Plot device that most annoys you
- Thread starter Acidwell
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I could come up with a very long list, most probably romance related, but at the same time I don't think there's any such thing as a specific plot device thats bad. Simply put, its only bad because of the way it gets used by uncreative writers. Heck, even the Mary Sue doesn't have to be a bad thing. Kamina from Gurren Lagann was essentially a Mary Sue and I don't think anyone who watched the series is going to criticize him for it.
As an example, these days I tend to cringe everytime I hear the word "amnesia" involved in a plot (usually video game plots) However, I have no doubt that amnesia COULD have some interesting plot-related uses aside from a convenient excuse for the hero to not know something at a critical moment or to remember something at a critical moment. I'd never play the game myself, because I'm not too fond of WRPG's, but Planescape: Torment is often praised for its story and makes interesting use of amnesia as well.
Knights in the Nightmare is another one, the plot of which I found to be surprisingly interesting. You're basically a disembodied spirit trying to get back to your body after you were killed before the start of the game. You don't remember a thing, though, and spend the game following that singleminded goal while slowly piecing together what happened.
As an example, these days I tend to cringe everytime I hear the word "amnesia" involved in a plot (usually video game plots) However, I have no doubt that amnesia COULD have some interesting plot-related uses aside from a convenient excuse for the hero to not know something at a critical moment or to remember something at a critical moment. I'd never play the game myself, because I'm not too fond of WRPG's, but Planescape: Torment is often praised for its story and makes interesting use of amnesia as well.
Knights in the Nightmare is another one, the plot of which I found to be surprisingly interesting. You're basically a disembodied spirit trying to get back to your body after you were killed before the start of the game. You don't remember a thing, though, and spend the game following that singleminded goal while slowly piecing together what happened.
Time travel.
Personal connection between the protagonist and the antagonist. "He beat me once." or "He's my corrupted tutor." "He killed my family!"
Which brings me to the another plot device, anger. Where the antagonist is just taunting the protagonist in ways that are neither motivated nor make sense, giving him newfound strength in the power of rage. Just enough to defeat the villain, of course.
Personal connection between the protagonist and the antagonist. "He beat me once." or "He's my corrupted tutor." "He killed my family!"
Which brings me to the another plot device, anger. Where the antagonist is just taunting the protagonist in ways that are neither motivated nor make sense, giving him newfound strength in the power of rage. Just enough to defeat the villain, of course.
Mary Sues. It could be the hero, the supporting cast, or that little girl introduced in Chapter 13 who is, somehow, a mage stuffed with more arcane apocalypse than an old man who's been studying magic all his natural life and quite possibly several centuries of an unnaturally-extended one, but I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate them. Even moreso, when said Sue is an obviously idealized author-insert (Eragon, I'm looking at you) it goes from aggrivating to "Screw this."
