History Literature / Armada

** ''VideoGame/{{Polybius}}'' is one of the games mentioned in Xavier's notebook as being part of the government training program.

* GameBreaker: In-universe example - the introduction of Disrupters in Armada is viewed as this by many of the players, since not even [[DreamTeam The Flying Circus]] is able to take one down.

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: Takes place in 2018, despite being published in 2015.

* SeinfeldianConversation: The two Mikes are arguing about the coolest fictional melee weapon. Cruz prefers [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Bilbo's Sting]] while Diehl thinks [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Mjolnir]] is the best. Zack doesn't participate in the conversation, but mentions that ''{{Film/Excalibur}}'' would be his choice.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Admiral Vance chews Zack out over a costly mistake when Zack disregarded orders at a key point in the first battle. Zack argues that his actions made sense given his incomplete knowledge of the base's defenses. Admiral Vance concedes the point and lets him off with a warning. [[spoiler: Ironically, the book's climax hinges on Vance's stubborn refusal to reconsider the aliens' actions, leading to Xavier's death trying to stop him from dooming humanity.]]

* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Xavier Lightman]] does this multiple times. Also done by [[spoiler: Viper, though he is rescued before he dies. Also, Chen upon hearing that his sister is most likely dead. The Disruptors appear to be specifically designed to be taken out with one of these.]]

* ChekhovsSkill: Alexis Larkin's hacking skills come in handy towards the end.

** Ray claims music by ''Music/{{Rush}}'' lines up perfectly with [[Series/{{Chuck}} attack patterns in video games]].

** Other than the nickname mentioned above being "Thunderdome", the base on the moon is designated [[Series/Space1999 Moon Base Alpha]].

''Armada'' is a 2015 novel by Ernest Cline. Much like his previous work ''Literature/ReadyPlayerOne'', Armada is full of pop culture references - mainly from [[TheEighties The Eighties]], since the author is, as anyone can see, [[JustForFun/OneOfUs a geek]].

* WaxOnWaxOff: Zack's dad theorized that all alien invasion video games are actually an example of this. Turns out to be true.

* BuryYourGays: [[spoiler: Shin and Milo are some of the first casualties of the war, meaning that not a single non-straight character survives the book.]] %%Move to GayGuyDiesFirst when that is launched

* GameBreaker: In-universe example - the introduction of Disrupters in Armada is viewed as this by many of the players, since not even [[DreamTeam The Flying Circus]] is able to take one down

* SuperWristGadget: The Q-Comms or Quantum Communicator devices given to EDA members can be used to [[CommLinks contact anyone anywhere]], control drones, and [[FrickinLaserBeams fire lasers]].

*** Earlier, a guy jokingly tells Zack that his new Q-comm also functions as a [[Film/{{Dune}} weirding module]], prompting [[spoiler:Ray]] to point out that it's a Creator/DavidLynch invention just for the movie and was absent in the books. Zack brushes him off, saying that it doesn't matter, since weirding modules are cool.

* BadassGay: [[spoiler:Shin and Milo]].

* MechaMooks: Both the EDA and the aliens use various types of AttackDones to do their fighting.

* BattleCouple: [[spoiler: Shin and Milo. [[DeconstructedTrope They die in battle together.]]]]

* FridgeLogic: In-Universe example: [[spoiler: The BackStory for Terra Firma and Armada requires WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief, which Zack admits is fine and dandy for a video game. The fact that the RealLife situation requires the very same suspension of disbelief due to the numerous plot holes leads him and others to realize something is very wrong.]]

* GeneralRipper: [[spoiler: Admiral Archibald Vance aka Viper]] turns out to be one. He's still a good guy - he's just doing what he thinks is the right thing. Zack even lampshades this by calling him Film/DrStrangelove. [[spoiler:Subverted in the Epilogue, when he admits he was wrong.]]

* RuleOfCool: Invoked twice in-universe. The EDA base in Nebraska is called The Crystal Palace and the Moon Base Alpha is nicknamed [[Film/MadMaxBeyondThunderDome Thunderdome]] because "it has a dome, and we fight inside it, just like Film/MadMax. And because Thunderdome sounds cooler than Drone Operations Center".

* ShoutOut: The book is overflowing with shoutouts to various games, bands, movies, and tv shows.

** Zack's boss is named Ray Wierzbowski after a Marine from Film/Aliens. He [[LampshadeHanging hangs a lampshade on it too]]

* SeinfeldianConversation: The two Mikes are arguing about the coolest fictional melee weapon. Cruz prefers [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Bilbo's Sting]] while Diehl thinks [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Mjolnir]] is the best. Zack doesn't participate in the conversation, but mentions that {{Film/Excalibur}} would be his choice.