Tighten or Split (new crowner): Obvious Trap

I was looking for the old (I knew we had to have it) "heroes know it's a trap but walk into it anyway because they don't have a choice and/or have a plan in mind for what's in store." So I get to Obvious Trap.

Someone sets a trap. It's an obvious trap. It's a blatantly obvious trap. You'd need to be blind not to spot it.

Let's walk into it!

The reasons for this vary. Sometimes, it's because one of the hero's Nakama or a Love Interest is being held hostage, and the hero can't turn his back on them. Sometimes it's because the heroes need a lead to the villain's plot and taking the bait is the only way. Sometimes it's just because the hero or villain enjoys a challenge.

Great, perfect! But then:

Or maybe it's because they really are stupid enough to fall for it.

...which defeats the entire point. Surely "we know it's a trap but we have no choice" is quite distinct from "trap? What trap?" as a plot point? Apparently they are grouped together so that "obvious" means obvious to the audience, but that's still two tropes: "trap is obvious to audience and the characters" versus "trap is obvious to audience but not the characters". In fact, that second one seems a little redundant to me, considering Schmuck Bait, but either way, I think "We have no choice but to walk into this trap" ought to have its own trope because that is I think a pretty unique tension from the audience as opposed to the What An Idiot feeling you're going to get from "we're about to do something that should be transparently stupid."

edited 7th Jul '11 6:42:29 PM by Tyoria

I say just get rid of that last part. We have Schmuck Bait and What An Idiot for that. There's no need to make a third page for Complaining About Characters Doing Stupid Things.

^ I agree, and it shouldn't be too hard to do, at least on the page itself — most examples are good. I think, though, the name isn't helping any, if we want it to make it clear the heroes are deliberately triggering it.

If we want a trope about people deliberately triggering a trap, then the title should signify that it's about the people doing the triggering. The title Obvious Trap ought to be attached to an article about obvious traps, full stop.

Here's my thing: Obvious Trap tells me it's an obvious trap, not that it's a trap that's actually triggered, much less whether the trap's triggered deliberately or accidentally. So what part of Obvious Trap isn't covered by Schmuck Bait?

Not that I'd mind having a split for "Deliberately Triggered Trap," or whatever, but almost all of the examples and only about one line of the description cover exactly that. It seems like it would make more sense to take that line out, take out the few bad examples and possibly rename it, than make a new trope.

edited 7th Jul '11 10:07:43 PM by Tyoria

Yes. Rework this trope a bit, rename it Deliberately Triggering the Trap or something less stupid, and turn Obvious Trap into a redirect for Schmuck Bait. I can get behind that.

Well I'm not seeing a lot of responses on this one way or the other, (okay, so I am a mite impatient), but I don't want to go ahead and make the change even though hey technically, I have universal support from everyone else who's posted in the thread. (Which makes for a three-vote total.) So I made a Crowner if anyone wants to get in on it.

Crowner hooked.

Does anyone have suggestions for a name besides Deliberately Triggering the Trap?

Lets Walk Into The Trap

Unavoided Trap

Trap Is the Only Option

...I guess I could just move it now? Though I was hoping for more rename suggestions or support. I'm leaning a bit towards Trap Is the Only Option (compare Stupidity Is the Only Option).

I'll make an alt-titles crowner.

Wow, you're fast. I'm much obliged.

Feel free to add new names to the crowner, guys.

I guess we have a winner? At least this should be easier to fix than Missed Moment of Awesome...

Mods okay with me changing it now?

edited 26th Jul '11 8:56:57 PM by Tyoria

Looks good to me, if the crowner hasn't changed in a day or so.

edited 26th Jul '11 9:10:51 PM by Madrugada

alright, everything's done except moving the discussion page.

No discussion page to move on Obvious Trap. We're done. Locking it all up.