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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?

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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

RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
She / Her
#18676: Feb 13th 2022 at 11:09:01 PM

I'm wondering, is this example from Ace Attorney: Dahlia Hawthorne a case of Captain Ersatz, Expy, or neither? (For the record, on the original page, this isn't Spoiler tagged because it's a Spoilers Off page.)

  • Expy: While this may be unintentional, Dahlia's fake innocent persona, true murderous and psychotically selfish personality, and storyarc are all very similar to Cathy Ames from East of Eden (although unlike Dahlia, who is completely heartless even beyond the grave, Cathy did feel guilt for her crimes, but felt she had gone too far to stop.)

dragonfire5000 from Where gods fear to tread Since: Jan, 2001
#18677: Feb 13th 2022 at 11:11:14 PM

[up]An expy has to be deliberate on the part of the creator. If it "may be unintentional," she's not an expy. Expy does specify that:

Remember that an Expy must be a clearly deliberate reference on the part of the author; superficial or random coincidental similarities (even very striking ones) do not qualify, so if you aren't certain, they probably are not an Expy.

We do have an Expy cleanup thread where you can ask if an Expy entry qualifies or not.

Edited by dragonfire5000 on Feb 13th 2022 at 11:15:49 AM

"I squirm, I struggle, ergo I am. Faced with death, I am finally, truly alive."
RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
themayorofsimpleton Short-Term Projects Herald | he/him from the Island of Koridai (Captain) Relationship Status: I won't say I'm in love
Short-Term Projects Herald | he/him
#18679: Feb 14th 2022 at 7:49:09 AM

This was recently added by The Red Red Kroovy to GenreTurningPoint.Literature:

  • E. L. James' 2011 novel Fifty Shades of Grey was a turning point in the mainstreaming of fanfiction as a literary endeavor that, while still not taken seriously as literature by professional critics, at least had mass appeal. A Serial Numbers Filed Off version of James' erotic Twilight fanfic Master of the Universe, Fifty Shades proved to be a literary blockbuster on par with the books it was based on, reaching well beyond fanfic's historic demographic of young fangirls as everyone from suburban moms to old ladies to morning talk show hosts read and talked about its salacious content. James was hardly the first published author to start out in fanfic, but her success proved that they didn't have to spend their careers toiling in either obscurity or the Sci-Fi Ghetto, and the 2010s saw a wave of fanfic writers (especially in young adult literature, even if Fifty Shades most certainly wasn't for that demographic) who went on to write bestsellers.

I am probably the wrong person to ask about this but I question that this book led to fanfic writers being taken more seriously. I know for a fact that there is still widespread criticism of fanfic, and I don't quite remember this book leading to any kind of widespread opinion change on fanfic writers and their legitiamcy.

I brought it here because I could be very very wrong on this (I'm not particularly knowledgeable in this area), so I need some more opinions to determine if this is legit.

Edited by themayorofsimpleton on Feb 14th 2022 at 10:52:24 AM

Works That Require Cleanup of Complaining | Troper Wall
Libraryseraph uu~ from Canada (Handed A Sword) Relationship Status: Raising My Lily Rank With You
uu~
#18680: Feb 14th 2022 at 7:54:26 AM

[up] As I remember, the fact that 50SoG is Twilight AU fanfiction was a major subject of mockery from literary critics. It may have made publishers more willing to accept published fanfic though

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FOR MARIA
BKelly95 Tame Racing Driver (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Tame Racing Driver
#18681: Feb 14th 2022 at 9:06:03 AM

Is this an example of Unexpected Positive:

  • The Blacklist has a two-year Time Skip between seasons eight and nine during which Agent Park gets married and Agent Ressler leaves the Bureau and falls on hard times. He's ready to come back, but he's been dealing with those hard times with controlled substances which would show up on the drug test he needs to take. He asks Park for her urine to submit for the test instead. The test comes back negative for drugs, but positive for cancer. After Ressler tells her this, Park decides to see an oncologist after their next case. She ends up hospitalized on that case and tells her doctor about the cancer diagnosis. The doctor tells her that the test picked up a higher amount of a particular hormone which indicates cancer in men, but pregnancy in women. Unfortunately, Park lost the baby, implied to be a result of the attack that hospitalized her.

Can I please finally get an answer to this? This is the fourth time I've had to post it.

MacronNotes (she/her) (Captain) Relationship Status: Less than three
(she/her)
#18682: Feb 14th 2022 at 9:07:53 AM

It sounds like an example of the trope.

Macron's notes
MrMediaGuy2 Since: Jun, 2015
#18683: Feb 14th 2022 at 2:23:28 PM

Anyone else think the Acceptable Targets example on YMMV.Schaffrillas Productions is getting a little long? It's just listing every single thing James hates, which is natural given that he's a Caustic Critic.

227someguy I hate spoilers Since: Apr, 2017
I hate spoilers
#18684: Feb 14th 2022 at 4:41:16 PM

I noticed in YMMV.Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba that the villains Doma and Muzan are listed under the trope Evil Is Cool. While you might be able to argue that Doma falls into this trope (I haven't read the manga), the reasons listed line up better with Love to Hate, which he's already listed as.

Muzan himself is another matter. Not only are his actions gratuitous and very excessive (including how much of a Bad Boss he can be at times), he's also considered to be an Anti-Climax Boss due to the fight against him being thought of as less interesting than his subordinates due to him being Unskilled, but Strong.

Do these two characters qualify for this trope?

Everyone look at my sandbox
TheSinful from Apple orchard. Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
#18685: Feb 14th 2022 at 6:09:55 PM

Possible example for Superpower Russian Roulette While becoming a titan shifter in Attack on Titan isn't deadly (well, not immediately), getting the beast titan is a gamble because of what animal you might take characteristics from. The manga shows crocodiles, dinosaurs, and birds are all an option, any one of which would give amazing secondary abilities. But sheep and okapi are also options which gave their users basically nothing besides a weird shaped head. Even Zeke's ape form is at best just a giant hairy human and at worst a less effective human with his actual threat coming from his own human skills that carry over.

So, would this qualify?

All is not lost. Not yet.
Agentofchaos A God Am I from Somewhere in the Universe Since: Dec, 2021
#18686: Feb 14th 2022 at 6:55:05 PM

Scar from The Lion King is on The Generalissimo page, does he technically count?

"We'll meet again" | 🏳️‍⚧️
Eiryu Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#18687: Feb 14th 2022 at 7:09:25 PM

On Demon Slayer: I would say no.

Re: Attack On Titan: I would say at least a downplayed example, if it's mentioned in-universe. If the story doesn't really acknowledge the difference in abilities, then probably not.

On Scar: You know, I think that's probably valid?

JRads47 Since: Nov, 2014
#18688: Feb 14th 2022 at 7:14:40 PM

Xadhoom Xado removed the following from Characters.Pokemon Generation IV Chatot To Arceus:

  • Dragons Are Demonic: Giratina, the third member of the creation trio, is a Ghost/Dragon type who was banished to the Distortion World by Arceus for its violence, and has a particularly evil-looking appearance, though it isn't inherently evil.
  • Satanic Archetype: Giratina, created by the local Crystal Dragon Jesus, was cast out by his creator and sealed in the Distortion World for his violence, and he's called the Renegade Pokemon. His design evokes a Fallen Angel theme, with shadowy wings with six spikes, six circular yellow plates on his body, and six legs.

because "Giratina is the local god of antimatter, not devil-figure." I feel like it still qualifies as an example for both of those tropes, but I want to know what you think.

harryhenry It's either real or it's a dream Since: Jan, 2012
It's either real or it's a dream
#18689: Feb 14th 2022 at 8:07:14 PM

[up][up][up][up][up][up] The examples could work if they’re for things Schafrillas takes consistent jabs at in multiple videos, not just anything he dislikes.

TheSinful from Apple orchard. Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
#18690: Feb 15th 2022 at 2:43:38 AM

[up][up][up] One of the holders mentions how worthless his own (sheep) beast titan is for combat so guess it's legit.

All is not lost. Not yet.
Delibirda from Splatsville Since: Sep, 2020 Relationship Status: I wanna be your dog
#18691: Feb 15th 2022 at 2:58:12 AM

[up][up][up]Arceus is based on several different creation deities, not (just) the Christian God, and the Renegade Pokémon and the distortion world represent the idea of antimatter. I believe it fits none of those tropes.

Edited by Delibirda on Feb 15th 2022 at 12:01:02 PM

"Listen up, Marina, because this is SUPER important. Whatever you do, don't eat th“ “DON'T EAT WHAT?! Your text box ran out of space!”
Adept (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#18692: Feb 15th 2022 at 3:26:12 AM

I've seen Inexplicably Identical Individuals used in video games where you get repeated customers who all share the same character design, e.g.:

  • Burger Shop: Like most other Time Management Games, all customers with the same type are identical to each other. The end credits reveal each of them is an individual person, with their own names and short stories (the businesswoman is named Virginia Richman, for example), but gameplay-wise you can have three identical businesswomen at the counter at the same time.

This is misuse right? These characters are meant to be individual people who share the same appearance in-universe. I don't think they'd fit under You All Look Familiar either, since they're not meant to be a "different" NPC.

GrigorII Since: Aug, 2011
#18693: Feb 15th 2022 at 8:12:49 AM

Guardians of the Galaxy (2015): Cosmo is one of those dogs the Soviet Union blasted into space back in the day, who was experimented by aliens, now he has self-awareness (he behaves like every other intelligent species, even if still a dog) and superpowers, and always wears a dog spacesuit. In one episode he returns to Earth with Starlord, and has to leave the spacesuit to avoid calling attention. He protests "How embarrasing! Cosmo is naked!"

Does Monster Modesty cover it, if it's not really a monster?

Ultimate Secret Wars
Libraryseraph uu~ from Canada (Handed A Sword) Relationship Status: Raising My Lily Rank With You
uu~
#18694: Feb 15th 2022 at 8:17:16 AM

I personally think the Giratina works as Dragons Are Demonic, between its design and its status as a contrast to Arceus

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FOR MARIA
dragonfire5000 from Where gods fear to tread Since: Jan, 2001
#18695: Feb 15th 2022 at 8:27:23 AM

Doesn't Dragons Are Demonic require the dragon in question to be evil or at least represent evil in some way?

"I squirm, I struggle, ergo I am. Faced with death, I am finally, truly alive."
Delibirda from Splatsville Since: Sep, 2020 Relationship Status: I wanna be your dog
#18696: Feb 15th 2022 at 9:05:50 AM

Giratina represents antimatter, and it is not intended as an contrast to Arceus. That’s why it is grouped with Dialga and Palkia, but not Arceus. In Pokémon Adventures at least, it was Dialga and Palkia that banished Giratina.

"Listen up, Marina, because this is SUPER important. Whatever you do, don't eat th“ “DON'T EAT WHAT?! Your text box ran out of space!”
Amonimus the "Retromancer" from <<|Wiki Talk|>> (Sergeant) Relationship Status: In another castle
the "Retromancer"
#18697: Feb 15th 2022 at 9:09:04 AM

Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina are a part of the Creation Trio, Arceus created them but is also his own group.

TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup
gjjones Musician/Composer from South Wales, New York Since: Jul, 2016
Musician/Composer
#18698: Feb 15th 2022 at 12:40:48 PM

Considering that filming of the live action One Piece was supposed to begin in the summer of 2020, only to be delayed until January 2022 by the COVID-19 Pandemic, does it count as a true Troubled Production?

He/His/Him. No matter who you are, always Be Yourself.
miraculous Goku Black (Apprentice)
Goku Black
#18699: Feb 15th 2022 at 12:42:18 PM

@Dragon: Isn't Giratina a Badguy in legends Arceus. He reforms thanks to you after this but he was evil at one point.

"That's right mortal. By channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument in which to destroy you."
Amonimus the "Retromancer" from <<|Wiki Talk|>> (Sergeant) Relationship Status: In another castle
the "Retromancer"
#18700: Feb 15th 2022 at 12:44:12 PM

Without context it's hard to tell if it's Troubled Production or not, since it requires info on the actual production. It at least may fit into ReleaseDateChange.COVID 19 Pandemic Related Examples.

TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup

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