| rdfs:comment
| - As any writer will tell you, there are times when drama, art, and normal human behavior are not just at odds, but in a Mexican Standoff waiting for the others to blink before blasting each other as doves flutter by in slow motion. Quite often it is a very fine line and difficult to notice in the first place, such as the difference between a Deadpan Snarker and The Comically Serious. At other times, with a Five-Man Band or other ensemble group characters, they are often shifted around to better fit into a team dynamic when they are used to being alone or in a simple partnership.
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| abstract
| - As any writer will tell you, there are times when drama, art, and normal human behavior are not just at odds, but in a Mexican Standoff waiting for the others to blink before blasting each other as doves flutter by in slow motion. Sometimes the characters are stuck and unable to move forward, and the author doesn't feel comfortable dropping in solutions via Deus Ex Machina or having a guy barge in with a gun. Other times, there's a great set up for a joke but no one present is snarky or smart enough to say it. There is a solution though; albeit it requires that one or more characters act outside their established character for just a moment. Enter the Out-of-Character Moment. Whether it's one of the various Ball Tropes, Improbable Behavior Tropes or Poor Communication Kills, a character gets temporary Character Derailment for a scene and allows the plot to move in the direction the author wants. Generally, the creator herself will acknowledge she forced their behavior in some way; though it's not quite as damaging as Character Derailment, especially when it results in the natural progression of the plot. Quite often it is a very fine line and difficult to notice in the first place, such as the difference between a Deadpan Snarker and The Comically Serious. At other times, with a Five-Man Band or other ensemble group characters, they are often shifted around to better fit into a team dynamic when they are used to being alone or in a simple partnership. Speaking of natural growth, this Out Of Character Moment may be expanded on as Character Development (for examples of this, see OOC Is Serious Business). If they are being pushed beyond their comfort zone they may act differently than normal, but somehow they find their own way to survive. After all, not all character growth is predictable or linear. Sometimes there is a Real Life aspect to this, in that real people will not always behave in the most expected way (if only for a brief moment). Depending on the general circumstances, immediate situation and who is around, the most mild individual can just snap. This is related to the Fundamental Attribution Error, in which people tend to place more of what they expect from someone on their personality than the situation. And this is also a reminder that true Character Derailment isn't merely one instance of "I don't like what they did." Contrast Alternate Character Interpretation. See also Character Exaggeration and Characterization Marches On. Possibly caused by a Writer on Board. Specific Examples of this include: Comedic Sociopathy, Conflict Ball, Hero Ball, Idiot Ball, Idiot Plot, Smart Ball, Villain Ball, Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass and depending on the character Lawful Stupid. Examples of Out-of-Character Moment include:
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