What Constitutes A Spoiler?

Spoilers can be a sensitive topic in discussing fiction, since while many people desperately avoid spoilers, others don't mind viewing them or even seek them out. As such, it can be difficult to decide what aspects about a series one should discuss in reviews or other discussions, so I will discuss some factors to consider when deciding what constitutes a spoiler that should be avoided.

Audience

The first question is who the intended audience is- whether people who have already viewed the work or outsiders.

In the former case, spoilers are generally acceptable, as you are generally talking with people who have already discussed the work. There are exceptions, though, such as in ongoing works, as there is no guarantee that people are fully caught up. Take One Piece as an example- on the day of a chapter's release, the fans who can read Japanese will be able to see the latest installment days in advance of those who must wait for a translation(whether fan or official), and weeks to months in advance of those who watch the anime.

In the latter case, spoilers should be limited to what is public knowledge. This usually means the work's premise or what is included in the trailers, but does that apply in all cases?

In either case, one should ask oneself whether openly discussing spoilers is necessary; to use an example, let us say that you are reviewing a movie that killed off a certain character at the very end, and you dislike how that happened. If, for example, you are having an in-depth discussion of the movie with fellow viewers, it's fair to go into specifics, especially if doing so is necessary to make your point. However, if you are writing a review, then you should perhaps focus on the aspect of the ending that most upset you without explicitly saying that the character in question died.

Public Knowledge

The first question you should ask when considering whether discussing a plot element will spoil the plot is whether people already know about it.

Take Romeo and Juliet, for example. Practically everyone knows that the eponymous couple commits suicide in the end, because it is one of the most famous works, with the title being synonymous for a young couple(although whether it is used appropriately is another matter). More recently, though, the ending of Avengers: Infinity War, particularly Thanos' "snap," became well-known within a short time of the film coming out.

This, obviously, does not apply for less famous movies. You should also be careful not to openly discuss leaked content about movies, since people aren't supposed to know that information.

Additionally, some works may not be shy about publicizing parts of the story that could constitute spoilers. For example, Spider-Man 2's trailer included mid-movie plot twists such as Peter deciding to retire as Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus kidnapping MJ, Peter coming out of retirement to save her, and even Doctor Octopus delivering Spider-Man to a vengeful Harry, meaning the trailer spoils the film up until the climax.

The Surprise Element

Part of the question of whether something constitutes a spoiler is whether it is a surprise.

Returning to Romeo and Juliet, not only is the tragic ending very famous, but it is also a foregone conclusion. The play is openly described as a tragedy, with a very specific structure, and it begins with the narrator stating the ending of the play.

For another example, let's consider the Ace Attorney series. "The First Turnabout" begins with a shot of the killer standing over his victim, so you already know that your client is falsely accused, as well as who the culprit is- all you need to do is prove it. On the other hand, the true culprit in "Farewell, My Turnabout" is a massive surprise that turns the entire case on its head.

The Work's Age

How long ago the work came out is less significant, but still a factor. While posting spoilers for a recently-released work can spoil the experience for those who haven't gotten around to experiencing it, one can argue that for older works, people have had their chance to see it by now. After all, Romeo and Juliet came out centuries ago, and had a long time to make its mark on popular culture.

Additionally, sequels or later works in the series can spoil plot twists that were supposed to be a surprise in earlier installments. For example, Darth Vader's true identity being Anakin Skywalker in the second Star Wars film is much less of a surprise when you consider that the prequel trilogy is about Anakin's fall to evil.

One caveat, though, is that there are always newcomers to certain works of fiction, as some people might not have even seen any Star Wars films, so one should still exercise caution for their sake. As such, this is the least compelling reason to talk about specific plot points.

Spoiler Tags and Warnings

In some cases, it may be possible to hide spoilers, or at least warn about them. The former can prevent readers from accidentally catching a glimpse of a spoiler, but if applied poorly, the spoiler tags may still allow the reader to guess the plot twist through context. The latter is a good way of being up front about whether a discussion of the work will include spoilers. Both have their uses, but are generally not something you should use to justify including unnecessary spoilers in a review.

Conclusion

Handling potential spoilers can be a delicate process, but it's made easier if you use a bit of common sense. Simply ask yourself whether the people who will read/listen to you know about the potential spoiler already, whether knowing the information in question will detract from the experience, and whether it is necessary to include that information. In general, it's best to err on the side of caution, but if you choose to discuss information that might spoil the plot, you should do so if you believe that the benefits justify the potential spoiler.