We don't want to clog this thread since Surprisingly Realistic Outcome is an Overdosed Trope. Before posting here, check if the example you're analyzing qualifies for summary deletion from the three criteria below by keeping this trope's rigorous definition in mind.
- Does the example involve Applied Phlebotinum (Functional Magic, Science Fiction, Artistic Licence) or a character reaction? If so, it instantly violates the definition's second bullet point's realism requirements, and you should delete it without question.
- Is the example a Discussed Trope or an instance of Conversational Troping? If so, it violates the definition's third bullet point's emphasis on only counting outcomes, and you should delete it without question.
- Considering the definitions, would the example qualify better for Deconstructed Trope or Deconstructed Character Archetype from the trope page's rules? If so, move it to the appropriate one on the spot.
If the example survived all three tests, it satisfies the second and third bullet points, so you don't need to change it immediately. If you feel like it meets the first bullet point's requirements for being surprising, you can leave it. However, if you believe it doesn't meet the first bullet point or aren't sure, talk it over in the cleanup thread before deciding.
Many Stock Phrases you'll see used in this thread describe a particular type of misuse:
- Not surprising. — The outcome described isn't a Bait-and-Switch and merely follows expected genre conventions.
- Plot happens. — The example merely describes an event or series of events but not why we would expect something different.
- Too fantastical. — The causes/outcome described included the presence of stuff Impossible in Real Life such as Applied Phlebotinum, Functional Magic, or Science Fiction, meaning they're too unrealistic by default.
- No character reactions. — The outcome involves a character reacting in a certain way or having certain emotions, which we can't gauge the realism of because people's emotional reactions vary far too much.
- Not realistic. — Exactly What It Says on the Tin, but this one requires you to write a short description for why it isn't realistic.
- Too implausible. — The outcome describes an outcome that happened because of things too unlikely to count as relatively realistic compared to what they were subverting.
- Cuttable ZCE. — Exactly What It Says on the Tin.
- Not an outcome. — The example is either a Discussed Trope, Lampshade Hanging, Conversational Troping, or happens over too much time to be momentary.
- Too unclear. — The example is too convoluted or obtuse to judge.
- Irrelevant. — The example describes stuff utterly irrelevant to the definition of SRO.
- Bad indentation. — Exactly What It Says on the Tin.
A big thing I've noticed is that it's often used for anything remotely realistic, or something that's realistic but doesn't necessarily affect the story. Another problem is that the trope seems to be cherry-picked, where any instance of reality ensuing is put there, as well as when another trope could serve the example better.
Problematic examples from one sample page, SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome.Disney Animated Series:
"Despite his attempts Wander can't make friends with Dominator who constantly rebuffs his friendly gestures throughout season 2. Even at the end of everything, she still refuses. Sylvia even lampshades it, telling him some people are just like that."
"Spider-Man's fight against Sandman and Rhino, where Spidey uses Rhino's weight against him. rather than fighting him directly."
"Beshte gets sunburns all over his body and is easily exhausted while he is lost in the Outlands. Justified due to the fact that hippos need water to survive to avoid sunburn and overheating."
"It's heavily implied that being the leader of the Lion Guard has taken a toll on Kion's social and private life."
"Milo Murphy's Law is about a boy named Milo Murphy whose entire life is centered around Murphy's Law. In another cartoon, being The Jinx would cause people to be afraid of them, resulting in an unsocial lifestyle. That does not apply here. While everyone does watch their step around Milo, they do not hate him for it. Being The Jinx does, however, give everyone Paranoia Fuel, given that Murphy's Law can happen at any time, so chances are you might need insurance, a phone in case of emergencies, among other things. Milo himself (as well as his friends Melissa and Zack) just learned to adapt to his condition, being prepared for anything. He has lived with Murphy's Law his entire life after all. That being said, that does not mean that they don't panic all the time. Examples include Milo panicking over his monthly doctor's note, and Melissa panicking over riding a rollercoaster with Milo."
" Hiro is initially not allowed to use Tadashi's former lab, as it can only be accessed by upperclassmen who earned the privilege. Subverted in the second half of the pilot when Professor Granville decides Hiro using the lab would benefit him. On a related note regarding Granville, she is tough, but fair when interacting with the students. She might be, as Wasabi describes "a hard case", but Granville being a complete sadist and picking on Hiro would be unrealistic. She is actually a decent person."
-Edited with permission from the OP-
Edited by lalalei2001 on Aug 10th 2022 at 5:47:25 AM
Professor Gigachad
I guess I will give an attempt at a rewrite.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Barry and Flashpoint Batman's first attempt at recreating Barry's Superhero Origin (i.e. a chemical dousing and lightning strike). It is set up to work the first time as it is how The Flash got his powers originally, and The Flash is the only one who knows about his timeline and expects it to work because of that. Instead, it results in full-body third-degree burns.
Does anyone have any issue with this?
Edited by Ordeaux26 on Oct 16th 2021 at 8:06:48 AM
CM Sandboxes, MB Sandboxes
I'm not sure if it might count even with the rewrite, due to the fact it turns out it works out the second time. So why it failed at first but succeeded later? And how reality had to do with the first failure but not the second? So doesn't seem like a Surprisingly Realistic Outcome but just a failed first attempt.
Also, I want to bring these examples from Steven Universe.
- Two sided example: Steven's uncle Andy is understandably upset to see his family's barn given to some random people he didn't know, but Greg has a point in that Andy apparently didn't give him any way to contact him, so he logically couldn't have talked to him about it. Andy realizes that Greg's right and he had zero excuses, as he owns a plane and could've visited his family whenever he wanted to, but didn't. This is just plot happening. There is no subversion.
- Biplanes are lightweight and built for speed, not extreme stress. Steven nearly causes his uncle to crash into the ocean when he gets Lapis to toss him onto the plane. From the kind of fantastic things they normally do, maybe you would expect the plane to not be so affected, although I'm not sure about this one.
Edited by ElBuenCuate on Oct 16th 2021 at 11:02:41 AM
Professor Gigachad
The movie doesn't really explain why it failed the first time. I don't see how that doesn't make it an example though it has everything it needs for the trope, a setup you expect to go unrealistic that the narrative makes you think will but ends up actually realistic (as in lightning will just burn you rather than give you superpowers).
Let's remember that Tropes Are Flexible.
CM Sandboxes, MB Sandboxes
I feel in terms of potential with its very nature, the Rick and Morty section deserves a look over:
Skimmed through the SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome.Literature subpage... and realize there's a section for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
Isn't that book a series of anecdotes based on stories from real life? Pretty sure those are misplaced and have no business there
Edited by RobertTYL on Oct 17th 2021 at 5:11:15 PM
Bringing up the following examples from Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger:
- Reality Ensues: It turns out that a simple headmask and fancy outfit is not always enough to cover your identity, as we find out at the end of N.07 where Tsukasa deduces the Lupinrangers' identities just by looking at them in their civilian and matching them in their thief attires just from their facial features, as well as from the teasing Kairi does of Umika.
- Again in N.18, when Keiichiro begins to develop his own suspicions—how could Umika have been in the dream world if she wasn't Lupin Yellow?
- So you're a multidimensional planet-destroying crime boss with 1000 years of experience and a safe full of power-granting artifacts? Turns out if you sit on your duff for a large chunk of those years and forgo your own strength in favor of those artifacts, if you suddenly find yourself missing all those artifacts, your age and lack of practice suddenly don't do you any favors.
Nintendo Fanatic Extraordinaire
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
The Literature section unfortunately does not make any distinction between fiction and non-fiction.
So a proper entry would be something like this:
Mickey Mouse (2013): In "Duck the Halls: A Mickey Mouse Christmas Special" It's revealed that just like real ducks, Donald cannot survive in winter weather. His body starts to shut down, he molts at an intense rate and generally goes insane from what the cold is doing to his internal organs and brain.
This is the very first time in a Disney work this has ever happened with Donald and they establish it within the plot of the special.
Edited by Regulas314 on Oct 18th 2021 at 5:24:24 AM
The first problem with those entries is that they're 100% spoiler-tagged, which isn't allowed. If an entry has to be fully spoiler-tagged, it doesn't belong on the page at all and should be removed.
I don't know the work in question, but the way the entries are written comes across as "plot happens". It's written as storyline progression. Perhaps someone more familiar with the work can confirm whether anything is salvageable and can be rewritten as a legitimate example (one that adheres to the spoiler policy).
Edited by Wyldchyld on Oct 18th 2021 at 7:34:20 PM
If my post doesn't mention a giant flying sperm whale with oversized teeth and lionfish fins for flippers, it just isn't worth reading.
For the example description, it is technically allowed, but not preferred. It's hiding the trope name (or work name, for examples on the trope page) that isn't allowed.
I want to bring some other examples from MacGyver (2016)
- When the person responsible for running an intelligence agency is detained for committing crimes against the state, the new person sent to replace said person would evaluate everyone to see if either anyone else was compromised or if there are other moles inside. Not sure about this. You would expect the normal thing to expect is for this to happen, so there is no subversion, but would like a second opinion.
- Samantha is forced out of the CIA for not listening to orders. As written, this is just actions have consequences.
- Jack tries to smash a skyscraper window by tossing a chair at it. It just bounces off as Mac dryly points out that unlike the movies, skyscraper windows are specially designed not to just easily shatter under the slightest pressure. I think this is correct, as is what you would expect in this series, and they even lampshade it.
I thought both weren't allowed for similar reasons.
Ah, it's the spoilers section of How to Write an Example that I was thinking of. It encourages people to re-consider adding examples to the page, but doesn't order it.
Edited by Wyldchyld on Oct 18th 2021 at 2:11:00 PM
If my post doesn't mention a giant flying sperm whale with oversized teeth and lionfish fins for flippers, it just isn't worth reading.
Professor Gigachad
Does anyone else have any opinions on this rewritten entry
?
Edited by Ordeaux26 on Oct 18th 2021 at 9:14:52 AM
CM Sandboxes, MB Sandboxes
Bringing up this example from Nightwing: The New Order:
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Alfred tries to protect Jake from Crusaders when they come for him, but all he has is a bat, while his enemy has a gun. It's not even close.
I don't know about this comic, but this being Alfred, I could totally expect them to defeat thugs with a bat.
The example should explain if on this specific comic, we are supposed to believe Alfred could be able to defeat the guy with a gun just with a bat. So in either case it would need a rewrite or a cut.
Did Alf die or get injured by a gunshot?
If yes, its Never Bring a Knife to a Gun Fight
Anyone familiar with either of these two films? Because unfortunately I haven't seen much European "Arthouse" movies, so I'm albeit in the blank here:
- Reality Ensues: Despite the absurd tones, the movie is full of them.
- The actual criminals take immediately notive of the new band, and only leave them be while they are small fishes. Once they start trying to get big, they move immediately to crush them. — Hardly a surprising outcome, heroes which are more "conspicuous" tends to be noticed easier, just like chairs are meant for sitting.
- Bartolomeo can't keep a straight face with Murena's men because of the situation. They decide to beat him up just to prove they are serious. — Plot happens
- Also, turns out the impressive amount of money they made means nothing compared to the sheer influence they have. — ZCE
- Pietro keeps spending his nights out, leading Giulia to call the university and find out he's been fired. — ZCE. Also borderline Plot Happens.
- Also, producing a new drug when your girlfriend works in a re-ab for drug addicts doesn't leave her too pleased. — Plot happens
- It's revealed that the police knows exactly who the members of the band are, they are just too small for them to care ( Pietro gets to bargain with them only because he gives them Murena, an actual criminal), it also turns out that the new molecule won't stay legal forever, and eventually will become an actual drug. — It will eventually become a "legal drug", he said... plot happens.
- It's mentioned a couple of times that while the molecule itself is legal, producing and selling it the way they do... Not as much. — ZCE. Again.
- For all the attentions they put in how to produce and sell the drug, they never once stop to think about the managing issues. Because of that, things end up going out of hands pretty quickly when they try to go big. — Didn't Think This Through.
- You don't go for ambiguity with your promise to marry the daughter of a sinti criminal and hope everyone just forgets it. They'll take it as a "yes" and have you marry her. — Plot happens.
Smetto Quando Voglio Masterclass
- Reality Ensues: Once again, in several issues.
- We see that the police didn't actually have much to hold against them, and only Alberto was in any actual trouble. But they could bluff well. — Zilch to do with the plot.
- Using payable phones to talk to the members of your band makes all too easy to locate you. — ZCE.
- Pietro bargained the safety for his friends for everything they did with the drug. Then they robbed a pharmacy, shot the cashier and were caught on-camera. They all end under trial for that. — Getting put in court for shooting someone isn't "Surprisingly Realistic".
- Turns out that mixing a drink on the fly to erase someone's memory doesn't quite work. Pietro gets mocked in-universe and — The entry ends literally in mid-sentence. And ZCE
- Speaking of wich, you can't just pinch a nerve and have someone pass out. — ZCE
- Italian's pharmacy doesn't have hollywood style silent security. They get mocked in-universe for thinking that. — That's not how Artistic License works. Also Plot Happens.
- They go against a band of smart-drugs producers without the proper equipment or a plan to deal with them. They get shot. Also, the shooting itself is what give the police a reason to come afterwards and arrest them. — Didn't Think This Through, although the troper using "they" instead of actual character names makes it borderline ZCE.
- Not having anything official to prove your bargain is a very bad idea. It's actually Pietro's very first reaction to the idea. Too bad the chance to see her girlfriend and son is too good. — Didn't Think This Through.
- A drastic reduction in smart-drugs selling is nice, but leaves some people wondering. And giving sa convict all kind of permissions to get in and out of jail as he pleases also gets notice. And if you also keep postponining his and his associates trials, someone puts two and two together... — Plot Happens.
- Insulting a journalist, free-lance or not, only has her dig deeper in the story. — ZCE + Plot Happens.
- Even if they are behind the events of the two movies, Pietro and the sopox producer are two common people. When they met, they have no idea who the other is. — Plot Happens.
If nobody knows the context behind these "reality" events and couldn't expand any of these into "Realistic Outcomes" with proper context, I'm just going to call these "Listing out the plot of a film while calling it Reality Ensues". Permission to CUT?
Edited by RobertTYL on Oct 20th 2021 at 8:52:24 PM
@Ordeaux 26 I watched the clip that you were talking about and, yeah, I believe it fits. Considering that the trope gets subverted moments later, that should get mentioned:
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Barry and Flashpoint Batman's first attempt at recreating Barry's Superhero Origin (i.e. a chemical dousing and lightning strike). It is set up to work the first time as it is how The Flash got his powers originally, and The Flash is the only one who knows about his timeline and expects it to work because of that. The music builds up until he gets struck by lightning and doused with chemicals. Then he immediately becomes engulfed in flames, getting full-body third-degree burns in the process. The second attempt succeeds, thankfully.
Agree on all the conclusions. Go ahead and cut it.
Bringing up the following example from Power Rangers Ninja Storm:
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: In "Scent Of A Ranger", after Cam officially becomes a ranger, he realizes he is still needed at Mission Control, and he cannot be a ranger and the Rangers tech guy at same time, so creates Cyber-Cam to help out.
Showtime!
I think you're fine to cut all those
"Smart Guy does Smart Guy stuff" shoehorn. CUT
After Strange, here's the other 2016 Marvel release, and oh boy is it bad...
- Reality Ensues:
- A group whose members are friendly with each other and working towards a shared purpose can still fall apart if higher priorities conflict. — As you can see, the Avengers compound has chairs for everyone, but there WILL be times where they argue which chairs to sit on. Heck, Vision is sitting on a chair during the accords meeting scene, despite being an android who's floating 24/7!.... and yeah, CUT.
- Even though Bucky regained his memories and is a good guy again, he still killed a lot of people while he was a Brainwashed and Crazy assassin, thus making him a wanted fugitive by the government. Even if they buy that he was Brainwashed and Crazy, the best case scenario is that he'll end up under close scrutiny from now on. This becomes a major Plot Point when we learn that two of those people were Howard and Maria Stark. — This assassin operated for six decades before he's eventually caught. Hardly "realistic".
- The Avengers have saved the world numerous times, but many people are growing tired of the amount of collateral damage the heroes leave in their wake, especially since becoming essentially an N.G.O. Superpower following the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the World Security Council. — Plot happens, but otherwise this can go under Happy Ending Override.
- The Russos have said they wanted to provide a more realistic depiction of the Perpetual Poverty Spider-Man and Aunt May often find themselves in. In a sharp departure from the comics and previous movies, it's revealed that the Parkers live in a small apartment rather than a decent-sized house, reflecting what a family with only one source of income would likely be able to afford in 2016. — Deconstructed Trope, at best. Maybe.
- Additionally, Spider-Man's Super-Senses cause him Sensory Overload. He needs special lenses in his mask just to compensate when in "Spidey Mode". However, he seems able to mute them to function as Peter Parker everyday. — "He seems able to mute them to function as Peter Parker everyday"... then it's irrelevant to the plot. CUT.
- Related, but in the comics and the original movie from the Spider-Man Trilogy, Peter created his costume himself despite his lack of resourcesnote or anything to indicate he's talented at sewing or design. Here, his homemade costume is low-rent and crappy-looking, and he doesn't get his iconic suit until the wealthy Tony Stark provides it for him. — Deconstructed Trope again, this is NOT Reality stuff.
- As it turns out, spending all your time doing superheroics after you promised to retire really doesn't do wonders for your relationship, as Tony has learned regarding Pepper. — Breakup happens in 99% of superhero movie sequels, so this is another Plot Happens.
- Peggy Carter, a veteran of World War II over seventy years ago, is not going to be around long in the 2010s. She dies of Alzheimer's in this film due to her very old age. — She died at age 95. She still outlived my grandma by two years... anyway, CUT
- The falling debris from Sokovia seemed to have fallen harmlessly to the ground below in the film where it was destroyed. Apparently not so, as some of the debris fell on the remainder of the town below, killing Zemo's family among others. — Create Your Own Villain, maybe. Nothing realistic here.'
- In the same vein, when speaking to the Avengers about the Accords, Ross has them view videos from the Battle of New York and the events of Winter Soldier, which showcase people being hit by rubble as the Hulk slams into the side of a building and others being swept into the water of the river that the Helicarriers crashed into. Suddenly that woman who tried to kill Jessica Jones just for being gifted makes a bit more sense... — Jessica Jones shoehorn. She didn;t even appear in this movie!... CUT
- Both Cap and Bucky are shown to be significantly heavier than a normal human, as a result of their Super-Strength. During Cap and Bucky's fight with the Bundespolizei/UN forces, Bucky bends steel railings just by falling onto them from three stories above; in a later scene, Cap is able to ground a just-started helicopter by grabbing it with one arm and holding onto a low railing with another. Cap also can't just pull it down casually without resistance, the movie goes through the method of showing Cap correctly apply his superstrength, wedging himself in position between the chopper and helipad to get the proper leverage with his arms. — Superheroes in this movie can kick the asses of normies, just like 400 other superhero movies made before it. Also, have anyone noticed many superhero movies have chairs they can sit on after beating up randoes?
- When Scott goes into Giant-Man mode during the fight, he exerts more energy moving his larger body around and is significantly slower. When he goes back to normal, he is completely drained and asks for some orange slices. — It's just a funny line from a comedian actor, FORCED into a Reality Ensues trope. And its not plot-relevant in any way, so...
- Even though Bucky is proven not to have been behind the UN bombings, Team Cap is still imprisoned for hampering his arrest and when Steve breaks them out, they become fugitives. — Plot happens.
- When they bring Scott in to join the team (flying him from America to Germany to do so), Scott's jet-lagged to hell and sleeping it off in the back of Clint's van when they meet up with Steve (despite them getting him a coffee). — Yeah, Scott is jet-lagged, and then in a later fight scene he beats the snot out of Iron Man, War Machine, AND Spidey... hardly realistic. CUT.
- Rhodes' armor won't do anything to cushion his fall from a great height. Especially notable since the same thing happened to Tony in the first film, and he didn't suffer any major injuries from it. — Call-Back and Plot Happens.
- Scarlet Witch's legal status presents problems for the Avengers, as she's not an American citizen, and as Tony points out, the government doesn't just randomly grant visas to walking WMDs. — Well, no doy. The same thing happens in similar superhero movies with these Superhero Registration stuff, like the X-Men films... also, have anyone realized many Marvel movies contains chairs?
Edited by RobertTYL on Oct 21st 2021 at 9:37:18 PM
Showtime!
Cut all those
I think some of them are justified. Namely:
- The Avengers have saved the world numerous times, but many people are growing tired of the amount of collateral damage the heroes leave in their wake, especially since becoming essentially an N.G.O. Superpower following the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the World Security Council. How many superhero movies deal with collateral damage. OK fine, Hancock, Incredibles, BVS
- Rhodes' armor won't do anything to cushion his fall from a great height. Especially notable since the same thing happened to Tony in the first film, and he didn't suffer any major injuries from it. AFAIK, an important character in a film would have weathered the injury quite well, and any injuries get cured fast. Rhodey on the other hand needs to be rehabilitated, and needs external support to walk
Edited by magnumtropus on Oct 21st 2021 at 5:47:45 PM
Showtime!
Still not sure how I feel about the first, but I think you're correct that the Rhodes one can stay
It seems that for a lot of examples on Surprisingly Realistic Outcome/Advertising, the "Realistic Outcome" is the whole point of the ad. Is that OK?
For example, the cartoon based ones operate on cartoon logic, which will obviously be different compared to real life. And some are ZCE's
Edited by magnumtropus on Oct 21st 2021 at 5:58:54 PM
Yeah, the movie does lead the audience to think it will work first try as it is the exact way Flash got his powers. Flash certainly thinks it will.
Edited by Ordeaux26 on Oct 16th 2021 at 8:00:24 AM
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