To-do list:
- Move examples fitting the proper definition (corrupt individual with some degree of authority, which they abuse, within a village or small town) from Corrupt Hick to Small-Town Tyrant, and remove misuse.
Essentially, the description for this trope is mostly clear (corrupt individual with some degree of authority, which they abuse, within a village or small town), but the name has for a long time been leading tropers to apply the trope to all villainous hicks.
Oh, and the Laconic is right out, as it specifies that the character is a Dirty Cop, and while sheriffs are a very common interpretation this is not mentioned at all in the description.
A wick check found that the usage is a pretty even split:
- 23/50 referred to some variation of the correct definition.
- 21/50 referred to villains that happened to be some sort of hicks/rednecks or had a Southern accent.
- 3/50 were other forms of misuse (best suited to a different trope).
- And 4/50 were ZCE
Proposal:
Corrupt Hick should be split into the correct definition (possibly rename Smalltown Tyrant or something similar to better match the description) and possibly, if tropeworthy, another for evil hillbillies and/or Southern-accented villains (Heinous Hayseed?).
Edited by GastonRabbit on Jun 21st 2022 at 7:20:18 AM
(she/her)
Now a lurker. Thanks for everything. | he/him
Paging ~Azorious 24 to the thread as this is their OP
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Now a lurker. Thanks for everything. | he/him
Oh crap I mispelled.
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the Retromancer
Rename sounds good. Not confident if the misuse can be kept even at a yard, I'd think we have enough of Deep South tropes (not checked) to move these to.
TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup
Just stoic wisdom.
Was there not already a trope for villains with Southern accents? Huh.
Vehicle-Based Characterization | Grief-Induced Split | Locker Mail
Sounds good on paper (he/him)
Rename.
And we do have Fat, Sweaty Southerner in a White Suit as a subtrope of Villain in a White Suit.
Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.
Goku Black
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Its usually covered also by Deep South.
Rename.
"That's right mortal. By channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument in which to destroy you."
Now a lurker. Thanks for everything. | he/him
I am in favor of a rename for what it's worth.
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The Man Outside Reality
Rename works for me. I kinda like the Heinous Hayseed name.
Trust no one.
Accumulating Filibuster Counters
It makes sense, there's a lot of "Evil Southerner" tropes. Is 'Smalltown Tyrant' alright to change to?
Thanks, but that won't be used in this case. The problem with the current name is that it applies to all (evil) hicks rather than those in positions of authority and while I do like my own
Added Alliterative Appeal, it wouldn't solve anything and is, to be fair, a synonym.
Edited by Azorius24 on Jun 15th 2022 at 5:37:57 PM
"The only thing which is certain, is that something will happen".
Sounds good on paper (he/him)
Would Village Villain work? The description mentions rural parts of Northern England in addition to the Deep South, so it might not be US-specific.
Edited by GastonRabbit on Jun 15th 2022 at 7:04:28 AM
Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.
Berserk Button: misusing Berserk Button
~GastonRabbit: I dunno if I would call a suburb a village, plus the name just sounds odd. Like, what is a Village Villain? A villain who lives in a village?
(Side note: finally got the chance to play Forgotten Land- it was bugging me not knowing the context of your signature.)
One of these days, all of you will accept me as your supreme overlord.
Just stoic wisdom.
I do like Azorius's proposed names! Smalltown Tyrant would work imo, and also I just want to give props to Heinous Hayseed even if that doesn't get turned into a spinoff trope.
I think that "village" alienates the American side of things in an attempt to appeal more broadly, as we tend not to use that term so much here. I think "Smalltown" works better for that reason.
Vehicle-Based Characterization | Grief-Induced Split | Locker Mail
Sounds good on paper (he/him)
"Village" was meant to be an adjective, like how the phrase "village idiot" uses it as an adjective. Basically, the resident villain of a rural area.
But if the name is unclear, we don't have to use it. I was just spitballing. I personally prefer Small-Town Tyrant over Heinous Hayseed, even if it's not particularly catchy.
Edited by GastonRabbit on Jun 15th 2022 at 8:56:45 AM
Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.
Nintendo Fanatic Extraordinaire
Fun fact: Village and villain are cognates. Thus, Village Villain gets my vote.
Forgotten Land is such an amazing game. It's easily the best Kirby game ever made.
Edited by Nen_desharu on Jun 15th 2022 at 10:59:10 AM
Kirby is awesome.
the Retromancer
I favor Smalltown Tyrant so far, not sure about capitalization here.
TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup
Berserk Button: misusing Berserk Button
Smalltown Tyrant or Small Town Tyrant. Either is fine.
Elfilin is best bro.
the Retromancer
I like Kirby games, but I advise staying on Corrupt Hick topic.
TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup
Sounds good on paper (he/him)
Apparently both "smalltown" and "small-town" are valid adjectival forms of "small town".
Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.
Accumulating Filibuster Counters
Showtime!
I like Small-Town Tyrant
Absolute destiny... apeachalypse?
Professional Wick Checker
Sounds good on paper (he/him)
We already have enough votes in favor of renaming, but opinions on which name to go with are more split, so we'll need a crowner for that.
Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.
Accumulating Filibuster Counters
Should there be a cleanup thread to remove ‘Villain has a Southern accent’ examples?
"The only thing which is certain, is that something will happen".
Crown Description:
Consensus was to rename Corrupt Hick due to the name being non-indicative. What should its new name be?
To-do list:
Essentially, the description for this trope is mostly clear (corrupt individual with some degree of authority, which they abuse, within a village or small town), but the name has for a long time been leading tropers to apply the trope to all villainous hicks.
Oh, and the Laconic is right out, as it specifies that the character is a Dirty Cop, and while sheriffs are a very common interpretation this is not mentioned at all in the description.
A wick check found that the usage is a pretty even split:
Proposal:
Corrupt Hick should be split into the correct definition (possibly rename Smalltown Tyrant or something similar to better match the description) and possibly, if tropeworthy, another for evil hillbillies and/or Southern-accented villains (Heinous Hayseed?).
Edited by GastonRabbit on Jun 21st 2022 at 7:20:18 AM
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