History Webcomic / PoppyOPossum

* [[MamaBear Mama O'Possum]]: Suffice to know that harming Lily O'Possum is [[CurbstompBattle not a good idea]]. As Petunia finds out, even ''mentioning'' a past event of such [[https://www.poppy-opossum.com/comic/poppy-page-15 tends to get Poppy's dander up]], especially since the AltText implies that this is why Lily is now blind in one eye.

* [[MamaBear Mama O'Possum]]: Suffice to know that harming Lily O'Possum is [[CurbstompBattle not a good idea]]. As Petunia finds out, even ''mentioning'' a past event of such [[https://www.poppy-opossum.com/comic/poppy-page-15 tends to get Poppy's dander up]].

* [[MamaBear Mama O'Possum]]: Suffice to know that harming Lily O'Possum is [[CurbstompBattle not a good idea]].

* BreadEggsMilkSquick: Lampshaded [[https://www.poppy-opossum.com/comic/poppy-page-14 when Poppy lists off her abilities]].

As of December 7th, 2019, [[https://www.patreon.com/posts/update-on-hiatus-32163941 the comic is on indefinite hiatus]].

* CloningGambit: [[spoiler:Aria Chicadino is actually an OppositeSexClone of her "father" and has his entire brain, acting as a decoy and an emergency backup.]]

* StableTimeLoop: None actually appear in the series as printed, but subsequent Twitter reveals showed a ''doozy''. [[spoiler:Mary Moonshine is actually a (functionally) amnesiac Madame Mystana, rather than her descendant, and ''also Poppy's adoptive mother'' at a later point in her life; Poppy would also later meet her before she suffered a LiteralSplitPersonality and became two of the three Mothers of Magic.]]

-->''"Well, I read it for the articles, of course… The articles about [[BiTheWay naked ladies]]."''

* CatNinja: [[spoiler: Petunia]] is revealed to be one in Chapter 6

** A few members of the Fennec royal family. The Queen is named Kit (a ''kit'' is the young of certain species of animals, including foxes); her older sister is named Vix (a ''vixen'' is a female fox); their father is named Renard (''renard'' is French for "fox"); and Ren's second wife was named Zerda, which is an archaic word (and the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_name_(zoology) specific epithet]]) for "fennec".

* RagsToRiches: [[spoiler: Ewe-Lala.]]

* SinisterSilhouettes: there are three figures in the background of Chapter 3's title page, referred to by the AltText as 'those odd but vaguely familiar silhouetted figures glaring from that tree'.

** The AltText explicitly points this out: "Yes, their names really are 'BlackDark' and 'LightWhite'."

* FantasticSlur: The most common one for Possums is "Clockbelly". The artist comments that if you understand why it's used, "You know way too much about opossums."[[labelnote:note]]It's because opossums have twelve nipples, arranged like the numbers on a clock in their pouches.[[/labelnote]]
** Occasionally we see slurs for other species as well, such as "malkin" (an archaic term for "cat") for a cat, "shedhead" for a snake, "leatherhead" for an alligator,

** Opossums are considered the lowest of low classes on Flora. Poppy claims it's because of the CreationMyth at the beginning of the story, but regardless of whether it is or isn't, there's definitely racism toward opossums going about, primarily due to their anti-magic capabilities. On the flipside, racism against other species isn't particularly evident.
** Additionally, there are the gamba (or short-tailed opossums), who ''can'' use magic to a degree. While they are also discriminated against by the public to some degree, there's some tension between them and the regular opossums, with Poppy criticizing them for distinguishing themselves from regular oppossums

** Steel Wool is an "ovine-supremacist" group that doesn't like anyone but other sheep. They were the only gang that didn't try to recruit Poppy, and one of them attempts to [[spoiler: assassinate High Queen Vix Darling.]] According to [[http://poppy-opossum.tumblr.com/post/167568171134/worldbuilding-wednesday-3-history-of-the the author's blog]], the Ovine kingdom that preceded the Fennec kingdom was very xenophobic even before they were taken over by the Canine Empire.
** It's implied that some species naturally run into conflict with each other on certain issues. For example, a snake has a bone to pick with cats, for taking up space on the city's sunbathing patios when they "don't even ''need'' to sunbathe". More broadly, relations between reptiles and mammals are heated due to a devastating war between them centuries ago.

** The country of Trance is at least linguistically equivalent to real-world France, from the similar name to the languages being identical.

* FictionalCurrency: This comic's flavor is called "Nibs", and even goes a step further by having a dollar sign; a lower case N with a line through it horizontally, though the same slang for american dollars applies to it.

** As much of an alcohoic gambler without anything resembling a moral that she is, Mary is apparently quite astute in her criticism of Ewe-Lala's music. [[spoiler: Unfortunately...she says it right to a microphone and blames Poppy for it.]]

* TheHighKing: Queen Kit Darling is one of several monarchs who rule under her older sister, High Queen Vix Darling. Who is, herself, one of [[strike: eight]] twelve High Kings in Flora, subservient to the sovereign of the Canis Empire [[http://poppy-opossum.tumblr.com/post/139173909849/so-whats-floras-governmental-structure-anyways Emperor Lord Pom.]]

* InvulnerableKnuckles: Subverted. Poppy is insanely strong and durable, so she can punch any way she likes - and yet, [[http://www.poppy-opossum.com/2013/12/27/poppy-2-page-19/ when she punches Boris, she breaks one of the bones in her hand]]. To quote the author, "when you have bones like reinforced steel, something being durable enough to break your hand should probably be considered [[OhCrap “very concerning.”]]

-->''"Well, I read it for the articles, of course...The articles about [[BiTheWay naked ladies]]."''

** Chicadino abandons his extortion racket in Eggton after finding out how [[{{Curbstompbattle}} Mr. Valente's last trip went]], deciding to focus on a much bigger plan.
** Also abandons his contract with the city altogether [[spoiler:after the earnings Chicadino's assistant made ended up making him four times the money he would've made if Alvus paid in full]]

** The comic opens with two dogs named Bow and Wow. (The latter's name is actually Wowzowski.)
** There's a minor character named Tabs, who is a tabby cat.

** Ms. Chort appears to be a dog, and her last name is another name for a dog breed called hortaya borzaya (though she doesn't appear to belong to this breed).

** The AltText explicitly points this out: "Yes, their names really are "BlackDark" and "LightWhite".

* NonStandardCharacterDesign: Poppy herself in comparison to the few possums seen is very widely set, especially around the waist and stomach. Possibly to get across the thought that her body can indeed withstand and dish out the punishment she takes.

* NotWhatItLooksLike: Walking in on Poppy sucking [[spoiler: Kit Darling's]] fingers, [[spoiler: because she was holding one of her heart pills.]]
* TheNondescript: Somehow, after being blamed for publicly thrashing Ewe-lala, the entire entertainment media of Canopy can't identify Poppy, in spite of the fact that only thirty possums live in Canopy. ''Thirty''.

* OlderThanTheyLook: Queen Kit appears to be about 16 at the oldest, which is partially due to her short stature as a fennec and partially due to her outfit (see below). She's actually 33.

* PrecociousCrush: Lily has one on Friedrich... who Poppy immediately tells.

* ThemeNaming: All the Darling family members revealed this far (except for Twee) have three-letter, fox-themed names: Kit, Vix[en], Ren[ard].

* UnusualEuphemism: "Well, CHUCK."

* MadeOfIron: Most Possums in general (Their bones set themselves efficiently), but Poppy in particular. The Doctor who tended to her wounds had to ''rebreak'' one of her arms in order to re-set it.

* EarlyBirdCameo: Chiaroshiro and Kuroscuro, who are first introduced in chapter 8, appear as background characters in chapter 6, in the last panel of [[http://www.poppy-opossum.com/comic/poppy-6-page-28/ this page]].

** For the rest, see ALizardNamedLiz and SpeciesSurname.

*** [[spoiler:The one about Lily being adopted might also be true. In "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing", when Lala's father comments that "Lala is as much my child as that cute little girl there must be yours", Poppy mutters, "''Well.'' Not that I'm doubting you, but act–"; she is then interrupted and never finishes the sentence. There's also the fact that the [[http://www.poppy-opossum.com/comic/poppy-6-page-28/ two]] [[https://www.poppy-opossum.com/comic/poppy-7-page-16/ other]] opossum mothers we've seen so far clearly had litters, not single children, just like real-life opossums; yet Poppy has never mentioned having or losing other children. (Other litter-bearing mammals seem capable of having single children, but like so many things, that could be due to magical medicine.)]]

* EarlyBirdCameo: Chiaroshiro and Kuroscuro, who are first introduced in chapter 7, appear as background characters in chapter 6, in the last panel of [[http://www.poppy-opossum.com/comic/poppy-6-page-28/ this page]].

--->Alt Text: If you can count the rings in Poppy's eyes, you are probably [[OhCrap about to die.]]

* ALizardNamedLiz:
** There are a few examples. Notably, the Eggton gatekeepers, both dogs, are named Bow and Wow.
** In a manner of speaking, the goddess Didelphi qualifies (opposums are order ''Didelphimorphia'', family ''Didelphidae'').
* MadeOfIron: Most Possums in general (Their bones set themselves efficiently), but Poppy in particular. The Doctor who tended to her wounds had to ''rebreak'' one of her arms in order to re-set it.
* TheMafia: Run by [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Avian-Italians]].
* MagicKnight: Friedrich, though over-relying on his magic is liable to disable him.
* [[MamaBear Mama O'Possum]]: Suffice to know that harming Lily O'Possum is [[CurbstompBattle not a good idea]].
* MayflyDecemberRomance: Opossums have a life expectancy of 30 due to their lack of magic. [[spoiler: Kit is 33 and Poppy has seven years to live when they get together.]]
* MeaningfulName: A fair few:
** The most obvious being Poppy herself, with the surname O'Possum. Ironically, though, "Possum" is actually her adoptive family's surname, and they're cats, not opossums.

** Chapter 8 introduces two siblings, a white cat named Chiaroshiro and a black cat named Kuroscuro. "Shiro" and "kuro" respectively mean "white" and "black" in Japanese; while "chiaro" and "scuro" respectively mean "clear, bright" and "dark, obscure" in Italian. (Also, the combined word "chiaroscuro" is an art term that refers to "the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition", which is quite appropriate to the scene the characters appear in.)

* SarcasticConfession: As an april fools joke, the author announced a number of changes to webcomic, including: Poppy becoming deliberately sexier, Lily being adopted (and her eyepatch switching to the other eye), and Queen Kit actually being blind and that her lucky star power is "being able to see ''really well''" despite this. [[spoiler: Except the last one actually was true, as revealed only 3 pages later. Kit can see so well that she can see ''atoms'' individually, but because she can't turn it off she can't see the things and people that the atoms make up, [[AntiMagic except for possums]].]]

** A more subtle (and strait) example with the leader of the Fixer Chicks, Miss Rufus: ''Lynx rufus'' is the Latin name for the Bobcat.

-->'''Alt text''': So remember kids, ALWAYS be selfish.

** A few members of the Fennec royal family. The Queen is named Kit (a ''kit'' is the young of certain species of animals, including foxes); her older sister is named Vix (a ''vixen'' is a female fox); their father is named Ren (''renard'' is French for "fox"); and Ren's second wife was named Zerda, which is an archaic word (and the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_name_(zoology) specific epithet]]) for "fennec".

** Steel Wool is an "ovine-supremacist" group that doesn't like anyone but other sheep. They were the only gang that didn't try to recruit Poppy, and one of them attempts to [[spoiler: assassinate High Queen Vix Darling.]]
** It's implied that some species naturally run into conflict with each other on certain issues. For example, a snake has a bone to pick with cats, for taking up space on the city's sunbathing patios when they "don't even ''need'' to sunbathe".

** A few members of the Fennec royal family. The Queen is named Kit (a ''kit'' is the young of certain species of animals, including foxes); her older sister is named Vix (a ''vixen'' is a female fox); and their father is named Ren (''renard'' is French for "fox").