History Recap / EpicRapBattlesOfHistoryAlexanderTheGreatVsIvanTheTerrible

* NiceHat: In addition to his uniform, Frederick sports a cool tricorn.

* BerserkButton: Catherine's composure noticeably slips when Ivan insinuates that she has sex with horses, though she recovers quickly.

* HistoricalInJoke: The deaths of the various "Greats" refer back to their real life deaths. Alexander was a notorious alcoholic and complained of severe stomach pain after downing a large bowl of unwatered wine shortly before his death. Frederick died of old age seated comfortably in a chair. Pompey was decapitated (though not with a garotte). [[spoiler: But Catherine reminds people that her [[BeastialityIsDepraved death by horse]] is nothing but a myth.]]

* AxCrazy: Ivan the Terrible is ''very'' quick to resort to murder, even killing his own son and boasting about what he did to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_Novgorod Novgorod]]. Catherine the Great even questions how he could become head of state given his own mental state. And Frederick the Great mentions blinding of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postnik_Yakovlev two]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Barma architects]] that designed St. Basil's Cathedral: according to a legend, Ivan ordered to tear their eyes out so they wouldn't create an even greater building for someone else.

* FanserviceExtra: Catherine's backup dancers are a RareMaleExample.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: ”Ivan the Terrible vs. Alexander the Great" has four rappers (Ivan the Terrible, Alexander the Great, Frederick the Great, and Catherine the Great), with Catherine being the only one to get more than one verse, not counting the dialogues in which Ivan attempts to kill the others.

This battle starts off as a bout between Russian Tsar Ivan The Terrible (played by Peter Shukoff) and Macedonian warlord UsefulNotes/AlexanderTheGreat (played by Music/ZachSherwin). After killing his opponent, Ivan works his way against other world leaders UsefulNotes/FrederickTheGreat (played by Lloyd Ahlquist), UsefulNotes/PompeyTheGreat (played by Mike Betette), and UsefulNotes/CatherineTheGreat (played by Meghan Tonjes.)

!!TROPES

* BadassInANiceSuit: Frederick’s Prussian military uniform shows how tough of a conqueror he really is.

* BeardOfEvil: Ivan’s facial hair underscores how evil he is.
* BerserkButton: Catherine’s composure noticeably slips when Ivan insinuates that she has sex with horses, though she recovers quickly.

* BrickJoke: Catherine’s final line against Ivan declares a checkmate, a callback to Alexander saying Ivan died during a chess match.

* TheCameo: Rasputin, Stalin, Lenin, Gorbachev, Putin, and Baryshnikov appear in Ivan the Terrible’s background when he brags about being the first Russian Tsar.

* CrowdChant: Frederick’s flute solo introduction is accompanied by chants of his nickname "Old Fritz".

* DarkIsEvil: The sky fills with black clouds during Ivan the Terrible’s verses, plus he has black hair and his clothes are a mix of dark brown and blood red.
* DirtyOldWoman: The handles of Catherine’s garrote are shaped like penises, in reference of her extensive collection of phallic furniture.
* DroppedABridgeOnHim: Ivan grabs Frederick a seat after his verse, Frederick sits down and immediately dies in the chair. Ivan notes how sudden and unexpected this is. [[note]]Frederick the Great did die sitting in an armchair, but it was at age 74, a quite respectable lifespan at the time and far from his portrayal in his prime here.[[/note]]
* ElegantClassicalMusician: Frederick’s genteel demeanor and talent as a flutist qualifies him for this.

** Ivan claims to be “heaven-sent, divine and holy" and later refers to himself as "the God".
** Alexander the Great ends his verse by proclaiming “I’m an immortal, you're not!"

* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Ivan’s made into a stereotypical Russian tyrant, shamelessly trying to murder all of his opponents at the first opportunity, while the real Ivan IV's most infamous, AccidentalMurder of his son, by comparison, was one that he [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone immediately regretted]] and repented for throughout the rest of his life. The likes of Frederick the Great and Catherine the Great, and even Alexander were just as oppressive and brutal as him, but somehow come off better. Likewise, while Catherine the Great slams him for making Russia backward, Ivan IV actually commissioned the first printing presses in Russia and also built St. Basil's Cathedral (and did not ShootTheBuilder[[note]]As the ones in question built other buildings later[[/note]]). Albeit, he's probably the best historically-remembered of the bunch for his ruthlessness toward his own people. Hence "the terrible".

* IResembleThatRemark: Ivan mocks Alexander’s alcoholism. Later on, the Macedonian makes a vodka joke and asks the Tsar to fetch him a drink.

* {{Keet}}: Frederick’s rhymes are very fast, his theme is extremely high-energy, and he's almost never standing still. [[SubvertedTrope It completely exhausts him]].
* KubrickStare: Almost exclusively Ivan’s look in the battle. He doesn't even blink.

* LargeAndInCharge: Catherine’s a BigBeautifulWoman who is also TheEmpress.

* MurderIsTheBestSolution: Ivan the Terrible’s approach to rap battles is to kill his opponent instead of outrapping them.

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Ivan’s not called "the Terrible" for nothing.

* OffWithHisHead: When Catherine the Great enters the battle, she cuts off Pompey’s head with [[RazorFloss garrote wire]].

** Ivan’s garrote wire that he uses to try and kill Frederick The Great, before he dies of old age anyway.
** Catherine’s garrote wire that has penis-shaped wooden handles, which unlike Ivan with Frederick she uses to kill Pompey. Somehow ripping his head off at the jawline.

* SacrificialLamb: Pompey’s killed off to establish how ruthless Catherine is.

** Catherine’s gentle tone is betrayed by her powerhouse figure and ruthlessness.

* TakesOneToKillOne: Catherine claims it takes a Russian to kill a Russian, which is why she enters the battle to school Ivan. Except technically, she's not Russian.

* ThisIsForEmphasisBitch: Catherine’s final line: ”Empress to Tsar 8, bitch! Checkmate!"

* BigNameFan: In-universe. That "Old Fritz" chant in Frederick’s intro? It's the series announcer.

** Catherine’s garrote wire that has penis-shaped wooden handles, which unlike Ivan with Frederick she uses to kill Pompey.

* CuttingTheKnot: Alexander boasts about being the TropeNamer as he threatens to do the same to Ivan.

* EveryoneHasStandards: Promiscuous as she is, Catherine's still not into animals. Or Ivan.

* BadassGay: Frederick references being "not exactly straight" while boasting of his historical accomplishments, such as the "oblique order" which is also "not straight", in a more literal fashion. Frederick's sexuality was considered a large part of his character while he was alive and it should be noted he is one of the few historical figures that there is no debate on if he was or was not.

** Frederick the Great is presented as a BadassGay military stereotype. The real Frederick was a military expansionist much the same way as Ivan IV, and during his campaigns villages and fields were burnt. Frederick was also the mastermind of the First Partition of UsefulNotes/{{Poland}} and expressed great bigotry to Poles (and to a slightly limited extent, Jews), and during his campaign against Poland, he ordered the ports of the Commonwealth to be bombarded. More importantly the Russophobia of some of his verses is highly hypocritical for some viewers, because the show neglects the fact that Russia saved his ass from [[BackFromTheBrink almost certain]] (and considering his belligerence, deserved) defeat in the 2nd Miracle of Brandenburg.