If a character in a story scares the hell out of you, chances are he’s a Chaotic Evil. From ax-crazy psychopaths to nightmarish clowns, from cold-hearted monsters to eldritch abominations, these guys are known for their complete lack of empathy, their nihilistic outlook on life, and their sick sense of humor. From the easydamus character alignment page: A chaotic… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Chaotic Evil
Tag: Trope Tuesday
Trope Tuesday: Chaotic Good
Wherever you find the evil empire, dirty cops, or a misguided crusade, chances are there’s a Chaotic Good somewhere in the shadows fighting against it. From barbarian heroes to freedom fighters, rebellious princesses to ethical sluts, these free-spirited, noble-minded rebels are constantly at war with the man, robbing the rich to give to the poor. From the easydamus… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Chaotic Good
Trope Tuesday: Lawful Good
Lawful Good is the character alignment that is the most unambiguously heroic. These are the white hats, the caped crusaders, the knights in shining armor who fight for Truth, Justice, and the American way. They might not always be smart, and they might not always be nice, but you can always count on them to do the… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Lawful Good
Trope Tuesday: Character Alignment
I love personality tests. There’s something immensely satisfying about putting yourself on a grid that tells you something new and insightful about yourself and the people around you. My personal favorite is the Meyers-Briggs test (I’m an ENTP), but I like playing around with others as well. Character alignment is what you get when you… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Character Alignment
Trope Tuesday: Big Damn Heroes
You know the drill. The clock is ticking down to zero, the evil hordes are swarming through the gates, the virgins are about to be sacrificed and the damsel in distress is about to be lost forever–and then the heroes show up in all their glory to save the day. This happens all the freaking… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Big Damn Heroes
Trope Tuesday: Xanatos Speed Chess
Well, I can’t say any of this mess was part of my original plan, but it’s all working out so beautifully that I can’t complain. Tarvek, Girl Genius. The Xanatos Gambit is when a character plans out a scheme such that all possible outcomes (including abject failure) ultimately benefit that character. Named after David Xanatos… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Xanatos Speed Chess
Trope Tuesday: New Year Has Come
Just like a story, every year has a beginning and an end. For this reason, New Years has become a time to celebrate change, renewal, and the setting of impossible goals which we will all probably break by March. Over time, this tradition has become so ingrained in our culture that it’s only natural for… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: New Year Has Come
Trope Tuesday: Celibate Hero vs. The Fettered
I’m mashing up two tropes this week because I’m not satisfied with the one. There are a bazillion tropes about characters who are sexually active, but very few about sexually chaste characters that don’t portray them as weak, clueless, or socially inept. According to tvtropes, a celibate hero is a main character who “doesn’t do… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Celibate Hero vs. The Fettered
Trope Tuesday: Space pirates with Kindal Debenham
For today’s Trope Tuesday post, I thought it would be fun to bring on my friend Kindal Debenham to speak about one of the tropes in his new book, Wolfhound. Kindal and I were in the same writing group in college, and attended Brandon Sanderson’s English 318 class together. I just picked up a copy… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Space pirates with Kindal Debenham
Trope Tuesday: The Bechdel Test
The Bechdel Test is a way to measure how prominently women figure in a story. It mostly comes up in discussions of TV and film, but can also be applied to works of literature. To pass the test, the story must have at least two named female characters who talk to each other about something… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: The Bechdel Test