Overwhelming Obsession: Difference between revisions

|''[[Discworld/Men At Arms|Men Atat Arms]]''}}

Most people like particular things and dislike other particular things. Some people really like certain things, to the point that everybody else around them knows it. And then there are ''these'' people - the ones who really, ''really'' like something, to the point that the liking is a major facet of their personalities, verging on or actually being an '''Overwhelming Obsession''' with the thing that's liked.

On occasion, a [[Flat Character]] gets an Overwhelming Obsession as his ''only'' character trait. If this sort of character ever gets [[A Day in the Limelight]], expect the character's obsession to be highlighted just as much at the same time. At worst, a flat character with an Overwhelming Obsession can exist simply to be used as the author's mouthpiece to [[Shown Their Work|show off his work]]... or [[Author Appeal|his own hobbies]]. At best, their obsessions provide comedy relief, dramatic impetus to the story, or both. Well-rounded characters can also have an Overwhelming Obsession, though, fitting it into their personalities. These obsessions can be used to avoid an [[Ass Pull]] when a plot resolution requires the character to know or have something related to the obsession; the character knows or has whatever's needed ''because'' it relates to the character's obsession.

Overlaps with [[Drink Order]] and [[Trademark Favorite Food]] (especially the [[Orgasmically Delicious]] sort), when those are what the character lives for. Compare with [[Security Blanket]], where the liked item in question gives its owner peace of mind simply by being within sight. Not to be confused with [[Fetish]], which is when someone really, really likes something in [[If You Know What I Mean|that very special way]].

* ''[[Ranma ½]]'' has a few characters which exhibit this trait to one degree or another. Ukyo Kuonji is a mild case, having built her life around being an [[wikipedia:Okonomiyaki|okonomiyaki<ref>A Japanese fast food similar to crepes.</ref>]] chefcook and even creating a martial art using the implements of her craft. (As noted below in ''Fan Works'', fanfic writers frequently turn this [[Up to Eleven]] when writing her.) And then there's Azusa Shiratori, a one-shot character from early in the story who is obsessed with [[Kawaisa|all things [[Kawaii|cute]]; given half a chance, she will steal anything that catches her eye, give it a French name, and then insist from that point on that it is her property. About the ''only'' thing she cares about other than cute stuff is her ice skating.

* Carlton Lassiter from ''[[Psych]]'' ''really'' loves his guns. ''A lot''. To the point that he keeps a ton of them stashed in various places in his house, including in a ''bowl of almonds''. He's also very trigger[[Trigger happyHappy]] and sees no problem in casually threatening to shoot people (namely his boss, Shawn) who annoy him, and when he's fingered as a murder suspect and has to give up his firearms, it contributes heavily to his resulting downward spiral.