Basic Trope: A piece of Applied Phlebotinum has a specific requirement for activation and/or wielding.
- Straight: Bob can wield the Sword of Plot Advancement because he is of the bloodline of a great hero.
- Exaggerated: The Sword of Plot Advancement only works for a woman of the Callahan Clan born on the third Wednesday of October underneath a blue moon while in a boat in a lake. By C-section.
- Downplayed: Alice can wield the Sword of Plot Advancement despite not being of the bloodline, but its enchantments will only activate for Bob.
- Justified: The wizard who forged the Sword of Plot Advancement only wants good people to use it, so only the good at heart may wield it.
- Inverted: The Sword of Plot Advancement won't let Bob wield it because he is of the bloodline.
- Subverted: At first Bob thinks that there's some special requirement to wield the Sword of Plot Advancement, but it turns out it's just too heavy for anyone else.
- Double Subverted: And then it turns out that somebody else who is not of the blood but has his strength can't wield it.
- Parodied: Pulling the newly forged Sword of Plot Advancement out from his magical fires of creation, the wizard declared that only a man or woman born at anytime on any day of any year may wield the sword. Provided that they have hands which can hold the sword's hilt.
- Zig Zagged: The requirements for wielding the Sword of Plot Advancement keep changing throughout the story, creating uncertainty and confusion among the characters and the audience. At first, it appears to have specific bloodline restrictions, then it seems like anyone can wield it, but later it turns out that it has a hidden activation condition that only a chosen few can fulfill.
- Averted: Anyone can wield the Sword of Plot Advancement given a reasonable skill at sword-wielding.
- Enforced: The author was intentionally imitating one of the trope's archetypes.
- Lampshaded:Bob: "Only a woman may use the Sword of Plot Advancement? But what do women know about holding swords?
- Or:
Alice: "So only a man may use the Sword of Plot Advancement? Typical. This is sexist and old-fashioned."
Bob: "Well, yeah, Alice. It's a magical sword forged in an era where men were knights and women were damsels."
Alice: "I wouldn't expect you to understand, Bob." - Invoked: The Sword of Plot Advancement was enchanted so that only those of the blood could wield it, as a security measure.
- Exploited: Bob tricks his enemy, whom he knows is not of the blood, into trying to use the Sword of Plot Advancement. While he struggles with it, Bob decks him.
- Defied: The enchanter who creates the Sword of Plot Advancement specifically does not give it any requirements for wielding, just in case the hero's bloodline dies out and heroes are still needed.
- Discussed: "You mean to tell me that even Alice, one of the best sword-fighters in the world, can't use the Sword of Plot Advancement because she's not of the blood?"
- Conversed: "You know why Bob can use the Sword of Plot Advancement in the show? He's a descendant of Bob of Ten Oaks."
- Deconstructed: Since only Bob can wield the Sword of Plot Advancement due to his bloodline, his death at the hands of an assassin results in The End of the World as We Know It.
- Reconstructed: Following Bob's demise, Alice discovers that the bloodline requirement for wielding the Sword of Plot Advancement was symbolic. Through trials and sacrifices, she proves her worth and becomes the new wielder, using the sword to restore balance and bring hope. This reconstruction emphasizes that the sword's power is determined by one's character and determination, rather than lineage alone.
- Implied: The Sword of Plot Advancement's requirements are hinted at or suggested, but never explicitly stated or shown on-screen. The audience is left to infer the conditions based on contextual clues or subtle references.
- Plotted A Good Waste: The Sword of Plot Advancement's activation requirements are intentionally convoluted and nonsensical, serving as a humorous plot device or running gag. The characters continually struggle to fulfill the conditions, leading to comedic situations and misunderstandings.
- Played For Laughs: The Sword of Plot Advancement's activation requirements are exaggerated and played for comedic effect. The absurdity of the conditions, such as being born on a specific day under specific celestial events, is highlighted for humorous purposes.
- Played For Drama: The limitations and specific requirements of the Sword of Plot Advancement are used to create tension and conflict within the story. The characters' struggle to meet the conditions becomes a source of emotional stakes and drives the narrative forward.
Only a true troper will be able to use the link back to Phlebotinum-Handling Requirements.
