Topic summary
Retcon
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Retroactive continuity.
Related concepts
Retcon is similar to, but not the same as, plot inconsistencies introduced accidentally or through lack of concern for continuity; retcon, by comparison, is done deliberately. For example, the ongoing continuity contradictions on episodic TV series such as The Simpsons (in which the timeline of the family's history must be continually shifted forward to explain why they are not getting any older) reflects intentionally lost continuity, not genuine retcon. However, in series with generally tight continuity, retcons are sometimes created after the fact to explain continuity errors. Such was the case in The Flintstones, where Wilma Flintstone was mistakenly given two separate maiden names over the course of the series: "Pebble" and "Slaghoople".