Debunking TV-Tropes (Talon Ted's Idiot Plot)

If Talon Ted wasn't stupid, #5 would end in three pages. First of all, his motive for rejecting offers is petty and weak. Second, he can make his own company that hires people by his standards, as he has both a wage big enough to make a charity and a colossal amount of money from an accident. That way he follows his dream, even surpasses it, and even keeps his pride and that of others like him! Third, why didn't he try to go to auditions before his sister made him get a degree? Fourth, he decides to finally use his brain, but only to ruin himself and spite his sister, when he could use it to make both of them win instead. The whole plot makes no sense at all.

Yeah... well... uh, the fact is...

First of all, his motive for rejecting offers is petty and weak.

I don't see anything "weak" about it. I like to think of it as RETURNING FIRE.

If they weren't so stupid, they would have given him a chance WITHOUT a degree. They could've seen how great he was simply by being self-taught. and he could have surprised them-- being exactly whom they were looking for.

But no... they chucked him out without even so much as listening simply because of lack of degree.

That's not having common sense (good sense and sound judgment in practical matters. "a common-sense approach")

That's being biased: (unfairly prejudiced for or against someone or something.)

Talon has no degree, but he is a gifted actor with good skills, and you didn't give him a chance to audition simply because he has no degree.

Whereas another pony with a degree is let in without second thought, and even though that pony proves to be a horrible actor, they award them the part simply for have a degree.

Again... not common sense, that's being biased.

To them, you must have a degree to be viewed as "worthy", which is the equivalence of believing that a person with blonde hair is dumb.

You should have give them the chance to audition, and then judged him by the strength of his skills and talent; not because of his possession or lack of a piece of paper.

Yet when he finally GETS said degree, THEN they are willing to offer him jobs... WITHOUT even letting him audition, which is just as bad as letting weak talented ponies WITH degrees in at the drop of a hat.

Again... that's not having common sense... that's being baised.

They had their chance... they blew it... and they're going to live with it.

Second, he can make his own company that hires people by his standards as he has both a wage big enough to make a charity and a colossal amount of money from an accident.

There are several things wrong with that...

1: It takes a very, very long time to start a business, and it also requires a degree in business management, and Talon does not like Degrees (He's they are unnecessary)

2: He doesn't have the money for such a thing. Even with his cash settlement from his accident, he doesn't have nearly enough. He's not a millionaire, or even close to. building a company takes years maybe even decades, and millions of bits (dollars).

3: He also has no interest. He wanted to be an Actor. (Not a director, not a talent agent, not a producer, not a writer) Just... solely... and actor, nothing more. It's that, or nothing! (And don't bother with lectures of actors who became directors... the answer is still "No") And he is not jobless either. He still works on the loading docks, so he has a job, much like Stone Heart may not be a writer, but he's not unemployed.

4: Who would want to work with him. He and his friend are actually just two of a mere hoof-full of ponies who feel the way they do, while every-pony else is bigoted and senseless. "No degree= No Chance."

Again... not common sense, but biased.

5: It probably wouldn't succeed. Because most ponies like to work and have degrees for it, which would be FORBIDDEN by company policy... they wouldn't get very many clients or actors, would they?

Third, why didn't he try to go to auditions before his sister made him get a degree?

This where your "failure to read" sky rockets.

He DID try to audition (This was already covered) they simply wouldn't even let him try for lack of degree. (Period)

Fourth, he decides to finally use his brain, but only to ruin himself and spite his sister, when he could use it to make both of them win instead.

There is no Win-Win. I don't believe in such scenarios, and to me Ath-Lita deserves no victory anyway. Not for the things she did.

Talon didn't ruin himself, he finally got revenge on his sister, for being the abusive, bullying, criminal she is-- thus exposing her for being mentally unstable, and stripped of any and all hopes of being a professional athlete. (She is arrested. Charged with domestic violence, assault, battery, disturbance of the peace, blackmail, ect, ect) and as part of her probation, other than getting psychiatric therapy for her rotten temper and obsession with power... she is forevermore banned from ever trying out for professional sports leagues. So she can no longer peruse her dream.

Guard: "The next time we get a report of so much as a loud voice coming from you, we'll drag you to court and throw the book at you!"

Ath-Lita: "Is that a threat?!"

Guard: "No... that's a promise."

He also got revenge on all the acting agencies that shunned him before the degree. He humiliated them by proving once and for all you don't need a degree to be an actor or need professional lessons to be a star.

The whole plot makes no sense at all.

Oh, I think it does make sense. You just don't like it, that's all.

It's a story about a man who is very angry at people for pushing him around, telling him how to live and behave or what's right for him. So he spites everyone by giving them the cold shoulder, and when they continue to push him... he vows vengeance, and he gets it.

He finally makes people see the error of their ways.

He punishes his sister for beating him and other people so much with a baseball bat.

He finally makes his dream come true; even though he still has a degree in acting that he didn't want, he was finally able to prove it was never necessary, and he started accepting roles now that the industries were forced to change their views and that "EVERYONE deserves a chance."

After all, it's called "Pride and "PUNISHMENT."

In the end, people will try to pit the blame on me again "Blah-Blah-Blah, you're a bad writer" or "blah-blah-blah... your stories suck"

That's the OPINION of the matter... but your opinions alone will not make the case.

The facts speak for themselves; it was their poor reading and refusal to acknowledge certain things (Such as Ath-Lita is an abusive criminal, Not a loving and caring sister.)

There's even more proof with that... in the Starfleet Magic/Characters/Equestrians.

BISQUE SPICE

...His name is "Biscuit Pie."

Or even that time they accused Stone Heart of punching a bully down, when it was clearly TWILIGHT who did it... all there... black and white... clear as crystal, yet they said "He did it"

Those may have been corrected NOW... but the fact remains they didn't get it right the first time.