A thread discussing similar tropes.
Note that two tropes being distinct in theory does that mean they are distinct in practice. If participants agree that two (or more) tropes really don't seem distinct enough to be separate, one can start a thread in the Trope Repair Shop for further discussion. A a wick check demonstrating redundancy will likely be required, though.
Before asking "What's the difference between these tropes?", check the Canonical List of Subtle Trope Distinctions and Laconical List of Subtle Trope Distinctions lists. They may contain the answer. Feel free to contribute to them, too.
I've decided to start a new cleanup thread dealing with trope similarities. This thread is for discussing tropes that appear to be a duplicate of another trope, and if it's agreed upon that the two tropes talked about are similar enough, one should start a thread about it in the Trope Repair Shop.
I'll start with my issue...
Asian Hooker Stereotype and Mighty Whitey and Mellow Yellow are pretty much the same trope—they both involve a white man and an Asian woman.
Edited by Synchronicity on Aug 8th 2024 at 5:29:57 AM
I feel like Naughty by Night is a duplicate of Covert Pervert. I can't really tell the difference between the two, especially after looking at on page examples.
From the descriptions, Naughty by Night is someone who has a wilder sexual life than you would imagine from their appearance, while Covert Pervert is someone who has dirty thoughts but you wouldn't guess it. If the examples overlap too much, that's probably misuse.
Evil Former Friend vs. We Used to Be Friends?
Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576But the description of We Used to Be Friends, does mention Heel Face Turns and evil and so on.
As long as this flower is in my heart. My Strength will flow without end.
yes, because Heel–Face Turn can be involved in a We Used to Be Friends example. We Used to Be Friends just isn't limited to such examples. "The reasons might vary, but bottom line is, the once tight bond between the character(s) in question and their former friend(s) is severely damaged, if not completely broken."
Evil Former Friend is the subtrope covering such cases. By definition, all examples of a Sub-Trope are examples of the Super-Trope.
Edited by amathieu13 on Aug 18th 2023 at 12:25:49 PM
It doesn't help though that We Used to Be Friends neglects to spell out its relation to Evil Former Friend when it talks about the heel face turn case.
Edited by eroock on Aug 19th 2023 at 5:26:50 PM
What is the difference between Closed Circle and Ten Little Murder Victims? Maybe you could argue the latter is a subtrope where they are specifically in a big house, but why does neither page mention the other at all given their similarity?
Closed Circle doesn't require murder, for one thing. Just "characters can't get out".
Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper WallWhat's the difference between Who Even Needs a Brain? and 'Tis Only a Bullet in the Brain ?
Who Even Needs a Brain? seems to be for complete brain removal while 'Tis Only a Bullet in the Brain is for gunshots to the head. If so, the image on Who Even Needs a Brain? would be misleading.
Edited by eroock on Aug 20th 2023 at 3:25:34 PM
I mean, her brain was removed by whatever blew up her forehead. The description does not specify careful and deliberate brain removal, just removal period, and then goes onto list scenarios that include the character not having a brain to begin with... so the trope really is just "character is missing their brain and functions fine".
The real difference seems to be that 'Tis Only a Bullet in the Brain focuses on brain injuries (most often gun shots) that are not portrayed as being a horrible injury, while Who Even Needs a Brain? is for examples where the character becomes or is literally brainless and functions fine.
Edited by WarJay77 on Aug 20th 2023 at 1:54:07 PM
Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper WallWhat’s the difference between Loser Protagonist and This Loser Is You?
Taken from the description of Loser Protagonist: "The loser protagonist is a Sister Trope to the This Loser Is You, but unlike that trope, the Loser Protagonist is not necessarily meant to be relatable or is objectively a failure in every single aspect of life, it's just that they may be considered a loser by the standards of their society."
Bigotry will NEVER be welcome on TV Tropes.^^^I Am Not a Gun seems to be an actual rejection of their role as a weapon; Sympathetic Sentient Weapon is broader and can just be for any angst — e.g. a hero can find a tykebomb pitiable without the tykebomb declaring I Am Not a Gun. YMMV if that's enough of a distinction.
I'm trying to confirm the difference between Hypothetical Fight Debate and "Cavemen vs. Astronauts" Debate.
The former explicity states "fictional characters". So would a hypothetical fight debate about two real life individuals (such as Anne Frank and Lizzie Borden) go under the latter instead?
Or, since they're both deceased and could never actually fight, could that still go under the former trope?
Edited by BeerBaron on Aug 21st 2023 at 4:03:05 AM
A "Cavemen vs. Astronauts" Debate doesn't have to be a Hypothetical Fight Debate. It can be any heated debate over an inconsequential topic.
So "Cavemen vs. Astronauts" Debate would be the more appropriate one to use in this case? (The debate is more intense than called for in the example.)
PrisonEpisode.Video Games vs Prison Level. Might overlap each other
Prison Episode is a story point after someone is sentenced, while Prison Level is effectively a subtrope of Stealth-Based Mission. So entries at PrisonEpisode.Video Games that don't mention time in the cell can probably be moved.
Edited by Amonimus on Aug 23rd 2023 at 4:41:22 PM
TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup![]()
There's an ongoing (but somewhat stalled) discussion about "X Episode" tropes
and their tropeworthiness/dupe nature with other tropes, especially when used outside of episodic of serialized mediums.
In this case, I'd say Prison Episode is being misused and shouldn't even have video game entries unless again, the work is episodic.

So users couldn't agree on going through with the switch for stock index/individual cases to make the pair more consistent with other licence tropes. Perhaps the the case wasn't presented well back then. Like the thread did not mention the existing pairs I mentioned above.