History Recap / LegendsOfTomorrowS5E13TheOneWhereWereTrappedOnTV

* SitcomArchnemesis: In the world of ''Ultimate Buds'', Nate is apparently Zari's; whenever she says his name, she clenches her fist and hisses it out like Jerry Seinfeld saying, "''Newman!''" Though they've also apparently got a WillTheyOrWontThey thing going on, too.

* PlainPalate: All food is reduced to different colors of mush. Beige and grey seem relatively common, while blue is apparently fancy.

* TheOneWith: Fitting that the first show we're shown is a spoof of ''Friends'' with a title like that.

* BorrowedCatchphrase: When being told that leaving TV land would be a mistake, the Zari's borrow sitcom-Nate and Behrad's catchphrase: "On the other hand..." "...Why not?"

* CallBack: Last season, [[Recap/LegendsOfTomorrowS4E10TheGetaway under the influence of the truth bug]], Mick confessed "I want to grow my hair out and look like Fabio". In the ideal reality Charlie crafted for him, he's got long locks of Fabio-esque hair, which he gripes about losing once he's returned to the real world.

* ArrangedMarriage: What Behrad and Astra are about to be in the ''Highcastle Abbey'' reality.
* AsYouKnow: In the ''Star Trip'' reality, Ava needs to remind Sara that their ship is crewed entirely by androids, so there's no need to let out an anguished SkywardScream when one of them dies.

* BookEnds: In the ending of ''[[Recap/LegendsOfTomorrowS5E1MeetTheLegends Meet the Legends]]'', Season 5's first episode, pre-Heyworld Zari tells Nate to "find me". In this episode, after Mona restores the Legends' memories, including the ones existing before the Heyworld incident, Zari (still possessed by her pre-Heyworld self) tells Nate this:
--> '''Zari:''' You found me! ''(cue BigDamnKiss)''

* BreakingTheFourthWall: InUniverse. Zari, Nate, and Behrad finally break free from their sitcom reality by turning to the camera and denouncing the Fates; only ''then'' does the camera spin around to show the studio audience.

* {{Dystopia}}: With the Fates winning, the world is turned into a ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour''-like dystopia, with the population being strictly controlled and contented by shallow entertainment, historical records being heavily rewritten, and anyone expressing dissent being punished by death.

* OrwellianRetcon: In the Fates' new world, Mona is in a department working to rewrite all historical records to quash anything that might incite rebellion against their dominion.

* PropagandaPiece: InUniverse; all TV shows in the Fates' new reality are designed to reinforce their rule and the way of life they've dictated for their subjects.

* TheSeriesHasLeftReality: InUniverse. Zari's old spirit possessing her, activating the Air Totem's power, and breaking through to a different TV show's universe does this for the sitcom ''Ultimate Buds'', which Mona (watching at home) comments upon.
* SitcomArchnemesis: In the world of ''Ultimate Buds'', Nate is apparently Zari's sitcom archnemesis; whenever she says his name, she clenches her fist and hisses it out like Jerry Seinfeld saying, "''Newman!''" Though they've also apparently got a WillTheyOrWontThey thing going on, too.

* WhamLine: InUniverse. Mona has this reaction to hearing her name on ''Ultimate Buds''.

--> '''Zari:''' You found me ''(cue BigDamnKiss)''

* DifferentWorldDifferentMovies: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]]. In our world, ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' is a fictional television series. ''Legends of Tomorrow'' is part of the Series/{{Arrowverse}}, so in their world, there's no such TV show. But in the sitcom reality Zari, Nate, and Behrad get trapped in, ''Arrow'' '''is''' a fictional TV series, with Nate trying out for the lead role, although this show features Robin Hood rather than Green Arrow..

* TheSeriesHasLeftReality: Zari's old spirit possessing her, activating the Air Totem's power, and breaking through to a different TV show's universe does this for the sitcom ''Ultimate Buds'', which Mona (watching at home) comments upon.

* DinnerWithTheBoss: This is the initial set-up for the ''Ultimate Buds'' episode before Zari gets her memory back/ She quickly identif
cliché plot is what convinces Zari she's trapped inside a TV sitcom.

** They escape their sitcom the first time when Zari uses the air totem to literally break the fourth wall. Well, technically she breaks a door, but it's positioned on the normally unseen fourth wall of the apartment from the audience's perspective.

* DinnerWithTheBoss: This cliché plot is what convinces Zari she's trapped inside a TV sitcom.
* DropInCharacter: In ''Ultimate Buds'' Nate is Behrad's friend and apparently Zari's ex, so he visits freely.
* {{Dystopia}}: With the Fates winning, the world is turned into a ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour''-like dystopia, with the population being strictly controlled and contented by shallow entertainment, historical records being heavily rewritten, and expressing dissent being punishable by death.

* AGlitchInTheMatrix: Despite now being a character in a classy BBC-style period drama, John still knows how to perform sorcery, which is ''very'' confusing for him.

-->'''Sara:''' ''NOOOOOO!''
-->'''Ava:''' There's no need to vocalize at that decibel; they're androids.
-->'''Sara:''' Oh, right.

* SpottingTheThread: The Legends immidiately spot it when Charlie controlls Mr. Parker.

* TrappedInTVLand: As the title says ...

-->'''Ava:''' We come in peace.
-->'''Sara:''' Yeah, now prepare to die!

* DropInCharacter: In ''Ultimate Buds'', Nate is Behrad's friend and apparently Zari's ex, so he visits freely.

* IChooseToStay: John tries to do this with Astra in ''Highcastle Abbey''. [[HeroicSacrifice He's willing to spend the rest of his life in the role of John the Butler, if it means Astra gets the happy life he ripped away from her so long ago.]]

* PunctuatedForEmphasis: Sara's been transformed into an {{Expy}} of [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Captain Kirk]], so naturally she includes. Pauses that are. Awkwardly placed. Within her lines.

* SitcomArchnemesis: In the world of ''Ultimate Buds'', Nate is apparently Zari's sitcom archnemesis; whenever she says his name, she clenches her fist and hisses it out like [[Series/{{Seinfeld}} Jerry Seinfeld]] saying, "''Newman!''" Though they've also apparently got a WillTheyOrWontThey thing going on, too.

** The three television shows, ''Ultimate Buds'', ''Highcastle Abbey'', and ''Star Trip'', are obvious spoofs of ''Series/{{Friends}}'', ''Series/DowntonAbbey'', and ''Franchise/StarTrek'', respectively. And, of course, Mr. Parker is a [[Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood Mr. Rogers]] shout out.

-->'''Sara:''' ''[[BigNo NOOOOOOOOOO!]]''

* WinToExit: [[InvertedTrope Inverted]]. Sara [[EurekaMoment realizes]] that, within the ''Star Trip'' reality, she and Ava are the heroes who always beat the bad guys. So the only way to escape is to deliberately lose and let the bad guys blow them up, forcing Charlie to "cancel the show" in order to save them.

* DifferentWorldDifferentMovies: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]]. In our world, ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' is a fictional television series. ''Legends of Tomorrow'' is part of the Series/{{Arrowverse}}, so in their world, there's no such TV show. But in the sitcom reality Zari, Nate, and Behrad get trapped in, ''Arrow'' '''is''' a fictional TV series, with Nate trying out for the lead role.

* TheBusCameBack: Behrad and Mona return in this episode.

* ShoutOut: The three television shows, ''Ultimate Buds'', ''Highcastle Abbey'', and ''Star Trip'', are obvious spoofs of ''Series/{{Friends}}'', ''Series/DowntonAbbey'', and ''Franchise/StarTrek'', respectively. And, of course, Mr. Parker is a [[Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood Mr. Rogers]] shout out.

* WinToExit: [[InvertedTrope Inverted]]. Sara realizes that, within the ''Star Trip'' reality, she and Ava are the heroes who always beat the bad guys. So the only way to escape is to deliberately lose and let the bad guys blow them up, forcing Charlie to "cancel the show" in order to save them.

* OrwellianRetcon: In the Fates' new world Mona is put into a department working to rewrite all historical records to quash anything that might incite rebellion against their dominion.

* SpecialEditionTitle: While still formatted like a normal Season 5 episode title sequence, it now features Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos instead of the Legends to illustrate the premise's dystopian nature.

* VillainWorld: The world as controlled by the Fates removes all free will. Everyone is provided only the barest needs with all individuality suppressed and can be killed remotely if they question the system.

* WinToExit: [[InvertedTrope Inverted]]. Sara realizes that, within the ''Star Trip'' reality, her and Ava are the heroes who always beat the bad guys. So the only way to escape is to deliberately lose and let the bad guys blow them up, forcing Charlie to "cancel the show" in order to save them.

* SkywardScream: Sara lets one out over Officer Mala and the rest of her dead crew.

* OddCouple: The premise of in-universe sitcom "Ultimate Buds" seems to be career woman Zari rooming with her stoner slacker brother Behrad. The title has ultimate in a business type font, while buds is in a handwritten type, with the "I" in ultimate also dotted with a marijuana leaf.

* EasyAmnesia: In the sitcom reality, Zari's boss asks, "Zari, do you have amnesia ''again''?" Though it's unclear whether the ''Ultimate Buds'' sitcom had Zari get easy amnesia, or if she convinced her boss she had amnesia as part of a sitcom style ZanyScheme.

* BackFromTheDead: Charlie used the Loom to resurrect Behrad, Sara, Gary, Astra, and Astra's mom (though the last one may only be simulacrum created for the ''Highcastle Abbey'' reality).

** When the Legends' memories are restored and Nate realizes that the Zari with the team is the one he was in a relationship with, they share a passionate embrace that lasts through a commercial break.

* CallBack: Last season, [[Recap/LegendsOfTomorrowS4E10TheGetaway under the influence of the truth bug]], Mick confessed "I want to grow my hair out and look like Fabio". In the ideal reality Charlie crafted for him, he's got long locks of Fabio-esque hair, which he gripes about losing once he's returned to the real world.