Heroic BSOD: Difference between revisions

 

Reasons for the BSOD vary, but usually involves something that shakes the very core of the character's being. Classic examples include [[Dead Little Sister|losing a loved one]] (especially one that the character [[I Let Gwen Stacy Die|failed to protect or save]]); discovering that the character is [[Tomato in the Mirror|not who he thought he was]]; being [[Et Tu, Brute?|betrayed by someone]] [[Heartbroken Badass|the character cared about]]; being forced to go against a personal code, core belief, or deep abiding reason to live; being delivered a nasty [[Hannibal Lecture]] by a particularly crafty villain; or [[My Greatest Failure|failing miserably at something that everything was riding on]].

 

The result is a form of non-consensual [[Ten-Minute Retirement]]. The aftermath may cause the hero to become [[The Stoic|emotionally]] [[Angst Coma|comatose]], [[Out, Damned Spot!|obsessive and guilt-ridden]], [[Dumb Struck|mute]], or in really bad cases, a [[Jade-Colored Glasses|jaded]] violent [[Amnesiac Dissonance|amnesiac]]. The most literal BSOD effect would be catatonia. Such personality changes may also scare the hell out of people who are now worried the hero is [[Fallen Hero|as much a danger as the villain was]]. If the incident happened before the story takes place, it provides a rationale for him to be the [[Shell Shocked Senior]]. Compare [[Freak-Out]]. In [[Real Life]] psychology, this is known as an [[wikipedia:Acute stress reaction|acute stress reaction]].

 

{{examples|Examples go on subpages:}}

* [[Heroic BSOD/Anime and Manga|Anime and Manga]]

* [[Heroic BSOD/Comic Books|Comic Books]]