History WebVideo / SandersSides

* BlackBugRoom / HauntedHouse: Virgil's room is this. And it's even [[CobwebJungle full of spider webs]].

* TwoPartEpisode: "Accepting Anxiety" and "Moving On".

* TemporarilyAVillain: Downplayed but some videos will have one of the Sides serving as the main source of conflict. Examples include Logan in "Learnng New Things About Ourselves" and Patton in "Putting Others First".

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* TwoPartEpisode: "Accepting Anxiety" and "Moving On".

** There have also been some episodes which focus on the interactions between two particular Sides. Examples include "The Dark Side of Disney" (Roman and Virgil), "The Mind vs. The Heart" (Logan and Patton), "My Negative Thinking" (Logan and Virgil) and "Why Do We Get Out of Bed in the Morning?" (Logan and Roman). Patton and Virgil's father-son relationship has been developed as a background story arc in multiple episodes, although they did not have a specific focus episode just for them. The only relationship between main Sides which hasn't got any kind of focus is Patton and Roman.

** "Selfishness v. Selflessness Redux" is a sequel to "Selfishness v. Selflessness".

** Logan misused in-universe the word "infinitesimal" in one video. [[NeverLiveItDown Patton doesn't let him forget it.]]

* ThrowItIn: As the various blooper videos demonstrate, occasionally a flubbed or improvised line turns out to be an improvement on the script as written and makes it into the finished product.

* FinaleSeason: It has been announced that Sanders Sides will have three seasons.

* {{DreamLand}}: In the show, it is called with several names: Dream scenarios, the Mind Palace, Dream Spaces, or the Sides' rooms. In all cases it is an alternate dimension made up from Thomas' dreams and fantasy where he and the Sides retreat to reproduce different situations to deal with Thomas' issues.

%% Only tropes dedicated to story structure and plot should be included here.
%% Tropes describing specific character traits, whether individual or in group, should be included in the Characters section,
%% to avoid duplications and dispersion of data.

* BattleDiscretionShot: The Battle between Roman and the Dragon Witch all happens off-screen and only the sounds of the fight and the scared faces of the others are seen.

* BirthdayEpisode: "Growing Up" takes place right after Thomas' birthday.

* BlankWhiteVoid: This is how the Mind Palace looks when nothing is particularly imagined or when Thomas or the Side that summons it blanks for a second while trying to get there. Instead of a room with a particular shape, Thomas and the Sides appear in a bright white infinity.
-->'''Logan''': It's a little too... basic.\\
'''Patton''': Yeah...\\
'''Virgil''': ''[covering his face with a voice of pain]'' [[BlindedByTheLight MY EYES!]]\\
'''Roman''': Sorry, I seem to have drawn a blank for a second.

* BreatherEpisode: The heartwarming ChristmasEpisode, "The Sanders Sides 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!", pops in between two different {{Wham Episode}}s: the two-parter "Moving On" and "Can Lying Be Good?".
* BurnTheWitch[=/=]TheDragonslayer: A Dragon Witch was found quickly to be the cause of Valerie's troubles and, being PrinceCharming, Roman fends it off via samurai sword.
* {{Calvinball}}: Patton-cake, a game introduced by Patton at the end of "Growing Up", is supposed to be similar to the game of patty-cake, but no rules are directly mentioned and the items used in the game are NoodleImplements.

* ChangingClothesIsAFreeAction: Done at the end of "Fitting In", when the Sanders Sides all change their old season 1 outfits for the new ones in the blink of an eye.

* ChewingTheScenery: Roman's answer when Thomas asks him if he likes the new Crofter's jam:
-->'''Roman''': Like it? ''[louder]'' Like it!? ''[yelling]'' LIKE IT!? ''[screeching]'' LIIIIIIIIIIIIKE IIIIIIIIIIT!!!!????
* ChristmasEpisode:
** "The Sanders Sides 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!".
** Subverted with "Embarrassing Phases: The Nightmare instead of Christmas", which, despite being released on Christmas Eve, it was a belated HalloweenEpisode.
* ContentWarnings: "Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts" has one at the very start, alerting people that it contains references to several disturbing topics.
* CounterpointDuet: During the "Crofter's: The Musical" song, Logan and Roman start singing in harmony, but each sings a different lyric, Logan talking about how happy he is to have a flavor of Crofter's inspired on him, and Roman about how he's starting feeling inferior and less loved by the audience.
* CourtroomEpisode: "Selfishness v. Selflessness"
* CutenessOverload: When Roman conjures some cute little puppies, all the rest of the Sides get too overwhelmed by the cuteness and break out of character.
-->'''Patton''': ''[squealing]'' [[PreciousPuppy Puppies!]]\\
'''Thomas:''' ''[furiously]'' What!?\\
'''Patton''': ''[more squealing]'' You can conjure puppies!?\\
'''Roman''': ''[with more puppies in his arms]'' Sssh, don't tell anyone.\\
'''Patton''': ''[squealing louder]'' Aaaaaaaaawww!\\
'''Logan''': Well this is too precious to process...\\
'''Virgil''': I can't... literally think about anything cynical or bitter to remark...
* DarkerAndEdgier: As the series goes on, it takes darker turns and discusses more mature themes, even with all of the jokes and humor present. Deceit and the upcoming "Dark Sides" seem to reinforce this.
* DidIMentionItsChristmas: In "Nightmare instead of Christmas", Thomas mentions at the beginning it's Christmas, while wearing a Santa Claus hat, until Virgil refuses to keep talking about Christmas and prefers to talk about Halloween instead, being Christmas forgotten for all the rest of the episode except, ironically, when Virgil briefly sings a modified snippet of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" on the end card.
* DisneyAcidSequence: The song in "Dealing With Intrusive Thoughts." Pretty impressive considering it's ''live-action.''

* {{Dreamland}}: Daydream Mode is this, and Roman and Logan enter it to help with Thomas' problems.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: "Accepting Anxiety" is about getting Virgil back from quitting his job of being Thomas' anxiety, and the other Sides end up entering his room to find him. Note that entering Virgil's room steadily increases Thomas' anxiety overall.

* FiveStagesOfGrief: In the two part episode "Moving On", where Thomas is suffering because of a romantic break-up, Thomas and all of the Sides show, in one point or another, the five stages of grief:
** Denial: Patton denies he's sad and tries to hide it with all the resources his room provides.
** Anger: Briefly shown when Patton yells at Logan to stop, and more clearly when Logan gets offended and storms out of Patton's room.
** Bargaining: Roman shows several examples, bringing up many crazy ideas about how it is still possible to bring Thomas' boyfriend back.
** Fear: Virgil has a panic attack and drags Thomas to another panic attack.[[note]]Some interpretations of the five stages of grief include fear instead of depression.[[/note]]
** Depression: Heavily shown by Thomas throughout the whole episode, with him even mourning and loudly crying in some moments.
** Acceptance: It comes when Thomas and the Sides decide they're ready to get out of Patton's room.

* FreezeFrameBonus:
** In the "Dark Side of Disney" video, while Roman and Virgil are arguing about Aladdin, if you pay attention you can catch sight of Thomas enjoying the show and munching some popcorn.
** During "Losing My Motivation", Logan is trying to figure out why Thomas couldn't muster up the motivation to plan for a video. While he's thinking there's a shot of Thomas with various funny descriptions that you can catch if you pause quick enough.
** In "Why Do We Get Out of Bed in the Morning", you can catch what "one other thing" Logan suggests Thomas associate his bed with besides sleep if you're attentive enough.
** "Can Lying Be Good?" is loaded with these:
*** The majority are hints that Patton is actually Deceit, such as "Patton" wearing the cardigan instead of the cat hoodie, wearing light eyeliner, and Logan and Virgil's reactions to Patton saying things that are out of character. Additionally, the design on Thomas' shirt changed from two-faced (while Deceit was disguised as Patton) to a full skull when Deceit revealed himself and then to flowers when Patton actually arrived.
*** That split second frame of Patton looking on at Roman and Thomas' performances in Act Three is extremely brilliant. In that second, and the first time the viewer watches, it's just assumed that Patton is smiling as he always does. However, upon knowing that it's actually Deceit, and on the multiple viewings after, if one actually focuses on his expression, the smile becomes ''much'' more threatening - showing that he's enjoying the ''hell'' out of this.
** In "Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts", during the song, when Remus kneels down, he uncovers a little sign behind him that reads "Aunt Patty Naked" written with blood that is seen only for a couple of seconds.
* FriendshipSong: The "12 Days of Christmas" song largely talks about things all the Sanders Sides did together and wraps it all glorifying the incorporation of Virgil into the group as a friend.
* FunWithHomophones: This piece of dialogue is a good example of how an innocent word causes an embarrasing misconstruction because of how it sounds exactly the same as [[CountryMatters another word]].
-->'''Patton''': Let's look at Kant.\\
'''Thomas''': Woah! Good night, everybody!\\
'''Patton''': No, Immanuel Kant, K.A.N.T.!

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar:
** "Adultery". Thomas tries to tell Patton what adultery [[YourCheatingHeart actually means]] in "Accepting Anxiety: Part 1" but Roman stops him.
** Logan does it in "Why Do We Get Out Of Bed in the Morning?" when telling Thomas that he should only associate his bed with sleep... and [[SexualEuphemism one other thing]] ([[FreezeFrameBonus as the phrase "ahem... copulating" quickly appears on the slide]]).
* HappyPlace: Patton's room is this, and everyone entering it experiments "a jolt of happiness".

* HomemadeSweaterFromHell: Subverted. The Sides wear what Thomas has called "ugly sweaters" for the Christmas episode "The Sanders Sides 12 Days of Christmas". However, they're not as ugly, as all the Sides like them and in real life they even were released as merch, and they ran out of stock in a matter of days.
* HypocriticalHumor: "Becoming a CARTOON!" has a couple of instances of this:
** Virgil comments on how Thomas sometimes makes cartoony facial expressions. Thomas then asks when he's ever done something like that--while making as many cartoony facial expressions as possible.
** This exchange:
--->'''Roman:''' After all, the best kind of comedy in cartoons follows some line of logic. Otherwise, it would just be random and that's... \\
'''Patton:''' ''[yelling with a potato in his hand, looking at the camera]'' PO-TA-TO!\\
'''Roman:''' ...never funny.
* IAmBecomingSong: The song "Lies" talks about New Year's resolutions and describes what Thomas is about to do to improve himself in the year to come.
* IWasJustJoking: In "Moving On," this is Roman's defense every time the other Sides stop him from trying to get back together with Thomas' ex. No one's buying it.
* InsistentTerminology: Thomas has clarified several times that the Sides are ''aspects'' of his personality and not separate personalities themselves, as he does not have any disorder that would cause that. However, he has gotten messages from people who do have Dissociative Identity Disorder about how his videos have helped them regardless, and he plans on making a video addressing the difference between DID and what he does.
** In the early times, however, even Thomas himself used the term "personalities" once, [[note]]in the January 2017 Snapchat story "My Personalities All Had Little Adventures Yesterday", now available on his Twitter account[[/note]] before dropping the term.
* JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind: Part of the plot of "Accepting Anxiety". Logan, Patton, Roman and Thomas all travel to Virgil's room (which is inside [[MentalWorld Thomas' mind]]) to check up on him.
* LampshadeHanging: Thomas does this repeatedly in "Accepting Anxiety: Part 1". He lampshades many tropes and structures that are used in the Sanders Sides vlogs, including Logan providing all the expository information due to being the OnlySaneMan and that when the Sides first appear in a video, they're referred to by their nicknames to quickly establish what they generally represent so new viewers don't get confused.
* LampshadedTheObscureReference: In "Can Lying Be Good?", when Roman shifts to Thomas' mom shape, Thomas asks with a British accent, "Are you my mommy?" Just in case there were any confused viewers, Logan is quick to say: "''Series/DoctorWho'' reference? Fantastic!"

** Despite being an important plot twist at the end of season one, now everybody knows there are other Sides apart from the four main Sides and they're known as the Dark Sides. Only the exact amount of them is to be known yet as well as their real names, but the one that has been revealed by now, namely Deceit, is at this point as common knowledge as the core main Sides.

* LostLoveMontage: Played at the end of "Moving On: Part 2", where Thomas literally wanders down Memory Lane and sees some of the good and not so good moments he lived with his now ex-boyfriend.

* {{Moe}}: [[InUniverse Used in-universe]]. Anxiety-as-Talyn. The other Sides can't help but gush over how cute he is... even when he [[RunningGag hisses at them]].
-->'''Patton:''' [[YoureCuteWhenYoureAngry He's like a little kitten now!]]
* TheMusical: Season 1 had a full song in episode four... and then nothing other than brief MusicalisInterruptus moments by Roman for the rest of the season. However, in season 2, we have as of today four musical numbers. Not all of the episodes are musical based or musical at all but as a whole, the series has musical numbers enough to be considered a proper musical at this point.
* NoJustNoReaction: In the "Moving On" two-parter, Roman keeps coming up with (increasingly desperate) ways to win Thomas' ex-boyfriend back, leading to Virgil having to shut him down ''repeatedly''.
* NoodleImplements: The game of Patton-cake requires tuna fish, two tennis rackets, dipping someone's fingers in candle wax, and Virgil sulking in a corner.
* TheOner: The main song sequence in the Christmas episode is roughly three and a half minutes long. Deserves special mention because it is actually ''four'' such takes, composited together into near-seamlessness.
* OverlyLongGag: Roman kept yelling for exactly 22 consecutive seconds:
--> '''Roman''': ''[speaking as Logan in an animation]'' Why didn't I listen to ROMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN?
* ARareSentence: A phrase by Roman, understandable in context, but quite weird out of it, as Virgil points out.
-->'''Logan:''' I would like a say in this...\\
'''Roman:''' Not today, Logic!\\
'''Virgil:''' ''[ironically]'' That's a good phrase to live by...
* ReadingTheStageDirectionsOutLoud: Thomas does this in a gag that goes [[MetaFiction quite meta]].
-->'''Logan''': Life is uncertain! We can't accurately predict each twist and turn like we might be able to if this was a scripted series!\\
'''Thomas''': Nods in agreement.\\
'''Roman''': Thomas, that wasn't dialogue.\\
'''Thomas''': What?\\
''[Thomas pulls out a copy of the script that reads "Why do we get out of bed in the morning, by Thomas & Joan" and reads a page, then pulls it down.]''\\
'''Thomas''': Oh! ''[nods in agreement]''
* RuleOfThree
** How many flashbacks Thomas uses in order to prove to Logan and Patton that they argue far too much.
** It seems that Roman, Logan, and Virgil himself seem to disagree with the fact that growing up is ''amazing'', like how Patton puts it.
** In the Sanders Sides Q&A video, the last three Sides that haven't revealed their names look like they will...until something stops them or they just don't. Logan's phone drowns Patton and Roman out and Virgil acts like he's going to only to not do so because, as he says, he doesn't have to.
** It takes Roman three tries to get Logan to remember that [[ForgotAboutHisPowers they can shapeshift]].
** The number of times that different groups of people react to Thomas and the Sides making obvious statements in "Becoming a CARTOON!".
** In "Learning New Things About Ourselves," the Sides offer three examples of methods by which Thomas used to learn.

* StageWhisper: Roman turns back during a conversation and this happens:
-->'''Roman''': ''[whispering to himself]'' Roman, you dunce. You made a joke and now they'll think everything's fine.\\
'''Thomas''': Roman?\\
'''Roman''': ''[realizing everybody's heard his aloud "whispering", turning front quickly]'' Umm, yeah? [[MediumAwareness Are we still making the video?]]\\
'''Thomas''': Yeah, you know that. [[LampshadeHanging You didn't, like, sink down or anything.]]
* ShoutOut: Way too many to properly list here. Creator/{{Disney}} references are the most frequent, though.

* SpeakInUnison:
** Logan and Roman do this when they tell Patton to not screw things up during the Q&A.
** In the first part of "Accepting Anxiety", Thomas and Patton say that they doubt [[ItMakesSenseInContext anybody will be looking through Thomas' car]].
** In the first part of "Moving On" when Logan suggests indulging in nostalgia might convince Thomas that things can improve, Virgil and [[ThePollyanna Patton]] say "Can they?" at the exact same time and with the exact same tone of voice. This is one of the first hints we get that something is very wrong with Patton.
* StopAndGo: Every time there is a comedy gag, the background music stops abruptly, then resumes when the dialogue goes on.
* StrikeEpisode: "Accepting Anxiety" has Virgil quitting being Thomas' anxiety, and Thomas and the other Sides working together to get him back.

* ThanksgivingEpisode: Subverted with "Way Too Adult"--while Thomas mentions that Thanksgiving is coming up, the main plot of the episode is about Thomas not knowing how to cook and do other adult things.
* ThatLiarLies: Played in song. Thomas sings about all his resolutions for the new year, and the Sides, with special vehemence of Virgil, tell him that "they're lies, lies, lies, lies, lies..."
* TrustPassword: Roman asks for Patton to go through one of these after the trouble with Deceit, and Thomas and the others make him a couple of questions to find out if Patton is the real Patton or if he's another impostor like Deceit. Patton's goofiness is unmatchable by anybody else, so it's not long before they deduce he's the real Patton.
* TwoPartEpisode: "Accepting Anxiety" and "Moving On".
* TheUnreveal: In "My Personality Q&A" (an episode where Logan's name was the only one to have been revealed), Patton and Roman's names were overlapped with Logan's ringtone while Virgil refused to say his.
* ValentinesDayEpisodes: "Alone on VALENTINE'S DAY!".
* WeReallyDoCare: The whole premise of "Accepting Anxiety" is based on this trope.
* WeirdAside: Anxious Logan gives a slightly disturbing example.
-->'''Logan''': Look, Virgil, you're a natural fight-or-flight reflex. That's what you're instilled in humans to act as you do. And for some people... Yes, you're a little heightened, but what's a little extra height? I mean, that just means you're tall enough to ride every ride at Disneyworld. '''Unless you're too tall and you get decapitated on "It's a Small World"...''' Wow! I'm sorry for that little tangent, I am reeling right now! The point is too much of anything can be counterproductive.
* WhamEpisode:
** "Accepting Anxiety": Anxiety decided to duck out because he truly believed he was not wanted. Also, his real name is Virgil. Others exist.
** "Moving On": Patton not only embodies Thomas' morality and good feelings, but also his bad feelings, and it's strongly implied he has been suppressing the latter.
** "Can Lying Be Good?": One of the others shows his face, and he's Deceit. He has a power to impersonate the Sides and keep the others forcibly silent about it. It has been revealed the "others" are in fact "Dark Sides".
** "Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts": The second Dark Side is revealed, and Virgil comes clean with Thomas.
* WhamLine:
** In "Accepting Anxiety: Part 2", Roman tries to reassure Virgil by telling him he is "-nothing compared to the Others."
** In "Can Lying Be Good?", we have Patton saying, "Wow, I'm so proud of you, Thomas. You're so mature." in a ''deeply'' sarcastic tone of voice. It's what finally confirms for Virgil that this is ''not'' Patton.
** And, of course, from the same episode: "DECEIT!"
** In "Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts", Virgil finally admits to Thomas his, at this point, open secret about the Dark Sides and him: "Because I was one of them."
* WhamShot:
** "Can Lying Be Good?" has two big ones. First, Patton waving his hand and forcing Logan to cover his own mouth. This is the first ''major'' clue that not only is "Patton" not really Patton, but something is very, ''very'' wrong. And, a minute after that, the first appearance of Deceit in the flesh.
** Near the end of "Selfishness v. Selflessness", before Deceit makes his leave, he tells Thomas, “I’ll ''always'' be a part of you”, and reveals that just like the other Sides, he too has a ‘logo’ of his own; a two-headed snake.
** In "Dealing With Intrusive Thoughts", the fingers creeping up over the top of the TV behind Roman.
* YesNoAnswerInterpretation: This example at the end of "Moving On: Part 1".
-->'''Logan''': ...their anxiety worsens.\\
'''Thomas''': Virgil, that's not happening, right?\\
'''Virgil''': ''[[[VoiceOfTheLegion tempest tongue]]]'' NO... ''[covers his mouth with his hand]''\\
'''Logan''': I'll take that as a "yes".
* YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious: Inverted in both parts of "Accepting Anxiety"; in Part 1, Thomas summons Patton and Roman by calling them their aspects instead of their names, tipping them off to Thomas' unusual behaviour. In Part 2, at separate points where Logan and Roman let the anxious energy of Virgil's room get to them, Thomas reins them in using their aspect name ([[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep or nickname, in Roman's case]].)
-->'''Thomas:''' That's enough outta you! ''Logic!''\\
'''Thomas:''' Pump the brakes, Princey!
* YouCanSayThatAgain: Thomas and Patton went on a rant of this trope until Roman stopped them sword in hand.
-->'''Thomas''': Wait, so we're stuck in a loop?\\
'''Patton''': You can say that again!\\
'''Thomas''': We're stuck in a loop?\\
'''Patton''': You can say that again!\\
'''Thomas''': We're stuck in a loop?\\
'''Patton''': You can say that again!\\
'''Roman''': ''[Irritated, sword in hand]'' Oh, my gosh! I will kill both of you! With my bare hands! ''[chuckling a bit]'' ...and this sword.

** In "Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts", Virgil finally admits to Thomas his, at this point, open secret about the Dark Sides and him: Thoughts": "Because I was one of them."

** In "Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts": "Because I was one of them."

** In "Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts", Virgil finally admits to Thomas his, at this point, open secret about the Dark Sides and him: "Because I was one of them."

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Thomas and the other sides ([[TheStoic besides Logan]]) actually laugh at Patton's favorite dad jokes in the "Personality Q&A" video.

* MentalWorld: Each of the sides has their own part of Thomas' mind, or "room", that they reside in when they're not in Thomas' apartment.

* StrikeEpisode: "Accepting Anxiety" has Virgil quitting being Thomas' anxiety, and Thomas and the other sides working together to get him back.

** Near the end of "Selfishness v. Selflessness", before Deceit makes his leave, he tells Thomas, “I’ll ''always'' be a part of you”, and reveals that just like the other sides, he too has a ‘logo’ of his own; a two-headed snake.

** According to Joan, "Selfishness V. Selflessness" was written as a two part episode, but the two parts wouldn't have been sequential, as "Dealing With Intrusive Thoughts" would've taken place between them. So they left the title as is instead of labeling it as a "Part 1" to avoid confusion.

** In "Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts": "Because I was one of them."

** In "Can Lying Be Good?", we have Patton saying, "Wow, I'm very proud of you, Thomas. You're so mature." in a ''deeply'' sarcastic tone of voice. It's what finally confirms for Virgil that this is ''not'' Patton.

* TrustPassword: Roman asks for Patton to go through one of these after the trouble with Deceit, and Thomas and the others make him a couple of questions to find out if Patton is the real Patton or if he's another impostor like Deceit. Patton's goofiness is unmatchaed by anybody else, so it's not long before they deduce he's the real Patton.