RETCON: slang; Retroactive Continuity

Abstract illustration of a timeline being rewritten from the present back into the past.
Figure: Retroactive Continuity

Retroactive Continuity

“retcon”: A narrative device in which previously established facts, events, or character histories in a fictional universe are deliberately revised, reinterpreted, or overwritten after the fact, so that the past is made to conform to new story developments, themes, or creative directions. Retcons can smooth over inconsistencies, expand backstory, or radically change the meaning of earlier material, often inviting audiences to reconcile multiple “versions” of what really happened.

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