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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/45558
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I'll explain my question by citing what was done on the TV show _Dexter_. Halfway through an episode (Season 4, episode 4, 'All in the Family') two established characters (one of them being Deborah) were flirting while talking about the value of another character. During this scene there is a brief discussion, and joke, about a beat up old $20 guitar from a pawn shop. Five scenes (and ten minutes of the show) later Deborah said she felt manipulated by the character spoken of earlier, that he "played me like a f--king $20 dollar guitar."

Just before her line, Dexter recites what he just heard from a defendant. It is important that he recites it as he is going to repeat that line to Rita, seven scenes later (12 minutes of the show) later.

I take it this is not foreshadowing? It doesn't seem like that to me. Is there a term for this device (if it is a device) to bring up something, especially as with Deborah's which is so casual, only to make it important or even a key moment later on?

Original score: 15