Part 4 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.
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J
Jack of All Stats vs. Master of None:
- Being good at everything, great at nothing is the character's:
- Jack of All Stats: Advantage.
- Master of None: Disadvantage.
Joke Item vs. Lethal Joke Item vs. Nerf Arm vs. Not Completely Useless vs. Scrappy Weapon:
- Joke Item: Funny useless item.
- Lethal Joke Item: Funny item, deceptively useful.
- Nerf Arm: Funny useful item.
- Not Completely Useless: Item's useful for one situation but terrible elsewhere.
- Scrappy Weapon: Just plain useless.
Jumping the Shark vs. Ruined FOREVER:
- Jumping the Shark: Fans realize that moment five seasons ago was when a show started to suck.
- Ruined FOREVER: Fans claim that moment five minutes ago is when a show starts to suck.
Junk Rare vs. Promotional Powerless Piece of Garbage:
- How did you get your piece of crap?
- Junk Rare: At random.
- Promotional Powerless Piece of Garbage: As a special promotion.
Justified Trope vs. Truth in Television:
- Justified Trope: Trope with a Real Life explanation/justification.
- Truth in Television: Trope happens in Real Life.
K
Kick the Dog vs. Poke the Poodle vs. Jumping Off the Slippery Slope vs. Moral Event Horizon:
- Kick the Dog: Evil for evil's sake, to remind you they're evil.
- Poke the Poodle: Wimpy attempted Kick the Dog.
- Jumping Off the Slippery Slope: Went too far down Knight Templar street.
- Moral Event Horizon: Something so bad, the audience now wants you dead.
The Kid with the Remote Control vs. Kid with the Leash
- Someone controls and directs a powerful entity that is:
- The Kid with the Remote Control: Neutral.
- Kid with the Leash: Malevolent.
Kill It with Fire vs. Playing with Fire:
- Kill It with Fire: Fire can take care of any adversary.
- Playing with Fire: Fire as a superpower.
Klingon Scientists Get No Respect vs. Square Race, Round Class:
- Character is unlikely to make it in their chosen profession, because their race...
- Klingon Scientists Get No Respect: Sneers at such activities.
- Square Race, Round Class: Is very mismatched to the needed skills.
Knight in Sour Armor vs. The Snark Knight:
- Knight in Sour Armor: Bitter and cynical, but still fights for the good.
- The Snark Knight: Snide, due to holding everyone to high standards (including themselves).
Knight Templar vs. Well-Intentioned Extremist:
- Knight Templar: A villain who starts as a good guy and goes too far.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: A villain who starts as a villain but has a good motive.
Kryptonite Is Everywhere vs Weaksauce Weakness
- Kryptonite Is Everywhere: The character's weakness shows up way more often than it logically should.
- Weaksauce Weakness: The character's weakness is something incredibly common or silly.
L
Lame Pun Reaction vs. Stealth Pun vs. World of Pun
- Lame Pun Reaction: Even the characters admit they're lame.
- Stealth Pun: Find them out by yourself.
- World of Pun: Many puns in a work.
Large Ham vs. No Indoor Voice
- Large Ham: The character overacts all the time.
- No Indoor Voice: The character shouts all the time.
Lawyer-Friendly Cameo vs. Writing Around Trademarks vs. You Wanna Get Sued?:
- Referencing trademarked materials by...
- Lawyer-Friendly Cameo: Obscuring enough of their distinctive details.
- Writing Around Trademarks: Altering the wording slightly.
- You Wanna Get Sued?: Pulling back at the last second.
Leeroy Jenkins vs. Spanner in the Works vs. Unwitting Instigator of Doom:
- Bob ruins...
- Leeroy Jenkins: ...everything by charging in too early.
- Spanner in the Works: ...the Big Bad's plan.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: ...the protagonists' plan.
Legacy Character vs. Legacy Immortality vs. Suspiciously Similar Substitute vs. The Nth Doctor vs. The Other Darrin vs. Replacement Scrappy vs. Time-Shifted Actor:
- Legacy Character: New character adopts old character's persona in-universe.
- Legacy Immortality: Legacy Character perceived in-universe as one immortal character.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: New character has same role and character traits as old character, for no in-universe reason.
- The Other Darrin: Same character, new actor, ignored in-universe.
- The Nth Doctor: Same character, new actor, explained in-universe.
- Replacement Scrappy: New character sucks because he's new.
- Time-Shifted Actor: Same character, new actor, explained by the character's aging.
Lesser of Two Evils vs. A Lighter Shade of Black:
- Two unfortunate figures, portrayed as...
- Lesser of Two Evils: One being slightly less painful.
- A Lighter Shade of Black: One being nobler and closer to Anti-Villain.
Life Will Kill You vs. We All Die Someday
- Life Will Kill You: Anticlimactic death.
- We All Die Someday: Said in response to people asking about death.
Lions and Tigers and Humans... Oh, My! vs. World of Funny Animals vs. World of Mammals
A world populated by...- Lions and Tigers and Humans... Oh, My!: Anthropomorphic animals and humans.
- World of Funny Animals: Just the anthropomorphic animals.
- World of Mammals: ...Specifically, mammalian ones.
Long-Runner Tech Marches On vs. Technology Marches On
- Long-Runner Tech Marches On: In-show gadgets update to keep matching the trendy real-life gadget.
- Technology Marches On: Character in an old season can't wait to get their snazzy, brand-new Walkman.
Love Potion vs. Sex Magic
- Love Potion: Using magic to get sex.
- Sex Magic: Using sex to power magic.
Luke, I Am Your Father vs. Luke, You Are My Father
- A character's relative is revealed to be:
- Luke, I Am Your Father: An established character.
- Luke, You Are My Father: A new character.
M
Macabre Moth Motif vs. Moth Menace
- Macabre Moth Motif: Moths are an omen of bad.
- Moth Menace: A bad moth.
MacGuffin vs. Plot Coupon
- MacGuffin: Pursuit or protection of the thing drives and causes the story events.
- Plot Coupon: Characters must acquire this thing, and no progress towards the goal can be made until they do.
Machine Empathy vs. Technopath
- Character can spot changes in machine equipment...
- Machine Empathy: Because they're an ace engineer.
- Technopath: By using their superpowers.
Made of Iron vs Super-Toughness
- A character is superhumanly durable...
- Made of Iron: ...for no clear reason.
- Super-Toughness: ...because it's one of his/her powers.
Major Injury Underreaction vs. Only a Flesh Wound
- Major Injury Underreaction: Barely reacting to a serious wound.
- Only a Flesh Wound: Non-incapacitating wounds are shrugged off.
Making Use of the Twin vs. Twin Switch
- One twin stands in for another...
- Twin Switch: ...in the show.
- Making Use of the Twin: ...in the production of the show.
Manchild vs. One of the Kids
- Bob acts like a child...
- Manchild: ...because he never grew up.
- One of the Kids: ...because he chooses to act that way.
Man of Wealth and Taste vs. Wicked Cultured
- Being evil doesn't stop the villain from having sophisticated..
- Man of Wealth and Taste: ...appearance and possessions.
- Wicked Cultured: ...interests.
Marriage Before Romance vs. Perfectly Arranged Marriage:
- Characters are thrown into an engagement, but fall in love for real:
- Marriage Before Romance: after the wedding.
- Perfectly Arranged Marriage: before the wedding.
Mary Sue vs. most of the subtypes
- Mary Sue: Fan fic character (generally) who is blatant Wish-Fulfillment for the author. Super-Trope for the following:
- Anti-Sue: Ugly and/or nasty but still a Sue in the plot.
- Black Hole Sue: The entire plot is caught in their event horizon.
- Canon Sue: Exactly What It Says on the Tin; can be any type of Sue.
- Copy Cat Sue: Specially-tailored ripoff of a canon character.
- Dream Sue: A character is perfect in their dreams.
- Einstein Sue: Outrageously disconnected from the crisis but knows how to solve it.
- Fixer Sue: Exists to patch up the plot, whether it's needed or not.
- God-Mode Sue: Overpowered in the extreme.
- Jerk Sue: Thoroughly nasty to others but always loved by everyone.
- Lemon Stu: The ultimate lover, to unrealistic degrees.
- Marty Stu: Mary Sue's Distaff Counterpart.
- Mary Sue Classic: Perfection in everything, and loved by everyone; often a Purity Sue. The archetypal Sue character.
- Mary Tzu: An unrealistically successful schemer.
- Neutrality Sue: Can get away with anything because of their neutral morality.
- Parody Sue: Deliberately mocks the trope.
- Possession Sue: Canon character rewritten to fit the author's ideal.
- Purity Sue: A blinding beacon of pureness and positivity.
- Relationship Sue: Exists to create a romance with another character.
- Sympathetic Sue: Unrealistically angsty and draws sympathy from everyone.
- 30-Sue Pileup: Many Sues in one plot.
- Villain Sue: Unrealistically over-the-top villainy.
May–December Romance vs. December–December Romance vs. Mayfly–December Romance
- In a romantic relationship...
- May–December Romance: ...one partner is much older than the other.
- December–December Romance: ...both are elderly.
- Mayfly–December Romance: ...one lives for a long time, outliving one or more partners.
Meanwhile, in the Future… vs. Portal to the Past vs. San Dimas Time
- If you want to be back within an hour, you can't spend more than 59 minutes in the past/future.
- Portal to the Past: Justified, the portal can only take you exactly X years forwards/backwards from the moment you step through.
- San Dimas Time: Technically wrong, but the characters never realize it.
- Meanwhile, in the Future…: The same idea applied to the narrative, rather than to the characters.
Menacing Stroll vs. Ominous Walk vs. The Slow Walk vs. Team Power Walk vs. Unflinching Walk
- Menacing Stroll: Shows this individual is badass. Needs dangerous setting.
- Ominous Walk: Taking your time with kicking ass.
- The Slow Walk: Determined walk to get in range before kicking ass.
- Team Power Walk: Shows this team is badass. Needs slow-mo.
- Unflinching Walk: Any of the above while there's Stuff Blowing Up.
Metal Slime vs. Piñata Enemy
- Piñata Enemy: A videogame enemy that reaps special rewards on death.
- Metal Slime: ...Except they're tanky and prone to fleeing combat first.
Mighty Whitey vs. White Man's Burden
- A white hero encounters a group of minorities.
- Mighty Whitey: The hero joins the tribe and quickly learns to be better than them at everything.
- White Man's Burden: The hero sees how pitiful their lives are, then works to make things better for them.
Mile-Long Ship vs. Planet Spaceship vs. Starship Luxurious vs. Unnecessarily Large Vessel
- Mile-Long Ship: Transport you could locate on an atlas.
- Planet Spaceship: Transport big enough to dwarf small moons.
- Unnecessarily Large Vessel: Transport that, regardless of actual size, has more room than needed for function.
- Starship Luxurious: ...In space!
Millionaire Playboy vs. Rich in Dollars, Poor in Sense vs. Uncle Pennybags vs. Upper-Class Twit
- Frivolous and wealthy person who...
- Millionaire Playboy: Gets all the ladies.
- Rich in Dollars, Poor in Sense: Has no grasp of several basic concepts.
- Uncle Pennybags: Is charming and lovable.
- Upper-Class Twit: Was gifted it all in inheritance.
Min-Maxing vs. One Stat to Rule Them All
- One Stat to Rule Them All: Disproportionately effectual stat.
Mirror World vs. Remixed Level
- Similar, yet distinct video game level is...
- Mirror World: Fundamentally different, usually through alternate dimensions.
- Remixed Level: Modified, but ultimately the same location.
Misblamed vs. Never My Fault
- Misblamed: The wrong person is blamed for the problem.
- Never My Fault: Character refuses to accept responsibility for problems.
Morality Chain vs. Morality Pet:
- A Jerkass or Blood Knight has someone special to them that...
- Morality Chain: ...keeps them from becoming an irredeemably evil person.
- Morality Pet: ...makes them slightly likeable.
Morph Weapon vs. Shapeshifter Weapon:
- Morph Weapon: The weapon can shift shapes.
- Shapeshifter Weapon: The shapeshifter can form their own weapons.
Morton's Fork vs. Sadistic Choice
- Morton's Fork: Every choice leads to the same bad outcome.
- Sadistic Choice: Every choice leads to a different bad outcome.
Mundane Wish vs. Wasteful Wishing
- A character is granted wishes...
- Mundane Wish: ...and uses them on something common.
- Wasteful Wishing: ...and uses them on something stupid.
Mundane Utility vs. Not the Intended Use vs. Power Perversion Potential:
- 'You're not really meant to use that for such __ purposes.'
- Mundane Utility: everyday
- Not the Intended Use: weird
- Power Perversion Potential: sexual
Mundanger vs. Mundangerous vs. Weaksauce Weakness
- Mundanger: Normal enemy in supernatural setting.
- Mundangerous: The normal can hurt things of the supernatural.
- Weaksauce Weakness: Super-powered character is hurt by something that shouldn't hurt anyone.
Murder Is the Best Solution vs. Violence is the Only Option:
- The hero resorts to violence because...
- Murder Is the Best Solution: ...the hero loves violence.
- Violence is the Only Option: ...nothing else works.
My Nayme Is vs. Inconsistent Spelling:
- Character's name is spelled unusually...
- My Nayme Is: ...on purpose.
- Inconsistent Spelling: ...because it was translated from a foreign language.
N
Name That Unfolds Like Lotus Blossom vs. Overly Long Name vs. Sesquipedalian Smith vs. Try to Fit That on a Business Card
- Overly Long Name: A very long name...
- Sesquipedalian Smith: ...but the surname is much shorter in comparison.
- Try to Fit That on a Business Card: ...because it's actually a long list of titles.
- Name That Unfolds Like Lotus Blossom: The "name" is more of a description that can be Only One word, but is usually longer.
Narnia Time vs. Year Outside, Hour Inside vs. Year Inside, Hour Outside
- Time in dimension A runs ______ to dimension B.
- Narnia Time: Inconsistently.
- Year Outside, Hour Inside: Slower.
- Year Inside, Hour Outside: Faster.
Narrow Parody vs. Shallow Parody:
- Narrow Parody: Parody of really recent things.
- Shallow Parody: Superficial parody without real understanding.
Near-Villain Victory vs. You Can't Thwart Stage One
- You Can't Thwart Stage One: Villainous plans are never stopped in their early stages.
- Near-Villain Victory: ...But some get closer to triumph than others.
Negative Continuity vs. Status Quo Is God:
- Negative Continuity: Ignore changes to the status quo, everything snaps back next episode.
- Status Quo Is God: Avoid changing the status quo.
Nerf vs. Obvious Rule Patch
- An item turns out to be so powerful that it breaks online play. The developers...
- Nerf: ...reduce its strengths or add drawbacks.
- Obvious Rule Patch: ...forbid its use only when playing online.
The Neutral Zone vs. Truce Zone:
- Try to enter here with a weapon and:
- The Neutral Zone: You'll be shot.
- Truce Zone: You'll have to set it aside until you leave.
Never Grew Up vs. Not Growing Up Sucks vs. Not Allowed to Grow Up
- Never Grew Up: Chooses not to age.
- Not Growing Up Sucks: Cursed not to age.
- Not Allowed to Grow Up: Doesn't age because the writers don't want them to.
Next Thing They Knew vs. One Thing Led to Another vs. Romance Ensues vs. Sex Starts Story Starts:
- Next Thing They Knew: Character flirt a bit, camera cut to them having sex.
- One Thing Led to Another: Dialogue trope as character glosses over the circumstances leading to sex.
- Romance Ensues: Not sex-related. Two characters, talking together alone, realise they're attracted.
- Sex Starts, Story Stops: Characters have sex with no lead-up or reason, halting the story.
Nietzsche Wannabe vs. Ãœbermensch:
- Nietzsche Wannabe: "Life is meaningless. We're all going to rot, so why not just end it now?"
- Ãœbermensch: "I am beyond your petty morality. I seek a higher purpose."
No One Could Survive That! vs. Not Quite Dead vs. Staying Alive:
- No One Could Survive That!: Assumed dead without proof.
- Not Quite Dead: Turns out not to have died.
- Staying Alive: Definitely did die, but now they're back.
No "Police" Option vs. Police Are Useless:
- The police don't help because...
- No "Police" Option: Due process, or other factors outside their control.
- Police Are Useless: Incompetence, corruption, or other factors within their control.
No Saving Throw vs. Unblockable Attack:
- No attempt at resistance will stop the effects of this attack. Said effects are...
- No Saving Throw: Mystical or supernatural.
- Unblockable Attack: Raw physical impact.
Not Completely Useless vs. This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman:
- The useless ability becomes useful...
- Not Completely Useless: If you seek out the situation in which it actually helps.
- This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman: In a shoehorned sequence to 'justify' its presence.
Not Himself vs. O.O.C. Is Serious Business vs. Out-of-Character Alert vs. Out-of-Character Moment:
- They didn't just forget his characterisation - it's to show that:
- Not Himself: There's something wrong with him.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: There's something wrong with the situation.
- Out-of-Character Alert: He's trying to alert his friends to something bad.
- Out-of-Character Moment: The author is having trouble with advancing the plot otherwise.
Nothing Exciting Ever Happens Here vs. Small Town Boredom:
- Small Town Boredom: Tedious, ordinary place to live.
- Nothing Exciting Ever Happens Here: ...Well, for now.
Not in My Contract vs. Not What I Signed on For:
- I refuse to do this deed because...
- Not in My Contract: ...it's not in my list of responsibilities.
- Not What I Signed on For: ...I didn't know it would involve this when I joined.
O
One-Mario Limit vs. One-Steve Limit:
- No two characters have the same first name...
- One-Steve Limit: ...for convenience.
- One-Mario Limit: ...because one is too famous.
One-Winged Angel vs. Sequential Boss vs. Turns Red:
- Just when you thought you were winning a Boss Battle, the boss...
- Sequential Boss: ...changes form. Begin Round Two!
- One-Winged Angel: Ditto, into a godlike form.
- Turns Red: ...becomes more dangerous.
- Sequential Boss: ...changes form. Begin Round Two!
Only Idiots May Pass vs. Stupidity Is the Only Option vs. Violation of Common Sense:
- Stupidity is required...
- Only Idiots May Pass: ...because the devs didn't provide the sensible option (or not yet).
- Stupidity Is the Only Option: ...and punishments ensue.
- Violation of Common Sense: ...and rewards ensue.
Optional Boss vs. Skippable Boss vs. Superboss vs. True Final Boss
- A boss battle that is...
- Optional Boss: Avoided by default, can be sought out.
- Skippable Boss: Fought be default, can be avoided.
- Superboss: Avoided by default, really difficult to seek out, really difficult to defeat.
- True Final Boss: The real climax, if you met the pre-requisites.
Orgasmic Combat vs. Sex Is Violence
- Orgasmic Combat: Fight starts to sound like something else.
- Sex Is Violence: Character gets turned on by fighting.
The Other Darrin vs. The Other Marty vs. The Nth Doctor
- The Other Darrin: New actor, no explanation.
- The Other Marty: New actor, footage redone.
- The Nth Doctor: New actor, onscreen explanation.
Our Vampires Are Different vs. Vampire Variety Pack vs. Your Vampires Suck
- Hi! I'm a vampire.
- Our Vampires Are Different: I'm not like what you see in the movies.
- Vampire Variety Pack: My vampire neighbors aren't like me either.
- Your Vampires Suck: I'm not like what you see in the movies, that's just silly!
Overly Long Gag vs. Overused Running Gag:
- Overly Long Gag: This gag goes on and on and onnote until it becomes funny by that virtue alone.
- Overused Running Gag: This gag has appeared so many times it's not funny anymore.
P
Pacifist Run vs. Stealth Run:
- You completed a game without killing enemies...
- Pacifist Run: ...because you only used Non Lethal KOs.
- Stealth Run: ...because enemies didn't notice you.
Palette Swap vs. Underground Monkey
- Making a new video game character by:
- Palette Swap: Changing another character's color scheme.
- Underground Monkey: Tweaking another character's name/stats/appearance.
Parodied Trope vs. Played for Laughs:
- Parodied Trope: The concept itself is spoofed.
- Played for Laughs: Concept is present in its normal form, but the results/presentation are intended to make you laugh.
Permanently Missable Content vs. Temporary Online Content
- You'll never have another chance to get this awesome item in this Video Game because...
- Permanently Missable Content: ...the dungeon it's in has collapsed.
- Temporary Online Content: ...the DLC including it has been pulled from the shop.
Plan B Resolution vs. Time for Plan B
- The backup plan is prepared...
- Plan B Resolution: On the spot, after plan A fails.
- Time for Plan B: In advance. (may include with plan C, plan D, plan E...)
Platonic Life-Partners vs. Like Brother and Sister vs. Better as Friends vs. Just Friends
- Two characters are very close friends who...
- Platonic Life-Partners: ...have never dated or put serious thought to doing so.
- Like Brother and Sister: ...Because that would just feel weird.
- Better as Friends: ...have dated in the past, but liked things better as friends.
- Just Friends: ...haven't dated, but will.
- Platonic Life-Partners: ...have never dated or put serious thought to doing so.
Player Punch vs. What the Hell, Player? vs. You Bastard!:
- Player Punch: Game gives the player a personal attachment to the unfolding events.
- What the Hell, Player?: Game calls the player out on unnecessarily-cruel acts.
- You Bastard!: Work calls the player out on enjoying the messed-up premise.
Plot Tailored to the Party vs. This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman:
- The task can only be solved by...
- Plot Tailored to the Party: ...everyone pooling their individual abilities.
- This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman: ...Captain Useless!
Politically-Active Princess vs. Pretty Princess Powerhouse vs. Rebellious Princess vs. Tomboy Princess
- A princess who...
- Politically-Active Princess: ...helps with governing.
- Pretty Princess Powerhouse: ...looks delicate but is all about kicking ass.
- Rebellious Princess: ...won't do what her parents want.
- Tomboy Princess: ...isn't very feminine.
The Power of Cheese vs. Too Incompetent to Operate a Blanket
- The people in the ad...
- The Power of Cheese: ...will do stupid things because the product is just that good.
- Too Incompetent to Operate a Blanket: ...need the product because they are too incompetent to operate a normal, simple tool.
The Power of Cheese vs. Product as Superhero
- Product as Superhero: Anthropomorphized product.
- The Power of Cheese: People do crazy things when they want a product.
Pre Ass Kicking One Liner vs. Pre-Mortem One-Liner vs. Bond One-Liner vs. Quip to Black:
- Pre Ass Kicking One Liner: "I'm gonna kick your ass."
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner: "I'm kicking your ass."
- Bond One-Liner: "I kicked your ass."
- Quip to Black: "Looks like this man... got his ass kicked." *cut to commercial break*
Pretentious Pronunciation vs. Psmith Psyndrome vs. You Say Tomato
- Pretentious Pronunciation: Dick wants to be called "Dack" because he's tired of penis jokes.
- Psmith Psyndrome: Alice hears Bob call her "Aliss".
- You Say Tomato: Alice and Bob can't agree on how to say "pecan".
The Psycho Rangers vs. Quirky Miniboss Squad:
- An evil team consisting of...
- The Psycho Rangers: ...Evil Counterparts to the heroes.
- Quirky Miniboss Squad: ...skilled individuals.
Psycho Supporter vs. Yandere:
- Psycho Supporter: Crazy makes you love (or at least follow).
- Yandere: Love makes you crazy.
Psychotic Smirk vs. Slasher Smile:
- Psychotic Smirk: Small, few or no teeth, sign of arrogance.
- Slasher Smile: Big, most or all teeth, sign of insanity / malice.
Puppy Love vs. Toy Ship:
- Two prepubescent characters are a couple...
- Puppy Love: In Canon
- Toy Ship: In Fanon
Put Them All Out of My Misery vs. Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
- Put Them All Out of My Misery: Miserable villain wants to end the world to end their hurt.
- Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: Super-powered character has destructive emotional outburst.
Q
The Quiet One vs. Silent Bob vs. The Speechless vs. The Voiceless:
- The Quiet One: Rarely talks.
- Silent Bob: "Talks" with body language and facial expressions.
- The Speechless: Can't talk.
- The Voiceless: Never talks onscreen.
R
Really Fond of Sleeping vs. Sleepyhead
- A character sleeps a lot...
- Really Fond of Sleeping: ...on command.
- Sleepyhead ...at random.
Redemption Rejection vs. Reformed, but Rejected
- Redemption Rejection: The villain won't turn good.
- Reformed, but Rejected: No-one receives the reformed ex-villain.
Red Shirt vs. Mauve Shirt vs. Sacrificial Lamb vs. Sacrificial Lion
- The doomed character...
- Red Shirt: ...is just there to die for the plot.
- Mauve Shirt: ...is a bit more developed but still dies for the plot.
- Sacrificial Lamb: ...seemed like they would be an important character.
- Sacrificial Lion: ...was very important and the death is meaningful.
Religion of Evil vs. Scary Amoral Religion
- A religious order that does terrible things...
- Religion of Evil: Because their god says they should.
- Scary Amoral Religion: Because their god never said they shouldn't.
Reset Button vs. Snapback:
- Everything is back to normal...
- Reset Button: ...by the end of the episode.
- Snapback: ...by the next episode.
The Rest Shall Pass vs. You Shall Not Pass!:
- "Go on without me, I'll take care of this guy..."
- The Rest Shall Pass: "...in our path."
- You Shall Not Pass!: "...chasing us."
Retcon vs. Revision vs. Rewrite vs. Orwellian Retcon
- Retcon: End of Book One: Alice loves Bob. Start of Book Two: Alice doesn't love Bob.
- Orwellian Retcon: Book One, Second Edition: Alice doesn't love Bob.
- Revision: Extra details added to Alice and Bob's love between books, while you weren't looking.
- Rewrite: Book Two: Alice doesn't love Bob, which means all the stuff that happened on Valentine's Day in the first book also never happened.
Ret-Gone vs. Unperson:
- Someone's existence is erased...
Rousing Speech vs. He's Back! vs. Heroic Resolve vs. "No More Holding Back" Speech vs. Shut Up, Hannibal!:
- Rousing Speech: "Come on everyone, lets go kick some ass!"
- He's Back!: "I'm back, now let's go kick some ass!"
- Heroic Resolve: "I can't give up, I must kick some ass!"
- "No More Holding Back" Speech: "I will not be afraid to kick ass anymore."
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: "Shut up villain! I'll kick your ass!"