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Trope was cut/disambiguated due to cleanup
Deleted line(s) 61,67 (click to see context) :
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Grell(e) Sutcliff(e).
** Ran-Mao or Lan Mao.
** Maylene, May-Rin, Mey-Rin, Mei-Rin, Mei-Lin, Mei-Ling...
** Meena or Mina. The English manga release from Yen Press chose the latter while Creator/FUNimation's anime release chose the former spelling.
** Bardroy, Baldroy.
** Middleford vs Midford. The English release from Yen Press chose for latter, but the former was the first to be widely accepted, so there's been some confusion.
** Angelina and Rachel's shared maiden surname: Dalles vs Durless.
** Ran-Mao or Lan Mao.
** Maylene, May-Rin, Mey-Rin, Mei-Rin, Mei-Lin, Mei-Ling...
** Meena or Mina. The English manga release from Yen Press chose the latter while Creator/FUNimation's anime release chose the former spelling.
** Bardroy, Baldroy.
** Middleford vs Midford. The English release from Yen Press chose for latter, but the former was the first to be widely accepted, so there's been some confusion.
** Angelina and Rachel's shared maiden surname: Dalles vs Durless.
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* SwirlingDust: Tons of black feathers swirl around Sebastian when he is in his demonic true form.
to:
* SwirlingDust: Tons of black feathers swirl around anime Sebastian when he is in his demonic true form.form.
** Sebastian's true form in the manga consists of a lot of swirling, oozing blackness that obscures his body and can fill a room.
** Sebastian's true form in the manga consists of a lot of swirling, oozing blackness that obscures his body and can fill a room.
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Three Amigos is a disambiguation
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* ThreeAmigos: Finnian, Baldroy, and Mey-Rin.
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* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Since the Phantomhive Five are mostly still students, they can't keep performing for long before some of them have to return to their studies.
to:
* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
** Since the Phantomhive Five are mostly still students, they can't keep performing for long before some of them have to return to their studies.
** Since the Phantomhive Five are mostly still students, they can't keep performing for long before some of them have to return to their studies.
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* SwirlingDust: Tons of black feathers swirl around Sebastian when he is in his demonic true form.
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* ThinkingOutLoud: Sebastian often complains about Ciel to himself when he's alone and carrying out tasks he's instructed him.
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* TheThingThatGoesDoink: This Japanese mainstay is an item in the Phantomhive garden, despite its being in Victorian England.
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dewicked Shes Got Legs
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* ShesGotLegs: [[MsFanservice Ranmao]], highlighted by the fact the she dresses exclusively in VERY short Qipaos.
** Really, this applies to [[FanserviceExtra ANY of the girls seen with Lau]] Ranmao is just the only one who is ALWAYS with him.
** Really, this applies to [[FanserviceExtra ANY of the girls seen with Lau]] Ranmao is just the only one who is ALWAYS with him.
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Up To Eleven is a defunct trope
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* TinCanTelephone: UpToEleven--replace the cans with [[spoiler:paintings]] at one end and [[spoiler:''dozens'' of gramophone horns]] on the other.
to:
* TinCanTelephone: UpToEleven--replace Replace the cans with [[spoiler:paintings]] at one end and [[spoiler:''dozens'' of gramophone horns]] on the other.
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Spot Of Tea is now a disambig. ZCE's and examples that don't fit other tropes will be deleted.
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* SpotOfTea: ''Lots''. This is VictorianLondon, after all.
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* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Since the Phantomhive Five are mostly still students, they can't keep performing for long before some of them have to return to their studies.
** During the Green Witch arc, [[spoiler: an early type of Tank]] is introduced as a top-secret military weapon of high value because it's (literally) 30-80 years ahead of it's time. In fact, it's so incredibly advanced it's never been deployed in real combat. As a result,[[spoiler: the German military]] has no clue how to effectively use the weapon in combat, and the operators use terrible tactics that are rarely if ever used in real life.
** During the Green Witch arc, [[spoiler: an early type of Tank]] is introduced as a top-secret military weapon of high value because it's (literally) 30-80 years ahead of it's time. In fact, it's so incredibly advanced it's never been deployed in real combat. As a result,[[spoiler: the German military]] has no clue how to effectively use the weapon in combat, and the operators use terrible tactics that are rarely if ever used in real life.
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** Angelina and Rachel's shared maiden surname: Dalles vs Durless.
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* SissyVillain: Grell, Grell, Grell.
to:
* SissyVillain: Grell, Grell, Grell. Viscount Aleister Chamber of Druitt.
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** Let's not forget the Viscount Druitt.
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** Maylene, May-Rin, Mey-Rin, Mei-Rin...
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** Maylene, May-Rin, Mey-Rin, Mei-Rin...Mei-Rin, Mei-Lin, Mei-Ling...
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* SceneryCensor: In chapter 186,[[spoiler:when Ran Mao destroys the secret underground faculty completely naked, the artist makes sure to cover up her private parts with various objects.]]
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** The dress that Ciel uses at the opening image of chapter 8 is exactly the same that Katrina uses in the last scenes of ''Film/SleepyHollow''.
** Chapter 52 has Dr. [[{{Dracula}} Stoker]], his subject [[Series/DarkShadows Maggy]] whose body was [[FrankensteinsMonster covered in stitches]], and after being knifed by Sebastian she bends into a [[Film/TheExorcist backwards crabwalk]]. The whole thing takes place on [[Film/{{Titanic 1997}} a big ship from the White Star Line]].
** Chapter 52 has Dr. [[{{Dracula}} Stoker]], his subject [[Series/DarkShadows Maggy]] whose body was [[FrankensteinsMonster covered in stitches]], and after being knifed by Sebastian she bends into a [[Film/TheExorcist backwards crabwalk]]. The whole thing takes place on [[Film/{{Titanic 1997}} a big ship from the White Star Line]].
to:
** The dress that Ciel uses at the opening image of chapter 8 is exactly the same that Katrina uses in the last scenes of ''Film/SleepyHollow''.
''Film/SleepyHollow1999''.
** Chapter 52 has Dr.[[{{Dracula}} [[Creator/BramStoker Stoker]], his subject [[Series/DarkShadows Maggy]] whose body was [[FrankensteinsMonster covered in stitches]], and after being knifed by Sebastian she bends into a [[Film/TheExorcist backwards crabwalk]]. The whole thing takes place on [[Film/{{Titanic 1997}} a big ship from the White Star Line]].
** Chapter 52 has Dr.
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** When [[spoiler: Siegliende Sullivan]] moves to London in Chapter 107, Ciel orders Sebastian to "[[Theatre/MyFairLady Turn that artless urchin into a lady!]]" Later, Sebastians serves them Higgins' Darjeeling.
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** During the Fortune teller arc, it is noted that blood transfusions had a very low success rate and [[spoiler: Sieglinde]] rematks that the exact circumstances that cause failure or success were unknown. The latest year number see at that point, was 1886. Blood types were discovered by Landsteiner in the 1900s, [[spoiler: and that is what the 'star types' really are]]. [[spoiler: Sieglinde]] eventually discovers this. And [[spoiler: the super-rare Sirius blood]]? [[spoiler: Likely AB-type, the rarest blood type there is]].
to:
** During the Fortune fortune teller arc, it is noted that blood transfusions had a very low success rate and [[spoiler: Sieglinde]] rematks remarks that the exact circumstances that cause failure or success were unknown. The latest year number see at that point, was 1886. Blood types were discovered by Landsteiner in the 1900s, [[spoiler: and that is what the 'star types' really are]]. [[spoiler: Sieglinde]] eventually discovers this. And [[spoiler: the super-rare Sirius blood]]? [[spoiler: Likely AB-type, the rarest blood type there is]].
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None
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** During the Fortune teller arc, it is noted that blood transfusions had a very low success rate and [[spoiler: Sieglinde]] rematks that the exact circumstances that cause failure or success were unknown. The latest year number see at that point, was 1886. Blood types were discovered by Landsteiner in the 1900s, [[spoiler: and that is what the 'star types' really are]]. [[spoiler: Sieglinde]] eventually discovers this. And [[spoiler: the super-rare Sirius blood]]? [[spoiler: Likely AB-type, the rarest blood type there is]].
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None
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[[Manga/BlackButler Black Butler Main Page]] | [[BlackButler/TropesAToB A to B]] | [[BlackButler/TropesCToD C to D]] | [[BlackButler/TropesEToG E to G]] | [[BlackButler/TropesHToK H to K]] | [[BlackButler/TropesLToN L to N]] | [[BlackButler/TropesOToR O to R]] | [[BlackButler/TropesSToT S to T]] | [[BlackButler/TropesUToZ U to Z]]
to:
[[Manga/BlackButler Black Butler Main Page]] | [[BlackButler/TropesAToB A to B]] | [[BlackButler/TropesCToD C to D]] | [[BlackButler/TropesEToG E to G]] | [[BlackButler/TropesHToK H to K]] | [[BlackButler/TropesLToN L to N]] | [[BlackButler/TropesOToR O to R]] | [[BlackButler/TropesSToT S '''S to T]] T''' | [[BlackButler/TropesUToZ U to Z]]
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[[Manga/BlackButler Black Butler Main Page]] | [[BlackButler/TropesAToB A to B]] | [[BlackButler/TropesCToD C to D]] | [[BlackButler/TropesEToG E to G]] | [[BlackButler/TropesHToK H to K]] | [[BlackButler/TropesLToN L to N]] | [[BlackButler/TropesOToR O to R]] | [[BlackButler/TropesSToT S to T]] | [[BlackButler/TropesUToZ U to Z]]
----
!! Black Butler - Tropes S to T
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Tropes S]]
* SarcasticDevotee: Sebastian.
* SanitySlippage: Hinted to be the case with Ciel in the manga. His RoaringRampageOfRevenge [[TraumaCongaLine hasn't been kind]]--losing his aunt, witnessing countless gruesome sights and, of course, [[TearJerker that whole business with]] the [[MoralEventHorizon Noah's Ark Circus]].
** [[spoiler:This process is also "spicing" Ciel's soul for Sebastian in anticipation of their contract's completion...]]
* ScaryShinyGlasses: , of all people, pulls this one off in the newest OVA.
** Bluer gets these a couple of times in the manga, most notably when [[spoiler:he makes an astounding bowl against Greenhill in the cricket match]], and later when [[spoiler:he and the other prefects confess to murdering Derrick Arden to protect the integrity of their school when they discovered that he was bulling other students and using their talents to make himself appear perfect--and the vice principal was not only aware, but ''allowing'' it]].
* ScaryStitches: A crudely-made doll of Sebastian with obvious stitching appears in the series.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Ciel is the queen's watchdog, basically allowing him to kill almost anyone.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveSupernaturalPowers: Sebastian is a demon, and will kill anyone Ciel tells him to, or anyone who tries to hurt either of them, in most cases. Justified, because he's a ''demon''.
* ScrewTheRulesImBeautiful: How [[spoiler: Cole]] justifies being a cheating manipulative jerk. [[spoiler: Turns out he's as good with makeup as he is at manipulating his classmates.]]
* ScoobyDooHoax: [[spoiler: Siegliende's whole life. There are no werewolves in the forest, no werewolf curse and no "ultimate magic formula". There are however soldiers in werewolf costumes, effects of the poisonous gas use and the formula for making a biological weapon. Every one of the village residents (even Wolfram) is a soldier, taking part in a top-secret military project which is led by Siegliende's mother. Basically everything Siegliende has been taught is a part of the project, named "Green witch project".]]
* SecurityBlanket: There is a specific pillow that Ciel cannot sleep without. [[spoiler: Subverted, as it is later revealed to just be for Sebastian to hide the blood on his chest]].
* SerialKiller: [[spoiler: Grell and Madame Red]].
* SeriousBusiness: Curry-cooking contests. School cricket tournaments.
* ServileSnarker: Sebastian.
* SatelliteLoveInterest: Elizabeth. [[spoiler:Subverted]] in chapter 57, where it's shown that [[spoiler: it's ''because'' Ciel exists that Elizabeth suppressed her [[BadassAdorable personality]] into a cookie-cutter DamselInDistress]].
* ShesGotLegs: [[MsFanservice Ranmao]], highlighted by the fact the she dresses exclusively in VERY short Qipaos.
** Really, this applies to [[FanserviceExtra ANY of the girls seen with Lau]] Ranmao is just the only one who is ALWAYS with him.
* {{Shinigami}}: Interestingly, most are of the Psychopomp variety, but evil ones kill for pleasure. There's even a CelestialBureaucracy of them.
* ShoutOut: Episode 7 has a few nods to the Literature/SherlockHolmes novel ''Literature/TheHoundOfTheBaskervilles''.
** Book of the Atlantic has the Karnstein Hospital, named for the Lady Karnstien from "Dracula's Guest" by Bram Stoker.
** Father Jeremy Rathbone who shows up in Chapter 45. Shares the first name of Creator/JeremyBrett, who played the detective in the Granada TV series (as well being an almost dead--no pun intended--ringer for said actor), and the surname of Creator/BasilRathbone, another Holmes actor from the 1940s. And then he proceeds to pull the deduction technique on Arthur, who mentions the father resembling Professor Bell, whom the real Sir Arthur based Holmes off of.
** [[spoiler:Phelps]]'s killer in Chapter 47 is a reference to another Sherlock Holmes story, ''The Speckled Band''.
** In the manga, Sebastian sends a secret note via [[Literature/HarryPotter snowy owl]].
** According to one of the early manga chapters, apparently the pets in Hell are [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Xenomorphs]].
** [[spoiler:Grelle Sutcliffe]] seems to be named after another English serial killer, [[spoiler:[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Sutcliffe the Yorkshire Ripper]]]].
** Sebastian's line to Claude [[spoiler:as he's hanging on to the trap door in Cielois's maze]] "We meet again, Claude" is the polite, as one would expect of a butler, form of "We meet again, Cloud" uttered by Sephiroth in ''Anime/FinalFantasyVIIAdventChildren''. Even better as Claude and Cloud share a VA. Square-Enix self-shout.
** The dress that Ciel uses at the opening image of chapter 8 is exactly the same that Katrina uses in the last scenes of ''Film/SleepyHollow''.
** Chapter 52 has Dr. [[{{Dracula}} Stoker]], his subject [[Series/DarkShadows Maggy]] whose body was [[FrankensteinsMonster covered in stitches]], and after being knifed by Sebastian she bends into a [[Film/TheExorcist backwards crabwalk]]. The whole thing takes place on [[Film/{{Titanic 1997}} a big ship from the White Star Line]].
** The anime has the famous painting ''The Isle of the Dead'', by Arnold Böcklin.
** The story after the totally-not-''Titanic'' arc takes place [[Franchise/HarryPotter in an exclusive academy that has four houses with a color/animal/personality theme]]: Red Fox/highborn; Sapphire Owl/academic; Purple Wolf/artistic; Green Lion/athletic.
** The curry competition in episode 15 of the anime begins with the Emcee shouting "[[Series/IronChef Allez cuisine!]]"
* ShownTheirWork: There are a lot of accurate references to areas in London as well as references to things like Fortnum and Mason.
** To the point that some rather obscure things are brought up that seem, at a glance, to be examples of PurelyAestheticEra, but when you dig a little further, [[OlderThanTheyThink turn out to fit fairly well into that time period]].
*** Madame Red's profession? The London School of Medicine for Women was established in 1874. It's quite likely that Madame Red graduated from it.
*** Plastic surgery? [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_surgery It can be traced back to Ancient Egypt.]]
*** Ronald's lawn mower scythe? Besides the theory (now confirmed fact) that shinigami are otherworldly and thus a walking AnachronismStew, [[OlderThanYouThink the first lawnmower was invented in 1830,]] and [[http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bllawns.htm the design sounds similar to Ronald's.]]
** Not only London, [[http://www.mangatoshokan.com/read/Kuroshitsuji/STFU-Scans/33/37 the flour explosion that Bard references in Chapter 33]]? [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washburn_A_Mill Happened in Minneapolis in 1878]].
** And the idea of mobile phones? [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photophone The first wireless phone call was made in 1880]]. Obviously not with the compact technology shown, but it is slightly more probable than might think.
** The four houses at the private school Ciel's infiltrating battle for supremacy with an epic UsefulNotes/{{cricket}} match, which the author gives [[UsefulNotes/CricketRules very detailed instructions on]].
** The ''Ciel in Wonderland'' OVA features several obscure characters from ''Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland'', such as the Mock Turtle (played by Viscount of Druitt), the Pigeon (played by Ash and Angela) and the giant puppy (played by Pluto), there are no {{Composite Character}}s (the Mouse and the Dormouse are played by two separate people and there is no mention of a Red Queen) and no references whatsoever are made to ''Through the Looking Glass''.
* ShowyInvincibleHero: For a certain definition of "hero" but Sebastien is totally this early on. Nothing and no one can really stand against him. [[spoiler:Even the series one BigBad is completely obliterated in seconds by him.]] Most of the fun is seeing him dispatch the villains in amazing fashion. This changes when Claude shows up and he has an equal opponent to deal with.
* SidekickExMachina: Both Sebastian and Grell. Also, [[spoiler:Ran Mao]], although in the manga we have yet to see Grell do anything plot-related apart from killing two minor characters.
* SissyVillain: Grell, Grell, Grell.
** Charles Grey and Alois may also qualify.
** Let's not forget the Viscount Druitt.
* SlasherSmile: Grell.
* SlouchOfVillainy: [[VillainProtagonist Ciel]]. He slouches when he's about to do something particularly nasty, and unless he is standing up, almost gives orders to Sebastian exclusively in this pose. Also, he does it in almost all the official art (note the image at the top of the page).
* SociopathicHero: Sebastian, being a demon, shows no mercy towards his master's enemies.
* SoulEating:
** The terms of Ciel's FaustianBargain with Sebastian is that once Ciel has achieved his life's goals Sebastian gets to eat his soul. In the meantime he acts as his utterly loyal butler.
** In season two of the anime Alois' brother Luca made a contract with a demon to kill all the villagers who mistreated them and his soul was eaten leaving an empty shell of a body. [[spoiler: Alois eventually learns that it was Hannah who ate him and makes a contract with her so they can be together again. After she collects the two of them are heard talking inside her.]]
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Grell(e) Sutcliff(e).
** Ran-Mao or Lan Mao.
** Maylene, May-Rin, Mey-Rin, Mei-Rin...
** Meena or Mina. The English manga release from Yen Press chose the latter while Creator/FUNimation's anime release chose the former spelling.
** Bardroy, Baldroy.
** Middleford vs Midford. The English release from Yen Press chose for latter, but the former was the first to be widely accepted, so there's been some confusion.
* SpotOfTea: ''Lots''. This is VictorianLondon, after all.
* StraightManAndWiseGuy: Ciel and Sebastian.
* SuperDeformed: The first ending has the characters portrayed in this style.
** Tanaka, to the point of it being a {{Lampshade}}d, RunningGag.
* SuperStrength: [[spoiler:Finnian has SuperStrength as a side-effect of going through human experiments]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tropes T]]
* TalkingIsAFreeAction: {{Averted|Trope}}[=/=][[ParodiedTrope somewhat parodied]] in Chapter 33 of the manga, although it's PlayedForDrama. When [[spoiler:Dagger and Beast run into the lobby of the Phantomhive Manor, Bardroy is blocking their way on the stairs, addressing them both casually...then, right in the middle of the intimidating speech, Dagger throws a few knives at his head, which Bard blocks with a pair of frying pans, quickly taking offense to Dagger interrupting him]].
-->'''Bard:''' H-hey! That's dangerous, I was in the middle of talking!
* TallDarkAndHandsome: Our favorite butler from Hell, Sebastian, fits the bill perfectly.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Sebastian again. While he is indeed very competent, he can't resist pointing this out to others or making smart remarks about their shortcomings.
* TeenGenius: Ciel. Though his character falls more under the ChildProdigy trope, he's 13 for most of the series, so he's technically a teen.
** The Blue Cult arc ''shows'' that he's very skilled in the field of business, as he battles an enemy whose scheme revolves around the success of a specific music hall by [[spoiler: opening a music hall of his own and using shrewd business tactics to steal a significant number of customers from the target. Bonus because Ciel hadn't actually had any experience in the entertainment industry before[[note]]Which ''is'' a legitimate concern, as a previous product line of his almost collapsed because he didn't know how the specific industry he was branching out into worked[[/note]], but he applies his prior knowledge of advertising and Sebastian's knowledge of manipulation to make it a success anyways.]]
* TenLittleMurderVictims: The premise of the Murder Mystery arc.
* ThereAreTwoKindsOfPeopleInTheWorld: Ciel emphasizes this to Joker in chapter 32.
* TheThingThatGoesDoink: This Japanese mainstay is an item in the Phantomhive garden, despite its being in Victorian England.
* ThoseTwoGuys: Soma and Agni.
* ThreeAmigos: Finnian, Baldroy, and Mey-Rin.
* TinCanTelephone: UpToEleven--replace the cans with [[spoiler:paintings]] at one end and [[spoiler:''dozens'' of gramophone horns]] on the other.
* TooDumbToLive: Elizabeth, you don't follow a stranger who doesn't even act as if he was human, you don't go on a boat in a middle of a ''storm'' just to find a deer, you don't follow your fiancé just to make him eat a cake when he's with a gun and tells you to go back because it's dangerous.
** This is subverted as of Chapter 57, though, where it's shown that [[spoiler:[[LittleMissBadass she's perfectly capable of handling herself]], more so than [[DistressedDude Ciel]], and may have been following to keep an eye on him]]. Plus, those first two examples were solely in the anime.
* TookALevelInBadass: In the anime's second season, thanks to [[spoiler:Alois's wish that neither Claude nor Sebastian would be able to eat Ciel's soul]], Ciel [[spoiler:is now a demon--red eyes, black fingernails, and all--with an even more powerful demon (Sebastian) as his servant]].
** [[spoiler:Elizabeth during the Campania arc.]]
* TooKinkyToTorture: Sebastian (in episode 20), Grell, and the Undertaker.
* TraumaCongaLine: Ciel may count as Type B, though we are first introduced to him as an already [[CreepyChild cynical]], [[JerkassWoobie messed up]] kid, rather than having him slowly developing into a villain.
* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: Ciel.
** Alois as well. For the whole first episode, he goes from acting completely [[ChildrenAreInnocent innocent]] to downright [[AxCrazy crazy]] within a few seconds, and switches back and forth between the two personas. Not to mention, he acts as if he is trying to seduce any male character within five feet of him. Which is, sadly, TruthInTelevision. Many childhood sexual abuse victims end up acting like this because their trauma never allowed them to develop healthy ways of interacting with adults.
* TrueCompanions: Ciel's house staff trio.
** The Circus crew.
** The four prefects are revealed to be this, to the point of [[spoiler:covering up multiple murders]] for each other.
[[/folder]]
----
----
!! Black Butler - Tropes S to T
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Tropes S]]
* SarcasticDevotee: Sebastian.
* SanitySlippage: Hinted to be the case with Ciel in the manga. His RoaringRampageOfRevenge [[TraumaCongaLine hasn't been kind]]--losing his aunt, witnessing countless gruesome sights and, of course, [[TearJerker that whole business with]] the [[MoralEventHorizon Noah's Ark Circus]].
** [[spoiler:This process is also "spicing" Ciel's soul for Sebastian in anticipation of their contract's completion...]]
* ScaryShinyGlasses: , of all people, pulls this one off in the newest OVA.
** Bluer gets these a couple of times in the manga, most notably when [[spoiler:he makes an astounding bowl against Greenhill in the cricket match]], and later when [[spoiler:he and the other prefects confess to murdering Derrick Arden to protect the integrity of their school when they discovered that he was bulling other students and using their talents to make himself appear perfect--and the vice principal was not only aware, but ''allowing'' it]].
* ScaryStitches: A crudely-made doll of Sebastian with obvious stitching appears in the series.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Ciel is the queen's watchdog, basically allowing him to kill almost anyone.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveSupernaturalPowers: Sebastian is a demon, and will kill anyone Ciel tells him to, or anyone who tries to hurt either of them, in most cases. Justified, because he's a ''demon''.
* ScrewTheRulesImBeautiful: How [[spoiler: Cole]] justifies being a cheating manipulative jerk. [[spoiler: Turns out he's as good with makeup as he is at manipulating his classmates.]]
* ScoobyDooHoax: [[spoiler: Siegliende's whole life. There are no werewolves in the forest, no werewolf curse and no "ultimate magic formula". There are however soldiers in werewolf costumes, effects of the poisonous gas use and the formula for making a biological weapon. Every one of the village residents (even Wolfram) is a soldier, taking part in a top-secret military project which is led by Siegliende's mother. Basically everything Siegliende has been taught is a part of the project, named "Green witch project".]]
* SecurityBlanket: There is a specific pillow that Ciel cannot sleep without. [[spoiler: Subverted, as it is later revealed to just be for Sebastian to hide the blood on his chest]].
* SerialKiller: [[spoiler: Grell and Madame Red]].
* SeriousBusiness: Curry-cooking contests. School cricket tournaments.
* ServileSnarker: Sebastian.
* SatelliteLoveInterest: Elizabeth. [[spoiler:Subverted]] in chapter 57, where it's shown that [[spoiler: it's ''because'' Ciel exists that Elizabeth suppressed her [[BadassAdorable personality]] into a cookie-cutter DamselInDistress]].
* ShesGotLegs: [[MsFanservice Ranmao]], highlighted by the fact the she dresses exclusively in VERY short Qipaos.
** Really, this applies to [[FanserviceExtra ANY of the girls seen with Lau]] Ranmao is just the only one who is ALWAYS with him.
* {{Shinigami}}: Interestingly, most are of the Psychopomp variety, but evil ones kill for pleasure. There's even a CelestialBureaucracy of them.
* ShoutOut: Episode 7 has a few nods to the Literature/SherlockHolmes novel ''Literature/TheHoundOfTheBaskervilles''.
** Book of the Atlantic has the Karnstein Hospital, named for the Lady Karnstien from "Dracula's Guest" by Bram Stoker.
** Father Jeremy Rathbone who shows up in Chapter 45. Shares the first name of Creator/JeremyBrett, who played the detective in the Granada TV series (as well being an almost dead--no pun intended--ringer for said actor), and the surname of Creator/BasilRathbone, another Holmes actor from the 1940s. And then he proceeds to pull the deduction technique on Arthur, who mentions the father resembling Professor Bell, whom the real Sir Arthur based Holmes off of.
** [[spoiler:Phelps]]'s killer in Chapter 47 is a reference to another Sherlock Holmes story, ''The Speckled Band''.
** In the manga, Sebastian sends a secret note via [[Literature/HarryPotter snowy owl]].
** According to one of the early manga chapters, apparently the pets in Hell are [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Xenomorphs]].
** [[spoiler:Grelle Sutcliffe]] seems to be named after another English serial killer, [[spoiler:[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Sutcliffe the Yorkshire Ripper]]]].
** Sebastian's line to Claude [[spoiler:as he's hanging on to the trap door in Cielois's maze]] "We meet again, Claude" is the polite, as one would expect of a butler, form of "We meet again, Cloud" uttered by Sephiroth in ''Anime/FinalFantasyVIIAdventChildren''. Even better as Claude and Cloud share a VA. Square-Enix self-shout.
** The dress that Ciel uses at the opening image of chapter 8 is exactly the same that Katrina uses in the last scenes of ''Film/SleepyHollow''.
** Chapter 52 has Dr. [[{{Dracula}} Stoker]], his subject [[Series/DarkShadows Maggy]] whose body was [[FrankensteinsMonster covered in stitches]], and after being knifed by Sebastian she bends into a [[Film/TheExorcist backwards crabwalk]]. The whole thing takes place on [[Film/{{Titanic 1997}} a big ship from the White Star Line]].
** The anime has the famous painting ''The Isle of the Dead'', by Arnold Böcklin.
** The story after the totally-not-''Titanic'' arc takes place [[Franchise/HarryPotter in an exclusive academy that has four houses with a color/animal/personality theme]]: Red Fox/highborn; Sapphire Owl/academic; Purple Wolf/artistic; Green Lion/athletic.
** The curry competition in episode 15 of the anime begins with the Emcee shouting "[[Series/IronChef Allez cuisine!]]"
* ShownTheirWork: There are a lot of accurate references to areas in London as well as references to things like Fortnum and Mason.
** To the point that some rather obscure things are brought up that seem, at a glance, to be examples of PurelyAestheticEra, but when you dig a little further, [[OlderThanTheyThink turn out to fit fairly well into that time period]].
*** Madame Red's profession? The London School of Medicine for Women was established in 1874. It's quite likely that Madame Red graduated from it.
*** Plastic surgery? [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_surgery It can be traced back to Ancient Egypt.]]
*** Ronald's lawn mower scythe? Besides the theory (now confirmed fact) that shinigami are otherworldly and thus a walking AnachronismStew, [[OlderThanYouThink the first lawnmower was invented in 1830,]] and [[http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bllawns.htm the design sounds similar to Ronald's.]]
** Not only London, [[http://www.mangatoshokan.com/read/Kuroshitsuji/STFU-Scans/33/37 the flour explosion that Bard references in Chapter 33]]? [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washburn_A_Mill Happened in Minneapolis in 1878]].
** And the idea of mobile phones? [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photophone The first wireless phone call was made in 1880]]. Obviously not with the compact technology shown, but it is slightly more probable than might think.
** The four houses at the private school Ciel's infiltrating battle for supremacy with an epic UsefulNotes/{{cricket}} match, which the author gives [[UsefulNotes/CricketRules very detailed instructions on]].
** The ''Ciel in Wonderland'' OVA features several obscure characters from ''Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland'', such as the Mock Turtle (played by Viscount of Druitt), the Pigeon (played by Ash and Angela) and the giant puppy (played by Pluto), there are no {{Composite Character}}s (the Mouse and the Dormouse are played by two separate people and there is no mention of a Red Queen) and no references whatsoever are made to ''Through the Looking Glass''.
* ShowyInvincibleHero: For a certain definition of "hero" but Sebastien is totally this early on. Nothing and no one can really stand against him. [[spoiler:Even the series one BigBad is completely obliterated in seconds by him.]] Most of the fun is seeing him dispatch the villains in amazing fashion. This changes when Claude shows up and he has an equal opponent to deal with.
* SidekickExMachina: Both Sebastian and Grell. Also, [[spoiler:Ran Mao]], although in the manga we have yet to see Grell do anything plot-related apart from killing two minor characters.
* SissyVillain: Grell, Grell, Grell.
** Charles Grey and Alois may also qualify.
** Let's not forget the Viscount Druitt.
* SlasherSmile: Grell.
* SlouchOfVillainy: [[VillainProtagonist Ciel]]. He slouches when he's about to do something particularly nasty, and unless he is standing up, almost gives orders to Sebastian exclusively in this pose. Also, he does it in almost all the official art (note the image at the top of the page).
* SociopathicHero: Sebastian, being a demon, shows no mercy towards his master's enemies.
* SoulEating:
** The terms of Ciel's FaustianBargain with Sebastian is that once Ciel has achieved his life's goals Sebastian gets to eat his soul. In the meantime he acts as his utterly loyal butler.
** In season two of the anime Alois' brother Luca made a contract with a demon to kill all the villagers who mistreated them and his soul was eaten leaving an empty shell of a body. [[spoiler: Alois eventually learns that it was Hannah who ate him and makes a contract with her so they can be together again. After she collects the two of them are heard talking inside her.]]
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Grell(e) Sutcliff(e).
** Ran-Mao or Lan Mao.
** Maylene, May-Rin, Mey-Rin, Mei-Rin...
** Meena or Mina. The English manga release from Yen Press chose the latter while Creator/FUNimation's anime release chose the former spelling.
** Bardroy, Baldroy.
** Middleford vs Midford. The English release from Yen Press chose for latter, but the former was the first to be widely accepted, so there's been some confusion.
* SpotOfTea: ''Lots''. This is VictorianLondon, after all.
* StraightManAndWiseGuy: Ciel and Sebastian.
* SuperDeformed: The first ending has the characters portrayed in this style.
** Tanaka, to the point of it being a {{Lampshade}}d, RunningGag.
* SuperStrength: [[spoiler:Finnian has SuperStrength as a side-effect of going through human experiments]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tropes T]]
* TalkingIsAFreeAction: {{Averted|Trope}}[=/=][[ParodiedTrope somewhat parodied]] in Chapter 33 of the manga, although it's PlayedForDrama. When [[spoiler:Dagger and Beast run into the lobby of the Phantomhive Manor, Bardroy is blocking their way on the stairs, addressing them both casually...then, right in the middle of the intimidating speech, Dagger throws a few knives at his head, which Bard blocks with a pair of frying pans, quickly taking offense to Dagger interrupting him]].
-->'''Bard:''' H-hey! That's dangerous, I was in the middle of talking!
* TallDarkAndHandsome: Our favorite butler from Hell, Sebastian, fits the bill perfectly.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Sebastian again. While he is indeed very competent, he can't resist pointing this out to others or making smart remarks about their shortcomings.
* TeenGenius: Ciel. Though his character falls more under the ChildProdigy trope, he's 13 for most of the series, so he's technically a teen.
** The Blue Cult arc ''shows'' that he's very skilled in the field of business, as he battles an enemy whose scheme revolves around the success of a specific music hall by [[spoiler: opening a music hall of his own and using shrewd business tactics to steal a significant number of customers from the target. Bonus because Ciel hadn't actually had any experience in the entertainment industry before[[note]]Which ''is'' a legitimate concern, as a previous product line of his almost collapsed because he didn't know how the specific industry he was branching out into worked[[/note]], but he applies his prior knowledge of advertising and Sebastian's knowledge of manipulation to make it a success anyways.]]
* TenLittleMurderVictims: The premise of the Murder Mystery arc.
* ThereAreTwoKindsOfPeopleInTheWorld: Ciel emphasizes this to Joker in chapter 32.
* TheThingThatGoesDoink: This Japanese mainstay is an item in the Phantomhive garden, despite its being in Victorian England.
* ThoseTwoGuys: Soma and Agni.
* ThreeAmigos: Finnian, Baldroy, and Mey-Rin.
* TinCanTelephone: UpToEleven--replace the cans with [[spoiler:paintings]] at one end and [[spoiler:''dozens'' of gramophone horns]] on the other.
* TooDumbToLive: Elizabeth, you don't follow a stranger who doesn't even act as if he was human, you don't go on a boat in a middle of a ''storm'' just to find a deer, you don't follow your fiancé just to make him eat a cake when he's with a gun and tells you to go back because it's dangerous.
** This is subverted as of Chapter 57, though, where it's shown that [[spoiler:[[LittleMissBadass she's perfectly capable of handling herself]], more so than [[DistressedDude Ciel]], and may have been following to keep an eye on him]]. Plus, those first two examples were solely in the anime.
* TookALevelInBadass: In the anime's second season, thanks to [[spoiler:Alois's wish that neither Claude nor Sebastian would be able to eat Ciel's soul]], Ciel [[spoiler:is now a demon--red eyes, black fingernails, and all--with an even more powerful demon (Sebastian) as his servant]].
** [[spoiler:Elizabeth during the Campania arc.]]
* TooKinkyToTorture: Sebastian (in episode 20), Grell, and the Undertaker.
* TraumaCongaLine: Ciel may count as Type B, though we are first introduced to him as an already [[CreepyChild cynical]], [[JerkassWoobie messed up]] kid, rather than having him slowly developing into a villain.
* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: Ciel.
** Alois as well. For the whole first episode, he goes from acting completely [[ChildrenAreInnocent innocent]] to downright [[AxCrazy crazy]] within a few seconds, and switches back and forth between the two personas. Not to mention, he acts as if he is trying to seduce any male character within five feet of him. Which is, sadly, TruthInTelevision. Many childhood sexual abuse victims end up acting like this because their trauma never allowed them to develop healthy ways of interacting with adults.
* TrueCompanions: Ciel's house staff trio.
** The Circus crew.
** The four prefects are revealed to be this, to the point of [[spoiler:covering up multiple murders]] for each other.
[[/folder]]
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