History Main / JigsawPuzzlePlot

* The 1972 version of Солярис ({{Solaris}} is an example of what can go wrong when JigsawPlot is mixed with adapting from book to film. The film based heavily on a novel which heavily relied on the narrator giving massive information dumps to give backstory and explain things. Given that much of the film adaptation is based on the ''actions'' that take place in the novel, but is bereft of any narration, it very rapidly becomes very confusing. A massive problem is that it oftentimes would take very little to make something clear or even avoid large sections of pointlessness, but of course, this never happens.

* The first ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' game has this in spades - it's possible to go through the entire game without even knowing what you're doing or why you're doing it. Scanning Chozo Lore and Pirate Logs as you find them will give you bite-sized pieces of information that can eventually be assembled to see the whole picture. ''Echoes'' and ''Corruption'' have cutscenes that provide enough information for the player to know the general plot, though rich amounts of details and backstory still have to be scanned.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''. We're gradually learning things about Harry, his universe, and the main Plot that surrounds him...or does it?

* ''TheDresdenFiles''. We're gradually learning things about Harry, his universe, and the main Plot that surrounds him...or does it?

* William Faulkner's short story ''Literature/ARoseForEmily'' is comprised of five parts which are mostly out of order. For those who don't pick apart and reassemble the events, whether Emily killed her beau, and why, is an perplexing matter. The fact that the narrator (implied to be the townspeople) has a severely limited understanding of Emily's personal life and occasionally relies on conjecture to guess at her actions doesn't help much either.

* ''{{The X-Files}}'' didn't start out this way, but Gillian Anderson's pregnancy early in the series forced the writing staff to get very inventive, and the show's near-legendary MythArc was the result.

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan''.

* Similar to ''The Venture Brothers'', ''AdventureTime'' is fairly straightforward for the most part. However at the same time there are many subtle storylines and hints of backstory hidden beneath the surface that can be found if you look hard enough. Reading into WordOfGod from the creators and rewatching old episodes after major plot twists will reveal all sorts of things for you to put together. If the reveal that Ooo is set AfterTheEnd or Ice King's origin [[spoiler: and his connection to Marceline]] surprise you, look back at some old episodes to see how facts like this have been dangled in front of you since the first season.

** ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'', its sister series, does the same. Its constant retelling of the main story gives you, bit by bit, clues to solve the mystery. Unlike ''Higurashi'', while the author gives just enough clues to figure out the solutions yourself, don't expect any answer to be given directly: even after the series has ended, a number of explanations remain largely {{Fanon}}. Not at all coincidentally, the main [[AnAesop aesop]] of the series is to believe in your own truth without denying those of other people.
*** Also, the manga adaptation gives numerous additional clues or clarifications (mostly in Episode 8). Maybe a way for the author to admit that he was a bit ''too'' stingy on some answers?

* The backstory of ''Series/PowerRangersMysticForce.'' You always get bits and pieces, some of which don't seem to fit with the rest, and it doesn't all fall into place until 2/3 of the way through. This is one of the major differences between it and its Japanese counterpart ''MahouSentaiMagiranger,'' whose only secret is [[spoiler: Wolzard's true identity. We learn the answer to that and trade it for one more mystery: "your mom's still alive; ask the ''next set of bad guys'' how that can be and where she is now."]]
** This is unusual for both ''PowerRangers'' and ''SuperSentai,'' but their DarkerAndEdgier sister series ''KamenRider'' has long been this way. At the beginning of a series, the hero gets his powers and monsters are attacking and... that's about all we know. The monsters' methodology (and in KamenRiderDragonKnight, the number of rival Riders) make filling an episode easy even with a lot of what is going on unrevealed. The events that set it in motion and the final plan of the enemy are filled in piece by piece. Even the more lighthearted ''KamenRiderDenO'' doesn't introduce the BigBad until the series is 2/3 of the way through. Until then, all we knew is that the Imagin did what they did because ''someone or something'' was whispering in their minds' ear. Mind you, this goes strictly for the 2000s {{Revival}} and after.

* ''Film/{{Cloverfield}}'' uses this big time. You won't get the full story in the movie at all. Looking into the ARG explains somethings and gives a few implications. By the end of both your left having to figure out how a giant monster, a bunch of big parasite things, a Japanese corperation, the government, and an anti-corperete terrorist who seems to know ''something'' about the monster are all tied together.

->'''Tommy:''' You see, Trumpy? The pieces go together!
->'''Tom Servo:''' If only this ''movie'' were so lucky...

* ShingekiNoKyojin

* Arguably what ''Series/TwentyFour'' is all about. Things tend to get properly put together halfway through, though.

* ''ThePrisoner'' arguably originated the trope for entire series.

** That's actually not far off, since Capcom forced Suda 51 to remove ''an entire half of the game'' that was supposed to cover the loose ends. It now only exists in the ''Hand in Killer7'' book as the "Jacob Checkbox" reports.
*** Which actually ''contradict'' the game at several points, because they're based on a much earlier draft of the story. To continue the metaphor, it's like being handed the pieces to ''another'' puzzle instead of the one you're making.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect'' is heading for this. The main plot is fairly straightforward, but if you do loads of sidequests and talk to people a lot little details start cropping up - e.g. in [[VideoGame/MassEffect1 the first game]], Wrex can tell you a story about an asari mercenary he knew and fought with. In [[VideoGame/MassEffect2 the second]], an asari you meet ([[spoiler:Aria T'Loak]]) unknowingly implies that she was that mercenary.

* ''{{Otherland}}'', a PostCyberpunk novel series by TadWilliams, takes an achingly long time to introduce all of the elements of its KudzuPlot to readers, and even at the end, forces people to fill in some of the blanks themselves.

* JohnByrne 's run on SheHulk worked like this. Small two page snippets would later contribute to the storyline. The Greek Gods arguing about Cupid being able to make someone in love with anybody else and then combining this with a conquerer from the future just arriving, for example.

* ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' are examples of this (probably the biggest ones in the entire RPG genre, if not the entire video game medium), with a little bit of XanatosRoulette thrown in for good measure.
** ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'' carries on the legacy, of course, but to a much lesser extent.
** ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'', made by some of the same team, also qualifies. Surprisingly, by the end of the game, the pieces don't fit together as cleanly as ''Xenogears'''s do, especially considering ''Chrono Cross'' is a much shorter game.

* The ''LegacyOfKain'' series, with [[GambitPileup Xanatos upon Xanatos]], a whole cast of {{Chessmaster}}s, of varying levels of ability and success, and a(n un)healthy dose of time travel....it becomes quite a headache to keep it all in mind.

** ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'' takes this UpToEleven with a level of complexity that would make [[VideoGame/{{Xenogears}} Tetsuya]] [[VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}} Takahashi]] proud. If you don't understand the story completely by end and need to think about it, or even play the game a sencond time, don't worry. You're not alone. Not that that's a bad thing, but any stretch. [[FridgeBrilliance Quite the contrary]].

* Similar to ''The Venture Brothers'', ''Adventure Time'' is fairly straightforward for the most part. However at the same time there are many subtle storylines and hints of backstory hidden beneath the surface that can be found if you look hard enough. Reading into WordOfGod from the creators and rewatching old episodes after major plot twists will reveal all sorts of things for you to put together. If the reveal that Ooo is set AfterTheEnd or Ice King's origin [[spoiler: and his connection to Marceline]] surprise you, look back at some old episodes to see how facts like this have been dangled in front of you since the first season.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect'' is heading for this. The main plot is fairly straightforward, but if you do loads of sidequests and talk to people a lot little details start cropping up - e.g. in [[MassEffect1 the first game]], Wrex can tell you a story about an asari mercenary he knew and fought with. In [[MassEffect2 the second]], an asari you meet ([[spoiler:Aria T'Loak]]) unknowingly implies that she was that mercenary.

** ''{{Xenoblade}}'' carries on the legacy, of course, but to a much lesser extent.
** ''ChronoCross'', made by some of the same team, also qualifies. Surprisingly, by the end of the game, the pieces don't fit together as cleanly as ''Xenogears'''s do, especially considering ''Chrono Cross'' is a much shorter game.

** ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'' takes this UpToEleven with a level of complexity that would make [[{{Xenogears}} Tetsuya]] [[{{Xenosaga}} Takahashi]] proud. If you don't understand the story completely by end and need to think about it, or even play the game a sencond time, don't worry. You're not alone. Not that that's a bad thing, but any stretch. [[FridgeBrilliance Quite the contrary]].

* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi'' constructs a typical jigsaw, with the added twist that in each route it offers false explanations for what's going on, only to debunk them in later arcs. Some are obviously bogus. [[spoiler: Alien invasion]]!?

** VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi, its sequel, does the same. It constant retelling of the main story gives you, bit by bit, clues to solve the mystery. Contrary to Higurashi however, while the author gives just enough clues to figure out the solutions yourself, don't expect any answer to be given directly: even after the series ended a couple years ago, a number of explanations remain largely {{Fanon}}. Not at all coincidentally, the main [[AnAesop aesop]] of the series is to believe in your own truth without denying those of other people.

** In fairness, by the time you'd reached the end of the game, it was pretty easy to forget some of the details. The game makes more sense each time you play through.
** ''FinalFantasyVII'' before it wasn't any better; only by the end of the game will you most likely understand everything that has gone on before, then a replay is recommended.