Chekov’s Chekov

When famous Russian playwright Anton Chekov is featured as a background character in the beginning of a film, just to be the most important aspect of the climax later on, or a twist villain.

this concept is purely theoretical and has never been seen

(example of a possible Chekov’s Chekov)
Protagonist: “please, have mercy!”
Antagonist: “it’s over, you cannot fight anymore”
Protagonist: “wait… is that… ANTON CHEKOV???”
Chekov: “and I have a gun”
Antagonist: “NOOOOOO”
Chekov: “looks like the only useless element in this movie is ABOUT TO BE YOU!”

Chekov’s Chekov by Somy91 December 16, 2023

Chekov's Army 

A situation where everything or almost everything is important or a clue to something else.
Like the Chekov's Gun, but a lot bigger.

I remember when people didn't treat FNAF like a Chekov's Army.

Chekov's Army by Temmie Attano November 12, 2016

Chekov's Gun 

The principle that every element introduced in a story should be necessary and used later.

"When it was said in Chapter one that Timmy's hamster used to only eat the tail fur of the Namaqua chameleon found in Southwestern areas of Namib desert. I knew it was Chekov's gun waiting to go off"

Chekov's Gun by DictionaryDecimator July 6, 2024

Chekov's Dehydration Gun 

If something is introduced at the start of a movie/game/TV show/episode that can easily handle the main conflict, chances are that it will never be used for that purpose.

This is named after a massive freak out Schaffrillas Productions had in his "Megamind vs The Doom Syndicate" review after Megamind stops the Go Fish Gang using the Dehydration Gun, but he didn't use it on the titular Doom Syndicate, even though the plot would've been wrapped up much quicker with it.

"The movie never says that the villains' powers are preventing them from being stopped by a simple gun!" "That, sir, is what we call a Chekov's Dehydration Gun."

Chekov's Dehydration Gun by CherryBlossom91 March 23, 2025

Chekhov's gun 

A literary element that, at first, seems to have no purpose but is later revealed to be important to the plot. This is commonly thought of as a parallel of foreshadowing, but it is more properly interpreted as "do not include any unnecessary elements in a story."

The return of Carmelita Spats in The Slippery Slope after her seemingly unnecessary appearance in The Austere Academy is an example of Chekhov's gun.

"One must not put a loaded rifle on the stage if no one is thinking of firing it." -Anton Chekhov

Chekhov's gun by Rising_Rose January 17, 2010

Chekhov’s Firing Squad 

A Chekhov’s Firing Squad is when a TV show or movie has almost no plot in the first several episodes, and then proceeds to pull all triggers at once. The way that this turns out is a show feeling bland, with presumably filler episodes for most of the season, though these episode actually build foreshadowing and silent plot. These small, unnoticed details go completely unheard or said, until they all hit you at once like a freight train.

“Bro, that show was a Chekhov’s Firing Squad!”

Chekhov’s Firing Squad by Theomunstroa May 20, 2023

Chekhov's Unregistered Firearm 

A dramatic principal that states every element of a story must be completely unnecessary and never called back to.

Season 7 of Doctor Who contains numerous examples of Chekhov's Unregistered Firearm

Chekhov's Unregistered Firearm by redsleepinggrass November 29, 2022