History Main / EmotionalTorque

''The overriding goal of all storytelling is to get a reaction from the audience -- [[ComedyTropes a laugh,]] [[{{Tearjerker}} a tear,]] a [[{{Satire}} desire to change]], or maybe [[ItSucks a desire to kill the storyteller]].''

''The overriding goal of all storytelling is to get a reaction from the audience -- [[ComedyTropes a laugh,]] [[{{Tearjerker}} a tear,]] a [[{{Satire}} desire to change]], or maybe [[MindScrew a desire to kill the storyteller]].''

* {{Narm}} is when a dramatic moment that's intended to be serious instead devolves into being accidentally funny instead.
** NightmareRetardant is a failure of NightmareFuel that's more funny than scary.

* PlayerPunch

* AngstAversion happens when the work is too upsetting for viewers to tolerate.

* A dramatic moment that's intended to be serious instead devolves into accidentally funny {{Narm}}.
* NightmareRetardant is a failure of NightmareFuel.

* TooBleakStoppedCaring can result when the tone is not only too dark, but feels ''pointlessly'' dark.
* {{Wangst}} is what happens when TheWoobie is felt to complain ''too'' much.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic

* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome

These {{trope}}s are {{Troper}}s trying to catalog their emotional reactions:

* TooBleakStoppedCaring can result when the tone is not only too dark, but feels ''pointlessly'' dark.

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy can result when the tone is not only too dark, but feels ''pointlessly'' dark.

* ShockingMoments

* A dramatic moment devolves into {{Narm}}.

* RomanticPlotTumor emerges from a {{romance}}.

Right beside this is going the distance required by the story. The story and characters have to do the needed actions to establish themselves and their use. The ButtMonkey has to get beaten up, the {{villain}} has to do something villainous, etc. If there is a war going on and no one gets hurt, [[BloodlessCarnage no blood gets spilled]], and there isn't even a smudge of dirt on them, then it is rendered ineffective and [[UnexpectedReactionsToThisIndex gives the wrong impression.]] It's like a JerkAss that doesn't do one mean thing.

->''"Once you decide that you're going to have the death of Spock, then how does that affect the other people? Why is it there? I got a lot of stick from a lot of people from the very beginning about the idea of killing Spock. Somebody said, 'You can't kill him.' And I said, 'Sure you can; the only question is whether you do it ''well.''"''

->''"Once you decide that you're going to have the death of Spock, then how does that affect the other people? Why is it there? I got a lot of stick from a lot of people from the very beginning about the idea of killing Spock. Somebody said, 'You can't kill him.' And I said, 'Sure you can; the only question is whether you ''do it well.''"''

As far back as AncientGreece, people have wondered, ''Why are we drawn to {{tragedy}}?'' Why would people willingly watch something they know is going to make them feel sad, angry, or scared?

There is nothing more saddening than a story that gets an [[SoOKItsAverage apathetic reaction]]. A story should influence and affect us. The storyteller wants to see their audience pay attention, hang on their words, and applaud with a standing ovation when it is all done.

These {{trope}}s are {{Troper}}s trying to catalogue their emotional reactions:

* {{Wangst}} is what comes when TheWoobie is felt to complain ''too'' much.

When the use of Emotional Torque fails, the following things tend to happen: