Quality Storytelling in anticlimatic

My favorite plot device is establishing an often innocuous seeming skill early on, which is forgotten about in the middle, but which is required during the climax of a high stakes situation for victory. That moment where, to your surprise, this specific conflict suddenly intersects with this specific character, and suddenly you connect the dots- you anticipate exactly what is about to happen- and then it happens. It’s subversion of expectations paired immediately with satisfaction of expectations.

Examples: Gollum stepping over Sam to liberate invisible Frodo from The Ring. Eomer and Gandalf showing up with the sun to their backs at Helms Deep. The Ents witnessing the forest devastation before sacking Isengard. (LOTR earns all of its praise). The rednecks in Tremors with the basement full of munitions. It’s the “man nobody ever laid eyes on before” strolling into the Maine National Bank at the end of Shawshank Redemption to withdraw Warden Norton’s money before leaving the country. Luke Skywalker’s big appearance in Mando. Arya Stark with the dagger trick for the Ice King. Every single question in Slumdog Millionaire. Etc.

I like this trick because it suggests deep premeditation. It implies an existence of God. Be it without, or within.