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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

Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#3501: Mar 30th 2017 at 4:20:55 PM

No, a human face isn't necessary; [BatB] is just the first thing that came to mind (I can't imagine why :P ). Luxo, the little lamp in the Pixar title cards is also an example of the same sort of thing as in [BatB]: he is an animate lamp — even though he has no face. He can still function as a lamp. But a hemka who has shaped itself like a lamp is still a hemka inside. It just has the appearance of a lamp.

Eh, I'm overthinking it. Just put something like

  • Animate Inanimate Object: The hemka's ability to mold themselves into the shape of pretty much anything they want gives the appearance of this.

MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#3502: Mar 30th 2017 at 4:25:10 PM

[up] I see, I'll add that in a few mins (though with a minor tweak). Thanks.

EdwardDavies Since: Sep, 2015
#3503: Mar 30th 2017 at 5:45:22 PM

Since you're not getting what I mean about Gaston's behavior to Belle at the beginning, I apologize for not making it clear. Here's my analyisis of Gaston at the beginning and why Belle is justified in rejecting Gaston. First let's start with the common forms of stalking behavior.

- Following you or showing up wherever you are. They may or may not make contact with you, but it doesn’t matter. Watching someone repeatedly is a form of harassment.

- Sending persistent, unwanted gifts, letters, notes, e-mails, texts or messages via social media. Damaging your home, car, or other property.

- Monitoring your phone, computer use or social media accounts to learn about you, your family, your personal life and your whereabouts.

- Using technology, like hidden cameras or global positioning systems (GPS), to track where you go.

- Driving by or hanging out at your home, school, or work.

- Threatening you, your family, friends, or pets. They may also threaten to reveal information (true or not) that could damage your reputation or relationships.

- Seeking information about you via public records, online search services, private investigators, or by going through your garbage, personal property. They may also contact your friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers to gain access or information about you.

- Posting personal information or spreading harmful rumors about you.

- Creating or manipulating situations in order to have contact with you, such as applying for a job where you work or calling you with a personal emergency to make you feel guilty or sorry for them.

So lets start with Gaston at the beginning.

- He is shown at the beginning watching Belle from afar, with a telescope, calling her his future wife.

- Later Gaston starts following Belle around, stealing flowers from someone without paying for it. And then when they do meet up, he offers her flowers even though she wasn't expecting flowers and then immediately asking to join her for dinner straight after he compliments her book.

- Later when Belle got in trouble with the headmaster for teaching a girl to read, Gaston starts following Belle again, while stepping on her cabbages. When she tries to get past Gaston he blocks her path. By the time she nears the door, after he tells her about the spinster's life, he grabs her dress and pulls her close, which is invading her personal space. And he continues to follow her to the door until she close the door on him right in his face.

I hope this is more clear to why Belle is right in rejecting him.

edited 30th Mar '17 5:49:17 PM by EdwardDavies

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#3504: Mar 30th 2017 at 6:52:17 PM

Only skimmed the post [up] but I have a question: is anyone disputing Belle is right to reject Gaston?

EdwardDavies Since: Sep, 2015
#3505: Mar 30th 2017 at 7:10:31 PM

It was Chris Valentine who thought that Belle is wrong in rejecting Gaston, and thought that Maurice is wrong in rejecting Gaston as well.

Anddrix Since: Oct, 2014
#3506: Mar 30th 2017 at 7:11:35 PM

Are these examples from YMMV.Supergirl 2015 S 2 E 17 Distant Sun being used correctly?:

crazysamaritan NaNo 4328 / 50,000 from Lupin III Since: Apr, 2010
NaNo 4328 / 50,000
#3507: Mar 30th 2017 at 8:19:15 PM

It was Chris Valentine who thought that Belle is wrong in rejecting Gaston,
They have retracted that argument, so please don't present that as their current position. They still are asking us to explain why Belle's disgust/hatred is proportional to Gaston's actions. They've been arguing Gaston's actions match up with the Dogged Nice Guy trope, and that's why her response is disproportionate.

Link to TRS threads in project mode here.
Crossover-Enthusiast from an abaondoned mall (Lucky 7) Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#3508: Mar 30th 2017 at 8:35:12 PM

[up][up] I think the second one is good, but should be described a bit more.

Jawbreakers on sale for 99¢
EdwardDavies Since: Sep, 2015
#3509: Mar 30th 2017 at 8:51:22 PM

[up] There is a reason why Belle was disgusted with Gaston. I've listed the common forms of stalking in my other post up there. [up][up][up][up][up] Girls get creeped out by people who stalk them because they like them. There's a reason why Gaston was part of the Stalker with a Crush characters.

Silverblade2 Since: Jan, 2013
#3510: Mar 31st 2017 at 7:48:25 PM

YMMV.The Belko Experiment

  • Dull Surprise: Some viewers take on the finished product versus the idea.
    • Take shirt-and-tie white collar workers, trap them in their office building and make them kill each other? Sounds like an interesting premise. But many left disappointed by the lack of creative kills throughout (most came from guns, rather than use of everyday office equipment) and the buildup of characters to little to no payoff (ie, Dany, though Dany's arc may have been a Overly Long Gag itself to make her seem important only to have her die with no fanfare).

Isn't Dull Surprise when a character fails to display emotions?

Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#3511: Mar 31st 2017 at 8:51:39 PM

~silverblade2 Dull Surprise is indeed a characterization trope, not an audience reaction.

FirstDrellSpectre Since: Sep, 2016
#3512: Apr 1st 2017 at 11:15:08 AM

Can this be considered as an Art Evolution?

In show The Loud House https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse Lori, Leni, Luna and Luan had simple cartoonic feet in episode "Linc or Swim", but since episode "A Tattler's Tale" their feet have more realistic shape.

Gosicrystal Since: Jun, 2016 Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
#3513: Apr 1st 2017 at 2:36:49 PM

This seems like shoehorning, but I'm gonna ask anyway before giving it the axe just in case. In DissidiaFinalFantasy.Tropes A To M:

  • Lost Forever: Though it's closer to Lost And Very Hard To Get Again, in the original Dissidia Cecil, Cloud, Squall and Tidus each had a level one exclusive weapon found in their storylines. These weapons weren't available anywhere else and weren't sold in the shop. If the player made the mistake of selling them, they would later be out of luck because those weapons are needed to craft their respective exclusive weapons, which are made in sequence. For example, sell the Dark Sword from Cecil's story, you can't craft the Mythgraven Blade, and thus can't craft the Lustrous Sword, and can't craft the Cimmerian Edge/Lightbringer. If you lost them, the only way to get the weapons again was to face a low-level character in Quick Battle, reset the match until they equip it at random, then fight them over and over until they dropped it. And by the way, you read that right, Cecil has two Level 100 weapons, do even if you hung onto the Dark Sword, you're still going to need a second one. Thankfully averted in Dissidia 012, where the level one exclusives are all available in the shop.

edited 1st Apr '17 2:37:09 PM by Gosicrystal

Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#3514: Apr 1st 2017 at 2:41:47 PM

"Though it's closer to..." Big red flag that whatever follows is a shoehorn. Good eye. Cut it.

Karxrida from Eureka, the Forbidden Land Since: May, 2012 Relationship Status: I LOVE THIS DOCTOR!
#3515: Apr 1st 2017 at 3:58:50 PM

From YMMV.Fire Emblem Heroes.

The FE fandom was already kicking beforehand and the dissenters are likely a Vocal Minority; the two previous games were very successful (read: highest selling games in the series) and a number of characters from said games ranked very high on a recent worldwide poll covering the entire franchise. I think this is a shoehorn but would like some second opinions.

edited 1st Apr '17 4:03:10 PM by Karxrida

supergod Walking the Earth from the big city Since: Jun, 2012
Walking the Earth
#3516: Apr 1st 2017 at 5:27:33 PM

Do remakes count for Surprisingly Improved Sequel and Even Better Sequel? Someone added an entry about the 2014 Robocop reboot to the former, claiming it to be better than the other Robocop movies released after the original, and I wanted to know if the trope applies to it.

Edit: Another example was added to the Surprisingly Improved Sequel page since this post. (Ignore grammar and indentation for now.)

I'm not really involved in the Trek fandom, so maybe that's my problem, but I've found no evidence that Star Trek: Beyond is generally hailed "as the best of the series." My concern is that the entry is making an objective claim about the fanbase that I'm not really seeing, and I'm wondering if someone can confirm or deny this.

edited 1st Apr '17 7:50:25 PM by supergod

For we shall slay evil with logic...
SamCurt Since: Jan, 2001
#3517: Apr 1st 2017 at 7:03:23 PM

I'm not sure if this example counts as Spell My Name With An S, because usually L/R differences in Japanese transliteration don't count. The work have at least one other legitimate example of that trope, so I can swap that example with another.

  • The anime of Is the Order a Rabbit? fell victim to this despite official romanizations being given in the opening credits. The Crunchyroll subtitles used Lize for Rize and Sharo for Syaro for the first half of Season 1 before switching to the official names. The Sentai translation uses Rize, but this was apparently done after the fact via find-and-replace, as words that happen to contain the sequence "lize" had "Rize" introduced into them (e.g. specialize is misspelled as speciaRize).

Scientia et Libertas | Per Aspera ad Astra Nova
FirstDrellSpectre Since: Sep, 2016
#3518: Apr 2nd 2017 at 12:02:47 AM

Would those characters from game Witcher 3 be good examples as Complete monsters?

Morkvarg - He was a ruthless pirate, who have been robbing, plundering, murdering and raping for many years. He was completelly remorseless for killing all men, women and children. Even his crew member Einar was disgusted by him when he murdered priests. Einar cursed him by turning him into a savage monster and said he should have suffered for his crimes to end of the world and one day longer. If Geralt lifts the curse from Morkvarg he outrightly says he'll return to continue robbing and plundering. His complete lack of remorse shows he learned nothing.

Weavess, Brewess and Whispess - those 3 Crones manipulate peasants in Velen to worship them and give them their children so they could eat them. For disobidience they turn their servants into mindless monsters, what is a fate worse than death. They also collect limbs of their victiims. They planned to cut of Ciri's feet to be sure she won't escape before they deliver her to the Wild Hunt.

FirstDrellSpectre Since: Sep, 2016
#3519: Apr 2nd 2017 at 12:35:07 AM

On page of Adult characters of the show "The Loud House" Lynn Sr. and Rita have mentioned "abusive parents" in "good parents" section. I suggest to take the former from the latter and add separate section "Abusive Parents: In the episode "April Fools Rules" they agreed to put Luan in cage to prevent her from pulling dangerous pranks and in the episode "No Such Luck" they agreed to lock Lincoln out the house believing he's a badluck and sold his furinitures.

Madrugada MOD Since: Jan, 2001
#3520: Apr 2nd 2017 at 5:24:11 AM

~First Drell Specter: Take your Complete Monster nominations to the dedicated thread for that trope HERE.

Make sure that you read the pages linked in the pinned post at the top of the thread; there is a specific procedure to follow and if you don't do so, your nominations will be ignored.

Anddrix Since: Oct, 2014
#3521: Apr 2nd 2017 at 6:28:07 AM

@Supergod: Star Trek Beyond is considered to be the best of the Star Trek reboot movies by hard-core Trekkies.

However amongst film critics and general audiences it's considered the weakest going by scores given to it on various websites:

jameygamer Since: May, 2014
#3522: Apr 2nd 2017 at 7:08:26 AM

Does the spirit of Marie Kessler appearing in the series finale of Grimm count as The Bus Came Back? I added that example today.

LegitimateIdiot Since: Nov, 2015
#3524: Apr 3rd 2017 at 3:35:26 AM

Is this a proper lampshade on Power Trio or is this a shoehorn?

Power Trio: Lampshaded by Jay and Cole when objecting to Kai becoming a part of the team. Apparently, they and Zane considered themselves to be one while training together.

Jay: Whoa, whoa, whoa. you never said anything about a fourth. It's always three - three blind mice, three musketeers, three-
Cole: Uh, what he's trying to tell us, Sensei Wu, is that the three of us have always trained together. We're solid.

This account is dead. I’ve said a lot of dumb things in the past and I wish to forget them. I’m sorry if I’ve ever hurt anyone.
crazysamaritan NaNo 4328 / 50,000 from Lupin III Since: Apr, 2010
NaNo 4328 / 50,000
#3525: Apr 3rd 2017 at 4:06:53 AM

That example doesn't say anything about which two members of the group are Foils, or which member is the mediator.

Link to TRS threads in project mode here.

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