TheNinjaSandwich's definitions
noun
When a TV show or movie adaptation of an existing game, book, or franchise completely fumbles the bag by “doing its own thing,” ignoring core lore, redesigning creatures for no reason, letting studio execs meddle too hard, and then bleeding key cast members until the whole thing collapses under its own hubris.
Usually diagnosed right after fans say “just follow the source material” for the 400th time, and right before the lead actor quietly exits stage left.
Symptoms include:
Monsters or creatures that look nothing like their original versions
Writers proudly admitting they didn’t like or read the source material
Executive interference overriding internal logic and worldbuilding
Tone whiplash between seasons
A major actor leaving and everyone pretending it’s “creative differences”
Fanbase going from hyped to feral in under two seasons
When a TV show or movie adaptation of an existing game, book, or franchise completely fumbles the bag by “doing its own thing,” ignoring core lore, redesigning creatures for no reason, letting studio execs meddle too hard, and then bleeding key cast members until the whole thing collapses under its own hubris.
Usually diagnosed right after fans say “just follow the source material” for the 400th time, and right before the lead actor quietly exits stage left.
Symptoms include:
Monsters or creatures that look nothing like their original versions
Writers proudly admitting they didn’t like or read the source material
Executive interference overriding internal logic and worldbuilding
Tone whiplash between seasons
A major actor leaving and everyone pretending it’s “creative differences”
Fanbase going from hyped to feral in under two seasons
“I was excited for that game adaptation, but by season two the lore was shredded, the monsters were unrecognizable, and the lead bailed. Total Witcher Syndrome.”
by TheNinjaSandwich February 6, 2026
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When a pre-existing franchise adaptation tries so hard to feel “epic” and cinematic that it forgets the story, characters, and themes that made the original beloved. Named after the Amazon series that turned a classic Tolkien tale into a confusing, melodramatic spectacle.
Symptoms include:
Gratuitous CGI and flashy setpieces that overshadow the plot
Characters acting in ways that make no sense just to create drama
Important lore ignored or rewritten for shock value
Fans collectively asking, “Wait… what timeline is this even in?”
When a pre-existing franchise adaptation tries so hard to feel “epic” and cinematic that it forgets the story, characters, and themes that made the original beloved. Named after the Amazon series that turned a classic Tolkien tale into a confusing, melodramatic spectacle.
Symptoms include:
Gratuitous CGI and flashy setpieces that overshadow the plot
Characters acting in ways that make no sense just to create drama
Important lore ignored or rewritten for shock value
Fans collectively asking, “Wait… what timeline is this even in?”
by TheNinjaSandwich February 6, 2026
Get the Rings of Power Effect mug.noun
When creators of a movie, show, or game remake are so confident in their vision that they openly override the source material—usually with disastrous results.
Symptoms include:
Announcing “we’re doing our own thing” before production even begins
Ignoring fan expectations or established canon
Overhauling characters, story beats, or settings without good reason
Public statements about how “the original was too limited for modern audiences”
When creators of a movie, show, or game remake are so confident in their vision that they openly override the source material—usually with disastrous results.
Symptoms include:
Announcing “we’re doing our own thing” before production even begins
Ignoring fan expectations or established canon
Overhauling characters, story beats, or settings without good reason
Public statements about how “the original was too limited for modern audiences”
“Yeah, that movie remake is… Adaptation Hubris. They replaced half the cast and made the main villain a literal robot.”
by TheNinjaSandwich February 6, 2026
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A condition where writers or directors act like reading or respecting the original material is toxic. Symptoms: rewriting the story, changing characters’ personalities, and inventing plot points out of nowhere—usually with the proud proclamation that they “improved” it.
Symptoms include:
Ignoring established world rules
Characters behaving in ways that betray their core identity
Frequently saying things like, “We just didn’t like the original”
Confusing longtime fans while trying to attract new ones
A condition where writers or directors act like reading or respecting the original material is toxic. Symptoms: rewriting the story, changing characters’ personalities, and inventing plot points out of nowhere—usually with the proud proclamation that they “improved” it.
Symptoms include:
Ignoring established world rules
Characters behaving in ways that betray their core identity
Frequently saying things like, “We just didn’t like the original”
Confusing longtime fans while trying to attract new ones
“The sequel suffered from full-blown Source Material Allergy—apparently dragons are now allergic to fire too.”
by TheNinjaSandwich February 6, 2026
Get the Source Material Allergy mug.