User:Zadignose/Sandbox2


 * For Wikipedia guidelines regarding warnings in general, see No disclaimer templates (WP:NDT).

A spoiler is a piece of information in an article about a narrative work (such as a book, feature film, television show or video game) that reveals plot events or twists.

Spoilers on the Internet are sometimes preceded by a spoiler warning. In Wikipedia articles, for purposes of style and clarity, it is recommended that the use of spoiler alerts be minimized, though they are acceptable when the editors working on an article have consensus for their inclusion.

Concerns about spoilers should play no role in decisions about the structure or content of an article, including the article's lead section. When adding a spoiler in the lead section, remember that Wikipedia is written from a real-world perspective; what is exciting in the context of a fictional universe is almost certainly a standard plot device in literary construction.

When spoiler warnings should not be used

 * Spoiler warnings must not interfere with neutral point of view, completeness, encyclopedic tone, or any other element of article quality.
 * Spoiler warnings are usually inappropriate in articles discussing classical works of literature, poetry and theatre. Some films may fairly be described as classics, but there is far less agreement on this. Fairy tales should never have spoiler warnings. In grey areas, editors placing spoiler templates should use the article's talk page to discuss the matter.
 * Spoilers and spoiler warnings should be avoided in articles on non-fictional subjects. If explicit spoilers are mentioned in non-fiction articles (e.g. articles on authors, real-life locations in which (a) fictional text(s) is set, or literary concepts like climax), consider whether the spoiler improves the encyclopedic quality of the article. It may be better to remove the example.
 * Spoiler warnings are usually redundant when used to cover an entire "Plot" or "Synopsis" heading, or fictional "History" headings of any sort in articles whose subject is fictional, since spoilers are to be expected in a plot summary. Spoiler tags may be permissible in a subsection of a "Plot" heading, where there is consensus that the spoiler is particularly significant.
 * Spoiler warnings should not be used when they can be replaced by more accurate heading information. If a "Themes" heading starts with a plot description, the best thing to do is break the plot description into a separate heading. If there are no headings, it is usually better to add them.
 * Articles about fictional characters, objects, or places can be expected to include significant elements of the story. They should not typically need global spoiler warnings.

When spoiler warnings may be appropriate

 * Spoiler tags may be appropriate when information appears in unexpected places, such as a "Character" heading, if there is consensus that this is necessary. But spoiler tags shouldn't be used in lieu of organising information properly.
 * Spoiler tags are more likely to be appropriate in newer works than in older works. Movies currently in first release, TV shows that haven't aired in all major markets, and books that have only been released in hardcover are more likely candidates for spoiler tags than a film from 1935, though exceptions may exist on either side. Note that this does not imply that spoiler tags become redundant shortly after the work of fiction reaches market.
 * Very rarely, a spoiler warning may appear in the article lead. The presumption should be that the article lead should not need to warn about plot spoilers that are significant enough to appear in the lead.

How to add or remove spoiler warnings

 * Where it is appropriate, a ' tag can be used to mark spoiler sections, with ' to mark the end. Whether one is adding or removing, be sure to do both. Do not improvise such warnings in plain text, always use the templates.

Unacceptable alternatives
The following methods should never be used in relation to spoilers:


 * Deleting information from an article about a work of fiction because it spoils the plot.
 * Structuring an article around spoilers or confining them to a particular area (e.g. under ==Plot==) when unnecessary or in a way that decreases article quality.
 * Making spoiler-free parallel versions (content forks). Creating parallel versions outside of Wikipedia is acceptable.
 * The insertion of blank lines before a spoiler.
 * Concealing spoilers using codes such as ROT13.
 * Setting the text and background colors to the same color using HTML, so the reader has to highlight the text to read it.