What does retconned mean

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retcon.

Retcon has had a busy life for such a young word. In the span of a few decades it has managed to become an abbreviation, change from a noun to a verb, and move from the jargon-filled chat rooms of the Internet to general parlance. Though Sherlock Holmes died at the Reichenbach Falls, the author, Arthur Conan Doyle, retroactively declared that his death had been staged in what has been described as an early example of a retcon. Retcon is a shortened form of retroactive continuity , and refers to a literary device in which the form or content of a previously established narrative is changed. Essentially, a retcon allows an author to have his or her cake and eat it too, as it enables the return of dead characters, the revision of unpopular elements of a work, and a general disregard for reality.

What does retconned mean

With so many long-running movie and TV franchises, the word "retcon" is often thrown around, but what does it mean in this context? Sometimes, the term is used to describe a continuity mistake in a work of fiction, but the true meaning goes a little deeper than that. In the world of movies and television—especially regarding franchises that have been going on for years—previously established information is bound to need a tweak or two. This is where retconning comes in, and there are a great many ways that this can be done. Retcons are often associated with mistakes in movies and TV. For example, if a continuity error exists regarding a character's family history—perhaps the writer listed two different names for that character's father—an in-plot reason for this may be established to explain this issue retroactively. Audiences often regard these kinds of bandaids with annoyance, and the word retcon might be thrown out as a sort of criticism. Still, this is only one kind of retcon. Retcon, or "retroactive continuity," is defined as " a piece of new information that imposes a different interpretation on previously described events. Though this can sometimes happen within a single piece of work, retcons are typically seen in sequels or spinoffs. A screenwriter may choose to retcon canon characters or events to move the plot in a new direction, adjust circumstances based on audience feedback, or simply because they no longer like how they wrote the story. Retcons are extremely common in movies and TV, especially in franchises that have been in the works for years.

Meanwhile, Luke, What does retconned mean and Chewbacca fly the Millennium Falcon back in time in a desperate, last-ditch attempt to retcon the prequels out of existence. Possibly out of neglect to the potential story line the element could have provided, but ultimately was wasted. Your feedback will be reviewed.

Retcon is a literary device in which new information is introduced that puts a new meaning on previous events in the story. Retcon may be used as a noun or a verb, related words are retconned, retconning. While the use of a retcon may be a clever twist in a story, usually readers or movie goers are angered by the use of a retcon. The word retcon is a portmanteau of the words retroactive and continuity. A portmanteau is a word that is composed by blending the sounds and the meanings of two different words. The term retroactive continuity was coined in the s by E. The term was usurped by comic book fans engaging in discussions on Usenet in the s.

Add to word list Add to word list. Retcon is short for " retroactive continuity ":. Retcons are usually done for the sake of the plot at hand. The scenes set in in "Selfless" are basically retcon. It isn't a total retcon. I never considered Anya's human past a retcon. The Sentry started out as an enormous retcon. Broadcasting in general. You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics: Cinema - general words.

What does retconned mean

Retcon has had a busy life for such a young word. In the span of a few decades it has managed to become an abbreviation, change from a noun to a verb, and move from the jargon-filled chat rooms of the Internet to general parlance. Though Sherlock Holmes died at the Reichenbach Falls, the author, Arthur Conan Doyle, retroactively declared that his death had been staged in what has been described as an early example of a retcon. Retcon is a shortened form of retroactive continuity , and refers to a literary device in which the form or content of a previously established narrative is changed. Essentially, a retcon allows an author to have his or her cake and eat it too, as it enables the return of dead characters, the revision of unpopular elements of a work, and a general disregard for reality. The term appears to have its roots in a book by E. This began in the early s when the term gained some degree of currency among comic book fans. The abbreviated form, retcon , started appearing in Usenet newsgroups before the end of the decade. Retcon 's noun and verb forms appeared almost simultaneously. They're in 1st Ed.

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The film X-Men: Days of Future Past features the character Wolverine traveling in time to to prevent an assassination that, if carried out, would lead to planetary extinction. English—German German—English. Interrogative pronouns are pronouns used to ask questions. This retcon took place because of the characters' very similar origins. Other Questions What is the meaning of the phrase 'trip the light fantastic'? Sometimes, the term is used to describe a continuity mistake in a work of fiction, but the true meaning goes a little deeper than that. Your vs. Dictionary Definition. Talk about a retcon by another name! A prime example of this is the X-Men franchise. Medieval theatre covers all drama produced in Europe over that thousand-year period and refers to a variety of genres, including liturgical drama, mystery plays, morality plays, farces and masques. The term was usurped by comic book fans engaging in discussions on Usenet in the s. Article Talk. Post the Definition of retcon to Facebook Facebook. It isn't a total retcon.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retcon. Send us feedback about these examples.

English—Spanish Spanish—English. The term was usurped by comic book fans engaging in discussions on Usenet in the s. Whether or not Lucas had thought up Midi-chlorians before his original trilogy is up for debate, but regardless, this is still a retcon. See All. Word lists shared by our community of dictionary fans. A retcon is an instance of a hand wave. See All. Caste is a class structure of a group of people in society determined by birth and can only take certain occupations. ISBN X. Examples of retcon. In order to have further stories starring Zorro, author Johnston McCulley kept all the elements of his original story, but retroactively ignored its ending. Update: This word was added to the dictionary in October Retcon has had a busy life for such a young word. All-Star Squadron was set during World War II on Earth-Two; as it was in the past of an alternate universe, all its events had repercussions on the contemporary continuity of the DC multiverse.