Trope idea from the Trope Idea Salvage Yard (source draft
).
Laconic:
Before a WhamEpisode or character-advancing moment, a character recalls criticism directed at them because of a previous failure.Possible Names:
Description:
A character is about to face a challenge that has previously proved insurmountable for her. This time, however, the stakes have been raised and there's no other option left. She can't afford to lose and she is fully aware of itThen, there come the voices.
Either out of concern or malice, this character was dismissed by others because of her previous failure. It's their remarks that she hears right before this crucial moment in the plot or her Character Development. That she can't do it. It's a lost cause. They all should seek an often nonexistent third option.
The voices can be real (Alice is eavesdropping or being accompanied by a crowd) or imaginary (Alice is simply reminiscing), but they always have a discouraging and pessimistic tone. Instead of listening to them, Alice only furthers her resolve. She might have doubted a little at first but, in the end, the decision to try again prevails. Or maybe she takes it as a challenge to defy the odds. Alternatively, the put-downs only fuel her insecurities and she freezes, flees, or underperforms. The outcome is irrelevant for the Voices of the Past to be heard.
This trope may precede The Climax or the Wham moment of a Wham Episode. In turn, the challenge can be any Test and Trial Trope. Alice doesn't need to be a Determinator or even the Hero for this to apply. It might prompt an Oh, No... Not Again! reaction from other characters if they realize what Alice intends to do. It's sometimes accompanied by Stock Footage of the scenes the voices of the past come from.
Compare its Sister Trope, Hearing Voices, where the voices are actively manipulating the character to their bidding and the thing about to happen is not the focal point. See Heroic Spirit and Villainous Valor for when Alice succeeds. See Failure Is the Only Option, Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain, and Failure Hero for when Alice fails.
Examples:
Fan Works
- Satisfaction (My Hero Academia): While Midoriya is on a roof contemplating suicide, he thinks about all the "buts" other people have told him whenever he's tried to follow his dreams — essentially, that he's too quirkless to succeed. He then decides to try and change society for the better.“You can't be a hero.”
“Jump off the roof and hope for a quirk in your next life.”
“I’m sorry Izuku.”
“Just give up and die loser.”
“I didn’t even think that quirkless were allowed to exist anymore.”
“The only way you could ever improve the world is by leaving it, Freak.”
“Die.”
Films — Animation
- Finding Nemo: Darla's impending arrival throws the Tank Gang in a hurry to get their escape done or at least find a way to spare Nemo from her. The stakes are further raised by the fact Nemo's dad has crossed the ocean and is now in Sydney. Seeing this, Nemo decides to try and jam the tank's filter on his own — something he previously failed at, even with the Tank Gang's help. Meanwhile, the Tank Gang argues over possible solutions that don't include sending Nemo there again.Peach: Isn't there some other way? He's just a boy!
- Monsters University: Just before Mike makes his big scare in the final Scare Games event, various insults and put-downs directed at him echo through his mind, plus some advice Sulley gave him. Winning the event would allow him to re-enter the Scaring major and all of the remarks pertain to the fact that he's not scary-looking enough.Kid: You don't belong on a scare floor.
Johnny Worthington: No one will remember you.
Dean Hardscrabble: You're not scary.
Sulley: COME ON! DIG DEEP!
Films — Live Action
- In "Spider-Man: Homecoming", as Peter lies helplessly pinned beneath a pile of rubble and on the verge of a panic attack, Tony Stark's chastisement from earlier gives him the motivation to lift the rubble off his back:Tony Stark: If you're nothing without this suit, then you shouldn't have it.
- Final Fantasy X: The night before leaving on a journey with Yuna to defeat the Big Bad Sin, Tidus reminisces about his emotionally abusive father. Through a mini-game that is essentially "perform this trick shot to overcome your daddy issues" (since they distract Tidus), Tidus first remembers his father putting him down and then hears him yelling "you can't do it, kid" over and over while attempting the said trick shot.
