A while back I made a topic about Episode tropes and cliches, and it kind of went off the rails (still fun though). It would be cool if we can make a new, cooler and better list of Episode tropes!
I also have a concept idea of an Episode parody (no spoilers ) so this would help.
I know some of tropes used so I will begin:
. There needs to be a bad boy LI
. The mafia is a necessity (especially an inaccurate depiction of the mafia)
. Werewolves. Don’t forget to add (the toxic and stupid) alpha, beta myth (that doesn’t exist, especially among wolves).
. Some one (usually MC) has to get pregnant
. A billionaire LI
Vampires, especially ones that are carbon copies of Edward Cullen in personality-- creepy stalker behavior and a “thirst” that they resist because they “love” the MC.
-The guy who’s tattooed from head to toe. (Mostly a high school student, which totally makes sense)
-The rude ass MC and the LI who simps for her because she’s being “feisty”
. The quiet loser MC and the hot popular LI, where the popular hot LI falls in love with the MC because “she’s not like other girls”.
. The loser getting a makeover and becoming hot now.
. large amount of gems .
. a game show.
The sassy (usually lgbt+ character) that hits on all the straight people with an almost illegal style and always agrees with the MC and/or encourages bad/risky behavior with 0 concern for the MC.
Adding:
The “big” girl who loses tons of weight “over the summer” and “no one” recognizes her and she’s instantly popular for being skinny.
Cause there’s some “body positivity” to spread around to impressionable children reading stories. This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine.
Let’s not forget the complete lack of any parental figures, therefore allowing the high school age MC to do anything and everything they want with seemingly unlimited cash to pay for it all.
Oh, and don’t we all love when the mean girl is only mean for the sake of having an antagonist? Zero personality, Always a “dumb” blonde (at least one in every “mean girl” scene is pretty much standard) and always has the lamest insults ever.
The party friend. They be forcing the mc to go to parties and also tell them to get laid only bc the mc has been single for like a few months or like a year. And when they go to the party with the mc they just leave them and probably find someone to hook up or dance with.
Personally I find it hard to pin tropes on Mary Sues, they’re already a massive wad of overused cliches and desperate self-insertion. When your weaknesses include “too popular”, “too pretty” or “cares too much” I’m checked out, gone, luggage packed along with the towels and pillows. “Oh but THIS character also has a tragic backstory!”
Nope soz already out of the lobby with pockets stuffed full of tiny soap and an immediate sense of relief that I left before the metaphorical hotel burned down in a blaze of deus ex machinas, shoehorned romances and r-word decisions by the antagonists that made it possible for Mary to save the day and kiss all the named characters.
) so this would help.
has to be in there somewhere.
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