The Evils of Spoilers

Theres nothing more annoying then having something spoiled. I mean part of the fun of the journey is the mystery of it all. What will happen? How will it happen? But to have someone... google... ruin it for you can be a bit of a bummer. I actually remember I quit watching BBC's Robin Hood because I found out about something that happens later on. For some reason that spoiler just ruined it. I couldn't watch it knowing what I knew. That and it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Wasn't a bad show, from what I saw, but wasn't for me.

Now of course here comes my paradox. I love rereading and rewatching my favorite books, movies, and TV shows. So I already know what happens and how it happens. I guess it's because I loved the story and I knew I loved it so rewatching or reading the events again was just fun. But then again. It's not really a paradox because they are no longer spoilers. But I hardly ever use the word paradox so... whatever.

Spoiler Alert!

Darth Vader never actually says "Luke, I am your father" that famous quote from Star Wars... was actually from Tommy Boy. Fun stuff.

But yes. Spoilers suck... but sometimes I'd rather be fully spoilered on a few things then be partially spoilered. It's weird I know. Take Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Do you know how much it bugged me wondering whether or not the Mayor was evil?

See up until a few months ago I never watched Buffy. All I knew about the series was that Buffy was played by Sarah Michelle Gellar and that she was the chosen one and fought vampires. Oh and Willow was a lesbian. Well ok I also knew a little about Angel and Spike. But since forever I have always had this idea that the Mayor was evil.

I have wondered where I got that tid bit of knowledge. I am 90% sure I didn't read it somewhere. I think one of my best friends filled me in on that. But still. While watching the series I kept thinking "So... is he evil?" It really bugged me. I didn't look it up either. I guess I just wanted to see it for myself. Turns out I was right. Gotta admit though. His transformation was a bit weak.

Recently I started watching a show and while googling something I came across a hint at the fate of a character and how their relationship ended in tragedy. So... what does that mean? Does someone die? Please tell me no one dies! They... they are meant to be!

Considering I read that spoiler sometime towards the end of season 1 and now on season 3. I have been dreading it for sometime now. Not so much the fact that I knew that something bad was going to happen. I just didn't know what. My theory was somewhat spot on... but... I really wish I hadn't known that tid bit.

I did finally cave and read it. While again I wish I had a real life "Spoiler Eraser" that could erase the spoiler. I am somewhat relieved in knowing what happens. Not so much that I was wrong... I was actually right. But... it's no longer me wondering whats going to happen. What did that person mean by a tragic end to the relationship? While knowing the truth is still sucky, in this case being partially spoilered was... well worse. And it can be a real bitch.

Back to my google comment. Seriously. I have had several stuff spoiled because I have suggestions on. Type in 'Does X..." and suddenly you have 'Does X really die?" which leaves me

Me and Google.


I have been lucky though. I mean most of the stuff that has been spoiled to me didn't ruin anything... though if you told the 5 year old version that Kevin and Winnie weren't going to make it as a couple. Full on tantrum... well ok. Better example is Corey and Topanga... oddly enough the actors who play Kevin and Corey are brothers in real life.

But yes. The only time spoilers seemed to have actually ruined a show for me was BBC"s Robin Hood. Well it was the deciding factor for not finishing it. Maybe one day I'll return to it.

But still. Spoilers can suck. They are evil and when I am Emperor of the World I shall sentence anyone who spoils part of a story they shall be sentenced to death... or you know just given a strongly worded letter.

Well wait. There was another instance where Spoilers nearly ruined a show for me. I remember reading the Wikipedia page for Pretty Little Liars and found out who A was. So I almost never gave the show a chance... of course my brain remembered or maybe I was just respoiled... because I had forgotten it. But the mystery went from "Who is A" to "Please tell me it's not true"

...

So.

Anyone else want to share their experiences with spoilers?

Well, when I was in 8th grade, I was reading some short story in my English class (I think it was called "Charles" or something). Anyway, it was about some kindergartener who kept telling his mom about all the bad things his friend Charles did at school that day. From the beginning, I knew that "Charles" was really the little boy, that he was just making up some other kid so his mom wouldn't punish him. But when I told my brother (who is 3 years older and went to the same school, so he's read pretty much all the same stuff I was forced to read) about the story I was reading, he asked, "Is that the one about the retarded guy?" Here I was thinking I had figured it out, but he told me that "Charles" was a full-grown mentally challenged man. That made me mad. As it turned out, though, Zack had confused the story I was reading with "Flowers for Algernon" (has anyone read that? It's pretty great, too) because the main character's name is Charlie. So "Charles" really was the little boy telling the story, but I expected it to be a grownup. That made the story better for me. Had I not been "spoiled," the ending would have been completely expected, but it wasn't. I was like, "Woah. That's cool." I know it's not the same, as Zack gave me the wrong ending, but still. I guess that's a good experience, even though it's like the opposite of a spoiler...

Then there's all the movies with cool twists. The Sixth Sense. All the Saw movies. Some French horror movie whose name I can't remember for the life of me... (I'll go ask Zack what it's called... Nevermind, he's sleeping.) Those are the ones that cannot be spoiled. Yes, the second time you watch, you have such an appreciation for all the details that you missed because you didn't see what was right in front of you the WHOLE TIME, but still. The magic is no longer there. You know when you watch a good movie like that, and at the end, you're just like, "HOLY CRAP! HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT?" and you're just so blown away? That's a good feeling. You can't get that if you know what's gonna happen. Hey, guys. Guess what? Bruce Willis is dead the whole time. Anybody not seen the Sixth Sense? Well if you haven't, I'm sorry, but you can't enjoy it now.

It's like when we watched The Village (M. Night Shyamalan always puts twists in his movies... at least he did when they were still decent--The Happening anyone?). Zack and I thought it was awesome, but Mom couldn't enjoy it because she knew that the "monsters" were the village leaders from the getgo. Now that I've seen it more recently, I see that it was pretty obvious (and I'm not just saying that because I know the whole story), but when I saw it for the first time, I was like 10, so I was pretty blown away.

Even spoiling it for yourself isn't cool. That's the point I'm trying to make. It's not just about googling it or whatever. Just trying to figure it out halfway through. Don't play detective. Because if you think hard enough, you WILL figure it out. Yeah, it gets you involved and makes you feel smart and crap. No. Don't do it. Be the idiot who just sits there and enjoys it. It's more rewarding in the end.

My best friend is the worst person to watch movies with. She hates surprises. Before she sees anything (whether I'm loning her a movie from my brother's collection or if we're going to the movie theater), she looks it up on Wikipedia. I'm just like, WHY? She's never like told me the ending to something I didn't want spoiled, but I just hate that the magic is ruined for her. For her birthday last year, I went to her house and brought all the Saw movies. I planned on just having a marathon and letting her marvel in the intricateness. After the first one, she told me that she had looked it up. She knew who the "dead" guy on the floor was the whole time. I was so mad at her. I had told her how awesome the unpredictability of those movies is, but she didn't care. She looked it up because that's what she always does. I couldn't even watch the other 6 (well, 5... at the time, Saw 7 wasn't out on DVD yet) with her. I just couldn't handle it. I was excited to see how excited she would have been at the awesome endings of EVERY SINGLE MOVIE, but no. If she already knew, there was no magic.

Madi is like that with everything, though. She read the last chapter of every Harry Potter book before she'd start from the beginning. You can't do that.

I still haven't even finished Harry Potter. I just started reading a few months ago (I'm still not allowed to read them/watch the movies because witchcraft is "satanic," but I finally decided that I'm 18 and my mom can't ban me from reading books meant for CHILDREN, so I started reading.), and I got to book 3. I've had book 4 in my nightstand since... Thanksgiving, but I haven't started it. My friend Derek thought it would be funny to tell me that Dumbledore dies. I don't know in which book that happens, or how it happens, but I know, and that's not okay. Let me find out on my own, DAMNIT! I just have no motivation though. I should probably get back to reading, since I'm moving back to California in a month, and I'm borrowing the books from my friend Emily... I'm sure she doesn't want me talking 4 of her books across the country... I'll finish... Eventually. Give me time.

But yeah, I hate spoilers, too. I liked knowing what would happen when I was like 5 and would ruin things for my brother, but now, no. I'm a good sport when it comes to stories. Don't tell me.

It's funny. I mean... you could have atleast warned people about the spoiler droppage.

But you did bring up a good point about something. (not sure if I covered this in my rant) There are certain spoilers out there that have become a large part of pop culture and it's just so well known that it's sorta impossible not to know the ending of The Sixth Sense and similar movies. Star Wars is... well a great example of this. How many times have you heard someone misquote Darth Vader revealing he is Luke's father. Whether it's in real life or some show.

I would have loved to have seen the Star Wars films as they came out. Simply to be in that theater to hear that line and be in shock just like everyone else. I mean that's a major spoiler.

I also never understood why people read the endings of books before starting. I will admit to spoiling myself on occasion... so I guess I understand it. But still.

While it's fun rewatching Saw movies just to see all the small details. Part of the fun of the series for me wasn't so much the gore but how the stories and everything was connected. To intentionally ruin how they end first time around is... weird. I mean hey. People can enjoy movies and books and tv shows all they want. But I would not have enjoyed the series nearly as much if I had known.

I think the Dumbledore spoiler was something I couldn't avoid... don't remember... But it is a good series and you should continue it.

That was kinda my point. Irony. Obviously the ones I chose to ruin were things most people already knew. And if not, who's reading this anyway?

Yep. It's not, "Luke, I am your father." It's "No, I am your father." Heh!
But pretty sure everyone's heard that.
And I don't think you can even really call that a spoiler. If you watch them in numerical order, it might be a surprise, but they didn't come out that way. I will never understand why George Lucas decided to make 4-6 first... *scratches head* So you know Anakin is Luke and Leia's dad long before you even see him before he was Darth Vader.

Exactly. You have a new appreciation for the details, but it's not as fun at the end.