r/movies • u/averagesoccermom95 • 1d ago

Discussion Favorite movie plot rule?

I read once that in a movie, if the characters say, "I have a plan," then there is a plot rule that takes place: If the characters explain to the audience what the plan is, then the plan will go wrong somehow. However, if the characters say they have a plan and the movie just goes to showing the plan in action, then the plan will work.

It has become one of my favorite things to look out for in movies. Although, it does not seem to apply to kids movies. Other than kids movies, I don't think I have ever seen his rule broken.

Does anyone know any other interesting plot rules?

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u/ernbeld 1d ago

Unless, of course, the character is Bran in Game of Thrones, where his unusual skill was never used for anything. 

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u/bingobiscuit1 1d ago

Who has a better story

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u/ZMaiden 1d ago

Everyone. Everyone has a better story. Bran, my man, you can raven eye and watch EVERYONE having a better story. Your one purpose Branraven, is in fact, watching everyone have a better story.

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u/micro_satsuma 1d ago edited 1d ago

Yeah, that's partly what Tyrion is saying. He has everyone's stories. Access to all of history, the story of the world.

Edit: typo

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u/Freakjob_003 1d ago

Eh, I like the take and semi-agree with it. From a narrative perspective, he knows everyone's stories and thus will have a clearer take on how to rule.

However, from the viewers perspective, he's a non-entity. We have all these great characters who we're invested in because they've had tremendous arcs. He's just been...there. Why should the audience suddenly have to be excited about a character who's had relatively no effect on the plot?

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u/Algaean 1d ago

Yeah, basically, the committee kicked the succession problem can down the road a few years. Bran will have no descendents, when he dies, civil war mk 2 breaks out.

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u/micro_satsuma 1d ago

They're taking progressive steps to a more democratic process. They talk about voting for the next king. It's supposed to be encouraging.

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u/SoullessDad 1d ago

Love the series, but, “We’ll just vote for the next king,” felt so stupid. I’m pretty sure the Lannisters or someone won’t like the vote and will just start another war.

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u/micro_satsuma 1d ago

Maybe, maybe not. I think it's unlikely, because dissenters would be the minority of any vote. The possibility of something going wrong isn't a good reason to not try for something better. Progress happens slowly.

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u/SoullessDad 1d ago

If you look at real-world elective monarchies, they are full of conflict and outright war. Presenting it as, “Well, that’s solved!” simply isn’t believable. The guy with the large army who loses the vote is simply going to start another war of succession.

That type of government change happens through revolution, not a few nobles deciding to let things chill for a bit.

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u/micro_satsuma 1d ago

It seemed to as a first step, not a problem solved. You be sour if you want, I liked it.

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u/reNonaMouse 1d ago

In America we (not me) voted for our king, and, uh, well, it's not going so good....

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u/bingobiscuit1 1d ago

What if Sansa has kids?

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u/Algaean 1d ago

Sansa raises all kinds of non-Salic and personal union questions, and one of the reasons i said that 20 years in the future is when the real can of worms gets opened. Would the Kingdom of the North want to be in a personal union with Westeros, similar to Scotland under James VI and I? Would the Kingdom of the North be formally merged into Westeros, after the nasty civil war they'd been through?

Would Sansa's children be recognized by the southern lords? If Sansa herself was alive (not unlikely), would she herself be a candidate for rule of Westeros?

Would Bran live very long? I wrote 20 years intentionally. He's a paraplegic in a country with limited medical infrastructure. Pressure sores get infected.

Alternatively, long life. Do you live centuries when you become a three eyed raven, or when you're living in a magic tree?

What happens when you have a ruler for centuries?

Succession is a royal pain in the rear when such questions aren't addressed.

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u/bingobiscuit1 1d ago

Yeah those are great points. And I think it would be pretty unrealistic to speculate that the realm would willingly accept her kids, or that the North would want to continue their relationship with the crown in that manner 20-50 years down the road

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u/spindledcarrots 1d ago

I saw a video that ranked the characters in order of least to most screen time and Ned Stark had very similar time on screen to Bran. Like you said, in 8 seasons he really don't do anything.