Just a Face and a Caption: The Starscream

Even if the image is not an example of the trope in action, it really looks like it is.

Whether or not something is an example is quite relevant to its value as an image, though.

From the How To Pick A Good Image page:

If that panel genuinely isn't an example, it shouldn't be on the crowner, period.

It illustrates the trope. Yes it should be on the crowner.

EDIT (just needed to get that incredibly important point above out as fast as possible):

The trope is a character and the image depicts the Trope Namer, who is an example. OK, now that's out of the way. If it were just that it would be JAFAAC. But instead of that, the image does a great job illustrating the character and what he does. So in that specific scene he's not plotting treachery, he's about to fight. In the frame though, he looks like he's doing what he's known and named for. It's not like anyone who's seen the episode is immediately going to think of that scene specifically rather than the context of the image. Scene and frame are not necessarily the same. The image is not going to lead anyone off the right track unless the reader completely lacks the ability to interpret an image.

Even with that particular scene, the image is still accurate in the scope of the show as a whole. Starscream wants to overthrow the Big Bad. It's true and the image illustrates that.

And why do I hate the comic image so much? 'Cause I have to sit down and read it. I'd rather read the article and look at the image. It's a perfect Image Link though, since in that case I'd actually be looking for images, not articles, and the image link is a separate entity from the trope page.

edited 2nd Apr '12 7:38:35 PM by FinalStarman

Yeah, the current image is Starscream about to fight, not plotting treachery. And Megatron isn't "unsuspecting" in any way. He's about to turn around and shoot Starscream. If anything, the caption should be changed.

By the way, can that "Starscream in front" be replaced by the colored version? (That's the colorist's, Deviantart page, I think)

edited 2nd Apr '12 9:00:32 PM by ThatHuman

Added "no image" to the crowner.

Upvoting. All of the images look rather poor illustrations to me.

I prefer the colored version of "Starscream in front" compared to the current image, since it focuses more on Starscream.

edited 4th Apr '12 10:47:36 AM by ThatHuman

If this has any hope of settling the "not an example" argument — whether or not an image is actually an example of the trope and whether it illustrates the spirit of the trope can be two different things.

We could for example take the current image, splash a little thought bubble on it ("Without you, the Decepticons will need a new leader — me!") and the result would very well encapsulate the trope, even if the source isn't an actual example.

edited 5th Apr '12 9:59:59 PM by Stratadrake

Because of the timing on this, the crowner won't be called until Monday.

Colored version of "Starscream in front" has a solid lead.

Here it is at 345 pixels width.◊

If it gets used, the pothole should go to Transformers All Hail Megatron.

edited 10th Apr '12 9:30:08 AM by ThatHuman

Calling crowner.

Thanks for catching this one. The new pic is up, potholed, and tagged. Caption ideas? I culled the old one, but we can recycle it.

Idea: "Because there's a reason why we're called DECEPTicons."

edited 11th Apr '12 4:05:34 PM by peasant

My gut reaction is that that would fit something else besides this specific trope.

I was just thinking that with a name like Decepticons, can you honestly be surprised that your underlings are a bunch of traitorous plotters?

Yeah, but this is about a single traitorous plotter. And well, some versions have him contrast against more loyal Decepticons.

"I've always got Megatron's back...in my sights."

edited 12th Apr '12 10:50:02 AM by Willbyr

Oh lord, I wish I'd seen this crowner before it was called. To me it's even worse.

Alright, we need to call this...might be a bit possessive, but I'm gonna put up the caption suggestion I made since it fits a little closer than the other. Locking up.