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GnomeTitan Since: Aug, 2013
2015-03-10 04:54:16

Shouldn't these tropes be YMMV?

Ramona122003 Since: Jan, 2001
2015-03-10 05:02:17

Maybe you can merged two points into Bittersweet Ending since it does fits that definition better since the movie does resolves the conflict in question even if it was at a heavy price. Maybe end it with saying that boarders on being an outright Downer Ending or say it's more bitter than sweet. That way you can respect the Downer Ending aspect.

Also, they shouldn't be YMMV because it is a story device not really an opinion.

GnomeTitan Since: Aug, 2013
2015-03-10 06:40:52

Yes, it's a story device, and the author probably intended one of the two. But at the same time it is an audience reaction. One man's Bittersweet Ending is another man's Downer Ending and perhaps even somebody's Happy Ending.

Alice: "They got each other at the end, but they wiped out a whole civilization in the process, so it's a Bittersweet Ending."

Bob: "Who cares about that stuopid love story? They wiped out a whole civilization; that's my definition of Downer Ending, period!"

Charlie: "But they got each other in the end! That's all I care about, so it's a Happy Ending for me!"

Edited by GnomeTitan
wrm5 Since: Mar, 2014
2015-03-10 07:50:12

^ That's covered by other tropes already, like Esoteric Happy Ending.

GnomeTitan Since: Aug, 2013
2015-03-10 07:54:42

An Esoteric Happy Ending is when the creator intended a happy ending but the audience disagreed.

But what if the creator didn't explain his intent, and it's not obvious whether the ending is happy, bittersweet or a downer? How can we claim the tropes are objective in that case? I'm just curious, not really arguing that they should be made YMMV.

Edited by GnomeTitan
wrm5 Since: Mar, 2014
2015-03-10 16:27:58

I think we have a Missing Supertrope, then. It would encompass Esoteric Happy Ending, Esoteric Downer Ending (for when the creator intended the audience to feel sad, but they feel happy instead, maybe because the Tragic Hero was Unintentionally Unsympathetic), and also the scenario you mentioned, where the creator's intention was unknown.

Maybe something like Ending Dissonance.

For this case, though, I'm pretty sure it was intended to be a Bittersweet Ending.

Edited by wrm5
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