Discussion Main / TotalEclipseOfThePlot

Linking to a past Trope Repair Shop thread that dealt with this page: Split, started by ccoa on Feb 13th 2012 at 11:29:38 PM

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman

Should it be added that there will be a real life solar eclipse across the USA on August 21?

Never let it be said that I would not use twenty words when only a few words would be necessary Hide / Show Replies

Does this trope cover cases where a solar eclipse has Lunacy-like effects like enabling or enhancing certain power(set)s?

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.

Removed the following examples:

Zero Context Example or not enough context to tell if it fits the trope:

• A Richie Rich time travel story involved an eclipse in ancient Egypt.
• Two Thousand One A Space Odyssey: Daaaaa. Daaaaaaaa. Daaaaaaaaa. DADA! Bom-bom-bom-bom...
• Warrior Cats. Those poor cats thought the sun died...
• In Question Duck, it's the setting for another question.

Full of Natter claiming it's not an example. Repair Dont Respond, guys:

• And the latter is certainly a reference to the darkness that fell on Jerusalem when Jesus died on the cross (according to three of four gospels). This "darkness" is not said to be a solar eclipse (it could not be, because it lasted three hours), but we probably are supposed to imagine it as such.
  • Another reason it couldn't possibly have been a solar eclipse is that Jesus was crucified around the time of Passover, which occurs only at the full moon (as does Easter to this day), but solar eclipses can of course occur only at the new moon.
  • This doesn't mean it's impossible, simply that it wasn't an eclipse - it could have been a volcano, a nasty storm or any of a dozen other things as well. Solar eclipse is simply the most popularly accepted, if scientifically impossible, answer.
  • I'm reasonably certain we're supposed to view it as a miracle.

Doesn't seem to fit the trope (not marking a dramatic/supernatural moment, or just "an eclipse happened"):

• In the Sci Fi miniseries Tin Man, Azkedelia's evil plan is to cause a permanent solar eclipse.
• On Young Dracula, shortly after Ingrid becomes a full vampire and is no longer able to go out in sunlight, there is an eclipse that lasts long enough for her to go out to the movies with her boyfriend and make it back home safely.
• The first episode of season 3 of Robin Hood takes place during an eclipse of the sun. During the eclipse itself, though, there's a gibbous moon visible behind Robin's shoulder. Whoops!
• The Epic Level Handbook for Dungeons And Dragons has an Eclipse spell: when cast, it creates an opaque disk, sized and positioned perfectly, to block out the sun for five miles around the caster.

Mistaking this trope for Eclipses Dont Work That Way:

• The cartoon Recess was portrayed realistically, only occurring in the last few minutes of the episode.
• You do know that lunar eclipses can total at over an hour, which is long enough for most plots, don't you?
  • Key word there is can. Most eclipses are short and partial.
    • Actually the key word is 'lunar'. Most of the plots above are about SOLAR eclipses, and total ones at that.

Waiting on a TRS slot? Finishing off one of these cleaning efforts will usually open one up.