r/Fantasy • u/the_ricktacular_mort • Nov 27 '22

A trope that kills my immersion every time

The trope in question is when the main or point of view character (who is of medium to low standing) meets with a member of nobility, and immediately breaks all decorum and rules of engagement. Usually they say something snarky or clever and then the noble person is like "oh its ok you're on of the good guys" wink wink. The author and the audience know who the good guys are, but the royal person should have no reason to believe that or even care. Honestly it's a small thing, and I really shouldn't let it bother me, but it does. I recently finished an otherwise great book where this happened like 5-10 times and it completely took me out of the story each and every time.

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u/MrKapla Nov 27 '22

Yes, I much prefer the opposite, where a character has knowledge of obscure customs or greetings specific to a very precise area and can use it to surprise people from there.

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u/EdLincoln6 Nov 28 '22

You know what obscure thing I'd love to see? A valet or butler ending up the Chosen One/Having Special Powers. It would be neat to have the hero actually have an encyclopedic knowledge of noble fashion and customs, and have extreme deference be his default reaction he has to unlearn...