[ SECRET POST #3332 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #3332 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.


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02.
(David Bowie)


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03.
(Great British Bake Off for Sports Relief, Ed Balls)


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04.
[Pokemon]


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05.
[Star Wars: TFA]


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06.
[Damian Lewis, Dick Winters, Band Of Brothers]


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07.
[Daughter of the Lilies]


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08.
[David Eddings]


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09.
[Sengoku Basara]


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10.
[JJBA]


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11.
[Men In Black I, II, III]
















Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 022 secrets from Secret Submission Post #476.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

Several of the characters mentioned aren't whipping boys.

[(Anonymous)]

I don't know all of them, but Dean Winchester, Spenser Reid, and Derek Hale are not whipping boys (at least not by the original commenter's definition). They are woobies. The writers don't hate them, they love them. They pile all of this stuff on them so they can focus the story on them and make the audience feel for the character.

Re: Several of the characters mentioned aren't whipping boys.

[(Anonymous)]

I can't speak for Dean or Derek, but I agree the writers don't hate Reid, yeah. I was just going off the OP's thing about characters who've had rough lives and who hardly ever seem to catch a break-going by that, he would qualify in many respects.

You are right that he would definitely fit the definition of a "woobie", though, yeah.

Re: Several of the characters mentioned aren't whipping boys.

[(Anonymous)]

To be fair, a lot of the "kick 'em while they're down" characters probably are intended to stir emotion in audiences and it's hard to say whether or not the author actually hates them, per se. But I'd say a "whipping boy" should just be one that never catches a break, every time the character takes one step forward they get shoved two steps back... and, most importantly, it should really feel like the narrative doesn't give a shit about them. There's a difference between making bad stuff happen so there can be beautiful angst and the show can obsess over that particular character, and a storyline that feels prepared to leave a certain character in the dust and doesn't seem interested in spending time garnering sympathy. I feel like the whipping boy trope should feel a little... crueler? (not in the punishment the character receives but in how much it feels like the story tries to empathize with them and their pain)

but someone could probably make an argument for or against like any character listed so oh well. Generally speaking, if I'm not worried about a certain character actually dying (for good, Dean) or committing suicide and then the storyline feeling prepared to move on without a second glance behind (no leisurely time for beautiful angst and such which the audience is clearly demanded to empathize with) then I wouldn't think of them as a whipping boy. It also helps if we're not clearly supposed to root for them. Basically, they shouldn't be beautiful sacrificial martyrs who we are supposed to admire, adore and sympathize with through their pain like a hagiography.