History Webcomic / Archipelago

** TheChick: Blitz, the CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass who believes in Credenza with all his heart, no matter how much she doubts herself

** Raven in Blitz's body hides among the pipes in Paollo's sub.

The Author had mentioned a potential spin-off/follow-up that would take place in the same universe, and then on March 2nd 2017 she announced that the upcoming project will be called "[[http://thesilvertophat.deviantart.com/art/Paollo-of-Somnus-666827669 City of Somnus]]". The first page of it was published on Deviantart on August 2nd 2017. You can read the trope page here ''Webcomic/CityOfSomnus''.

The Author had mentioned a potential spin-off/follow-up that would take place in the same universe, and then on March 2nd 2017 she announced that the upcoming project will be called "[[http://thesilvertophat.deviantart.com/art/Paollo-of-Somnus-666827669 City of Somnus]]". The first page of it was published on Deviantart on August 2nd 2017. %% and you can read the trope page here ''Webcomic/CityOfSomnus''. %%add the trope page when I've finally had the time to read it

* AlwaysSaveTheGirl: Raven's attitude towards Credenza, beginning pretty early on. When she goes missing in book 5, for example: %%expand? he's Tsundere about it

* ComfortFood: Dragon tea, a special soup for dragons, according to Cassie used to cheer her dragon friend up on cold, wet days. She cooks some for the dragons in the {{denouement}} and it's very appreciated.

* TranslationConvention: Common Archipelagian is represented by English. [[spoiler: Hand signs Knull uses in the epilogue are represented by [=ASL=] and subtitled.]] Pandorians, seranith and seagulls have their own, untranslated languages, though.

* CatchAFallingStar: Snow attempts to send Credenza to her death [[spoiler: by dropping her into the Exigo core, but Blitz transforms and dives in right after her, to catch her in the nick of time.]]

* FlashbackNightmare: Credenza has these throughout the story, remembering Uru and their escape attempt from Snow's sub. They [[FlashbackBPlot present her backstory more or less chronologically]].

** Raven's standard way of expressing care. PlayedForLaughs when, after some frantic searching, he finds her safe, sound and [[spoiler: being licked by Charlie. With lots and lots of drool (she uses the words "slobbered to death")]].

* UnsoundEffect: When Riley can't find his wallet in a restaurant, there's a *disturbing lack of wallet*.

* DeskSweepOfRage: When Raven's latest jewellry piece just isn't coming out right, he starts yelling at it (or at himself) and sweeps the worktable.

* DumbStruck: Lucas (Anthony's crewmate), when seeing Blitz for the first time, is reduced to shoving his colleague in shock.

** Raven's standard way of expressing care.

** DramaticThunder punctuated Kor's duel with Snow.

* SymbioticPossession: [[spoiler: Blitz and Raven,]] starting somewhere in book three, up until they get separated for good [[spoiler: in Quillotia]].
* SymbolSwearing: Occasionally.

* TranslationConvention: Archipelagian languages are represented by English. [[spoiler: Hand signs Knull uses in the epilogue are represented by [=ASL=] and subtitled.]]

* DreamWalker: This is an ancient, sacred art on Eastern Continent. Paollo, who has beed trained in it all his life, still has trouble with aspects like PsychicBlockDefense. TalkingInYourDreams is a common early sign of this, according to Paollo's guards, as is [[DreamingOfTimesGoneBy reliving past experiences in dreams]] [[spoiler: Like, for instance, a series of {{Flashback Nightmare}}s Credenza's been having for the entire story]]. A dream walker can not only enter others' dreams, but [[DreamWeaver reshape them]] unnoticed, unless the other person is a dream walker themselves. BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind is a subtle endeavour.

* ClothingDamage: When [[spoiler: Shadomandyr Queen rips Simon's clothes off while possessing him to taunt the heroes]], Credenza [[LampshadeHanging comments]]

** Snow does this a lot [[spoiler: in dream world]], including a TheyDiedBecauseOfYou targeted at ''[[WouldHurtAChild Clair]]''.

-->'''Raven:''' Curse it, Snow! You soul thieving son of a b- *Mona wallops with baseball bat* -UHK!

--> If you thought you'd earn my trust looking like that, guess again! Before [[spoiler: his wife died]], Anthony was a good master, and a good person! But then his heart got broken and he let himself fall apart! He let EVERYTHING fall apart! Did it matter that the rest of us were in mourning too? Did it matter that we were struggling every day to make ends meet while he SLEPT for two years?! No! He decided he didn't want to live anymore, and he was happy to let the rest of us fall with him! Maybe you are some kind of ghost, sent to help Clair in her time of need. If that's the case, then it's the first kind thing you'll have ever done for her.

** Vaniji immediately before [[spoiler:his cane is destroyed]].

%% where? Later, Raven talks in his sleep, alerting Credenza to his nightmare.

* EmptyShell: Those whose souls have been removed from their bodies (by the use of Snow's mechanical arm) lose all agency and just sit there or mindlessly trudge behind whoever's taking care of them, while their souls are locked up in the arm. The souls, however, retain their drive (if some of them [[TheSpeechless don't retain the ability to speak]]).

** Cassie quotes Literature/TheBible: "Where your treasure is, your hear will be also".

* TheSoulless: When a soul has been stolen or otherwise removed, the body only retains vegetative functions and just sits there, unable to even feed itself. Sometimes it mindlessly follows whoever is taking care of it. [[spoiler: Paollo's body seems to have a little more initiative, maybe because his soul stays nearby, maybe because he's a dream walker. In any case, it can drag unconscious seranith to safety.]]

** Tuff and Riley's wereshark father disappeared while they were kids, and their mother took off to try to find him once they turned sixteen.

* RedOniBlueOni: The Tuff brothers, Riley being enthusiastic about [[BoisterousBruiser fights]] and [[CasanovaWannabe girls]], friendly and a fairly uncomplicated bloke with his heart on his sleeve, while Tuff is a thoughtful, somewhat brooding TheSmartGuy of the group, EmotionallyTongueTied around girls he likes and terribly AfraidOfTheirOwnStrength.

Snow (smirks): [[ShutUpKirk You say all this like I'm the unreasonable one]].

** Riley upon [[spoiler: getting reunited with Alice when they recover her soul]].

* ShipperOnDeck: When Alice gives Riley the ShutUpKiss, right in front of a bunch of masonmages, they applaud.

--->'''Snow''': I have Dragonfly's machine. I have the book's reader. Obviously, he has chosen ME as the book's owner. You are not a hero, Credenza, you're only an annoyance. I should kill you, before you really start causing problems.\\

--->'''Raven''': You humans, you never have a moment of peace, do you? As soon as one drama resolves, another begins. IT NEVER ENDS!\\

%% where? ** Later, Raven talks in his sleep, alerting Credenza to his nightmare.

%is this the trope? the arm works automatically * WeCanRebuildHim: Captain Snow keeps getting grievously injured and his magical robot arm keeps repairing him with more robotic parts. By book 9 page 249, his robotic parts include "Both arms, one leg, most of his chest (including heart and portions of the lungs) the first few vertebra of his spine, and a patch on the back of his head that's covered by hair" as per WordOfGod.

%% With the closure of Smackjeeves, many links may be defunct. trying to delete these as part of my overhaul; also getting rid of ZCEs

[[caption-width-right:306:It's a bit of a long, complicated story. (and this isn't even [[LongRunner halfway through!]]) [[note]]Clockwise from the top left (colored): Prince Paollo, Raven, Captain Snow, Riley, The Shadowmandyr queen/possessed Simon, Blitz, Dragonfly, a Scraptor, Tuff and the Listing of Names. And at the bottom (monochrome) from left to right: Blitz, Credenza, Tuff, Queen Deliza, Riley, King Mikel.[[/note]] ]]

A webcomic by H. L. Devera.

Credenza, an ordinary waitress, discovers a man washed up on the shores of Ruin Island. He is wounded and on the brink of death, but with Credenza's help is able to recover. The only problem? The man's mind has been shattered; gone are his sanity and memories, including his name. Credenza gives him a new one, Blitz, and earns his undying loyalty. Follow Credenza, Blitz and their friends as they become entangled in a colossal battle between good and evil, journey to new parts of the [[TitleDrop Archipelago]], and learn much more about themselves than they could've bargained for.

The comic began on September 30th 2005, and concluded on February 3rd, 2017.

The Author had mentioned a potential spin-off/follow-up that would take place in the same universe, and then on March 2nd 2017 she announced [[http://thesilvertophat.deviantart.com/art/Paollo-of-Somnus-666827669 City of Somnus]], which is scheduled to start in August of the same year.

Can be found at the '''[[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/ official site]]''' as well as the creator's '''[[http://thesilvertophat.deviantart.com/ deviantART page]]'''.

With the closure of Smackjeeves, many links may be defunct.

* AbsentMindedProfessor: Holly.
* AccidentalKiss: Willium and Nim [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1907117/book-3-page-17/ here.]]
* ADayInTheLimelight: Captain Snow in Book 4.5.
* AerithAndBob: Considering the fantasy setting, not terribly shocking.
* AffablyEvil: Captain Snow is this most of the time, making jokes and snide comments; he's [[strike:probably]] very capable of dropping it, though.
* AffectionateParody: In the background of [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910054/book-7-page-28/ the first panel here]], an actor is accosted by a pair of... fanfiction writers.
-->"You and Clarika are so romantic together!"\\
"We wrote a story about you two!"\\
"That's... nice."

** The backstory, involving a fallen ([[ColonyDrop in every sense of the word]]), {{Magitek}} civilization that built the machines like Snow's arm, guns, the submarines, [[spoiler:the dragon the Archipelago is built upon, which the Great Raven, Dragonfly and 4 other {{Magitek}} A.I.s ran]], [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and duct tape]]. They also genetically engineered the various beastmen and were-animals that inhabit the Archipelago.
** Hints that this may be a far-future or alternate Earth, given that the common language is descended from English (retaining the name, but about as intelligible to modern English speakers as modern English would be to Old English) and characters have read aloud from real written works. In addition, WordOfGod states that religions such as Christianity and Buddhism still exist in some form.
* AIIsACrapshoot: [[spoiler: The Raven deciding that his purpose as an anti-virus also means [[KillAllHumans killing pretty much everyone]] is]] the whole reason we have a plot to begin with.
* AllJustADream: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1911437/book-9-page-210/ During a session of psychological torment]], Captain Snow attempts to convince Credenza that [[spoiler:''the entire story'']] was a case of this. [[spoiler:[[ChekhovsGunman Paollo]]]] reminds her otherwise.
* AllLoveIsUnrequited: Amongst the villain camp. [[AntiVillain Knull]] and [[StalkerWithACrush Han]] both took a liking to Lucinda, who couldn't reciprocate as she [[EmotionlessGirl traded away her emotions]] after her heart was broken by a man from her past ([[spoiler:who, in an odd twist, [[VoluntaryShapeshifting was also Han]]]]).
* AllThereInTheManual:
** The cast page explains a number of details about the characters' backgrounds and abilities that otherwise don't get a lot of detail in the story. The author also on occasion leaves notes with certain strips that pose as a sort as insight into the makings of individual characters or elaborations on elements of the Archipelago world, such as information about the inner workings of magic in the setting. After the comic's end, this kind of information can usually be found in her Tumblr.
* AllYourPowersCombined: [[spoiler:Olivia]]'s gauntlet, containing all of the heirs' powers. Once used to fight the Raven, but now [[DragonInChief Snow]] controls it.
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Raven spirits and shadowmandyrs. [[spoiler:Subverted in both cases for those released from control of their malevolent forebears, the Great Raven and the Shadowmandyr Queen, respectively. Raven goes on to become heroic, if cranky, while the shadowmandyrs are pretty much animals who were following their Queen's control and eventually jump ship to Simon once she's dead.]]
* AlwaysSaveTheGirl: This is how Raven reacted when Credenza was lost in Book 5.

* AmuletOfConcentratedAwesome: Dragonfly's necklace, which unlocks Credenza's power. Vaniji also has his cane, in which he has invested and concentrated his powers, [[spoiler:to the point that Vaniji's cane becomes an AmuletOfDependency, as he has left nothing for himself.]]

** Inverted with Raven, whose body gradually becomes more corporeal as he becomes more and more human.
** Captain Snow keeps losing pieces of himself, but his {{Magitek}} arm keeps replacing what he loses. By the end of the story, he's completely mechanical.
* AndIMustScream: Those who are possessed by a raven spirit but are captured or simply no longer useful may be Soul Sealed. Essentially the subjects soul is sealed deep within their body and while they remain alive and aware, they cannot move or act in ''any'' way at all. [[spoiler:Raven attempts this on Anthony when he first possesses him, but it's interfered with when Anthony [[EyeScream cuts his own left eye out]] to block Raven's escape route, inadvertently leading to breaking his own mind and trapping Raven in it.]]
* AnimalMotifs: Most of the cast is in some way part-animal, thanks to the {{Magitek}} AfterTheEnd setting, and are often casually referred to as such; Tuff and Riley, half-weresharks, are "fish", Raven is a "bird", so on. [[spoiler:Even characters who aren't beastmen or spirits get in on the action later, when we see their souls in the dream world or character portraits.]]
* AntiHero:
** Based on what people who knew him say (and flashbacks), Anthony was one.
** [[spoiler:Raven]] slides between the KnightInSourArmour and PragmaticHero sub-types.
* AntiMagic: Knull's gift, which even makes him immune to [[spoiler:the Raven himself]]. Possibly the only reason Snow didn't kill him along with the rest of his family; that, or because he makes good tea.
* ArcNumber: Groups of 6:
** The original Six who [[SealedEvilInACan bound the Raven]]. (Ausalius, Little Twin Fish, Grom Pintur, Chalchiu, Icarus, Lady Itaria)
** Their descendants, the six Heirs. (Paollo, Tin-Can Turtle, Alice Pintur, Kor Yander[[note]]Kor Huitzilopochtli[[/note]], [[spoiler:Clair Solair, Uru Tan]])
** The six [=AIs=] who [[spoiler:managed the Archipelago, before the GreatOffscreenWar and subsequent ColonyDrop]]. ([[AnimalMotifs Dragonfly, Raven, Crane, Weasel, Tortoise, Hare]]) Only the first two have played any role in the story; the others' names and functions were given via FourthWallMailSlot.
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Shortly before breaking out of his LotusEaterMachine:
-->'''Raven:''' A beautiful wife, [[spoiler:a child on the way]], surrounded by supportive friends... [[spoiler:Whose fantasy is this, Snow? Mine -- or yours?]]
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Credenza would like for us to know that Captain Snow is a filthy coward, inexcusably evil, and poorly dressed. The last is probably the one thing that would actually insult Snow - he fancies himself a SharpDressedMan at times.
* ArtEvolution: ''Seriously''. Compare [[http://thesilvertophat.deviantart.com/art/Arch-1-pg-1-23506624 this]] with [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909198/book-6-page-52/ this]], and then to the most [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/ recent pages]].
* ArtificialLimb: Snow has a cyborg arm (which is quickly growing into a cyborg body because he keeps getting injured). For a more bizarre example, Anansi uses scarfs for arms.
* ArtShift: [[spoiler:The Maze of Dreams. Tatami's dream is rough and sketched. Riley's and Tuff's share OrangeBlueContrast, but the former is straight lines and angles, while the latter is smooth and curved. Raven's dream is an OutOfGenreExperience.]]
* ATasteOfTheLash: [[spoiler: Uru, in Credenza's place, when they were slaves.]]
* ATeamMontage: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1911309/book-9-page-91/ Here.]]

** Prince Paollo as well. [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1893709/book-2-page-9/ "Ooooh! Butterfly!"]]

* BadassBoast: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1891976/book-1-page-47/ "I am a part of the darkness! A piece of the nightmare! I am older than the ground you walk on, more powerful than the forces of nature that bind this world! I looked down from the stars and I cursed this world and all life on it! I made the great wheel of life turn backwards! No one can strike ME! I AM RAVEN!"]]
* BadassNormal: Until Credenza started using Dragonfly's gift she had no magical strength to speak of, but still threw herself into adventure and trouble. Snow also had no real native magical power before he was resurrected by the Great Raven and given the cyborg arm, but was still one of the most feared men in the world. [[spoiler:Raven becomes one after finishing his transformation into a near-human.]]
* BadassPreacher: Miss Tabitha is a nun. A rather elderly nun. Do not be fooled by appearances. Do not threaten her abbey's residents. Do NOT tear books in ''her'' library!
* BallroomBlitz: Book 6. Snow and an army of Ravens attempt a hostile takeover of the Quillotia Castle while King Mikel is hosting a party to welcome home [[spoiler:his long-lost cousins, the Luck brothers.]]
* BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: In the finale, [[spoiler: Credenza has to defeat Snow in the dreaming world, while her friends battle him in the physical world]].
* TheBeastmaster: Simon, with his hunting dog June. [[spoiler:And later the shadowmandyrs, once their queen is dead and he's the only "home" and authority they now know.]]

* BigBad: The Great Raven.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Uru, to Credenza.
* BigEater: Riley to a T.
* BigGood: Dragonfly. [[spoiler:Well, he ''was''.]]
* BigYes: Snow, [[spoiler:[[TooKinkyToTorture when he's being attacked by Dragon!Blitz]]]]
* BeastMan: Even referred to as such, or werebeasts. Known races include werecats (Miss Tabitha the nun), werehyenas and other canines (Kurr), weresharks (Tuff and Riley are half-wereshark), and wereorcas. There are also some non-were beast man species as well, who seem to have obvious animal features prominently integrated into their humanoid forms.
* BlindSeer: A half-case: Anansi Padma is blind in one eye, but it doesn't seem relevant at all to her seeing the future. In fact, it was her trying to stop the future from happening that caused her to become blind in one eye and lose her arms.
* BlowingARaspberry: Blitz, to Captain Snow, [[spoiler:''after tearing his mechanical arm off.'']]
* BodyHorror: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910677/book-8-page-116/ Dude]].
* {{Bookends}}: The comic begins [[spoiler:and ends]] with Raven and Credenza on the beach on Ruin Island at night.
* BoyMeetsGirl: [[spoiler:Riley]] accidentally spends an entire day flirting with [[spoiler:Alice]], ironically without knowing that she was the one he was supposed to be looking for.
* BreakTheCutie: When hints of [[DarkAndTroubledPast Blitz's memories]] begin trickling back to him.
* BreadEggsMilkSquick: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909288/book-6-page-126/ "What if my teeth scare him? What if I drop him?]] [[SpontaneousHumanCombustion What if he explodes?!"]]
* ButYouWereThereAndYouAndYou: In the Maze of Dreams, [[spoiler: Raven's dreaming the life of an [=AI=] developer who may or may not have existed. The cast of his dream, however, are his waking life teammates: Credenza is his wife, Blitz is the dog, Tuff and Riley are his roleplaying buddies.]]

** No, Blitz [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1891939/book-1-page-30/ didn't kill her.]] He also didn't kill [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1891949/book-1-page-34/ that guy]] whose body he was found standing over, literally caught red-handed. Seriously, he didn't kill them.
** [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1891893/book-1-page-7/ "[Blitz] could be an evil spirit trying to use your good nature against you!"]] [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1893720/book-2-page-17/ No, really!]]
* CatGirl: Miss Tabitha, among others.
* ChekhovsGun:
** On [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910109/book-7-page-73/ this page,]] an observant reader will notice that when Charlie licks Credenza's cheek, there's a tiny blue magic flash and her scratch is suddenly gone. In the [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910682/book-8-page-121/ next chapter,]] [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910683/book-8-page-122/ this]] [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910684/book-8-page-123/ happens.]]
** Credenza asks Kroft (whose dragon form she's riding on) about his human body and he goes into detail explaining it. In [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909185/book-6-page-40/ the next panel]], we have a shot of Blitz looking overjoyed flying on his back. The relevance? [[spoiler:Blitz is later revealed to be a dragon.]]
** In the later chapters close to the end, eating spirits is brought up about twice. [[spoiler: This is what Snow does at the end to obtain the Great Raven's power.]]
** While he's talking to a girl [[spoiler: who turns out to be Han]] During the party in Quilotia, Tuff mentions a Masquerade Ball that left some sort of impression on him emotionally. [[spoiler: Guess what his nightmare is?]]
** ChekhovsGunman: Aside from the aforementioned Charlie, [[spoiler:actually Uru]]. When Snow begins using the gauntlet containing [[AllYourPowersCombined all of the heirs' abilities]], the heir whose power he gets the most use out of (and, in turn, the one who's able to counteract him) is [[spoiler:[[DreamWeaver Paollo]]]].
** Anansi's [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910077/book-7-page-49/ prediction for Tuff]], which involves meeting "a beautiful blue-skinned stranger". Tuff is quick to write it off. Enter [[spoiler:Cassie]].
* CirclingBirdies:
** On occasion.

** Another time, when Paollo's waking up from a vision:
--->'''Tusura:''' Okay, Paollo, how many fingers am i holding up?\\

* CleverCrows: The BigBad of this comic is The Great Raven, an ancient spirit, fearfully clever, terribly powerful, [[SealedEvilInACan trapped beneath the Earth with a magic seal.]] Also present is Raven, who used to be a spiritual handservant for The Great Raven. He's also clever, but he went through a series of events (not least of which, his firing) that shook his world [[HeelFaceTurn and made him switch loyalties.]]
* ClimbingTheCliffsOfInsanity: On Hidden Island.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Blitz, Paollo, Mikel, among others.
* ClothingDamage: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1907240/book-3-page-57/ "Was it really necessary to get rid of his clothes, or was that just for effect?"]]
* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: Different types of magic, different colors.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: From the ''Snowflakes'' intermission, [[http://archipelagocomic.com/comic/?id=371 when Captain Snow is showing off his mechanical arm to]] [[spoiler:his daughter]]:
-->"This isn't a toy! [[ByNoIMeanYes It's an insanely dangerous toy.]] This arm is made with the technology of the ancients who made the Archipelago! At its full power, it is capable of being an unstoppable weapon of mass destruction! ...You don't get one of these until you're at least eighteen, young lady."
* ConditionedToAcceptHorror: Wereshark society is apparently very dark and violent, with an atavistic focus on blood and feeding. Weresharks raised away from their society are perfectly friendly (like Tuff, Riley, and their father), though can have their fight-or-flight instincts easily triggered by a strong scent of blood or the sight of a loved one being injured.

** [[spoiler:Kor, one of the heirs, happened to work for Vaniji Ralo, someone who knew Captain Snow personally and was gifted Paollo's Royal Guard for MindControl.]]
** [[spoiler: The second-to-last heir is Anthony/Blitz's daughter.]]
** [[spoiler: The final heir is not only Uru, Credenza's slave friend, but was Charlie the entire time. This gives him a personal connection to Snow and Credenza, our main protagonist and antagonist, and Kor, another heir.]]
** [[spoiler:Anthony and Clair's home was built on top of the very ship that The Great Raven is locked inside of.]]
* CordonBleughChef: This or possibly a combo of it and LethalChef describe Riley's cooking. His signature dish is best described as fish still-kicking cooked into a pancake batter. [[spoiler:Both of these tropes are actually averted, as his dish is delicious, loved but lost by the Pintur family.]]
* CreepyRavens: No actual birds, but the BigBad is called The Raven and looks distinctly birdlike. His minions have a raven theme going on.

** Who knew Blitz could do [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909101/book-5-page-108/ this]]? Or, for that matter, [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910680/book-8-page-119/ this]]. [[RuleOfThree Or]] [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910731/book-8-page-166/ this]].

* CrypticConversation: Early on, [[DreamWeaver Dream!Paollo]] [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1893724/book-2-page-21/ attempts to warn Credenza of events to come]] (Raven, the heirs), but she has no idea what he's talking about.

* CurseCutShort: Raven, of the injured-mid-sentence variety.

* DeadlyDoctor: Captain Snow. See MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate.
* DeadpanSnarker: Most of the characters have their moments, but Raven's the most notable.

* DealWithTheDevil: Snow, Snow's crew, and every other person possessed by a raven.
* DeathByChildbirth: [[spoiler:Poor Chesska]].
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: Color is reserved for magical effects, lending them extra strength and making climactic fights bright and dramatic. Flashbacks - including ''Snowflakes'', a [[ADayInTheLimelight side story about Snow]] set just before the series began - are done in full color.
* DemonicPossession: [[spoiler:The Shadomandyr Queen uses Simon this way. When the Raven sees Dragonfly he posses Snow so he could kill Dragonfly personally, Snow is angry about this because the terms of the his deal stated no possessions. Oh, and The Raven causes Snow to change into a massive raven [[MorphicResonance with a shock of white feather on his head]].]]
* DiesWideOpen: [[spoiler: Holly]]
* DisneyVillainDeath: [[spoiler:A two-for-one deal; Lucinda (DrivenToSuicide) and Han (TakingYouWithMe).]]
* DoesNotLikeShoes: Credenza goes barefoot quite often.
* TheDragon: Snow to the Great Raven, though not without signs of being a DragonWithAnAgenda, [[spoiler:and later TheStarscream]].
* DreamWalker: Paollo, Captain Snow (copying Paollo's power), [[spoiler:Olivia, Credenza]].
* DuctTapeForEverything: You're in the middle of nowhere, and the heart crystal, the only thing that can keep your sub going, is falling apart. So you put it back together with... [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1908963/book-5-page-14/ well, guess.]]
* DullSurprise: Lucinda, to pretty much everything. Justified, since she's an EmotionlessGirl.
* DyingAsYourself: A Raven spirit leaves its host upon death, as evidenced with [[spoiler:Kurr]]. [[spoiler:Han, being a shapeshifter]] goes out this way as well, [[spoiler:showing Lucinda ([[TheUnreveal but not the reader]]) his true appearance before their mutual DisneyVillainDeath]].
* DynamicEntry: Credenza is on the beach, surrounded by shadowmandyrs, and then, suddenly.... Blitz [[BigDamnHeroes emerges from the ocean]]. Smashing the shadowmandyrs. While riding a hammerhead shark.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Captain Snow seems to be oddly protective of his nephew, Knull. ''Snowflakes'' introduces [[spoiler:Noemi (Snow's wife) and Yula (his daughter)]], but ultimately deconstructs the trope; [[spoiler:Snow kills his mother in a flashback, and Noemi points out that his love for her and their daughter wouldn't stop him from hurting either of them eventually.]]
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Snow loves tea, and once berated his crew for trying to burn down a tea house. He refrained from warning them when the shop owner proceeded to poison every cup (including his), deciding that if they couldn't detect the poison, then they weren't good enough to serve on his crew in the first place.
* EvilGenius: Snow claims to be trained as a doctor, has jury rigged medical implements using advanced tech, can use magic, and at one point animates bone skeletons.
* ExplosiveBreeder: Apparently, Moofs.
-->'''Credenza:''' [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1893720/book-2-page-17/ Do you know what happens if those things get in your submarine and multiply!?]] ''(shudder)''
* EyeScream: Ravens enter through your left eye to possess you. Not only that, but Blitz (back when he was Anthony Solair) ''stabs his own eye out'' in a effort to keep Raven from possessing him.
* EyeTake: Raven and Credenza [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910255/book-7-page-158/ on this page.]] Captain Snow joins the list [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910680/book-8-page-119/ here]].
* FaintingSeer: According to Tusura, it often takes a bucket of cold water to snap Paollo out of his visions.
* FallingInLoveMontage: [[spoiler:Riley and Alice]] [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909172/book-6-page-27/ in Quillotia.]]
* FantasticRacism: Usually directed against weresharks and related half-bloods. Weresharks are seen as predatory monsters (and culturally, that's not far off the mark) who are better off dead. Tuff and Riley Luck, as half-bloods (they had a human mother), face all the prejudices ascribed to sharkmen, and even their shark kin would kill them as abominations. It's especially bad in Quillotia, the Luck brothers' home city, which is home to a large population of wereorcas, who hate weresharks more than any other race.

* FoodAsBribe:
** [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1907984/book-4-page-34/ Riley likes fish pie.]]
** Later, [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909116/book-5-page-122/ Credenza to Raven.]]
--->'''Raven:''' I am an ancient spirit of the dark. You think you can bribe me with a mere pastry?\\
'''Credenza:''' You're a little man made of ectoplasm. And you have a sweet tooth.\\
'''Raven:''' I should never have let you give me candy.
* {{Foreshadowing}}:
** [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910142/book-7-page-100/ This]] page shows some of the characters from Book 8 before they are introduced.
** Book 2, page 47, Blitz says "Even if they throw me in the ocean, I'll just swim and swim until I find you again." Fifteen pages later, [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1893781/book-2-page-63/ guess what happens.]]
** [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910263/book-8-page-4/ This symbol]] is introduced at the beginning of Book 8 and goes unexplained until [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910760/book-8-page-192/ this]] happens.
** A lot, though fairly subtle, about [[spoiler:Blitz being a dragon]], sprinkled all throughout the comic leading up to the eventual reveal late in Book 8.
* FourthWallMailSlot: A [[http://www.formspring.me/ArchipelagoCast Formspring account "answered" by the characters]]. Many are humorous, some are very sweet, and [[http://4ms.me/11comqQ others are]] [[TearJerker downright depressing.]]
* {{Frameup}}: Just before the story actually begins, [[spoiler:Anthony/]]Blitz was blamed for the death of his captain's fiance. [[spoiler: Turns out it was actually the captain himself who killed her when she discovered he was shipping illegal goods.]]
* FriendToAllLivingThings: Credenza, though she makes a special exception for Captain Snow, whom she would gladly personally throttle.
* FromASingleCell: After [[spoiler:Captain Snow]] is vaporized by the defense system of the ''Exigo'', a small chip of his [[ManInTheMachine machinery]] worms its way into the ship's systems, [[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs hijacks it]], and builds him a replacement body.
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Though the moment where [[spoiler:Snow steals Credenza's soul]] is very intense, it's hard not to laugh at the picture of the pterodactyl with a laser beam coming out of it's mouth in the background. [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910124/book-7-page-84/ Here.]]
* GrandFinale: After 11 years and well over a thousand pages it would be strange if it didn't end this way.
* [[GodHelpUsAll God Save Us All]]: [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Paollo]] is the prince of the Solid Tower, the destined ruler of the Eastern Continent! [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1893715/book-2-page-14/ In his hands lies the future of our country!]]
* GoshDangItToHeck:

* HalfHumanHybrid: Beastmen can mix with humans, though it's rare. Tuff and Riley are half-wereshark. A hybrid can get some beneficial traits like strength, danger-sense, or a powerful sense of smell, but shapeshifting into a more animalistic form is generally right out-- they can try, but it won't be pretty and is probably lethal. Tuff describes the result as looking something like tuna casserole. [[spoiler:We eventually see the result first-hand-- see BodyHorror above.]]
* HarsherInHindsight: A lot of Blitz's strange babbling ends up making tragic sense when you find out what happened to him. And deep down, part of him is aware of what he has lost.
-->'''Blitz:''' I can't die, I need to go home, she needs me.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: Raven gets a soul.]] And much later [[spoiler: Knull decides he's done with following his uncle's orders.]]

** Most of the were-creature and beastmen races are technically such as well. Weresharks were engineered using traits from gorillas and Komodo dragons as well as sharks. Fish-people like Cassie were engineered using cuttlefish and [[spoiler:electric eels]], among other things. According to the creator, "This is what comes of being raised watching Creator/AnimalPlanet."
* TheHeartless: The [[{{Mooks}} little ravens]]. As {{exposition}}ed by Paollo:
-->But even locked away, Raven was not without his powers. He created from the malice in his black heart The Ravens, evil spirits with the power to possess men, and by connecting their souls to Raven's unleash their inner evils. They have no will of their own, but to serve Raven. They are created with broken hearts, only capable of feeling hate. Their only goal is to release their master.
* HijackedByGanon: Book 10 has a variation. [[spoiler:We finally come face to face with The Great Raven, set up as the BigBad- only for Snow, the one whose been harrying our heroes all along, to come up, eat The Raven, and act as the main villain for the rest of the plot.]]
* HotSubOnSubAction: Second book, Captain Snow versus the Royal Guard. Made a CurbStompBattle by Knull's AntiMagic.
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: Both of the Luck brothers (Riley and Alice, Tuff and Cassie). Apparently, it runs in the family.
* HumanityEnsues: All the A.I.s but The Great Raven in the back-story. [[spoiler:Raven starts at the end of Book 6 from Credenza's magic overload, and finishes in Book 7, triggered by strong emotions.]]
* HumanShield: [[spoiler: The Shadomandyr Queen uses Simon as one.]]
* HumiliationConga: Through most of book 5, Han ends up embarrassed, screwing up, or otherwise causing trouble for himself out of incompetence or thoughtlessness in nearly every appearance.
* HypnoticEyes: Vaniji.
* IDontWantToRuinOurFriendship: Alice got this a lot, enough to accuse Riley of this when he says he has to leave.
* IfYouEverDoAnythingToHurtHer: Alice's brother Lio, [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909292/book-6-page-130/ to Riley.]]
-->'''Riley''': If I ever let anything happen to her, I'll hand you the club.
* IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight:
** Played during the beginning, with Credenza and Blitz/Raven.
** With [[spoiler:Simon, when he's possessed by the Shadowmandyr Queen.]]
** With [[spoiler:Paollo's guards, after they're brainwashed by Vaniji.]]
** Played with when Raven confronts [[spoiler:a possessed Benjamin. His conversation has less to do with convincing Benjamin, and more with goading his possessors into letting him out, [[BatmanGambit so Raven can slip him a counter-spell for when they pull him back in]].]]
* ImaginaryFriend: Claire's [[spoiler:[[ProjectedMan Projected Boy]]]] best friend, Benjamin.
* ImCryingButIDontKnowWhy: Blitz does it [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909284/book-6-page-122/ here]] and [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910277/book-8-page-15/ here.]] [[spoiler: Turns out that the first time he cries was because before his memory loss, he had a wife who died in childbirth. The second time, we then know about it...but he still doesn't. He had just woken up from a dream which was a memory of his wife, but Blitz doesn't understand his dreams, they just make him sad and confused.]]
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:Blitz]] is run through during the climax.
* InelegantBlubbering: Credenza [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909134/book-5-page-137/ cries so hard]] that she scares Raven.
* InLoveWithYourCarnage:
** Riley sprouts lots of little hearts watching the "three time champion of the Ladies of Quillotia Wrestling Federation [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers and Book Club]]" [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909249/book-6-page-92/ in action.]] The two of them get another moment later on, [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910669/book-8-page-108/ when he attempts to propose to her.]]
** [[spoiler:Snow and Yula, though Yula was not particularly good, and willingly joined Snow.]]

* InstantBandages: Happens a lot.
* InstantMessengerPigeon: Poot owls, which are magical spells, but can still be intercepted, destroyed or fused together by accident.
* InsultToRocks: Comparing Vaniji[[spoiler:/Han]] to chopped liver would be an insult to dog food.
* InterspeciesRomance: Avian men are infamously infatuated with women of all species, Tuff and Riley were born from one, and Mikel's wife Deliza is a beast woman.
* InvoluntaryShapeshifting: [[spoiler:Tuff, sadly. He gains some control over it, but he can still be triggered into going full shark.]]
* IOweYouMyLife: Blitz, to Credenza, out of thanks for giving him a name (and by extention, a new identity).
* IronicEcho: 'It's only okay when ''you'' do it.'
* KillAndReplace: [[spoiler:Han]]. Sucks to be you, [[spoiler:Vaniji]].
* KilledOffForReal: Everybody who died [[DeathByOriginStory in the backstory]] ([[spoiler: Chesska]]) and on stage [[spoiler:Dragonfly, Lucinda, Han, Vaniji, Holly. Except Snow, but he's got JokerImmunity, being the main villain and all.]]
* LifeEnergy: One source of magic.
* LightIsNotGood: Played for laughs.
-->'''Riley:''' [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1907299/book-3-page-80/ Look! It's like snow, only it's pure evil.]]
* LikeBrotherAndSister: Uru and Credenza.
* LongHairedPrettyboy: Han. He's very proud of his Pretty-boy status.
* LotusEaterMachine: [[spoiler:the Maze of Dreams.]]
* LouisCypher: The man who broke Lucinda's heart was named Corveau. Also something of a BilingualBonus.
* LossOfIdentity: Blitz.
* LowCultureHighTech: The various cultures of the Archipelago are decidedly rustic and old-timey, coupled with an 1800s-ish seafaring aesthetic with all of the shipyards and villages throughout. Yet nearly all inhabitants have access to Subs and various other modern-day conveniences, either biomechanical or magical in nature. Courtesy of the Ancient Civilization.
* TheLostLenore: Depending on how you look at it, Chesska's death kickstarts the entire plot. [[spoiler: If she hadn't died, Anthony probably wouldn't have gone off to join the navy, get framed for the death of the captain's fiance, been possessed by a Raven and gone completely insane, turning him into Blitz, wouldn't meet Credenza, and cause her to leave the island by sneaking aboard Paollo's submarine.]]
* MadnessMantra: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910213/book-7-page-126/ Starting here]], from Mona after Vaniji's hold on her was broken.
-->'''Mona:''' ''The puzzle's all fallen apart. You can't solve it. All the pieces are gone and eaten by the bad children. All gone and eaten. Can't put it back together. I can't see myself anymore. I'm all eaten up.''
* MessyHair: Almost all the male good guys to varying degrees.
* MindControlEyes: Those controlled/hypnotized by Vaniji. They don't always look like it though.
* AMindIsATerribleThingToRead: Resident hypnotist Vaniji tries it on [[spoiler:Blitz]] and [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910142/book-7-page-100/ gets a nasty dose]] of DarkAndTroubledPast.

* MirrorCharacter: The parallels between Credenza and Snow are strong. Both are (or were) normal humans with negligible magical gifts and lost their parents, who went through various traumas (death for Snow, and Snow for Credenza), were granted artifacts and powers from the BigGood and BigBad, and often fall back on who they were before their careers as hero and villain - Snow out of pride, Credenza in humility. Where Credenza is able to build people up, Snow breaks them. They're also rather [[MagneticHero magnetic]], a strength they use as much or more than the gifts offered by Dragonfly and the Great Raven.
* MoralityPet: Stretching the definition almost to the breaking point, but Captain Snow's nephew Knull [[spoiler:and his widow Noemi and their daughter Yulalia, who was born shortly after Snow died.]]
* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909154/book-6-page-9/ Someone was apparently crazy enough to give Snow a doctorate]], though his backstory mentions that he was kicked out of med school because he proposed unethical experiment. He still is probably fully trained though.
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Captain Snow is an undead cyborg pirate king.
* NonActionGuy: Knull. Snow only keeps him around for his AntiMagic, as an armorer and medic (the latter mainly while Snow is busy), and because he can brew an ''excellent'' cup of tea.
* NonSequiturThud:
-->'''Tin-Can Turtle:''' [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910667/book-8-page-106/ Nnn... Willum, go take out the cookies, I hear the oven timer.]]

** Nim, after [[spoiler:rescuing Willium from the belly of the Shadomandyr Queen,]] states simply "That was definitely the third weirdest thing to ever happen to me."
** We're not sure what happened at Mikel's 21st birthday party, but when he brings it up in comparison with [[spoiler: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909269/book-6-page-109/ Snow's attack on Castle Quillotia]] ]], you know it has to have been crazy.

* OceanMadness: Blitz. Apparently he was already going mad as it was - Raven simply hurried the process along.
* OceanPunk: Submarines are the archipelagian mode of transport. After all, it is an archipelago.

** Han's expression in [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909243/book-6-page-88/ this page]], for very good reason.
** Credenza [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1991664/book-10-page-40/ here]], also for very good reason.
* OnePersonOnePower: A side effect of the nature of magic in the Archipelago. Most magic-users have one signature ability (with the exception of Clair, who has [[ComboPlatterPowers two]]).
* OrphanageOfLove: All of the nuns are orphans.
* OrphansPlotTrinket: Credenza's hair tie, a little.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: WordOfGod sorts them into four major tribes, with distinctive physical traits: Summer ([[PlayingWithFire fire breath]]), Fall ([[DeadlyGas poison]]), Winter ([[AnIcePerson ice]]), and Spring ([[PoisonIsCorrosive acid]]). The first dragon we're properly introduced to, Kroft, is a Winter dragon, and [[spoiler:Anthony/Blitz]] is a Summer dragon.

* OurSoulsAreDifferent: Removable (with the right magical artifact) and usable for magic works. A soulless body stays alive, but becomes an EmptyShell with no initiative. The soul has some sort of a physical form, but outside of the body becomes a hovering little thing wrapped in a layer of protective magic.
* PainfulTransformation: Were-creatures who lack certain RequiredSecondaryPowers, such as the half-breed Luck brothers. [[spoiler: Tuff receives said powers as a gift from Dragonfly. Riley... doesn't.]]

** Each character has a specific font in their speech balloons to represent their "voices."
** People with a raven spirit are drawn with red eyes.
* ParentalAbandonment: Tuff and Riley's wereshark father disappeared while they were kids, and their mother took off to try to find him once they turned 16.
* PeopleJars: [[spoiler: Dragonfly is in one of these when the gang finds him.]]
* PowerGivesYouWings: Raven wings, specifically.

* PersonaNonGrata: Tuff and Riley were kicked out of Hidden Island once. They both thought that Tuff caused it (see UnsuspectinglySoused below), but the abbess later mentioned that it was actually because Riley [[CasanovaWannabe kept hitting on the girls there]].

* ProphecyTwist: The FortuneTeller [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910079/book-7-page-50/ tells it like it is.]]

* PutOnABus: Prince Paollo's guards, [[spoiler:until Book 7, when TheBusCameBack: when they go to Paper Island to find Kor, they also find Paollo's guards, brainwashed (or locked up, in Tatami's case) by Vaniji.]]
* RealMenWearPink: Han, one of the most threatening of Snow's crew, has a habit of sewing before a battle. Don't laugh at this if you like your bodily envelope intact.
* RebusBubble: Used [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1891895/book-1-page-8/ here]] and [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910209/book-7-page-123/ here]].
* RedEyesTakeWarning: The Great Raven and those under his power.
* RedRightHand: Take note of anyone who is missing their left eye, especially if it happened recently.
* RedStringOfFate: The boon that Riley received from [[BigGood Dragonfly]] - [[SmellsSexy the scent of his mate]], which led him straight to Alice Pintur, [[spoiler:who turned out to be an heir]].
* RefusedByTheCall: Villainous example: a raven by the name of Steller is unsure why The Great Raven passed him up in favor of choosing [[AffablyEvil Captain Snow]] as his herald. Snow, on the other hand, sees [[BigBadWannabe right through him]].
* RetiredMonster: [[spoiler:The true Great Raven. Being stuck in an orb and slowly siphoned of all power turned him from an omnicidal maniac into a tiny fledgling who had only his regrets to think about. Shortly after this is revealed, Snow [[TheStarscream consumes him]].]]
* ReverseGrip: Raven's prefered method of holding a knife.
* TheRival: Nim to Willium Drake and vice-versa. [[BelligerentSexualTension Kind of]].

** Blitz/Raven's [[http://archipelagocomic.com/comic/?id=4 first words to Credenza]] sound crazy and disoriented, which is perfectly understandable for his circumstances, but it becomes clear that the person speaking was in fact ''Raven'' and not Blitz; who, after his possession attempt went horribly wrong, is in even more shock than Blitz, and is trying frantically to escape his broken host who inadvertently trapped Raven in him.
--> "Where, I, I can't, it hurts! Make it stop, get me out! Something's gone wrong! …It's not supposed to be like this… I think I'm scared… I can't… I can't feel my wings…"
** Doubles as HeartwarmingInHindsight, as it shows that Raven's human emotions developed very early on in the story, although in the first page it's more like an emotion overload.
** Almost every moment with Charlie [[spoiler: before he is revealed to be Uru]]. A notable insight: whenever he sees her, he does his best to call Credenza by name, even [[http://archipelagocomic.com/comic/?id=689 the first time they meet]].
*** [[spoiler:Other attempted words include '[[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910064/book-7-page-37/ shark]]' (notable because were-whales have an almost instinctive hatred of were-sharks) and '[[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910121/book-7-page-81/ Snow]].']]
** Blitz's [[http://archipelagocomic.com/comic/?id=568 reaction to Kroft]], [[http://archipelagocomic.com/comic/?id=569 the dragon in Quillotia]], makes significantly more sense [[spoiler: once it is revealed that Blitz himself is a dragon]].
*** Also explains his [[{{Squee}} reaction to flying]].
*** And every instance where he runs around on all fours.

** "If you support *insert topic relevant to the current strip here*, vote for Archipelago!"

* ScarsAreForever: Blitz's whole torso is [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909944/book-7-page-1/ covered in scars]] that date back to the very first page, when he washed up on the beach. [[spoiler:Both Credenza and Knull suffer real-life injuries after their time in the dream world, which are stated to be permanent.]]
* SealedEvilInACan: The Great Raven.
* SelfMadeOrphan: Captain Snow. WordOfGod puts Han in this category as well (with a side helping of WhereIWasBornAndRazed).
* SenseFreak: [[spoiler: Raven after becoming fully human.]] More specifically, he's interested in taste. WordOfGod says he has a very detailed diary of everything he's ever eaten and whether he likes it or not.
* ShapeshifterGuiltTrip: Han attempts it on [[spoiler:Lucinda]] [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1911427/book-9-page-200/ here]]. It doesn't work.
* ShapeshifterSwanSong: [[spoiler:Han]] goes through a short one [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1911427/book-9-page-200/ here]]. [[spoiler:He starts by trying to use Lucinda's love for Knull to protect himself, switches to his ShapeshifterDefaultForm, and finally, in a PetTheDog moment, shows his true form at Lucinda's behest.]]
* SharkMan: A whole species of them with a culture that's all about violence and blood. Tuff and Riley's dad was an exception.
* SheCleansUpNicely: Credenza, at the royal dinner in Quillotia.
* ShoutOut:
** Prince Paollo quotes a Beatles song and Macbeth.
** Snow reads Poe's "Conqueror Worm" to [[spoiler:his daughter Yulalia.]]

** Also, on [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909076/book-5-page-84/ this page,]] what Blitz says to [[spoiler:Dragonfly]]: [[Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz Do you have anything in your bag for ME Mr. Wizard?]]
** Vaniji[[spoiler: /Han]] misquotes Hamlet [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910613/book-8-page-53/ here]].
** In one of the promotion messages below the comic, it's asked if you support [[Film/MuppetTreasureIsland "sailing for adventure on the big blue wet thing"]].
* ShowWithinAShow: Vaniji and Kor are introduced presenting and performing within a play called "Cord of Gold," full of flashy magic special effects. Kor calls back to it during a rousing swordfight with Snow through the theatre's storage rooms.
* ShutUpKiss: Between [[spoiler:Riley and Alice]] [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909276/book-6-page-115/ here]].
* SickeninglySweethearts: Alice and Riley are (metaphorically and then literally) all over each other almost from the moment they meet.
* SlapSlapKiss: From [[spoiler:Noemi, Snow's wife, to Snow]], and followed by another slap.
* SlaveBrand: Captain Snow has one he occasionally uses on slaves or underlings. [[spoiler: Credenza has the brand on her arm.]]
* SomethingPerson: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909944/book-7-page-1/ It's Laundry Pants Man!]]
* TheSoulless: Any raven would be an example, but most have no interest in reclaiming their soul, and in fact have some of their souls and emotions still intact.
* SoWhatDoWeDoNow: Played as counterpart to AndTheAdventureContinues [[spoiler: Defeating Snow leads to new challenges, like rescuing and feeding all of the survivors.]]

* SpiderSense: A common trait among beast-men. Riley refers to it as his "Sharky Sense". [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910279/book-8-page-17/ Can be quite intense.]]
* SpitShake: Is how Credenza seals the deal when Raven first joins the group. Naturally, he's disgusted.
* SpotTheImpostor: Between Riley and [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Han]]. At first, it seems that Tuff spots the difference when Han isn't strong enough to carry Riley's {{BFS}}, but as it turns out...

* TheStarscream: Han dabbles, though he mostly limits himself to assuming too much authority in Snow's absence and thinking he could get away with killing Kurr or roughing up Knull. Once or twice, though... [[spoiler:At one point his raven tries to get him to kill Snow, though given they know that Snow ''can't die'', one wonders whether the Great Raven had it out for Han...]]

** Credenza looks a lot like her parents. She also looks like the [[spoiler: younger Dragonfly, and both have the same magic. Even her soul has dragonfly wings.]]
** Between Knull and Snow [[spoiler:and Yulalia]].
** And also, [[spoiler:Clair]] looks a lot like her mother [[spoiler: Chesska]] and her father [[spoiler: Blitz/Anthony]].
* SubmarinePirates: Captain Snow and his crew.
* SuicideAttack: [[spoiler: Captain Vander tries to pull one on the Luck brothers.]]
* SymbioticPossession: [[spoiler: Blitz and Raven,]] starting somewhere in book three.
* SymbolSwearing: Occasionally.
* TalkativeLoon: Blitz again, particularly in the beginning.
* TalkingInYourDreams: [[spoiler:Credenza]] has dream conversations with Abbess Tabitha and later [[spoiler:Olivia]], hinting at latent DreamWalker abilities.
* TalkingInYourSleep: Credenza murmurs in her sleep when dreaming about Uru.
** Later, Raven talks in his sleep, alerting Credenza to his nightmare.
* TarotMotifs: Willium Drake uses magical cards resembling Tarot cards.
* TeamMom: Credenza.
-->'''Raven:''' What makes that woman think she can order us around like that?\\
'''Blitz:''' The way we always do what she says.
* TechnicolorMagic: Archipelago magic is not elemental, and colors are associated with the user's personality or artifact's nature (RedIsViolent and aggressive, while BlueIsCalm and methodical). Dragonfly's magic is [[EmeraldPower green]], and so is Soul Key's.
* TeleporterAccident:
** [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1891890/book-1-page-5/ How about that stretcher?]]
** Offscreen example recounted [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1911233/book-9-page-23/ here]]: Snow, [[spoiler:trapped in a well by Clair]], eventually realized [[ForgotICouldFly that he could teleport out]]... and [[TeleFrag got his leg stuck in a tree]]. It was only his mechanical leg, though, so it wasn't much of an inconvenience.
* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: Captain Snow versus [[spoiler:Benjamin. See: The DisintegratorRay. Snow never saw it coming. Benjamin then proceeds to vacuum up the remains and dump them in a vat of lava. It ''still'' isn't enough.]]
* TheTell: A small example, [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1908076/book-4-page-111/ but a succinct one.]]
-->'''Miss Tabitha:''' Oh, please. I live with exactly sixty-five young, hormonal, adolescent girls. I can ''smell'' self-doubt.
* TemptingFate: What's that Han? [[EmotionlessGirl Lucinda]] of all people is having an emotional breakdown? That makes you uncomfortable and you're wondering what to do about it? Why tell her to shut up of course! Scold the silly girl! [[TemptingFate What could possibly]] [[BerserkerRage go wrong?]]
* ThousandYardStare: Those whose souls have been removed from their bodies.

* TransformationTrinket: Dragons use these to switch between their human forms and their dragon forms. [[spoiler:Blitz's is his watch.]]
* TranslationConvention: Archipelagian languages are represented by English. [[spoiler: Hand signs Knull uses in the epilogue are represented by [=ASL=].]]
* TraumaInducedAmnesia: Blitz. Eventually explained as something far deeper than as normally presented: when Raven came to possess him, he slashed out his own eye, an act which cut off Raven's escape route and damaged the spirit, which in turn damaged Blitz's mind. He's got almost no hope of getting his original memory back (which may be for the best).
* TheUnReveal: Thanks to an UnrevealAngle, we the audience never get a good look at [[spoiler:Han's true form.]] [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1911429/book-9-page-202/ What we do see]] is scarred and squinty-eyed, though.
* UnsuspectinglySoused: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1907960/book-4-page-10/ Gregor Samsa is a giant potato!]]
* VillainTeleportation: Snow learns he has this ability after Claire uses it, since [[spoiler: the arm grants him the powers of the heirs]].
* VisualPun: [[spoiler:How does Snow die? [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/2242748/book-10-page-268/ By melting]].]]
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: All full-blooded werebeasts have a human and animal form. Half-bloods could, in theory, but it would probably kill them. Han pulls off a simpler version with his appearance through garments sewn from magical materials.
* WhamEpisode: Book 8. The setup of the book is already pretty surprising, with the reveal that the next heir is [[spoiler: actually Blitz's ''daughter''. But things really heat up when Snow shows up and steals Alice's soul, causing Riley to freak out and attempt to transform, nearly dying in the process. And it gets even worse when Snow murders Holly. Oh, and by the way? Blitz is a [[OurDragonsAreDifferent DRAGON]]. The wham just keeps up until the very end of the book where it's revealed that the final heir is Charlie, or more specifically, Credenza's childhood friend Uru.]]
* WhamLine / WhamShot: Usually at the end of a chapter.

** Book 6: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1909322/book-6-page-147/ Raven]] [[spoiler:peeling away his "skin" to discover [[HumanityEnsues a human hand]].]]
** Book 7 ends with [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910255/book-7-page-158/ both:]]

** Book 8 gets [[spoiler: none other than [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910765/book-8-page-196/Uru looking back at Credenza.]]]]
* WhiteHairBlackHeart: [[AffablyEvil Captain Snow]]. Knull also has his uncle's hair, but [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain his heart isn't in the right (wrong?) place]].
* WhoWantsToLiveForever: Snow had already died when the Great Raven conscripted him into service, and part of their deal is now that he ''can't'' die again. He finds this takes a great deal of excitement out of his second life.
* WhyAreYouLookingAtMeLikeThat: [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1907967/book-4-page-17/ Can't be surprised, huh?]]
* WingedHumanoid: A lot, actually. There's Avians, those possessed by the Ravens seem to able to sprout magic wings, and Raven.
* WitchDoctor: Jan.
* WeCanRebuildHim: Captain Snow keeps getting grievously injured and his magical robot arm keeps repairing him with more robotic parts. By book 9 page 249, his robotic parts include "Both arms, one leg, most of his chest (including heart and portions of the lungs) the first few vertebra of his spine, and a patch on the back of his head that's covered by hair" as per WordOfGod.

** Lucinda uses them [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1910137/book-7-page-96/ here]] against [[spoiler:the Listing of Names, though it only causes the book to get mad.]]
** Paollo's guards use [[http://thearchipelago.smackjeeves.com/comics/1893744/book-2-page-34/ magic-charged clawed gauntlets]].
* WouldHurtAChild: Snow would. Said child is [[spoiler:Clair]]. Plus Credenza in the backstory - that mark on her right shoulder isn't a tattoo she got, it's a ''slave brand''.
* WrittenSoundEffect: Quite often.
* YourMindMakesItReal: If a DreamWalker sustains an injury in the dream world, it'll manifest in the waking world if left untreated. Following the final battle, [[spoiler:Credenza]] goes blind in one eye, while [[spoiler:Knull]] is rendered mute by a neck wound.