TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

Trope Idea Sounding Board

Go To

Have an idea for a new trope, but don't know for sure if it's a good idea? Did Trope Finder give you similar concepts, but not exactly what you wanted? Are you just looking for a focus to a broader idea?

You've come to the right place!

On this thread, you can share your ideas with the masses before making that TLP draft, so if there's any lingering uncertainty about the validity of your idea or you just want some help pinning down a good idea, ask away and help others out, too!

A related sandbox I need to pitch is the Trope Idea Salvage Yard. If you've an idea but can't personally work on it, you can add it to the yard and let someone else create the draft. Or you can browse it yourself if you need more draft ideas, whether or not you feel they should be mentioned here first.

Got ideas for non-trope pages you need help with? Never fear, the New Page Workshop Thread is here!

With that out of the way: Let's discuss some ideas.

Edited by MacronNotes on Feb 27th 2022 at 1:49:11 PM

Malady (X-Troper)
#5951: Feb 12th 2023 at 5:13:55 PM

If it mainly differs from Bombardier Mook because it doesn't use Respawning Enemies, that feels like it fails the The Same But More Specific test.

If you can kill the carrier and kill the cargo by making it drop in a pit or something, that's possibly not unique to non-respawners?

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
Theriocephalus Amateur Veteran from gimme a map and a moment and I can tell you Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: I made a point to burn all of the photographs
Amateur Veteran
#5952: Feb 12th 2023 at 5:57:43 PM

Bombardier Mook doesn't use Respawning Enemies either. A Bombardier Mook just drops... stuff on you. Bombs, rocks, coconuts, fire, whatever. There're a couple on-page examples that toss weak enemies, but literally only two out of sixty-three.

Malady (X-Troper)
#5953: Feb 12th 2023 at 8:17:00 PM

[up] - Oh, I thought Bombardier Mook had more enemy carriers. Nevermind then, if they're that different from the usual, then splitting it off makes some sense.

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
BigBadShadow25 With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg. from Basement at the Alamo (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Desperate
With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg.
#5954: Feb 14th 2023 at 8:54:57 AM

Would it be a good idea for a Stock Phrase like Are You Still Here or Why Are You Still Here? Like surprise or annoyance that someone hasn’t left for something or realized a conversation is over or whatever?

You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.
NitroIndigo ♀ | Small ripples lead to big waves from West Midlands region, England Since: Jun, 2021 Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
♀ | Small ripples lead to big waves
#5955: Feb 14th 2023 at 8:56:44 AM

[up]No New Stock Phrases has been a rule for years.

BigBadShadow25 With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg. from Basement at the Alamo (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Desperate
With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg.
#5956: Feb 14th 2023 at 8:56:56 AM

Okay. I was not aware.

Edited by BigBadShadow25 on Feb 14th 2023 at 11:57:14 AM

You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.
ilovewildkratts1 Local Odd Squad Connoisseur from a nice breezy expansive meadow (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Local Odd Squad Connoisseur
#5957: Feb 14th 2023 at 2:48:37 PM

Would a trope involving the lack of an Episode Title Card and/or the lack of the episode's name anywhere in a work be viable?

I know it's a common thing in live-action works but I'm not sure if the concept's sound enough to stand on its own.

Edited by ilovewildkratts1 on Feb 14th 2023 at 2:48:53 AM

Wuewuewuewuewueing my way to the bank.
good-morning Lord Something, Forgetter of Cool Titles from Brazil Since: Nov, 2021
Lord Something, Forgetter of Cool Titles
#5959: Feb 14th 2023 at 7:36:23 PM

I was thinking of a trope about in-universe encyclopaedias cataloguing fantastical or otherwise fictional elements in an objective and immersive way. The main example that comes to my head is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, an in-universe textbook from the Harry Potter book series classifying and documenting the fantasy creatures from the franchise from the perspective of the characters that live in that world. I think it would be different from a Mockumentary because it isn't satirical or parodic, but it also wouldn't be something like Book of Imaginary Beings because it is written from a diegetic perspective. The closest I could find in Trope Finder was Fictional Document, but I think it's not there yet.

oh hey how are you doing?
Malady (X-Troper)
#5960: Feb 14th 2023 at 7:58:14 PM

Encyclopedia Exposita, but exaggerated into a whole book or something.

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
good-morning Lord Something, Forgetter of Cool Titles from Brazil Since: Nov, 2021
Lord Something, Forgetter of Cool Titles
#5961: Feb 14th 2023 at 9:16:51 PM

[up]I don't know if fits. For example, what if a book isn't based on any established franchise and instead analyses public-domain creatures in a scientific way, like making up scientific names for them and the such?

oh hey how are you doing?
Malady (X-Troper)
#5962: Feb 14th 2023 at 9:53:17 PM

Well, we make tropes based on what exists, not what could exist.

Might be easier to form a trope if you have three examples of what you want, then seeing the similarities, with just tossing everything into Fictional Document as a last resort?

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
freygrilledcheese The Fool from District Court (Handed A Sword) Relationship Status: All is for my lord
The Fool
#5963: Feb 15th 2023 at 9:20:12 AM

I'm thinking of the trope where alter egos have a different hair color to differentiate between the original personality.

It's different from Split-Personality Makeover in a way that it's usually not split personality disorder/possession/whatever, but rather just a simple alter ego (think Hannah Montana), and this specifically focuses on hair color.

There is Emilie Autumn who had pink hair in her Enchant era when she was a fairy, but went crimson red for Opheliac, which portrayed a completely different person.

There is also Caroline Polachek who had an alter ego called Ramona Lisa, whose hair was black, while Caroline's is naturally brown.

I couldn't find anything which surprised me because this would be a very common trope, so maybe this is People Sit On Chairs?? Please feedback I have the examples and could do a write-up, I just don't know if this is tropeworthy

Edited by freygrilledcheese on Feb 15th 2023 at 6:27:31 PM

OBJECTION!
amathieu13 Since: Aug, 2013
#5964: Feb 15th 2023 at 12:11:16 PM

[up]Flip Personality

ETA: Reading this through more and I think that's kind of baked into the concept of Secret Identity. Not the hair color specifically, but that the character is going to try to hide their Secret Identity by distinguishing it from the Alter Ego in some way, be it with Clark Kenting, a wig, Secret Identity Vocal Shift, etc.

Edited by amathieu13 on Feb 15th 2023 at 3:18:32 PM

Synchronicity (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#5965: Feb 15th 2023 at 12:20:48 PM

Hannah Montana is Clark Kenting specifically since it is a legit secret identity. I don’t think the musicians changing hair color is anything (besides Expository Hairstyle Change I guess) but we might be lacking a “musician alter ego/stage persona” trope who is different in appearance and/or personality ala Sasha Fierce/Ziggy Stardust

Edited by Synchronicity on Feb 15th 2023 at 2:23:50 PM

Noaqiyeum we must dissent (it/they) from across the gulf of space (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
we must dissent (it/they)
#5966: Feb 15th 2023 at 12:56:21 PM

For example, what if a book isn't based on any established franchise and instead analyses public-domain creatures in a scientific way, like making up scientific names for them and the such?

I think you're looking for Speculative Documentary.

ERROR: The current state of the world is unacceptable. Save anyway? YES/NO
freygrilledcheese The Fool from District Court (Handed A Sword) Relationship Status: All is for my lord
The Fool
#5967: Feb 15th 2023 at 1:21:41 PM

^^ Now I can see why it isn't tropeworthy, but "musician alter egos" is a good idea which doesn't seem to be a trope yet.

OBJECTION!
good-morning Lord Something, Forgetter of Cool Titles from Brazil Since: Nov, 2021
Lord Something, Forgetter of Cool Titles
#5968: Feb 15th 2023 at 5:23:27 PM

[up][up]Thank you a lot for the suggestion, but I think it still wouldn't fit due to focusing on teaching real life science using speculative scenarios, not something like Fantastic Beasts, which document fictional elements from an in-universe perspective. I was also thinking of a Brazilian book called Acalantopia, which talks about a couple that tries to study several beings from Brazilian Nursery Rhymes reinterpreted as fantastical beings with scientific names and the such. Do you think fictional maps and other Worldbuilding aspects would fit with this kind of idea?

oh hey how are you doing?
Noaqiyeum we must dissent (it/they) from across the gulf of space (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
we must dissent (it/they)
#5969: Feb 15th 2023 at 9:06:18 PM

Speculative Documentary is underutilised and probably in need of TRS, but I'm certain it or Speculative Biology is what you're looking for. (The latter is biology-specific, obviously, but cares less about whether the work is pretending to look scholastic.) Fantastic Beasts is listed there, as well as things like All Tomorrows, The Snouters: Form and Life of the Rhinogrades, Expedition, Orions Arm, and especially Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials and Barlowe's Guide to Fantasy (which have never gotten works pages yet but are exactly the sort of thing you're talking about).

ERROR: The current state of the world is unacceptable. Save anyway? YES/NO
TheLibrarian1701 Since: Dec, 2022
#5970: Feb 16th 2023 at 10:17:50 AM

Do We Have This?

There's a comedy trope I've seen in use a few times which takes one of two forms, but seem to be based in the same spirit. Basically, someone says or does something outrageous, and someone tries to scold them for it, only for them to justify it, usually cheerfully, by saying that it worked or that they're not affected, so it's fine.

The only example I can think of comes from a piece of promotional art for Sonohana where one character loudly proclaims "She is my bride!" The "bride" in question protests, "How can you say something so embarrassing?!" to which the initial speaker replies, "I'm not embarrassed, so it's fine."

The other version comes from The Big Bang Theory where Leonard berates Sheldon for having them stand in line for theater seats. Sheldon asks him about when they went to see Star Trek: Nemesis together. Leonard complains about all the harrowing ordeals that he'd had to put up with, from being beaten up by Klingon cosplayers because Sheldon wouldn't wake to verify his place in line after a bathroom break to actually having seen the film in question. Sheldon then asks, "But how were our seats?" to which Leonard has to offer up a grudging "Great."

EDIT:

And I know that Sonohana was cut for reasons, so I am aware that I can't use the example. It was more of an illustrative point of how it works than an example for use if/when we can put this on TLP.

I'm thinking of "All's Well Justification" for a title.

Edited by TheLibrarian1701 on Feb 16th 2023 at 12:25:34 PM

good-morning Lord Something, Forgetter of Cool Titles from Brazil Since: Nov, 2021
Lord Something, Forgetter of Cool Titles
#5971: Feb 16th 2023 at 3:52:29 PM

[up][up]Thank you, that really was what I was thinking about!

oh hey how are you doing?
selkies TOO serious! from Guess, guess, guess Since: Jan, 2021 Relationship Status: Star-crossed
TOO serious!
#5972: Feb 16th 2023 at 11:08:07 PM

[up][up] IDK if we have it, but you can include a work whose page was cut, but you can't make a page for it.

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.
TheLibrarian1701 Since: Dec, 2022
#5973: Feb 16th 2023 at 11:59:38 PM

[up] So something like this would be fine?

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cd1269a71b591f603462e769efb8374a2.jpg
You're not the only one in the relationship, Mai..

Alls Well Justification

There's no shortage of characters who do, or say, strange, silly, embarrassing, dangerous, or outlandish things. Likewise, there's no shortage of characters willing to chastise, berate, or lecture them for said behavior.

However, sometimes the person being lectured or criticized has a perfectly legitimate response; Everything worked out in the end.

This is the All's Well Justification. Sure, whatever they did was stupid, reckless, possibly even near fatal. But the end results were good, so why harp on about it.

Largely a comedy trope, though it has potential for dramatic purposes.

Expect to see it frequently from The Gadfly, Cloud Cuckoo Lander, Bunny-Ears Lawyer, or similarly outrageous characters. It is also closely related to Comedic Sociopathy. In some cases it may also overlap with Comically Missing the Point.


Examples:

    open/close all folders 

    Live Action TV 
  • The Big Bang Theory: Leonard is protesting Sheldon's plan to camp out for tickets to a film, pointing out the last time they did it was for Star Trek: Nemesis and that it had not gone well for him, from being beaten by a group of Klingon cosplayers when he'd taken a bathroom break and Sheldon hadn't woken to verify his place in line to actually having to watch the film in question.
    Sheldon: But how were our seats?
    Leonard: (reluctantly)Great.
  • Leverage: "The Juror Number 6 Job" opens with the crew storming into their office space with the others berating Parker for not taking their safety into account. Parker angrily demands to know, "Did the elevator decapitate you?"
    Hardison Actually from this angle it looks pretty close on the decapitation.

    Visual Novels 
  • Sonohana: A piece of promotional art for the second game in the series, has Mai loudly declare, "Reo is my bride!" Reo, mortified, demands to know how Mai can say such embarrassing things in front of people. Mai replies "I'm not embarrassed, so it's fine."

Edited by TheLibrarian1701 on Feb 17th 2023 at 11:52:59 AM

freygrilledcheese The Fool from District Court (Handed A Sword) Relationship Status: All is for my lord
The Fool
#5974: Feb 17th 2023 at 8:25:40 AM

I have noticed that we don't have a trope for when two characters are saying goodbye and one of them cuts a lock from their own hair and gives it to the other as a keepsake. There is Creepy Souvenir for body parts but this is obviously not that. I have two examples (ASOIAF: A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms and Borgia) Does anyone have a third example?

OBJECTION!
TheLibrarian1701 Since: Dec, 2022
#5975: Feb 17th 2023 at 9:27:17 AM

[up] Willow. The title character's wife gives him a braided lock of her hair before he sets out on his adventure

Edit: not a farewell, but inWasteful Days of High School Girls, Hisui "Majo" Kujou makes bracelets for "Robo", "Wota", and "Baka" of her own hair to show appreciation for their kindness and friendship.

Edited by TheLibrarian1701 on Feb 17th 2023 at 11:29:53 AM


Total posts: 11,344
Top