Needs Help: Professional Killer

This is a suggestion to change the trope description of Professional Killer.

Currently, the bulk of the trope description is dedicated to claiming that Professional Killers come in two types, which it labels "Assassin" and "Hitman." I believe that these sub-categories should be removed for the following reasons:

1. The terms cause confusion. A character might be called a "hitman" in the work, but fall more in line with what the topic arbitrarily calls an "assassin," or vice-versa.

2. It's reductive. There aren't two kinds of professional killers with a pre-set list of characteristics. There's an unlimited number of characterizations. According to the trope description, better-dressed and erudite professional killers are the most potent, but what about all the times when that's not correct? What about all the mooks in suits? What about all the slovenly badasses? Trying to jam each character into one of two pre-packaged definitions is basically an intra-trope version of Square Peg Round Trope.

3. It's just other tropes bolted into this one. According to this trope's definition, "hitmen" are lowly grunts who aren't much of a threat and die quickly. That's a mook. There's no reason to build the concept of a mook into this trope, because that trope already exists. Furthermore, the trope description asserts that "assassins" are erudite, sleek, cool and badass. That's Badass in a Nice Suit, Cultured Badass, Silk Hiding Steel and other tropes. Ultimately Professional Killer is a trope defining a job, not a characterization. These other characterization tropes exist outside of Professional Killer and don't need to be built into the trope.

edited 25th Nov '13 12:19:39 PM by CaptainCrawdad

I think these mentions can be condensed down to a mere sentence.

I think it's worth noting that "hitman" and "assassin" does often have different connotations, but I definitely agree it can be trimmed down to just one sentence, two tops.

I don't think it is particularly accurate to suggest that the specific terms "hitman" and "assassin" always have those specific connotations. I agree that the description should be rewritten to eliminate the false dichotomy.

Approval to address potential rewrites at Sandbox.Professional Killer shared.

(I'm number 4?)

I stuck in a suggested trope description into the sandbox of Professional Killer if anyone wants to check it out. I basically replaced the sections about Hitmen/Assassins with a more general paragraph listing a variety of possible characterizations and associated tropes.

edited 25th Nov '13 10:07:34 PM by CaptainCrawdad

The sandbox seems excellent.

I move to switch it in.

Seconded, that's a good writeup.

Alrighty, I'm not exactly up on the Trope Repair rules. How many approvals is required before we can make the swap?

There is no fixed number, really. I go for 7 for a small change like this one, usually.

Great writeup.

I would suggest moving the third-to-last paragraph ^{This one} While soldiers, mercenaries, Private Military Contractors, snipers, or professional terrorists typically have to kill someone to accomplish their mission, that mission typically involves something other than just killing - protecting a VIP, destroying or capturing an objective, spreading fear amongst the local population, etc. A Professional Killer's job typically is to kill one specific person, and nothing else. up to second. It's a clear statement of what differentiates a Professional Killer from a number of character types that people are going to want to add, and ends with a very succinct, clear statement of the trope. Otherwise, it's quite good.

edited 27th Nov '13 9:06:46 AM by Madrugada

I think that's enough approval to make the definition rewrite. Is there any cleaning needed?

Alrighty, I've gone ahead and updated the trope description with the version in the sandbox, so if anyone wants to tweak it, they can go ahead and do it there.

I don't know what needs to be done to close this thread out or resolve it, if anything.

Sandbox needs cutlisting.

Did that. Unless it needs wick/example cleaning, mods can close this.

I'm late to the party but I approve the changes as well.

I also approve. I added an example to the trope the other day and when writing it, was somewhat confused about the assassin/hitman distinction, which can be really fuzzy (and as you say, is kind of immaterial).

I think we're done here.

I would agree with this.