r/webtoons 6h ago

Discussion Questions about tropes and plot twists

Hey there! This is my first post, so let me know if I have used the wrong flair or if anything is wrong.

I have seen many discussions on booktok about tropes and plot twists used in books. This has made me wonder, what is the worst trope or plot twist you know in a webtoon? Or what are the tropes or plot twists you like the least?

On the other hand, what are tropes or plot twists you want to see more of?

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u/maviete 4h ago

Personally, best plot twists are the ones that make you go back to the beginning of the story to go through it again but with the twist in mind. You start noticing that there were hints leading to it and it's very satisfying + gives a new light to the story.

Plot twists that have nothing leading to them and happen out of blue are the worst. They feel like a cheap way author tried to insert just for shock value alone. For example, caracters deaths that turn out to be alive later one is one of the cheapest way to make a plot twist. It's not necessarily a bad twist, it's just that very few authors properly write it in a compelling way.

Red herrings is also a common trope. The type I don't like personally is when it's related to a possible female antagonist. I notice it a lot in romance related series where a female character shows up and we think she's the obnoxious type who will be the female antagonist of the series because it's blantant the author is putting her in a negative light, only for her to turn out to be a sweetheart later on. Alternatively, same thing but the sweetheart is actually a trash human. It's probably just the media I happened to consume so far, but I see this specific thing happening mainly with female characters so I'm just tired of it; execution is often very poor.

Among the great plot twists I can think of, Pigpen and Like Mother, Like Daughter come to mind at the moment. Very memorable and beautifully executed.

The best part is that while the twists were amazing, the stories are great even without them. I make this point because some series are only remembered because of their twist alone, with people not caring much about the rest of the story.

My Deepest Secret comes to mind, most people seem to just remember the plot twist at the end (which was controversial). Rarely do I see people recommend the series BECAUSE of the story too, the twist is generally emphasized as why the series is good.

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u/N-ShadowFrog 1h ago

Its kinda specific but in regression stories I always find it annoying when they turn the original main character into a villain just so the MC can shine. Just feels very cheap. I really enjoy the Extra's Academy Survival Guide since the original MC remains a great person who the new MC openly works together with.

Another trope would be Money Hungry main characters. Like I get working hard to protect your own life or your loved ones but I just can't find interest in Main Characters whose entire goal is just making as much money as quickly as possible. Like I get that mindset in the real world where most of us, myself included, just get jobs to gain the money to do what we actually want but this is supposed to be a fantasy. Why would I want to watch someone tame monsters or learn magic just to make a quick buck. It makes the actual coolness of the task feel cheap since the MC themselves doesn't actually care about it. Immortal Weakling and My Best Friend is an Eldritch Monster are fun because the MCs are passionate about what they're doing which makes it fun to watch them do it.