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Spoiled rotten trope with no warning
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* DownerEnding: Hooo boy yes. [[spoiler: Davis overcomes his worst instincts and doesn't go through with killing Chaz, deciding to pick himself up and move on with his life... and it doesn't matter, because it turns out they're both dupes reliving a Snapshot, and in the real world Davis ''did'' pull the trigger. Dupe!Davis dies mid-sentence as the Snapshot is turned off, and Real!Davis is a murderer who will presumably be sent to jail by evidence gained from the Snapshot.]]
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* CowboyCop: Chaz has all the makings of one - [[RealityEnsues which is why]] he was put on [[spoiler: decoy]] Snapshot duty, so that when he inevitably shot someone, it would at least just be a dupe.
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* CowboyCop: Chaz has all the makings of one - [[RealityEnsues [[DeconstructedTrope which is why]] he was put on [[spoiler: decoy]] Snapshot duty, so that when he inevitably shot someone, it would at least just be a dupe.
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* LogicalWeakness: The Photographer uses various methods to hide exactly when his victims were killed, so the police don't know which days to recreate Snapshots of in order to catch him.
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** Sanderson mentions in the Afterword that this trope was why he decided to have the Snapshot be created by Epic powers rather than advanced tech: He wanted this one specific application without any of the other things that could logically be done with the kind of tech that allows for the recreation of the past.
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* IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten: Davis [[spoiler: shoots the elderly man]] to convince Photographer that he is really on his side. Of course, this being a Snapshot, at the end of the day his victim would die anyway.
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* FridgeHorror: An InUniverse example when Davis explains to Chaz why he ''always'' insists on being the one to push the button to turn the Snapshot off: Because ''every single time'' he does that, his son dies, and Davis refuses to let anyone else take the load of those deaths off his shoulders.
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* DividedStatesOfAmerica: Implied to have occurred at some point in the past. The story takes place in a city-state somewhere in North America, and there are references to diplomatic relations with the "Restored American Union". The world of ''Snapshot'' may have a similar backstory to ''[[TheReckonersTrilogy Reckoners]]'', in which the US became the "Fractured States" due to the chaos caused by malevolent Epics.
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* DividedStatesOfAmerica: Implied to have occurred at some point in the past. The story takes place in a city-state somewhere in North America, and there are references to diplomatic relations with the "Restored American Union". The world of ''Snapshot'' may have a similar backstory to ''[[TheReckonersTrilogy ''[[Literature/TheReckonersTrilogy Reckoners]]'', in which the US became the "Fractured States" due to the chaos caused by malevolent Epics.
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* BlackAndGrayMorality: The heroes are one low-impulse-control, triggery-happy JerkAss who thinks it's hilarious to drive people past their DespairEventHorizon and his bitter, ineffectual enabler [[spoiler: who is planning on killing him before the day is over.]] They inhabit a simulated world filled with millions of [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman sentient, sapient beings who are brought into being every morning and killed every night,]] all with a push of a button, just to make it slightly easier to solve real-world murders. And they're ''still'' more sympathetic than the villain, who is an AxCrazy nutcase who goes around systemantically exterminating everyone he considers "flawed."
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* BlackAndGrayMorality: The heroes are one low-impulse-control, triggery-happy JerkAss who thinks it's hilarious to drive people past their DespairEventHorizon and his bitter, ineffectual enabler [[spoiler: who is planning on killing him before the day is over.]] They inhabit a simulated world filled with millions of [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman sentient, sapient beings who are brought into being every morning and killed every night,]] all with a push of a button, just to make it slightly easier to solve real-world murders. And they're ''still'' more sympathetic than the villain, who [[spoiler:who is an AxCrazy nutcase who goes around systemantically systematically exterminating everyone he considers "flawed.""]]
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* KilledMidSentence: [[spoiler:Davis]] is killed by the shutdown of the Snapshot as he's talking about how he wonders what it feels like to be a dupe in a Snapshot as it's shut down.
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* KilledMidSentence: [[spoiler:Davis]] [[spoiler:Davis is killed by the shutdown of the Snapshot as he's talking about how he wonders what it feels like to be a dupe in a Snapshot as it's shut down.]]
* MetaTwist: [[spoiler:Sanderson said he ''expected'' the reader to figure out Davis was a dupe early on. The meta twist that he was planning to kill Chaz is less obvious. As is the meta-meta twist that the Snapshot is for the murder ''he'' committed.]]
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* RightForTheWrongReasons: The Photographer thinks he's in a Snapshot, and is fighting to kill "Deviations," anyone with a flaw, no matter how minor. Of course he is in a Snapshot, but the real version of him was not, and killed real people.
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* RightForTheWrongReasons: The [[spoiler:The Photographer thinks he's in a Snapshot, and is fighting to kill "Deviations," anyone with a flaw, no matter how minor. Of course he is in a Snapshot, but the real version of him was not, and killed real people.]]
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* BlackAndGrayMorality: The heroes are one low-impulse-control, triggery-happy JerkAss who thinks it's hilarious to drive people past their DespairEventHorizon and his bitter, ineffectual enabler [[spoiler: who is planning on killing him before the day is over.]] They inhabit a simulated world filled with millions of [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman sentient, sapient beings who are brought into being every morning and killed every night,]] all with a push of a button, just to make it slightly easier to solve real-world murders. And they're ''still'' more sympathetic than the villain, who is an AxCrazy nutcase who goes around systemantically exterminating everyone he considers "flawed."
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* DrivenToSuicide: Upon seeing Chaz's reality badge and realising that he's a dupe, [[DaChief Chief Roberts]] runs back into his office and shoots himself. It's implied that this happens every time Chaz and Davis goes to [=HQ=].
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* DownerEnding: Hooo boy yes. [[spoiler: Davis overcomes his worst instincts and doesn't go through with killing Chaz, deciding to pick himself up and move on with his life... and it doesn't matter, because it turns out they're both dupes reliving a Snapshot, and in the real world Davis ''did'' pull the trigger. Dupe!Davis dies mid-sentence as the Snapshot is turned off, and Real!Davis is a murderer who will presumably be sent to jail by evidence gained from the Snapshot.]]
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* TomatoInTheMirror: [[spoiler: Davis and Chaz are themselves dupes, inhabiting a Snapshot of a Snapshot.]]
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* CowboyCop: Chaz has all the makings of one - [[RealityEnsues which is why]] he was put on [[spoiler: decoy]] Snapshot duty, so that when he inevitably shot someone, it would at least just be a dupe.
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* WhatMeasureIsAnNonhuman: The only repercussions for killing a dupe in a Snapshot are associated with the Deviations that result from this and whether they can impact whatever the real person was investigating.
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* WhatMeasureIsAnNonhuman: WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: The only repercussions for killing a dupe in a Snapshot are associated with the Deviations that result from this and whether they can impact whatever the real person was investigating.
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* WhatMeasureIsAnNonHuman: The only repercussions for killing a dupe in a Snapshot are associated with the Deviations that result from this and whether they can impact whatever the real person was investigating.
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* WhatMeasureIsAnNonHuman: WhatMeasureIsAnNonhuman: The only repercussions for killing a dupe in a Snapshot are associated with the Deviations that result from this and whether they can impact whatever the real person was investigating.
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* HollywoodRestrainingOrder: Davis is prohibited from contacting his RL son until the custody dispute with his ex-wife is settled, so he works around it by visiting his son's dupe in Snapshots of days when he visits the park without his mother.
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* LoopholeAbuse: Davis and Chaz are low-level detectives without access to most interesting files. But inside the Snapshot, they're gods, and have access to whatever they want.
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* KilledMidSentence: [[spoiler:Davis]] is killed by the shutdown of the Snapshot as he's talking about how he wonders what it feels like to be a dupe in a Snapshot as it's shut down.
* LoopholeAbuse: Davis and Chaz are low-level detectives without access to most interesting files. But inside the Snapshot, they're gods, and have access to whatever theywant.want by walking into the replica of their precinct and flashing their reality badges.
* LoopholeAbuse: Davis and Chaz are low-level detectives without access to most interesting files. But inside the Snapshot, they're gods, and have access to whatever they
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* PowerPerversionPotential: The Mayor originally used the Snapshot for "entertainment." That was made illegal the second the public found out.
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* PowerPerversionPotential: PowerPerversionPotential:
** The Mayor originally used the Snapshot for "entertainment." That was made illegal the second the public foundout.out.
** [[spoiler:Chaz seduces the dupe of Davis' ex-wife whenever Davis uses free time in the Snapshot to visit the dupe of his son.]]
** The Mayor originally used the Snapshot for "entertainment." That was made illegal the second the public found
** [[spoiler:Chaz seduces the dupe of Davis' ex-wife whenever Davis uses free time in the Snapshot to visit the dupe of his son.]]
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* WhatMeasureIsAnNonHuman: The only repercussions for killing a dupe in a Snapshot are associated with the Deviations that result from this and whether they can impact whatever the real person was investigating.
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A short story by Creator/BrandonSanderson, set in the same universe as ''Literature/TheReckonersTrilogy'', though unconnected to that story.
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A short story by Creator/BrandonSanderson, set in the same universe multiverse (but not the same specific world) as ''Literature/TheReckonersTrilogy'', though unconnected to that story.
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* DividedStatesOfAmerica: Played with. After the Capitulation Act, the USA became the Fractured States. At some point (presumably after the events of ''Literature/{{Calamity}}'' resulted in Epics regaining their sanity), they became the Restored American Union, but many cities such as New Clipperton were left as independent city-states.
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* DividedStatesOfAmerica: Played with. After Implied to have occurred at some point in the Capitulation Act, past. The story takes place in a city-state somewhere in North America, and there are references to diplomatic relations with the USA "Restored American Union". The world of ''Snapshot'' may have a similar backstory to ''[[TheReckonersTrilogy Reckoners]]'', in which the US became the Fractured States. At some point (presumably after "Fractured States" due to the events of ''Literature/{{Calamity}}'' resulted in Epics regaining their sanity), they became the Restored American Union, but many cities such as New Clipperton were left as independent city-states.chaos caused by malevolent Epics.
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* DividedStatesOfAmerica: Played with. After the Capitulation Act, the USA became the Fractured States. At some point (presumably after the events of ''Literature/{{Calamity}}''), they became the Restored American Union, but many cities such as New Clipperton were left as independent city-states.
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* DividedStatesOfAmerica: Played with. After the Capitulation Act, the USA became the Fractured States. At some point (presumably after the events of ''Literature/{{Calamity}}''), ''Literature/{{Calamity}}'' resulted in Epics regaining their sanity), they became the Restored American Union, but many cities such as New Clipperton were left as independent city-states.
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None
* DividedStatesOfAmerica: Played with. After the Capitulation Act, the USA became the Fractured States. At some point (presumably after the events of ''Literature/{{Calamity}}''), they became the Restored American Union, but many cities such as New Clipperton were left as independent city-states.
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* FracturedStatesOfAmerica: Played with. After the Capitulation Act, the USA became the Divided States of America. At some point (presumably after the events of ''Literature/{{Calamity}}''), they became the Restored American Union, but many cities such as New Clipperton were left as independent city-states.
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A short story by Creator/BrandonSanderson, set in the same universe as ''Literature/TheReckonersTrilogy'', though unconnected to that story.
In the city of New Clipperton, "Snapshots" of a day can be created, recreating a single day down to every last detail. Anthony Davis and his partner Chaz are detectives sent in to investigate murders as they are happening, to help the investigations in the real world. Everything in the Snapshot is fake, but it ''seems'' completely real, to the point of the food even being edible. Davis and Chaz have "reality badges" that prove them to be real and everyone else to be dupes, but they are supposed to avoid using them in order to cut down on Deviations that could bring into question the veracity of their investigation.
After easily investigating the petty murder they were sent in for, Davis and Chaz stumble on the scene of a much more horrific slaughter, which was hidden from them in the real world by their superiors. They resolve to investigate and stop the mad serial killer called the Photographer, but need to be careful, as death in the Snapshot is a real danger.
!!This story provides examples of:
* ForWantOfANail:
** Tiny changes can cause massive ripple effects that ultimately render the entire Snapshot invalid for legal purposes. Davis mentions a time he stayed in his room all day to avoid causing Deviations; he slammed a door too loudly in the morning, waking up a woman who was supposed to sleep through a job interview. The process is so seemingly random that the detectives are never blamed.
** [[spoiler:The real Snapshot detective giving Davis her phone number reminds him of his chance to move on from his ex-wife, leading him not to kill Chaz when he has the chance]].
* FracturedStatesOfAmerica: Played with. After the Capitulation Act, the USA became the Divided States of America. At some point (presumably after the events of ''Literature/{{Calamity}}''), they became the Restored American Union, but many cities such as New Clipperton were left as independent city-states.
* InSpiteOfANail: On the other hand, seemingly massive changes can have no real effect. Showing everyone in a police station the reality badge rarely makes a meaningful Deviation--even though the chief of police kills himself the second he finds out he's a dupe.
* LoopholeAbuse: Davis and Chaz are low-level detectives without access to most interesting files. But inside the Snapshot, they're gods, and have access to whatever they want.
* MagicPoweredPseudoscience: The Snapshot is created by a captured Epic as part of an old American project, which New Clipperton bought from them at an exorbitant fee. It's repeatedly pointed out that no one has any idea how the effect works, just like all other Epic powers.
* MisappliedPhlebotinum: After New Clipperton bought the Snapshot project, no one had any idea what to do with it. It was eventually decided to only allow it to be used for government work with a warrant, meaning it's typically used to investigate murders, with some petty crimes as side missions if they happen to fall on the same day. Davis and Chaz repeatedly discuss the idea of finding ''something'' more useful to do with it, but they can't think of anything much better than just letting the Snapshot run for years to see what happens. [[spoiler:The government is using it for spying and more important murder investigations]].
* NeverShallTheSelvesMeet: Davis and Chaz's handlers try to keep them from meeting their past selves to prevent "psychological trauma." Davis and Chaz find the idea silly, and don't seem worried about it.
* PowerPerversionPotential: The Mayor originally used the Snapshot for "entertainment." That was made illegal the second the public found out.
* TheReveal:
** [[spoiler:Davis has been planning to murder Chaz (for sleeping with his ex-wife) and make it look like it was collateral damage during a gang shooting]].
** [[spoiler:After Davis decides not to shoot Chaz, two ''real'' Snapshot detectives reveal that the whole thing is a Snapshot of a Snapshot, investigating Davis' murder of Chaz--which he went through with in the real world]].
* RightForTheWrongReasons: The Photographer thinks he's in a Snapshot, and is fighting to kill "Deviations," anyone with a flaw, no matter how minor. Of course he is in a Snapshot, but the real version of him was not, and killed real people.
* TakeOurWordForIt: In-universe; there are various series revolving around Snapshots, but they never show what the reality badge actually looks like, knowing that they'd never be able to do it justice.
* WhatYouAreInTheDark: Showing someone the reality badge gives them an instinctive understanding that they are a dupe, meaning none of their actions matter and the entire world is going to die at the end of the day. Davis muses several times on how their reactions show a lot about them. A hardened gangbanger breaks down crying for his mother before deciding to give all his boys big bonuses for the day, Marie in the precinct reacts with cool professionalism and proves very helpful, while the chief of police immediately commits suicide.
In the city of New Clipperton, "Snapshots" of a day can be created, recreating a single day down to every last detail. Anthony Davis and his partner Chaz are detectives sent in to investigate murders as they are happening, to help the investigations in the real world. Everything in the Snapshot is fake, but it ''seems'' completely real, to the point of the food even being edible. Davis and Chaz have "reality badges" that prove them to be real and everyone else to be dupes, but they are supposed to avoid using them in order to cut down on Deviations that could bring into question the veracity of their investigation.
After easily investigating the petty murder they were sent in for, Davis and Chaz stumble on the scene of a much more horrific slaughter, which was hidden from them in the real world by their superiors. They resolve to investigate and stop the mad serial killer called the Photographer, but need to be careful, as death in the Snapshot is a real danger.
!!This story provides examples of:
* ForWantOfANail:
** Tiny changes can cause massive ripple effects that ultimately render the entire Snapshot invalid for legal purposes. Davis mentions a time he stayed in his room all day to avoid causing Deviations; he slammed a door too loudly in the morning, waking up a woman who was supposed to sleep through a job interview. The process is so seemingly random that the detectives are never blamed.
** [[spoiler:The real Snapshot detective giving Davis her phone number reminds him of his chance to move on from his ex-wife, leading him not to kill Chaz when he has the chance]].
* FracturedStatesOfAmerica: Played with. After the Capitulation Act, the USA became the Divided States of America. At some point (presumably after the events of ''Literature/{{Calamity}}''), they became the Restored American Union, but many cities such as New Clipperton were left as independent city-states.
* InSpiteOfANail: On the other hand, seemingly massive changes can have no real effect. Showing everyone in a police station the reality badge rarely makes a meaningful Deviation--even though the chief of police kills himself the second he finds out he's a dupe.
* LoopholeAbuse: Davis and Chaz are low-level detectives without access to most interesting files. But inside the Snapshot, they're gods, and have access to whatever they want.
* MagicPoweredPseudoscience: The Snapshot is created by a captured Epic as part of an old American project, which New Clipperton bought from them at an exorbitant fee. It's repeatedly pointed out that no one has any idea how the effect works, just like all other Epic powers.
* MisappliedPhlebotinum: After New Clipperton bought the Snapshot project, no one had any idea what to do with it. It was eventually decided to only allow it to be used for government work with a warrant, meaning it's typically used to investigate murders, with some petty crimes as side missions if they happen to fall on the same day. Davis and Chaz repeatedly discuss the idea of finding ''something'' more useful to do with it, but they can't think of anything much better than just letting the Snapshot run for years to see what happens. [[spoiler:The government is using it for spying and more important murder investigations]].
* NeverShallTheSelvesMeet: Davis and Chaz's handlers try to keep them from meeting their past selves to prevent "psychological trauma." Davis and Chaz find the idea silly, and don't seem worried about it.
* PowerPerversionPotential: The Mayor originally used the Snapshot for "entertainment." That was made illegal the second the public found out.
* TheReveal:
** [[spoiler:Davis has been planning to murder Chaz (for sleeping with his ex-wife) and make it look like it was collateral damage during a gang shooting]].
** [[spoiler:After Davis decides not to shoot Chaz, two ''real'' Snapshot detectives reveal that the whole thing is a Snapshot of a Snapshot, investigating Davis' murder of Chaz--which he went through with in the real world]].
* RightForTheWrongReasons: The Photographer thinks he's in a Snapshot, and is fighting to kill "Deviations," anyone with a flaw, no matter how minor. Of course he is in a Snapshot, but the real version of him was not, and killed real people.
* TakeOurWordForIt: In-universe; there are various series revolving around Snapshots, but they never show what the reality badge actually looks like, knowing that they'd never be able to do it justice.
* WhatYouAreInTheDark: Showing someone the reality badge gives them an instinctive understanding that they are a dupe, meaning none of their actions matter and the entire world is going to die at the end of the day. Davis muses several times on how their reactions show a lot about them. A hardened gangbanger breaks down crying for his mother before deciding to give all his boys big bonuses for the day, Marie in the precinct reacts with cool professionalism and proves very helpful, while the chief of police immediately commits suicide.
