Five Reasons Retconning is Good and Five Reasons It’s Bad

Just for those that don’t know, a retcon is a revision of sorts that introduces a new idea to a narrative that’s already been established in an attempt to expand on a story and give it a different direction. Of course, a retcon is something that can go spinning wildly out of control very easily and can end up angering a large number of fans if it happens to a well-respected tale that people have been following for years. There are reasons why a retcon might be necessary, as retcons can take stories in a direction that might not have been thought up initially and might even be able to improve upon what’s already there in an effective manner. Of course, some people love seeing retcons happen while others are adamantly against them as they would rather see their favorite stories develop in a natural way rather than being pieced together like a patchwork quilt. The ability to use a retcon for just about any story and improve upon it is something that can be used to improve a story, but it can also make things so much worse.  Here are five ways that retcons are bad and five reasons why they’re useful. 

10. Bad: It’s not a cure-all for a bad script. 

If a script is bad then there’s nothing that can help it except maybe a rewrite and possibly even burning it and starting over. Retconning a movie or a TV show that suffers from a seriously bad script isn’t going to make the problem better, it’s only going to compound it and exacerbate things. Unfortunately, not everyone sees it this way as a retcon is sometimes believed to be a cure. 

9. Good: When used in a brainstorming process a retcon can open up new ideas.

From the idea stage to the actual formation of a script, a retcon can, when used properly, become an element of the process that will help to develop and discover new ideas that weren’t available or thought up the first time around. In this manner it’s possible to use a retcon to steer the core idea in a direction that can open things up in a big way. 

8. Bad: They’re not always necessary. 

When dealing with an idea it’s not always necessary to mess with the continuity. By using a retcon as a crutch, writers tend to get lazy and don’t work on the real problem that a script might have, and instead end up piling on more nonsense rather than fixing the real issue. 

7. Good: When used correctly a retcon can introduce several elements that can improve a story. 

Using a retcon correctly is a matter of opinion a lot of times since some people might state that a retcon isn’t needed and others think that this is the way that a story can be improved. But using a retcon correctly means advancing the story and bringing pertinent ideas to the forefront, rather than introducing them and changing the story in the process. 

6. Bad: Sometimes people think that a retcon is the only answer to improving an idea. 

Sometimes it might be tough to discern whether an idea really needs a retcon or if it just needs to be reworked and looked at from different angles. But too often it happens that retconning becomes the only option that people can think of. 

5. Good: Widening a story can create greater interest in a story. 

A retcon is great for widening a story and introducing elements that might have been mentioned or implied but were never initially shown. By taking those elements and expanding upon them, the story becomes even better as it’s given more detail. 

4. Bad: Retcons are too easy to use and too easy to screw up. 

Thinking back to the days when the lot of us were kids and could easily make up a story on a dime even if it didn’t make sense is a good way to think of how some folks use retcons. Unfortunately, it’s far too easy to let a retcon go out of control. 

3. Good: A good retcon can deepen the story and explain various issues. 

Some stories have massive issues that never get solved by the time the credits roll. A retcon can do wonders when it comes to explaining said issues and might even increase the efficiency of the storytelling. 

2. Bad: A retcon can mess with the overall continuity of a story. 

This is one of the biggest concerns of a retcon since it’s happened more than once in the course of cinematic history and it’s upset a lot of fans in the process. The chances are good that it’s going to keep happening since plenty of people don’t see the issue or don’t recognize the trend until it’s too late. 

1. Good: Glaring plot holes can be fixed by a retcon. 

If applied correctly, a retcon can fill up several glaring plot holes that might have irritated the hell out of fans and made one story or another seriously ineffective.  Retcons aren’t inherently bad, but they can be misused very easily.