Eons ago, people faced a terrible evil and were unable to defeat it. But they locked it away so it would never bother the earth again! Er… did we say “never”? We meant, of course, that the bars of its prison will weaken in a thousand years and it will be set free to ravage the world once more. But that’s future humanity’s problem. This trope lends a certain panache to your villain… they are legendary. They are powerful. They are feared (and probably immortal). Who wants to go up against that?

Episode Hosts: Kyle, Allison, Christiana.

Produced by Mythos & Ink.

Today's Trope: The Plants Have Risen Up Against Us. There’s something sinister about your surroundings trying to kill you—especially when those surroundings include giant, human-eating plants, trees that try to smother you with their roots, or other dangerous flora. Guns, swords, and sometimes even fire aren’t effective against shrewd shrubbery.

Episode Hosts: Emma, Kyle, Christiana.

Produced by Mythos & Ink.

Today's Trope: The Government is out to get us. Want your character to face off against impossible odds? Pit them against a corrupt, evil empire who’s hiding something important from the people or taking advantage of them in some way! This trope usually involves oppression of the masses, and a hierarchy of a few people who benefit from the system while many others suffer.

Produced by Mythos & Ink.

Today’s Trope: Clones are Humans, Too. Are clones expendable, since they’re just copies? Do they have souls? Are they evil doppelgangers who need to be destroyed? Not in this trope! In these stories, clones become characters in their own right, with individual personalities and everything. 

Stories Covered: Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Moon, The Prestige.

Episode Hosts: Emma, Allison, Christiana.

Produced by Mythos & Ink.

Hosts Kyle and Christiana take some time to talk to Allison Alexander and Shelly Campbell about their upcoming work (published by Mythos & Ink) called Making Myths and Magic. It's a field guide of sorts for all of us (fantasy and sci-fi writers especially) to help us with the creation of our worlds and get us set in the right direction for our writing journey. 

Produced by Mythos & Ink.

Today’s Trope: Forbidden Power. While the power might not be evil in and of itself, it often twists the user in terrible ways. Whether it takes a toll on the mage’s mind or body, summons spirits that are difficult to control, or requires human sacrifice, the cost is usually high. And that’s why this magic is often feared, forbidden, and/or outlawed.

Stories Covered: Star Wars, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Full Metal Alchemist.

Episode Hosts: Emma, Allison, Christiana.

Produced by Mythos & Ink.

Announcement Music: “Coffee Beats” by Aaron Parsons (used with permission).

Episode Hosts: Kyle, Allison, and Emma. 

Today's Trope: What if pizza was never invented? (a.k.a. parallel worlds). When characters visit another world that is similar to ours, but slightly different in a variety of ways, we’ve entered the realm of alternate universes! Whether every character has an evil twin, pizza was never invented, or everyone’s favourite superhero is the red lantern, parallel worlds offer opportunities to explore what if questions, have beloved characters die (but not really), and explore alter-egos. 

Stories Covered: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Fringe, Community. 

Produced by Mythos & Ink. 

Announcement Music: "Coffee Beats" by Aaron Parsons (used with permission).

Episode Hosts: Kyle, Allison, and Emma

Today's Trope: Everything is a Simulation (a.k.a. the awful truth about your world). In science fiction and fantasy, sometimes the truth about the world is hidden from the masses because it’s so horrible. You’re living in a simulation. We’re raising you to be fed to a multi-tentacled monster that demands sacrifices. Everyone is dead and this is actually hell. The mystery of this awful truth is built up throughout the story, so you want to know, even though you really don’t want to know.

Stories Covered: Sword Art Online, The Good Place, WandaVision

Produced by Mythos & Ink.

Announcement Music: “Coffee Beats” by Aaron Parsons (used with permission).

Episode Hosts: Allison, Christiana, and Kyle.

Today's Trope: Who wants to live forever? (a.k.a. immortal magics and technology.) Some characters are driven to find a way to live forever, and go on a quest for eternal life. But, often, when they do snag that elixir of life, or that fountain of youth, or that tech that lets you upload your consciousness into a new body, they find immortality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. We’re going to look at how some writers have played with this trope in interesting ways.

Stories Covered: Upload, Interview with a Vampire, Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Produced by Mythos & Ink.

Announcement Music: “Coffee Beats” by Aaron Parsons (used with permission).

Episode Hosts: Allison, Christiana, and Kyle.

Today's Trope: Aliens are Weird. Sometimes, very weird. Their bodies often work in different ways than humans’ do, whether that means they have blue skin, multiple arms, can breathe underwater, have ten sexes, or only mate during a full moon. What makes an alien’s biology unique is entirely up to your imagination, though science and a basic understanding of anatomy might inspire you in the creation of alien species.

Stories Covered: Alien, Stargate: SG-1, Cycle of Fire by Hal Clement

Produced by Mythos & Ink.

Announcement Music: “Coffee Beats” by Aaron Parsons (used with permission).