Cliff Hanger/Playing With

Basic Trope: An episode ends with the heroes in danger.

• Straight: An episode ends with Agent Hero being captured by Dr Scientist's minions, and strapped to his Death Machine.
• Exaggerated: Agent Hero almost dies before every Act Break, doing things like getting attacked by enemies, getting hit by a car, or drinking expired milk.
• Downplayed: By the end of the episode Dr Scientist has discovered Agent Hero's location, but Agent Hero is still not in immediate danger.
• Justified: The episode is a season or series finale. The show needs more ratings.
• Inverted: One episode ends just as Agent Hero defeats the villain, but the next episode starts with him strapped to the Death Machine.
• Subverted: Agent Hero breaks free from the Death Machine and catches Dr Scientist in the last two minutes of the episode.
• Double Subverted: Dr Scientist's minions rescue Dr Scientist and take Agent Hero prisoner before the episode actually ends.
• Parodied:
  • In next week's episode it is revealed that the characters have literally been standing around for a week waiting to continue. Most of the minions have died of dehydration.
  • Alternatively, Dr Scientist is told his Death Machine will take a week to power up. He says Agent Hero can go do whatever during that time but come back afterwards. Agent Hero complies.
• Zig Zagged: Agent Hero escapes Dr Scientist's minions after being captured, but is strapped to the Death Machine by Dr. Scientist himself, only to escape just as the episode ends.
• Averted: Agent Hero catches Dr Scientist by the end of the show.
• Enforced: The network wants to make sure viewers watch the next episode.
• Lampshaded: At the start of the next episode one of Dr Scientist's minions asks "Can we kill him already? This is taking forever!"
• Invoked: The Death Machine takes a week to power up.
• Exploited: Dr Scientist apparently used the week-long wait to kill Agent Hero.
• Defied: It looks like the episode will end on a cliffhanger, but Dr Scientist suddenly says "Screw it" and shoots Agent Hero the split second the episode ends.
• Discussed: ???
• Conversed: ???

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