Serial Escalation: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
[[File:sword_escalation_6829.png|link=Irregular Webcomic|frame|Wait till you see the centuple one. <ref>Fun fact: This was actually written [[Hilarious in Hindsight|before]] [[Star Wars|Episode III]].</ref>]]
[[File:sword escalation 6829.png|link=Irregular Webcomic!|frame|Wait till you see the centuple one.<ref>Fun fact: This was actually written [[Hilarious in Hindsight|before]] [[Star Wars|Episode III]].</ref>]]


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{{quote|''[[Serious Sam]] 3'' is a constant prelude to itself, an ode to destruction forever building to greater crescendos, an orgy of cartoon violence that keeps on inviting new participants instead of slowing down and catching its breath. Each new weapon marks a leap upwards in the scale of its [[Up to Eleven|increasingly absurd onslaught of enemies and crumbling scenery]], and each time you’ll think "good grief, this is ridiculous. There’s no way it can top this." But it does. It always does.''|''Rock Paper Shotgun'' on ''[[Serious Sam]] 3''.}}

⚫
{{quote|''''[[Serious Sam]] 3'' is a constant prelude to itself, an ode to destruction forever building to greater crescendos, an orgy of cartoon violence that keeps on inviting new participants instead of slowing down and catching its breath. Each new weapon marks a leap upwards in the scale of its [[Up to Eleven|increasingly absurd onslaught of enemies and crumbling scenery]], and each time you’ll think "good grief, this is ridiculous. There’s no way it can top this." [[Serial Escalation|But it does]]. It always does.''|''Rock Paper Shotgun'' on ''[[Serious Sam]] 3''.}}


Some series push themselves up and over the top, surpassing the bar they just set themselves a few episodes ago. Then they do it again. And again. And again.
Some series push themselves up and over the top, surpassing the bar they just set themselves a few episodes ago. Then they do it again. And again. And again.


This isn't meant to be confused with the buildup to season finales or a plot climax, but rather a consistent escalation in events that always exceeds what a viewer would expect. When this is done well, a new [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] is, at any given moment, just around the corner. When done poorly, what would constitute as a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] can feel [[What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?|ordinary]], or even absurd.
'''Serial Escalation''' isn't meant to be confused with the buildup to season finales or a plot climax, but rather a consistent escalation in events that always exceeds what a viewer would expect. When this is done well, a new [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] is, at any given moment, just around the corner. When done poorly, what would constitute as a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] can feel [[What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?|ordinary]], or even absurd.


Not to be confused with [[Up to Eleven]], where a series, group, or artist make a point of topping whatever was the latest, greatest thing (including if it was their own thing). To make a Serial Escalation is to create an enormous stack of such occurrences, generating a series of events that top the prior consecutively. Compare [[Awesomeness Is Volatile]], which describes the hypothetical point at which such a process [[Going Critical|goes critical]], resulting in an explosion of awesomeness (or, as noted, in a [[What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?|fizzle]] if the [[Small Name, Big Ego|bomb is a dud]]).
Not to be confused with [[Up to Eleven]], where a series, group, or artist make a point of topping whatever was the latest, greatest thing (including if it was their own thing). To make a Serial Escalation is to create an enormous stack of such occurrences, generating a series of events that top the prior consecutively. Compare [[Awesomeness Is Volatile]], which describes the hypothetical point at which such a process [[Going Critical|goes critical]], resulting in an explosion of awesomeness (or, as noted, in a [[What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?|fizzle]] if the [[Small Name, Big Ego|bomb is a dud]]).
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Compare [[Troperiffic]], [[Exaggerated Trope]], [[Logical Extreme]], [[Lensman Arms Race]], [[Sorting Algorithm of Evil]],[[Power Creep]].
Compare [[Troperiffic]], [[Exaggerated Trope]], [[Logical Extreme]], [[Lensman Arms Race]], [[Sorting Algorithm of Evil]],[[Power Creep]].


{{examples}}
{{examples on subpages}}

* [[Serial Escalation/Anime and Manga|Anime and Manga]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Comic Books|Comic Books]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Fan Fics|Fan Fics]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Film|Film]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Literature|Literature]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Live Action TV|Live Action TV]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Music|Music]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Pro Wrestling|Pro Wrestling]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Tabletop Games|Tabletop Games]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Theatre|Theatre]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Video Games|Video Games]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Webcomics|Webcomics]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Web Original|Web Original]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Western Animation|Western Animation]]
* [[Serial Escalation/Real Life|Real Life]]


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
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[[Category:Rule of Cool]]
[[Category:Rule of Cool]]
[[Category:Universal Tropes]]
[[Category:Universal Tropes]]
[[Category:index]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Serial Escalation]]

Latest revision as of 01:36, 7 March 2021

Wait till you see the centuple one.[1]
Serious Sam 3 is a constant prelude to itself, an ode to destruction forever building to greater crescendos, an orgy of cartoon violence that keeps on inviting new participants instead of slowing down and catching its breath. Each new weapon marks a leap upwards in the scale of its increasingly absurd onslaught of enemies and crumbling scenery, and each time you’ll think "good grief, this is ridiculous. There’s no way it can top this." But it does. It always does.
—Rock Paper Shotgun on Serious Sam 3.

Some series push themselves up and over the top, surpassing the bar they just set themselves a few episodes ago. Then they do it again. And again. And again.

Serial Escalation isn't meant to be confused with the buildup to season finales or a plot climax, but rather a consistent escalation in events that always exceeds what a viewer would expect. When this is done well, a new Crowning Moment of Awesome is, at any given moment, just around the corner. When done poorly, what would constitute as a Crowning Moment of Awesome can feel ordinary, or even absurd.

Not to be confused with Up to Eleven, where a series, group, or artist make a point of topping whatever was the latest, greatest thing (including if it was their own thing). To make a Serial Escalation is to create an enormous stack of such occurrences, generating a series of events that top the prior consecutively. Compare Awesomeness Is Volatile, which describes the hypothetical point at which such a process goes critical, resulting in an explosion of awesomeness (or, as noted, in a fizzle if the bomb is a dud).

For events that are actually impossible, go to Beyond the Impossible.

Related to Sequel Escalation, and Refuge in Audacity.

Compare Troperiffic, Exaggerated Trope, Logical Extreme, Lensman Arms Race, Sorting Algorithm of Evil,Power Creep.

Examples of Serial Escalation are listed on these subpages:
  1. ↑ Fun fact: This was actually written before Episode III.
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