List of SFF Clichés

[j. d. worthington]

In a final gesture of defiance at a completely corrupt world, someone finally presses that button, plunger or lever, and "in a small corner of the galaxy a small, insignificant planet called Earth no longer existed."

[ras'matroi]

At the beginning of the story someone will say something to the hero which he/she will repeat while delivering the final blow.

Fantasy worlds: The authors often try to create a world that is totally different from ours ´(different animals, plants, more moons, ....) but somehow horses and dogs/wolves keep showing up all the time.

[iratebeaver]

the heir to a throne gives up the throne in order to fight the villian(or to seek out side help)

[Anomander]

Why are theb heroes always tall and lanky? We need more "below average and chubby" heroes!!!

The strongest member of the band always has a hidden weakness (afraid of spiders).

The best magician is physically ill or weak

self doubt reigns supreme!!!

The evil are so obviously evil (We are the fighting uruk-hai!!!). They also for some reason wear black. (I bet they have ID cards with job: Evil Villain written in them

Help may not come when it is called, but it's always right on time.

[cornelius]

Originally Posted by Anomander

Why are theb heroes always tall and lanky? We need more "below average and chubby" heroes!!!


The evil are so obviously evil (We are the fighting uruk-hai!!!). They also for some reason wear black. (I bet they have ID cards with job: Evil Villain written in them

Help may not come when it is called, but it's always right on time.

i think this post shows how well tolkien has done on some of those points in Lotr, in my opinion - the heroe is actually a hobbit ( i don't think of Aragorn being the supreme hero, sure he was a very important key figure but it was Frodo who had to go to mount doom)

and Saruman was dressed in white

[mosaix]

The hero's spaceship is on it's last last legs and falling apart but he's had it ages, feels loyal to 'the old girl' and always manages to patch it up.

[Ismellofhockey]

1. Humanity is an odd species, so very weak: quarrelsome, lacking any special powers or strength, not particularly wise or longlived and definitely dominated by our primitive emotions but gosh darn it we're just so great at adapting and we've got some kind of super-gumption that allows us to thrive despite our shortcomings.

2. That character flaw in the hero? Turns out it's going to be world-saving in the end.

[Paige Turner]

Originally Posted by Anomander

Why are theb heroes always tall and lanky? We need more "below average and chubby" heroes!!!

Bob Hoskins as Aragorn!

[Tau Zero]

In movies, you can be sure that the person you like is going to die.

[Paige Turner]

Originally Posted by Tau Zero

In movies, you can be sure that the person you like is going to die.

Only because nobody likes Sylvester Stallone.

[Nesacat]

Or Arnold 'I'll be back' Schwarzenegger

[Winters_Sorrow]

Don't you be dissin' the main man.

"Where's Buzzsaw?"
(in thick austrian accent) "He had to split"

genius.

[Joel007]

since I only watch action films for the inherant comedy value:

May clichés be long lived and hilarious as always.

[Robert M. Blevins]

Those old Star Trek cliches...from the original TV series...

'Scotty...I need warp power in three minutes or we're dead.'

You watched them coming at you from the horizon, you knew they were coming at you...and you didn't care.

[jackokent]

Woefully impractical aliens that flop / slide /shuffle* (delete as necessary) pathetically and precariously at almost standstill pace, are still able to catch up with running humans.