Discussion: Favorite Story Events or Themes

(Spoilers may be in this thread)

So very often books or movies have these happenings or plot events that end up having some sort of effect on you. Whether it inspires you, makes you cheer, makes you tear up, or blows your mind. What are your favorite types or examples of these story events?

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One of my favorites in adventure type stories is the protagonist coming across complete strangers in unexpected places/situations who end up joining up with them on their journey. This is pretty common in adventurer-party based video games as well but I think it's a pretty cool way to compile a group of characters.

An example of this is in the movie, Conan the Barbarian, where Conan comes across Subotai who is chained up and rescues him. Then they end up being bros, running across the land going on crazy adventures and doing heroic stuff.

Here's a great scene from that movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jm-tH706qw

I'm hoping a few encounters in TESO will end up like that.

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Another cool sort of plot event I think is when a character is thrown into impossible odds and the reader or audience think, "Wow, he's definitely dead." But later in the movie they come back in some surprise twist. It just makes that character seem much more awesome. Admittedly this is only effective sometimes but it's always an amazing surprise when it happens.

An example of this is in Lord of the Rings. When I first saw that movies, I didn't read the book so I wasn't sure what was going to happen ahead of time. So when Gandalf fell into a insanely deep dark ravine, I was like "Aw man, the wizard died!" I had assumed he died because I was pretty sure he couldn't fly. Which was true.

Then in the second movie when he came back I was like "OMG! WTF!! WAT! AHHH!"

Totally freaked out. In a good way.

Here's a clip of that:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44kBN340vd4

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Anyways what are your favorite story events or themes?

I love the idea of the adventurer who starts from humble beginnings and is raised as a simple farmer/ pig-keeper/ blacksmith, whatnot and as the story progresses it's revealed that they are something special, prince, sorcerer, son of a pirate... This story always gives the idea of accomplishment and success. Examples are King Arthur, Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean, Eragon, and Garion from the Belgariad books by David Eddings.

i love when a character does good even if s/he knows they cannot win even if in the end it will be all meaningless! its one of the main reasons i love oblivion, i knew the deadra existed but the gods never did anything, this made me actually believe that the gods on the elder scrolls are infact made up (which i now know isnt true). I loved that feeling i had. doing the righteous thing even if the end did look bleak

the three themes that i love are: religion, the law, technology and their boundarys.

lastly mystery is something i adore

I guess I'm a sucker for certain themes that have been used a lot but, when implemented in a new certain way, can still stir the audience.

I always like seeing a character start off as a major bad guy who nobody can sympathise with, and then as the story progresses his/her soft sides and inevitable heart show up after all. The first example I can think of is Daryl in The Walking Dead. Everybody who watches TWD knows what I mean ;)

I'm a bit embarassed to admit this one, but another theme that always gets to me is the difficult/forbidden love-as-in-this-can-never-work-for-so-many-reasons-but-the-attraction-is-just-too-damn-strong thing xD Think Aragorn and Arwen, Romeo and Juliet, Crixus and Naevia (god, I hate her this season), and so on. I feel like such a sucker for it, but I always end up rooting for those couples xD

(March 7th 2013, 09:32 AM)Triskele Wrote: I'm a bit embarassed to admit this one, but another theme that always gets to me is the difficult/forbidden love-as-in-this-can-never-work-for-so-many-reasons-but-the-attraction-is-just-too-damn-strong thing xD Think Aragorn and Arwen, Romeo and Juliet, Crixus and Naevia (god, I hate her this season), and so on. I feel like such a sucker for it, but I always end up rooting for those couples xD

Edward and Bella?

(March 7th 2013, 09:34 AM)Arkael Wrote:

(March 7th 2013, 09:32 AM)Triskele Wrote: I'm a bit embarassed to admit this one, but another theme that always gets to me is the difficult/forbidden love-as-in-this-can-never-work-for-so-many-reasons-but-the-attraction-is-just-too-damn-strong thing xD Think Aragorn and Arwen, Romeo and Juliet, Crixus and Naevia (god, I hate her this season), and so on. I feel like such a sucker for it, but I always end up rooting for those couples xD

Edward and Bella?

I hate you.

NO. NOT THOSE.

Enantiomorph

It may be a little lame, but ever since Aragorn in lord of the Rings makes me a sucker for the reluctant hero. The kind of story where the hero has a past he won't accept or is the fallen hero trying to redeem himself. I just like the idea of redemption struggle with emotional ramifications of your past whether it was a mistake or you were the bad guy trying now to be good just anything like that honestly. I also really enjoy exploration and mystery. Just the going into the unknown that kind of stuff that or an anti hero.

(March 6th 2013, 04:51 PM)Manarax Wrote: I love the idea of the adventurer who starts from humble beginnings and is raised as a simple farmer/ pig-keeper/ blacksmith, whatnot and as the story progresses it's revealed that they are something special, prince, sorcerer, son of a pirate... This story always gives the idea of accomplishment and success. Examples are King Arthur, Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean, Eragon, and Garion from the Belgariad books by David Eddings.

It certainly does give on hope to be something greater! They live rather unextraordinairy lives until a day comes around where they're revealed to be something greater; it's a nice theme that many would like to think of.

Though I also like it when they have humble beginnings, but have no special powers or origin or some great foretold destiny; yet regardless they perservere and do the extraordinairy. Even when the world might say they can't, they rise beyond due to their actions.

(March 6th 2013, 05:03 PM)quib Wrote: i love when a character does good even if s/he knows they cannot win even if in the end it will be all meaningless! its one of the main reasons i love oblivion, i knew the deadra existed but the gods never did anything, this made me actually believe that the gods on the elder scrolls are infact made up (which i now know isnt true). I loved that feeling i had. doing the righteous thing even if the end did look bleak

the three themes that i love are: religion, the law, technology and their boundarys.

lastly mystery is something i adore

Holding on when everything seems lost is certainly something profound and noble. It's goes along the line of the "human spirit" and that continuous drive, (even if it's not a human who has this spirit.)

Mystery is something that also keeps us exploring and learning. If we knew everything about the universe, it would be a much more boring place! I would always like the excitement of the discovery of new things or the existance of things beyond my comprehension.

(March 7th 2013, 09:32 AM)Triskele Wrote: I guess I'm a sucker for certain themes that have been used a lot but, when implemented in a new certain way, can still stir the audience.

I always like seeing a character start off as a major bad guy who nobody can sympathise with, and then as the story progresses his/her soft sides and inevitable heart show up after all. The first example I can think of is Daryl in The Walking Dead. Everybody who watches TWD knows what I mean ;)

I'm a bit embarassed to admit this one, but another theme that always gets to me is the difficult/forbidden love-as-in-this-can-never-work-for-so-many-reasons-but-the-attraction-is-just-too-damn-strong thing xD Think Aragorn and Arwen, Romeo and Juliet, Crixus and Naevia (god, I hate her this season), and so on. I feel like such a sucker for it, but I always end up rooting for those couples xD

When I first saw Daryl in the series, I was thinking; "Aw, man. What a punk! Go figure the guy is just like his brother!" But now he has developed into the coolest and most noble characters in the series. It's pretty damn awesome.

Although I'm not one who's into romance, (or just doesn't like to admit it, I dunno); I can see how the whole forbidden love theme can add a dynamic where you'll root for them to be together despite all of the opposition that's in the way. When I see it done well, I can recognize that it's a interesting and compelling story.

(March 7th 2013, 10:50 AM)MaxxRocker Wrote: It may be a little lame, but ever since Aragorn in lord of the Rings makes me a sucker for the reluctant hero. The kind of story where the hero has a past he won't accept or is the fallen hero trying to redeem himself. I just like the idea of redemption struggle with emotional ramifications of your past whether it was a mistake or you were the bad guy trying now to be good just anything like that honestly. I also really enjoy exploration and mystery. Just the going into the unknown that kind of stuff that or an anti hero.

I always like the idea of redemption. The idea that you've go so far away from your path or from good; but at the same time you want to finish things or make ammends. The characters wonder if they can possibly do this, and even if it will make things better in some way-- so they go for it and see.

(March 7th 2013, 11:26 AM)Horizon Seeker Wrote:

(March 6th 2013, 05:03 PM)quib Wrote: i love when a character does good even if s/he knows they cannot win even if in the end it will be all meaningless! its one of the main reasons i love oblivion, i knew the deadra existed but the gods never did anything, this made me actually believe that the gods on the elder scrolls are infact made up (which i now know isnt true). I loved that feeling i had. doing the righteous thing even if the end did look bleak

the three themes that i love are: religion, the law, technology and their boundarys.

lastly mystery is something i adore

Holding on when everything seems lost is certainly something profound and noble. It's goes along the line of the "human spirit" and that continuous drive, (even if it's not a human who has this spirit.)

Mystery is something that also keeps us exploring and learning. If we knew everything about the universe, it would be a much more boring place! I would always like the excitement of the discovery of new things or the existance of things beyond my comprehension.

thank you! at least there is some one else out there who know the 'human' spirit doesn't have to be exclusive to humans!

and for mystery i completely agree. Halo 4 and Mass effect 3 did the worst mistake imaginable in my eyes, Halo 4 reviled a forunner and mass effect 3 showed a prothean, these were my two of favorite mysteries in gaming ruined by one scene!

(March 7th 2013, 11:26 AM)Horizon Seeker Wrote: [quote='Manarax' pid='47867' dateline='1362613887']
I love the idea of the adventurer who starts from humble beginnings and is raised as a simple farmer/ pig-keeper/ blacksmith, whatnot and as the story progresses it's revealed that they are something special, prince, sorcerer, son of a pirate... This story always gives the idea of accomplishment and success. Examples are King Arthur, Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean, Eragon, and Garion from the Belgariad books by David Eddings.

It certainly does give on hope to be something greater! They live rather unextraordinairy lives until a day comes around where they're revealed to be something greater; it's a nice theme that many would like to think of.

Though I also like it when they have humble beginnings, but have no special powers or origin or some great foretold destiny; yet regardless they perservere and do the extraordinairy. Even when the world might say they can't, they rise beyond due to their actions.

I also like the no special powers route. It's funny but my favorite Superhero is Batman. There is a guy with no superpowers and yet he is able to take down bad guys that do have them. I believe that he is one of the rare true hero's in comics.

Two quotes:
1. "They died doing the job they had to do." Night Watch, Terry Pratchet
"No! How dare you? They did the job they they didn't have to do, and they died doing it. They fought for those who'd been abandoned, they fought for one another."
This summarises what I like: people who aren't heroes, fighting and dying, not for some king or for nobility and honour, but ordinary men and women. Because we're all just people, not heroes. Though some of us are heroic people if you see what I mean.

2. "I didn't want to join this war, but I did. I wanted to leave this war, but couldn't." The Wind that Shakes the Barley
This is pretty much the reluctant hero again, but I always like it. Although I found this slightly different because it shows how war has changed him.

(March 7th 2013, 12:47 PM)Iogairn Wrote: Two quotes:
1. "They died doing the job they had to do." Night Watch, Terry Pratchet
"No! How dare you? They did the job they they didn't have to do, and they died doing it. They fought for those who'd been abandoned, they fought for one another."
This summarises what I like: people who aren't heroes, fighting and dying, not for some king or for nobility and honour, but ordinary men and women. Because we're all just people, not heroes. Though some of us are heroic people if you see what I mean.

2. "I didn't want to join this war, but I did. I wanted to leave this war, but couldn't." The Wind that Shakes the Barley
This is pretty much the reluctant hero again, but I always like it. Although I found this slightly different because it shows how war has changed him.

so are you one who loves 'the heroes journey', i'm studying about it know and it's incredible how many stories follow exactly the same structure!

(March 7th 2013, 04:56 PM)quib Wrote:

(March 7th 2013, 12:47 PM)Iogairn Wrote: Two quotes:
1. "They died doing the job they had to do." Night Watch, Terry Pratchet
"No! How dare you? They did the job they they didn't have to do, and they died doing it. They fought for those who'd been abandoned, they fought for one another."
This summarises what I like: people who aren't heroes, fighting and dying, not for some king or for nobility and honour, but ordinary men and women. Because we're all just people, not heroes. Though some of us are heroic people if you see what I mean.

2. "I didn't want to join this war, but I did. I wanted to leave this war, but couldn't." The Wind that Shakes the Barley
This is pretty much the reluctant hero again, but I always like it. Although I found this slightly different because it shows how war has changed him.

so are you one who loves 'the heroes journey', i'm studying about it know and it's incredible how many stories follow exactly the same structure!

For those who find this stuff interesting, it's actually a fun fact that there are only a total of seven basic plots used in all literature. All evolved, all spinned off, all twisted and made their own, but still boiling down to the same seven. There's a nice book about it, too:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Basic-Plot...0826480373

(March 7th 2013, 04:58 PM)Triskele Wrote: For those who find this stuff interesting, it's actually a fun fact that there are only a total of seven basic plots used in all literature. All evolved, all spinned off, all twisted and made their own, but still boiling down to the same seven. There's a nice book about it, too:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Basic-Plot...0826480373

reading that also :P, another book i would suggest but isnt an easy read is 'the hero with a thousand faces'

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thousand-Faces-C...863&sr=1-1

it is amazing to try and think of all the stories new and old that follow such 'simple' concepts