History ChildOfTheStorm / TropesQToZ

* RealityEnsues:
** When you're exhausted and beaten to a pulp, defiant last stands don't last very long. [[spoiler: Thankfully for Carol, the [[TheDreaded Winter]] [[SuperSoldier Soldier]] is a FriendToAllChildren and has her back.]]
** Charging headlong into a fight with a lot of people armed with bullets, lasers, knives and WolverineClaws when you lack superhuman durability isn't a bright idea either.
** Manages to deconstruct the DracoInLeatherPants cliche in regards to Snape. Despite his protection of Harry his other actions aren't ignored. Like how he uses his past grudge towards James as an attempt to torment Harry and the fic clearly points out how petty and vindictive Snape is because of it. Justified as the author is going by early novel portrayals rather than Alan Rickman's version of Snape.
** When Harry and his friends have gone through one intense moment after another they aren't going to magically forget about what they've been through. In the Red Room Arc it left Harry so traumatized that he had to get counseling and the events of that arc still sticks with him.

** It also brutally subverts several of the expected tropes. [[RealityEnsues Charging into battle in a righteous rage, wreathed in power, is not a good idea when you are severely outnumbered]], a GlassCannon and [[spoiler: chiefly fighting someone much experienced and much more skilled, with a HealingFactor.]]

* WorfEffect: All over the place. For starters, in his first appearance, the Winter Soldier kills a nundu and a chimera, without breaking a step. As in, a creature that can only be taken down by a hundred trained wizards and a creature that was only successfully slain once, by [[Myth/GreekMythology Bellerephon]]. In the next, he kills what the author admitted to be that universe's analogue of Franchise/JamesBond... [[PreMortemOneLiner Pre-Mortem One-Liners]] are a [[RealityEnsues bad]] idea when facing [[CombatPragmatist an enemy too pragmatic]] for TalkingIsAFreeAction (partly because he doesn't actually talk).

*** Then, later on, he takes out one of the Slendermen by himself in chapter 59, and when artificially aged up in chapter 60 [[spoiler: he curbstomps giant werewolves, hits a Baron Zemo controlled Destroyer knock-off with [[WaveMotionGun a blast]] that is mistaken for a nuke by NASA and launches said robot from Colorado to a potato field eighty miles East of Moscow.]] By chapter 70 he's a bona fide PersonOfMassDestruction and he uses his PsychicPowers and UnstoppableRage to tear through a HYDRA assault team and goes toe to toe with {{ComicBook/Daken}}. While he loses [[spoiler: specifically, Daken kills him]], the rematch in chapter 75 features him bouncing Daken around the room like a tennis ball, and chapter 74 has him treating a hail of bullets as a mere annoyance and the trigger for a WorldOfCardboardSpeech.

** Asgardians, [[spoiler: Gravemoss, the Flamels]] and, on a smaller scale, Natasha and [[spoiler:the Winter Soldier]].

** [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]] is the most notable example, with a whole list of other nicknames: [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast The Ice Warrior, the Sleeping Death, the Shield Breaker, Europe's Terror.]] He earned them.

* RightHandVersusLeftHand: The evil alliance is slowly turning into this - Von Strucker has commandeered [[spoiler: the Winter Soldier]] and Gravemoss does whatever he likes.

%%** [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier, natch]].

** [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]] is considered to be more of a ghost story than an actual person. When he first appears in person almost nobody in the room recognizes him.

** The Red Room, being mentioned as a mysterious organisation that produced Natasha and [[spoiler: the Winter Soldier]], one which even HYDRA fears.

* SovietSuperScience: Natasha and [[spoiler: the Winter Soldier]] are products of this. The Red Room specialised in it.

** [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]]. A played with example. People know that he exists all right... but beyond that, nothing. One or two characters know more about him, but they don't reveal many of the details. He is, until he resurfaces, also believed to have been dead for nearly twenty years, having disappeared during [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the fall of the Soviet Union.]]

* SuperPersistentPredator: [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]]. It's kind of his hallmark - or [[ColdSniper one]] [[BrainwashedAndCrazy of]] [[OneManArmy them,]] anyway.

** The Russian Infinity Formula, given to Natasha, Ivan Petrovitch and [[spoiler: the Winter Soldier, in the latter case to stabilise his enhancements by Zola]].

** [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]].

** Type 2: [[LivingWeapon Natasha]], [[ImprobableAimingSkills Clint]], [[SuperSoldier Steve]], [[spoiler: [[OneManArmy the]] [[TheDreaded Winter]] [[ColdSniper Soldier]]]], younger Hogwarts Students, [[GuileHero Harry Thorson]] [[TookALevelInBadass (prior to Chapter 60)]], Ron and Hermione, [[TheAgeless the]] [[MasterSwordsman Lady]] [[BadassTeacher Knight]] (bordering Type 3), [[FragileSpeedster Jean-Paul Beaubier]], T'Challa, [[spoiler: Carol Danvers when aged up and after chapter 69]].

** [[spoiler:The Winter Soldier]] is even more terrifying than in canon. [[TheVoiceless This version never,]] ''[[TheVoiceless ever]]'' [[TheVoiceless speaks]] (though Black Widow implies that this is something of a recent development). And according to Narcissa Malfoy, he just looks at you as if figuring out the quickest and most efficient way to kill you.

* TheVoiceless: [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]]. It serves to terrify everyone nearby. He finally speaks in chapter 68 and once again in chapter 71. Even then, then he doesn't say much.

** [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]] combines this with a HyperspaceArsenal.

* WishFulfillment: Zig-Zags this trope. The premise is textbook WishFulfillment, but the execution is not. Harry has numerous issues coming to terms with his sudden elevation from Boy-Who-Lived to a demigod Prince in direct line to the throne of Asgard, along with his growing abilities and the responses to both of the above. The ante of the antagonists is swiftly upped, causing problems that weren't there before. [[VillainExitStageLeft Pettigrew bugs out of Hogwarts as soon as he hears about the presence of Loki and Thor and their interest in Harry]] (WordOfGod has indicated that he doesn't actually ''know'' that James Potter was really Thor, since he got out of Hogwarts too quickly) and what appears to be a fairly ramshackle (but still dangerous, mainly due to control of [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]]) alliance of HYDRA, Lucius Malfoy (and some of the remaining Death Eaters) and [[{{Necromancer}} Gravemoss]]. In chapter 50, it morphs into a lean, mean and excessively well financed terror machine under the sole command of [[spoiler: Lucius Malfoy]] who had been manoeuvring towards this point from the beginning, having chopped out some of the dead wood in the form of [[spoiler: Baron Von Strucker, former head of HYDRA, and a number of Death Eaters, whose finances Malfoy now controls]]. Oh, and not only is the Darkhold is on the loose, its [[GodOfEvil author]] is taking an interest...

** Wanda Maximoff, Sorceress Supreme In Waiting, become this to Harry Dresden in the ''Chaos Reigns'' side story, set just before chapter 60, and the two even start dating - though Wanda explicitly states when she makes her double offer (become her apprentice and[=/=]or her boyfriend), after giving Dresden TheBigDamnKiss to get through his denial, that it's not an all or nothing offer, once Dresden notes the potential problems with this. She'd be happy if he chose either. [[MentorShip He chooses both.]]

* StraightGay: [[spoiler: Uhtred]], though he's technically [[BiTheWay bisexual]]. When he responds to Jean-Paul's flirting, everyone is surprised.

* SiblingYinYang: Mulitple:

* SignificantDoubleCasting: Fan-casting in this case - Harry, James!Thor and [[spoiler: Clark Kent]] all look the same because [[spoiler: when Odin banished Thor for the first time, he tweaked his look as James Potter as a homage to the House of El, giving him the classic 'El look'.]]

* ShownTheirWork:

* SiblingYinYang:

* TarotTroubles: In chapter 66, Trelawney gives Harry a ten card Tarot reading with [[ShownTheirWork accurate meanings]] [[DidDoTheResearch beyond the obvious. She also references the historical background of Tarot cards.]] She uses a magical deck - which differs from an ordinary deck by the faces of the Major Arcana changing slightly based on who's being read. Five of the cards are Minor Arcana, and three of them are explicable as well-informed guesses, though the two are fairly the nose - Five of Cups' 'an emotional reunion' [[spoiler: may refer to Harry reuniting with his mother, as happens twelve chapters later, or with Jean, the chapter after that,]] and the Knight of Swords' warning [[spoiler: that if Harry rushes into a situation without warning he will be punished comes true in chapter 70 when he attacks HYDRA head on in a blind rage and winds up being stabbed through the heart by Daken]]. The Major Arcana are double {{Foreshadowing}}, in both their faces (which shift a ''lot'' more than Trelawney was expecting, taking forms that she doesn't recognise) and their meanings:

%%** [[spoiler: Sean Cassidy]].

* RedEyesTakeWarning: Gravemoss, as part of his EvilAlbino aesthetic.

By the time of the story, he's become the FourStarBadass of the films and comics, having risen to the Directorship in less than twelve years, [[HandicappedBadass after losing an eye]] to [[ArchNemesis Lucius]] [[ItsPersonal Malfoy]] and [[KillItWithFire leaving him to die in his burning home]] (which Fury set alight with [[UpToEleven napalm]]) with a broken wand and a permanently damaged leg, and [[HeartbrokenBadass losing the closest thing to family he'd ever had.]] He's clever enough to play mind games with [[MagnificentBastard Lucius Malfoy]] and manipulate [[GoodIsNotSoft Albus]] [[MagnificentBastard Dumbledore]], [[SmugSnake Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker]] and [[TheAgeless Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel]] into doing/saying things they otherwise wouldn't wish to, leaving people who once knew him ([=McGonagall=], for example) [[UsedToBeASweetKid stunned at the change]]. He's trained [[EmpoweredBadassNormal Peter Wisdom]] a.k.a. [[spoiler: Regulus Black]], Agent, then [[FourStarBadass Director]], of [=MI13=] (SHIELD's British equivalent), who has 'a carefully cultivated and well earned reputation for being extremely dangerous to cross' who clearly learned all about being a ManipulativeBastard from his mentor. [[note]] Making this all the more impressive is that, he's explicitly mentioned as a young Agent when he first met Lily. Even accounting for time in the Marines, considering that he was hanging out and drinking with John Constantine and Sirius Black rather than older members of the Order, he can't have been older than Wanda when Lily was killed (31), and was likely closer to 25. This means that, at most, he's 43, and at least, he's 37. Not only that, but he'd been Director for at least two years, as (''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' was roughly two years or more before the events of the story) and likely for at least a year or three before that if he can get away with what he does during the film. That means he rose to the Directorship at the age of between 32 and 39. To put this in perspective, Robert Gates was 48 when he was confirmed as head of the CIA and no chief of MI6 has been younger than 49 on appointment. [[/note]]

%%* ReasonableAuthorityFigure:
%%** Nick Fury, Dumbledore, Odin, Loki and General O'Neill.

** Doctor Strange, as he is practically omnipotent, insanely powerful, and a TimeAbyss with MysteriousPast.

%%** The Red Room.

-->'''Thor''': It must just ''kill'' you to see Lily’s eyes staring out of my face, mustn’t it. She was your friend. I think you loved her, which is why you hate him all the more, seeing a living reminder that when it came down to it, she chose me. Not you. ''Me.''

--> I see your soul, Lady Hera. It’s not a very nice sight. All dark and twisted. [[TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf See?]] I know you, Hera Argeia. I know what you are. You think you’re special, but you really aren’t. There are uncounted billions like you all through the universe. I’ve seen your kind at close quarters. And none of you are that complicated. The only difference is that you have just a bit more power than most. You’re upset and you just want to lash out. You want to make other people suffer because, just for a moment, it distracts you from your own pain. And you don’t care what happens when you do. You don’t care when parents lose children, children lose parents, sisters lose brothers and brothers lose sisters. No. [[ItsAllAboutMe In your mind, you’re the only person that matters.]] Or you were. I’ve shown you how much you don’t matter. You turned your own children into your pawn, the agents of your vengeance. You never paid them attention for very long. You loved them, but only so long as they did want you wanted, they were who you wanted them to be. And that’s not love. [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen?]] [[PhysicalGod Goddess?]] Mother? You’re not even fit to be a ''person.'' [[HeelRealisation And now you know it.]]

-->'''M''': I knew your parents, you know.\\

--> '''Betsy''': Good god, the guy had played her like a Stradivarius! She hadn't even needed to give him hints.

-->'''Fandral''': After such a woman, I am spoiled for all others [he breathed, near reverentially.] She is a mind-walker, and... [[PowerPerversionPotential she knew exactly what I liked best]].

%%* ShroudedInMyth:
%%** [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]].
%%** Doctor Strange.
%%** Asgardians, Olympians, Gods in general.

%%* TheSpymaster: Loki, Lucius Malfoy and Nick Fury.

--> Fury snorted. Like that was ever going to happen.

-->'''Tony''': His best friend is a brunette brain box.
-->'''Loki''': Who he is about as sexually attracted to as he is to mould.

--> Well. [[HeelFaceTurn Fuck the Mission, then.]]

%%* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Gravemoss. Oh my god, Gravemoss.

%%* WouldHurtAChild: Gravemoss. Gravemoss oh so ''very'' much.

* TangledFamilyTree: Hooo boy. This may need its own section.
** Harry Potter/Thorson:
*** From his father's "James Potter" side, he is a wizard and heir to the Potter clan, as well as related to all other pureblood families in England, including the Malfoys (this is brought up early on when Thor and Loki are concerned that Narcissa Malfoy will try to claim the Potter fortune), and by extension the Frost clan (Draco mentioned them hailing from a Squib). On top of that, Sirius Black is his Godfather, tying him even further. Not to mention [[spoiler:Peter Wisdom aka Regulus Black]].
*** From his father's Asgardian side, he is a demi-god, nephew to Loki, grandson of Odin, and by extension related to every pantheon that exists. This includes the [[BigScrewedUpFamily incest-happy Olympian Pantheon]] and Jesus.
*** It is theorized that at some point way back in Asgardian history, Odin's ancestors and the House of El intermingled, making Harry an extremely distant relative of Clark Kent. What ''this'' ties him with is explained bellow.
*** Thor is also in relationship with Jane Foster, who mentioned at one point that her brother is a "real daredevil" named Matthew.
*** From his mother's side, Harry is connected to the Grey family - and thus the infamous Grey-Summers family which is not yet quite as complicated - which means that he is related to Jean Grey and [[spoiler:her twin sister and Hydra Superweapon Maddie]]. This is where he gets his psychic and telekinetic powers from, as well as [[spoiler:the Phoenix Force]]. And the family's signature green eyes. [[spoiler:This mutant heritage also pops up in Dudley, who becomes the Blob]].
*** Also from his mother's side, Harry's grandparents were agents of SHIELD, which is how Nick Fury knows the family.
*** And after Lily's death, Harry ended up being [[spoiler:the son of Destruction herself, and therefore connected to Death, Delirium etc. With Delirium being Luna Lovewood, he is connected to this family ''yet again'', the dirst connection being from the pureblood part]].
*** His godmother is Wanda Maximoff, tying him to Magneto and his family, which are pretty dangled themselves.
** Clint Barton is the grandson of Bucky Barnes [[spoiler:who is the Winter Soldier]] and Minerva [=McGonagall=].
*** From his grandmother, Clint may or may not be tied to the chaos that are Britain's Pureblood families, and thus Harry.
*** His mother from that union was adopted by the Kents, with his adoptive sister becoming the adoptive parent of Clark Kent, which ties Clint to the House of El, and distantly Harry. Again.
*** Also, he was briefly in a relationship with Wanda Maximoff, Harry's Godmother. This tied him to Magneto's clan which well... see bellow.
** Wanda Maximoff:
*** She is the daughter of Magneto and has [[spoiler:two half siblings, each of different mothers. They're all mutants]]. Magneto also has an adoptive daughter.
*** As stated above, she is Harry's godmother, tying her to the insanity that is his family tree.
*** In the past, she was in a relationship with John Constantine, which resulted in [[spoiler:Wanda having Hermione and being forced to give her up for adoption due to circumstances. Hermione for her part, has no idea that she's adopted or that there's any sort of familial relationship]].
*** She is currently dating Harry Dresden, who has plenty of half-siblings in his own right. Which ties him to Harry Thorson.
** Tony Stark, while not quite as complex, gets on with this too.
*** His godfather is Charles Xavier. If the Xavier family is anything like in the comics, then the tree is pretty messed-up there.
*** [[spoiler:It is revealed that Tony's mother was actually a mutant, under the tutelage of Charles Xavier]]. Tony himself has no idea about this, and [[spoiler: doesn't have any abilities either]].
*** Tony's father, Howard, was the godfather of Alison Carter.
** The Grey-Summers family, while nowhere close as crazy as in the comics, are definitely in this list.
*** As stated above, they are related to Harry Thorson through Lily.
*** The Phoenix Force runs in the family, which also ties them to Death, Delirium etc. [[spoiler:Even more so, with Destruction and Lily fusing]]. And [[spoiler:Delirium is Luna Lovewood]].
*** Like canon, Scott has a massive crush on Jean and everybody ships it, in spite of Jean being ObliviousToLove.
** Steve Rogers: While in hindsight his family progresses as normal families do, the ''circumstances'' put him in this list as well. Made more complex by the fact they all are alive, which creates huge issues due to the generation gap (among other things).
*** Unbeknownst to himself, he fathered [[spoiler:Alison Carter]], whith the mother being Peggy. Due partially to the stigma of the era, and mostly because of the [[LensmanArmsRace potential value of his blood]], [[spoiler:Alison]] was presented as Peggy's much younger sister.
*** That daughter's godfather was Howard Stark, tying the two families together.
*** [[spoiler:Alison]] had two children, who in turn had kids on their own. That makes Steve a great-grandfather while he's biologically and mentally in his 20's.
*** One of those great-grandkids is [[spoiler:Carol Danvers]]. The others have no idea they're related to Steve.
*** And [[spoiler:Carol]] is dating [[spoiler:Harry Thorson]]. Nuff said.
** Agent Coulson is revealed to be "Molly's squib cousin who's an accountant". There we go with the Pureblood British wizards again. And Harry.

*** By chapter 1 of ''Ghosts of the Past'', pretty much everyone is shipping them because EveryoneCanSeeIt.

*** Chapter 1 of ''Ghosts of the Past'' is pretty much all Harry/Carol ship tease.

*** This is brought up in ''Ghosts of the Past'', when [[spoiler: Steve]] just sighs despairingly.

*** and as of ''Ghosts of the Past'', Harry is now [[spoiler:the godfather of Ada Potts-Stark, tying him into that clan as well]].

*** In ''Ghosts of the Past'', [[spoiler:Harry becomes the godfather of his daughter]]. No need to explain that chaos again. The other [[spoiler:godfather is Steve]].

*** Like canon, Scott has a massive crush on Jean and everybody ships it, in spite of Jean being ObliviousToLove. [[spoiler:Maddie's insensitive comments have also resulted in Jean breaking up with her previous boyfriend because he cheated on her]].
*** Huge spoiler for ''Ghosts of the Past'' here: [[spoiler:Jean's twin sister Maddie is sort-of dating Gambit, who is the clone of Scott Summers]].

*** Unbeknownst to himself, he fathered [[spoiler:Alison Carter]], whith the mother being Peggy. Due to the stigma of the era,[[spoiler:Alison]] was presented as Peggy's much younger sister.

*** As of ''Ghosts'', Steve is now [[spoiler:Ada Pottes-Stark's]] godfather, tying him in that family tree as well. [[spoiler:Again]].

** The smile makes a reappearance in chapter 1 of ''Ghosts of the Past'' and Harry notes that it still has a couple of teeth too many to be reassuring.

*** and as of ''Ghosts of the Past'', Harry is now [[spoiler:the Godfather of Ada Potts-Stark, tying him into that clan as well]].

*** His Godfather is Charles Xavier. If the Xavier family is anything like in the comics, then the tree is pretty messed-up there.
*** [[spoiler:It is revealed that Tony's mother was actually a mutant, under the tutelage of Charles Xavier. Tony himself has no supernatural abilities]].
*** In ''Ghosts of the Past'', [[spoiler:Harry becomes the Godfather of his daughter]]. No need to explain that chaos again.

** Steve Rogers: While in hindsight his family progresses as normal families do, the ''circumstances'' put him in this list as well. Unbeknownst to himself, he fathered [[spoiler:Alison Carter]], who in turn had children on her own, who in turn had grandkids. This makes [[spoiler:Carol Danvers]] Steve's great granddaughter. The last one is dating [[spoiler:Harry]]. What makes all this even more complex is that everyone in the family is alive, partially due to the Super-soldier serum, which creates huge issues due to the generational gap. On top of the already existing ones that they all have with each other.

** The Grey-Summers family, while nowhere close as crazy as in the comics, get on with this too.

* TangledFamilyTree: ''Many'' of them.

** Clint:

* TangledFamilyTree: Oh boy. You'd need a separate folder for this one.

* TheQuietOne: Zemo, who doesn't speak all that much, though more than most examples of this trope. He's also by far one of the most dangerous characters, as he demonstrates in chapter 70 when [[spoiler: he kills T'Chaka and then [[CurbstompBattle curbstomps]] a young T'Challa]], merely remarking that the latter made life interesting for him. On their rematch in chapter 75, Wolverine remarks that while [[spoiler: T'Challa]] did a lot better, Zemo was playing with him.
** His protégé, Jason Todd, barely says anything at all, speaking a grand total of once [[spoiler: until his HeelFaceTurn.]]
* QuirkyHousehold: the Avengers, to the general bafflement of just about everyone else on Earth. In Asgard, they've SeenItAll.

* RagsToRoyalty: Almost literally, in Harry's case.
* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Love potions are re-imaginated as this. In the [[AuthorTract Author's note]], the author says that he doesn't view love potions as romantic, but instead legalized tools of rape and manipulation. After learning of their existance, Tony purchases the potions' store and goes on a campaign to get rid of them.

* RealityEnsues: When you're exhausted and beaten to a pulp, defiant last stands don't last very long. [[spoiler: Thankfully for Carol, the [[TheDreaded Winter]] [[SuperSoldier Soldier]] is a FriendToAllChildren and has her back.]]

* Really700YearsOld: Asgardians, [[spoiler: Gravemoss, the Flamels]] and, on a smaller scale, Natasha and [[spoiler:the Winter Soldier]].

* ReallyGetsAround: Fandral.
** [[spoiler: Betsy, apparently]].

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Nick Fury, Dumbledore, Odin, Loki and General O'Neill.
** [[spoiler: Sean Cassidy]].

-->'''M''': I knew your parents, you know.
-->'''Petunia''': You did?
-->'''M''': Yes, if only in a professional capacity. But from what I did know of them, I can state this with confidence: they would be utterly ashamed of you. Good day to you.
* RecruitTeenagersWithAttitude: subverts it - Harry and his friends are a group of young teens who end up in phenomenally dangerous situations, but they tend to be either caught up in them entirely by accident or pretty much recruit themselves. Notably, their parents/[[ParentalSubstitute parental figures]] are decidedly unhappy about this - and it has to be said that the kids aren't always that happy about it either.

** Then Doctor Strange plays it straight as an arrow in chapter 75 when he recruits them to [[spoiler: use the cover of the New Avengers' assault on HYDRA's base to sneak in and rescue Steve, Tony and Bruce.]]

* RedIsHeroic: Tony (his armour) and Thor (his cape).

* ReformedButNotTamed: Repeatedly quoted in reference to Loki.

* [[spoiler:RelatedInTheAdaptation: Agent 13 (Sharon Carter), Captain America's love interest in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, is here his great-granddaughter.]]
* RelationshipWritingFumble: this happens with Carol and Harry, who were intended to be JustFriends and PlatonicLifePartners. Despite that, there's some quite obvious [[{{UST}} chemistry]] between the two and WordOfGod (a dicey thing in an author well known for changing his mind) has admitted that Harry, for his part, is potentially interested in a RelationshipUpgrade, but more than happy for things to remain as they are, making it an AnchoredShip. It has also been hinted that they will get together at some point in the future, but it probably won't last. As it is, though, they're still young teens, so it's not going anywhere. Yet.

* RightHandVersusLeftHand: the evil alliance is slowly turning into this - Von Strucker has commandeered [[spoiler: the Winter Soldier]] and Gravemoss does whatever he likes.

* RisingConflict: A constant theme.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: The Asgardian royal family.
** Harry.
** [[spoiler: Diana]].
** Prince T'Challa.
* RulesLawyer: Loki, for fun and profit.
* RunningGag: Thor's arch enemy: the microwave.

* SacrificialLion: [[spoiler: poor Arthur Weasley.]]

* ScarsAreForever: Harry's lightning bolt scar.

* ScaryBlackMan: Nick Fury.
** T'Challa, if you piss him off, albeit in a TranquilFury sort of way.

* SealedEvilInACan: [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier, natch]].
** Chthon, via the Darkhold.

* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: The author sometimes makes passing reference to going/having gone to [[UsefulNotes/BritishEducationSystem a British private school]], and boy does it show in the [[LemonyNarrator narration...]]
** And in the character dialogue, sometimes. It doesn't help that he likes the sound of his own voice.
* ShamelessFanserviceGirl: Betsy, to one extent or another, though both times she did it to Peter Wisdom, to gauge his reaction (since she couldn't get a psychic read off him). He was NotDistractedByTheSexy, [[{{Troll}} so the second time was simply to annoy him.]]
* ShellShockedVeteran: Tony, though it's not immediately obvious.

* ShipperOnDeck: Fandral for Sif/Loki.
** Thor for Sif/Loki.

* ShipSinking: The author ''rapidly'' sinks any notion of Harry/Hermione, and it proceeds to stay damn well sunk. He doesn't hate the ship -- even enjoys it on occasion -- but in this 'verse, it is ''not happening''. Harry loves Hermione dearly, but is, in Loki's words, "about as sexually attracted to [her] as he is to mould," and likewise Hermione only sees Harry as a brother figure.

* ShockAndAwe: [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Take a wild guess.]]

* ShownTheirWork: In chapter 46, Hermione correctly notes that her name means earthly. It MakesSenseInContext.

* ShroudedInMyth: [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]].
** Doctor Strange.
** Asgardians, Olympians, Gods in general.
** The Red Room.
* SiblingYinYang: Thor and Loki are still like this, but now their differences complement each other and Thor tends to be wiser in matters of the heart than Loki is, while Loki is more willing to take charge and can be a bit more irascible (as a result, and partly because he used to be James Potter, Thor tends to wind him up every now and then).

* SirSwearsALot: has Nick Fury and Peter Wisdom, both grumpy GoodIsNotNice spymasters (and in the latter case [[spoiler: really Regulus Black, reformed Death Eater]]), who frequently swear.

* SkunkStripe: [[spoiler: Doctor Strange]], as per usual.

* SmarterThanYouLook: Darcy explicitly relies on this. No one ''expects'' a curvy pop culture obsessed brunette to be smart, let alone carry a taser. She is in fact very smart.

* SpiritAdvisor: Draco Malfoy has one of unknown provenance.

* SoBeautifulItsACurse: cleverly done with Carol Danvers. Looking like a gorgeous High Schooler/College Student at age 14 is portrayed as very difficult for the girl in question.
* SocialDarwinist: Lucius steadily morphs into this.

* SoftSpokenSadist: Gravemoss. He has a soft voice that is usually described as sounding the rustling of dead leaves in a tomb that lulls you into a half sleep. It's possible that it's intentional as, according to Lucius, Gravemoss has noted that it's much easier to kill/experiment on people if they aren't running away.

* TheSpook: [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]]. A played with example. People know that he exists all right... but beyond that, nothing. One or two characters know more about him, but they don't reveal many of the details. He is, until he resurfaces, also believed to have been dead for nearly twenty years, having disappeared during [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the fall of the Soviet Union.]]

* TheSpymaster: Loki, Lucius Malfoy and Nick Fury.
* StatuesqueStunner: Carol Danvers. Sif.
* TheStarscream: The alliance of Malfoy, Von Strucker and Gravemoss being what it is, it's quite hard to tell who's in charge at times. However, Von Strucker was (until Chapter 42) looking to eclipse and [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder backstab]] Malfoy, who is unlikely to take this lying down and is, at the same time, backstabbing his fellow Death Eaters, and Gravemoss is an OmnicidalManiac, so his betrayal is inevitable.

* [[StupidSexyFlanders Stupid Sexy Lady Loki]]
* StableTimeLoop: time travel seems to broadly function on this principle (unless you're Doctor Strange), to the displeasure of certain characters who have to do things they don't like thanks to a version of BecauseDestinySaysSo.

* StrawmanPolitical: In chapter 17 of CotS, Loki has a discussion with a communist, which ends up crying and Loki getting a standing ovation.

* SuperheroGods: Thor and Loki, natch.

* SuperSerum: Erskine's original serum in Steve [[spoiler: and his descendants, as it turns out - as Carol Danvers demonstrates, it just requires a sufficient kick in the genetic pants to do more than slow ageing and give a very slightly enhanced condition]]. On more than one occasion, it is observed that almost every attempt to replicate it has failed, however, there have been a few successes.

* TallDarkAndHandsome: Thor (as James)
** Sirius
** Jean-Paul Beaubier
** Loki
** Harry is well on the road to getting this way.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Loki
** Snape

* TarotTrouble: In chapter 66, Trelawney gives Harry a ten card Tarot reading with [[ShownTheirWork accurate meanings]] [[DidDoTheResearch beyond the obvious. She also references the historical background of Tarot cards.]] She uses a magical deck - which differs from an ordinary deck by the faces of the Major Arcana changing slightly based on who's being read. Five of the cards are Minor Arcana, and three of them are explicable as well-informed guesses, though the two are fairly the nose - Five of Cups' 'an emotional reunion' [[spoiler: may refer to Harry reuniting with his mother, as happens twelve chapters later, or with Jean, the chapter after that,]] and the Knight of Swords' warning [[spoiler: that if Harry rushes into a situation without warning he will be punished comes true in chapter 70 when he attacks HYDRA head on in a blind rage and winds up being stabbed through the heart by Daken]]. The Major Arcana are double {{Foreshadowing}}, in both their faces (which shift a ''lot'' more than Trelawney was expecting, taking forms that she doesn't recognise) and their meanings:

* ThoseTwoGuys: Huginn and Muninn.

* TookALevelInBadass: Lucius Malfoy is infinitely more dangerous than he is in canon, cast as Voldemort's spymaster who crossed swords with Nick Fury and not only lived to tell the tale, but was technically winning. He was holding all the aces when Godric's Hollow happened and Fury admits it.

* TouchedByVorlons: the Celestials are implied to have meddled in Earth's genetic development, and both Asgardians and Kryptonians have frequently interfered at one point or another. More recently, Mar-Vell, after taking a shine to Peggy Carter, gave her a massive amount of data that is later referred to as 'the Mar-Vell Files'. After an unfortunate NoodleIncident in the '70's, they were mothballed (though, as Alexander Pierce observes, if they were used after that, it ''would'' explain what happened to Project Pegasus).

* TrappedInThePast: The first Spitfire.

* TrainingTheGiftOfMagic: All magical humans - while they can, theoretically, get it working on their own, it takes serious training to control.

* {{Troll}}: Dumbledore. He contemplates Harry Dresden as DADA teacher just to see how badly Fudge would freak out.

* UltimateUniverse: is this, with a crossover flavour.
* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: an ideal shared by Lucius Malfoy and Alexander Pierce, albeit in a SocialDarwinist sort of way, with the former possibly leaning into DespotismJustifiesTheMeans.
* UnclePennybags: Tony. Everyone lives in his house, technically speaking, and he's completely cool with guests.

* UnreliableNarrator: the story is from multiple points of view, so this crops up every now and then, crossing over with UnreliableExpositor.
* UnresolvedSexualTension: Loki and Sif. EveryoneCanSeeIt, but Loki's density and Sif's temper are in part why they're not together...yet.
* UnskilledButStrong: Steve as compared to [[spoiler: the Winter Soldier]] [[CurbstompBattle who in Chapter 60 promptly hands him his dislocated ass]].

* UnstuckInTime: The Lady Knight.

* {{UST}}: merrily bubbling away between Sif and Loki.

* TheVamp: Amora the Enchantress and Maeve, the Winter Lady. Amora's perpetually after Thor and Mar-Vell makes reference to barely escaping from Maeve with his virtue intact.
** Naturally, Loki deals with them by teleporting Amora in front of Maeve and watching the fun.

* VillainRespect: Lucius Malfoy, MagnificentBastard extraordinaire, expresses this - albeit rather reluctantly because he utterly despises the man - towards Director Nick Fury.

* VillainousValour: While more {{Jerkass}} than out and out villain, Bor was no coward. Not by a long shot.

* VitriolicBestBuds: Tony to everyone.

* TheVoiceless: [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]]. It serves to terrify everyone nearby.
** He finally speaks in chapter 68 and once again in chapter 71. Even then, then he doesn't say much.
* VoiceOfTheLegion: after the events of chapter 44 seem to give his powers a kick in the pants, Harry develops 'a dangerous double harmonic' along with the previously appearing [[SupernaturalGoldEyes flash of gold in his eyes]] when he gets angry. It even manages to [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness shut the Weasley Twins up]]. Hermione notes the rarity of this (they don't even sneak in a quip, as they do with teachers, they just shut up), and says that the second part of the harmonic sounds older, powerful and authoritative. Harry himself is unnerved by it and suggests that he doesn't have any conscious control over it.
** By chapter 59, he seems to have developed some degree of control over it.
* WalkingArmoury: Moody suggests this about Sif, noting that the last time he saw that much weaponry on someone was when it was ''in'' them: a member of the Thule society that he'd been tracking. [[ComicBook/{{Magneto}} A man called Lehnsherr]] beat him to the man.

* WarGod: Sif. Her viewpoint section in chapter 29 suggests that she has a fair few abilities to go with it.

* WarriorPrince: Thor and Loki.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Magneto.
** Arguably, Nick Fury.
** Harry has latent tendencies along these lines, and is regularly compared to Magneto. As of chapter 61, he's aware of them, and they worry him (and with good reason). As of chapter 70 and 74, everyone else is aware of them and worried by them (for ''very'' good reason).

* WesternTerrorists: HYDRA.

* WhamEpisode: Chapters 9 and 21.
** Arguably, Chapter 50.
** And Chapter 60.
** And Chapter 68.
** Chapter 70.
** Chapter 74. Chapters 75 and 76 have their moments too.
** Chapter 78 beats them all.
* WhamLine: The internal dialogue of the [[spoiler: Winter Soldier]] gives us this gem.

* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Gravemoss. Oh my god, Gravemoss.
* WhoWantsToLiveForever: Harry has brought this up, being vaguely and horribly aware that he's going to outlive all his human friends.

* WingedHumanoid: Biblical angels are referenced, including [[Literature/GoodOmens Aziraphale and Crowley]].

* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Harry, fairly regularly.

*** And the less said of his (thoroughly damning) views on ''Fanfic/HarryPotterAndTheInvincibleTechnomage'' the better.

* WouldHurtAChild: Gravemoss. Gravemoss oh so ''very'' much.
* WouldntHurtAChild: A defining trait of [[spoiler: the Winter Soldier]], strangely enough.

* YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame: Lucius to Gravemoss. [[EvenEvilHasStandards Lucius has standards.]] Gravemoss doesn't.

* WizardsLiveLonger: wanded wizards live longer than humans, wandless wizards live even longer than that and Sorcerers Supreme, actual or prospective, don't seem to age at all.

* TooSpicyForYogSogoth: Fenris tried to eat a teenage Sif. She cut her way out. From the inside. With one hand. The other one had been been bitten off.

** In chapter 76, Harry Dresden is revealed to have been given [[spoiler: [[WhiteMagic Soulfire]] ahead of schedule.]] He and everyone else find this out when an attempt to combine fire and force spells results in [[spoiler: a [[LaserSword lightsabre]]]]. Dresden being [[spoiler: a PopCulturedBadass, he repeatedly quotes Star Wars]] as he uses it to [[CurbstompBattle curbstomp]] a very surprised Gravemoss.

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Love potions are re-imaginated as this. In the [[AuthorTract Author's note]], the author says that he doesn't view love potions as romantic, but instead legalized tools of rape and manipulation.

* SoBeautifulItsACurse / YoungerThanTheyLook: cleverly done with Carol Danvers. Looking like a gorgeous High Schooler/College Student at age 14 is portrayed as very difficult for the girl in question.

* SwallowedWhole: Happened to Sif when she was young and hunted down Fenris - though her had a taste first, in the form of her hand (it got reattached, but ScarsAreForever). [[TooSpicyForYogSothoth She cut her way out from the inside]]. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome And made her way to safety. While holding her bitten off hand. And covered in digestive fluids]].

** In chapter 76, Harry Dresden is revealed to have been given [[spoiler: [[WhiteMagic Soulfire]] ahead of schedule.]] He and everyone else find this out when an attempt to combine fire and force spells results in [[spoiler: [[CrazyAwesome a]] [[LaserSword lightsabre]]]]. Dresden being [[spoiler: a PopCulturedBadass, he repeatedly quotes Star Wars]] as he uses it to [[CurbstompBattle curbstomp]] a very surprised Gravemoss.

* UseYourHead: Sif. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Knocks out Fandral - who had been in the middle of embarrassing her - this way. In one go. From a seated position.]]

* ShoutOut: Very, very many, some in-universe, a lot falling under EarlyBirdCameo. And others, as ActorAllusion.
** Several to Series/DoctorWho, with Harry being an InUniverse fan and [[spoiler: the 4th Doctor and the TARDIS making cameo appearances in chapters 75 and 77, thanks to Chthon breaking down the walls of reality. [[CrowningMomentOfFunny Darcy swipes his jelly babies.]]]]
*** When explaining [[spoiler: what Chthon is offering Harry and the consequences]], Strange sums it up by quoting ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E10TheDoctorDances The Doctor Dances]].''
-->'''Strange''': There isn't a little boy born who wouldn't tear the world apart to save his mummy. And this little boy can.
*** And after all is said and done, the battle is won, he quotes the episode again.
-->'''Strange''': You want moves? I'll give you moves.
*** And then, while talking to Odin, he says to hold off on the congratulations 'until I manufacture a day where everyone lives', something he sadly then observes is probably beyond his power.
** Apparently, one of Zola's AIs started screaming "Exterminate." '''Zemo,''' of all people, seems to understand the reference.
** Zemo's line after [[CurbstompBattle crushing]] Greyback in three seconds flat and holding him at sword point is taken almost word for word from his speech to the Abomination in the ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' episode ''The Masters of Evil.''
** "His enemies will define him," paraphrased from ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins''.
** Repeatedly to Series/GameOfThrones.
** To ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}'' in the name of [=MI13=]'s assault team.
** "Always the tone of surprise."
** ''Film/JamesBond''
** ''Franchise/DieHard''
** Tony is referred to as 'the Invincible Iron Man'.
** Literature/{{Discworld}}
*** "Do not let me/us detain you."
*** The Nobbs and Colon {{exp|y}}ies in Chapter 37.
** Thor mentions the [[Literature/TheHobbit Arkenstone]] in Chapter 9.
** The line, 'does the Walker choose the Path, or the Path the Walker' from the [[Literature/OldKingdom Book of the Dead.]]
** When mulling over the story of [[spoiler: Hela's]] birth, Gravemoss references the opening chapter of ''[[Literature/OldKingdom Sabriel]]'', specifically, the title character's being restored to life after apparently being stillborn by her [[BadPowersGoodPeople necromancer father, the Aborsen]], even down to the Nine Gates and the River of Death (which is referred to as an in-universe piece of folklore). This did not end half as well as it did for Sabriel. Apparently, the series actually exists in-universe, based off of an Australian Warden who uses bells as a channel for MagicMusic.
** [[DoctorWhoTVMTheTVMovie Gravemoss believes that life is wasted on the living.]]
** To WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda, when [[spoiler: Charles Xavier]] quotes Master Oogway's advice to Po at Harry almost word for word.
** On a more meta level, Dresden brings up the original title of the first book in his series while making a bad pun - 'Semiautomagic'.
** A pale elf slaying hundreds of black dragons with a necromantic spell? [[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick Sounds familiar]]. As a bonus, the original spell, which Gravemoss mentions, was called "familicide".
*** Further references to Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick appear in Chapter 46, with the drunken use of magic to meld two creatures referencing both Vaarsuvius' irritation about the impracticality of the Owlbear and the creation of Roy's 'Bag of Tricks'.
** A young Bruce Wayne is referred by Harry Dresden as having the potential to become 'The World's Greatest Detective. Despite the author insisting that there is no Batman, this seems a touch too contrived to be anything other than a piece of {{Foreshadowing}}. With the appearance of the [[Film/BatmanBegins Tumbler]] in ''Chaos Reigns'', [[FlipflopofGod the sense that this insistence holds little water grows.]]
*** Dresden was the one that saved the Waynes from being killed and is himself referred to by one of Batman's usual nicknames, 'the Detective,' as well as Wanda (before meeting him in person) thought of him as a 'dark knight.'
** In Chapter 31, Harry's notation that those with a great insight into human nature become kind (if they are good) or powerful (if they're bad), is a reference to Discworld/WitchesAbroad, in which much the same quote is used about Fairy Godmothers.
** In Chapter 47, Clint's response when asked about his knowledge of the Divine Comedy? [[Film/{{Serenity}} "Yes, I've read a poem. Try not to faint."]]
** Lex makes reference to Susan Storm being part of a brain trust called 'the Illuminati', which includes T'Challa, Charles Xavier, Reed Richards and a few other members of the comics Illuminati.
** Lucius comments darkly that '[[Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough the world is not enough]]'. But it's a good start, apparently.
** [[spoiler: Bobby Drake]] was apparently taught to [[{{Disney/Frozen}} 'conceal, don't feel']].
*** The fact that he's on an icy cold and hostile mountain testing out his cryokinetic powers for the first time is a further reference.
** In chapter 62, when asked whether he's going to be allowed to do something, Harry cheerfully says "Prince," in a way designed to call back to Elizabeth Swann's pulling rank in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd'' with a cheerful statement of, "King."
** Apparently, Thor and Loki are friends with [[Literature/GoodOmens Crowley and Aziraphale.]]
*** A particular mention ought to go to Harry's comment that perhaps an ordinary earthworm fell into a vat of toxic potions, had its sanity destroyed, and is about to embark on a life of crime-very much how several comic book villains get their start.

* SuperStrength: As a StockSuperpower, it naturally crops up a lot to varying degrees, with examples including: