http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/NoRealLife/TropesTToZ
No Real Life
/
Tropes T to Z
Go To
NoRealLife
More
- More -
Archer
Arrow
AscendanceOfAB…
AshesOfThePast
AuntDimity
BojackHorseman
BrooklynNineNi…
CriminalMinds
Crossed
DoctorWho
FairyTail
FinalFantasyX
Frasier
Friends
Futurama
GameOfThrones
Garfield
GenshinImpact
InvaderZim
Leverage
LordPeterWimse…
MassEffect2
MyLittlePonyFr…
NotAlwaysWorki…
OnePiece
OneThousandWay…
PersonOfIntere…
PokemonCrossin…
PokemonCrossin…
PokemonResetBl…
PuellaMagiMado…
RealLife
RosarioVampire…
ScarletLady
Smallville
StarTrekTheNex…
TheAdventuresO…
TheBigBangTheo…
TheFlowerPrinc…
TheIncredibleH…
TheLoudHouse
TheNostalgiaCr…
ThePowerpuffGi…
Thundercats201…
TimeImmemorial
Warframe
WithPearlAndRu…
XMenFilmSeries
Create Subpage
- Create New -
Analysis
Archive
Awesome
Characters
DerivativeWork…
FanficRecs
FanWorks
Fridge
Funny
Haiku
Headscratchers
Heartwarming
ImageLinks
ImageSource
Laconic
MediaNotes
Newsletter
NightmareFuel
PlayingWith
Quotes
QuoteSource
Recap
ReferencedBy
Shocking
TearJerker
Timeline
Trivia
WMG
YMMV
Main Page Tropes 0 to C | Tropes D to G | Tropes H to K | Tropes L to O | Tropes P to S | You Are Here
open/close all folders
T
Tactical Superweapon Unit note While such a thing was attempted, it was felt that the trope attracted shoehorning of real-life examples with all sorts of wonderful toys that either never actually left the drawing board, or quickly became obsolete. Take That, Scrappy! note Attracts complaining. Take This Job and Shove It note Too Common. Also attracted vague anecdotes. Takes One to Kill One note In the real world, while some artillery and such is highly effective in a Mirror Match , nothing can only be destroyed by something of its own type. Take Over the World note Too controversial. Take That! note Too controversial. Taking Advantage of Generosity note Too controversial. The Talk note Sexuality trope, too common. Talkative Loon note Gossip, a stereotype of the mentally ill Talking Animal note Attracted misuse. Talking Poo note Bodily waste doesn't have the parts or intelligence to make this possible. Tanks for Nothing note Tanks are effective in real life, most of the time. Tareme Eyes note Characterization based on appearance. Tattooed Crook note A stereotype, morality. Taunted Over Trauma note Gossip about real people's traumas, occasionally rape related. Tautological Templar note Morality trope. Teacher/Student Romance note Gossip, too common, often rape related. Teacher's Unfavorite Student note Attracted complaining about Sadist Teachers . Team-Based Tournament note Too common. Team Pet note Too common. Team Rocket Wins note A narrative trope. Tear Jerker note Abiding by the wiki's "gushing is preferable over complaining" mantra, a page of everything in real life that evokes a negative emotion isn't a good idea. Also too subjective, as one person's tragic tear jerker doesn't bother someone else at all. The Tease note Sexuality trope. Tech Bro note Describing an often negative stereotype as applied to real people. Technical Virgin note Sexuality trope. Teen Hater note Morality trope. Teenage Pregnancy note Gossip, sex related (and often statutory rape related). Teenage Wasteland note There hasn't been a long-term society in which there are no adults. Teens Are Monsters note Morality trope. Teeny Weenie note Sexuality trope. Teeth-Clenched Teamwork note Too controversial. The Teetotaler note Too common. Temporarily a Villain note Morality trope. Testosterone Poisoning note This trope is specifically about highly exaggerated “manliness” that doesn’t appear in the real world. Terminal Diagnosis Suicide note A suicide trope, as well as due to the political and moral controversies surrounding assisted suicide. Terror Hero note Morality trope. Terrorists Without a Cause note Too controversial. Theory Tunnelvision note Too controversial. Thanks for the Mammary note Sexuality trope. That One Player note Too common. Their First Time note Sex trope. Theiss Titillation Theory note Sex-related, attracted NSFW links and one-handed typing. Then Let Me Be Evil note Morality trope. Theory of Narrative Causality note A narrative trope. There Are No Good Executives note Morality trope, attracted lots of complaining. There Should Be a Law note Attracted ROCEJ violations. These Gloves Are Made for Killin' note Too controversial. They Changed It, Now It Sucks! note Too controversial. They Killed Kenny Again note You die only once. The only exception is if a person legally "dies" briefly and is revived, but that is not something that can occur more than once. Hopefully. They Look Just Like Everyone Else! note Morality trope. They Would Cut You Up note Should be only for superhumans or supernatural beings afraid of being cut up by the Men In Black, not normal people. Think of the Children! note Morality-adjacent trope, and attracted complaining. Think Unsexy Thoughts note Sexuality trope. This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman note Requires superpowers to exist. This Loser Is You note A narrative trope, and induces controversy. Those Wacky Nazis note Calling people Nazis apropos of nothing is not a good idea, and listing the historical Nazi Party or its direct offshoots would be redundant. Three-Way Sex note Sex trope. A Threesome Is Hot note Sexuality trope. Throw-Away Country note No real country was designed to be destroyed. Thug Dojo note Too controversial. Time Travel note While time travel is not definitively ruled out in real life, any Real Life examples are already covered by certain subtropes. Time-Travel Tense Trouble note As far as we know, time travel isn't a real thing. How we'll discuss time travel is a bridge we'll cross when and if we get there. Timey-Wimey Ball note While time travel is not definitively ruled out in real life, any Real Life examples are already covered by certain subtropes. Tiny Guy, Huge Girl note Too common, and characterization based on appearance. Tiny Schoolboy note Too common. To Be Continued note Requires there to be "episodes" of some sort that this stock phrase can end, and of course there are no "episodes". To the Pain note A torture trope. Token Enemy Minority note "Token" tropes are related to Doylist reasons for adding characters, and are thus Narrative. Token Evil Teammate note Morality trope. Token Good Cop note Morality trope. Token Good Teammate note Morality trope. Token Human note Non-human anthropomorphic creatures don’t exist. Token Lesbian note "Token" tropes are related to Doylist reasons for adding characters, and are thus Narrative. Token Minority note "Token" tropes are related to Doylist reasons for adding characters, and are thus Narrative. Token Minority Couple note "Token" tropes are related to Doylist reasons for adding characters, and are thus Narrative. Token Non-Human note Non-human anthropomorphic creatures don’t exist. Token Religious Teammate note "Token" tropes are related to Doylist reasons for adding characters, and are thus Narrative. Token Trio note "Token" tropes are related to Doylist reasons for adding characters, and are thus Narrative. Token White note "Token" tropes are related to Doylist reasons for adding characters, and are thus Narrative. Token Wholesome note "Token" tropes are related to Doylist reasons for adding characters, and are thus Narrative. Tom the Dark Lord note Morality, also a characterization trope; it's expected that people in real life would have typical names. Tomboyish Name note Too common, also attracted misuse - the trope requires the woman with the tomboyish name to actually be a tomboy, it's not just for any woman with a masculine name. Tome of Eldritch Lore note No real book contains real magic. The trope also attracted misuse, such as urban legends - no, The Catcher in the Rye is not a "Tome of Eldritch Lore", guys. Too Bleak, Stopped Caring note Attracted complaining. Too Cool to Live note Impossible in real life, and requires a narrative to portray them as cool. Too Dumb to Fool note It's unkind to call people dumb. Too Dumb to Live note Too common, and attracted victim blaming. Took a Level in Jerkass note Morality trope. Too Kinky to Torture note Sex-related, torture-related. Too Much Information note Too common, attracted poor examples. Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth note This trope is about a monster, like an Eldritch Abomination, not wanting to eat humans. For a similar trope about general non-human animals not wanting to eat humans, see Humans Are Smelly . Tooth Fairy note Tooth fairies aren't real. Examples from folklore belong in the Folklore folder. Top-Heavy Guy note It relies on a physically impossible caricatured body shape. Torture Cellar note Too common, controversial, and disturbing. Torture Technician note Too controversial, too common Totalitarian Utilitarian note Morality trope. Town Girls note A group characterization trope. Town with a Dark Secret note Attracted misuse, "Something bad happened in this town once" is not this trope, especially if the town doesn't make attempts to cover it up. Toxic Phlebotinum note Phlebotinum tropes are Narrative. Trade Your Passion for Glory note Too controversial. Trademark Favorite Food note Too common. Tragic Bigot note Morality trope, and too controversial as it attempts to humanize bigots. Trampoline Tummy note Real anatomy doesn't work like this. If you jump on someone's belly, you'll just possibly damage their organs. Trans Audience Interpretation note Sexuality related, Gossip, and a YMMV Audience Interpretation trope - it's okay when the fandom of a fictional work often interprets a fictional character as trans, but to apply this trope to a real person would be not respecting their gender identity. Trans Chaser note Sexuality trope Trans Equals Gay note Sexuality trope. Trans Equals Hypersexual note Sexuality trope Transparent Closet note Sexuality trope. Trans Tribulations note Too common and gossip. Trapped in Another World note Although it’s possible to be trapped in a place that you’re not from, this trope requires other dimensions and they don’t exist. Trapped in Villainy note Morality trope. Trashy Trailer Home note Gossip. Trauma Button note Anything and everything can be somebody's trigger. Trauma Conga Line note Too gossipy. Treachery Cover-Up note Too controversial. Trojan Gauntlet note Sexuality trope. Troll note Morality trope. Troperiffic note "Troperiffic" relates to how many tropes are used in a Narrative. Trophy Child note Morality trope. Trophy Wife note Gossip, and attracted bashing these women/men. Trouble from the Past note Too controversial. Troubled Abuser note Morality trope. Troubled Teen note A stock character, and gossip about teens' traumas. Troubling Unchildlike Behavior note Attracted gossip about children with mental illnesses. True Neutral invoked note A Character Alignment trope, which are Morality and Too Controversial. Tsundere note Characterization, Morality, Too Common. Tsurime Eyes note Characterization based on appearance. Twin Threesome Fantasy note Sexuality trope. Twincest note A Rape, Sexual Assault, and/or Incest trope. Two-Person Pool Party note Sex trope. Two-Timing with the Bestie note Gossip, sex related. Twofer Token Minority note "Token" tropes are related to Doylist reasons for adding characters, and are thus Narrative. Tyke-Bomb note Morality trope. Tyrannical Homeowners' Association : note Real life examples would amount to calling real people evil. Tyrant Takes the Helm note Too controversial, attracted complaining and ROCEJ violations. The Tyson Zone note Gossip.
U
"Ugly American" Stereotype note A stereotype. Ugly Cute note Too subjective. Ugly Guy, Hot Wife note Gossip. The Ugly Guy's Hot Daughter note Gossip. The Unapologetic note Too common, stereotyping. Uncanny Valley note Too controversial. Uncanny Valley Makeup note Attracted gossip about botched cosmetic procedures. Unconventional Food Order note Too common. Underdogs Never Lose note In the real world, although Dark Horse Victories do happen, they are not as guaranteed as they are in fiction. Underestimating Badassery note Too controversial. Unexpected Virgin note Sexuality trope. The Unfair Sex note Attracted misogynistic complaining and prying too deeply into peoples' private relationships. The Un-Favourite note Gossip. The Unfettered note Too Common. Unfortunate Character Design note Real people don't have "character designs". Unfortunate Implications invoked note If this trope is considered Flame Bait in fiction , you better believe it's even more Flame Bait when talking about real life. Unfortunate Names note Too controversial. Ungrateful Bastard note Morality trope. Unholy Matrimony note Morality trope. The Unintelligible note Too common. Unintentional Uncanny Valley note Too subjective. Unintentionally Unsympathetic note Attracted complaining about people tropers thought were begging for sympathy, or were generally unympathetic. Unique Items note Too common, and a game mechanics trope. Universally Beloved Leader note One reason they say you cannot please everyone is because many people want something different. Unmanly Secret note Too common, gossip. Unnecessary Makeover note Complaining about people who got cosmetic surgery. Unplanned Crossdressing note Too common. Unproblematic Prostitution note Sex-related. Unprovoked Pervert Payback note Sex-related. Unrealistic Black Hole note By definition, the only black holes in real life are the realistic ones. Unspoken Plan Guarantee note A narrative trope. Unsettling Gender-Reveal note Sexual harassment/rape trope and gossip. Unstable Powered Woman note Attracted complaining about female politicians that the tropers didn't like, which aside from attracting misogyny, is misuse of the trope. Unstoppable Rage note Too common and controversial. Unusual Euphemism note Too common, and frequently sex related. Unwanted False Faith note Too controversial. Unwitting Instigator of Doom note Too controversial, invites calling people stupid. Urban Legend Love Life note Sex-related and gossip. Urban Segregation note Stereotyping, too common. Uriah Gambit note Too controversial. Used to Be a Sweet Kid note Morality trope. Utopia Justifies the Means note Morality trope.
V
Vader Breath note Too common, and the trope is stigmatized due to its association with villains. Vagina Dentata note Sex-related, impossible in real life. Values Dissonance note Too controversial, too common. Vampires Are Sex Gods note Sex trope, also impossible because vampires. Vampire Vords note Impossible in real life since vampires don't exist, plus associated with stereotypes of Eastern European accents Vanity Is Feminine note A stereotype. Vapor Wear note Attracted NSFW (or at least risque) weblinks. Vegetarian Vampire note Once again, vampires don't exist. Sorry, Vampire Vannabes . Vice City note Too Controversial. Also Characterization - No real city was built to be a den of crime, and basically all cities have good and bad neighborhoods anyway. Victoria's Secret Compartment note Too common, attracted sexy weblinks Viewer Pronunciation Confusion note Too common. Vile Villain, Saccharine Show note Morality trope. Villain Ball note Morality trope. Villain Decay note Morality trope. A Villain Named "Z__rg" note Morality trope. Villain Over for Dinner note Morality trope. Villainous Breakdown note Morality trope. Villainous BSoD note Morality trope. Villainous Crush note Morality trope. Villainous Glutton note Morality trope. Villainous Incest note A Rape, Sexual Assault, and/or Incest trope, Morality. Villainous Parental Instinct note Morality trope. Villain Protagonist note Morality trope. Villainous Valour note Morality trope. Villains Blend in Better note Morality trope. Villains Love Entertainment note Morality trope. Villains Out Shopping note Morality trope. Villain Protagonist note Morality trope. Villain Song note Morality trope. Villain Team-Up note Morality trope. Villain with Good Publicity note Morality trope. Vindicated by History note Too controversial, and related to audience reactions. Violence Is the Only Option note Too controversial. Violent Glaswegian note A stereotype. Virgin Power note Requires supernatural powers to exist, "virginity" isn't a clearly defined concept, and is also a sex trope. Virgin Sacrifice note Sexuality trope, also related to ritual killings. Virgin-Shaming note Sexuality trope. Virgin Tension note Sexuality trope. Virginity Flag note Sexuality trope. Visionary Villain note Morality trope. Visual Innuendo note An innuendo trope. Vocal Dissonance note Too Common. Voodoo Shark note A narrative trope, the real world has no "plot holes".
W
Wacky Americans Have Wacky Names note A stereotype. Wacky Parent, Serious Child note A group characterization trope. Wall Bang Her note Sex trope. Walls of Tyranny note Too controversial. Wants a Prize for Basic Decency note Too controversial. War for Fun and Profit note Too controversial. War Hawk note Too controversial. War Hero note Too common, a stock character. War Is Glorious note Related to how a narrative portrays war. War Is Hell note Too controversial, related to how a narrative portrays war. Wardrobe Malfunction note A fanservice trope, and attracted NSFW weblinks. Was It Really Worth It? note Too controversial. We ARE Struggling Together note Too controversial. We Care note Too controversial. We Hardly Knew Ye note Means there's a short gap between someone's introduction and their death; in the real world there's always someone who knew that person for much longer. We Have Become Complacent note Too controversial. We Used to Be Friends note Attracted gossip. We Want Our Jerk Back! note Morality trope. We Will Have Euthanasia in the Future note Too controversial, a future prediction trope. Weight Woe note Gossip about people with eating disorders. Weirdness Magnet note Everyone has odd things happen to them sometimes, but no one specifically attracts them. Also a Characterization / Narrative trope. Weird World, Weird Food note A worldbuilding trope about fantastical settings. Welcome to Evil Mart note Morality trope. "Well Done, Son" Guy note Too controversial, gossip about people's family dramas Well-Intentioned Extremist note Morality trope. Western Terrorists note Too controversial, a stereotype. Wham Episode note Real life is not scripted. Wham Line note Real life is not scripted. What an Idiot! invoked note Too controversial, invites calling people stupid. What Beautiful Eyes! note This trope is about beautiful eyes being a deliberate and defining character trait, not for gushing about people in general that you think have beautiful eyes. What Could Have Been note Too controversial. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? note A stock phrase, attracted misuse. What Did I Do Last Night? note Attracted Gossip about murders performed under the influence. What Happened to the Mouse? note Related to how a story drops plotlines. Missing persons in real life are not this trope. What Measure Is a Non-Human? note Too controversial. What the Hell, Hero? note Morality trope. What the Romans Have Done for Us note Attracted ROCEJ violations, including apologetics for various dictatorial states. What You Are in the Dark note Morality trope. Where da White Women At? note A stereotype. White Anglo-Saxon Protestant note A stereotype. White Gal on Black Guy Drama note A stereotype. White Hair, Black Heart note Morality, also characterization based on appearance. White Man's Burden note Too controversial. White Sheep note Morality trope. The Whitest Black Guy note A stereotype. Who Murdered the Asshole? note Morality trope. Who Names Their Kid "Dude"? note Made fun of people for having unusual names. Who Shot JFK? note A conspiracy theory trope. Who Wants to Live Forever? ? note Immortality isn't real. Wholesome Crossdresser note "Wholesome" implies a moral judgement. Also attracted lists of various times celebrities crossdressed, which is not this trope. Worse Than It Sounds note Too controversial. Why Did It Have to Be Snakes? note Too common - everyone has phobias. Why We Are Bummed Communism Fell note Too controversial, attracted ROCEJ violations Wicked Cultured note Morality trope. Wicked Heart Symbol note Morality, also characterization based on appearance. Wicked Stepmother note Morality trope. Wicked Witch note Morality trope. Wife-Basher Basher note Morality trope. Wife Husbandry note A Rape, Sexual Assault, and/or Incest trope. Wild Take note Needs Deranged Animation ; attracted tons of "downplayed" events. Windmill Crusader note Too controversial. Windmill Political note Too controversial. With Great Power Comes Great Insanity note Morality trope that's impossible in real life. With Us or Against Us note Too controversial. Wizarding School note The trope is about a specific type of fantasy setting. No real school teaches magic. Clown college doesn't count Womanliness as Pathos note Too controversial. The Women Are Safe with Us note A Rape, Sexual Assault, and/or Incest trope. Women Are Wiser note Too controversial. Women Drivers note Stereotyping. The Woobie note Characterization, would attract gushing and gossip. Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds note Morality trope. Woobie Species note Characterization, would attract gushing and gossip. The Worf Effect note A narrative trope. The World Is Always Doomed note Attracted doomposting. World of Bad Cops note Too controversial. World of Badass note Not everyone has fighting capabilities. World of Dumbass note Everyone has an opinion of what qualifies as ignorant that can encompass entire groups, philosophies, and areas of geography. World of Ham note Impossible in real life, and the examples relied on stereotypes. World of Jerkass note Too controversial. World of Snark note Too controversial. Worth It note Too controversial. Would Be Rude to Say "Genocide" note Too controversial. Would Hit a Girl note The trope relies on how hitting women is treated as especially bad – without that it has no narrative meaning (which also makes it a characterization trope). Would Hurt a Child note Morality trope. Wounded Gazelle Gambit note Too controversial. Wretched Hive note Attracted complaining about cities with high crime. Writer Behind the Times note Attracted complaining about people not being up with the times. Also, religious beliefs notwithstanding, real life doesn't have a writer. Writers Cannot Do Math note Too common, attracted ROCEJ violations Wrong Assumption note Too common. Wrong Genre Savvy note Real life has no genre. Wrong Side of the Tracks note Stereotyping, too common.
X
Y
Yandere note Too controversial, a stock character, sex related. Yank the Dog's Chain note A narrative trope. Yellow Peril note Morality trope, stereotyping. Yoko Oh No note Attracted Complaining About Band Members' Girlfriends/Boyfriends You Don't Like. You Are a Credit to Your Race note Too controversial. You Are What You Hate note Too controversial. You Can't Fight Fate note As far as we know, predestination isn't real. You Can't Thwart Stage One note Morality trope. You Get What You Pay For note Too common, attracted anecdotes. You Must Be This Tall to Ride note Too common - these signs are often legally mandated. You Need to Get Laid note An innuendo stock phrase. You Sexy Beast note Sex trope. You're Just Jealous note Gossip, a stock phrase. You're Not My Type note A stock phrase, sex-adjacent. Young Future Famous People note A time travel trope. Younger Than They Look note Attracted gossip about peoples' appearances. Your Approval Fills Me with Shame note Morality trope, attracted ROCEJ violations. Your Heart's Desire note Impossible. Nothing can flawlessly detect, or give you, what you want by reading your thoughts. Your Size May Vary note Real life isn't off-model, so size cannot vary like that. Your Terrorists Are Our Freedom Fighters note Too controversial.
Z
