ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Subplot

So, you know how when you watch a movie or read a book, there can be more than one story happening at the same time? That's kind of like a subplot.

Let's say you're watching a movie about a superhero who is trying to save the city from an evil villain. That's the main story, right? But there might also be a subplot about the superhero's personal life. Maybe they're struggling to balance their superhero duties with their relationships with their friends and family.

So when we talk about a subplot, we're talking about a smaller, secondary storyline that's happening alongside the main story. It can be related to the main story, like in our superhero example, or it can be completely separate.

Subplots can be really helpful in making a story more interesting and complex. They can add depth to characters and help us understand their motivations better. They can also create tension and suspense, especially if they're contrasting with the main story in some way.

So, in summary, a subplot is a smaller story that's happening at the same time as the main story. It can be related to the main story or not, and it makes the overall story more interesting and complex.