Ranking My Least Favorite Tropes [CC]

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[shelbyg.]

"We're soulmates, I would give my life for you' is a bit much after knowing each other a week."
*Middle Schoolers have left the chat*

[FletcherReedsRandomness]

Love triangles aren’t even triangles. Because it’s almost always two people being in love with one person, it’s more of a “love V-shape”.

[danielharmon]

Merphy doesn't like talking animals, *wears a shirt with a talking mouse*

[ironfossil]

There is only one chosen one trope I absolutely adored it's execution and it wasn't a book:

Kungfu Panda

[cryxtheace]

You know for the “love at first sight” trope it would be fun to have a book where the protag instantly falls in love with a person they just met. They spend the first few chapters practically worshipping their partner, but as you turn the pages, red flags start popping up everywhere. The protag notices odd things, but they share another drink and everyone laughs it off. Things progress, their partner is possessive, but no matter how much the protag tries to rationalize the situation, they still can’t help but love their partner. No matter what. The protag starts panicking, knowing something unnatural is happening but can’t prove it to anyone—not even to themselves. They even doubt their own sanity. At the end it’s revealed their partner is an alchemist who has been drugging them with love potion since day one. Soooo basically a modern twist on some old folklore, written in a fantasy thriller type deal. The book could be called “A Fairytale” or “Tale as Old as Time” (I think, regardless of what genders the author chose, this could be an interesting allegory for abusive relationships—bonus points for twilight/50shades references throughout)

[torvilothbrok]

I hate how 'strong female characters' are depicted in SF&F nowadays. Unless the woman 'kicks ass', is rude, arrogant, wears trousers, hates girly stuff etc. So basically, unless a woman acts like a man she's not strong.

[LLenaaaaa]

"Smart characters being stupid trope"
"Female characters need rape for developement trope"
"After the big battle everyone is still alive somehow trope"

*cries in Game of Thrones Season 7 and 8*

[rowenblue]

One of my least favourites is the persistent male love interest, who gets rejected by the girl he likes but keeps insisting they should be together and is eventually rewarded for his behaviour by her "giving in" and dating him. This is such a red flag and perpetuates the idea that women don't actually mean what they say and don't know what they truly want, and the man just has to wear them down. You see it in central plotlines, (Like in The Notebook, or Ogi in waitress -- gross) but it's also really common as a throwaway line about how two characters got together like "oh I asked your mother out twelve times before she finally agreed to go out with me" said while the two characters gaze lovingly at each other like it's such a funny little anecdote that haha she said no, but no never really meant no, it ACTUALLY meant yes, because look at us now!

[c_p]

“ Ethnic woman who knows about mysterious stuff for some reason and is just there to provide exposition “🙄

[nazibutterfly]

I remember back when I was first reading Percy Jackson. I mean, it's written for kids, so say what you want about its value as great art, but damn if Riordan didn't properly subvert the Chosen One. He starts off with a healthy dose of not knowing he's the chosen one, and being relatively miserable. He turns out to be the chosen one, and is even MORE miserable because of it. Five books of sheer panic and unpreparedness from Percy later, and he isn't even the one to strike the final blow, and is perfectly happy to relenquish the title to Luke. I didn't even know it was a trope when I was reading it, but it still sticks in my mind because of how well it was executed.

[yvel]

the 'strong female character is always angry and violent and could cut a bitch and look sexy while doing it' trope is, in my humble opinion, getting tired. why cant we just get a muscular woman be into politics or be a techie or have a passion for theater and it just so happens that she likes to hit the gym once in a while

[everglowblink]

"A woman has to be raped in order to have a character development." Wait, am I the only one that has never came across this in books?? This actually exists???

*Edited 2022* LOOK MOM IM FAMOUS!

[brinleyowens]

I think miscommunication is a part of real life, but the whole "it can be solved with one conversation" is SO frustrating. If there's going to be miscommunication to further the plot, it can't be an easy-to-fix problem.

[saharnazshaheen]

My least favorite tropes in books, movies, TV series: 1. When the guy is an absolute jerk, treats everyone including and especially the protagonist like shit, and then, MAGICALLY, the moment they are together, he becomes this sweet, helping, respectful, awsome boyfriend/husband. This is NOT how it works in real life. Bad boys will most probably stay bad boys. It gives a very destructive message to young girls. It is used in east Asian media a lot (Especially Korean and Japanese dramas and anime) and it needs to STOP. 2. Is the generalized version of what Merphy said: When things that if any other character does, we will hate them, but for some reason it's perfectly fine if the main character(s) do those, like cheating, treating others poorly, etc. 3. When to depict a strong female character, they depict her as rude and arrogant. Like, why? WHY? Mulan was strong, but she was also humble and nice. Believe me, you don't have to be a jerk to be a strong girl.

[Jack-kxrf]

One of the stories I've read had the MC who was in love with a married woman. He never acts on it or even attempts to flirt with her. In the end, she makes a move on him and the fact she is willing to cheat on her husband turns him off so much he's disgusted at her.

[knightBOX]

Maybe I’m wrong but the “rape trope” seems like a lazy solution to create a plot or some trauma for character and at the same time make the book “””more adult””” like ok, it might be traumatizing, but is not the only thing in the world u can use and guess what, rape is a really awful thing in real life, don’t use it like is just a complicated event and that’s all

[beccag]

Most of the time love triangles aren’t even proper triangles, just like love bent lines!

[dynesteefields]

Here's how to fix Insta Love: Put them in a magical world. Make the characters be cursed to be together. Make them be attracted to each other, but fight hard to get free from this.

[lies]

When a strong female character is just 'strong' in the literal sense of the word. She kicks ass and that makes her strong. Why can't a strong female character be strong because she is smart? Or creative?

[jtdarelli]

I love that you mentioned the rape trope. I can't remember who said it, but a famous author was once asked for advice about using sexual assault in his work, and came back with something along the lines of, "If it isn't absolutely necessary, don't use it. And if you think it is necessary, still don't use it, cause you're not good enough to write it." Essentially saying that anyone who thinks using it as a form of character development isn't nearly intelligent or mature enough to write about it. He followed it up with, "save it for autobiographies." I've seen some pretty horrendous attempts and they all made me drop the book almost instantly once I figured out the author's style