Unclear Description: Step Three Profit

The trope is being misused; that is the real problem. For the trope to be in play, a character (be it a hero or a villain) has to make a plan which makes an assumption. For example, villain taking over the world:

1. Summon giant monster. 2. Send monster to attack hero's home town to lure out hero. 3. Have monster kill hero. 4. TAKE OVER THE WORLD.

Get it? Characters do not have to hang a lampshade for the trope to be in use.

edited 22nd Apr '13 10:12:33 PM by EditorPallMall

No, that's just a plothole. We don't want plotholes. That's not something we want here. If that's all this trope is then we should cut it. It's that simple. Either we change it to something that is a trope or we cut it. Your choice.

Edit: Your interpretation is the misuse. That is actually the entire problem with the trope.

edited 22nd Apr '13 10:15:14 PM by Clarste

I agree with Clarste.

No, I disagree. First of all, we do have pages on plot holes. Second, is a trope with negative and positive uses.

Also, stop saying my interpretation is misuse. I am quoting from the article and you are saying "this is what I think the trope should be".

edited 22nd Apr '13 10:20:12 PM by EditorPallMall

Okay fine, I vote to cut because there's no reason for this trope to exist.

At the same time, we should really make a trope about nonsensical plans. Maybe we could name it after that episode of South Park where they had a nonsensical plan? I think the name recently opened up.

No, it isn't. Essentially every example on the page that isn't comedic is complaints and memes. So we either limit the trope to comedic examples, or we eliminate it. (I vote the latter.)

edited 22nd Apr '13 10:24:00 PM by Noaqiyeum

I agree with Clarste too. That's a flawed plan, sure, but it's not this trope.

I changed my mind. Looking through the examples, they are simply complaining slash being a dated meme. Clarste's idea would be redefining the trope but by doing so we could keep the comedic examples.

So my vote goes to redefine and rename.

Yes, Clarste is right. When you've seen the trope in action it's very clear that it's a comedy trope. The methods do not match the goal and there is an obvious and generally noted missing step that would link the two.

So, basically, Plot Hole but comedic and with a Lamp Shade?

No. Plot Hole is wider than just "Character with a plan missing a step"

Again, it's not a plothole because the plot doesn't rely on the plan making sense. When this trope is used, the plot relies on the plan not making sense. Continuing to think of it as a plothole is the main problem here. Perhaps you've never actually seen the trope being used.

That's true - I think I made the same mistake earlier, calling it a lampshaded plot hole. Plot holes are holes in the plot, not holes in characters' plans.

edited 23rd Apr '13 5:06:22 AM by AmyGdala

For me, this trope should be about any plan that is obviously missing a step, especially when lampshaded or otherwise mentioned in the work. That is not always a Plot Hole.

So what do we have as suggestions to fix this?

1. Rename to remove reference to meme and urge to add memes.
2. Redefine to limit to where the missing step of the plan is noticed in-universe
3. Redefine to limit to comedic examples

Anything I am missing?

I personally favor 1 and 2. While I can't think of non-comedic examples, I don't think it's impossible some work somewhere might be using it as a comedic example.

It's more like it's hard to imagine a non-comedic example that isn't misuse. Even if one is theoretically possible, I don't think there's anything wrong with writing the description as if it's comedic.

I favor all three, including renaming to some variation of Missing Step Gag. I can't think of even a theoretical valid example that is not a gag.

Going to support #1 and #2, wavering on #3.

Big Bad outlines a plan. The Starscream shows plan is missing a crucial step and Big Bad shouldn't be in charge with such poor planning. He then takes over.

Missing a crucial step seems different to me from making a logical leap. If it just misses a step (which could then be inserted) I don't think it's the same as this page's main examples. And if the plan, in neglecting the step, makes an absurd logical leap, that would be a gag.

Could you more specifically describe the plan that's missing a crucial step?

To muddle things further, there's another trope about that: And Then What?.

And Then What? is different in that the plan has no final goal or reason for the final goal.

ie: the plan goes like this:

1. Build Death Ray.
2. Defeat Trope Man.
3. Blow up the Moon with Death Ray.

Why does he want to blow up the moon? what does blowing up the moon accomplish? How does it further him?

a common example are villains who want to Take Over the World but seem to have no interest or reason for wanting to run the place. What does running the world accomplish?

edited 23rd Apr '13 6:05:49 AM by CobraPrime

Okay, I see your point that this is not a plothole. I do think it's best to have the trope header point out that this is usually a comedy trope.

And it needs a rename to prevent people from using it for the meme. In the spirit of brainstorming, let me offer Didn't Think This Through.

(edit) whoops, that's already a trope. So what is the difference between DTTT and S 3 P? They sound similar...

edited 23rd Apr '13 6:45:53 AM by Spark9

That is a funny way to propose a merger, yes?

Yeah, I didn't realize the trope already existed until I pressed send :)