What does retconned mean

With so many long-running movie and TV franchises, the word "retcon" is often thrown around, but what does it mean in this context?

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 4 Mar. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! See Definitions and Examples ». Dictionary Definition.

What does retconned mean

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. An early published use of the phrase "retroactive continuity" is found in theologian E. Frank Tupper's book The Theology of Wolfhart Pannenberg : "Pannenberg's conception of retroactive continuity ultimately means that history flows fundamentally from the future into the past, that the future is not basically a product of the past. 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. All-Star Squadron was set during World War II on Earth-Two; as it was in the past of an alternate universe, all its events had repercussions on the contemporary continuity of the DC multiverse. Each issue changed the history of the fictional world in which it was set. 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!

For the whole seasonBuffy has been gradually retconning her relationship with Spike. Translations of retcon in Chinese Traditional.

Retcon is a literary device in which new information is introduced that puts a new meaning on previous events in the story. Retcon may be used as a noun or a verb, related words are retconned, retconning. While the use of a retcon may be a clever twist in a story, usually readers or movie goers are angered by the use of a retcon. The word retcon is a portmanteau of the words retroactive and continuity. A portmanteau is a word that is composed by blending the sounds and the meanings of two different words. The term retroactive continuity was coined in the s by E. The term was usurped by comic book fans engaging in discussions on Usenet in the s.

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 4 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?

What does retconned mean

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.

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More random definitions. Archived from the original on 22 June English—Swedish Swedish—English. Retrieved Audiences often regard these kinds of bandaids with annoyance, and the word retcon might be thrown out as a sort of criticism. Meanwhile, Luke, Rey and Chewbacca fly the Millennium Falcon back in time in a desperate, last-ditch attempt to retcon the prequels out of existence. Retrieved 23 August The word retcon is a portmanteau of the words retroactive and continuity. English—Japanese Japanese—English. Popular in Wordplay See All.

While it was initially used in relation to American superhero comics, it has now become more widely used in various forms of media, including TV shows, movies, and books.

This meant that all the bad things that had happened to characters or the existence of Wade Wilson as Weapon XI, The Mutant Killer were entirely erased—and the story could continue for a few more films rather than immediately fizzling. However, in series with generally tight continuity, retcons are sometimes created after the fact to explain continuity errors. Articles Related to retcon. The scenes set in in "Selfless" are basically retcon. A screenwriter may choose to retcon canon characters or events to move the plot in a new direction, adjust circumstances based on audience feedback, or simply because they no longer like how they wrote the story. The term retroactive continuity was coined in the s by E. Free word lists and quizzes from Cambridge. This article needs additional citations for verification. To top. Log In. 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. Duration from the past until now 2. Definitions from Wiktionary Data from Wikidata. Copy Citation. Homophones, Homographs, and Homonyms.