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Category:The Woobie: Difference between revisions
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A woobie (named for a child's security blanket) is that character you want to give a big hug, wrap in a blanket and feed soup to when he or she suffers so very beautifully. Woobification of a character is a curious, audience-driven phenomenon, divorced almost entirely from the character's canonical morality.
'''The Woobie''''s appeal lies in how it allows the audience to experience [[Emotional Torque|catharsis]]. The Greek philosopher [[Aristotle]] proposed that tragedy is popular because it allows people to experience and let out their negative emotions, [[wikipedia:Catharsis|"cleansing"]] themselves. '''The Woobie''' is popular for this same reason. A story with '''The Woobie''' allows the audience to vicariously experience relief from some pain by fantasizing about relieving '''The Woobie''''s pain. (No, not ''[[Intimate Healing|that]]'' way! Well, okay, [[Rule 34|sometimes]].) Woobification can also tie into a disturbing hurt/comfort dynamic, in which fans enjoy seeing the Woobie tortured, if only for the chance to wish the hurt away. This is often made manifest in the curious form of the [[Hurt Comfort Fic]].
An important aspect of '''The Woobie''' is that their suffering must have its genesis in external sources: a character, however sympathetically portrayed, who suffers as the result of their own actions is a [[Tragic Hero]] and does not qualify.
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A properly executed Woobie inspires deep fannish devotion. A poorly executed Woobie earns scoffing and mockery, perhaps at the same time. The difference between the Woobie and such [[Sickeningly Sweet]] characters as the [[Littlest Cancer Patient]] is that the audience actually finds the Woobie compelling rather than pathetic. Where you draw the line is [[Your Mileage May Vary|sometimes a matter of opinion.]]
Sometimes a Woobie goes [[Omnicidal Maniac]] and seeks to destroy the world in a bid to make the pain stop, in which case you're dealing with a [[Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds]]. Sometimes it's possible to bring such a woobie back from the edge, but other times, only his or her destruction in a [[Shoot the Dog]] moment will stop things, and is usually a [[Tear Jerker]] when done well.
In [[Lighter and Fluffier]] fiction, '''The Woobie''' can sometimes [[Earn Your Happy Ending|earn his/her happy ending]].
In many versions there is also something about the Woobie's suffering that is notably heroic or noble. In this case the character is an [[Iron Woobie]]. Sometimes, '''The Woobie''' is not so outwardly emotional about their hurts (Or anything else, for that matter), making them a [[Stoic Woobie]].
See [[Damsel in Distress]] and [[Troubled but Cute]]. In [[Anime]], '''The Woobie''' makes up a large part of [[Moe]] characters. Part of their appeal can come from them constantly striving against [[Yank the Dog's Chain|their chains]]. Can be taken to the point of [[Break the Cutie]], and if the amount of misfortune seems too great it may result in [[Deus Angst Machina]]. [[World of Woobie|And the entire setting can even be like this.]] Yes, [[Crapsack World|the world can be that cruel.]]
Please note that '''The Woobie''' is a specific type of character that is supposed to draw the audience's sympathy. If the character is the [[Chew Toy]], [[Butt Monkey]], or is a [[Jerkass]] he is not '''The Woobie''' ([[Jerkass Woobie|unless the character is also meant to be sympathetic]]). If the character doesn't let bad events faze him, he is not '''The Woobie'''. Also note that when adding an example, it should be kept concise. We don't need every bad thing that happened to them, and we don't need a summary of the entire series.
Contrast the [[Chew Toy]]. If in your opinion the character desperately needs to die, that's likely [[Damsel Scrappy]]. Should '''not ever''' be confused with [[Butt Monkey]]. A [[Butt Monkey]] is essentially [[The Pollyanna]] that is constantly abused. A '''woobie''' is a character who gets tortured badly and sometimes even cries and complains about their situation. However, there is a lot of overlap; a Butt Monkey can often become a Woobie if abused too often and too mercilessly.
Subtropes include [[Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds]], [[Iron Woobie]], [[Stoic Woobie]], [[Jerkass Woobie]], [[Monster Sob Story]], [[World of Woobie]], and [[Wheelchair Woobie]].
Not to be confused with a species of [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Wookiee hairy bipedal humanoids that inhabit the planet Kashyyyk.] (though the most famous one ''is'' a woobie, see the "Star Wars" subsection), or [http://wubi-installer.org/ a Linux installer].
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[[Category:Tropes of Legend]]
[[Category:Loser Archetype]]
[[Category:Characters As Device]]
[[Category:Victimhood Tropes]]
[[Category:Drama Tropes]]
[[Category:Dead Herring]]
[[Category:Sadness Tropes]]
[[Category:Turn-On Tropes]]
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[[Category:This Index Has Had a Hard Life]]
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[[Category:Depressing Tropes]]
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