Annoying Plot Devices

[bluestarultor]

One word: Darkness.

That has to be the most overused plot device ever by this point, which is sad, because it's shown itself to be a catch-all for when people obviously have no idea what to do otherwise.

[Kaneda]

Originally Posted by Megaman FTW

I mean, there are stories where signs that I guess are mean to be subtle are left to be picked up by watchful readers, but sometimes its just made freakishly obvious that you would have to be a blind, deaf, and a monkey not to see it. An example of this was Avatar. I didn't start watching Avatar until almost the whole series had been shown. I still managed to predict the twist that Zuko would team with Ang to defeat the Fire Lord after seeing only two episodes.

That wasn't really meant to be a twist though, they wanted the audience to see it coming, and know that it's the right progression of the character. The only twist was him not joining the Avatar at the end of Season 2.

[Pip Boy]

Still.... two episodes.

Bluestarultor, can you be more specific? I don't think I understand your post...

[MFD]

OK, so... in Fool Moon, Harry Dresden goes up against werewolves. Apparently, inherited silver can hurt the traditional loup-garou variety. This fact is constantly mentioned in the book.

Dresden also continually mentions the silver amulet he received from his dead mother.

Throughout the entire story, he doesn't make the connection, until the "climactic" moment when he uses the amulet as a focus for some sort of spell that kills the loup-garou dead.

The author clearly didn't mean to make Dresden an idiot, right?

[CelesJessa]

Originally Posted by russianreversal

Everyone in a story does not need to have a terrible, awful background to be motivated. Revenge is not the only thing that fuels would be heroes (or villains, for that matter). Funny enough, the two writers that seem to struggle with this most are Disney and Michael Terracciano (Dominic Deegan)

Wait, are we talking about new-crappy Disney or old-awesome Disney? Because if we're talking old-awesome Disney, I'm totally not following you on this point, as I'm having trouble thinking of very many times that revenge was used as motivation.


I dislike the cliche/plot device/whatnot where females are totally hideous but not really. I mean, I don't mind if the main female is good looking, but it's annoying when they try to play it off like "She's ugly because she's too skinny, with fine golden hair, full lips, and striking blue eyes. Unbeknownst to her ugly self, every dude in the school/nation/castle/whatnot wants her."

Or glasses instantly make someone super-ugly (more of an anime/manga thing). Glasses can be hot.

Edit: Hmmm my annoying plot devices seem rather superficial. Oh well!

[Mirai Gen]

Originally Posted by CelesJessa

Wait, are we talking about new-crappy Disney or old-awesome Disney? Because if we're talking old-awesome Disney, I'm totally not following you on this point, as I'm having trouble thinking of very many times that revenge was used as motivation.

Well in Aladdin 2 Jafar came back for revenge, in Lion King 2 Scar's secret son was trained as an assassin for revenge, Jungle Book 2 Shar Kahn came back for revenge, in 102 Dalmatians Cruella came back for revenge, George of the Jungle 2 Lyle comes back for revenge, and in Pirates of the Caribbean 2 I'm pretty sure Barbosa wants revenge too.

At least I think that's what he's saying.

[CelesJessa]

Originally Posted by Dante Must Die

Well in Aladdin 2 Jafar came back for revenge, in Lion King 2 Scar's secret son was trained as an assassin for revenge, Jungle Book 2 Shar Kahn came back for revenge, in 102 Dalmatians Cruella came back for revenge, George of the Jungle 2 Lyle comes back for revenge, and in Pirates of the Caribbean 2 I'm pretty sure Barbosa wants revenge too.

At least I think that's what he's saying.

Oh I see. I was just thinking of the original awesome disney. If you take into account the sequels, then yeah. I can totally see it.

[Fifthfiend]

Definitely new-crappy Disney.

And Barbossa's not really out for revenge in Pirates 2/3. Honestly he was pretty amiable about the whole getting-killed thing.

Originally Posted by CelesJessa

Or glasses instantly make someone super-ugly

The all-time genre classic.

EDIT: Oh god I just noticed the tagline. Oh wow, that's just priceless.

Edit: Hmmm my annoying plot devices seem rather superficial. Oh well!

Good going CJ, way to be totally shallow.

[Mirai Gen]

I never watched them so I guess I wouldn't know. I had given it some consideration but I loved the first movie exactly as it was and hearing some of the overly-convoluted plot points made me go naw, I'm okay.

[russianreversal]

Originally Posted by CelesJessa

Oh I see. I was just thinking of the original awesome disney. If you take into account the sequels, then yeah. I can totally see it.

Gotta take the bad with the good. There's just not enough mercenaries (with lines, gotta make that distinction) in Disney. People who aren't totally in it for the complete destruction of X because s/he ruined their plans for world domination.

Also:

Originally Posted by Dante Must Die

Well in Aladdin 2 Jafar came back for revenge,

I never saw this, but isn't Jafar an all powerful Genie now? I don't care how good or acrobatic you are, if an semi-omnipotent being is after your ass, there's not much you can do (but wait, let me guess, someone does something stupid like leave the lamp out for them to command him with or something?).