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