Retcon definition

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the verb retcon. OED's earliest evidence for retcon is fromin a message posted on the Usenet newsgroup rec. Etymons: retcon definition continuity n. Sign in with library card.

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Retcon definition

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! See Definitions and Examples ». Dictionary Definition. Cite this Entry Citation Share. Log In. Could Bail's Backstory—and by extension the childhood of Princess Leia—suddenly be getting a retcon? The character has done everything from going into dormancy after losing his powers to being destroyed to being brought back via retcon … — Sage Ashford. Then came the series finale, and one of the most famous—and, depending on one's perspective, fascinating or infuriating— retcons in the history of TV.

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Retroactive continuity , or retcon for short, is a literary device in which facts in the world of a fictional work that have been established through the narrative itself are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subsequently published work that recontextualizes or breaks continuity with the former. Retcons are used by authors to increase their creative freedom, on the assumption that the changes are unimportant to the audience compared to the new story which can be told. Retcons can be diegetic or nondiegetic. For instance, by using time travel or parallel universes , an author may diegetically reintroduce a popular character they had previously killed off. 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. Retcons are common in pulp fiction , and especially in comic books by long-established publishers such as DC and Marvel. Retcons also often appear in manga , soap operas , serial dramas , movie sequels, cartoons , professional wrestling angles , video games , radio series, and other forms of serial fiction.

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.

Retcon definition

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.

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British and American pronunciations with audio. English idioms. Quiz Italian confusables. Audiences often regard these kinds of bandaids with annoyance, and the word retcon might be thrown out as a sort of criticism. A Short History of 'Retcon' The term was popularized by comics fandom—but that's not where it originated. A printed use of "retroactive continuity" referring to the altering of history in a fictional work is in All-Star Squadron 18 February from DC Comics. Blossom Word Game You can make only 12 words. The Sherlock Holmes character has been retconned dozens of times in various media. Retrieved May 26, A Short History of 'Retcon' The term was popularized by comics fandom—but that's not where it originated. Build your vocabulary. Choose your language. Brainiac is thought to have its origins in an early issue of Superman, and the pejorative term sad sack had its roots in George Baker's comic strip of the same name. Read Edit View history. Retcons are usually done for the sake of the plot at hand.

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.

Click on the arrows to change the translation direction. The sentence contains offensive content. Some very interesting words come from Africa - here are a few combinations that can be useful in squeezing a high score from a tricky rack. Though this can sometimes happen within a single piece of work, retcons are typically seen in sequels or spinoffs. Recent Examples on the Web Noun. Mandarin Chinese images. Bilingual Dictionaries. Tools to create your own word lists and quizzes. New York: Ballantine Books, Examples of retcon. The character Zorro was retconned early in his existence. Free word lists and quizzes from Cambridge.