This sandbox tracks the pages tropers have cleared Surprisingly Realistic Outcome misuse from using the ongoing cleanup regarding the trope.
We don't want to clog up the cleanup thread since Surprisingly Realistic Outcome. Before posting about it there, check if the example you're analyzing qualifies for summary deletion from the three criteria below by keeping this trope's rigorous on-page definition in mind.
- Does the example revolve around a character's psychological reaction? If so, it instantly violates the definition's first bullet point's emphasis on the realism being surprising, and you should delete it without question.
- Does the example involve Applied Phlebotinum (Functional Magic, Science Fiction, Artistic Licence)? If so, it instantly violates the definition's second bullet point's realism requirements, and you should delete it without question.
- Is the example a Discussed Trope or an instance of Conversational Troping? If so, it violates the definition's third bullet point's emphasis on only counting outcomes, and you should delete it without question.
- Would the example qualify for another trope or subversion of one? If so, move it from SRO to there on the spot, as there's no point in listing something here if something else already covers it. Some tropes to especially keep in mind:
- Bigger Stick, My Kung-Fu Is Stronger Than Yours: A character is defeated because their opponent was stronger. Many examples are mistakenly listed under SRO even if the fight isn't realistic, or the work didn't clearly make audiences expect a Darkhorse Victory.
- Deconstruction Fic, Deconstructive Parody: If the work applies a realistic outcome to something in a completely different work.
- Did Not Think This Through: Many examples sound like they could fit under the trope's old title, Reality Ensues.
- Karma: The point of SRO is to go against audience expectations by defying normal conventions. If the realistic outcome is portrayed as the consequence of unethical behavior, it's not really surprising by SRO's standards since audiences expect something bad to happen to these characters.
- Logical Weakness: It's slightly more realistic for this character to have this weakness than not due to their powers, but if it was realistic enough for SRO, the character wouldn't have these powers in the first place.
- Puff of Logic: A realistic outcome is applied, but only after someone points out that the current outcome is unrealistic. This definition had a lot of overlap with the old title "Reality Ensues", since it's literally about reality ensuing, but the fact that it requires an unrealistic outcome to happen in the first place makes it not realistic enough by SRO's standards.
- Rejected Apology, Reformed, but Rejected: Some people think that it's realistic for a character to not be fully forgiven after a heinous act, and they might be right, but, as mentioned in the main trope definition under "Surprising", it's impossible to say for sure that characters reconciling more smoothly is "unsurprising" or "unrealistic".
- Required Secondary Powers: Similar to Logical Weakness above, an unrealistic power is given more realistic consequences, but the power's mere existence still pushes the example out of SRO's narrow definition of realism.
- This Is Reality, Wrong Genre Savvy: A character assumes that their world functions according to fictional logic, and is proven wrong. Unlike SRO, audiences don't have to share the character's expectations.
- Wrong Assumption: Another trope that could have been confused with the old title, Reality Ensues.
- Needed: a trope for characters still being traumatized even after escaping a dangerous situation safely. If one doesn't exist, please save any SRO examples that fit that definition so it can be TLP'd
- If the example passed all previous tests, and thus satisfies the second and third bullet points, you don't need to change it immediately. If you feel like it meets the first bullet point's requirements for being surprising, you can leave it. However, if you believe it doesn't meet the first bullet point or aren't sure, talk it over in the cleanup thread before deciding.
Once you've reviewed a page and confirmed it's clear of misuse, list it below to let other tropers know it's finished.
Works with Surprisingly Realistic Outcome subpages cut due to insufficient valid examples:
- Attack on Titan
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Henry Stickmin Series
- Three Can Keep a Secret
- Wander over Yonder
Pages tropers have cleared of Surprisingly Realistic Outcome misuse:
- Communication
- Concerned (pothole on the trivia subpage)
- Handmaid
- I Spit on Your Grave
- Little Miss Heropants
- My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (includes recap pages for episodes, but not the movies)
- Star vs. the Forces of Evil
- Turning Red
- Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier
- Zero Time Dilemma
