fear of open waters theme
A character exhibits an intense and persistent fear of the sea or other large bodies of water that appear vast, dark, deep, and dangerous.
Notes
A fear of sea travel is indicative of this phobia, although other factors could be behind the feeling. This theme should not be applied if a character simply fears sea sickness, or separation from home.
Examples
In "The Truman Show" (1998), Truman became paralyzed with fear when confronted with the idea of embarking on a boat because in his youth he had lost his father in a boating accident caused by a sudden storm.
5 total · 2 major · 3 minor
| Story | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| movie: The Truman Show (1998) | major | Truman had had such a fear of water instilled in him that he couldn't even drive across a bridge |
| rbt1985e3x03 | major | Douglas had a pathological fear of the lake, as alluded to in the title, which he thought hated people. |
| ent2x03 | minor | Malcolm explained that a fear of water, drowning specifically, made him join Starfleet instead of following in his family tradition of serving in the navy. |
| movie: Jaws (1975) | minor | Martin was afraid of being on boats on water, according to his wife. |
| rh2012e1x03 | minor | Anita balked at going into the water at the beach. It was later revealed that the source of her hesitancy was a catastrophic malfunction she'd once suffered after rescuing a boy from drowning. |