Foreshadowing and Plant/Payoff Design

Design a plant/payoff system for this story element:

Payoff Moment: {{payoff}}
Genre: {{genre}}
When Payoff Occurs: {{when}}

Create the setup:

1. THE PLANTS (3 minimum)
- First plant: Casual, easily missed
- Second plant: More visible but still natural
- Third plant: Recalled just before payoff

2. MISDIRECTION
- What else might the plants seem to be setting up?
- How do you hide the real purpose?

3. ESCALATION
- How do plants increase in significance?
- What makes the third feel different in retrospect?

4. THE PAYOFF SCENE
- Write the moment of payoff
- Include a beat where the audience recognizes the setup

5. INTEGRATION
- Write each plant scene in context
- Ensure they work as scenes independent of the payoff

The best plant/payoffs feel surprising yet inevitable on first viewing and brilliant on rewatch.