters.

Idiot Ball vs. Lethally Stupid vs. Nobody's That Dumb vs. No One Else Is That Dumb vs. Too Dumb to Live vs. A Tragedy of Impulsiveness vs. Who Would Be Stupid Enough?:

• Idiot Ball: Characters lapse into OOC stupidity.
• Lethally Stupid: Character's stupidity endangers other people's lives.
• Nobody's That Dumb: 'I know I'm stupid, but I'm not stupid enough for this.'
• No One Else Is That Dumb: Character's stupidity can be used to confirm their identity.
• Too Dumb to Live: Character's stupidity endangers their own life.
• A Tragedy of Impulsiveness: Bad stuff happens because of characters not thinking things through. Not always about idiocy.
• Who Would Be Stupid Enough?: Something is too stupid for anyone sane to do. Cut to a character doing it.

Ignore the Fanservice vs. Not Distracted by the Sexy

• Ignore the Fanservice: The character is indifferent to a display of sexiness.
• Not Distracted by the Sexy: No one notices the character's stripperiffic outfit.

IKEA Erotica vs. Mills and Boon Prose

• The erotica reads like...
  • IKEA Erotica: ...an instruction manual.
  • Mills and Boon Prose: ...a stereotypical romance novel.

I Let Gwen Stacy Die vs. The Lost Lenore vs. The Mourning After

• A loved one's death impacts the character so much because...
  • I Let Gwen Stacy Die: They feel personal guilt for its happening.
  • The Lost Lenore: It cuts so deeply.
  • The Mourning After: It remains with them for so long.

I Let Gwen Stacy Die vs. Sacrificial Lion

• I Let Gwen Stacy Die: Hero becomes more driven/motivated after a closely-tied character's death.
• Sacrificial Lion: Character whose death is a major point of drama or shift in the plot.

Immortality vs. Made of Iron vs. Nigh-Invulnerability:

• Immortality: Not dying.
• The character shakes off damage that would kill an ordinary human...
  • Made of Iron: ...because of Rule of Cool and/or Charles Atlas Super Power.
  • Nigh-Invulnerability: ...because they're no ordinary human.

Incurable Cough of Death vs. Soap Opera Disease vs. The Disease That Shall Not Be Named vs. Victorian Novel Disease:

• A disease that:
  • Incurable Cough of Death: ...is fatal and mainly manifests as a cough.
  • Soap Opera Disease: ...is long, serious, usually terminal, and ill-defined.
  • The Disease That Shall Not Be Named: ...is a specific disease but the writer doesn't want to say it.
  • Victorian Novel Disease: ...is potentially fatal, suffered by a "pure" Victorian woman, and is usually a glorified version of TB or something similar.

Index Syndrome vs. Indexitis:

• Index Syndrome: Sound like medical conditions.
• Indexitis: Actually are medical conditions.

Infinity -1 Sword vs. Penultimate Weapon:

• The World's Greatest Weapon isn't the one you'll use most of the time, because:
  • Infinity -1 Sword: The Second-Greatest Weapon is more applicable to normal combat.
  • Penultimate Weapon: Its might was somewhat exaggerated.

In Spite of a Nail vs. Ontological Inertia:

• Changing time doesn't massively distort the present because:
  • In Spite of a Nail: The butterfly chain of events peters out quicker than you think.
  • Ontological Inertia: The timeline resists/has ways to absorb changes.

Instrument of Murder vs. Musical Assassin vs. Senseless Violins:

• The weapon...
  • Instrument of Murder: ...looks like a musical instrument.
  • Musical Assassin: ...is an instrument's music.
  • Senseless Violins: ...is in the instrument case.

Insufferable Genius vs. Too Clever by Half:

• Insufferable Genius: Smart and annoying.
• Too Clever by Half: Smart and annoying and they want to prove it.

Insult Backfire vs. Stealth Insult

• The target of the insult...
  • Insult Backfire: ...gets it and considers it a compliment.
  • Stealth Insult: ...doesn't get it.

Intellectual Animal vs. Intelligent Gerbil:

• Intelligent animal/creature that gets most of its traits from...
  • Intellectual Animal: Being intelligent.
  • Intelligent Gerbil: Being an animal.

Intoxication Ensues vs. Mushroom Samba:

• Drugs cause...
  • Intoxication Ensues: ...strange behavior.
  • Mushroom Samba: ...wild hallucinations, with logical reactions.

Invisibility vs Invisible Main Character:

• Invisibility: Invisibility as a reoccuring superpower.
• Invisible Main Character: Invisibility as a one shot situation.

I Own This Town vs. Taking Over the Town vs. Take Over the City

• I Own This Town: Villain has so much influence they can do anything they like.
• Taking Over the Town: Villain isolates the town so they can take the pickings.
• Take Over the City: General villain goal one step down from Take Over the World.

Ironic Echo vs. Meaningful Echo

• Ironic Echo: Repeated for irony.
• Meaningful Echo: Repeated without irony.

Iron Woobie vs. Stoic Woobie

• Someone who's struggling as The Woobie...
  • Iron Woobie: Doesn't regret it.
  • Stoic Woobie: Doesn't reveal it.

It's All My Fault vs. My God, What Have I Done?

• A character is wracked with guilt over...
  • It's All My Fault: Something that they think is all their fault but it either isn't or it's easily remedied.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: Something that is their fault, and it's not easily remedied.

It's Not Supposed to Win Oscars vs. Not Screened for Critics

• To avoid or deflect critics, a work's creator will:
  • It's Not Supposed to Win Oscars: Say that it wasn't meant to be award bait.
  • Not Screened for Critics: Have it released without critics getting the chance to see it.

I Want My Jet Pack vs. Magic Floppy Disk vs. Science Marches On vs. Technology Marches On vs. Our Graphics Will Suck in the Future vs. Zeerust vs. Zeerust Canon:

• A futurism failure...
  • I Want My Jet Pack: ...is noted by a character.
  • Magic Floppy Disk: ...is made by this work.
  • Science Marches On: ...is due to contemporary science becoming obsolete.
  • Technology Marches On: ...is due to contemporary technology becoming obsolete.
    • Our Graphics Will Suck in the Future: specifically, computer graphics technology.
  • Zeerust: ...looks dated today.
  • Zeerust Canon: ...still looks awesome, let's keep using it.

I Was Never Here vs. You Didn't See That:

• I Was Never Here is the sneaky one.
• You Didn't See That is the embarrassed one.