Stock Epileptic Trees: Difference between revisions

Things that are frequently proposed in [[Epileptic Trees|fan theories]] at a rate [[Dead Unicorn Trope|disproportionate to their occurrence in actual works of fiction]].

=== {{examples|Theories common to general fandom ===:}}

* [[Everyone Is Jesus in Purgatory|The cast died in the first episode and now they're all in Purgatory!]] Explicitly [[Jossed]] by the creators of ''[[Lost (TV)|Lost]]'', among other writers. There was an infamous (false) rumor that this was how ''the [[Dungeons and Dragons (Animationanimation)|''Dungeons and Dragons]]'' cartoon]] would end. After being explicitly [[Jossed]], ''[[Lost (TV)|Lost]]'' {{spoiler|actually ended this way, though its characters ended in Purgatory after dying during the series rather than being [[Dead All Along]]}}.

** Of course, there's also the one where character X is literally Jesus/God/Satan.

*** Depending on the fandom this might not even be an epileptic tree. For instance in comics the only characters who stay dead are Bucky, Jason Todd and Uncle Ben. Oh wait.<ref>Bucky and Jason Todd are both back from the dead. Uncle Ben is still dead only due to [[Death Byby Origin Story]]</ref>

* [[All Just a Dream]]. This arguably reflects either some fans' lack of faith in the writers or their lack of imagination; revealing that the whole story was a dream as a [[Deus Ex Machina]] has been a [[Dead Horse Trope]] for quite a while.

** The Tommyverse is well-known outside of TV Tropestroping and serves as '''Thethe [[Most Triumphant Example''']] of this trope. Essentially "Six Degrees of ''[[St. Elsewhere]]''", it postulates that every show that has ever crossed-over with ''St. Elsewhere'' (and every show that crossed over with one of them, and so on...) exists in a shared universe wherein everything takes place entirely within the mind of autistic child Tommy Westphall, and the shows that crossed over with them, and so-on. This ultimately leads to a staggering number of television shows stretching from ''[[The X -Files]]'' to ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]'' all allegedly existing in the same [[The Verse|"universe"]]. On the other end of the spectrum it has sparked some fascinating (and pretentious!) discussions about the nature of intertextuality, metafiction, [[As Himself]], and other such post-modern concepts.

** Suggesting that a series takes place within [[Assimilation Plot|Instrumentality]] is a more TVtroping-Tropes specific take on this one.

* [[Luke, I Am Your Father]]. A legitimate trope, but fans take it way too far, especially with their tendency to assume that the [[Big Bad]] is the father of [[The Hero]], even when there is obvious evidence against it. This is probably influenced by the [[All Psychology Is Freudian|widespread belief]] that [[Freud Was Right]] and that all conflicts can be reduced to [[Oedipus Complex|Oedipus]] [[Calling the Old Man Out]].

* The [[Big Bad]] is actually a pawn of the [[The Man Behind the Man|real Big Bad]], who is [[The Dog Was the Mastermind|the character you would least suspect]] (for example, the [[Ridiculously Cute Critter|ridiculously cute]] [[Non -Human Sidekick]]).

* The story is [[Literary Agent Hypothesis|actually being told]] by Character X, who may be an [[Unreliable Narrator]].

=== {{examples|Theories common to [[TV Tropes]] fandom ===Tropers:}}

* [[Time Lord/WMG|Time Lord]] (that a certain character is a Timelord from ''[[Doctor Who (TV)|Doctor Who]]'' is a form of this unique to this wiki, although it's tongue-in-cheek.)

** And the idea that character X is a [[Genius: The Transgression (Tabletop Game)|Genius]] is becoming popular as well.

* [[Doppelganger Crossover|Every character with the same actor/voice actor/]][[NamesName's the Same|name as a character from another franchise is actually that other character.]] (tongue in cheek, usually)

** Subverted in ''[[Scrubs (TV)|Scrubs]]'': J.D. and Turk recognize The Janitor while watching ''[[The Fugitive (film)|The Fugitive''. Neil Flynn (who plays The Janitor) actually had a minor role in ''The Fugitive''. In the ''Scrubs'' universe, it was The Janitor himself who played the part.

* Something awesome is powered by [[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann|Spiral Energy]].

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