#plot device

[imastoryteller]

20 Plot Twist Ideas That Will Shock Your Audience

One of the most effective tools in a storyteller's arsenal is the plot twist. A well-executed plot twist can leave your audience reeling, questioning everything they thought they knew about your story. It can turn a good story into a great one, leaving a lasting impact on your readers or viewers. In this post, we'll explore 20 plot twist ideas that will shock your audience and elevate your storytelling game to new heights.

1. The Unlikely Hero:

Turn the tables by revealing an unexpected character as the true hero. This can be someone seemingly insignificant or even an antagonist who redeems themselves at a crucial moment.

2. The Double Agent:

Introduce a character who initially appears loyal to the protagonist but is secretly working against them, only to later reveal their true intentions.

3. The Long-Lost Sibling:

Uncover a secret sibling, separated from the main character in their early years, and use their sudden appearance to shift the narrative.

4. Time Travel Paradox:

Play with time travel to create a paradox that forces the characters to confront alternate timelines or unforeseen consequences of their actions.

5. The Mastermind:

The story's villain is revealed to be a puppet in a larger scheme, controlled by a mastermind who has been operating behind the scenes.

6. The Supernatural Twist:

Introduce a supernatural element, like ghosts or mythical creatures, that the characters and audience believed were mere myths.

7. The Doppelgänger:

A character's doppelgänger appears, causing confusion and chaos as they try to determine who is the real one.

8. The Reversal of Roles:

Switch the roles of the protagonist and antagonist halfway through the story, making the audience question their allegiances.

9. The Untouchable Hero:

Create a seemingly invincible hero who unexpectedly meets their match, forcing them to reevaluate their abilities and tactics.

10. The Forgotten Past:

Unearth a character's forgotten or repressed memories, leading to a shocking revelation about their true identity or past actions.

11. The Betrayal Within:

One of the protagonist's closest allies betrays them, throwing their entire mission into disarray.

12. The Hidden Identity:

A character is not who they claim to be, and their true identity is revealed, impacting the story's direction.

13. The Inception Twist:

Blur the lines between reality and illusion, leaving the audience guessing what's real and what's a dream or illusion.

14. The Time Loop:

Trap your characters in a time loop where they're forced to relive the same events repeatedly until they can break free.

15. The Shapeshifter:

Introduce a character with the ability to change their appearance, creating doubt and suspicion within the group.

16. The Truth About the Mentor:

The mentor figure, who initially seems wise and benevolent, is unveiled as the story's true antagonist.

17. The Lost Artifact:

The much sought-after artifact or treasure turns out to be a fake, and the real item is something entirely unexpected.

18. The Pseudo-Death:

Fake a character's death to shock the audience and later reveal they were alive all along.

19. The Prophecy Reversed:

Subvert the traditional hero's journey by defying a prophesized destiny and taking the story in a different direction.

20. The Unreliable Narrator:

Reveal that the narrator has been lying or misrepresenting events, casting doubt on the entire story's accuracy.

Conclusion:

These 20 plot twist ideas are just the beginning, and by incorporating them into your narratives, you can leave your audience stunned, shocked, and eager for more. Remember that the key to a successful plot twist lies in its execution, so take your time and craft a twist that seamlessly integrates into your story, making it an unforgettable experience for your readers or viewers.

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[deikshen]

The married Bingqiu goes on a hunt/exploration in search of rare monsters, when they meet Liu Qingge. Well, he is on the same way, they can hunt the monster together!!

Except for the fact that Liu Qingge and Luo Binghe accidentally end up in one of those weird flower pollens that are clearly a plot device. Shen Qingqiu quickly tries to go after his husband, helping him to his feet to get him out of the little flower meadow - he is usually the one who ends up with papapa flowers! He knows that legs tend to be fragile afterwards!!

He feels a little sorry for his Liu-shidi, vanished in a pile of flowers, but ah, he will call for reinforcements to take him back. Speaking of which, what kind of flower are these, actually? With a pearly sheen and pollen as clear as powdered sugar...

Luo Binghe barely spoke at his side. When Shen Qingqiu examines him, his husband's face is flushed, his ears are red, and he seems to be trembling. Ah, poor thing! He must be very upset. Shen Qingqiu sighs and moans about his butt for the next few hours.

However, when he tries to take his husband's hand, he seems to almost implode. He walks away with widened strides, pupils dilated, completely red. He seems to be breathing heavily, but still... Is he embarrassed? Shen Qingqiu barely held his hand!! What the fuck?

“Husband?” Shen Qingqiu asked in a small voice. What effect do those damn flowers have?

Luo Binghe made a strangled sound in his throat. He is really embarrassed, and Shen Qingqiu finds him adorable.

His world tilts when he hears the voice behind him.

Honestly, Liu Qingge is a man of few words and much action. That's why, when Shen Qingqiu hears this, he turns to look at him in amazement.

Liu Qingge sat down amidst the crushed flowers, his hair disheveled, his gaze almost lazy, his expression a mixture of bewilderment and clear annoyance.

"Husband, husband. Of course, won't you help your shidi, Shen Qingqiu? Does one have to marry you to be helped as well? This shidi is no longer important to you?"

If the expression on his face wasn't enough, Shen Qingqiu having to restrain his husband from jumping on Liu Qingge's neck with his sword in hand really was enough.

Fuck it. Of all the plot devices, THEY JUST got the personality swap?!

[deception-united]

Let's talk about killing off characters.

Killing off characters is a dramatic device often used to advance the plot, create tension, or evoke emotional responses from readers or viewers. We love doing it. The initial shock, the mourning after. The effects of it on the other characters. It's fun.

Nevertheless, you can still achieve the desired impact on your plot and characters without necessarily resorting to fictional murder.

Here are some alternatives to drive the plot forward:

Character transformation: Instead of killing off a character, you can have them undergo significant personal growth or change. This could involve overcoming challenges, facing moral dilemmas, or undergoing a shift in beliefs or values. Their transformation can still drive the plot forward and impact other characters. (I especially love it when the transformation is negative—like when a traumatic experience of some sort completely strips a character of their soul. But that's a sentiment for another day.)

Betrayal or conflict: Introduce betrayal or conflict between characters that challenges relationships and creates tension. This can lead to significant plot developments and character arcs without resorting to death. And it can be cause for quite a lot of angst.

Separation or estrangement: Have characters physically or emotionally separated from each other, causing tension and driving the plot forward as they strive to reconnect or deal with the consequences of their estrangement.

Sacrifice without death: Characters can make significant sacrifices that don't necessarily involve their death. This could be sacrificing personal goals, relationships, or values for the greater good or to achieve a specific objective.

Injury or disability: Instead of killing off a character, you can incapacitate them through injury or disability. This will create challenges for the character and those around them, leading to character development and plot progression as they're forced to adapt to their new circumstances.

Redemption arcs: Characters who have committed wrongdoings can undergo redemption arcs where they seek forgiveness, make amends, or strive to become better individuals. This can drive the plot forward while also adding depth to the character. Keep in mind that this may not be a suitable alternative to death for some characters—for instance, the protagonist forgiving their abusive parent despite all they were forced to go through may evoke a sense of indignation rather than admiration for their supposed selflessness.

Revelations or secrets: Introduce revelations or uncover secrets that have significant impacts on characters and their relationships. This can lead to conflict, tension, and plot twists without the need for death.

Forced alliances or unexpected partnerships: Characters can be forced into alliances or partnerships with unlikely allies, leading to interesting dynamics and plot developments as they navigate these new relationships.

Loss of power or status: Characters can experience a loss of power, status, or reputation, which can drive the plot forward as they strive to regain what they've lost, seek revenge on those responsible, or adapt to their new circumstances.

Time constraints or pressure: Introduce time constraints or pressure situations that force characters to act quickly and make difficult, split-second decisions that may end up being quite regrettable later on. This can raise conflicts of who's to blame, or what should have been done.

I feel like I strayed off a little, but there you have it. Hope this was helpful! ❤

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[elysiality]

gotta love that the entire yj fandom agrees that Jeff is the ultimate himbo sitcom malewife and would do anything for his wife yet Shauna is only ever shipped with the members of her cannibalistic all-girls soccer team. I love this fandom.

[buddiesystempod]

Ever had a character in a show that just makes you scream, 🗣️ “Why are you even here?” 

Plot twist: It’s all about Buddie. 👀

🔗: I Forgot That You Existed: The Tommy Plot Device on 9-1-1

Tommy Kinard is the ultimate MacGuffin of the 9-1-1 universe, and we’re going to hold your hand 🤝 while we break down this plot device! In this week���s episode, Han, Cil, and Rachel explore the intricacies of narrative devices through the 🔎 lens of Tommy’s character – or lack thereof. 🤷 With less depth than a kiddie pool, 🏊 Tommy’s role is to showcase Buck's journey of self-discovery and his coming to terms with his bisexuality. 

We delve into why Tommy’s presence is never really acknowledged as substantial, but merely raises some serious questions 🤨 about Buck’s feelings for Eddie, Eddie’s sexuality, and basically anything other than Tommy himself. 

From bully to misdirected love interest, 😅 Tommy’s journey is like a 🎢 roller coaster that never quite leaves the station. Navigating through his brief moments of impact we see how Tommy’s more of a stepping stone than a destination for Buck, with a big fat nothingburger 🍔 for his own storyline. Join us as we analyze the echoing themes of relationship dynamics, character replacements, and the undeniable fact that sometimes, characters just exist to make the main ones look better. 🫣

We tackle everything from the awkward love triangle 📐 to the emotional fallout of Buck’s first queer relationship 🏳️‍🌈 and how Tommy’s exit finally sets the stage for Buck to realize his feelings about Eddie. 

Buck-le up for some laughs, 🤣 some eye rolls, 🙄 and a whole lot of “That’s crazy work,” 🤪 as we shine a light on Tommy’s “questionable” relevance!

[buddieisgoingcanon25]

Buddie was obviously always the plan. Tommy was a plot device to get Eddie or Buck out of the closet and move the Buddie story along. If they immediately put two characters thought of as straight together the general audience would have had heart attacks. "Bucktommy" only happened because of the scheduling conflict that prevented Eddietommy, and neither would have happened if they weren't doing Buddie. If Tommy wasn't available they would have made up a random male character to serve his purpose. Which would have been better in my opinion because of the Tommy racism baggage.

The fact that he was originally supposed to be with Eddie demonstrates that he was a plot device for Buddie, if it wasn't already obvious from how every part of their relationship was about them.

Your scenario I agree would have been hilarious, Buck would have lost his mind. I'm glad we still got a taste of that in 7x4.

Yep nonny. It was ALWAYS supposed to be the Plot Device Tommy. He was never supposed to be anyone else in this story.

[rwby-confess]

Confession #567

[aster-petrichor]

DBD 👀plot stuff

Hey? Did anyone else notice the lady the night nurse brought said pretty much the exact same line as the Walrus? And both of them said it in a heavy plot relavant type way? What exactly was up with that (:

[kthecritter]

hey, hope i'm requesting right/not sending something in while you're closed! i was hoping i could request some pronouns for a time loop conceptkin? if you ain't too busy!

here you go, I hope you enjoy! woahhh ur so cool, time loops are so interesting :0

Time/time/times/timeself

Loop/loop/loops/loopself

Tick/tock/ticks/tockself

Echo/echo/echoes/echoself

Iter/iter/iters/iterself (iteration)

Rep/repeat/repeats/repself (repeat)

Temp/temp/temps/tempself (temporal)

Cycle/cycle/cycles/cycleself

Trap/trap/traps/trapself

[stuckasmain]

I’ve been thinking about Mrs.Poole lately, she’s not a major character and doesn’t impact things too largely (as far as I’m aware) plot wise. She helps to humanize our human crew, alongside her husband. But I’ve been thinking of her from a character standpoint rather than a plot device one.

How she must brag about her son to those who will listen, he’s well educated, he’s kind and taking part in something absolutely historic. I imagine the embarrassing stories of Frank’s childhood she must tell her class and they eat it up because he’s so cool and the stories are funny. She has made friends with Dave’s parents and they must bond over both the pride and fear they must feel for their boys.

Frank is young. Now he’s by no means fresh from childhood in his early thirties but he’s still young— so young that it pains her. She cries before the transmission ends just at the idea of his safety- how far he is and how she could do nothing should anything happens.

Thinking about how something does happen. She wouldn’t know for hours, potentially days. Dave spends hours trying to recover his body— reenter the ship— shut off Hal. By the time he reports her son is long gone into space. By the time it reaches Mission Control- by the time they even bother to inform her, it has been long since over. God she must’ve gotten a call in the middle of the night about how contact had been cut- they know nothing else. And she waits and waits and waits… by then it had already happened.

Frank is dead but not Dave. No, Dave is alive and by all likelihood no one is coming for him. He’s alone up there and will likely die that way, for a moment she thinks of him and his mother and feels for them but her heart resides mainly with her son.

[floretissogay]

big fan of metaphorical dead wives who haunt the narrative. i try to incorporate one into everything i write. the character is almost never actually onscreen (onpage?) but they've left their sticky handprints all over the story

[tinyreviews]

Writing Tips: Dreams As Plot Devices

Dreams are:

A window in a character’s subconscious, a backdrop for the character to work out their thoughts, confront inner demons, and make key decisions.

A medium for character development.

A setting for non-status-quo-breaking subplot.

A way for a psychic character to communicate behind the scenes.

As a story device, dreams can:

Foreshadow: Via symbolism, dreams can hint at future plot twists or represent underlying themes.

Advance Plot: By having characters receive crucial information or guidance through their dreams.

Provide Character Insight: By revealing subconscious desires and fears, dream can have emotional impact.

Develop Character: As a character struggles, learns a lesson, and comes to a realization, they can grow emotionally, despite being in a dream.

The Dream Sequence:

Get knocked out via injury, poison, possession, exhaustion, being overwhelmed, or sleep.

Experience symbolic confrontations in dreamland.

Conclude something formative and develop character.

Wake up better than before.

In Dreamland:

The character meets a variety of other real or imagined characters that embody their conflicts or different sides of their inner struggle:

Supportive characters may take the form of known mentors or parent figures

Confrontational characters may take the form of known antagonists

The character may meet a past self or dark reflection.

The character struggles with their inner problems until they reach an epiphany by:

Talking things out with manifestations of their inner conflict.

Being contacted psychically by someone from the real world.

Fighting with a hostile entity within their mind.

Completing an adventure.

Whilst Unconscious:

Being among friends: good opportunity to reveal how much(or little) the characters care for their unconscious friend. They have to protect their fallen friend in the meantime.

Among enemies: not so good. Unconscious character will be taken to one of villain’s lairs and imprisoned.

Upon Waking:

The character learns a lesson they were previously trying to resolve and wake with character development.

The character may even wake with new powers or new mastery over existing powers.

This is part of my Writing Tips series. I publish writing tips to this blog.

[zorromeo]

Dear Tumblrers, do you like writing flashbacks in your stories?

There's this story I'm working on, and I've written it with a serious flashback to 3 years ago, but I've come to regret it. I think it's a poor plot device - personally. What's your take on it?

[mdhwrites]

Would the boiling rain of toh be considered a MacGuffin?

So no and this is mostly a definitional thing. I like OSP's definition of it (Overly Sarcastic Production) that a Mcguffin is an object people are after who's purpose honestly doesn't matter, just the journey it sparks matters. In this regard, Titan's Blood in Eclipse Lake is a Mcguffin.

...Which then turns into a plot device which the boiling rain could be considered. This isn't a negative label though. A LOT of story elements are plot devices. Grom as an example is also a plot device. It's something introduced to cause the plot of an story, much like how an inciting incident is used to spark the beginning of a larger plot.

Usually how good a plot device is or isn't comes down to how natural it is/how good the plot it triggers is. The boiling rain and Grom are actually both pretty good as they're both natural extensions of the setting and what you might expect to happen regardless. The fact that they both lead to good stories, with the Boiling Rain making a great problem of there being no escape and Grom's use of multiple tropes together allowing for something more interesting than a generic dance plotline being good signs of what honestly could have been for much of the show.

In contrast, we have an episode like Elsewhere Elsewhen where the plot device of the time portals are ill thought out, ill defined, don't feel natural, especially in how they require Titan's Blood to find, and worse yet are inconsistent in their own episode. Literally the one rule about them, they can't show up in the same place twice, makes absolutely no sense. Now this isn't uncommon for time travel plots because they're inherently disruptive but the plotline it introduces isn't compelling either. The old Isles is dreadfully boring, erasing much of what made the setting interesting and Philip is the cornerstone for much of why Belos is so extremely boring, even if to many he's also why he's interesting because they give him so much lore that goes nowhere.

I want to mention that a lot of characters can act temporarily as plot devices too. When done well, you get something like Something Framed actually, where we already know about Gus' status as an outcast and as running a club about humans so those two coming together for a plotline is incredibly natural. Kind of the problem that TOH runs into though with using characters as plot devices is that it's really bad at character growth because the best versions of this come from pushing against a part of a character's personality and seeing where it goes, especially when used for a lesson. A LOOOOOOT of Amphibia's writing is actually predicated on this, such as pushing Polly's tomboy nature versus Anne's mere flirtations with it for their conflict during the IOU episode in S1.

When done poorly though... You get Willow. A character who's plotlines either seem like they come out of nowhere or are rushing back to dredge up old problems again just for the sake of having something to do with them. King and Gus actually suffer similarly where it feels like we're going around in circles with them. For Willow, it's almost always about backstory for her rather than her actual character. When it is, the element at play is usually effectively introduced that episode with little of the build up that makes character exploration interesting.

A reminder: Hooty's Moving Hassle is actually the BEST use of Willow as a plot device because it's directly addressing her bullied relationship with Amity, her lack of control and her issues of self worth even now that she has power. However, this was done so extremely poorly, with the episode focusing so hard on Amity, that the fandom took literally over an entire season to realize it had resolved her issues with not being able to control her powers. That's not even a joke because there were plenty after S2A who were upset that they hadn't explored Amity and Willow's relationship OR her power struggles.

Admittedly, part of this is just because Willow is quite literally not a character in S2A with only two appearances that might as well be cameos for how in character they are.

But yeah, in short plot devices are complicated and the best plot devices are ones you don't even pause to think about, either because they feel incredibly natural or because you're having too much fun to care about the whys of what's happening.

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I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

And finally a Twitter you can follow too!

[glapplebloom]

((Karma Police, arrest this mare...))

[buddiesystempod]

Alexa, play "Taste" by Sabrina Carpenter 💋

Tommy did not leave quite an impression, 😬 but we hope our new episode does — 40 feet to be exact! "I Forgot That You Existed: The Tommy Plot Device on 9-1-1" is available now!

🔗: I Forgot That You Existed: The Tommy Plot Device on 9-1-1