History Main / AdaptationExplanationExtrication

* [[InvertedTrope Inversion]]: The graphic novel ''{{Watchmen}}'' gave Veidt a genetically engineered lynx called Bubastis as a pet. The fact that Veidt was capable of doing genetic engineering was important later when [[spoiler:he created the giant monster that he used to unite the world]]. The film had him achieving the same final outcome with particle physics instead of genetic engineering, but left Bubastis in. Viewers unfamiliar with the comics can only respond to seeing it with "Wait, what is that? ... What is it? No seriously is that a tiger or what?!"

** The movies never explain that Sirius willed his house - and by extension Kreacher - to Harry. So there's no explanation in ''The Deathly Hallows Part 1'', when Kreacher obeys Harry's every command (despite his clear distaste for Ron and Hermione).

* One scene in ''TheLastAirbender'' has a bunch of imprisoned, demotivated earthbenders at a labor camp who Aang must rally to defeat their captors. In the series, they were laboring on a platform in the middle of the ocean to keep them from using their earthbending powers to defend themselves. In the movie, the camp is on the mainland, and it is not explained why the earthbenders needed Aang to remind them that they were surrounded by Earth.
** [[AdaptationDecay Not that this is]] [[SoBadItsHorrible the only problem]] with ''TheLastAirbender''.

# In the original work ''AliceAndBob,'' there is a specific explanation for some plot point. For example, Alice always knows what to get Bob for his birthday because she has latent psychic powers.

* [[InvertedTrope Inversion]]: The graphic novel ''{{Watchmen}}'' gave Veidt a genetically engineered lynx called Bubastis as a pet. The fact that Veidt was capable of doing genetic engineering was important later when [[spoiler:he created the giant monster that he used to unite the world]]. The film had him achieving the same final outcome with particle physics instead of genetic engineering, but left Bubastis in.

** Its surprising that with all these nit-picky tropers that nobody bothered to mention the scene from "The Goblet of Fire" where Harry & co. are rounded up by Draco and his goons in Professor Umbridge's office. In the book, Nevile, Luna, and Ginny cause a ruckus as a distraction in the group's thought-out plan to sneak Harry into the office, but in the movie they outright skip the planning scenes and don't even hint at the trio's involvement. Draco simply brings them in, says "we caught 'em", without an explanation as to why they were caught, and the audience is expected to simply accept it.

** ''HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'' also suffers because the fact that the Marauder's Map was created by Harry's father and his friends (all major characters) is ''never'' explained, nor exactly why they were all Animagi, nor the potent symbolism of Harry's Patronus. Good golly.

*** And probably set to be triggered again in the future thanks to many scenes in the fifth movie, many of which didn't look like {{Chekhovs Gun}}s and Foreshadowing hidden within otherwise innocuous scenes but were fairly important ones, being completely cut from the film, as well as characters who turned out to be relatively important later (like Tonks) not having much lead in.

* The graphic novel ''{{Watchmen}}'' gave Veidt a genetically engineered lynx called Bubastis as a pet. The fact that Veidt was capable of doing genetic engineering was important later when [[spoiler:he created the giant monster that he used to unite the world]]. The film had him achieving the same final outcome with particle physics instead of genetic engineering, but left Bubastis in.

* In ''HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', the only witness who can corroborate Harry's account of Voldemort returning is Barty Crouch Jr., who tried to kill Harry. Crouch never does this in the book because the malicious/incompetent Minister for Magic brings a dementor to defend him, which kills Crouch. Harry is disbelieved for most of ''HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix''. In the film, this isn't brought up, leading a savvy viewer to wonder why nobody believes Harry.

* During the Bruce Kalish DorkAge of ''PowerRangers,'' a lot of episodes keep the actions the ''SuperSentai'' characters took, while leaving out explanations or changing events that led up to it, causing their actions to make little sense or even rendering the entire episode a RandomEventsPlot.

## In the original work ''AliceAndBob,'' there is a specific explanation for some plot point. For example, Alice always knows what to get Bob for his birthday because she has latent psychic powers.
## ''AliceAndBob'' is adapted to a new medium--say, [[TheMovie film.]]
## The fact that Alice always gets Bob the right gift stays, but her latent psychic powers don't. There is no longer any explanation for why she does this.

** Given the high density of ChekhovsGun[=s=] in the novels, the omission of "minor" elements for the adaptations started to leave the filmmakers playing catch-up once the books ended. Some more...snarky fans posit that part of the reason the final movie is being split in two is so the filmmakers can fit in all the plot patching they'll need to do.
*** And probably set to be triggered again in the future thanks to many scenes in the fifth movie, many of which didn't look like {{Chekhovs Gun]}s and Foreshadowing hidden within otherwise innocuous scenes but were fairly important ones, being completely cut from the film, as well as characters who turned out to be relatively important later (like Tonks) not having much lead in.

This can reduce something to the point of a HandWave, but it [[TropesAreNotBad isn't all bad.]] If something was not that important to the original work, this helps with the ConservationOfDetail and prevents the audience from getting overloaded. However, if done poorly, it can accidentally create a PlotHole.

* In ''HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', the only witness who can collaborate Harry's account of Voldemort returning is Barty Crouch Jr., who tried to kill Harry. Crouch never does this in the book because the malicious/incompetent Minister for Magic brings a dementor to defend him, which kills Crouch. Harry is disbelieved for most of ''HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix''. In the film, this isn't brought up, leading a savvy viewer to wonder why nobody believes Harry.