Tropes that "Scare" Me

     Everyone that has read a book, watched a movie, or played a game knows what I mean when I say there are certain troupes or trends that scare me away from finishing said book, movie, or game. While some of these are pet peeves, others are things that even though I have yet to meet a single person who could defend them, they keep popping up. Not to say I don't have some favorite ones of course. It's just that every time I am enjoying whatever it is I am reading/watching/playing and suddenly there is that one thing I hate pops up, it makes me want to close the book or turn of the screen and find something else to do.

    Now there are some troupes that don't bother me whatsoever. Things like the young hero that has their old/wise mentor that has to take on a quest to go do the thing. What is that thing? Doesn't matter to me, as long as the characters the story focuses on are interesting to watch, the adventure makes up everything else. However, with this troupe specifically, there is one iteration I love when done right and can't stand when used as an answer to the problem just to cut everything off. The "Chosen One" and how he interacts with the cast that surrounds him can either be one of the most interesting stories, or these other characters are just there to make comments on how just truly gifted and strong the young hero is. In the former's case, when you pair the unusually talented hero that was just born that way with a mentor that not only teaches them, but actually shows that their talented apprentice can't compete with legitimate experience, that often ends up becoming one of my favorite characters. I love seeing characters like Master Roshi from Dragon Ball Z or Uncle Iroh from Avatar: The Last Airbender prove that just because you have some kind of special ability that makes you stronger than most, that isn't going to cut it when you're dealing with someone with decades if not centuries of experience. Now while both of those characters end up training their pupils to being as strong if not stronger than themselves, the fact that someone didn't just pick up a rock and become the strongest person to exist is what makes those stories interesting. What I can't stand is the Mary/Gary Sue. The too perfect, never has to work for their powers, "I'm not like other girls/guys" type of heroes/heroines. Pair that with being born unbelievably powerful, replace deep character traits and pretend being dark and edgy can replace any thing meaningful, and you got the character I am talking about. 

    Now imagine you took a story you were enjoying, everything was great, laughs were had and tears were shed and the next thing that happens is the character waking up. Weeks of intense tragedy and happiness? All made up. Friends that died? Don't worry! They either never existed or are still alive and happy. Now don't worry, when they woke up they kept all that intense training and it will help them somehow win the big game or whatever. The main reason that I dislike this troupe is that how it just waves any kind of consequences away. I actually wrote up a story for class once for my professor that didn't end with "it was all a dream" but started with it. He even told us he was afraid to tell us his most hated types of stories, since that always led to a classroom with one clown that decides that that's what they want to write because it'll be funny or they can do it different. I was that clown. The gambit did pay off though, only  because I didn't write a story that was some big adventure that ends with a complete lack of follow through. It wasn't good, but it was as good of a satirical take as a freshmen in college could make. Basically, what I was making fun of was what makes the troupe so hated. Why do I still remember being a knight and how to be a knight if it was all fake? I was of old age, and now I have to go from the castle I earned to waking up in a shack again? What about the kids! Me and my wife had been trying for years to have children, and now they are all just figments of my imagination? The story did a good enough job that I believe he ended up liking it, other than vaguely fantasy Europe wasn't a great setting. 

    None of those troupes compare to what I truly despise is the "big misunderstanding." Now this is honestly a pet peeve, but I can't stand it when the third act comes and there is this break up that happens that could be fixed with like five words or standing there for three more seconds before running off. The reason I know it's a pet peeve that no matter how good the story is it will bother me, is because there is a movie that people love that I couldn't get past twenty or so minutes was Tucker and Dale Versus Evil. It has actors that I love, specifically Alan Tudyk, and its a funny enough premise, but the fact that even when they are trying to explain everything time and time again, these people are figuratively and at one point literally throwing themselves into a woodchipper to keep the plot going. In other movies, it comes right out of a nowhere and seems more like a ploy to keep the movie going another twenty minutes too long. Other times it feels like the writers felt like the movie didn't have enough drama, so lets just shoehorn this BIG MISUNDERSTANDING to continue to keep the couple apart and drag out their inevitable reunion. 

    Speaking of the inevitable, thank you for reading this entire post. After asking on FaceBook what kind of stuff y'all wanted to see, I will be saving the last day of this save days of Halloween to drop a short story that has never been published and is planned to be in the collection I will hopefully have out by December. Comment down below if y'all have any troupes or trends that keep you away from finishing even the best stuff. I hope you enjoyed my rantings, and can't wait until tomorrow!