History Recap / PennyAndAggieThePopsicleWarWhispersAndSilence

* TheCameo: Attending the first party in this chapter are Tiffany, Crystal and T.J. of ''ComicStrip/{{Luann}}'', although T.J. is in his twenties. Also, Josie and Valerie of Franchise/ArchieComics appear in [[http://www.pennyandaggie.com/index.php?p=725 this strip]].

* MirthlessLaughter: Charlotte, after her false testimony, laughs heartily in response to Tharqa's joking that her performance is Golden Globe-worthy. However, her laughter is soon combined with renewed crying, suggesting that making the video has [[{{Trigger}} triggered]] a post-traumatic response to actual sexual assault in her past.

* TheCameo: Attending the first party in this chapter are Tiffany, Crystal and T.J. of ''ComicStrip/{{Luann}}'', although T.J. is in his twenties. Also, Josie and Valerie of ArchieComics appear in [[http://www.pennyandaggie.com/index.php?p=725 this strip]].

* TheCameo: Attending the first party in this chapter are Tiffany, Crystal and T.J. of ''{{Luann}}'', although T.J. is in his twenties. Also, Josie and Valerie of ArchieComics appear in [[http://www.pennyandaggie.com/index.php?p=725 this strip]].

--> I understand, better than she ever did, the cutting power of eyes that look right past you.

As Sara watches the video in horror, Penny turns on the charm with Braz in order to find out why people have been attending parties other than hers; Braz tells her to "stop faking." At rehearsal that afternoon, Duane tells Penny that he too believes the gossip about her and Sara being a couple. He doesn't believe the other accusations, but he'd rather believe she's gay than that she wasn't attracted to him when they were dating. Penny assures him she's straight; he believes her, but warns her she'll have to convince everyone else.

* {{Frameup}}

* MaliciousSlander

* GoshDarnItToHeck: Aggie, shooing Charlotte away, calls her "you [[CountryMatters c-word]]." Contrast this with the moment in [[Recap/PennyAndAggieAwakening Awakening]] when she calls ''herself'' the actual swear (as [[WordOfGod confirmed by Campbell]], but represented in the comic with SymbolSwearing), in order to show Lisa her apology is genuine.

As Sara watches the video in horror, Penny turns on the charm with Braz in order to find out why people have been attending parties other than hers; Braz tells her to "stop faking." At rehearsal that afternoon, Duane tells Penny that he too believes the gossip about her and Sara. He doesn't believe the other accusations, but he'd rather believe she's gay than that she wasn't attracted to him when they were dating. Penny assures him she's straight; he believes her, but warns her she'll have to convince everyone else.

Charlotte, with Tharqa's voice-over contribution as an interviewer, films a YouTube video of herself, in silhouette and with a thinly-disguised voice, tearfully accusing Sara (without actually naming her) of raping her after school in order to remind her that she and her "girlfriend" (implied to be Penny) "own" the school and everyone in it. Afterward, Tharqa and Charlotte have a laugh over what they've just done; however, a close-up of Charlotte, still smiling but with laughter changing back into crying, suggests that she's drawn on an actual past trauma for her performance.

* AdultsAreUseless: Despite the seriousness and public nature (YouTube video and poster) of the accusations against Sara, neither parents nor school faculty intervene, whether in support of Charlotte or Sara. Nor do they appear to be even aware of the matter, until much later in the comic, as a result of [[spoiler: a police investigation into Cyndi's kidnapping]]. Campbell has argued that the absence of adults here, and throughout "The Popsicle War" generally, was necessary in order for the plot to unfold as it did.

* CommutingOnABus: Duane makes his first ''substantial'' appearance since [[Recap/PennyAndAggieSecondLooks Second Looks]], after several months in WebcomicTime and two years in real-world time. He's appeared relatively often since then.

As Sara watches the video in horror, Penny turns on the charm with Braz in order to find out why people have been attending parties other than hers; Braz tells her to "stop faking." At rehearsal that afternoon, Duane reveals, in a quiet confrontation with his ex-girlfriend, that he too believes the gossip about her and Sara being involved with each other, although he doesn't believe the other accusations. He admits that he'd rather believe she's gay than believe she wasn't physically attracted to him when they were dating. However, when Penny assures him she's telling the truth that she's straight, he believes her, but warns her she'll have to convince everyone else.

* AdultsAreUseless - Despite the seriousness and public nature (YouTube video and poster) of the accusations against Sara, neither parents nor school faculty intervene, whether in support of Charlotte or Sara. Nor do they appear to be even aware of the matter, until much later in the comic, as a result of [[spoiler: a police investigation into Cyndi's kidnapping]]. Campbell has argued that the absence of adults here, and throughout "The Popsicle War" generally, was necessary in order for the plot to unfold as it did.
* TheCameo - Attending the first party in this chapter are Tiffany, Crystal and T.J. of ''{{Luann}}'', although T.J. is in his twenties. Also, Josie and Valerie of ArchieComics appear in [[http://www.pennyandaggie.com/index.php?p=725 this strip]].
* CantHoldHerLiquor - Although played straight as a comedy trope with Helen, the secrets she blurts out about Aggie and Sara have serious consequences.
* CerebusSyndrome - Some readers argue this began here for the comic, while others place it earlier, in [[Recap/PennyAndAggieVertigo Vertigo]], or later, in Missing Person.
* CommutingOnABus - Duane makes his first ''substantial'' appearance since [[Recap/PennyAndAggieSecondLooks Second Looks]], after several months in WebcomicTime and two years in real-world time. He's appeared relatively often since then.
* DoubleEntendre - Fred flirts with Stan by saying "I don't see many ''guys'' fiddlin' with those," referring to the popsicles. Stan's response: "They don't know how to use them." Meanwhile, Omar flirts with Karen by inviting her to hear him play bass at a tavern: "The acoustic vibrations there can...rock you in your chair."
* EroticEating - [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] when Cyndi explains the attraction of girls eating popsicles:
--> You oughta see how guys act when you hold these joysticks. I swear it's like ''they're'' the ones getting their [[{{Nudge}} glk-glk-glk]] on.

* FauxYay - Cyndi, once again, in order to attract boys.

* InVinoVeritas - Helen spills secrets about her friends when drunk.

* RapeAsDrama - Not only Charlotte's slander against Sara, but the real thing implied in her backstory.
* TheirFirstTime - Karen and Marshall. Alluded to in conversation but not depicted on-panel.