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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

Bullman Enid Sinclair Since: Jun, 2018 Relationship Status: Longing for my OTP
Enid Sinclair
#24901: Jan 1st 2023 at 11:24:56 AM

I found this on Trivia.Wednesday:

  • Creator Backlash: Jenna Ortega has stated how she was strongly against the love triangle between Wednesday, Xavier, and Tyler, believing that's not what viewers would want to see Wednesday involved in.

I mean isn't this supposed to be a creator expressing displeasure with the work as a whole and not just one aspect. As otherwise Jenna Ortega is very proud of the show from what I can tell. So does this really fit.

Fan-Preferred Couple cleanup thread
SoyValdo7 I mainly fix indentation issues from La tierra de lagos y volcanes Since: Sep, 2022 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
I mainly fix indentation issues
#24902: Jan 1st 2023 at 11:26:32 AM

I agree

EDIT: Also Creator Backlash has it own thread

Edited by SoyValdo7 on Jan 1st 2023 at 2:20:56 PM

Valdo
RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
She / Her
#24903: Jan 1st 2023 at 12:13:31 PM

Seconded. Creator Backlash involves the work in itself, not just one aspect of it like that.

Bullman Enid Sinclair Since: Jun, 2018 Relationship Status: Longing for my OTP
Enid Sinclair
#24904: Jan 1st 2023 at 12:31:27 PM

Okay I cut it.

While I am here, I found this on Characters.The Witcher 2019 Independent Characters:

  • Breakout Character: Joey Batey's portrayal of Jaskier saw the character's existing popularity explode so much that it arguably surpasses Geralt's, and he's the most popular iteration of the character to date.

A Breakout Character is supposed to be about a minor or supporting character that gets more screentime/plot relevance due to popularity with fans. Like say Fonzie becoming the main character of Happy Days because of his popularity. Now I am not finished with the Witcher season 2 yet (I'm a bit behind due real life stuff) and he already had a pretty big role in season 1, but this doesn't claim that he gets more screentime/plot relevance just that he is popular with the fandom. So at best it's partial context. So does this count or should I hide/remove it?

Edited by Bullman on Jan 1st 2023 at 3:32:54 AM

Fan-Preferred Couple cleanup thread
JohnRore Since: Apr, 2021
#24905: Jan 1st 2023 at 1:12:06 PM

Thank you Random Troper 123 for explaining that. I would've answered sooner except I always forget how to make my way back here.

SoyValdo7 I mainly fix indentation issues from La tierra de lagos y volcanes Since: Sep, 2022 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
I mainly fix indentation issues
#24906: Jan 1st 2023 at 4:09:23 PM

Any new thought in my past post about Emperor Belos?

Valdo
Bubblepig Rei from Tokyo (Apprentice) Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
#24907: Jan 1st 2023 at 4:53:06 PM

I found this example in MADtv (1995) where it seems like This Is Reality examples misused as Surprisingly Realistic Outcome or Genre Deconstruction.

  • This Is Reality: Sometimes comedy focuses on the minute details of real life, and with regards to that there was a Bobby Lee sketch where he tries to survive in the wild and the camera crew filming him won't lend a hand no matter what. As expected of what would be in real life, he had trouble doing that and had to seek disgusting sources of sustenance.

What to do with it?

"Now it's starting to feel like a game!"
laserviking42 from End-World Since: Oct, 2015 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
#24908: Jan 1st 2023 at 5:10:00 PM

[up]Misuse for sure, cut away.

Edited by laserviking42 on Jan 1st 2023 at 8:10:15 AM

I didn't choose the troping life, the troping life chose me
RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
She / Her
#24909: Jan 1st 2023 at 5:19:11 PM

[up](x4) No problem and I understand why you did not respond sooner.

[up][up]I agree that isn't an example of This Is Reality since that's a Stock Phrase. I don't think it's Surprisingly Realistic Outcome because it doesn't cover the "Surprisingly" part. That said, it has a cleanup thread, which may be the better of judge of that than me. I don't think it's Genre Deconstruction either because it doesn't seem to be deconstructing the genre.

selkies TOO serious! from Guess, guess, guess Since: Jan, 2021 Relationship Status: Star-crossed
TOO serious!
#24910: Jan 1st 2023 at 5:24:11 PM

Bullman, Hide it with the reason that it's a zce.

Uncanny Valley Hot Babes in Your Area Are Looking To Know YOU! Click Here to Sign Up for FREE! | Not quite back tbh. Don't expect much.
Tylerbear12 What you see is what you get, just a guy. from The Green Hills. Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
What you see is what you get, just a guy.
#24911: Jan 1st 2023 at 5:54:04 PM

On YMMV.Celeste:


  • Play the Game, Skip the Story: Conversely, the game's twitch reflex platformer with a scaling difficulty sometimes comes into sharp relief with the story of a Broken Bird slowly dealing with depression and anxiety. It often sidetracks into discussions on how to subjectively grapple with these issues. Often it can feel like it's slowing down the gameplay.

I know YMMV is meant to be subjective, but I don't recall anyone holding this attitude toward the game. As far as I'm concerned, most people love both the story and the gameplay and how the two intertwine.

Edited by Tylerbear12 on Jan 1st 2023 at 7:54:52 AM

MyFinalEdits Delete message from Parts Unknown (Spin-off Series) Relationship Status: Cast away
Delete message
#24912: Jan 1st 2023 at 5:58:26 PM

Haven't seen such complaints myself either.

135 -> 180 -> 273 -> 191 -> 188 -> 230 -> 300 -> 311
Amonimus the "Retromancer" from <<|Wiki Talk|>> (Sergeant) Relationship Status: In another castle
the "Retromancer"
#24913: Jan 1st 2023 at 6:01:54 PM

I don't recall people complaining about the plot (except the post-game chapter), but I do think many people are in for a challenging platformer and don't pay attention to dialogues.

TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup
Bubblepig Rei from Tokyo (Apprentice) Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
ElRise I fix my examples all the time from The Dying City (Life not ruined yet) Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
I fix my examples all the time
#24915: Jan 1st 2023 at 6:51:12 PM

Found this in Main.Mangst.

  • Game of Thrones:
    • Upon hearing of his father's execution, Robb Stark substitutes a nearby tree for one of the Lannisters.
      Catelyn: You've ruined your sword.
    • Cersei says that Robert beat his hands bloody on the wall in anguish after their first infant son died of fever.
The above two examples seem to fit Percussive Therapy or Punch a Wall than Mangst. Cut and move?

Graffiti Wall
Bullman Enid Sinclair Since: Jun, 2018 Relationship Status: Longing for my OTP
laserviking42 from End-World Since: Oct, 2015 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
#24917: Jan 1st 2023 at 7:00:55 PM

[up][up]Mangst is for the more stoic form of manly angst, quietly staring off into the middle distance whilst reminiscing type of mourning.

I didn't choose the troping life, the troping life chose me
Zarina Since: Aug, 2014
#24918: Jan 1st 2023 at 7:37:47 PM

This is a misplaced trivia entry on Tomie, but before moving it, I wanted to double check whether it really was an example in the first place. I can't quite put my finger on what feels off about it; mainly it feels more speculative than anything.

  • Technology Marches On: In "Photograph" it takes one accidental photo from the only girl in school who owns a camera to make Tomie lose her cool. How on earth would Tomie cope with everyone owning a camera that can instantly send film and video to everyone else? However the implication seems to be that not every photographer can bring this out of her. Her "father" in "Mansion" admits his own pictures never turn out that way.

Malady (X-Troper)
#24919: Jan 1st 2023 at 7:48:07 PM

Would this count as Improbably Female Cast?

  • Tofu Tower: As of the first 26 floors of more than 60, all gendered cards and monsters, are female. The only depicted characters that might be male, are the Scarecrow and Will o' Wisp monsters.

Edited by Malady on Jan 1st 2023 at 7:58:04 AM

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
laserviking42 from End-World Since: Oct, 2015 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
#24920: Jan 1st 2023 at 8:28:32 PM

[up][up]Not familiar with the work, but is it speculating on how a character might react if they were in present day? Cause that seems to be not an example, and speculative to boot.

I didn't choose the troping life, the troping life chose me
RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
She / Her
#24921: Jan 1st 2023 at 8:33:29 PM

[up][up]That sounds like there are enough females to count as Improbably Female Cast to me.

Zarina Since: Aug, 2014
#24922: Jan 1st 2023 at 8:35:13 PM

[up][up]Yeah, that's my read of it. The character has her "true form" revealed when her picture is taken (sometimes), so the example is essentially asking/stating that she couldn't function in the present day because of how common cameras are now.

Edited by Zarina on Jan 1st 2023 at 8:35:33 AM

laserviking42 from End-World Since: Oct, 2015 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
#24923: Jan 1st 2023 at 10:13:42 PM

[up]I would say cut it, Technology Marches On is for when tech in the work has become outdated, for ex, an old sci-fi book revolving around punch-cards. Not how the plot would work nowadays.

I didn't choose the troping life, the troping life chose me
Bubblepig Rei from Tokyo (Apprentice) Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
She / Her
#24925: Jan 1st 2023 at 10:42:37 PM

[up]I don't think it's a Deconstructive Parody because to me it sounds like it lacks something deconstructed.


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