Misused: Thin Chin Of Sin

This is a trope I created recently, and I was reading it just now when I realized that it's a little unclear.

When I originally wrote the draft, it was meant to be about villains with exceptionally long, pointy chins. (like the Mad Hatter◊ in Batman: Through the Looking Glass)

I used the adjective "thin" to give the title a triple rhyme, but I'm worried that it's causing people to misunderstand the meaning of the trope.

Some of the examples that are on the page right now are simply lean faced (such as Draco Malfoy, and there's no evidence that their chins are longer than normal.

I think we should revise the description to make it clear that this is only for long, pointy chins. We should also rename it to Pointy Chin Of Sin or Long Chin Of Sin, even if it means giving up the triple-rhyme.

I'm going ahead and opening this one, as there's an IP thread hinging on how this resolves. I'm good to restrict the examples to the extremely pointy/thin-faced villains, possibly with Pointy Faced Villain or Pointy Chinned Villain as alternate rename options along with the OP's.

It's important that they are the only ones that have that and or have a butt chin heroic counterpart. Maybe Unique Villainous Pointed Chin?

Some art styles just use a pointy chin to signify age, hotness, or just a typical Shōjo Noodle People style like Code Geass or XXX Holic and everyone has one.

Although with Villainous Cheekbones and Sinister Schnoz already existing I don't know maybe just lump em all together with a Evil Angular Face trope.

edited 6th Jun '16 1:57:06 AM by Memers

Like all appearance tropes, it should be assumed by everyone that the reason for the appearance is the stereotype or it doesn't count. If the heroes have it, it cannot count.

So... what should we do? I think it's clear that we'll have to delete some of the examples (especially the Harry Potter example, and maybe the Mighty Thor and Dark Souls I examples). But then what?

I apologize for the Harry Potter example, because I was the one who added it. I misinterpreted the trope to mean "villains have thin, pointy chins" in general (and assumed more realistic, downplayed examples counted), rather than specifically an exaggerated type of long, pointy chin. Draco is described in the text of the books as having a "pointed chin" but it isn't described as "long".

edited 21st Jun '16 2:22:37 PM by Rainbow

It can be a bit hard to work through a visual trope for a text that has been overshadowed by a movie adaptation. Everyone who thinks of Malfoy is going to think of the actor.

Downplayed examples are perfectly fine.

If Draco Malfoy has a pointy chin in the book, which features are being ignored?

Does the chin have to be long?

It's not just pointy, it's skinny and pointy.

In that case I am against both "long chin of sin" and "pointy chin of sin" as neither of those would clear up the source of misuse in this case. As the misuse still carries a pointy chin.

I'm trying to picture a short, pointy chin and failing. Doesn't pointiness kind of imply length?

Here is a short but pointed chin.◊ They tend to come with wider faces. I'm using an anime character because it shows the idea that clearest.

That said, this sort of chin does tend to show up as long, thin and pointy. I don't think I've ever seen a short variant that was universally evil and not just coincidence.

edited 21st Jun '16 6:28:24 PM by shimaspawn

this is what I think of when I think of this trope.◊

The big problem I have is when you get into stuff like Code Geass◊ where everyone and their mother has it, good guys and bad guys since its the style of Noodle People.

That is still very Puni Plush though, which wouldn't be this or evil.

Hell no anime example I know of really works, because the hero or the good guys in general need a rounded chin too as a counterpart.

edited 21st Jun '16 7:17:34 PM by Memers

If it doesn't stick out as a characterisation trait, it's not the trope. The important part isn't the absolute length or pointyness. It's about how long and pointy it is relative to other characters.

I think the chin in question needs to be thin and pointed compared to the other characters in the work. I've seen anime where everyone has a pointed chin, but then there's the one guy who has the crazy long chin and the pointy beard at the end of it to boot.

I know that the image I showed wasn't an example of this trope. It was just the first pic I could find of a really short pointed chin for illustration purposes.

edited 21st Jun '16 10:45:33 PM by shimaspawn

Would Grizelda the Ghastly Gourmet qualify? Her chin is long but not pointy, and the character seems designed to fall into this stereotype.

I have no idea who that is.

Googles it. Umm nope, that isn't in any way a pointed chin. It's a butt chin like Lantern Jaw of Justice on a witch. seriously that chin is huge◊

this would be one◊ and this one.

edited 22nd Jun '16 3:39:33 AM by Memers

I actually think the description is pretty clear. As people have said, "thin" is more accurate than "pointy" or "large". One or two bad examples is not the same as rampant misuse, and I think a page image would clear up a lot of remaining confusion.

Clock long expired with no action; closing.