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Arivne Since: Jan, 2001
2024-12-03 08:38:29

Does Speculative Troping cover what you're looking for?

Edited by Arivne
Octoya Since: Jul, 2014
2024-12-03 09:05:14

I don't think it is explicitly stated, it's by the very nature that Fridge Horror is something is only terrifying upon reflection. A lot of the "imagine if the character had died" entries are commenting on the explicit stakes of a scene—for it to be a proper example, I had the impression that whatever could have killed them needs to not be acknowledged by the work or narrative as dangerous.

Saying "imagine the PTSD nightmares this character will have" is definitely speculative on top of that. PTSD is not a guaranteed trauma response.

WarJay77 (Troper Knight)
2024-12-03 09:24:51

The issue with Fridge is that there doesn't actually seem to be consensus on what the exact rules for it are. I remember making a discussion to try and figure out how a cleanup should go but we never got anywhere. This is a gray area.

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
MurlocAggroB Since: May, 2015
2024-12-03 14:25:08

I definitely don't like those entirely speculative entries. You might as well just write "What if the main character died of a random heart attack?" on every single page. Why not? It can happen to people, and that's scary! Technically doing that isn't against any rules, right?

regulation pigeon
Tabs MOD Since: Jan, 2001
2024-12-03 16:19:12

Entries of that sort are a little too nonspecific imo. A lot of things can be traumatizing, a lot of bad things can randomly happen. Maybe for those specific ones in OP, some kind of agreement can be made whether they stay or go.

Tuvok Since: Feb, 2010
2024-12-03 22:23:00

The problem with that example is that it assumes the characters will have life long PTSD. It's a theory not a certainty. We see them mourning, and moving on. If we revisited them at a later date and had proof of PTSD then it could count as FridgeHorror right?

Octoya Since: Jul, 2014
2024-12-04 00:51:37

Well, if it's explicitly confirmed they have PTSD, that wouldn't be "fridge" horror. That would be a tearjerker or nightmare fuel entry at best.

Tuvok Since: Feb, 2010
2024-12-04 06:40:12

Is there a place to put up the example and have consensus reached on its validity?

Edited by Tuvok
Ghilz Since: Jan, 2001
2024-12-04 08:11:26

I think there's a spectrum between confirmed to have PTSD, likely to have PTSD, and could have PTSD

Like, in the former, sure, Nightmare Fuel or Tearjerker. The story outright says it happens, no Fridge element.

You can have a character who is "likely to have PTSD", ie: "Bob has a history of it for other events, and surely the events of the story will just add to Bob's trauma." The story itself never covers Bob's emotional baggage from the story, but elements of the plot and bob's character make this outcome logical and likely if you think about it. This would be Fridge Logic.

"Everyone could have PTSD from this" is speculative troping. Especially if there's no sign to support any of them having a history of it or that it'd be how they respond to trauma.

Edited by Ghilz
Kayube (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
2024-12-04 10:44:53

Fridge entries have to be things not addressed by the story one way or another. If they clearly do happen, that's not Fridge because it's explicit in the text. If they clearly don't happen, either because it's stated in the text that something else happened or because the rest of the story wouldn't be possible if it did, that's also not Fridge.

I guess the question here might be, could the rest of the story happen exactly as portrayed if the characters were suffering from PTSD?

Edited by Kayube
WarJay77 (Troper Knight)
2024-12-04 10:56:57

Well, it's in future-tense. It's not claiming that the characters already have PTSD, it's presuming that they'll get it and then get nightmares from it.

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
Ghilz Since: Jan, 2001
2024-12-04 11:08:22

Yeah its talking about future outcomes of the plot after its over.

None of that would affect how the show itself happened. Its a question of "is that likely/logical outcome for the show or just speculating"

Tuvok Since: Feb, 2010
2024-12-04 16:31:07

If it's speculation is it FridgeHorror? Just checking the way the way the wind is blowing. Personally I'm ok with the example being gone. Is anybody feeling it should be re-added?

mightymewtron Since: Oct, 2012
2024-12-04 17:18:06

I don't see the problem with the entry. Overthinking the story and its potential consequences beyond what the story intends is what Fridge Horror is about at its core. Maybe it warrants further discussion?

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.
ArthurEld Since: May, 2014
2024-12-04 20:48:24

Not really. Fridge Horror has to be based on something.

You could put "One shudders to imagine what PTSD nightmares are awaiting the surviving characters." on like...a hundred different work pages. It might even be accurate, but it's still a poor entry to the point of deserving deletion.

You could put that on the page for Finding Nemo for crying out loud.

Kuruni (Long Runner)
2024-12-04 21:38:42

Imagine people start adding "Imagine the setting get hit by gamma ray burst." or "Imagine a blackhole moving near the setting." on nearly every Fridge page...

Octoya Since: Jul, 2014
2024-12-04 23:10:18

Yeah, as much as a lot of valid Fridge Horror comes from ignoring the story's narrative to point out a dark aspect of the story, the dark aspect still has to be a logical consequence of the facts presented in the story. If it were a fact that people invariably develop crippling PTSD in response to all forms of trauma maybe it would count. But, to put it very simply, it is not, so it doesn't. Ghilz's explanation of when to add entries like that put it best imo.

Edited by Octoya
Tuvok Since: Feb, 2010
2024-12-05 04:11:39

So, after an in-depth discussion. I'm going to say by consensus alone the removal correct and matter resolved? Genuinely speaking not enough of a foundation to definitely call an example of FridgeHorror.

fanman Since: Feb, 2022
2024-12-05 22:39:52

Hey guys, it was me who put that entry in there. I'm sorry, it was a lapse in judgment and it won't happen again.

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