Retcon definition

Translation of retcon retcon definition English—Traditional Chinese dictionary. Add to word list Add to word list. Retcon is short for "Retroactive Continuity". Examples of retcon.

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.

Retcon definition

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. They could retcon age changes at the beginning of any future series. Many of the orginal ideas end up being retconned.

Could Bail's Backstory—and by extension the childhood of Princess Leia—suddenly be getting a retcon?

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retcon. Send us feedback about these examples. The term was popularized by comics fandom—but that's not where it originated. Accessed 2 Mar. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the verb retcon. OED's earliest evidence for retcon is from , in a message posted on the Usenet newsgroup rec. Etymons: retroactive continuity n. Sign in with library card. Sign in as administrator on Oxford Academic.

Retcon definition

Take Star Wars , for example. When Disney took over, Star Wars had much of its canon reduced to nothing more than legends, effectively retconning various story elements. Various other films have taken multiple approaches to ignoring previously established stories, re-explaining previously explained things, or offering new perspectives to things we thought we knew. Here are ten. At the end of Superman 2 , we see Clark Kent fly off into space. Only Superman 3 and 4 and Supergirl had never happened, and this film was a sequel to the two original films. When George Lucas answers questions about his wider plans for the Star Wars universe, he states that he had a big, film epic planned with adventures spanning the universe and the biology of the midichlorians. Sure you did, buddy.

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English—Norwegian Norwegian—English. Retcons sometimes add information that seemingly contradicts previous information. Nearby entries. Spanish to English. Cancel Submit. Word lists shared by our community of dictionary fans. English—French French—English. The plot got retconned into something else entirely later on. Follow us. In the letters column , a reader remarked that the comic "must make you [the creators] feel at times as if you're painting yourself into a corner", and, "Your matching of Golden Age comics history with new plotlines has been an artistic and I hope financial! Essential American English. Tell us about this example sentence:. Take the quiz. How is the verb retcon pronounced? Though the word retcon finds its roots in written fiction, its use grew in online communities with the rise of comic book adaptations like the MCU and DC.

In the world of storytelling, retroactive continuity, or retcon, is our secret weapon for narrative flexibility.

Homophones, Homographs, and Homonyms. We have almost lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots! There is one meaning in OED's entry for the verb retcon. Check See the answer Next Next quiz Review. English—German German—English. More subtle and nondiegetic methods would be ignoring or expunging minor plot points to remove narrative elements the author doesn't have interest in writing. Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English. Word History. Retcon has had a busy life for such a young word. Factsheet for retcon, v. Hindi to English. Need even more definitions?