Disappointing plot twist

mind control is such a cheap ass plot twist honestly

Exactly! Like how I abandoned "abandoned Empress" when they used it

Hey Alexa please please play haters anthem. Ngl I'm so petty, anytime I see the mind-control plot device I can't forgive the "controlled' characters (mainly because I don't think they grovel enough and because I feel like it's treated like a get-out-of-jail-free card and a lot of authors don't acknowledge the amount of trauma the character receives).

But you also forget the trauma that might have happened being mind controlled. It’s like your body and mind were violated by someone else. There is no way they should be blamed for something that is out of their control. Although they should stop with the brainwashing stuff in these stories unless it’s like spoilers







“ I Thought It Was a Common Isekai Story“

I have read stories that touched on that aspect and it's really interesting. However, as we both stated trauma is a complex thing that can't be overlooked in any situation. And as I mentioned in my previous comment, authors tend to misuse the trope as a way to quickly wrap things up in a simple manner thus neglecting the complexity and extensiveness of the trauma of the situation.
Also even if you are brainwashed yourself, regardless of what you want or how you feel, it's your 'person' who inflicted pain on another individual, you can't glaze over that with the fact that you were violated as well and it was against your will. Sometimes the damage is beyond repair, and though it sucks sometimes relationships can't be fixed regardless of the circumstances. Furthermore, relationships in those situations that can be mended need a lot of time and effort and are not something that can be fixed overnight or over a simple conversation. Even if we briefly look at the side that was brainwashed, the variety and intensity of emotions run deep. How do you cope with hurting someone you love? The ugly feelings of having been controlled? Do you even still deserve their love after that? How does this person move forward with this? Do you continue to pursue your love and how might you have to change your approach going forward? Is it even ok for either party or is it unfortunately now lost?
There are authors who use the trope effectively and acknowledge the complexities and variety of emotions experienced on both sides. But unfortunately, most stories that use this trope execute it very poorly.
I feel like the use of this trope in this story is disappointing because the OG concept was interesting as it's making fun of a classic harem plotline (it's literally a parody of a certain trope). However, by making the plot twist everyone is mind-controlled and the FL is the one who can break them out of it, and in reality, everyone loves her and doesn't hate her, making it ironically into the exact classic harem plotline that the author is parodying. So the mind control trope does not work here because it literally contradicts the entire story

Miss-not-so-sidekick is a good example of this style of parody story done properly and well.

I really like how they approached everything in “ I Thought It Was a Common Isekai Story“ except for how the ML's family handled things at the end. I felt they acted extremely insincere about what they did to the FL and lacked remorse for the situation (I personally wouldn't have forgiven them- even a stranger would have felt more guilt than they did). The ML was written exceptionally well, which is one of the reasons why I have such a high standard for stories written using this trope.

I personally think that both of them should just stay away from each other. I’d think if someone was mind controlled and did those terrible things I’d think they couldn’t live with themselves (which sucks it often happens when people are in situations were they are manipulated/gaslit into something they don’t wanna do and I’m sure you know what I mean by that). I would also think they wouldn’t be around the person they hurt this deeply if they really felt sorry. they’d say sorry with no excuses maybe an explosion and leaving it at that instead of constantly asking for forgiveness. Wanting to make it right I mean I’m sure anyone with any morals would be considerate enough to not bother the person they traumatized even if it was an accident.i feel like that proves how genuine their being and actually trying to be a better person if they weren’t brainwashed and it was just an accident. The person who was hurt by the person has every right to feel the feelings their feeling.

. I mean in real life this happens (not the whole brainwashed I mean that would assume that would be rare) but one person does something or both of them do something bad to each other and it just can’t work it. I too wish they didn’t just gloss over that since it seems they are taken lightly on the subject too. You’re totally right about that. I mean I don’t like seeing people in pain even if they are terrible people (I mean sometimes it’s funny but now when they start to cry unless they cry in a funny way but I still feel bad dhsjsj) but I want them to feel pain to show that brainwashing is a terrible thing, and not just regular pain but the effects of hurting others out of your control and they totally missed the opportunity to make the imagery! The illustrations would’ve looked so cool. Actually now I want to do research on the subject lol. BUT YEAH maybe they should’ve done research on it and add that to the story. Making it psychological horror! (^o^)／

Oh I heard about that! How did they handle it if you don’t mind me asking? Like how were they insensitive about it? Also dang that sucks because the female lead of that one is one of my favorites ugh I just love her and Husjsjsjssjs I get so upset she’s just too nice for her own good ┓(;´_｀)┏ hopefully they handle that better in the comic like they did in that manga where this kid ends up with her father figure when she grows up and the anime doesn’t let them date so hopefully it’s a situation like that.

While writing a story there are two aspects a author must deal with
1. Body of the story (the plot, surrounding, pacing, events etc)
2. Soul /Mind of the story (character emotions, their behavior, personal, the key person bound by the circumstances of the plot and forced into decisions.)

Most authors only deal with body of the story and doesn't dive more into the soul of the story. This is why serious concepts like brainwashing is nothing but a joke in these kind of stories. It's easy to forgive a characters if they show any kind of redemption. Cause I still remember you as a bitch, show me something about this controlled character that will actually change my perspective. Like I cannot hate those characters but I don't like them either. I am still hung up on their past mistakes as nothing good was ever shown about them, just say they were brain wash and the protagonist forgives them happy ending. Most of the times the brain washed characters are used as only plot devices and look like a waste of character after the brainwashing is revealed. It's all on author lol if the author does a good job at story telling ,I will even forgive a villian else even heros are insufferable.

I agree with everything you said here (I so wish I could like replies)

So first thing heads up the MC goes through A LOT of super traumatic events, like a lot. I haven't read the Manhwa yet so idk how far it's gotten (TBH I'm waiting until it's complete because the story frustrates me so much) but the FL experiences countless messed-up experiences at the hands of the characters in the story (a lot of it caused directly and indirectly by the family), there's a lot of suffering and even more frustration.

Ok so major spoilers ahead, It's been a while since I last read the story so some of the details might not be accurate, but this will give you a general gist of how the story ends with the ML's family. Sorry if I wrote too much.

Cliff (the brother)- honestly could just be described by the words delusional, evil and pathetic. Though he was the character most brainwashed, he was pretty much a Yandere-type character, to begin with so he was willing to do anything for Lizzie/Rhyse/Elize and it's discovered he had even offered to help Lizzie/Rhyse/Elize k*ll the MC at one point in the novel (like it was his plans not Lizzie/Rhyse/Elize's at some points) (it's kind of implied he would do anything for her regardless of the brainwashing). After everything comes out about Elize, he still adamantly takes her side and protects her after finding out everything she's done (he decides to marry her regardless of everything). It's only after she eventually drops her mask around him (turns on him) and his parents (ML and MC have already started to distance themselves from the fam at this point) and starts mistreating him that everything eventually spirals (this girl did EVERYTHING terrible she could to take advantage of this guy and ruin his and his family's reputation, as well as openly, cheats on him, belittles him, ignores him, etc) and he doesn't take it well. So it's not until this girl dragged him, his reputation and his parents through the mud and spent a huge chunk of his money that he felt remorseful (but at this point she's trapped him in the marriage via a contract so he needs help escaping from his marriage). After this whole debacle, his self-esteem is at an all-time low because the girl he loved doesn't care about him at all and he has nothing to his name (love, career, and reputation were all destroyed) and his inferiority complex at an all-time high because the brother that he used to beat at everything has everything he wants (love, career, reputation). This results in him offering to relinquish his role of duke to his brother (which he refuses- ML no longer wants to be associated with his family including their name) because he feels he no longer has the qualifications for it as well as trying to make 'amends.' Eventually, he ends up marrying another noble girl, who is described as plain (she's smart though) 'but they love each other' and just kind of leaves and then he gives the MC an apology (I can't remember what he said specifically but the vibe overall didn't feel sincere because he only felt sorry after he lost everything- also it happened in the side story too like come on?). Pretty much his character is only there to love another and give himself completely to that person, regardless of being brainwashed.

The parents- man do I have beef with these 2
1st- So after everything goes down and comes out the family decides to reinvestigate everything that went down within and outside the house and everything ties back to Elize. When they confront her she claims amnesia and they just sigh and move on (no joke this is literally how it went down, didn't push her or anything). At this point, the MC is already off living in her territory with the ML so she just forgives Elize and tells Elize to just act like herself. Well, she does and no one likes it. Pretty much from the beginning until the end, the ducal couple protects Elize and never really condemns her for her crimes. They are blinded by the fact that they 'raised her' and pretty much only feel the parental guilt/burden of 'where did we go wrong' after Elize's true personality comes out and causes them ruin. (the parents protecting their child until the end). Even then they only really feel this pain after it affects them and the dukedom personally (with Cliff defending every unreasonable action his wife does), they suffer a lot and can only look at the ML and the MC with regret as they are living and thriving in their territory while the dukedom and them suffer. Because the ML refuses to visit them and let them meet the MC (they stay in their territory for years- he's in ultra-protective mode), the couple misses the birth of their 1st grandson. Eventually, the MC's letters become one of 'their few moments of happiness' in their now bleak household (I can't remember why she started writing them? I think it had to do with not wanting her child to miss out on grandparents). Oh, also one of their most competent employees leaves and goes to the MC's territory to work for her because the ducal family sucks. Finally, they eventually ship Elize off to a monastery because she becomes too much.

2nd- Under the excuse of 'concern for the duchess' health', they decide to leave her in the dark about everything Elize did because of 'the shock it would cause her.' So though she wasn't a huge anatagonist per se, she still gets to feel only a small fraction of guilt for the many sufferings her family and Elize inflicted on the MC.

3rd- The duke though he feels 'guilt' for everything he did, neither the duchess nor the duke gave a proper verbal apology to the MC and instead the duke chooses to show his 'remorse' through material goods (gifts, luxuries, huge allowance, etc). He showers the couple with gifts such as furs, gold, and more gold when the couple 1st settles down (having fled the dukedom) and continues to shower them with luxury goods as a way of making amends. They continue this tradition, by spoiling the MC/ML's children whenever they visit the duchy- which they ask them to visit a lot (the MC forgave them, the ML didn't).

Pretty much neither of the ducal couple felt the true gravity of their actions or sincere remorse for the MC and what they did to her (they did A LOT OF MESSED SH*T), it was more of a regret of having failed to parent Elize right and the fact that they missed out on the ML and MC's happy life and what 'could have been.'

Honestly, the MC is WAYYYYY more mentally and emotionally strong than I am because she chose to forgive everyone and I would have not (except for the ML he has a good redemption arc). Like my girl was psychologically scarred in numerous ways by the end and still had forgiveness, that's next level.

Also in case I missed anything or if you have any more questions here's a link to the novel spoilers page: https://www.novelupdatesforum.com/threads/i-thought-it-was-a-common-possession.163039/

110% agree. Like I need more than just the simple 'everything is ok guys, they were brainwashed'

I wish I could too lol like YouTube or something

Omg thank you so much for this! Also wow. Just wow. I’m a tad bit disappointed because dang she didn’t even face the consequences? Only those 3? And even then they didn’t really learn from this which is sadly realistic like not getting the consequences and some getting them yet not really learning anything from that. This is a big SIGH golly I don’t even know what to say ༼༎ᴗ༎༽ like how is this possible? Yet I already know the reason I just can’t believe it.

I had the same reaction when I read it. I was like?????? HUH??? They might change it in the comic since I know it's gotten a lot of popularity but I'm not sure (I've read some stories where they change plotlines to be more digestible/nicer and I've read ones where they didn't change it at all). It will be interesting to see how they go about this though