What is subtle foreshadowing? TikTok trend explained

The latest viral trend on TikTok is all about “subtle foreshadowing,” and it’s turning regular fail videos into chaotic, entertaining masterpieces.

The trend involves editing videos by splicing in short snippets of the video’s end throughout the clip, creating a sense of chaotic anticipation. This editing style adds humor as viewers catch glimpses of the final outcome before it fully unfolds.

One viral example is the “subtle foreshadowing” re-edit of a 2019 Brandon Farris video titled “EATING A ZEBRA TARANTULA!” Originally, Farris unboxes a zebra tarantula but later freaks out after getting spooked by the spider.

In the re-edited version that has gained over 6.1 million views on TikTok, viewers see snippets of Farris screaming scattered throughout the video. This chaotic structure makes the video even more hilarious, as viewers are constantly teased with his panicked reaction.

Another popular instance is a TikTok from content creator John Michael (johnmichaelsayshi), where he shows off a Boba tea drink.

The original video ends with him spilling the tea after choking on it, but a user has now re-edited the clip to splice in the choking scene throughout, with more than 584,000 views. The seemingly random placement of these clips makes the final payoff all the more amusing.

This creative video editing style adds an unexpected twist to everyday content, making it even more engaging and fun for viewers.

One TikTok user noted: “It’s funnier when you can’t even understand what’s happening from the foreshadowing,” highlighting how the lack of context adds to the humor.

Another one chimed in: “Commenting to stay on subtle foreshadowing TikTok,” while a third added: “These subtle foreshadowing videos are gonna be the death of me!”

This is just the latest TikTok trend to go viral in October after the ‘winter arc’ challenge took off earlier this month.