Last question is probably my favorite, because it is, "I can't tell if you like or hate these tropes." And that's very interesting to me, because the series has been loved by people who love the tropes and by people who hate tropes. And so I'm about to make approximately 30% of you really mad because honestly, I love this stuff! […] I live for this shiz, I really do. I know it's very popular in some circles to think that tropes are bad or romance is bad or whatever—and there is an entire universe of fiction so if you don't like those things then that is totally fine—but honestly this stuff is my jam.
— Jill Bearup, Q&A
Fantasy Heroine is a Troperiffic, Affectionate Parody 2022 TikTok series by Jill Bearup. It can be found here.
Writer Caroline was casting for a "generic white girl fantasy heroine"—particularly a 16-year-old girl of the Waif-Fu, Not Like Other Girls variety. Instead, she got Rosamund, a 36-year-old widowed mother of two, who can handle a sword… but only one that's proportionate to her size and musculature.
There's a plot-plot, featuring two neighboring countries at war and an attempt to steal Rosamund's kids' inheritance. There's also a romance subplot about Rosamund and her Hot Enemy, Leo. Rosamund is only interested in the plot-plot, and Caroline is only interested in the shipping plot. As viewers, though, the story isn't exactly about either of those—it's really about Caroline throwing as many tropes at Rosamund as possible, and Rosamund's responding Rage Against the Author.
Jill has also described it as: "What would happen if DnD was played by two characters from Yes, Minister, assuming that one of the characters in Yes, Minister was a rabid shipper."
Due to popular demand, Jill expanded the tale of Caroline and Rosamund into a full novel (her first): Just Stab Me Now was released in paperback and eBook formats in 2024.
Tropes
- After-Action Patch-Up: Rosamund and Leo are attacked on the road by bandits.Caroline: Ready to patch up and covertly ogle your hot shirtless enemy?
- Altar Diplomacy: Rosamund's first marriage, albeit an instance in which both parties ended up happy in the relationship.Rosamund: All the couples entered into the arranged marriages with the understanding that they would retain their citizenships, and any children would be citizens of both countries in an attempt to maintain peace and goodwill.
Caroline: Well, I suppose you didn't go to war for a good… 15, 16 years? - Beautiful Dreamer:Rosamund: Can I at least sleep in for a bit tomorrow?
Caroline: But of course! That way he can reluctantly notice you're pretty while you're still asleep. - Big Entrance: Leo during Hugo's feast of remembrance.
- BFS: Downplayed. Caroline's original pitch is for a sword that weighs 4.5 kg, which, while not as ridiculous as this trope tends to get, is still much larger than any functional sword. (To give perspective, zweihanders are about 2 kg and ceremonial zweihanders are 4 kg.) Rosamund, being quite small and light, demands she downgrade to something she can actually use.
- Fanservice Cover: Discussed Trope:Caroline: I'm thinking that your masquerade costume would make excellent cover art.
Rosamund: [...] If the words "acres of leg" and/or "bosom" are about to cross your lips, I should warn you—
Caroline: Don't be silly! You don't even have acres of bosom!
Rosamund: Yes, I am aware, I just wasn't sure if the cover artist was. - If You Ever Do Anything to Hurt Her...: Caroline likes the idea of Robin giving one to Leo
- I Just Write the Thing: In-Universe (and, incidentally, out-of-universe):Rosamund: I think I understand now!
Caroline: Well, I don't; none of this is in the outline! - I Kiss Your Hand: During their Marriage of Convenience, Caroline is eagerly awaiting the ceremony making them kiss. Instead, Leo gently kisses... the back of Rosamund's hand. Caroline is surprised, but not displeased.
- Improvised Weapon:
- Rosamund is hanging out with her sister Cat and baby niece when an assassin crashes through the window. Rosamund throws the knife and cheeseboard at the assassin.
- When Charlotte catches an arsonist setting fire to her home, she throws a chamber pot at them. Her mother is very proud upon hearing this.
- Love Triangle: Robin is introduced as Rosamund's "Hot Childhood Best Friend", implying Childhood Friend Romance and a Love Triangle with her and "Hot Enemy" Leo. But it gets Subverted—it turns out Rosamund and Robin really are basically just Childhood Friends. He is attractive, sure, but he can be an attractive person without that specifically being for Rosamund's benefit. That alone doesn't make him a Love Interest. There's also the detail of their age. Caroline's earliest idea, back in episode 1, involved Young Adult Literature and a 16-year-old heroine. If they were teenagers, the Hot Childhood Best Friend being single would make sense. But Rosamund—and by extension Robin—are two decades too old for that. It makes rather less sense for Robin to still be single in his mid 30s, given that he's "rich, personable, and attractive". So he's not: he's already married to a woman named Elinor.
- Masquerade Ball: To Caroline's disappointment, Rosamund, Leo, and Robin can still recognize each other since masquerade masks are a Paper-Thin Disguise that aren't really meant to obscure someone's face.
- Medium Awareness: Zig-zagged somewhat. Of course Rosamund knows she's a character in a book, but eventually Caroline orders a copy of the paperback and discovers it has Jill Bearup as the author. It looks like Rosamund might have to explain to Caroline they're in the same boat.
- The Mole:Rosamund: You're a spy. You're both spies, and you went to spy on the Baron, not for him.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: When Rosamund's about to consummate her relationship with Leo, Caroline suddenly gets cold feet.
- To Expand: (As Caroline explains to her Administrator) Rosamund thinks Leo married her out of pity, Leo thinks Rosamund married him out of guilt, they both know she isn't over her late husband yet and Leo doesn't know about the requirement that their marriage has to be consummated to be considered valid, she can't think of a plausible scenario where the two of them can sit down and talk it out and she refuses to just write Rosamund as "checking off 'seduce husband for political reasons'" (Plus the Write Who You Know factor spelled out below). Fortunately, her Admin gives her an out in the next episode.
- Oh, Crap!: A double-shot for Rosamund: After realizing both Leo and Robin were spying on the Baron, not for him... She then realizes she blew their cover with her actions in the previous episode.Caroline: And the other penny drops!
- Oh, Crap, There Are Fanfics of Us!: In the final short, Caroline wakes up Rosamund, in the middle of the night to confess she looked up fanfics about Rosamund online. Including the explicit ones. Subverted because while Rosamund is rather blasé about the whole thing — she's been aware she's a fictional character the whole time, after all — Caroline is embarrassed, because Rosamund shares her face...Rosamund: Zero sympathy, Caroline. You knew what you were getting into.
- Plagued by Nightmares: When Rosamund tries to get around the shippy aspects of There Is Only One Bed by sleeping on the floor, Caroline adds nightmares so that Leo can comfort Rosamund when she wakes up screaming.Caroline: It's just a shame about your nightmares.
Rosamund: You killed off my husband before the story even started, my kids are staying with my brother and my sister-in-law while I try to resolve the plot, and there's a war on! Of course I have nightmares! [Beat] ...You wouldn't.
Caroline: I know what the people want.
Rosamund: …there's going to be grudgingly affectionate cuddling when I wake up screaming and disorientated, isn't there?
Caroline: And possibly some hair stroking. Like I said: I know what the people want. - Plot-Triggering Death: The death of Rosamund's first husband, Hugo Hawkhurst.
- Relationship Upgrade: Caroline and her hot editor.
- Religion is Magic: It doesn't come up during the main story but apparently exists in the universe since Caroline mentions dropping some hints about it near the end of the book as a Sequel Hook.
- Ring on a Necklace: Rosamund wears her late husband's wedding ring on a chain about her neck, under her clothes. Ow.
- Shout-Out: Monty Python and the Holy GrailCaroline: He's probably more interested in your tracts of land.
- Slipknot PonytailCaroline: Couldn't you put it up in some way that it will fall down dramatically in the middle of a fight scene, or possibly when you're having a really involved argument with your hot enemy?
Rosamund: It's… really more likely to fall down at random, rather than at appropriate dramatic moments. - There Is Only One Bed: Caroline argues this is a Justified Trope because of real-world history. Rosamund argues that the Standard Fantasy Setting is too anachronistic for that to hold any water.Caroline: It has come to my attention that in the medieval period it was typical to go to an inn and pay for a space in a bed, rather than a whole room. And so it's entirely justifiable—on nights you're staying in more modest accommodations—that you should be expecting to share a bed with your Hot En—with Captain Collins.
Rosamund: […] You do recall that your haphazardly constructed world isn't actually representative of any particular historical period? - Waif-Fu: Discussed TropeCaroline: As a fantasy heroine, we do need to know: Can you handle a sword?
Rosamund: Uh, yes. What kind?
Caroline: You know, a sword! Giant metal thing, pointy end goes in the other man, weights about 4.5 kilos.
Rosamund: You're asking if I can wield a sword that represents about 7.5% of my body weight?
Caroline: Yes!
Rosamund: Do I have magic powers?
Caroline: Not currently.
Rosamund: Then no. - Write Who You Know: Captain Collins is apparently based on Caroline's hot editor, while Rosamund is clearly based on Caroline herself. This causes her to become flustered and run away when confronted by the possibility of having to write an intimate scene between him and Rosamund.
