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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

mightymewtron Word Up from New New York Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Word Up
#12801: Sep 7th 2020 at 10:19:49 AM

[up] If it's not an actual ship then cut. I've only ever seen Fandom Rivalry between She-Ra and Voltron fans personally.

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.
luiz4200 Since: Jun, 2011
#12802: Sep 7th 2020 at 11:34:57 AM

In one episode of Amphibia, Anne justifies not knowing what a computer disk is by pointing out she's "from another dimension, not the 90's!". Does it count as an example of I'm a Doctor not a Placeholder even if it's about where somebody came from instead of what the character is?

PurpleEyedGuma Since: Apr, 2020
Anddrix Since: Oct, 2014
#12804: Sep 7th 2020 at 2:23:18 PM

Reposting from the previous page so it doesn't get lost:

Dueling Works is supposed to be where two works that share some similarity in premise that end up competing against each other.

Then is the following from Frasier misuse as it doesn't mention any similarities the two shows might share?:

antenna_ears from California Since: Apr, 2020 Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
#12805: Sep 7th 2020 at 2:28:10 PM

[up] Yeah, zero-context example at best. Cut.

Edited by antenna_ears on Sep 7th 2020 at 2:28:28 AM

gjjones Musician/Composer from South Wales, New York Since: Jul, 2016
Musician/Composer
#12806: Sep 7th 2020 at 7:25:00 PM

In One Piece, Wyper, a Shandian, is willing to ring the golden bell in Skypiea and take Upper Yard back from Eneru to the point of trying to stop the Straw Hats from doing so. Is he considered a true Well-Intentioned Extremist?

He/His/Him. No matter who you are, always Be Yourself.
4tell0life4 Since: Mar, 2018 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
#12807: Sep 8th 2020 at 12:35:02 AM

Can Weaponized Teleportation count "teleported shot"?

We can never truly eradicate the coronavirus, but we can suppress its threat like influenza
Malady (X-Troper)
#12808: Sep 8th 2020 at 5:33:54 AM

[up] - As in "bullet teleported mid-flight to redirect it."?

The description says yes.

Personally, I think it's to broad. Or at least needs tightening up its connection to Tele-Frag and Portal Cut.

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
BlindBandit8 Since: May, 2017
#12809: Sep 8th 2020 at 7:43:26 AM

Does the team attack One Heart used by Sora and Kairi count as an example of Razor Wings? Considering they do use it for attacking Xehanort?

Adept (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#12810: Sep 8th 2020 at 8:12:39 AM

[up]From watching the video, I'd say no. They conjure wings to fly and deliver an aerial-based attack, but the wings themselves aren't weaponized, as required by the trope.

Edited by Adept on Sep 8th 2020 at 11:13:27 PM

Bubblepig Steve from Minecraft (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
#12811: Sep 8th 2020 at 2:03:10 PM

Can I send in the examples of Wham Shots from Film page here?

"CHICKEN JOCKEY!"
4tell0life4 Since: Mar, 2018 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
#12812: Sep 8th 2020 at 2:29:36 PM

Does this count as Due to the Dead?

  • Honkai Impact 3rd: Sakura preserved blooming cherry blossom flowers in brine, so if he soaks them in water, they'll bloom again; she did this to make her sister Rin happy. After Rin's death, Sakura keeps making salted cherry blossoms to honor and remember her wish of seeing cherry blossoms in spring.
  • Mega Man Zero: an NPC named Andrew is a robot that looks like an old man. He apparently married a human woman in the past, and altered his appearance to match her age. When she died of old age, he keeps his appearance to remember her.

Can "avenging the dead" or "continuing the dead's quest/duty" count too?

We can never truly eradicate the coronavirus, but we can suppress its threat like influenza
nrjxll Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Not war
#12813: Sep 8th 2020 at 5:07:57 PM

Those specific examples sound like they count, but I think "avenging the dead or continuing their quest" are separate tropes.

4tell0life4 Since: Mar, 2018 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
#12814: Sep 8th 2020 at 7:08:37 PM

[up] I suppose "continuing the dead's quest" can be either Take Up My Sword or Taking Up the Mantle depending on whether the would-be-dead guy intentionally tried to pass it to someone else or not?

We can never truly eradicate the coronavirus, but we can suppress its threat like influenza
Bootlebat Since: Dec, 2012
#12815: Sep 8th 2020 at 9:14:05 PM

What's the difference between a BFG and Wave-Motion Gun? I think the latter is more powerful but I'm not sure. Also, is this the place to ask "whats the difference between trope x and trope y?"

wingedcatgirl mys. minty from the silly dimension from lurking (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Oh my word! I'm gay!
mys. minty from the silly dimension
#12816: Sep 8th 2020 at 9:16:37 PM

There's also the duplicate tropes cleanup thread.

As for your question, I'm still not entirely sure what the precise definition of Wave-Motion Gun actually is.

Suddenly I'm... still rotating Fallen London in my mind even though I've stopped actively playing it.
Serac she/her (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Oh my word! I'm gay!
she/her
#12817: Sep 8th 2020 at 9:24:31 PM

I think the difference is what's using the weapon: a BFG is (at least theoretically) man-portable, while a Wave-Motion Gun is mounted on a large vehicle.

4tell0life4 Since: Mar, 2018 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
#12818: Sep 8th 2020 at 10:29:01 PM

Wave-Motion Gun is simply a gun-like weapon that shoots a huge laser attack. It can be from a BFG or, sometimes, a small gun (relative to its user).

BFG doesn't always shoot lasers.

We can never truly eradicate the coronavirus, but we can suppress its threat like influenza
SebastianGray (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#12819: Sep 9th 2020 at 12:53:46 AM

To expand on [up], to my understanding, a Wave-Motion Gun fires a single powerful lance of energy that destroys everything in its path. It has to be an Energy Weapon, not a projectile weapon. A BFG meanwhile is a big and powerful gun in comparison to the one firing it.

Crossover-Enthusiast from an abaondoned mall (Lucky 7) Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#12820: Sep 9th 2020 at 3:42:05 AM

YMMV.Steven Universe Future:

  • Don't Shoot the Message: "Together Forever" tells the important message that "You partner is your compliment, not your missing piece", as it's unhealthy to obsess over a relationship to the point where it becomes the sole thing that defines someone. The problem? It's told by Garnet, the most character who only exists because her components are so dependend on each other. It would've been fine if we saw Ruby and Sapphire split up more often, but this episode is the first time we've seen them seperated in this series, making Garnet's comment on how "they each have their own lives" come off as utter nonsense.

Few things:

  1. This is actually the second time we've seen Ruby and Sapphire in this series, after "Snow Day". (Yes I'm being pedantic, but so is this entry)
  2. Ruby and Sapphire having their own lives outside of being Garnet is an Informed Attribute, but there's still precedence for it in-universe, and it's shown plenty in "Together Forever".
  3. This example is complaining and has bad spelling and grammar.

Jawbreakers on sale for 99¢
WhirlRX Since: Jan, 2015
#12821: Sep 9th 2020 at 3:47:45 AM

[up]The sequal series do show them having separate lives as teachers

Edited by WhirlRX on Sep 9th 2020 at 7:25:08 AM

Crossover-Enthusiast from an abaondoned mall (Lucky 7) Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#12822: Sep 9th 2020 at 4:09:00 AM

[up] Yes, I know. Is this valid is what I'm asking, because I'd like to have something to point to if I need to rewrite/cut it.


And for something from the same franchise that is thankfully not complaining, are these examples of Unknown Character?
  • Steven Universe:
    • Lapis Lazuli's backstory has three pivotal Gems: whoever attacked her when she was caught up in the rebellion while visiting Earth, whoever mistook her for a Crystal Gem and placed her in a mirror to be interrogated and the random Homeworld Gem that trampled (and cracked) her as they were all fleeing. All of them are introduced via an artistic flashback, and the bodies of the latter two Gems are never seen. A character very similar in appearance to the first Gem was later introduced; Word of God confirmed after the show ended that they were indeed the same Gem, but it never came up in the series itself and neither of them know about it.
    • For a long time, Pink and White Diamond were this. Yellow and Blue Diamond were clearly active in the background, but for Pink Diamond viewers only had half a mural and the old version of the Diamond Authority symbol, and White's mural was shown in full and she was on the modern Diamond Authority symbol, but that's it. Even after Pink Diamond gets confirmation in "Earthlings" and becomes a major backstory character, White Diamond remains conspicuously unmentioned. She first appears in silhouette in a flashback in "Your Mother and Mine", and finally made her proper debut in "Legs From Here to Homeworld".

I believe the first example is good, but for the second, White later shows up in person, and Pink becomes an important Posthumous Character after Season 3.

Edited by Crossover-Enthusiast on Sep 9th 2020 at 7:14:54 AM

Jawbreakers on sale for 99¢
Malady (X-Troper)
#12823: Sep 9th 2020 at 6:24:52 AM

Is Lethal Joke Character / Joke Character for the goofy or mechanically bad, or just one of those?

Because Lethal Joke Character basically just had a deletion based on not being mechanically bad.

Or is it more due to lacking context for the goofiness?

Big the Cat is not a fighter, more of a general Cloudcuckoolander...

While a Chao is... like a small Blob Monster-thing but not in a puddle shape??

Edited by Malady on Sep 9th 2020 at 6:25:42 AM

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
wingedcatgirl mys. minty from the silly dimension from lurking (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Oh my word! I'm gay!
mys. minty from the silly dimension
#12824: Sep 9th 2020 at 8:40:13 AM

Is the "this is a 14-inch shell" bit from Unraveled an implied example of BFG? All the focus is on the ammunition — specifically the fact that one 14-inch shell apparently takes three guys to lift — and the gun itself is never shown or talked about.

(If you want to see the thing for context, it's in the video examples under Fake-Out Fade-Out.)

Edited by wingedcatgirl on Sep 9th 2020 at 8:40:53 AM

Suddenly I'm... still rotating Fallen London in my mind even though I've stopped actively playing it.
mightymewtron Word Up from New New York Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Word Up
#12825: Sep 9th 2020 at 9:13:26 AM

Doesn't that shell come from one of those giant guns attached to a naval ship? Do those count for BFG?

Edited by mightymewtron on Sep 9th 2020 at 12:13:51 PM

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.

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