Elements of Story

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The Most Annoying Mad Scientist Cliche is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Fault

‘Frankenstein’ brought it to the movies, but Mary Shelley’s not to blame. Read More

The Mysterious Case of Vanishing Corpses, Explained

Sometimes when characters die, their bodies disappear. Let's talk about why. Read More

Why Zombies Never Go Out of Style

To raise the stakes, just add zombies. It may never go out of style. Read More

Why Dead Birds are the Ultimate Warning Sign

It's all fun and games until the chirping stops. Read More

The Strange Innocence of the Himbo

Let's break down exactly why dumb is so easy to love. Read More

Have You Noticed This “Strong Female Character” Naming Trend?

She's not like those other girls because she's basically one of the guys. Read More

Why Mentors Have To Die

Some archetypes should really come with hazard pay. Read More

Why Movies Love Blue Butterflies Best

There are some good reasons we have warm feelings towards blue insects. Read More

How the Devil Became a Dreamboat: Exploring the Byronic Hero with Kylo Ren

As it turns out, the popular problematic favorite and the OG problematic favorite are basically the same person. Read More