History Main / PlotThreads

Speaking of tone, this can vary depending on the number of Plot Threads. Generally, the less 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 bee seen via FlashBack, Monologue, or other narrative devices. This style tends to favor Action, Mystery and Suspense, we only know what our brave hero does, after all.

* ''SuperRobotWars'' sometime does this for a sake of the replay ability. You may choose to play as one of the two or more different characters that aren't even related or related but get saperated after the prologue. They also usually put plot points where the hero's team has to split up to do different mission in the different locations, but you may only follow one group at a time.

Some narratives will have the [[CharacterCalculus focus]] follow TheHero and his merry band of [[{{Nakama}} stalwart allies]] from their [[HowToGatherCharacters 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 StoryArc being told throughout the narrative. Therefore, some authors choose to show a wider range of action by alternating [[CharacterFocus focus]] on the various groups of characters who deal with their own contributing story threads that weave back into the greater narrative.

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 CharacterFocus, 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 MythArc.

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 "[[{{Zany Scheme}} 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. [[{{Two Lines No Waiting}} Sometimes there's just the main plot and the secondary]]. [[{{Third Line Some Waiting}} Three seems to be the most common number]]. Why? Who knows, maybe the {{Rule Of Three}}. Sometimes there's [[{{Four Lines All Waiting}} four or even more]], but that tends to be pretty rare, mostly due to time and focus constraints.

Speaking of tone, this can vary depending on the number of Plot Threads. Generally, the less 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 bee seen via FlashBack, 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 DramaticIrony. For example, if the [[LetsSplitUpGang 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 [[ScoobyDooHoax 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.

[[AC: {{Anime}}]]
* {{InuYasha}} does this to the point of being mildly annoying, following not only the five main characters, but later on Naraku and ALL of his incarnations, Sesshomaru, Kikiyo, and other minor characters.
* {{Gundam SEED}} and its sequel series, Destiny Does this to the point where we hardly ever see the two main characters in some episodes.

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]
* ''{{Lord Of The Rings}}'' employed this trope, giving it a place in one of literature's modern classics.

* The {{Deryni}} novels have anywhere from two to five plots going at one time, with more plots splitting off during wars (such as the Mearan campaign in ''The King's Justice'') and other periods of high tension.
* ''WarriorCats'' generally swaps between two major plot threads, and a third, far-removed one.
* {{Wuxia}} literature ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demi-Gods_and_Semi-Devils Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils]]'' has 4 different plots and main characters.

[[AC: {{Live Action TV}}]]
* For the first 5 seasons and first half of the sixth season, the average episode of ''{{The West Wing}}'' had three or four plotlines. Generally, one was a pollitical plotline, and the other three were either two "personal" plotlines (about the feelings or personal problems of one or more of the characters) and one silly plotline (usually involving someone - most often Donna or a special interest group - arguing or expressing deep anxiety about something comically trivial) or one personal plotline and two silly plotlines.
* ''{{The Wire}}'' had many densely-interwoven plot-threads that coalesced towards the end of each season.
* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' Volume 1 has about nine different plot threads, essentially one for each main character. They frequently weave together and diverge again as the characters interact with each other throughout the episodes, until all threads merge together for the grand finale.
** Most Volumes of Heroes employed this technique, ''Generations'' and ''Redemption'' in particular, with there being a loose main arc the others eventually converged on.
* Almost every episode of ''{{Seinfeld}}'''s later seasons involved multiple plot threads. Frequently, the ending of the episode would tie these threads together (very comically).

[[AC: {{Theater}}]]
* ''{{The Merchant of Venice}}'' makes it OlderThanSteam, though, with its alternation between Venice and Belmont. It would amaze me if there weren't a classical example, but I'm not much of a classicist.

[[AC: {{Webcomics}}]]

[[AC: {{VideoGames}}]]
* ''{{Final Fantasy VIII}}'' Has the dream sequences, which turn away from Squall and the [=SeeD=] to give the player the chance to see Laguna's story from his days as a Galbadia soldier with a crush on Julia to [[spoiler: his days with Raine and rebellion in Esthar.]]

* [[FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem Radiance Dawn]] has multiple acts, each follows different heroes/heroines and their armies. This causes the series's regular premise of LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters to be turned UpToEleven.
* SuperRobotWars sometime does this for a sake of the replay ability. You may choose to play as one of the two or more different characters that aren't even related or related but get saperated after the prologue. They also usually put plot points where the hero's team has to split up to do different mission in the different locations, but you may only follow one group at a time.
* The {{Uncharted}} series does this in every incarnation except for the first game, though it always follows Nate, just at different points in time.

[[AC: {{WesternAnimation}}]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' has several running at once. As of "The Widow's sting" we have: The breakout, the Kree-Skrull war, the SecretInvasion, Kang about to come from the future, the assembling of the Masters of Evil, the creation of the cosmic cube, Hydra's re-emerging, Widow's HeelFaceTurn FaceHeelTurn TheMole whatever she ''really'' might be, and I'm sure I'm missing out on several here.
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With three or more plot threads, you usually get a lot of complexity and energy in a story, but the [[FirstLawOfMetafictionalThermodynamics 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 Com}}s because of their serial nature, likewise {{Soap Opera}}s and {{Long Runner}}s will adopt this format because it tends to drag out the action and keep the viewers coming back.

* ''[[{{Ptitlei84z7dqh}} Captain SNES: The Game Masta]]'' has more than ten concurrent plotlines. Even [[http://www.captainsnes.com/2003/08/19/376-the-ass-episode/ this episode]] doesn't list them all, as there is also (among others) the subplot of ''ChronoTrigger'' characters trying to find Marle, whatever happens to Max Force and plotlines introduced during the Nexus City arc later.

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* The [[Uncharted]] series does this in every incarnation except for the first game, though it always follows Nate, just at different points in time.

These are called Plot Threads, [[LawAndOrder and this is their trope.]]

* ''WarriorCats'' Generally swaps between two major plot threads, and a third, far-removed one.

[[AC: {{WesternAnimation}}]]
* AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes has got several running at once. As of "The Widow's sting" we have: The breakout, the Kree-Skrull war, the SecretInvasion, Kang about to come from the future, the assembling of the Masters of Evil, the creation of the cosmic cube, Hydra's re-emerging, Widow's HeelFaceTurn FaceHeelTurn TheMole whatever she ''really'' might be, and I'm sure I'm missing out on several here.

* ''{{Final Fantasy}} The 4 Heroes of Light'' on the DS is all about this trope. The game frequently splits between the titular heroes (usually in pairs) as they make their way around.

* {{Wuxia}} literature ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demi-Gods_and_Semi-Devils Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils]]'' has 4 different plots and main characters: Qiao Feng, Duan Yu, Xuzhu, and You Tanzhi. They do union very later on.

* ''DragonQuestIV'', dubbed ''"Chapters of the Chosens"'', narrates four different stories involve seven supporting characters who have their own quests and goals. You have to play through their chapters before they join the main hero/heroine in Chapter 5.
* [[FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem Radiance Dawn]] has multiple acts, each follows different heroes/heroines and their armies. This causes the series's reguar premise of LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters to be turned UpToEleven.

* SuperRobotWars sometime does this for a sake of replay ability. You may choose to play as one of the two or more different characters that aren't even related or related but get saperated after the prologue. They also usually put plot points where the hero's team has to split up to do different mission in the different locations, but you only follow one group at a time.

* SuperRobotWars sometime does this for a sake of replay ability. You may choose to play as one of the two or more different characters that aren't even related or related but get saperated after the prologue. They also usually put plot points where the hero's team has to split up to do different mission in the different locations, but you only follow one group at the time.

* As for a sake of replay ability, SuperRobotWars sometime lets you choose to play as one of the whole differnt characters that aren't even related or related but get saperated after the prologue. They also usually put a plot point where the hero's team has to split up to do different mission in the different locations, and you only follow one group at the time.

* ''{{Final Fantasy}}'' The 4 Heroes of Light on the DS is all about this trope. The game frequently splits between the titular heroes (usually in pairs) as they make their way around.

* ''DragonQuestIV'', dubbed ''"Chapters of the Chosens"'', narrates the 4 different stories of the seven supporting characters who have their own quests and goals. You have to play through their chapters before they join up the main hero/heroine in Chapter 5.

* {{Wuxia}} literature ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demi-Gods_and_Semi-Devils Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils]]'' has 4 different plots and main characters: Qiao Feng, Duan Yu, Xuzhu, and You Tanzhi. They do union at the end.

* ''{{Final Fantasy VIII}}'' Has the dream sequences, which turn away from Squall and the SeeD to give the player the chance to see Laguna's story from his days as a Galbadia soldier with a crush on Julia to [[spoiler: his days with Raine and rebellion in Esthar.]]

Some narratives will have the [[CharacterCalculus focus]] follow TheHero and his merry band of [[{{Nakama}} stalwart allies]] from their [[HowToGatherCharacters 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 StoryArc being told throughout the narrative. Therefore, Some authors choose to show a wider range of action by alternating [[CharacterFocus 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.

* ''{{Heroes}}'' Volume 1 has about nine different plot threads, essentially one for each main character. They frequently weave together and diverge again as the characters interact with each other throughout the episodes, until all threads merge together for the grand finale.

* ''The Merchant of Venice'' makes it OlderThanSteam, though, with its alternation between Venice and Belmont. It would amaze me if there weren't a classical example, but I'm not much of a classicist.

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