Third-Act Misunderstanding: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

{{quote|I'm torn, because on one hand, I want to share something important that happened to me while we were apart... But on the other hand, [[Genre Savvy|bardic tradition demands]] that I withhold it all so that at some later point, you can accidentally learn an incomplete version and jump to all the wrong conclusions--thus leading to entertaining dramatic conflict later in our relationship.|'''Elan''', ''[[The Order of the Stick]]''}}

Alice is keeping a secret, perhaps even a hidden agenda, from Bob<ref>(though gender flips are commonplace)</ref> and his [[True Companions]]. She may benignly want to befriend or romance him, or less scrupulously steal something from him, or gain his trust as [[The Mole]] and betray him. Regardless, she's holding back key facts about her background which would make him doubt her honesty or outright hate her. But before long she [[In Love with the Mark|genuinely develops feelings for him]], and may find she's [[Becoming the Mask]].

 

Often, Alice [[We Could Have Avoided All This|could have avoided]] this situation if she'd [[A Tragedy of Impulsiveness|thought things out]] and revealed her secret earlier when it wouldn't be as damaging. On the plus side, this is one narrative circumstance in which it is all but guaranteed that [[The Reveal Prompts Romance]].

 

 

Compare with [[Third-Act Stupidity]] and [[Second Act Breakup]].

* In ''[[Avatar (film)|Avatar]]'', the thing where [[The Mole]] is revealed at the point where he's already past [[Becoming the Mask]], and he tries to explain to his teammates that he's on their side now, but they don't believe him. Seems to be different from [[Reformed but Rejected]] as the character has already switched sides, but is rejected in light of past events.

* ''[[Legally Blonde]]'', when Vivian sees Callahan hitting on Elle, and Vivian assumes she's using her looks to get ahead.

* The first ''[[Shrek]]'' movie has the eponymous ogre overhearing a conversation between Princess Fiona and Donkey about "who could ever love something so hideous." {{spoiler|She's talking about herself, as she turns into an ogre at nightfall, and changes back in the morning.}} Shrek, however, creates his own misunderstanding after telling Fiona he heard everything, even though he hadn't. {{spoiler|This makes Fiona believe that Shrek won't accept her for what she is, and she accepts Lord Farquaad's marriage proposal.}}

* Parodied in ''[[Not Another Teen Movie]]'' where the guy revealing the truth goes into almost excessive detail.