Surely you have seen on more than one occasion the word «spoiler» while you were surfing the internet or looking at some news. Normally, this term is usually related to television and novels, but what does it mean? In order to get you out of doubt, we will explain in this article What are they spoilers.
To make this concept very clear, we will also give some examples and we will talk about when this term arose and how to avoid it. So now you know: If you are not entirely clear what they are spoilersI recommend that you keep reading.
Spoiler: Meaning and Examples
It is really not difficult to understand what they are spoilers if we know a little english. This word is a derivative of the verb to spoil. The Spanish translation would be "destroy" or "ruin" always referring to the quality or value of a certain thing. But why has this word become so popular?
Well, we live in the age of the media, almost everyone has a profile on one or more social networks, go to Google to read the latest news, watch videos on Youtube, etc. In addition, there is a great addiction to online streaming platforms, such as Netflix, HBO or Disney Plus, for example. Since we spend so much time in front of screens, we run the risk of reading news about series, films, sagas or books that we are following, but that we have not yet finished watching or reading. If we come across an article that reveals something we do not yet know, it is said to be a spoiler.
Therefore, a spoiler is a text, an image or something spoken that advances or reveals information about the plot of the story that interests us and that we still do not know, whether it is a movie, a series, a book, a television program, etc. etc. As a consequence, it ruins the final surprise and the suspense that comes with waiting for the resolution. Another word that we could use in Spanish to refer to this fact is “destripe”. However, the anglicism spoiler it looks cooler and more modern.
When was the word spoiler invented?
Although the English word spoiler has been around for many years, the concept has become popular relatively recently. It began to gain importance and become a trend as the Internet gained strength, a couple of decades ago. In the beginning, in Spain the word "destripe" was used more, but with all the anglicisms that exist today and the expansion of multiculturalism, it is not surprising that the word "spoiler«.
However, it is important to note that that spoilers They usually are or not depending on each person. Of course, the death of a character is, obviously, but his change of look too? Basically it will depend on the sensitivity of the emitter and also of the receiver, since it is he who decides if it is a spoiler o no.
There is also a big question mark with some cases as famous as "I am your father", a phrase said by Darth Vader addressing the Jedi Luke Skywalker, from the "Star Wars" saga. Obviously it reveals an important plot twist, but this phrase has achieved such fame and repercussion worldwide that it does not have to be considered a spoiler, does it? In the end it depends on our sensitivity towards this issue.
Spoiler alert! Example
Once we are clear about what spoilers are, it is time to clarify the concept of spoiler alert, which translated would be "warning of spoiler«. Since it is very annoying that something key to the plot of our favorite series is spoiled, many media and writers choose to warn in the headlines or before the paragraphs in question about this fact. Thus, they warn that there is the possibility of revealing plot twists or future important events that can reduce suspense or interest in the plot.
A very clear and recent example for spoilers is the popular HBO series “Game of Thrones”, which since the beginning has had millions of fans around the world. The success of this saga, which takes place in Westeros and whose multiple plots and characters have accompanied us for several years, had a strong impact on the media. Every time a new chapter came out, we could already see in less than 24 hours various articles on the internet that talked about what had happened in that chapter and how the plot could continue to develop. dodge all those spoilers it was quite a challenge!
How to avoid spoilers
In the event that we do not want anything or anyone to spoil a movie, series, book, or whatever, there are a series of Tricks and tips that we can apply to avoid displeasure:
- Do not enter articles or news related to that topic.
- Stop following pages and groups on social networks that usually publish information and images of the story in question.
- Do not enter social networks. This advice may sound a bit radical, but since these media bombard us with publications and information, sometimes it is inevitable to see or read something that spoils part of the plot for us. It is usually more frequent in movies or series that have been very successful and have had an impact on the media, such as "Game of Thrones" or, more recently, "The Witcher".
In addition, we must take into account other more personal and social factors: Our friends and family. It depends on how talkative and fanatic they are, maybe it's not a bad idea to silence some WhatsApp groups and, above all, make it clear that we don't want them to tell us anything about the plot. Personally, I think the best thing we can do is make time as soon as possible and catch up on the series or movie in question, so we can enjoy it to the fullest without losing any of the suspense.
I hope I have clarified what they are spoilers so that you can avoid them in future occasions. Especially for series lovers, which is where these cases most often occur, it is a concept that has become very important.