The Most Popular Trope, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the trope you think is the most popular!
Updated on May 6, 2024 06:52
When it comes to understanding what captivates audiences across various forms of media, knowing which tropes garner the most attention can be incredibly useful. This ranking offers a clear snapshot of which elements are currently resonating with people worldwide. By gauging popularity, creators and viewers alike can better understand the trends that are shaping stories today.
This live-ranking not only reflects current preferences but also empowers you to influence these trends by casting your vote. Each vote contributes to more dynamic, up-to-date insights, directly reflecting the collective opinion. Whether you're a casual enthusiast or a dedicated creator, your participation helps paint a fuller picture of the narrative devices that are most effective and cherished right now.
What Is the Most Popular Trope?
-
162votes
The Hero's Journey
Joseph CampbellThis is a classic storytelling trope that follows a hero on a journey of self-discovery and growth. It has been used in countless stories and is a staple of the fantasy and adventure genres.The Hero's Journey is a narrative trope that encompasses a hero's adventure, growth, and transformation through a series of stages and challenges. It was introduced by Joseph Campbell, an American mythologist, writer, and lecturer.- Call to Adventure: The hero receives an invitation or a challenge to embark on a journey.
- Refusal of the Call: The hero hesitates or initially declines the call, often due to fear or self-doubt.
- Crossing the Threshold: The hero leaves their ordinary world behind and enters the unknown.
- Trials and Challenges: The hero faces a series of tests, enemies, and obstacles.
- Meeting Allies and Mentors: The hero encounters helpful characters who provide guidance and support.
-
231votesA common trope in romantic dramas where two characters are vying for the affection of a third character. This trope adds tension and drama to the story and has been used in everything from Shakespeare plays to teen dramas.A love triangle is a common book trope that involves a romantic relationship between three individuals. It typically features a protagonist who is torn between two love interests, leading to emotional conflict, tension, and difficult choices.
- 1: The protagonist is usually the central figure caught between two potential love interests.
- 2: The two love interests often possess contrasting traits or personalities, creating a sense of contrast in the protagonist's choice.
- 3: Emotional conflicts and tensions arise due to the protagonist's feelings for both love interests.
- 4: The love triangle trope often explores themes such as jealousy, betrayal, and personal growth.
- 5: Miscommunication or misunderstandings frequently occur, adding to the complexity of the relationships.
Love Triangle in other rankings- Position 1 of 10 in Most popular book trope
-
321votesAnother classic trope where a special person is chosen to save the world from a great evil. This trope is often found in fantasy and sci-fi stories and has been used in everything from Harry Potter to Star Wars.The Chosen One is a popular trope in literature, film, and other forms of media, where a character is destined or chosen to fulfill a significant role or accomplish a specific mission in order to bring about a great change or solve a major problem in the world.
- 1: The Chosen One is often portrayed as an ordinary individual with hidden potential or unique abilities.
- 2: The character is usually identified or recognized by a prophecy, an oracle, a mentor, or some other supernatural or higher power.
- 3: The Chosen One often faces challenges, doubts, and temptations along their journey, testing their strength, resilience, and moral character.
- 4: They are typically accompanied by a group of allies, or a wise mentor, who help and guide them on their quest.
- 5: The Chosen One's quest often involves a battle against an antagonist or a powerful force of evil.
-
425votesA trope used to mislead the audience by introducing a false clue or character that seems important but ultimately has no relevance to the plot. This trope is often used in mystery and thriller stories.The Red Herring is a storytelling technique used to mislead or distract the audience from the true plot or outcome of a story.
- Misdirection: It leads the audience or characters towards a false conclusion or suspect.
- Plot device: It is commonly used as a plot device to create suspense and mystery.
- Deception: It plays on the audience's expectations and assumptions, deceiving them about the true nature of a situation.
- Character development: It can be used to develop and explore characters, their motives, and their relationships.
- Red herring metaphor: The term 'red herring' originates from the practice of using a smoked fish to divert scent hounds from the trail of a fox during hunting.
-
523votes
The MacGuffin
Alfred HitchcockA plot device that drives the story forward but is ultimately unimportant in itself. This trope is often used in action and adventure stories, with the object of the MacGuffin being something like a treasure or powerful weapon.The MacGuffin is a plot device commonly used in storytelling where a particular object or goal serves as the driving force for the characters' actions but has little to no significance or impact on the overall plot. It often serves as a catalyst for the story's events and can be sought after by multiple characters or groups.- Origin: Coined by Angus MacPhail, a friend and collaborator of Alfred Hitchcock
- Purpose: To trigger the events and motivations of the characters without being meaningful itself
- Importance: Little to no significance in the overall plot
- Types: Physical objects, abstract concepts, people, or even ambiguous ideas
- Common Examples: The briefcase in Pulp Fiction, the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings, the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade
-
610votesA character who guides and teaches the protagonist, often providing wisdom and advice. This trope is common in coming-of-age stories and has been used in everything from Star Wars to The Karate Kid.The Mentor is a popular trope commonly found in literature, films, and other storytelling mediums. The character of the mentor serves as a guide, teacher, and wise advisor to the protagonist, offering support, knowledge, and valuable life lessons throughout the story.
- Role: Guide and advisor
- Usage: Frequently used in hero's journey narratives and coming-of-age stories
- Characteristics: Wise, experienced, knowledgeable, often possesses special abilities or skills
- Purpose: To assist the protagonist in their personal growth and journey
- Teaching methods: Through verbal instruction, demonstrations, symbolic actions, or challenges
-
713votesA character who opposes the hero and seeks to bring harm or destruction. This trope is a staple of many genres, from superhero comics to horror movies.The Villain is a common fictional character archetype portrayed as the antagonist or enemy of the protagonist in various forms of storytelling. They are often depicted as highly skilled, cunning, and morally corrupt individuals who actively work against the goals and desires of the hero.
- Role: Antagonist
- Characteristics: Cunning, morally corrupt
- Opposes: Protagonist/hero
- Motivation: Selfishness, power, revenge
- Actions: Sabotage, manipulation, violence
-
83votesA character who supports the hero and provides comic relief or other assistance. This trope is often used in action and adventure stories and has been used in everything from Batman to The Lone Ranger.The Sidekick is a popular trope in storytelling where a loyal and supportive character serves as a companion or assistant to the main protagonist. They are typically portrayed as less powerful or skilled than the main character, but they make up for it with their unwavering dedication and unwavering support.
- Complementary Skills: The sidekick often possesses skills or traits that complement those of the main character, providing support in areas where the protagonist may be lacking.
- Comic Relief: Sidekicks often serve as a source of comic relief, providing lighter moments and balancing out the seriousness of the main character's role.
- Emotional Support: The sidekick offers emotional support to the protagonist, providing motivation, advice, or a listening ear during challenging times.
- Foiling Protagonist: Sidekicks may be intentionally designed to contrast with the main character, highlighting their strengths or weaknesses and creating an interesting dynamic.
- Sacrificial Role: In some instances, sidekicks may sacrifice themselves or take risks to protect the main character, emphasizing their loyalty and dedication.
-
910votesA trope where the story ends with a surprising revelation that changes the audience's understanding of the events that came before. This trope is often used in mystery and thriller stories.The Twist Ending is a storytelling device in which the narrative takes an unexpected and surprising turn towards the end, subverting the audience's prior expectations or assumptions. It is often characterized by a sudden revelation, revelation of hidden truth, or a major plot twist that alters the interpretation of the entire story.
- Effect: Leaves audience shocked or amazed
- Purpose: To add suspense and surprise
- Typical genres: Thriller, mystery, suspense
- Key characteristic: Unpredictability
- Impact on audience: Creates buzz and generates discussion
-
106votesA trope where the story is told from the perspective of a narrator who is not entirely trustworthy, either because they are lying or because they have a limited understanding of the events they are describing. This trope is often used in literary fiction and has been used in everything from The Catcher in the Rye to Fight Club.The Unreliable Narrator is a literary device commonly used in storytelling where the narrator's credibility or trustworthiness is questionable. This narrative technique involves the narrator presenting a skewed or distorted perspective of events, often due to their personal biases, mental state, limited knowledge, or deliberate intention to deceive the readers.
- 1: Raises questions about the subjective nature of truth and perception.
- 2: Plays with the reader's expectations and challenges their ability to interpret the story accurately.
- 3: Often blurs the line between reality and fiction, prompting readers to question the authenticity of events.
- 4: Frequently used as a narrative tool in mystery, suspense, and psychological genres.
- 5: Allows for unreliable memories, delusions, hallucinations, and misinterpretations to shape the narrative.
Missing your favorite trope?
Graphs
Discussion
Ranking factors for popular trope
-
RecognitionThe trope should be easy to recognize and identify by audiences, even if they are not familiar with the specific work.
-
AppealThe trope should have strong appeal and resonance with audiences, making it highly desirable and memorable.
-
CreativityThe trope should have room for creative interpretation and application, allowing for its variation and innovation in different media.
-
ImpactThe trope should have a significant impact on the audience, leaving a lasting impression and affecting their emotions, thoughts, or behaviors.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular trope. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or Trope is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 1966 views
- 203 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each Trope once every 24 hours. The rank of each Trope is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular trope
When it comes to storytelling, tropes are common themes or conventions that are often used to create a familiar and recognizable narrative. From the hero's journey to the love triangle, these recurring motifs help audiences connect with the characters and plot in a more meaningful way. But with so many different genres and mediums to choose from, which trope is the most popular? At StrawPoll, we've collected data from thousands of polls and rankings to determine the answer. So whether you're a fan of romance or action, comedy or drama, read on to discover the most beloved trope in storytelling today.
Explore other rankings
Check out some of the other recommended rankings on StrawPoll and make your voice heard.
