History NightmareFuel / GunnerkriggCourt

** ''' [[WhamLine I. [[ArtShift DO NOT.]] [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=1070 EXIST.]]]]'''

* Kat is an amazingly talented engineer - too talented for the world's good, it would seem. It turns out that the TicToc birds are the result of a StableTimeLoop that Kat may have created to save Annie from falling off the bridge. In some reality, there was a version of Kat so sad that she ''broke time.'' One shudders to imagine what else Kat is capable of, given the right motivation.

* Chapter 72 is a bit of a mind screw as the characters investigate a ruined part of the city, only to find distance and size becoming warped, magic malfunctioning, and unknown forces shuffling them around to ensure they never get to far from one another. Why is this? Because ''none of it is real''. All the characters are ensnared by wisps that trapped them in an illusion and webbed them up to drain their life. The haggard and drained [[https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=2199 appearances of the characters]] drive it home when they wake up and realize the truth of their situation.

*** His appearance is horrifying too. A deformed, exaggerated, barely humanoid version of his body that appears to be made of water. This is what [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=771 he looked when he was alive,]] and this is how [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1720 he looks now]]. Either tree elves's etheric selves look vastly different than their bodies, or arrow harmed his very soul...]]

*** His appearance is horrifying too. A deformed, exaggerated, barely humanoid version of his body that appears to be made of water. This is what [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=771 he looked when he was alive, and this is how [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1720 he looks now]]. Either tree elves's etheric selves look vastly different than their bodies, or arrow harmed his very soul...]]

*** Subverted when it turns out that it's actually a mask. He actually looks like a normal middle-aged male. He can, however, turn into a [[BatOutOfHell vicious-looking bat]] when he’s in full costume.

*** Subverted when it turns out that it's actually a mask. He actually looks like a normal middle-aged male.

** Ysengrin's first act after Coyote grants him his powers? ''He sinks his teeth into Coyote's throat.'' And, after ripping Coyote open, he swallows what look to be all the memories Coyote has been stealing from him over the years.

** This chapter also features an in-universe example in the form of Ketrak. We don't see him in this chapter, but Kat's reaction to him is pure terror and a craving for BrainBleach. [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1551 If the insect-like psychopomp seen in a much later chapter]] by [[spoiler:Anthony Carver]] is Ketrak or something similar, though, then her reaction becomes easily understandable.

** Also from [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=736 Page 18]], what sharp teeth you have there, Annie. [[spoiler:Or Zimmy. Or whoever you are.]] [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=737 And a homicidal rage to go with it in the next page? Well done!]]

** In [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=780 Page 18]], when [[spoiler:Jeanne]] puts on her GameFace and releases all that bottled-up rage.

** Annie's dream/flashback in [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=815 Page 25]], after [[spoiler:running away to the forest]].

** Even after it's gone, Jack can still remember [[spoiler:the Spider]] [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=930 whispering to him]]. ''On and on, over and over.''

** Robot being [[spoiler:cut right through]] and Shadow 2 being [[spoiler: torn away from the ground by Coyote's Tooth]]. They turn out to be perfectly fine, though Shadow 2 is disoriented, but considering it's ''[[spoiler:Coyote's Tooth]]'' that did it, [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=966 the scene in question]] is definitely an example. Also, all the time [[spoiler:the sword]] is ''laughing''. [[spoiler:Swords]] shouldn't laugh...

** '''[[spoiler: [[WhamLine I.]] [[ArtShift DO NOT.]] [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=1070 EXIST.]]]]'''
** The CallBack to Chapter 16: '''[[spoiler: [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=1074 The world continues to spin, pup.]]]]'''

** Coyote's method of "comforting" Ysengrin is to [[spoiler:''[[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=1091 reach into his head to pluck out his memories and eat them.]]'']] Even worse, Coyote partially transforms into his true form bereft of ether, [[spoiler:the skeletal remains of a dead coyote (who might have been the inspiration for the original Coyote myth)]].

** There's something subtly scarey about [[spoiler: how old Jones is]]. She seems normal and all, but in truth probably is closer to a HumanoidAbomination that any other character. The more you think about it, the more [[EldritchAbomination eldritch]] she becomes. And that's not even counting on the implications behind her [[WifeHusbandry relationships]] with Eglamore and Samuel.

*** [[spoiler:Actually, it's implied it was an illusion, and only Kat could see things as they truly were. ]] Creepiness still stands, though, as you have to picture what [=RotD=] might look like to Mort and Annie.

** Jones talking to [[spoiler: Mort]], right before he died trying to save her from the WWI bombings.

*** [[spoiler: Subverted when it turns out that it's actually a mask. He actually looks like a normal middle-aged male.]]

** [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1443 Oh, hello there,]] [[spoiler: Kat.]]

* ''Chapter 51: The Tree''. The chapter deals with [[spoiler: the return of Annie's father]] and many believe it hits a number of uncomfortably realistic abuse triggers, to the point that a lot of readers who had similarly bad relationships with family pulled out of reading with "let me know when it's safe again" posts.

** In [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1503 1503]] Antimony's TheStoic act is accompanied by strange imagery that many fancy resemble [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1040 the weird bone things from Chapter 38]]. The implications of this potential resemblance are left to your imagination. Worst, the facial expression she makes is eerily resemblant to [[spoiler:Anthony's]].

** [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1510 Annie's new room.]] Not only isolated from the rest of the school, but it looks similar to the hospital she was raised in. Or a prison cell. [[spoiler:Anthony]] has isolated Annie even more.

** [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1512 Annie talking about herself.]] The girl who once had ample amounts of confidence has become little more than a shell of her former-self, thinking that she is a "big dumb giant" [[spoiler:in the eyes of her former-classmates and her current classes after she was made to repeat a year.]]
** Whilst a relatively minor case, Kat's revelation that even her parents didn't know that [[spoiler:Anthony Carver had returned to the court, despite Kat's parents being long-time friends with Anthony.]] One can only wonder how that conversation went.
** [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1514 This page.]] There's something particularly unsettling in Annie's behaviour in front of [[spoiler:her father]]. She's acting like a small child eagerly ready to please.
** [[spoiler: Kat telling Reynardine - who she's now in possession of since Annie can't keep him - to do ''whatever it takes'' to defend himself from Anthony Carver if he tries to hurt Rey in any way. She even begins by saying that she promised Annie that she wouldn't order Reynard to hurt Anthony, ''but still''...]]
** [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1523 It's just like a playdate.]] Not mention how ridiculously childlike Annie seems when trailing after her [[spoiler:father]].
** The entirety of [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1529 Donald's monologue]] concerning [[spoiler: Anthony]] is rather unsettling, in it's way. His language is strangely disconcerting for someone who is supposed to be speaking about his best friend.

** Just the very idea of Annie's [[spoiler:Fire Elemental]] side being separated from her is one thing, considering it's the very genetic link she has with her mother. It's the one thing Annie has always been proud of honing, so to see it as two separate entities is both saddening, but also terrifying, as the readers and the characters have no idea what will happen in the future.

** During his search for the Psychopomps, [[spoiler:Anthony]] ended up in some dark corner of the Ether. [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1551 It's not]] [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1552 pretty]]. The "physical tolls" he needed to undergo to just get there aren't great either.
** We finally find out why [[spoiler: Anthony needed his medical supplies in Microsat 5]]. To make an antenna of 'blood and bone' to reach through the fabrics of reality. In other words, [[spoiler: Anthony ''cut off his arm himself''.]]
** [[spoiler: The psychopomps who almost tricked Anthony into ''killing his daughter'' by using his love for Surma against him.]]

** Really, the whole chapter [[spoiler: after Antimony tries to remove the arrow keeping Jeanne in the valley]] would fit. [[spoiler: Jeanne is a powerful entity that's capable of killing ''psychopomps''. The only one that has a remote chance of protecting the group if she attacks is George, who has ''just'' started to train as the Court's dragon slayer.]]
** And of course, it gets worse. As soon as Annie touches the etheric arrow, she gets pulled into it, falling into a surreal plane. And what does she find? [[spoiler: Jeanne's lover, whose soul has been bound to the arrow, trapped just like the woman he loves. And the first thing he does is start to ''choke'' Annie. Now the group has to deal with ''two'' wrathful murder-ghosts, who have every reason to hate and attack anyone from the Court, no matter how young they are.]]
*** [[spoiler:His]] appearance is horrifying too.[[spoiler: A deformed, exaggerated, barely humanoid version of his body that appears to be made of water. This is what [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=771 he looked when he was alive]], and this is how [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1720 he looks now]]. Either tree elves's etheric selves look vastly different than their bodies, or arrow harmed his very soul...]]
** [[spoiler: Robot getting impaled and then ''cleaved'' by Jeanne's sword. And thanks to the new body Kat built for him, he can feel pain now.]]
** [[spoiler:Jeanne figures out that Ayilu is doing something with her mind. Her response? [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1735 Stab Ayilu through forehead!]] faces really sell it- Red is utterly terrified, with huge white eyes and hanging mouth... while Jeanne is only slightly frowning. Her soul outside of illusion, on the other hand, is utterly calm.]]
** [[spoiler: While Ayilu is actually fine, Jeanne notices the strings around her, the etheric manifestation of Andrew's power. And she just uses her sword to snip them off her. Now George - an newbie dragonslayer - has to face a master swordswoman who kills Psychopomps. And all the while, Annie's ether form is trapped in a maze being chased by Jeanne's lover.]]
* [[spoiler: Annie sees Kat's Ether form for the first time and is understandably ''terrified'' out of her wits.]]
* "A main gauche?" [[spoiler:Too late--Jeanne brutally stabs Smitty in the chest, with a blade hidden behind her back.]]
** [[spoiler:The elf's rotting, skeletal form crawling out of the water looks pretty creepy, like something out of a zombie film. Fortunately, he's one of the good guys (and he appears to be regenerating).]]
* [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1789 The final page of Chapter 60.]] [[spoiler: Whatever Coyote is planning now that the Annan Waters are undefended, [[ThisIsGonnaSuck it can't be good...]]]]
** Even better? [[spoiler: He's giving his powers to Ysengrin. ''Ysengrin.'' The one who holds the Court in contempt and would love nothing more than to assault the place. The one who detests humanity. The one with the HairTriggerTemper that nearly ''mauled Annie to death'' because of a perceived slight. ''The one who has been subjected to Coyote's MindRape for an untold number of years.'' Yeah...''that'' Ysengrin. And right before Coyote does this, he idly wonders what Ysengrin would do once he finds out that the Annan Waters have no guardian anymore.]]
** [[spoiler: Ysengrin's first act after Coyote grants him his powers? ''He sinks his teeth into Coyote's throat.'' And, after ripping Coyote open, he swallows what look to be all the memories Coyote has been stealing from him over the years.]]

** In the last panel of [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=595 Page 24]], Reynardine shows off how terrifying he can be. An atypical example of NightmareFuel blended with Heartwarming and a CrowningMomentOfAwesome, given the fact that he does this to protect a loved one.

** [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=1051 Kat's Etheric look in Zimmy's eyes]], despite it's [[AwesomeArt high-quality art]], the fact it has no speech bubbles, no more than one panel, just... [[EldritchAbomination That.]] It's made even worse by the text on the previous page, and Tom's comment ("One day, Zimmy.") which becomes even creepier if you remember that it's a reference to a much earlier strip where Zimmy declared: "One day I'm going to die here (in Zimmingham)".

** [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1233 The ad for the mint-condition 'Helpful Hetty' doll at the end of the chapter]] is an exercise in creepy. "Shhh... it's Helpful Hetty! Helpful Hetty always gets the job '''done!'''" And the doll is advertised as being packaged with 5 free Luer Lock hypodermic needles (17-21 gauge). What just exactly ''is'' Helpful Hetty's job...?

** [[spoiler: Ysengrin's first act after Coyote grants him his powers? ''He sinks his teeth into Coyote's throat.'']]

** Even better? [[spoiler: He's giving his powers to Ysengrin. ''Ysengrin.'' The one who holds the Court in contempt and would love nothing more than to assault the place. The one who detests humanity. The one with the HairTriggerTemper that nearly ''mauled Annie to death'' because of a perceived slight. ''The one who has been subjected to Coyote's MindRape for an untold number of years.'' Yeah...''that'' Ysengrin. And right before Coyote does this, he idly wonders what Ysengrin would do once he finds out that the Annan Waters have no guardian anymore.]]

* [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1789 The final page of Chapter 60.]] [[spoiler: Whatever Coyote is planning now that the Annan Waters are undefended, [[ThisIsGonnaSuck it can't be good...]]]]

** The worst part is how easily he is depicted as destroying it. It was child's play for him. [[BrilliantButLazy Coyote is usually too unfocused to usually use his full powers]]. When he gets serious, he is capable of anything. While this was depicted as a good thing, [[NotHelpingYourCase it kind of proves Anthony's point that Coyote is too dangerous for his daughter to interact with]] and yet he is MORE dangerous when he doesn't get what he wants so they had to submit.

** [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1536 There's a reason fire is always linked to anger.]] And if the new page is indicating anything, that anger in Annie is being directly targeted at [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1537 someone in particular...]]
** [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1537 Does this face]] look at all familiar? No? Take a look at [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=778 this page.]]

** The worst part is how easily he is depicted as destroying it. It was child's play for him. [[BrilliantButLazy Coyote is usually too unfocused to usually use his full powers]]. When he gets serious, he is capable of anything. While this was depicted as a good thing, [[NotHelpingYourCase it kind of proves Anthony's point that Coyote is too dangerous for his daughter to interact with]] and yet he is MORE dangerous when he doesn't get what he wants so they had to submit. This also makes Jones retroactively terrifying as well, because however powerful Coyote is, Jones could defeat him. One can only imagine what would happen if she had been less inclined to be impartial or Coyote more aggressive and violent.
*** Situation with Jones is complicated. According to [[WordOfGod the author]], Coyote is a stronger being than Jones. Which makes sense as he is a [[PhysicalGod g]][[AnimalisticAbomination o]][[EldritchAbomination d]], and as such capable of many things and with much bigger potential for destruction. This is shown in chapter 31, where he [[spoiler:freezes time, and Jones with it.]]. However, despite all that power, he isn't capable of destroying her.

** And then there's still the matter of the [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1499 haircut heard 'round the world]]...

** [[spoiler:Jeanne figures out that Blue is doing something with her mind. Her response? [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1735 Stab Blue through forehead!]] faces really sell it- Red is utterly terrified, with huge white eyes and hanging mouth... while Jeanne is only slightly frowning. Her soul outside of illusion, on the other hand, is utterly calm.]]
** [[spoiler: While Blue is actually fine, Jeanne notices the strings around her, the etheric manifestation of Andrew's power. And she just uses her sword to snip them off her. Now George - an newbie dragonslayer - has to face a master swordswoman who kills Psychopomps. And all the while, Annie's ether form is trapped in a maze being chased by Jeanne's lover.]]

* [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1789 The final page of Chapter 60.]] [[spoiler: Whatever Coyote is planning now that the Annan Waters are undefended, [[ThisIsGonnaSuck it can't be good...]]]{

** [[spoiler:The elf's rotting, skeletal form crawling out of the water looks pretty creepy, like something out of a zombie film. Fortunately, he's one of the good guys (and he appears to be regenerating).]]

* [[spoiler: Annie sees Kat's Ether form for the first time and is understandably ''terrified'' out of her wits.]]

** [[spoiler: While Blue is actually fine, Jeanne notices the strings around her, the etheric manifestation of Andrew's power. And she just uses her sword to snip them off her. Now George - an newbie dragonslayer - has to face a master swordswoman who kills Psychopomps. And all the while, Annie's ether form is trapped in a maze being chased by Jeanne's lover.]]

** [[spoiler:Jeanne figures out that Blue is doing something with her mind. Her response? [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1735 Stab Blue through forehead!]] faces really sell it- Red is utterly terrified, with huge white eyes and hanging mouth... while Jeanne is only slightly frowning. Her soul outside of illusion, on the other hand, is utterly calm.]]

** [[spoiler: Robot getting impaled and then ''cleaved'' by Jeanne's sword. And thanks to the new body Kat built for him, he can feel pain now.]]

*** [[spoiler:His]] appearance is horrifying too.[[spoiler: A deformed, exaggerated, barely humanoid version of his body that appears to be made of water. This is what [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=771 he looked when he was alive]], and this is how [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1720 he looks now]]. Either tree elves's etheric selves look vastly different than their bodies, or arrow harmed his very soul...]]