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.
Miss_Desperado
Since: Sep, 2016
23rd Mar, 2018 03:54:23 PM
If we don't have this already, it might be worth putting a draft on the Trope Launch page.
If not for this anchor I'd be dancing between the stars. At least I can try to write better vampire stories than Twilight.
A trope where someone's motivation is related to, but not the same as their "official" motivation.
Bob gets caught watching porn at work. His supervisor Charlie has no choice but to fire him, but as Bob leaves, reveals the real reason is not so much Bob watching porn as it is that Bob has a fetish Charlie deems absolutely inacceptable. Similarly, replace "watching porn" with "reading fanfic" and "Bob has a fetish Charlie finds disgusting" with "Bob supports a ship Charlie hates".
In either case, Charlie's real reason for firing Bob is not the official one, and if he used that personal reason to justify firing Bob, would be at risk of being fired himself for his intolerance.