The TVTropes Trope Finder is where you can come to ask questions like "Do we have this one?" and "What's the trope about...?" Trying to rediscover a long lost show or other medium but need a little help? Head to Media Finder and try your luck there. Want to propose a new trope? You should be over at You Know, That Thing Where.
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openNo Title Literature
openHonest but mistaken crime report Literature
Someone reports what they honestly believe to be a crime to the authorities. However, no crime was actually committed.
openOutdated scientific data Literature
In 2093, one character named a team of dogs after dinosaurs. An other character objects that Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus are the same. However, since 2015, these are considered separate types of dinosaurs.
openI'm extremely righteous, God kills anyone who troubles me Literature
A trope for someone who claims "I'm extremely righteous, God kills anyone who troubles me"? Note that we find out these people were murdered by someone who wanted to frame him. The work's current page uses A God I Am, but I think that's too strong.
openA major character is given no physical description for no apparent reason Literature
I.e what they look like isn't some kind of Plot Twist or Tomato Surprise or anything. The author just never describes them.
Edited by Bootlebatopenmasking reality in fictional symbols? Literature
Hi tropers, what is the name of the trope, if there is one, when a story writer masks real-life events/persons/agendas/behaviors/etc in fictional symbolic things? The best example in mind is basically Vampires. I always thought Vampires are an embodiment of bureaucrats in human society. Regardless of how accurate this idea is, if it's true what the name of such a thing in a story? If there is a trope or a term that helps me to convey to other people that some of the fictional elements in that particular story are mirroring real-life stuff please tell me. I have been looking for a term I read symbolism and many other tropes however, I couldn't find one to pinpoint at.
Another example (spoiler of One Punch man s01e08-9: Saitama undermining his own effort to stop the public from giving harsh judgments against other heroes due to their lack of Saitama's godly capabilities so, basically he wants to stop society from doing "relative grading" of some sort to undermine other heroes doing their best, therefore, it masks or mirror real-life society comparing success-to-success and effort-to-effort like relative grading even though its completely different set of skill, background, capacities...etc.
openMeta Trope about a work unfortunately remind the reader of another famous work of same genre. Literature
Hi there. Long time ago, I remember seeing a trope describes the phenomenon that audience will inevitably think that the work you created is a rip-off of another work which has become too famous not to think of.
The trope page lists a few examples where if you write a story about: - Ninja School => People will think of Naruto - Wizarding School => People will think of Harry Potter - Galaxy Adventure => Star Trek - Sci-fi Princess and Empire => Star War
Edited by misternimbusopenUnassuming training (with video games)? Literature
In Alan Alone, Alan's father, Mr. Faisal, gives his son video games to play, but at the end of the story, it's revealed that the games were meant to train Alan for Mr. Faisal's plan to defeat the Z-Soldiers terrorist group.
Alan finds the secret area in his father's building by stomping the crumbling floor to descend to a lower floor, something he notes to have learned from the video games his father gave him. He's also lead by his Déjà Vu of "having been here before, but not in this world". The plan to defeat the bad guys is to combine Alan with his Robot Buddy Dede, making a Powered Armor duo who can fly up to the Z-Soldier planes.
So far I can only think of Saw It in a Movie Once, but is there a more specific trope? Thanks in advance.
Edit: (v) Unless anything else more befitting comes along, I'll go with an Invoked example of I Know Mortal Kombat, thank you!
Edited by BlackFaithStaropenWhat do you think is normal?! Literature
A character has a reaction of extreme disbelief and confusion towards a character who displays insane abilities or powers, often ones that — while theoretically possible in the context of the world — are so beyond what anyone would expect or think of that it leaves the observer floored. Frequently found in fanfictions involving the MC gaining end-game abilities early, having knowledge that they absolutely should not, or other problem-solving abilities that can invalidate many plots. This response is often a Blank Stare, Flat "What", Faintin Shock, Face Palm or Head Desk, Jaw Drop, Stunned Silence, or other such not necessarily verbal expression of befuddlement.
The one example that I can currently find is Legendarily Popular by Saphroneth on AO 3
Edited by LordFelidaeopenFaultily-detailed antics Literature
Especially in media intended for kids or teens. The details of a prank/attack/etc are discussed, but with certain parts described in a way that would never work in reality. This is purposefully so (not just Artistic License or lack of research) in order to avoid giving the audience instruction on how to actually carry out a similar plot in real life.
(Selected Literature since I think that’s the only place I’ve seen something like this, but it could be in a lot of forms.)
Edited by pinecone460openBetter Not Try to Lie Literature
Early in Mercedes Lackey's novel The Lark and the Wren, Rune the musician-girl finds herself facing the very powerful and deadly Skull Hill Ghost. It wants to know why she's come to its hill, when everyone knows that being caught by the Ghost is certain death, and not a nice death either. Rune has two choices: lie, or tell the (very embarrassing) truth. She senses without being told that lying to the Ghost would be a very bad idea: it would know, and it would not be amused. So she tells the truth.
I can think of a few other examples like this, all along the same general lines: A character is being questioned by a hostile entity. The character has a choice, lie or tell the truth, where the truth is generally something embarrassing or otherwise unpleasant. But the character knows without being told that telling a lie, even a very convincing one, will be detected and bad things will happen to them as a result. So they tell the truth.
Is there an existing trope that covers this?
openIn the Country of Last Things Literature
Is there a page about the book In the Country of Last Things by Paul Auster?
Using the search bar I can't find anything on either the book or the author.
openNumbers don't add up Literature
A group of people includes 35 individuals. After 3 get added, the number is claimed by one character to be 37. It's highly unlikely that someone died or left the group without the reader's knowledge.
openKids checking if their neighbors are spies Literature
During the American Civil War, a sister living in St. Joseph and her brother living outside the city suspect that their respective neighbors - 2 sisters - are Confederate spies. They look into the question, ultimately discovering that the sisters are actually Union spies.
openGetaway group Literature
A wanted criminal, in order to escape police who are looking for him, pretends to be part of an innocent group which happens to be on a convenient train.
openRevealing a major secret Literature
One person (who shall be referred to as H) knows a secret which, when revealed to the right person will allow a major victory in a war - but if the wrong people find out, this potential victory would be ruined. H must tell no one but this one correct person; however, she does end up revealing it to an other person - who in fact will tell no one.
openSick hero Literature
A person who has been sick goes on a Heroic Sacrifice action. He faints immediately after being completely successful, and dies a few days later. No specific diagnosis is available (this took place in 1863 in the United States, and the book is from the POV of an 11-year-old), but ut's assumed that the effort behind the Heroic Sacrifice was a major part of what caused his illness to kill him.
openNot a kid any longer Literature
To quote the thoughts of character in question:
openMentioning a character not by name Literature
Is there a trope for when a character is offhandedly mentioned by another character in the same media, but they are not reffered to by name, so you have to infer who they're talking about?
like someone saying something like "Oh yes, I saw some writer guy with a blue hat sniffing around here" and the exact details are not mentioned, but you can infer that it's an established character in the same work
openRetrieve the loot Literature
After the protagonist's friend was killed in battle, an enemy soldier stole an item from his body. The protagonist now must retrieve this item.