4 ms·

Definitions from Oxford Languages plot armor noun used to refer to the phenomenon in fiction whereby the main character is allowed to survive dangerous situa

Definitions from Oxford Languages plot armor noun used to refer to the phenomenon in fiction whereby the main character is allowed to survive dangerous situations because they are needed for the plot to continue. "I do think that he can't die since the inevitable plot armor is far too thick" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plot_armor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plot_armor https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PlotArmor https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PlotArmor

thaumasiotes 3y ago
...was this supposed to be related to my comment in some way? Do you just wander around the internet posting random links in random places?
- aspenmayer 3y ago
  Yes, if it wasn’t obvious I apologize. Many main characters have plot armor in a way that makes for lazy writing, bad characterization, lowers stakes in the plot in favor of protagonists, and breaks immersion, which is what I was alluding to in response to this part of your comment, and the thread broadly: > But compare e.g. her meeting with Glory in season 5, where the two of them get into a fistfight, and after trading a few punches Glory realizes that a human would have been dead by now. That being said, you were a bit uncharitable near the end: > Do you just wander around the internet posting random links in random places? I think this was a bit of an unfair characterization of my original comment, and veers close to being against HN guidelines by assuming bad faith, and if you look at my comment and submission history I think you’ll find that I don’t in fact do this.
  - thaumasiotes 3y ago
    > Yes, if it wasn’t obvious I apologize. Many main characters have plot armor in a way that makes for lazy writing, bad characterization, lowers stakes in the plot in favor of protagonists, and breaks immersion, which is what I was alluding to in response to this part of your comment, and the thread broadly: >> But compare e.g. her meeting with Glory in season 5, where the two of them get into a fistfight, and after trading a few punches Glory realizes that a human would have been dead by now. You have yet to describe what the connection is between your comment and mine. Plot armor describes people doing things they can't do, and not suffering the consequences because that would be a boring story. What's the connection to people doing things that require the supernatural powers they are explicitly characterized as having?
    - aspenmayer 3y ago
      The supernatural powers are the plot armor which prevent OP characters from suffering the consequences.
      - DoughnutHole 3y ago
        A character’s explained powers saving them isn’t plot armour, it’s just armour. E.g. a superhero whose power is having impenetrable skin surviving a hail of bullets isn’t plot armour - it’s an explained part of the story. A character survived because of their nature as a character. Plot armour would be a hero who does not have any particular resistance to bullets running through a hail of gunfire and surviving. It’s an extremely improbable outcome which ruins suspension of disbelief. The only reasonable explanation is that the character survived because the writers wanted to keep them alive. That’s plot armour.
        aspenmayer 3y ago
        I don’t agree that this is how the term plot armor is commonly used, but I won’t disagree with your desire to use the term in that way.
        DoughnutHole 3y ago
        plot armor noun used to refer to the phenomenon in fiction whereby the main character is allowed to survive dangerous situations because they are needed for the plot to continue.
        aspenmayer 3y ago
        Yeah, that’s what I originally posted. So why are you disagreeing with me when you said: > A character’s explained powers saving them isn’t plot armour, it’s just armour.
        DoughnutHole 3y ago

thaumasiotes 3y ago

...was this supposed to be related to my comment in some way? Do you just wander around the internet posting random links in random places?

aspenmayer 3y ago
Yes, if it wasn’t obvious I apologize. Many main characters have plot armor in a way that makes for lazy writing, bad characterization, lowers stakes in the plot in favor of protagonists, and breaks immersion, which is what I was alluding to in response to this part of your comment, and the thread broadly: > But compare e.g. her meeting with Glory in season 5, where the two of them get into a fistfight, and after trading a few punches Glory realizes that a human would have been dead by now. That being said, you were a bit uncharitable near the end: > Do you just wander around the internet posting random links in random places? I think this was a bit of an unfair characterization of my original comment, and veers close to being against HN guidelines by assuming bad faith, and if you look at my comment and submission history I think you’ll find that I don’t in fact do this.
- thaumasiotes 3y ago
  > Yes, if it wasn’t obvious I apologize. Many main characters have plot armor in a way that makes for lazy writing, bad characterization, lowers stakes in the plot in favor of protagonists, and breaks immersion, which is what I was alluding to in response to this part of your comment, and the thread broadly: >> But compare e.g. her meeting with Glory in season 5, where the two of them get into a fistfight, and after trading a few punches Glory realizes that a human would have been dead by now. You have yet to describe what the connection is between your comment and mine. Plot armor describes people doing things they can't do, and not suffering the consequences because that would be a boring story. What's the connection to people doing things that require the supernatural powers they are explicitly characterized as having?
  - aspenmayer 3y ago
    The supernatural powers are the plot armor which prevent OP characters from suffering the consequences.
    - DoughnutHole 3y ago
      A character’s explained powers saving them isn’t plot armour, it’s just armour. E.g. a superhero whose power is having impenetrable skin surviving a hail of bullets isn’t plot armour - it’s an explained part of the story. A character survived because of their nature as a character. Plot armour would be a hero who does not have any particular resistance to bullets running through a hail of gunfire and surviving. It’s an extremely improbable outcome which ruins suspension of disbelief. The only reasonable explanation is that the character survived because the writers wanted to keep them alive. That’s plot armour.
      - aspenmayer 3y ago
        I don’t agree that this is how the term plot armor is commonly used, but I won’t disagree with your desire to use the term in that way.
        DoughnutHole 3y ago
        plot armor noun used to refer to the phenomenon in fiction whereby the main character is allowed to survive dangerous situations because they are needed for the plot to continue.
        aspenmayer 3y ago
        Yeah, that’s what I originally posted. So why are you disagreeing with me when you said: > A character’s explained powers saving them isn’t plot armour, it’s just armour.
        DoughnutHole 3y ago