I've read the archived discussion on this, but I still have a question. Does this broad trope cover the tension that is produced when someone goes back for an animal? It seems that the trope is that the animals/infants survive, but IMHO, the particular moment where the viewer gets tense about an animal's survival is an independent trope. For instance, the scene referenced in the archives in ID 4, or the scene in Twister where the dog is late getting to the tornado shelter. Or even in Aliens, when Ripley goes back for Jonesy. That tension produced when an animal's life is supposedly in danger seems like it should be a separate trope. Because it's not so much about the survival as the tension produced for the viewer when we think it might be subverted.
Edited by RowanLovecraft
T.M. Overbeck
Any discussion of spinning off the "exceptions", since they seem to be outnumbering the "played-straights" by now? I'd call it Death Knows No Age Limit or Any Kids Can Die or something like that.
Edited by TMOverbeck Times Like This ... A Comedy of Eras. Hide / Show Replies
Anyone Can Die is actually for stories where even the main characters aren't safe. It's not merely "lots of people can die".
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Was going to ask if there's an opposite trope to this, where kids are definetly mortal. Adult Fear, sort of, but it includes many other things too.
It's not a trope at all. Just "people die" is not a trope.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Nope. It's abou character deaths that affect the story in a major way.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
"A character dies. Shot, stabbed, fell, blown up, poisoned, succumbed to disease or old age — whatever the cause, they are kaput, deceased, gone to Heaven...or Hell...or somewhere else. They've kicked the bucket and are now an ex-character.
In fiction, as in Real Life, it's all too common, but in fiction, it's often dramatic, occasionally shocking, and frequently undone. Some works have death as an everyday occurrence, while others go out of their way to avoid it. Some call it something else, some never let it stick, and others make damn sure that it sticks. Mooks tend to die a lot; Heroes not so much, unless the story takes a darker turn."
This is the description of Character Death- and if i am remembering well of the YKTTW discussion, this was intended as "characters die"- because this always has significance in the story.
Edited by 200.187.118.2
At what age does being a "young child" end? I could see this trope being extended to children until the age of puberty without weakening the grounds.
I removed this because I don't think Greek myth has examples of this trope. Stories of Herakles's adulthood were probably older than stories of his infancy, and other than him Greek babies died a lot in stories. The trope just isn't this old, I think. This is the removed text:
- In Greek myth, there is generally no Infant Immortality; Herakles is attacked by serpents sent by his jealous stepmother Hera as a baby, Hector's baby boy is thrown from the walls of Troy, and so on.
- On the other hand, Herakles surviving past infancy is an example of the trope played straight, making it Older Than Dirt.
- Nah, it's Plot Immunity. Everybody knows Herakles lived to adulthood to become famous, so authors penning his story cannot have him die as an infant.
- Herakles lived to adulthood and later killed his own children. Medea is another example.
- On the other hand, Herakles surviving past infancy is an example of the trope played straight, making it Older Than Dirt.
how does Children Of Men fit in this one? Not a single child has been born for 18 years, the youngest person on the planet had the nickname 'Baby' and was stabbed to death just over 18 years old. And the lone baby born at the end survives it all.
Infant Immortality has been renamed to Improbable Infant Survival per TRS thread
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You've got roaming bands of armed, aggressive, tyrannical plumbers coming to your door, saying "Use our service, or else!"