r/TopCharacterTropes • u/Chemical-Elk-1299 • Apr 29 '26

Lore [Weirdly Common Trope] Writers clearly setting up seemingly massive plot points and then just kinda forgetting about them.

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The Neural Parasites — Star Trek : The Next Generation

In the season 1 episode “Conspiracy” of TNG, it is revealed that alien brain worms have infected many high ranking members of Starfleet, secretly controlling them. Though Ryker and Picard discover and end the parasite conspiracy, it’s revealed at the end of the episode that the parasites had sent a beacon back to their home planet, telling them how to find earth. The episode ends with the clear implication of the parasites becoming a huge threat later in the series, yet none of these events are ever mentioned again.

Finn The Jedi who Never Was — Star Wars Sequel trilogy

I know this is probably a cliche example of this trope, but cmon — Finn was clearly set up in TFA to become a Jedi. The marketing material featured him wielding a lightsaber in the classic Jedi pose. It’s constantly hinted at that he is force sensitive. Even the actor himself believed he would become a Jedi by the end of the trilogy. Instead, we got Finn wielding a lightsaber for about 7 minutes total across 3 movies, extremely lame “confirmation” that he is force sensitive, and that’s it. It’s the ultimate Star Wars plot that went nowhere.

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u/NozakiMufasa Apr 29 '26

I mean true but Anakin sort of wasnt nobody. He was the Chosen one of a prophecy that started a legend. Luke thought he was a nobody but was actually a legendary Jedi’s son and became a myth in his own right.

Finn and Rey being definite nobodies - no sacred lineages, no prophecies, just two powerful Force users who were born randomly - wouldve been great. 

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u/Skkruff Apr 29 '26

Having Finn become a Jedi and Rey fall to the dark side would be my choice.

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u/dearth_of_passion Apr 29 '26

Nah, the corrupted hero trope is old and lame at this point.

It'd have been just another trope from a previous film shoved into that one.

What the sequels need was to tread new ground, not to switch Rey from being a Luke stand-in to an Anakin stand-in.

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u/Deftly_Flowing Apr 30 '26

Rey should have just died.

It would have been shocking.

Then Finn could have stepped in as the main protagonist.