Trope Talk: Tone Armor
Overly Sarcastic Productions・20 minutes read
Plot armor and tone armor are crucial elements in storytelling to protect main characters and maintain the established tone of the story, influencing the level of danger and impact on the audience. Breaking tone armor by killing off main characters can lead to significant changes in the narrative and darker plot developments.
Insights
- **Plot armor safeguards main characters from harm to ensure their continued involvement in the story's progression.
- **Tone armor, akin to plot armor, establishes the level of danger characters face based on the story's tone, which can be influenced by genre, audience, and censorship, impacting the narrative's consistency and audience expectations.
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Recent questions
What is plot armor?
Plot armor is the protection main characters have against harm to ensure their continued involvement in the story's plot. It allows them to survive dangerous situations that would otherwise result in their demise, maintaining the narrative's consistency.
How does tone armor impact storytelling?
Tone armor, similar to plot armor, establishes the level of realism and consequences characters face based on the story's tone. It influences the likelihood of certain events occurring, such as character injuries or battle outcomes, to maintain the established tone and narrative consistency.
What factors influence a story's tone?
The tone of a story is influenced by various factors like genre, intended audience, and standards and practices. These elements shape the level of danger, realism, and consequences characters face, ultimately determining the overall tone of the narrative.
Why is tone armor important in storytelling?
Tone armor is crucial in maintaining the consistency and impact of a story's tone and narrative. It ensures that the level of danger, consequences, and realism align with the established tone, preventing jarring transitions and keeping the audience engaged.
How do Sacrificial Lions contribute to storytelling?
Sacrificial Lions are characters introduced to be killed off, adding depth to the story and showcasing the stakes involved. Their deaths can impact the narrative, creating tension, emotional resonance, and highlighting the risks faced by other characters in the story.
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Summary
00:00
"Protecting Characters: Tone Armor in Stories"
- Plot armor is a term used in literary criticism for the protection main characters have against harm to maintain their participation in the plot.
- Plot armor is essential for maintaining the active involvement of main characters in the story.
- Tone armor, a concept similar to plot armor, is the set of assumptions and standards established by a story's tone regarding character endangerment.
- The tone of a story influences the likelihood of certain events happening, such as the outcome of battles or injuries characters sustain.
- Tone armor dictates the level of realism and consequences characters face based on the established tone of the story.
- The tone of a story is influenced by various factors like genre, intended audience, and standards and practices.
- Intended audience, especially in stories for younger viewers, impacts the level of danger and injury characters face in a story.
- Standards and Practices, often seen in censorship for widespread distribution, can alter the tone of a story by limiting certain elements like blood or death.
- Breaking tone armor, such as killing a main character, can have a significant impact on the audience by defying established expectations.
- Tone armor, like plot armor, is crucial in maintaining the consistency and impact of a story's tone and narrative.
10:42
"Character Deaths and Plot Armor in Stories"
- In stories, significant events occur that change the narrative, such as boss rushes, character deaths, or unexpected plot twists.
- Characters known as Sacrificial Lions are often introduced to be killed off, adding depth to the story and showcasing the stakes involved.
- Popular shows in the early 2010s, like Attack on Titan and Game of Thrones, emphasized the unpredictability of character deaths to create tension.
- The concept of plot armor protects main characters from permanent death, leading to the disappointment of audiences expecting darker narratives.
- Characters with plot armor can influence the tone of a story, with their absence resulting in darker plot developments and increased danger for other characters.
- Tone armor, a storytelling element, can be broken by removing key characters who maintain a specific tone, leading to darker storylines and increased stakes.
- Temporary threats in stories, like impending apocalypses, are often resolved quickly due to the presence of superheroes, maintaining the overall tone of the narrative.
- Breaking tone armor through small shifts in tone, rather than extreme changes, is crucial to maintaining audience engagement and avoiding jarring transitions.
