There are only 12 Plots

Main Ideas and Concepts (What the Video Argues)

• Audience recognition of plot patterns

  • In many genres—especially romance—storytelling is constrained because viewers enjoy familiar narrative structures.
  • Over centuries, cultures developed repeatable story patterns, and audiences may even benefit from recognizing them beforehand.

• “Plot” vs. genre vs. setting/vibes

  • The speaker narrows the scope: this is about plot, not setting or mood.
  • Plot definition: a series of interesting choices and meaningful consequences chained together into a satisfying arc.

• Core premise: there are “12 plots”

  • The speaker proposes a taxonomy of 12 narrative types, each defined by what the protagonist needs to do (or what the story centers on), plus characteristic beats.

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Methodology / Framework Presented

1) Define plot in general terms

• Plot = a chain of:
  • Interesting choices (decisions/actions characters make)
  • Meaningful consequences (outcomes the story delivers)
• A good plot:
  • Connects choices → consequences
  • Creates a satisfying causal structure

2) Use “story types” as structural templates

• Each narrative type has:
  • A central requirement/goal for the protagonist (or the core conflict type)
  • Expected beats (recurring turning points)

3) Build the taxonomy using examples

• The speaker walks through narrative types using:
  • Older foundational examples (e.g., Shakespeare)
  • Modern blockbusters and common contemporary subgenres
  • Additional types that are often more ensemble-based or less strictly beat-driven

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The 12 Narrative Types (as conveyed in the subtitles)

1) Tragedy

• Definition (as used here):
  • A story where an individual needs to be punished by the story.
  • “Need” emphasizes that the punishment is structurally required, not just an outcome.
• Clarification:
  • People dying and feeling bad ≠ automatically tragedy.
  • The story must create the expectation of punishment (e.g., the feeling of “want the piano to fall on their head”).
• Common beats:
  • First threshold: the villain gets their first real taste of villainy
  • Off-ramp: the hero is offered an escape from their rut, but does not take it
• Example ideas mentioned:
  • Shakespeare tragedies (e.g., Hamlet, Othello, Titus Andronicus)
  • Punishment doesn’t have to mean literal death (it can be incapacitation or punishment-like suffering)

2) Love Story

• Definition:
  • Centered on individuals who need to enter a stable long-term relationship.
• Important distinction:
  • The speaker separates the “love story” narrative type from “romance genre.”
• Common beats:
  • Miscommunication: characters clash because misunderstandings distort their desires
  • Revelation of true pairing: what’s needed is “right in front” of them
  • Goal vs desire inversion: the stated goal fades, while a newly discovered desire becomes central
• Examples used:
  • Shakespeare’s comedies reinterpreted as love stories
  • Romeo and Juliet reframed as a love story (achieving the long-term relationship through dying)

3) Mystery

• Definition:
  • The hero needs to discover the truth.
• Stated property:
  • Highly rigid structure
• Common beats:
  • Betrayal: someone believed good is revealed as bad
  • Red herring: someone implicated turns out to be innocent later
• Examples mentioned:
  • Poirot books
  • Knives Out movies
  • Procedural cop shows

4) Savior Story

• Definition:
  • Centered on individuals who need to save others (world/community/individual).
  • The thing being saved is outside the main character and under threat.
• Examples:
  • Erin Brockovich (framed as a savior story even if the literal lawsuit “doesn’t save anyone”—the conflict/pursuit matters)
• Thematic note:
  • Stories are about morality and power.
  • Even if the character fails, it can still fit this story type if they’re fundamentally pursuing the “need” (save).
• Common beats:
  • Sacrifice: the chance to abandon the cause, but choosing it anyway at personal cost
  • Right tool for the job: using a specific unique talent to overcome obstacles

5) Survivor Story

• Definition (contrast with savior):
  • A “one word change”: from saving others to saving themselves.
  • Not emotional recovery (not addiction recovery or “finding Jesus”).
  • Instead: physical saving from tangible danger.
• Where it appears:
  • Thrillers, scary stories, disaster films
• Common beats:
  • First brush: encounter danger but don’t realize it yet
  • Just when you thought you were safe: threat resurges

6) Journey Plot

• Definition:
  • Centered on getting from one point to another.
• Why it resembles mystery:
  • Characters learn/discover new things, but not new “case facts”—new places.
• Common beats:
  • Detour: the wrong way (geographic/route-based, similar in function to a red herring)
  • Final stretch: conflicts converge in a “final cacophony” before crossing the finish line

7) Weirdo Story

• Definition:
  • The protagonist has a personal goal impeded by how they interact with the world.
• Examples:
  • Wes Anderson films (especially The Grand Budapest Hotel with Gustave)
  • Good Will Hunting, Manchester by the Sea, Mad Men
• Key idea:
  • Often the protagonist is partly their own antagonist: their interaction style creates much of their misery.
• Common beats mentioned:
  • Explanation: the hero tells someone about their past, clarifying their behavior
  • Out of the frying pan, into the fire: solving one problem creates a larger one

8) Revenge Story

• Definition:
  • Centered on a character who needs to punish a villain.
  • Focus is on the punisher’s framing and process, not only the villain’s wrongdoing.
• Examples:
  • Kill Bill, John Wick, The Count of Monte Cristo
  • Taken is mentioned as “technically” about searching for a daughter, but framed around punishment/justice
• Common beats:
  • Good life: scenes/clips of life before the tragedy
  • Moral test: the protagonist must do morally reprehensible things (torture/betrayal) to pursue revenge

9) Project Story (Ensemble-Oriented)

• Definition:
  • Individuals must achieve or create a difficult project.
• Includes:
  • Heists: Logan Lucky, Sneakers
  • Competition: Moneyball, Pitch Perfect
  • Journalism: Spotlight, All the President’s Men
  • Ensemble sitcom examples: Parks and Rec, Abbott Elementary
• Common beats:
  • Major setback: an assumed/guaranteed part fails → the whole plan must be reworked
  • Falling out: interpersonal conflict threatens the project
• Variant:
  • Even if the ensemble doesn’t cooperate—scheming/betraying/undermining still can fit, and may slide into other types.

10) Political Story (Ensemble / Negotiation-Driven)

• Definition:
  • Protagonists have contrasting personal goals and must negotiate with each other.
• Examples:
  • A Song of Ice and Fire, Veep
  • Pirates of the Caribbean films
  • Vorkosigan Saga
  • References also include: Reservoir Dogs (violent/action-packed) and Gossip Girl (petty/low stakes)
• Defining plot beats:
  • Betrayal: allies become enemies
  • Strange bedfellows: enemies become allies

11) Slice-of-life Story (Controversial / Beat-Light)

• Definition:
  • Very few plot points; much of the narrative is mundane everyday life.
• Examples:
  • The Trip, Coffee and Cigarettes
  • Anime genre mentioned as fitting cleanly
• Craft note:
  • Not many definable beats; it’s defined by how few beats it has.
  • The speaker suggests these may be more like artistic mood pieces than strict stories.

12) Coming-of-age Story

• Definition:
  • An individual needs to grow up.
  • Dominates children’s literature, but isn’t limited to children; adults can learn maturity too (including sitcom-style structures).
• Common beats:
  • “Wars” / gender conflict example: Women Are from Venus (as an example where conflict arises from differences between men and women)
  • Lesson integrated into plot: “What do we learn today?” (a concrete lesson worked into story events)

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Examples of Hybridization (How the Taxonomy is Flexible)

• Modern audiences can accept multiple narrative types combined (“smooshed together”).
• Examples:
  • Toy Story: coming-of-age + savior + love story
  • Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury: political + savior + tragedy + revenge + coming-of-age + weirdo + mystery + slice-of-life
  • The Last of Us: love story + tragedy + savior hybrid
    • Example given: Joel’s “tragic flaw” is that he loves Ellie; saving her hurts later, punishing him—presented as cause-and-effect “puzzle” structure

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Ending Claim / Takeaway

• The speaker frames the discussion as a taxonomy of 12 story types.
• Even if viewers disagree, the idea is that many films can be categorized this way, though some won’t fit neatly.

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Speakers / Sources Featured

• Tim — the video’s speaker/host (writes for television and likes to categorize)
• William Shakespeare — referenced as a source of foundational play types (histories, tragedies, comedies)

Fictional works/franchises referenced (examples within the talk)

• Hamlet, Othello, Titus Andronicus
• Romeo and Juliet
• Superbad
• Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
• Poirot (books)
• Knives Out
• Erin Brockovich
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Good Will Hunting
• Manchester by the Sea
• Mad Men
• Kill Bill
• John Wick
• The Count of Monte Cristo
• Taken
• Logan Lucky
• Sneakers
• Moneyball
• Pitch Perfect
• Spotlight
• All the President’s Men
• Parks and Recreation
• Abbott Elementary
• A Song of Ice and Fire
• Veep
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Vorkosigan Saga
• Reservoir Dogs
• Gossip Girl
• The Trip
• Coffee and Cigarettes
• Various anime mentioned generically
• Women Are from Venus
• Toy Story
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury
• Land Man (mentioned in passing, Patreon section)
• The Bible / Jesus referenced indirectly (as a contrast category to “survivor story” and emotional recovery)