In 1971, National Lampoon founder Doug Kenney ran a feature titled "Spoilers" that revealed the endings of classic films like Citizen Kane and Psycho .

The phrase "" serves as a ubiquitous courtesy warning used across social media, entertainment news, and personal conversations. Its primary purpose is to signal that significant plot developments or surprise twists about a movie, book, or video game are about to be revealed, allowing the audience to stop reading or listening if they wish to discover the story naturally. The Evolution of the Term

While the concept of "spoiling" an ending has existed for decades, the specific terminology evolved through fan culture: