Talking the Monster to Death/Playing With

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Basic Trope: The villain is defeated with discussion, not fighting.

  • Straight: Peter "Pro" Tagganist is facing the Stormy Knight in his fortress. Instead of doing his usual hack-and-slash, Pro gives a moving speech about how the Knight has strayed from his roots and taken the wrong path, and how he can redeem himself. The Knight is moved to tears, and discards his sword.
  • Exaggerated: Dark Emperor Kill-All, famous for slaughtering millions in just one night, suddenly gives up his evil ways and becomes the good emperor solely because of a fifteen minute chat with Pro.
  • Downplayed: ???
  • Justified: Pro is a Guile Hero.
  • Inverted: The Knight gives Pro a Hannibal Lecture on how he's taken the right path and Pro is just misguidedly trying to lead him astray. The speech severely depletes Pro's will and he finds he can't fight.
  • Subverted: After Pro finishes his speech, the Knight pauses for a moment... and then offers a one-sentence rebuttal that shows he wasn't moved at all before drawing his sword for battle.
  • Double Subverted: ...and then lets the sword slip from his hands as the true meaning of the speech strikes home.
  • Parodied: The Knight is incredibly bored by Pro's speech and surrenders just so he doesn't to have to listen to his droning any more.
  • Deconstructed: ???
  • Reconstructed: ???
  • Zig Zagged: ???
  • Averted: Pro and the Knight go straight into battle without saying a word.
  • Enforced: ???
  • Lampshaded: "...You're going to TALK to him, Pro? Really? Are you a swordsman or a politician?"
  • Invoked: ???
  • Exploited: The Knight orders his lackeys to skewer Pro with arrows while he's busy yakking.
  • Defied: ???
  • Discussed: ???
  • Conversed: ???

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