The TVTropes Trope Finder is where you can come to ask questions like "Do we have this one?" and "What's the trope about...?" Trying to rediscover a long lost show or other medium but need a little help? Head to Media Finder and try your luck there. Want to propose a new trope? You should be over at You Know, That Thing Where.
Miss_Desperado
Since: Sep, 2016
9th Nov, 2017 07:53:18 PM
I'm thinking Not Quite Saved Enough or Nice Job Breaking It, Rivals!.
If not for this anchor I'd be dancing between the stars. At least I can try to write better vampire stories than Twilight.
eroock
Since: Sep, 2012
10th Nov, 2017 08:48:14 AM
The example seems to be a case of Easy Come, Easy Go.
Scorpion451
Since: Jan, 2013
10th Nov, 2017 01:59:07 PM
Can also be Hope Spot, Yank the Dog's Chain, and Failure Is the Only Option
natalielouise90
Since: Nov, 2017
10th Nov, 2017 03:32:35 PM
I think Hope Spot seems to be the closest! Thanks guys, that was super helpful!
Seems like a pretty obvious one, so apologies if I'm just completely missing it in my search. An example would be that two people have a bag of money and someone tries to steal it. Just when the audience and characters think they're going to lose the money, they manage to fend off the thief. Almost immediately they then lose the money in a way they and the audience didn't see coming such as dropping it off the side of a mountain or it get's stolen by an animal that runs off with it. Or using the same example, one of the two characters beats up the thief to save the money and both he and the thief end up in jail. The other then has to use the money to bail him out.
Not sure if there are two different tropes for the above examples or if there is one to encompass both. Either way they lose the money when they (and we) thought they'd saved it.
Essentially it's just the point of the audience thinking that the character(s) have succeeded, only for them to fail immediately after but it's not specific to death, more general misfortune. Also in these examples this happens to the Protagonist not the Antagonist if that makes a difference.
Edited by natalielouise90