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As a Transformers: Prime fan, I can that example does not have enough context. Granted, Optimus has very good perception and Raf/Miko are tweens. However, that still does not explain how they epically failed.
Fair enough. In hindsight, I don't think the Transformers: Prime entry quite qualifies as epic. As for the other two, I've now changed the entries to explain better where the "Epic" comes in — feel free to edit them or contact me further if necessary, or delete those entries if you think they don't count.
Woops, forgot the "Under the Lake" entry. Just a minute...
Looking at the Dr Who examples, I fail to see how they are even examples of epic fail. The first one is quite a stretch, and the second is just right out.
I didn't choose the troping life, the troping life chose meIn the Deadpool example, I'd say it qualifies as sufficient/appropriate context, but the quote doesn't add anything or really match the point of the trope
Deadpool example assumes the reader is familiar with Colossus's powers. So to make it a better example it should probably say "...attempt to fight Colossus(who has metal skin)..."
^ IDK, the protagonist breaking both arms and a leg fighting a guy sounds like an Epic Fail regardless of circumstances. It's one example that I don't have any objections towards.
"what the complete, unabridged, 4k ultra HD fuck with bonus features" - Mark Von LewisNot always, it isn't! For example, what if the protagonist fights an opponent he has defeated before and thus expects an easy victory, only to discover that the opponent has gained damage reflection and so the protagonist is now hurting himself with every attack? That's why it's important to explain about Colossus's powers.
Or a better example, what if the protagonist fights someone much stronger, who greatly outclasses him, and still wins, but at a great cost? In that case "the protagonist breaking both arms and a leg fighting a guy" would not be an Epic Fail (though it could be a Pyrric Victory, depending on circumstances).
The other examples from the OP seem to require familiarity with the works in question, so they definitely need more context (assuming that they are valid examples at all).
I was thinking along the same lines as Not-So-Badass Longcoat, in that Colossus "not moving a muscle" seemed sufficient to demonstrate that he wasn't doing anything and Deadpool managed to grievously injure himself fighting an opponent who wasn't fighting back. But sure, add a brief note that he has metal skin.
In Live Action, the Doctor Who "Under the Lake" example doesn't fit the trope. For those who don't know the context...Basically, the Clara gives the Doctor index cards to help him navigate social interactions, but he reads out ones that don't fit the situation. It's kind of awkward, but so minor that it's hardly an "epic failure".
Colossus example needs more context. The guy is Nigh-Invulnerable because he is entirely made of metal, which is why it's pointless to fight him, but the example assumes that you know that.
Space Battles Dot Com fanworks (unnoficial) index in my Sandbox.The Deadpool film example was expanded by Tanta Monty on the 3rd, three days ago, so that one's already handled. Currently it reads:
- Deadpool attempts to fight Colossus by repeatedly punching and kicking the latter's metallic body, which results in him breaking both hands and a foot without Colossus moving a muscle.
A user known as Derv0s B 2 has made a few additions to the Epic Fail subpages for Western Animation, Live-Action Films, and Live-Action TV that seem to lack proper context.
From Western Animation:
From Live Action Films:
From Live Action TV:
If you weren't familiar with these works, would these submissions properly explain how the trope is used?