If you're in this forum, expect to be spoiled. I've seen many spoiler junkies wondering what is and isn't safe to post in spoiler-free zones (ie: all the 'other' sections in these forums. Life does exist outside of spoilers :) ) This thread should answer those questions. The answers come directly from the source - Spoilerphobes themselves. We ask that everyone respect their wishes not to be spoiled, just as they respect spoiler junkies need for a Safe Haven to discuss them.
Spoilers and WHY we try to keep the forum "Spoiler-Free". Just like when you go to a movie and like to be surprised, some people like to watch the show without any prior knowledge of what will happen. No one likes the guy who sits in the back of the theater and shouts out what's about to happen. Surely no one here wants to BE that guy (or girl). Hopefully this thread will help.
Definitions:Spoiler: Information about upcoming episodes. This includes any information from interviews, sides, episode descriptions, episode titles, commercials, previews, pics, guest stars, plots (both major and minor), you get the idea.
If it hasn't aired yet, it's a spoiler! For our non-US board members, we also request that our Main Forum remain Spoiler Free for two days following a new episode. That means, when an episode airs on Thursday night, it will be safe for discussion on the entire forum Saturday night.
ALL information about upcoming Season 4 episodes IS a spoiler. Period. Information in interviews with Kripke and/or any of the other writers, stars, guest stars, etc IS NOT common knowledge and IS a Spoiler. Spoiler-phobes go out of their way to avoid these interviews and information, and it's only fair of the rest of us to respect them and put warnings on any discussions related to the upcoming season and episodes.
When is it not a spoiler? Speculation on what could happen that is not based on pre-knowledge from any of the above mentioned information; opinions; analysis of already-aired episodes - basically anything on episodes that have already aired; or statements that are based on personal opinions and speculations (again, this does not include statements based on pre-knowledge).
Examples from S2 Finale, AHBL, Part 2 (assuming that part 1 has already aired):
"Dean is going to sell his soul to bring Sam back from the dead!" SPOILER
"I think the reason Dean sells his soul is because he feels guilty over not saving Sam." SPOILER - Is stated as an opinion, but contains information based on pre-knowledge of the episode.
Thread titled: Dean and the Cross Roads Demon - SPOILER! Anyone who follows the show would be able to know what this means. This would be a MAJOR Spoiler.
"Sam Can't be dead! Dean's gotta find a way to save him somehow! What do you think he'll do?" - Not a spoiler. Contains speculation that Dean will save Sam, but doesn't reveal pre-knowledge of how he does it.
"Dean's going to sell his soul to bring Sam back. I saw a preview." SPOILER answer to the question.
"I read that Ellen and Bobby are both going to be in the finale. I think it's great that Ellen's coming back!" - SPOILER. Although minor, it contains information regarding guest stars, and that falls under the Spoiler Category. There has been speculation on whether this sort of information is considered Spoilery in the past, so I consulted actual Spoiler-Phobes on this one. Sandy as the cross-roads demon in Bedtime Stories; JDM's voice in Long Distance Caller - those were indeed Spoilers before the episodes aired.
Spoiler-Freak/Spoiler Junkie: Someone who seeks out spoilers and discusses them at length. Can be found living in Spoiler Threads and Forums and feeding off any and all Spoiler information they can get their hands on.
Spoiler-Phobe: The opposite of a Spoiler-Freak. Will go to great lengths to avoid anything resembling a spoiler. Spoiler-Phobes try to remain 100% Spoiler-Free by not reading interviews, sides, or viewing any commercial previews prior to watching the show. These are the people I'm trying to protect. They have a right to enjoy the show, complete with surprises, and not be disturbed by the guy in the back row shouting out what's going to happen.
Spoiler Thread/Forum: A thread or forum that is meant to discuss information on upcoming episodes. You are there NOW. This is the safe haven for all Spoiler Junkies to discuss spoilers to their hearts content. If a Spoilerphobe wanders in here by mistake, You are not to blame for what they see/read.
Spoiler-Free Thread:The rest of the Rock Salt Journals forum is "spoiler free".
Spoiler Warning: If you must post spoilers elsewhere in this forum, please MARK your post and use spoiler vision to do so. NOT following this rule in other parts of the forum may get you banned from our forum.
Spoiler-Vision: What is it? Simply put, hidden text. In the case of this forum, we have a special Spoiler Vision tag just for this purpose. See the post below for how it works. Spoiler vision makes it possible to discuss pre-knowledge of an episode without worrying about it.
Sides: A Spoiler-Freak can correct here but sides are basically snippets of scripts for upcoming episodes. Please feel free to post sides and links to sides in this Spoiler Forum. If we hear of a situation similar to last year (Season 3), where entire scripts were leaked (our Admin never saw them, only heard it freaked the lawyers at the CW out), we will post a warning Sticky in the Spoiler Forum. Please realize that any and all material from sides and scripts is copyrighted material and we will abide by any requests if we are contacted to remove illegal materials from our forum.
Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/2008 11:02AM by Admin.