forum What are some backstories you see fairly often?

Started March 13, 2021 by @SingSongKV group

tune

Are there any recurring backstories or backstory elements you've seen in stories? (Sci-fi, Superhero, Slice-of-Life, ETC.) And I mean in ANY genre, I feel like this would be a fun thread.

ooh here goes.

anything relating to orphans. i've seen it used a lot in different genres, and i personally like it… when it's done right. if it's just a plot device (like "waAahah i'M aN oRpHaN wAHhahAHhha"), then it kinda loses that integrity that goes into a backstory. if it's done right, you gain an understanding of the character with the backstory and actually feel for them.

The Chosen One™
usually in YA fantasy, the main character is said to Change da World in some kind of a prophecy, and, of course, if they refuse, everyone dies. I'm kinda tired of this trope. in most cases it isn't entertaining for me when the MC has an existential crisis due to being The Chosen One™. also it just gets boring if you read multiple books with this trope. I would like to see an interesting twist, for example The Chosen One™ actually refuses to do what they have been told, and the other characters have to figure out a solution to their problem for themselves.

Dead mentor or girlfriend/fiancee/wife inspired main character to Go Vengeance on the Antagonist.

anything relating to orphans

I like your sentiment to this. If one actually goes through the research process of what stereotypes orphans go through, researching the foster system and the mental issues that go along with that, it can be a great character development plot. Idk I thought the way you put it was very eloquent.

Also relating to this, the dead/abandoned trope, mostly in YA and Fiction. It's obviously easier to write no parents than emotionally absent or abusive parents correctly.

I have some backstories that I use that seem common yet when I introduce them in, say, an RP, everyone freaks out because it was so super dramatic and so on.

One backstory I see a lot and I use a couple of times is the one where the character was born evil but it turns out they had a shitty life. I mean, This can be done right but sometimes it can be overuse. Like, For example, One of those backstories that were done right was Dio from JBA. But a bad example is someone like Hannibal Lecter.

Next is the weak character becoming strong. Like I said, If this is done right and done so perfectly then it can work out amazingly but if the writer or whoever doesn't then it falls flat

The main protagonist’s parents are dead/missing. If not both, then one of them. If done right it can be good

The main protagonist/ heroine is from a mysterious family or outer place/dimension/planet and his/her real identity cannot be revealed to the world. This can be done right as well