| abstract
| - Some narratives will have the focus follow The Hero and his merry band of stalwart allies from their first meeting all through to the end. However, that's not to say that events only occur in the hero's vicinity, as if the world were completely inert save for their actions; or that there is only one Story Arc being told throughout the narrative. Therefore, some authors choose to show a wider range of action by alternating focus on the various groups of characters who deal with their own contributing story threads that weave back into the greater narrative. These are called Plot Threads, and this is their trope. When writing an episode, book, or anthology, authors may work multiple plotlines into the action as Plot Threads. These can range from episodes with a specific Character Focus, to having alternating chapters in a book advance a separate (yet related) plotline, and having the same cast deal with various problems simultaneously. Commonly, these various plots vary in terms of time/space devoted to them, and their importance to the overreaching Myth Arc. There are many different variations. Often the A plot will simply be a short bit at the beginning of the episode that gets the characters into "wacky situations" -- it triggers the B and C plots. Sometimes the plots are nested like Russian dolls, and to solve the A Plot the B and C Plots must be solved first. Some stories have them all go on simultaneously, and the action cuts back and forth between them. The number can vary, too. Sometimes there's just the main plot and the secondary. Three seems to be the most common number. Why? Who knows, maybe the Rule of Three. Sometimes there's four or even more, but that tends to be pretty rare, mostly due to time and focus constraints. A given work may also vary the number of ongoing plot threads within itself. A show with a Kudzu Plot will introduce new plots at the same rate they are solved. Others will have episodes with 1, 2, or 3 plot threads in a given season, depending on the tone they try to set for the episode. Speaking of tone, this can vary depending on the number of Plot Threads. Generally, the fewer threads there are, the more intimate the focus will be. The characters will rarely split up, and if they do the focus will always be on the lead. Whatever else is going on in the setting outside of the POV character's line of sight will only be seen via Flash Back, Monologue, or other narrative devices. This style tends to favor Action, Mystery and Suspense, we only know what our brave hero does, after all. Two plot threads allows for a wider, dual narrative that broadens what the viewer knows about the drama and setting, better allowing things like Dramatic Irony. For example, if the gang chooses to split up, you'll have the POV follow each as they investigate, so we the audience know more than the characters do... at least until they reunite and compare notes to discover it was old man Withers with glow in the dark paint. At it's most extreme, the action may follow two completely separate POV characters, cutting to and fro. With three or more plot threads, you usually get a lot of complexity and energy in a story, but the pacing becomes slower. This style tends to favor Drama and other genres with stories that have a large and diverse cast. You see it very commonly in animated shows and Dom Coms because of their serial nature, likewise Soap Operas and Long Runners will adopt this format because it tends to drag out the action and keep the viewers coming back. Multiple plot threads are necessary for a Plot Parallel. In this instance, the two story lines mirror one another, each propping the other up. Also common in a Double Aesop. Related tropes: Leave the Plot Threads Hanging, Soap Wheel, Rotating Arcs, Two Lines, No Waiting, Third Line, Some Waiting and Four Lines, All Waiting.
- This page is to track plot threads that have been introduced but have not resolved either at all or only partially. It's basically a place to put evidence toward the possible resolutions a particular thread could have. A thread in this context is a goal Dan is working toward and the facts listed here are the breadcrumbs that lead to that goal. Basically it serves as a counterpart to the theories page except only facts relevant to the thread are listed and it has to be relatively clear Dan is working toward a particular resolution even if the resolution itself is unknown. For example Noah being The Child Left Behind was a plot thread that was resolved during the 6th part of the New and Old Flames storyline. Though the resolution could not be known with 100% certainty the clues were there and it was known that there was an unresolved plot thread involving Noah. This page is organized by character (or in some cases a role to be fulfilled) then by facts and inferences. This page is under construction
- Some narratives will have the focus follow The Hero and his merry band of stalwart allies from their first meeting all through to the end. However, that's not to say that events only occur in the hero's vicinity, as if the world were completely inert save for their actions; or that there is only one Story Arc being told throughout the narrative. Therefore, some authors choose to show a wider range of action by alternating focus on the various groups of characters who deal with their own contributing story threads that weave back into the greater narrative. These are called Plot Threads, and this is their trope. When writing an episode, book, or anthology, authors may work multiple plotlines into the action as Plot Threads. These can range from episodes with a specific Character Focus, to having alternating chapters in a book advance a separate (yet related) plotline, and having the same cast deal with various problems simultaneously. Commonly, these various plots vary in terms of time/space devoted to them, and their importance to the overreaching Myth Arc. There are many different variations. Often the A plot will simply be a short bit at the beginning of the episode that gets the characters into "wacky situations" -- it triggers the B and C plots. Sometimes the plots are nested like Russian dolls, and to solve the A Plot the B and C Plots must be solved first. Some stories have them all go on simultaneously, and the action cuts back and forth between them. The number can vary, too. Sometimes there's just the main plot and the secondary. Three seems to be the most common number. Why? Who knows, maybe the Rule of Three. Sometimes there's four or even more, but that tends to be pretty rare, mostly due to time and focus constraints. A given work may also vary the number of ongoing plot threads within itself. A show with a Kudzu Plot will introduce new plots at the same rate they are solved. Others will have episodes with 1, 2, or 3 plot threads in a given season, depending on the tone they try to set for the episode. Speaking of tone, this can vary depending on the number of Plot Threads. Generally, the fewer threads there are, the more intimate the focus will be. The characters will rarely split up, and if they do the focus will always be on the lead. Whatever else is going on in the setting outside of the POV character's line of sight will only be seen via Flash Back, Monologue, or other narrative devices. This style tends to favor Action, Mystery and Suspense, we only know what our brave hero does, after all. Two plot threads allows for a wider, dual narrative that broadens what the viewer knows about the drama and setting, better allowing things like Dramatic Irony. For example, if the gang chooses to split up, you'll have the POV follow each as they investigate, so we the audience know more than the characters do... at least until they reunite and compare notes to discover it was old man Withers with glow in the dark paint. At it's most extreme, the action may follow two completely separate POV characters, cutting to and fro. With three or more plot threads, you usually get a lot of complexity and energy in a story, but the pacing becomes slower. This style tends to favor Drama and other genres with stories that have a large and diverse cast. You see it very commonly in animated shows and Dom Coms because of their serial nature, likewise Soap Operas and Long Runners will adopt this format because it tends to drag out the action and keep the viewers coming back. Multiple plot threads are necessary for a Plot Parallel. In this instance, the two story lines mirror one another, each propping the other up. Also common in a Double Aesop. Related tropes: Leave the Plot Threads Hanging, Soap Wheel, Rotating Arcs, Two Lines, No Waiting, Third Line, Some Waiting and Four Lines, All Waiting. Examples of works that have more than two plot threads
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