Tag: Trope Tuesday

Trope Tuesday: Worthy Opponent

Sometimes, it’s not the Big Bad the heroes are fighting against, so much as an almost friendly opponent who is not so different from them after all. That’s what this trope is all about. The Worthy Opponent is no mere redshirt or mook–quite often, in fact, he’s the Dragon of the opposing side–but unlike the… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Worthy Opponent

Trope Tuesday: Schrödinger’s Gun

The world of a fictional universe isn’t fixed beyond what the author has revealed to the reader. This is what happens when Schrödinger’s cat gets hold of Chekhov’s gun.  There are a whole lot of interesting and potentially useful plot points lying around, but the writers are pantsing it as they go, playing a game… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Schrödinger’s Gun

Sorry, no Trope Tuesday (again)

Yeah, sorry, no Trope Tuesday this week.  Third week missed in a row!  Not so good.  Thing is, I’m really focused on finishing Star Wanderers: Reproach (Part VII) right now, with a self-imposed deadline of May 31st. I figure that’s more important, and I really don’t want to break my momentum. I’ve been vacillating a… Continue reading Sorry, no Trope Tuesday (again)

Trope Tuesday: After the End

It’s the end of the world as we know it … so why do we feel fine? On the apocalyptic scale of world destruction, when the thing that wipes out civilization doesn’t quite kill everyone, we’re left with an After the End type setting.  Depending on where the writers fall on the sliding scale of… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: After the End

Trope Tuesday: Fridge Logic, Fridge Horror, and Fridge Brilliance

You know that moment after the end of the show, when the credits are rolling and the glory of that crowning moment of awesome is just beginning to fade?  When you go to the fridge to get something to eat, and all of a sudden that gaping plot hole or internal consistency problem with the… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Fridge Logic, Fridge Horror, and Fridge Brilliance

Trope Tuesday: It Has Been an Honor

If there ever was a phrase that invoked manly tears, it’s this one. “It has been an honor” is pretty much the go-to catch phrase for any Heroic Sacrifice or Bolivian Army Ending.  It’s often a precursor to a Crowning Moment of Awesome, and as far as last words go, it ranks right up there… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: It Has Been an Honor

Trope Tuesday: Rebellious Princess

You know that innocent and beautiful fairy tale princess, with the tricked out dress and the power to summon woodland creatures?  The one with a tendency to get kidnapped, but who always ends up happily ever after with her prince charming? Yeah, that’s not this princess. A rebellious princess would just as soon puke if she… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Rebellious Princess

Trope Tuesday: Mexican Standoff

In a typical standoff, such as a hostage situation, two characters face off without immediately shooting at each other.  One or both of them may be using a human shield, or be reluctant to shoot first for fear that the other will take them with him.  A Mexican standoff, however, takes that up to a… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Mexican Standoff

Trope Tuesday: Planetville (aka Adventure Planets)

Adventure towns…IN SPAAACE!!! Seriously, that’s the best way to describe it.  In Westerns and TV serials, the heroes travel from town to town, with a new adventure in each place.  Well, in science fiction, we don’t hop towns, we hop planets.  Why?  Because we can. Unfortunately, since planets and towns are actually pretty different kinds… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Planetville (aka Adventure Planets)