"Surprise, Motherfucker!"
— James Doakes, Dexter
Tropes about characters not getting what they expected. (Hope that doesn't shock you too much.)
One of the most useful emotions in a writer's toolbox and so one of the commonest in all sorts of stories.
See also Betrayal Tropes, Plot Twist, Twist Ending. Tropes in those indices will not be covered here.
Tropes
Also see:
- Banging Pots and Pans
- Big "NO!": Someone hollers "No" in response to witnessing a misfortune they didn't want to happen.
- Big "WHAT?!": Someone reacts to a revelation catching them by surprise by shouting "What?"
- Big "WHY?!"
- Blank White Eyes
- Blue with Shock
- Caught Coming Home Late
- Color Failure: A person is so shocked at what they see that they turn completely white.
- Conveniently Timed Attack from Behind
- Didn't See That Coming
- Dramatic Curtain Toss
- Dramatic Drop
- Dramatic Sit-Down
- Dropping the Bombshell
- Dull Surprise
- Eye Pop
- Eye Take
- Forgot to Mind Their Head: Someone accidentally hits their head by not being careful of their surroundings.
- Friendly Scheming
- Game Changer
- Gay Bar Reveal: A character finds out that they're in a gay bar.
- Gut Punch
- "Hell, Yes!" Moment
- Heroic BSoD
- Home-Early Surprise
- Home Nudist: Finding out that a person goes naked when at home.
- I Think You Broke Him
- Imminent Danger Clue
- Instant Cosplay Surprise
- Introduction by Hookup
- Jaw Drop: A character reacts to something by lowering their jaw.
- Just Woke Up That Way
- Kewpie Doll Surprise
- Lightswitch Surprise
- Making the Choice for You
- Matchlight Danger Revelation
- Mock Surprise Reaction
- My God, What Have I Done?
- No More Lies
- Nothing Is the Same Anymore
- Oh, Crap!: Character realizes that they are completely screwed.
- Delayed "Oh, Crap!": A character sees signs that they are in big trouble, but the appropriate reaction is delayed a bit.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: A character talks about something before being horrified once the implications of their discussion dawn on them.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!": A whole bunch of people freak out after learning that they're screwed.
- "Oh, Crap!" Fakeout
- "Oh, Crap!" Smile: A character smiles nervously after discovering that they are in trouble.
- Ominous Adversarial Amusement
- Open the Door and See All the People
- Paper-Bag Popping
- Personal Effects Reveal
- The Picture Came with the Frame
- Post-Kiss Catatonia
- Refrigerator Ambush
- Scary Surprise Party
- Smoking Gun
- Spit Take
- Stunned Silence
- Superweapon Surprise
- Surprise Jump
- Surprise Party
- Surprise Pregnancy
- Surprise Vehicle
- Surprise Witness
- These Hands Have Killed: A character is upset that they just killed someone.
- This Cannot Be!
- Thunder Shock
- Two Rights Make a Wrong
- Unsettling Gender Reveal: A character is disturbed by finding out that a woman is really a man in drag.
- Waking Up Elsewhere
- Wham Episode
- Wham Line
- What Have I Become?
- Why Won't You Die?: Someone tries to kill a person and expresses their frustration at the person surviving every attempt at taking their life.
- Wild Take
- You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!
- You Monster!: Calling a person a monster to make it clear that you find their actions unforgivably cruel.
- You Said You Would Let Them Go
- You're Insane!: Chewing out a person for their actions/intentions by telling them that they are crazy.
