Story arc

Short story arcs are easier to package as trade paperbacks for resale, and more accessible to the casual reader than the never-ending continuity that once characterized US comics.A corollary to the absence of continuity, however, is that, as exemplified in 1950s DC Superman comics, no permanent change to characters or situations occurs, meaning no growth can take place.Many arc-based series in past decades, such as V, were often short-lived and found it difficult to attract new viewers; they also rarely appear in traditional syndication.Arc-based series draw and reward dedicated viewers and fans of a particular show follow and discuss different story arcs independently from particular episodes.Story arcs are sometimes split into subarcs, if deemed significant by fans, making it easy to refer to certain episodes if their production order titles are unknown.
storylineepisodictelevisioncomic bookscomic stripsboard gamesvideo gamesdramatic arctelevision programsitcomssoap operasthree-act structureWebcomicsnewspaper comicsTime MagazineThe Friends of Eddie Coyletrade paperbackscontinuitySupermaneffect changetragicJoseph CampbellmonomythThe Hero with a Thousand FacesChristopher VoglerSerial (radio and television)Doctor WhoNBC Radionuclear holocaustsyndicationvillain of the weekfillerNeon Genesis EvangelionBleachGin TamaOne PieceNarutoYu-Gi-Oh!Fairy TailDragon Ball ZCharacter arcDramatic structureFrame storyLimited seriesMiniseriesSerialSjuzhetStorytellingStorytellerNarrativeCharacterAntagonistArchenemyCharacter flawCharacterizationConfidantDeuteragonistFalse protagonistFocal characterGothic doubleHamartiaByronicNarratorProtagonistStock characterStraight manSupporting characterTitle characterTritagonistVillainAb ovoActionBackstoryOrigin storyChekhov's gunClichéCliffhangerConflictDeus ex machinaDialogueEucatastropheForeshadowingFlashbackFlashforwardIn medias resKishōtenketsuMacGuffinPlot devicePlot twistPoetic justiceRed herringRevealSelf-insertionShaggy dog storyStereotypeStory within a storySubplotSuspenseSettingAlternate historyCrossoverDreamworldDystopiaFictional locationcountryuniverseparallelUtopiaWorldbuildingLeitmotifMetaphorMoral developmentDeal with the DevilConflict between good and evilSelf-fulfilling prophecyTime travelAllegoryBathosComic reliefDictionFigure of speechImageryNarrationNarrative techniquesShow, don't tellStylistic deviceSuspension of disbeliefSymbolismStructureAct structureFreytag's PyramidExpositionProtasisRising action/EpitasisClimaxPeripeteiaFalling action/CatastasisDenouement/CatastropheLinear narrativeNonlinear narrativetelevision seriesPremiseTypes of fiction with multiple endingsFabliauFlash fictionFolkloreFairy taleLegendTall taleGamebookNarrative artNarrative poetryEpic poetryNovellaParableShort storyVignetteFictionAction fictionAdventureEpistolaryErgodicEroticHistoricalWesternMysteryNauticalParanoidPhilosophicalPicaresquePoliticalPop culturePsychologicalReligiousRomanceChivalricSatireSpeculative fictionFantasyGothicSouthernHorrorMagic realismScienceUtopian and dystopianUnderwaterSuperheroTheologicalThrillerNonfictionAutobiographyBiographyCreativeDiegesisFirst-personSecond-personThird-personThird-person omniscient narrativeUnreliable narratorMultiple narratorsStream of consciousnessStream of unconsciousnessPresentFutureDominant narrativeFiction writingRebootRetconParallel novelPrequelSequelLiterary scienceLiterary theoryNarrative identityNarrative paradigmNarrative therapyNarratologyMetafictionPolitical narrativeRhetoricGlossaryScreenwritingTellabilityVerisimilitude