Tropescilloscope: Adaptational Heroism
A character is more of a hero in an adaptation than they were in the original material. (read more at tvtropes.org)
More Tropes
Novelization
Bittersweet Ending
Throwing Your Sword Always Works
Bloodier and Gorier
I Need a Freaking Drink
Deconstruction
Captain Obvious
Defiant to the End
Shower Scene
After the End
Obfuscating Stupidity
Older Than They Look
Ironic Echo
It Can Think
Never Trust a Trailer
aka: Trailers Always Lie
Heroes Want Redheads
Not Quite Dead
For Want of a Nail
Wretched Hive
Fiery Redhead
Unresolved Sexual Tension
Posthumous Character
Fake Shemp
Intrepid Reporter
There Is No Kill Like Overkill
Noodle Incident
Hollywood Darkness
Love at First Sight
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
Redshirt Army
Stock Footage
Cool Car
Berserk Button
Moment Killer
Darkest Hour
Made of Explodium
Love Triangle
Took a Level in Badass
Eiffel Tower Effect
Mugging the Monster
He Who Fights Monsters
Humans Are Bastards
Adults Are Useless
Dirty Coward
Super Strength
Diabolus ex Machina
Everyone Has Standards
Parental Neglect
The X of Y
Evil Counterpart
Kill 'em All
Rule of Three
BrotherSister Incest
Final Girl
Disney Villain Death
Slashed Throat
Biopic
How We Got Here
The End... Or Is It?
Knight Templar
Hero Antagonist
Does Not Like Shoes
Corpsing
The Lost Lenore
Film Noir
Sexy Discretion Shot
Left the Background Music On
Translation Convention
Dies Wide Open
Toilet Humour
aka: Toilet Humor
Villain Ball
Dark Action Girl
Nice Guy
Badass Bookworm
Meaningful Echo
Does This Remind You of Anything?
Kids Are Cruel
Adaptation Expansion
Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?
My God, What Have I Done?
Informed Ability
It's All About Me
Hell Is That Noise
Even Evil Has Standards
British Films
Canadian Movies
Adaptation Dye-Job
Evil Laugh
Affectionate Parody
Training Montage
Artistic License Biology
Oh, Crap!
Put on a Bus
The Vamp
Trailers Always Spoil
Betty and Veronica
Aluminum Christmas Trees
Badass Grandpa
Gold Digger
Adaptational Villainy
French Films
Jerk Jock
Groin Attack
Historical In-Joke
Reality Is Unrealistic
Dissonant Serenity
Instant Death Bullet
Film Series
Sadistic Choice
The Cavalry
Composite Character
Tempting Fate
Morality Pet
Demonic Possession
Anguished Declaration of Love
MayDecember Romance
Storming the Castle
Book-Ends
Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Trailer
Enemy Mine
Gratuitous English
Kick the Dog
No OSHA Compliance
Deliberately Monochrome
Taking the Bullet
Properly Paranoid
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
Destination Defenestration
Offscreen Teleportation
No Celebrities Were Harmed
Maybe Ever After
Bald of Evil
Brick Joke
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Femme Fatale
Sanity Slippage
La Résistance
All for Nothing
Death Glare
Arranged Marriage
Pun
aka: Incredibly Lame Pun
Retcon
Market-Based Title
Broken Bird
Greater-Scope Villain
Epic Fail
Evil Is Petty
Woman Scorned
Boom, Headshot!
Failed a Spot Check
Crazy Jealous Guy
Shell-Shocked Veteran
Naked People Are Funny
Dull Surprise
Captain Ersatz
Gilligan Cut
Never Trust a Trailer
20 Minutes into the Future
Dramatic Irony
Evil-Detecting Dog
Dogged Nice Guy
Police Brutality
Children Are Innocent
Evil Plan
Shut Up, Hannibal!
Badass Normal
Same Language Dub
Downer Ending
Dwindling Party
Pre-Asskicking One-Liner
Truth in Television
Malevolent Masked Men
Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas
Framing Device
The Hero
Running Gag
Mooks
Contrived Coincidence
Music Stories
Not What It Looks Like
Our Vampires Are Different
Tranquil Fury
Bloodless Carnage
Creepy Child
Curb-Stomp Battle
Dumb Blonde
Action Genre
In Medias Res
Hope Spot
Very Loosely Based on a True Story
Unusual Euphemism
Canon Foreigner
Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil
Leitmotif
Animal Title Index
Psychopathic Manchild
Poor Communication Kills
Big Brother Instinct
She Cleans Up Nicely
Fire-Forged Friends
Kubrick Stare
Taking You with Me
As You Know
Badass Longcoat
Bring My Brown Pants
Riddle for the Ages
Spared by the Adaptation
Author Appeal
Homage
The Film of the Book
Freudian Excuse
And Starring
Works Set in World War II
Manchild
Imagine Spot
Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping
The Dog Bites Back
Cat Fight
The Big Guy
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
Bavarian Fire Drill
Roger Ebert: Great Movies List
As Long as It Sounds Foreign
The Remake
Fat Bastard
Cain and Abel
Would Hurt a Child
Drives Like Crazy
Gainax Ending
Slap-Slap-Kiss
Let's Get Dangerous!
Beware the Nice Ones
Pretty Little Headshots
Scary Black Man
Offscreen Moment of Awesome
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?
Only Known by Their Nickname
Only in It for the Money
Foreshadowing
Funny Foreigner
Adaptation Name Change
Belligerent Sexual Tension
Unspoken Plan Guarantee
Every Car Is a Pinto
Woman in White
Grievous Bottley Harm
Mexican Standoff
Evil Is Hammy
Video Credits
Those Two Bad Guys
Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy
Ambiguous Disorder
Stepford Smiler
Suspiciously Specific Denial
Sequel Hook
Sir Swears-a-Lot
Call-Back
Scenery Gorn
Fatal Family Photo
Bunny-Ears Lawyer
The Alleged Car
Card-Carrying Villain
Deus ex Machina
Colour-Coded for Your Convenience
aka: Color Coded For Your Convenience
Wham Line
Daddy's Girl
Red Right Hand
True Companions
Not So Different
Character Development
Room Full of Crazy
Tap on the Head
Villain with Good Publicity
An Aesop
You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!
Foil
Nice Hat
Big Bad Duumvirate
Sassy Black Woman
Exact Words
Ghost Fiction
Camp Gay
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!
Grey and Gray Morality
Redemption Equals Death
Continuity Nod
Victoria's Secret Compartment
Dramedy
Actor Allusion
Leaning on the Fourth Wall
Alpha Bitch
Dark Reprise
Bilingual Bonus
No Antagonist
Playing Gertrude
Frame-Up
The Load
Fan Disservice
Immune to Bullets
Precision F-Strike
I Did What I Had to Do
Cool Old Lady
Guns Akimbo
Slasher Smile
Sinister Minister
Based on a True Story
Adorkable
Scenery Porn
Epic Movie
The Mole
Martial Arts Movie
Fate Worse than Death
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice
"Awesome McCool" Name
In the Back
The Ace
Politically Incorrect Villain
Cruel and Unusual Death
Daylight Horror
Papa Wolf
Hair-Trigger Temper
Wham Shot
Artistic License History
My Greatest Failure
Shipper on Deck
Slasher Movie
I Have Your Wife
Killed Mid-Sentence
Lock and Load Montage
Evil Sounds Deep
Sealed Evil in a Can
Pyrrhic Victory
Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday
Damsel in Distress
It's Personal
Made of Iron
Mad Scientist
Four-Temperament Ensemble
Overprotective Dad
Parental Substitute
Beard of Evil
Chekhov's Gun
No Ending
Fanservice
Reality Has No Subtitles
Blatant Lies
Unreliable Narrator
Genre Shift
Vacation Films
Rule of Funny
Lampshade Hanging
Honor Before Reason
Hero of Another Story
Vitriolic Best Buds
A Minor Kidroduction
Black Comedy Rape
Death by Sex
Sports Stories
Abhorrent Admirer
Double-Meaning Title
Military and Warfare Films
Flipping the Bird
Index of Film Westerns
Fantastic Racism
Arc Words
Toplessness from the Back
Reality Ensues
Heterosexual Life-Partners
Half the Man He Used to Be
Re-Cut
Eldritch Abomination
Bad Boss
Action Prologue
Pre-Mortem One-Liner
Death by Irony
Catapult Nightmare
Expy
Villainous Breakdown
Straight Gay
As the Good Book Says...
Karma Houdini
Good Is Not Nice
Would Hit a Girl
Stylistic Suck
The Brute
Ship Tease
Not So Stoic
Evil vs. Evil
Ripped from the Headlines
Race Lift
Silent Movie
Australian Movies
Large Ham
Plot Hole
Gender Flip
Film Noir Index
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
Lighter and Softer
Romantic False Lead
Big Applesauce
Television Movie Index
Silence Is Golden
Gory Discretion Shot
Hoist by His Own Petard
Dying Moment of Awesome
Crucified Hero Shot
The Lancer
The Chessmaster
Parental Abandonment
'80s Hair
Chewing the Scenery
Soft Glass
Cloudcuckoolander
Guile Hero
Determinator
Badass Boast
The Cameo
Too Dumb to Live
Neck Lift
Defrosting Ice Queen
Never Found the Body
Driven to Suicide
Cool Shades
Monumental Damage
Darker and Edgier
Black Dude Dies First
Eyepatch of Power
Flashback
Adapted Out
Genre Throwback
I Just Shot Marvin in the Face
Villain Opening Scene
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"
Comically Missing the Point
Refuge in Audacity
Historical Villain Upgrade
Creative Closing Credits
N-Word Privileges
Bottomless Magazines
Karmic Death
Once More, with Clarity!
Developing Doomed Characters
What You Are in the Dark
Fun with Acronyms
Bolivian Army Ending
Skewed Priorities
All There in the Manual
My Beloved Smother
The Smart Guy
Getting Crap Past the Radar
Loads and Loads of Characters
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome
A Father to His Men
All Girls Want Bad Boys
The Starscream
Decoy Protagonist
One-Word Title
The Voiceless
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness
No Name Given
Central Theme
Faux Affably Evil
Mercy Kill
Motor Mouth
Last-Name Basis
Deal with the Devil
Cat Scare
Animal Motifs
Air-Vent Passageway
Rule of Symbolism
Advertised Extra
Henpecked Husband
Demoted to Extra
Cool Old Guy
Overly Long Gag
Rich Bitch
Department of Redundancy Department
Drill Sergeant Nasty
Insistent Terminology
Award-Bait Song
Badass in a Nice Suit
Jerkass Has a Point
For the Evulz
Missing Mom
All Men Are Perverts
Armor-Piercing Question
Punny Name
The Place
Artistic License Physics
Empathic Environment
Thriller
Big Fancy House
You Have Failed Me
Spell My Name with an "S"
You Killed My Father
Amusing Injuries
Closed Circle
Danny Peary Cult Movies List
Improvised Weapon
Distracted by the Sexy
Unwitting Instigator of Doom
The '80s
Word of God
Eagleland
Token Minority
Ax-Crazy
Ass Shove
Mystery and Detective Films
Bond Villain Stupidity
Blood from the Mouth
A God Am I
The '90s
Foregone Conclusion
Horror Comedy
Mr. Exposition
Male Frontal Nudity
Adaptational Attractiveness
Early Installment Weirdness
Curse Cut Short
Shirtless Scene
Whole Plot Reference
Heroic Sacrifice
From Nobody to Nightmare
Real Life Writes the Plot
What Happened to the Mouse?
Needs Wiki Magic Love
Jump Scare
Early-Bird Cameo
As Himself
Did Not Get the Girl
Kick the Son of a Bitch
Rasputinian Death
Smoking Is Cool
Ms. Fanservice
Spanner in the Works
Dutch Angle
Loophole Abuse
Despair Event Horizon
Manly Tears
Small Name, Big Ego
BFG
War Is Hell
"Well Done, Son!" Guy
Affably Evil
Japanese Films
Brutal Honesty
German Films
One Steve Limit
Black Comedy
Tagline
The Bad Guy Wins
Protagonist Title
FaceHeel Turn
Smug Snake
Sole Survivor
Body Horror
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife
Dirty Old Man
The '50s
MacGuffin
Vampire Fiction
Reasonable Authority Figure
Documentary
Funny Background Event
Fantasy Films
Only Sane Man
Breaking the Fourth Wall
Artistic License Gun Safety
Your Head A-Splode
Big "NO!"
Anachronic Order
A.I. Is a Crapshoot
Obviously Evil
Fanservice Extra
Scare Chord
Mama Bear
Disproportionate Retribution
The Casanova
Domestic Abuse
Man on Fire
The Sociopath
Artistic License Military
Psycho for Hire
Costume Porn
Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene
Accidental Murder
Sacrificial Lion
Chiaroscuro
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy
Here We Go Again!
It Will Never Catch On
Broken Aesop
Bar Brawl
Asshole Victim
Stealth Pun
The Oner
Fingore
Mood Whiplash
timeperiod
Friend to All Children
Worthy Opponent
The '60s
Bait-and-Switch
Married to the Job
Laser-Guided Karma
Coming-of-Age Story
Psychological Thriller
Dark and Troubled Past
Shoot the Shaggy Dog
Christmas Movies Index
Wrong Genre Savvy
Batman Gambit
Light Is Not Good
The Mafia
Title Drop
Face Death with Dignity
Mr. Fanservice
Jerk with a Heart of Gold
Crazy-Prepared
Hollywood Law
Say My Name
Not Using the "Z" Word
Pragmatic Adaptation
Those Wacky Nazis
Bad "Bad Acting"
Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism
Blonde, Brunette, Redhead
Chase Scene
Genre Savvy
Black and Gray Morality
Villain Song
B-Movie
Serial Killer
Those Two Guys
Shout-Out
Credits Gag
Fatal Flaw
Easily Forgiven
Ambiguously Gay
Improbable Weapon User
Eye Scream
Chekhov's Gunman
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold
Didn't Think This Through
Faking the Dead
Ominous Latin Chanting
Red Herring
Insane Troll Logic
Never My Fault
Retired Badass
Death of a Child
Dark Is Not Evil
Peek-a-Boo Corpse
Unusually Uninteresting Sight
Men Are the Expendable Gender
Drugs Are Bad
Babies Ever After
Arch-Enemy
Knife Nut
Country Matters
Pretty in Mink
Off-into-the-Distance Ending
Villain Protagonist
Suddenly SHOUTING!
Evil Brit
Take That!
The Dreaded
Pragmatic Villainy
Neck Snap
Big-Bad Ensemble
The Faceless
The Great Depression
Match Cut
Anti-Villain
Narrator
Take a Third Option
Bowdlerise
O.O.C. Is Serious Business
Establishing Character Moment
Rape as Drama
Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique
Outrun the Fireball
Awesome, but Impractical
Big Damn Heroes
Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Adult Fear
Alas, Poor Villain
The Stinger
Hidden Depths
Dramatic Gun Cock
Action Girl
I'm a Humanitarian
Disguised in Drag
The Ghost
All There in the Script
Implacable Man
Ragtag Bunch of Misfits
Off with His Head!
Kill It with Fire
Your Cheating Heart
A Date with Rosie Palms
The '70s
Gorn
Bound and Gagged
Big Eater
Important Haircut
Improbable Aiming Skills
Punch-Clock Villain
NO INDOOR VOICE
Extremely Short Timespan
One-Man Army
Twist Ending
Superhero
Depraved Bisexual
Cool Guns
This Is Gonna Suck
Real Life
Beauty Is Never Tarnished
Roaring Rampage of Revenge
The Bully
No-Sell
Extreme Doormat
Adaptation Distillation
Obstructive Bureaucrat
Double Entendre
Idiot Ball
Cassandra Truth
Dressing as the Enemy
Totally Radical
Mythology Gag
Auto Erotica
The Dragon
Undying Loyalty
Death by Adaptation
Alliterative Name
Car Fu
Due to the Dead
Action Survivor
More Dakka
All Just a Dream
Heroic BSoD
Animated Credits Opening
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking
Screw the Money, I Have Rules!
Hong Kong Films
Aww, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other
She's Got Legs
Fourth Date Marriage
Screw This, I'm Outta Here!
Rewatch Bonus
Bland-Name Product
And the Adventure Continues
Combat Pragmatist
Well-Intentioned Extremist
Deliberate Values Dissonance
The Musical
Beta Couple
Dirty Cop
The Ditz
Punctuated! For! Emphasis!
Russian Films
Pay Evil unto Evil
Irony
Rousing Speech
Celebrity Paradox
Adaptational Heroism
Spiritual Successor
Humiliation Conga
Mighty Whitey
Bloody Hilarious
Corrupt Corporate Executive
Dual Wielding
The Stoic
Madness Mantra
HeelFace Turn
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!
Girl-on-Girl Is Hot
Determinator
aka: The Determinator
Mind Screw
Actually Pretty Funny
Setting Update
Ascended Extra
Meaningful Background Event
Red Eyes, Take Warning
Vomit Indiscretion Shot
Public Domain Feature Films
Ungrateful Bastard
Romantic Comedy
Bury Your Gays
Historical Hero Upgrade
Cold-Blooded Torture
Non-Indicative Name
Jerkass
Blood Knight
Plucky Comic Relief
Sequel Escalation
Vomit Discretion Shot
Death Seeker
Only One Name
Product Placement
Spiteful Spit
Sci-Fi Horror
The Atoner
Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome
Blackmail
Hooker with a Heart of Gold
Artistic License Geography
folderlabel
Back from the Dead
Logo Joke
Drowning My Sorrows
Star-Crossed Lovers
Improbable Infant Survival
aka: Infant Immortality
Calling the Old Man Out
Up to Eleven
Creator Cameo
World of Ham
Have a Gay Old Time
What the Hell, Hero?
Visual Pun
Five-Man Band
Artistic License Law
Italian Films
Cowboy Cop
Hypocrite
Intergenerational Friendship
Becoming the Mask
Shown Their Work
Age Lift
Big Bad
Retirony
Heel Realization
Deadpan Snarker
Mundane Made Awesome
In Name Only
Earn Your Happy Ending
Recycled IN SPACE!
Hypocritical Humor
Stuff Blowing Up
Together in Death
Horror Films
The Chick
Exactly What It Says on the Tin
Rule of Cool
Agony of the Feet
Annoying Younger Sibling
Cluster F-Bomb
Only a Flesh Wound
Adaptational Badass
Green-Eyed Monster
Bare Your Midriff
An Arm and a Leg
Chekhov's Skill
Black Best Friend
Abusive Parents
Conspicuous CG
Fainting
Aside Glance
Freeze-Frame Bonus
Nothing Is Scarier
Leave the Camera Running
Male Gaze
Interrupted Suicide
Show Within a Show
Jitter Cam
Anti-Hero
Fish out of Water
Zombie Stories
Dropped a Bridge on Him
The Stoner
Covers Always Lie
Insult Backfire
The Power of Love
Anyone Can Die
Antagonist Title
An Axe to Grind
Suspiciously Similar Substitute
Call-Forward
Handicapped Badass
Revenge
Broken Pedestal
The Un-Reveal
Took a Level in Jerkass
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain!
Self-Deprecation
Race Against the Clock
The Un-Favourite
aka: The Un Favorite
Casting Gag
Accidental Misnaming
Science Fiction Films
Reckless Gun Usage
Break the Haughty
Pimped-Out Dress
Famous Last Words
Rated M for Manly
Major Injury Underreaction
Even Evil Has Loved Ones
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown
Names to Run Away from Really Fast
Attempted Rape
Serious Business
Not Even Bothering with the Accent
Gone Horribly Right
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing
The Hero Dies
Almost Kiss
Stalker with a Crush
Butt-Monkey
Catch-Phrase
Red Oni, Blue Oni
Better to Die than Be Killed
And I Must Scream
Ambiguous Ending
Bi the Way
Time Skip
Parental Incest
Brainless Beauty
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good
From Bad to Worse
Paper-Thin Disguise
Line-of-Sight Name
Be Careful What You Wish For
Hate Sink
Meaningful Name
Laughing Mad
Police are Useless
Camera Abuse
Yandere
Break the Cutie
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass
Disney Death
Authority Equals Asskicking
Meet Cute
Random Events Plot
Apocalypse How
Wounded Gazelle Gambit
Not So Above It All
Crapsack World
Get Out!
Bullying a Dragon
Our Zombies Are Different
Really Gets Around
Pet the Dog
He Knows Too Much
The Alcoholic
Happily Married
Red Shirt
Make It Look Like an Accident
Manipulative Bastard
Author Avatar
The Reveal
Eureka Moment
Stealth Hi/Bye
Bond One-Liner
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane
The Quiet One
Disappeared Dad
Historical-Domain Character
"Shaggy Dog" Story
Amoral Attorney
Soundtrack Dissonance
Anachronism Stew
Mistaken for Gay
Recap /
RiffTrax
aka: Riff Trax Movies
Naïve Newcomer
Facial Horror
The Smurfette Principle
Wicked Cultured
Expository Hairstyle Change