Top definition
(shortened form of RETroactive CONtinuity; first made popular in the comic book world)
1. (original meaning) Adding information to the back story of a fictional character or world, without invalidating that which had gone before.
2. (more common usage) Adding or altering information regarding the back story of a fictional character or world, regardless of whether the change contradicts what was said before.
1. (original meaning) Adding information to the back story of a fictional character or world, without invalidating that which had gone before.
2. (more common usage) Adding or altering information regarding the back story of a fictional character or world, regardless of whether the change contradicts what was said before.
1. Although they had previously been shown to have two other sets of parents, the retcon of making Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch the children of Magneto only altered the meaning of past events, not what had happened.
2. Retconning Dawn Summers into "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in the fifth season was one of the rare instances where the fact that history has been altered for our characters was recognized in the story, even though the characters all still remembered the "new" versions of events.
2. Retconning Dawn Summers into "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in the fifth season was one of the rare instances where the fact that history has been altered for our characters was recognized in the story, even though the characters all still remembered the "new" versions of events.
by R David Francis July 08, 2003
Aug 11 Word of the Day
A phrase to describe someone who is cognitively degenerating. Synonym of "going off the deep end". Can have varying degrees of severity.
Reference to the song "Hey You" by Pink Floyd. The line "and the worms ate into his brain" makes no sense in an otherwise linear and literal narration throughout the lyrics.
Reference to the song "Hey You" by Pink Floyd. The line "and the worms ate into his brain" makes no sense in an otherwise linear and literal narration throughout the lyrics.
"My boyfriend has a total case of brain worms. He told me the cat was bugged so the Feds could listen in on us having sex..."
or
"You totally stumbled over that entire sentence. Can't speak English all of a sudden? What, do you have brain worms?"
or
"You totally stumbled over that entire sentence. Can't speak English all of a sudden? What, do you have brain worms?"
by _Jez_ October 03, 2009
3
Short for "retroactive continuity". When an author, usually of a long running series, decides to reframe some past event for the sake of the current story.
Like deciding in Spider-Man 3 that Sandman actually killed Peter Parker's Uncle back in Spider-Man 1.
Like deciding in Spider-Man 3 that Sandman actually killed Peter Parker's Uncle back in Spider-Man 1.
The ret con backstory for Spike in Buffy was awesome. But trying to ret con Flint Marko into Spider-Man's origin is retarded.
by JayDub CA June 30, 2009
4
to take previously known facts of a plot, then change the interpretation of it to fit new facts that are more curently convient to the writer, for no real reason.
by Heather April 23, 2004
5
Short for Retroactive Continuity, meaning later added events in a story that contradict an already exisiting chronology and plot, creating paradoxes or illogicisms.
But mainly a stupid, bloated, meaningless neologism created by basement dweller fucktard comic geeks who like to think kiddy stories about flying men in tights with superpowers is a very, very serious topic that needs near scientific jargon to be clearly understood.
And jargon is, as we all now, what idiots use to try and sound intelligent , when they are just refering to very simple ideas (perfect eg : using "concept" to say "idea" : same words, "concept" just sounds smarter).
Used mostly because it sounds like "defcon", and nothing makes an american's dick harder then cool sounding words.
Hence a million retarded military acronyms that sound like they where made up by a twelve year old : this trend is getting so ridiculously rampant that it even has a name : the dreaded BACKRONYM.
It goes like this : come up with a cool souding 5 or 6 letter word (eg WRAITH, VIPER, SPECTER, KAOS...), find words for each letter and try to make sense, eg : FANG (Fast, Adaptable, Next-Generation Ground Vehicle).
As for stupid but cool-sounding neologisms, Americans absolutely love this and think it makes them sound edgy, cool and intimidating, the rest of the world just thinks it sounds immature, childish and retarded.
But mainly a stupid, bloated, meaningless neologism created by basement dweller fucktard comic geeks who like to think kiddy stories about flying men in tights with superpowers is a very, very serious topic that needs near scientific jargon to be clearly understood.
And jargon is, as we all now, what idiots use to try and sound intelligent , when they are just refering to very simple ideas (perfect eg : using "concept" to say "idea" : same words, "concept" just sounds smarter).
Used mostly because it sounds like "defcon", and nothing makes an american's dick harder then cool sounding words.
Hence a million retarded military acronyms that sound like they where made up by a twelve year old : this trend is getting so ridiculously rampant that it even has a name : the dreaded BACKRONYM.
It goes like this : come up with a cool souding 5 or 6 letter word (eg WRAITH, VIPER, SPECTER, KAOS...), find words for each letter and try to make sense, eg : FANG (Fast, Adaptable, Next-Generation Ground Vehicle).
As for stupid but cool-sounding neologisms, Americans absolutely love this and think it makes them sound edgy, cool and intimidating, the rest of the world just thinks it sounds immature, childish and retarded.
"That wolverine spinoff totally retconned the original comic, I'm so upset I'm gonna hang myself with my xbox controller"
by Spyan September 13, 2018