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 the Trope Launch Pad.
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openNo Title Western Animation
The gang of heroes has penetrated the Supervillain Lair to foil the enemy's scheme. They proceed to the Control Room, but what's this? It's The Dragon blocking their way. The heroes could probably take him out if they worked together, but time is of the essence. No problem, The Lancer will stay behind and and hold him off. The others continue on to the next floor, only to run into The Brute, also itching for a fight. So The Big Guy stays to fight him while the remaining members go on. Rinse and repeat until only one or two heroes remain to face The Big Bad.
The first time I saw this was in the "Pryde of the X-Men" special, and I saw it again in comic form in Excalibur #100. I can't think of where else it's been done, but it seems like a simple way of giving all your heroes and all your villains screen time.
openNo Title Western Animation
In "Smart and Smarter" from The Simpsons, Lisa thinks Maggie the smartest one in the family and starts looking for new things to identify her, like being a cowgirl or a cheerleader. I thought of Quest for Identity, but that is an amnesia trope. Is there an appropriate trope that perfectly describes this episode subplot?
openNo Title Western Animation
Applies to anime too, and I think the trope may have originated there. I don't watch anime, and I've mostly been seeing it in Friendship Is Magic, though, so Western Animation it is.
It's the inverse of Dull Eyes of Unhappiness. People's eyes getting extra shiny, with a little shaky sparkle, when they're ecstatic. Don't see any mention of it on Dull Eyes of Unhappiness, though, and I can't find it by searching for "shiny happy eyes". Am I being stupid, or does it not exist?
openNo Title Western Animation
This applies to any animated format, or even comics. Basically, it's the trope about how cartoon/anime characters don't age (or more specifically, look exactly the same) as the series goes on, even though they age in-universe. Sometimes a character will look the same as they age from 14 to 18.
Even weirder is that sometimes they'll introduce new characters who are younger than the cast now, but older than the characters were in the first episode. But in order to show an age difference, they draw those characters to be younger (usually by making them smaller or some other trick of the trade) than the cast.
openNo Title Western Animation
Okay i got two: 1. 'I forgot i have Superpowers'. Where a character has the ability to do something or has something able to defeat the problem, but for some reason suddenly forgets or doesnt have it when its convenient? Like Superman not using his particular super power when its proven powerful in other episodes to blow up kryptonite or something. Or in Captain N the Game Master when the Game master has the ability to pause reality he never takes advantage of it.
2.'Why do we keep him again?' Its when a person or persons establishes a well done plan to avoid the problem or help the story and then the side character stupidly fucks it up. All accidentally of course. And they never learn their lesson, but the other character never takes any action to get rid of or consider more fuck ups. Like Wheeler in Captain Planet, just screwing around. Or Gus from Robotboy who for example who opens the protector pod during an invasion on complete accident. Or Duck Dodgers, who constantly ruins any plans The Space Cadet had.
Edited by DarPower
Powered Armor feet go 'clomp clomp'
openNo Title Western Animation
Hey guys!
Does anyone know what is the trope for when a character's eyes keep spinning, rattling or vibrating, as a sign of dizziness? It's practically a staple of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, but I've seen much older cartoons with such examples, like Tom and Jerry, for example.
I'd be very happy if someone could help me find it :D
EDIT: Ninja'd.
Edited by REV6PilotopenNo Title Western Animation
One character slaps another (maybe with a glove, maybe with their hand) and leaves a hand-shaped mark on their face. Like Person Shaped Hole, except that it's just a red spot and is almost always survived (Internet cookie to anyone who can give me an example of a character comedically slapped to death). Almost always Played for Laughs, though it could also be the result of a cheating husband/boyfriend caught in the act, and most commonly a Western Animation trope, though it could be used in any drawn medium. Also obviously Truth in Television, though usually not to the extent shown (mild pinkness as opposed to bright red and occasionally pulsing with pain, a perfect hand shape every time as opposed to a vaguely-hand-shaped smudge). I'm sure we have this one (if we don't, why don't we? People Sit On Chairs?), but I can't seem to find it using the search.
openNo Title Western Animation
Is there a thing for where one of the Big Damn Heroes comes along and it's revealed s/he is The Chosen One—the village's destined ruler, or something to that effect—because s/he is the one who's supposed to Appease the Volcano God? Especially when The Chosen One decides being the ruler isn't fun anymore once it's about fighting/sacrificing/whatever instead of being waited on hand and foot?
openNo Title Western Animation
Not sure how to describe this one...
Is there a trope for adaptations of a cast ensemble where, in the original, everyone is more or less equal but in the adaptation there's a clear difference in power?
For example, The Super Hero Squad Show is based on The Avengers. It has a set of protagonists who act like teenagers (slightly older than the target audience) and a supporting cast who act more like adults. Iron Man is in the 'teenager' group and Captain America is in the 'adults' group, even though in the original comics they're equals.
openNo Title Western Animation
Is there some sort of trope about emblems that represent character's personality throughout a series. I'm thinking about the cutie marks from My Little Pony and the chest tattoos of the Care Bears. Also the webcomic webcomic/Housepets has collar tags for all their characters.
Basically, it's the idea that a group of characters all have something that is unique to them and represents something about them.
openNo Title Western Animation
Is there a trope about electronics that come to life to attack people (basically an electric version of an Evil Doll or something)?
openNo Title Western Animation
Is there a trope similar to I Take Offense to That Last One, but not quite?
It usually goes something like this:
Character A lists severals times Character B has done something, usually including a secret as the second-to-last one. B asks what that last one was, and A, after hesitating a bit, says the one before it. B usually believes it.
I know this is out there, but I don't know where.
openNo Title Western Animation
Is there a trope for when a live-action character turns into a cartoon, as in movies like The Pagemaster, Rock-A-Doodle, The Phantom Tollbooth, or in shows like Captain N, or Kidd Video? You should get the idea.
openNo Title Western Animation
Is there a page for the kind of animation error where one character speaks but it's clearly another character's voice?
openNo Title Western Animation
I know we have this but the name escapes me, does anyone remember the name of that trope about cartoon characters being able to bend the laws of physics until they realize that what they're doing is impossible? For example, a character who walks off a cliff initially floats in mid-air but as soon as he looks down and realizes he isn't standing on anything gravity takes over and he plummets down to the ground.
Edited by GingerSnapsopenNo Title Western Animation
Is there a trope for when, say, in a cartoon, an object is about to fall in one direction onto a character, but then has a swift and immediate change of heart, pulls a 180, and falls in a completely different direction, usually on top of someone who deserved it (like the resident Jerkass or something)?
Would the be Artistic License – Physics or something else?
Edited by Itsbrown4606openNo Title Western Animation
She doesn't have legs: How about "stalk people", mermaids, early South Park and first season Princess Bubblegum. And other characters in which the feet or legs are never drawn?
openNo Title Western Animation
Ok, so, I've been looking for this show I used to watch when I was little, and I'm beginning to think it didn't even exist. I only remember little snippets that might or might not have anything to do with the show. It was an animated children's show, and I remember this beast-like guy who roamed around in the woods. He had a troop of children/teens (I don't really know which) whom I believe he taught life lessons to. There was some sort of large book that contained knowledge. I distinctly remember the book being in either the opening or closing credits, and it may have been in the actual show, as well. I also remember the beast and his troop of people sometimes wandering into a city. This show probably came on anywhere from 1999 - 2003, roughly. I believed it was on PBS, but I can't find any trace of it there, so it could have been on another kids programming block somewhere. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I REALLY want to find it.
openNo Title Western Animation
I can't seem to find anything about the humorous trope where the evil (but a little stupid) character starts talking with the good one (not necessarily the good one, maybe even one of his helpers) about stuff that doesn't have anything to do with the scene that is happening. I think I am not explaining exactly what I mean though, but I can't think of any other words to describe it. There is an example of what I mean in "Hoodwinked", before the end of the movie, when the two characters start talking about refurbishing the Evil character's liar (this doesn't fit with the scene but is just lots of fun).

I THINK a scene in Futurama played out something like this:
The usual characters are sitting in the room with the table and Fry walks in and said "What's everyone been up to?" to which Dr. Zoidberg nervously shouted "Not drinking juice out of the dumpster, if that's what you're asking!"
Thus by denying something that was so abjectly repulsive that no one even would have ever SUSPECTED that was what he had just been doing unless they had seen him doing it, he in fact informed them that he was just doing that loathesome thing.
Is this an official trope?