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Do you have trouble remembering the difference between Deathbringer the Adorable and Fluffy the Terrible?

Do you have trouble recognizing when you've written a Zero-Context Example?

Not sure if you really have a Badass Bookworm or just a guy who likes to read?

Well, this is the thread for you. We're here to help you will all the finer points of example writing. If you have any questions, we can answer them. Don't be afraid. We don't bite. We all just want to make the wiki a better place for everyone.


Useful Tips:

  • Make sure that the example makes sense to both people who don't know the work AND don't know the trope.
    • Wrong: The Mentor: Kevin is this to Bob in the first episode.
    • Right: The Mentor: Kevin takes Bob under his wing in the first episode and teaches him the ropes of being a were-chinchilla.
  • Never just put the trope title and leave it at that.
    • Wrong: Badass Adorable
    • Right: Badass Adorable: Xavier, the group's cute little mascot, defeats three raging elephants with both hands tied behind his back using only an uncooked spaghetti noodle.
  • When is normally far less important than How.
    • Wrong: Big Bad: Of the first season.
    • Right: Big Bad: The heroes have to defeat the Mushroom Man lest the entirety of Candy Land's caramel supply be turned into fungus.
  • A character name is not an explanation.


Other Resources:


For best results, please include why you think an example is iffy in your first post.

Also, many oft-misused tropes/topics have their own threads, such as Surprisingly Realistic Outcome (here) and Fan-Preferred Couple (here). Tropers are better able to give feedback on examples you bring up to specific threads. We don't discuss Complete Monster or Magnificent Bastard examples; please don't bring them up.

Edited by SeptimusHeap on Jul 17th 2025 at 8:59:01 PM

Hello83433 (Lucky 7) Relationship Status: Complex: I'm real, they are imaginary
#32626: Sep 2nd 2024 at 4:10:39 PM

Does Polar Opposite Twins require the twins be identical? The description says they're "usually" identical, but the laconic implies it's a requirement. I found this example where they're not identical and I'm wondering if that means it should be moved to Sibling Yin-Yang.

  • Polar Opposite Twins: Sikue and Tatsuma are not identical but were "born" together. They are polar opposites in many ways, one being loud and aggressive, while the other is quiet and gentle. This is especially emphasized in their magic. Tatsuma has offensive abilities while Sikue's are defensive.

CSP Cleanup Thread | All that I ask for ... is diamonds and dance floors
dcutter2 Since: Sep, 2013
#32627: Sep 2nd 2024 at 4:44:04 PM

The description should be believed over the laconic.

AegisP Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man
#32628: Sep 2nd 2024 at 5:03:24 PM

[up] But if the description is to be believed then it would just be Sibling Yin-Yang, but with twins.

Edited by AegisP on Sep 2nd 2024 at 5:04:00 AM

As long as this flower is in my heart. My Strength will flow without end.
FirstAidRules He/Him from House (Experienced Trainee) Relationship Status: Singularity
He/Him
#32629: Sep 2nd 2024 at 5:48:24 PM

Reposting: From Pokémon the Series Designated Villain:

An Orange Islands episode involving a school of wild Lapras has, as its villains, a team of what are essentially pirates who are leaving the local police on edge by tracking a herd of wild Pokémon and then...weakening them with Pokémon they already have and tossing Poké Balls to capture them. In other words, exactly the same thing every trainer ever does. All the episode has to go on for why this is a bad thing when these pirates do it is mention of a "no-capture zone". Not even that Lapras are rare and endangered and need to be left alone to keep from going extinct, which would make sense with what its Pokédex entries have mentioned - no, just an arbitrary no-capture zone in the middle of the ocean with no actual reason specified for its existence. Uh, the description says flat out that they're pirates and they're also Pokémon Poachers.

Hi!
Filip04 Since: Nov, 2023
#32630: Sep 3rd 2024 at 4:44:54 AM

Can Completely Different Title apply also into episodes of specific TV shows? For example, Flutter Brutter in Poland is instead Powrót brata (Brother's return), which is probably a reference to Adam Mickiewicz ballad Powrót taty (Dad's return).

BigBadShadow25 With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg. from Basement at the Alamo (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Desperate
With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg.
#32631: Sep 3rd 2024 at 6:20:13 AM

How much of Tim Burton’s work falls under the umbrella of Dark Fantasy? Stuff like Beetlejuice and Wednesday?

Edited by BigBadShadow25 on Sep 3rd 2024 at 9:20:31 AM

You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.
CSS1 Since: Mar, 2021
#32632: Sep 3rd 2024 at 12:12:32 PM

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S2E03 "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" (aired 2023) lists 20 Minutes into the Future as the time period Kirk and La'an time travel to. While the year isn’t specified, later in the episode a time traveler says, “And all this was supposed to happen back in 1992, and I've been trapped here for 30 years.” This implies the episode takes place in 2022. Should I change the listed trope to 20 Minutes into the Past?

moo
CanuckMcDuck1 PEPSIMAN from Japan Since: Sep, 2023 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
PEPSIMAN
#32633: Sep 3rd 2024 at 12:26:06 PM

[up]Seems clear to be 2022, so changing it to 20 Minutes into the Past is fine.

[up][up]Dark Fantasy is more about medieval/renaissance-style fantasy works, which I think Burton’s work, that almost all take place in modern times, doesn’t really fit into. Most of it is more Gothic Horror with it’s focus on atmosphere and oddities (and use of Haunted Castles and similar tropes).

Edited by CanuckMcDuck1 on Sep 3rd 2024 at 1:26:52 PM

Do not mess with creatures which you do not understand.
gjjones Musician/Composer from South Wales, New York Since: Jul, 2016
Musician/Composer
#32634: Sep 4th 2024 at 12:09:08 AM

Not too long ago, this example was added to Recap.RWBYV 5 E 8 Alone Together:

  • Villain Has a Point: Ilia's rant about how humans either hate the Faunus or just let the hate happen isn't entirely wrong; it references "Jaunedice" where the two teams see Cardin and his team bullying Velvet. While they agree that it's wrong - Pyrrha even calls it atrocious - none of them do anything to stop it.

Does this fit?

He/His/Him. No matter who you are, always Be Yourself.
Amonimus the "Retromancer" from <<|Wiki Talk|>> (Sergeant) Relationship Status: In another castle
the "Retromancer"
#32635: Sep 4th 2024 at 1:31:43 AM

A lot of examples were removed because "Epileptic Trees are supposed to be predictions that everyone in the fandom thinks is true even without personal confirmation" and "most of that is in WMG anyway". Epileptic Trees is recurring absurd fan theories, so I'm not sure if the removal has the correct reasoning.

TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup
WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (3,795/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (3,795/50,000)
#32636: Sep 4th 2024 at 1:34:42 AM

Yeah, that reasoning is wrong.

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
Mariofan99 Since: Jun, 2021 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#32637: Sep 4th 2024 at 3:54:11 AM

I was planning on a Ben 10 entry for Iconic Sequel Character and I have two questions

1. Would Ghostfreak/Z’Skayr count? He’s one of Ben’s original aliens but didn’t gain sentience and escape the Omnitrix till Season 2. A similar dilemma applies for Upgrade/Glitch in the Reboot continuity

2. Should characters who debuted in the first season of any of the sequel series (like Julie, Paradox, or Rook) count? Or shpuld it be limited to subsequent seasons, even in sequel shows?

Edited by Mariofan99 on Sep 13th 2024 at 10:21:59 AM

king15 Have Faun Since: Mar, 2024
Have Faun
#32638: Sep 4th 2024 at 6:33:41 PM

This on Parody Displacement:

  • Spitting Image: This show featuring puppet versions of famous celebrities has also caused some Memetic Mutation. Today many people in the UK remember Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher more as in their grotesque villainous puppet versions than as Real Life people. A good example is Thatcher beating up members of her cabinet in many sketches, which a lot of people almost assume she did

Is this true? Thatcher and Reagan are iconic figures whose faces are recognisable. While caricatures might lodge into the public consciousness, both of these figures are well known in the UK and beyond, so I don't think this applies. I'm also unsure if many people think Thatcher beat up people on her cabinet, though if some do then that can be kept.

Edited by king15 on Sep 5th 2024 at 10:35:11 AM

Ayumi-chan 3rd happiest man in Connecticut from Iacon City (Experienced Trainee) Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
3rd happiest man in Connecticut
#32639: Sep 4th 2024 at 7:49:09 PM

Found this on Characters.Slow Damage Supporting Characters, which I'm unsure of:

  • Pubescent Braces: Played with. Mizuno is already a full-grown adult and wears braces... the latter of which the player only gets to see when Mizuno, after showing his true personality, starts to grin and laugh in an unhinged manner.

She/Her | Currently cleaning: N/A
CompletelyNormalGuy Am I a weirdo? from a place where folks put cream cheese on hot dogs (Oldest One in the Book)
Am I a weirdo?
#32640: Sep 4th 2024 at 9:22:14 PM

[up]Looks like misuse to me. If the character is an adult, then it's probably not an example of trope (unless they're used to highlight the immaturity of the character or something).

Bigotry will NEVER be welcome on TV Tropes.
TrendingToon1 Since: Apr, 2015
#32641: Sep 4th 2024 at 10:13:46 PM

How's this?

  • Vagueness Is Coming: In the ending of the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode "The Summer Sun Setback", after the last Summer Sun Celebration is saved and Twilight's friends promise to always be honest with her, Discord spies on them from above and smugly comments to Twilight she might be ready for "whatever comes next".

BigBadShadow25 With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg. from Basement at the Alamo (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Desperate
With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg.
#32642: Sep 5th 2024 at 6:13:40 AM

Another example of a stretch, this time from YMMV.Beetlejuice Beetlejuice:

You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.
CanuckMcDuck1 PEPSIMAN from Japan Since: Sep, 2023 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
PEPSIMAN
#32643: Sep 5th 2024 at 6:19:02 AM

[up][up]That sounds like an example of the trope. It can be added.

[up]That’s retroactive hindsight, which is not hindsight since it happened decades ago. Not to mention, it has jumped through some hoops to make the connection. It could easily be cut.

Edited by CanuckMcDuck1 on Sep 5th 2024 at 7:20:08 AM

Do not mess with creatures which you do not understand.
holygrail24 Shadow Ranger from Toronto Since: Aug, 2022 Relationship Status: Desperate
Shadow Ranger
#32644: Sep 5th 2024 at 6:22:55 AM

Anyone who watched Oshi no Ko...

For Characters.Oshi No Ko Aqua And Ruby:

Do these examples fit?

The duo's entry:

  • Contrasting Sequel Main Character: Both to Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane, the main lead duo of Kaguya-sama: Love Is War (another manga made by Akasaka), they are heavily different in terms of character. While Kaguya and Shirogane were both living humans and are both unrelated, Aqua and Ruby are both reincarnates of Goro Amamiya and Sarina Tendouji, respectively, who later became the twins to their late mother Ai Hoshino. Also, both Kaguya and Shirogane act at their own age group, while Aqua and Ruby, due to their Past-Life Memories, act as an adult (as Goro was in his 30s) and a 12-year-old teenage girl respectively (the age where Sarina died in the past).

Aqua's entry:

  • Contrasting Sequel Main Character: To Kaguya Shinomiya from Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Ruby is set up to be different to her previous predecessor in many ways.
    • To Ruby's past life as Sarina:
      • Both suffered from Parental Abandonment in their past lives, but in terms of how it went, their circumstances are wildly different. Kaguya was born as a Heroic Bastard, whose father Gan'an had an affair with her mother Nayotake, while Sarina was born through her legitimate parents, but suffered serious neglect when she was dying from cancer at the age of 12 and only saw Goro as her Hope Spot.
      • Even more so, Kaguya admired her late mother and would go at lengths to call anyone out who used her mother's name on bad faith, while Sarina eventually became a victim of her parent's neglect and instead treated Ai and Goro as the closest that is to a parental figure, especially considering the significance of their presence before succumbing to cancer.
      • While Kaguya had someone close to her, that being her former maid and childhood friend Ai Hayasaka, Sarina suffered from loneliness until her death and she had no one close to her but Ai Hoshino and Goro, of which happened in her final moments before her death; adding insult to the injury is that both of them were murdered.
    • To her present life as Ruby:
      • When it comes to personality, Ruby is different to Kaguya. Kaguya, at first, is seen as cold and calculating on the outside, but in reality she is actually a kind and innocent-minded teenage girl. Ruby, on the other hand, starts off as an innocent teenage girl until it is eventually revealed to be two-faced who is not above on manipulating others and is now bent on finding the murderer responsible for Goro and Ai's death; where she eventually becomes like her own brother Aqua.
      • Both are also antagonistic to their own fathers in line due to their hostile treatment. In Kaguya's case, her upbringing and her hostility to her father Gan'an was resulted of his cold, neglectful nature who has high expectations for her, which was what resulted in her cluelessness in the outside world. In Ruby's case, after encountering Goro's corpse, she goes from an innocent teenage girl into an embittered, two-faced girl who uses others for her own gain, eventually following her brother's vengeance of hunting down their own father to avenge the death of their mother, thus she eventually becomes the complete antithesis to her.

Ruby's entry:

  • Contrasting Sequel Main Character: To Kaguya Shinomiya from Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Ruby is set up to be different to her previous predecessor in many ways.
    • To Ruby's past life as Sarina:
      • Both suffered from Parental Abandonment in their past lives, but in terms of how it went, their circumstances are wildly different. Kaguya was born as a Heroic Bastard, whose father Gan'an had an affair with her mother Nayotake, while Sarina was born through her legitimate parents, but suffered serious neglect when she was dying from cancer at the age of 12 and only saw Goro as her Hope Spot.
      • Even more so, Kaguya admired her late mother and would go at lengths to call anyone out who used her mother's name on bad faith, while Sarina eventually became a victim of her parent's neglect and instead treated Ai and Goro as the closest that is to a parental figure, especially considering the significance of their presence before succumbing to cancer.
      • While Kaguya had someone close to her, that being her former maid and childhood friend Ai Hayasaka, Sarina suffered from loneliness until her death and she had no one close to her but Ai Hoshino and Goro, of which happened in her final moments before her death; adding insult to the injury is that both of them were murdered.
    • To her present life as Ruby:
      • When it comes to personality, Ruby is different to Kaguya. Kaguya, at first, is seen as cold and calculating on the outside, but in reality she is actually a kind and innocent-minded teenage girl. Ruby, on the other hand, starts off as an innocent teenage girl until it is eventually revealed to be two-faced who is not above on manipulating others and is now bent on finding the murderer responsible for Goro and Ai's death; where she eventually becomes like her own brother Aqua.
      • Both are also antagonistic to their own fathers in line due to their hostile treatment. In Kaguya's case, her upbringing and her hostility to her father Gan'an was resulted of his cold, neglectful nature who has high expectations for her, which was what resulted in her cluelessness in the outside world. In Ruby's case, after encountering Goro's corpse, she goes from an innocent teenage girl into an embittered, two-faced girl who uses others for her own gain, eventually following her brother's vengeance of hunting down their own father to avenge the death of their mother, thus she eventually becomes the complete antithesis to her.

And for Characters.Oshi No Ko Other Characters:

Hikaru's entry:

  • Contrasting Sequel Antagonist: By virtue of the manga being a Stealth Sequel to Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Kamiki contrasts both Gan'an and Oko Shinomiya from the previous series.
    • Gan'an and Kamiki are the abusive fathers of the main protagonists who are responsible for their current suffering. Gan'an is a cold, elderly Corrupt Corporate Executive who is the head of a large zaibatsu, while Kamiki is a youthful, average person who served once as a former member of a troupe. What separates both together is their treatment towards children: Gan'an is a traditionalist who drills his backwards beliefs to his children including Kaguya and has been responsible for treating her coldly, while Kamiki isn't, whose fall to villainy and his children's motivations into exposing him as the real killer is due to his Accidental Murder of Ai from the stalker he ordered to.
    • Both Oko and Kamiki are Manipulative Bastards who have been using others for their own gain and, like Gan'an, they are responsible for the protagonists' current issues in the present. Unlike the Manchild Oko who never accepts responsibility for his actions and treats his half-sister Kaguya like dirt, Kamiki is a Graceful Loser who doesn't mind being exposed by his children Aqua and Ruby as Ai's murderer, with most of his motivations stemmed from his emotional dependence on Ai.

Edited by holygrail24 on Sep 7th 2024 at 5:39:39 AM

The Metro series fan! Steam Account: Randum
Wafer THE HAMLET GLUTTON from the Banjo-Tooie world, meditating (Life not ruined yet) Relationship Status: Non-Canon
THE HAMLET GLUTTON
#32645: Sep 5th 2024 at 1:46:21 PM

Commercial Switcheroo:

  • This anti-making-up-while-driving PSA from Volkswagen masquerades as a video on the channel of NikkieTutorials (a real YouTuber, not a publicity stunt), thus making every one of her fans crap themselves to oblivion when, midway through doing a make-up tutorial like she always does, her head moves slow-motion and then jerks back to some very loud car crash noises.

I didn't watch the second half of this video but from what I can see it's not really advertising anything? I think most makeup videos at least tell you which specific items you'll need for what you're trying to do, but this doesn't really do that, all she says is "this palette" and nonspecific rhinestones. Commercial Switcharoos switch from one advertisement to another, and I don't think this does that.

"She is a girl" - THE HAMLET GLUTTON
WanderingBrowser Since: Jan, 2001
#32646: Sep 5th 2024 at 5:56:41 PM

Hopefully this is the right place to ask this... in issue #17 of The Avengers (2023), the villain Hyperion returns from Heroes Reborn (2021), and announces to the world that he's basically going to try and commit suicide due to being unable to cope with the fact his entire dimension was a lie... by crashing into Earth at a significant fraction of the speed of light, with the resultant collision killing him and destroying the planet, and everybody on it.

Firstly, this is an example of Suicidal Cosmic Temper Tantrum, right?

Secondly, if it is, where would it go? In Hyperion's character folder on Heroes Reborn (2021), or on The Avengers (2023) page?

FlamingLaevatein Since: Jun, 2019
#32647: Sep 5th 2024 at 9:33:01 PM

To Mariofan 99 regarding the Ben 10 question, Zs'Skayr is complicated because technically he appeared in season 1 as Ghostfreak, but I think he qualifies since he was the larger scale villain of season 3 and a returning staple.

Julie sadly lacks the sort of iconic status needed, she's an important character but lacks the sort of staying power needed for the trope since she was ultimately Demoted to Extra. When people think of the UAF era she's not a character that jumps to mind over someone like Paradox.

Rook 100% qualifies, considering he's often hailed as the best thing to come out of Omniverse.

CSS1 Since: Mar, 2021
#32648: Sep 5th 2024 at 9:39:17 PM

On The Metamorphosis page, it says:

  • She Is All Grown Up: At the very end the father and mother realize that Grete has grown into a very pretty young woman and start thinking that it is time to try to find her a good husband.
Since She Is All Grown Up is a green link now, I was going to replace it with "All Grown Up" Remark. Does it count if the characters’ don’t actually say it, merely silently acknowledge it between themselves? If it helps, here’s an excerpt from the story:
While they amused themselves chatting in this way, it struck Mr. and Mrs. Samsa, almost at the same moment, as they looked at their daughter, who was getting more animated all the time, how she had blossomed recently, in spite of all the troubles which had made her cheeks pale, into a beautiful and voluptuous young woman. Growing more silent and almost unconsciously understanding each other in their glances, they thought that the time was now at hand to seek out a good honest man for her.

moo
CompletelyNormalGuy Am I a weirdo? from a place where folks put cream cheese on hot dogs (Oldest One in the Book)
Am I a weirdo?
#32649: Sep 5th 2024 at 10:46:57 PM

[up]I'd say yes. The change is acknowledged by other characters even if they don't necessarily speak it out loud.

Bigotry will NEVER be welcome on TV Tropes.
Speedchesser Since: Feb, 2012
#32650: Sep 6th 2024 at 3:33:53 AM

99% sure this is a shoehorn, but since it's YMMV... (from YMMV.A Minecraft Movie):

  • Spiritual Successor: Like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, this film is a Video Game Movie released in April, with the main character being brought to life by a celebrity, and involves Jack Black somehow. The main differences include:
    • One is created and owned by Nintendo, while the other started as indie before being bought by Microsoft.
    • One is entirely All-CGI Cartoon, even for the "real world" segments; while the other has real life people acting against a green screen, invoking Roger Rabbit Effect.
    • One has a title with Spell My Name with a "The", where as the other has "A", implying they have plans for more.
    • Jack Black is involved in both, but here is a protagonist rather than the Big Bad.

I'm pretty sure that release date and "starring Jack Black" aren't reasonable criteria for a Spiritual Successor, which just leaves them both being Video Game Movie.

Edited by Speedchesser on Sep 6th 2024 at 3:34:26 AM


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