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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openbehind a stack of things Film
Can you help me with examples of scenes with a short character is carrying a stack of things, boxes for instance, and are behind it and it is impossible to see the character? Is there a trope for this?
openOutgoing Sidekick/Guide Film
The main character, who is usually shy, reserved, and/or stoic, goes or is sent somewhere new, like boarding school or a hospital/psych ward, where they know no one, but everyone there already knows one another. Is there a trope for the very extroverted character, a lot of times the main character's roommate, who takes it upon themselves to show the main character the ropes and introduce them to everyone, often despite the main character not wanting them to? They don't take the main character under their wing necessarily, as the main character usually quickly becomes kind of the leader of the duo, but the outgoing sidekick is always their to assist and guide the main character as they carry out their plan(s), (usually to escape or wreak some kind of havoc if they've been sent to this new place against their will).
This character is almost always highly extroverted and usually becomes, or makes themselves, the main character's sidekick one they are more adjusted to their new surroundings. Often times they are somewhat eccentric and a little clingy, and make lots of sarcastic quips. A lot of times there comes a moment where they have a falling out, usually motivated by the main character being annoyed by the sidekick's clinginess and/or the last chance for him to execute his plan failing, only for the sidekick to return and help/save the main character at the climax.
Examples I can think of at the moment include Caretaker from The Longest Yard and Alvie (Lin-Manuel Miranda's character) from the season 6 premiere of House MD. I know there are better ones, but I can't think of any right now.
Edited by mwoods941openShikaka Film
Is there a trope where characters always have to deliver an elaborate response to certain words?Along the lines whereby a character might say "Queen Jane" in normal conversation and all of the Queen's courtiers immediately drop to one knee and say "Hail Jane, long may she reign!" - but they have to do this every time they hear "Queen Jane". They'll often say this in unison.
In some cases the protagonist abuses this response by repeatedly saying "Queen Jane" and forcing them to do their routine repeatedly. Or they might say "Queen Jan" and try to trip them up.
Examples: the Shikaka scene from Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls (https://youtu.be/PcjFVTI4_Gw), the Greater Good scene from Hot Fuzz (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUpbOliTHJY). There are loads of other examples, I just can't bring any to mind right now...
openHug and Whisper Threats Film
Two people, often women but not always, are having an argument but an unwanted witness barges in or is already there and shouldn't be aware of what is said, yet it's not possible for both litigants to step outside the room without looking suspicious.
So Litigant One gives a forceful hug to Litigant Two and whispers a clear threat in their ear with the understanding that this is the last warning before things get nasty for real.
Does this exist?
openClose the hand around the gift Film
I can't believe I'm not finding this one. Alice places a small item of significance in Carol's outstretched hand, then folds Carol's fingers around the item. I've searched every keyword I can think of; do I need to look harder for this?
openOffscreen airplane pull up Film
I first saw it in Goldeneye.
007 gets on a failing plane and is struggling at the controls to gain altitude. Cut to an exterior shot of the plane failing, and it descends out of view obscured by a mountain… did it crash? No! Miraculously the plane comes back into view as it recovers its altitude and flies over the mountain and up and out of the frame again, victorious!
I just finished watching Flight of the Phoenix and they did the same thing. Plane falls off a cliff, out of view, and then it flies back up, having achieved enough speed for lift. Roll credits.
I know I’ve seen this kind of scene in other movies, but I can never find a matching trope! Please help!
openWhat is the name of trope where you're captured by an enemy and forced to learn their ways? Film
There's a trope in a few movies; like The Last Samurai, where the protagonist is captured by the enemy and forced to learn their ways. After a while, the protagonist might side with them, even though they gain the option to go free. Can someone link me to this trope or where I can find more examples of it? Thanks.
openKid Empowerment Movie Film
Is there a general trope for works where kids, due to some plot contrivance, have a lot of freedom, take part in Wish-Fulfillment activities such as eating lots of candy and playing around the house, wear expensive clothes, and eventually fight dim-witted criminals?
I'm thinking about the slew of Home Alone ripoffs from the nineties.
Edited by Mac_RopenHelicopter landing in a backyard with Authoritative Figure stepping off Film
Hi I'm trying to find a trope for when someone has a helicopter land in a back yard or front lawn.
I'm not referring to the trope of a much an aged, retired hero having their old commanding officer show up to their remote, secluded home . (Though if anyone knows this one I would be interested to).
I am more interested in the trope of calling in a specialist, like a talented general, scientist, or some sort of expert as all local resources stumped. The helicopter will land in a relatively unconventional spot like a back yard, the roof of a store, the center of a road, a football field, etc. This "specialist" will normally step off the chopper whilst the blades are still spinning down, they'll have dark sunglasses on, some local leadership will normally walk up and say "Ah Dr. Smith, welcome to Nevada" or something of that of that nature. The specialist will normally ooze authority, they speak the bare minimum, and ask only pertinent questions whilst giving no indication of emotion or personality besides a stoic resolve.
Thanks!
openNonsensical Sequential Events Film
Do we have one regarding the fact that things look cooler when shown sequentially, even though they'd really be happening all at once?
E.g.
- Apollo 13 - swing arms are retracted from the rocket one-by-one, even while the rocket is already moving upwards. The last few swing arms would be ripped off if this actually happened.
- Tomorrowland - Defensive metal shutters close one-by-one instead of all at once.
- Hornblower/Pirates of the Caribbean/others - gun ports are all opened one-by-one
- Fantasy movies - archers all draw their bows in sequence as the camera flies down the line.
This can make sense if there's some sort of limitation on doing everything at once. E.g. a small crew of people running around doing things, rather than each thing having its own dedicated operator. Or for banks of industrial lights turning on one-by-one, this may be a limitation based on the amount of current they draw while starting up.
Similarly, it can make more sense in instances where the film cuts from one thing happening to another. Then at least you could say that the events are all happening simultaneously but being shown sequentially. But when it’s all one cut, it often doesn't make much sense.
openDaring opening scene Film
I'm looking for a trope that's common in movies where the hero is young and reckless. It's an opening scene where the hero is piloting some kind of vehicle or doing a really daring activity, just for the thrill of it, and the scene also showcases how daring/talented/fearless the hero is. Usually at some point the hero yells "WHOOOOOO!!!!" Examples: The opening scenes of Treasure Planet or Brother Bear (in fact I feel like this is in a lot of Disney movies with male protagonists.) Does anyone have any idea what I'm talking about?
openSyndrome of... who? Film
So we've got Tom Hanks Syndrome when a comedy actor starts playing in serious drama and turns out good at this. We've got Leslie Nielsen Syndrome when reverse situation happens and established drama actor turns out to be great comedian. Both come with shift of played roles.
Is there any related trope when a comedy actor starts playing in action films? Or actor just associated with non-action movies suddently turns into action star (sort of like the short-lived stunt with Liam Neeson few years ago)
openVisual Cue? Film
So Bob is trapped in a Drowning Pit and is barely holding his breath anymore. Suddenly a fish swims right next to his face and he realises it had to come in somehow, so it means there is a way out.
Is there any trope about this? I saw it in few different movies and animation, can't find a fitting trope for it.
Edited by Jan_z_MichalopenAnticipated meeting ending Film
A work is about two people who are looking for each other, or one person who dreams about meeting that special someone. Near the end they see each other, but they're separated by some physical barrier (let's say they're on opposite sides of a street). The work ends with this physical barrier being removed (the traffic signal switches to walk), but their actual meeting isn't shown.
I've seen this trope at the end of Under the Same Moon and Marshmello's "LoVe U".
openRace to the weapon/s Film
Couldn't find this one in the search. Combat scene. A 3-person confrontation where the one with the upper hand (probably holding the other two at gunpoint) suddenly leaves. The other two must then race for the nearest weapon/s to battle each other. I noticed it in the recent Star Wars film 'Solo' where it's used to great effect. It also felt very familiar but I can't place it anywhere else.
openWork's equivalent for CounterpartComparison? Film
To quote myself from Ask the Tropers, who advised me to ask here:
Hey!
I put up a Counterpart Comparison example on the YMMV page for Christopher Robin, comparing it to another movie (and other people expanded it). It got deleted under the reasoning that this is for characters, not works.
Well, is there any equivalent trope for works?
openTurns away before it works Film
The main character tries to cast a spell, or undo a curse, or run a robot/machine/whatever, and it doesn't seem to work. so they leave and then the audience sees that it did actually work. I can't think of any specific examples but I know there must be some and I'm going crazy.
openWord association eureka Film
A brilliant character is trying to solve the bad guy's evil plot, or get themselves out of a pickle. He starts mumbling, thinking aloud, and suddenly, a word he only accidentally used, leads him to a eureka.
Used in The Avengers ("He's a diva! He wants a statue with *his name plastered*... son of a bitch.")
Parodied in one South Park episode.
openAbsurd, one-note tv show within a tv show Film
Inside a fictional world, there’s a short clip of a dumb tv show based around a single, simple joke. It’s shown only for a few seconds, and it makes you wonder how there could be an entire tv show about this concept. Usually, it’s meant to satirize the vapid nature of modern media.
Examples: “Where Are My Pants?” -The Lego Movie, “I Got The Shit Kicked Out Of Me”- Sorry To Bother You, “Horse In A Bookcase”- Phineas And Ferb
Edited by BigBlueBackpack
it's a trop where someone takes a weapon or simply just punches someone into a bloody pulp,usually to the person that either kidnapped them or caused them harm..so they give them a senseless beatdown.
But then someone else pulls them away from the beating to calm them down usually saying "Stop!, Stop!"
perfectexample was in the last of us, where joel pulled away ellie after smashing her attacker in the face with a mchete