History Webcomic / Roommates

[[caption-width-right:300:[-Our main cast of [[RagtagBunchofMisfits lovable misfits]][[note]](From left to right: ''[[ThePhantomOfTheOpera Erik]]'', ''[[Theatre/LesMiserables Javert]]'', ''[[Film/{{Labyrinth}} Jareth]]'' and ''[[Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean James]]'')[[/note]].-] ]]

It's mainly about Goblin King [[Film/{{Labyrinth}} Jareth]], The Phantom [[ThePhantomOfTheOpera Erik]], (ex-)Commodore [[Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean James Norrington]] and (ex-)Inspector [[Theatre/LesMiserables Javert]], who all live together in the same apartment building. Also along for the ride (occasionally) are [[Literature/GoodOmens Crowley, Aziraphale]] and [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Legolas]] and the romantic interests [[ThePhantomoftheOpera Christine]] and [[Film/{{Labyrinth}} Sarah]] and [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover many]] [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters MANY]] more as they try to survive [[WithFriendsLikeThese each other]], [[MetaFic life outside]] of [[SelfReferentialHumor their normal existence]] and [[FantasticComedy general weirdness]].

** [[spoiler: [[ThePhantomOfTheOpera Erik]] and [[Film/RepoTheGeneticOpera Blind Mag]]]]

* ExtranormalInstitute: The [[PatronSaint St. Jude]] University where 3/4 of the main cast works. Plus others like [[TheLordOfTheRings Gandalf]], [[Franchise/IndianaJones Dr. Jones]], [[Series/{{House}} Dr. House]], and the [[Series/DoctorWho tenth Doctor]].

** Later it's revealed in a [[{{TearJerker/Roommates}} heartbreaking]] (mini)arc that [[spoiler: his father got banished by his mother]] with the [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-133-Forsaken-184751515 very SAME monologue]] and appearently [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-22-Girls-Rock-71158866 also works]] on [[TheLordOfTheRings Ringwraiths]]. So it's more WordsCanBreakMyBones despite what the characters might think.

* {{Hammerspace}}: Every character can produce his signature weapon out of nowhere (except maybe if someone explicitly takes it away but that's [[EpilepticTrees not tested]]), Jareth, [[CaptainObvious being the]] SpaceMaster, also anything else.

** The Erlkönig [[CaptainObvious Hunts]], plays TabletopGame/{{Poker}} and also [[SmartPeoplePlayChess Chess]] (both the mundane and the {{Xanatos Speed|Chess}} variety).

* CelestialBureaucracy: This is how HeavenAndHell seem to operate in the 'verse. Azira and Crowley basically work as phone operators for it.

** Seem to be the magical [[TakeAThirdOption third option]] between HeavenAndHell (Az and Crowley pointed this out in the ''Second Vacation arc'').

* HappyFunBall: Each and every item by TheFairFolk ever no matter how innocent it looks. Be it a [[PowerCrystal cry]][[CrystalBall stal]] or a slice of peach. The tech of HeavenAndHell is close too if it gets in the "wrong" hands, even Azira's work phone could cause considerable property damage.

* WunzaPlot: The original concept for this series was: One's an irredeemable FairFolk {{Trickster}} the other is an obsessive MadArtist GadgeteerGenius they are [[DrowningMySorrows Drowning Their Sorrows]] (as both have StalkerWithACrush tendencies) together. Later: They share the same apartment.

* AltumVidetur: There is at least one LiteraryAllusionTitle left in the original Latin.

* TropesForDummies: The in world equivalent is "[[TheWikiRule Wiki]]'s _____ for Beginners" for example "[[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-309-Astronomy-362859230 Wiki's Astronomy for Beginners]]".

The comic has ended as of 2018.

In 2018, [=AsheRhyder=] announced that the comic would be ending, though the very last pages have seemingly been delayed.

* WindowsToTheSoul: The [[TheFairFolk less]] [[WitchSpecies human]] or [[ReallySevenhundredYearsOld older]] a character is the more inhuman their normal eyes get. Example: MonochromaticEyes indicate [[SupernaturalElite pure blooded]] FairFolk.

Welcome to the ''{{Franchise/Buildingverse}}''! This article is about the Weekly WebComic (normally updated on Mondays) that started all in 2007: ''Roommates'' by [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com AsheRhyder]] and [[AscendedFanon the fans]] on Website/DeviantArt. (Can be found [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/gallery/ here]]. And there are some "official" collected editions: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Collection-1-457034995 Collection 1]]'', ''[[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Such-Stuff-As-Dreams-Are-Made-On-Entire-Arc-455616061 Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On]]'', ''[[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Kings-War-Collector-s-Edition-464879983 Kings War Collector's Edition]]'')

* FanVid: See the {{Franchise/Buildingverse}} page for a list.

* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: All fiction seem to have a back door leading to the ''{{Franchise/Buildingverse}}'' (and back). Taken together with the RecursiveReality of the series and the ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve rule... and this will even border on the idea of TheWorldAsMyth. Yes, RuleFifty is pretty much in effect too.

* SpinOff: Has many. Just check out the [[http://roomatesfans.deviantart.com/ fan group]] or the [[{{Franchise/Buildingverse}} franchise page]]. This comic has a [[TangledFamilyTree family tree]] of RecursiveFanfiction rivaling the magical people's.

* TheVerse: ''Roommates'' and its {{Spin Off}}s are the ''{{Franchise/Buildingverse}}''.

[[folder:Character, interaction and relationship tropes]]

* AllLoveIsUnrequited : Averted... most of the time. Most characters, due to being villains or side characters, don't get the girl in their own canon. In the comic they are either given girlfriends (or [[ManlyGay boyfriends]]), oneshot dates, or a chance with the canon love interest. But there's liberal doses of "He just never got over her..." for at least Erik.

* HeirClubForMen: The Erlkönig declared his young son [[spoiler:Jareth]] his heir on the first page he appeared (which was a glimpse to the past) despite having an older daughter... which also gives some heavy subtext to his later appearances. And is sort of weird as the magical community seems to be mostly equal opportunity with several women in leadership positions.
** May be slightly explained in that the role of Erlkönig translates in-universe to "goblin king", and is not a gender-neutral title--but then again, others have used the neutral "Goblin Monarch", and it's been explicitly said that Sarah has a claim on the kingdom, so it's probably more a matter of his daughter having no ambitions for the role and/or not being suited for it.

* OfficialCouple: The current tally is Erik with Blind Mag, Norrington with Eponine, Norrington's mother with [[spoiler: Jareth's father]] and Jareth and Sarah are still very complicated.
** Javert is with [[spoiler: Valjean]] officially as of page 302 in a relationship Ashe specifies as as being "demisexual" i.e. together due to shared connection, not physical stuff.

* ParadoxPerson / LivingDream: The characters don't belong in the 'verse, even the thought of fictional characters played / written by real people existing in the same 'verse as the story they are from is [[MindScrew mind boggling]]. Lampshaded by Scotty when he talked about Azira's [[SchizoTech work phone]]:

* SlasherSmile / CheshireCatGrin: Almost all characters can sport these if they have some devious plan (which may or may not work out), or are pulling LetsGetDangerous.

* TropaholicsAnonymous: The "Killed for Canon" meeting.
** Also "[[http://comments.deviantart.com/1/362859230/3000307978 Detectives Annoyed by Astronomy Meeting]]" but there was only one of those to date.

[[folder:Sufficiently analyzed and advanced tropes]]
So [[SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic magic]] and [[ClarkesThirdLaw science]]. And the people doing it.

* BizarreAlienReproduction: According to [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-296-Theory-of-Relativity-347232283 this]] the procreation and family forming ways and habits of the Magical Community are based more on concepts, than "biology". No we don't know how they actually do it, but it probably only accidentally corresponds with what mortals would call sex or has anything to do with the apparent gender of the participants (except maybe if the being in question has a fetish for that).
-->'''[[WordOfGod Ashe]]''': I rather believe the magical community holds less significance with the messy organics of relations, given that in almost any given system, half of them are [[ShapeshiftersDoItForAChange shape-shifters]], [[MisterSeahorse mpreg]], or [[TrulySingleParent otherwise]] [[HomosexualReproduction unusual]] [[ExtraParentConception conceptions]]. Certainly, some of them are... more carnally inclined than others (*cough[[MakeOutKids JadisandDarkness]]*), but this, at least, should help explain [[TangledFamilyTree how and why various members of the magical community refer to each other as "aunt", "cousin", and so forth]].
* CapitalLettersAreMagic: King, Queen, Power, Conclave, etc..
* CastFromHitpoints: Really strong magic takes a toll on the casters lifeforce, which mostly manifests as fatigue, but other things could happen too like [[SleepModeSize involuntarily turning into your harmless animal form]].
* CelestialBureaucracy: This is how HeavenAndHell seem to operate in the 'verse. Azira and Crowley basically work as phone operators for it.
* CrossoverCosmology: All stories exist as fiction and as real past for the characters[[note]](probably because [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve people remember/believe]])[[/note]], myths and legends are stories too, if we make the connection: They also really exist... for someone [[TheMultiverse somewhere]]. And can drop by to visit. Example when Jareth hosted TheWildHunt both [[Myth/NorseMythology Odin]], the [[Literature/TheErlking Elkönig]] and KingArthur attended.
-->'''[[WordOfGod Ashe]]''': [[http://comments.deviantart.com/1/333735325/2794697784 In the 'verse, apparently, myths don't die as much as retire to the countryside and start messing with more modern literature setups]]...
* TheDarkArts: BloodMagic, CastingAShadow, [[OverusedRunningGag Gag Necromancy]] etc. But, as DarkIsNotEvil is very much the rule in the 'verse, while not evil but these type of powers seem to require more control and experience than most. (The Erlkönig's magic is almost exclusively this type, but when Jareth tries it almost always backfires spectacularly... but it could be just his [[CosmicPlaything insane amount of karmic fail]].)
* DreamLand: The LotusEaterMachine example of ''Such Stuff...'' and [[Film/{{Inception}} Limbo]]. It's not know yet how these relate to the {{Magical Land}}s (at least Oz is this in some versions of the story and also the [[Film/{{Labyrinth}} Underground]] isn't above this interpretation) or the general {{Transfictionality}} of the series.
* DreamWeaver: Seems to be pretty standard for the FairFolk as both Jareth and the Erlkönig can do this with high proficiency, and even Jadis and "Odile" know enough to meddle. For a non-magical variant the {{Film/Inception}} cast in general. And if we can take Saito's word Sarah's ''certain powers'' include this too, but she isn't trained or particularly conscious about it.
* EverythingsBetterWithSparkles: Several of [[TheFairFolk magical]] [[WitchSpecies people]] have a thing for sparkles. Jareth is the worst offender for the [[BerserkButton great annoyance]] of his roommate(s), but also the Erlkönig has this even if he isn't as bad as his son (but he '''can''' [[UpToEleven outsparkle him if he wants to]]), Jadis' ice theme is probably also sparkly and who knows who else.
* ExpressiveEars: Several of the magical people. Including Jareth, "Odile" and Misto (well, he is a cat).
* TheFairFolk: To organize what we know about the fae:
** Thanks to TangledFamilyTree and InterspeciesRomance (see these tropes on the list) are ALL related to Jareth (and each other in general), apparently.
** Seem to be the magical [[TakeAThirdOption third option]] between HeavenAndHell (Az and Crowley pointed this out in the ''Second Vacation arc'').
** Physically the pure-blooded ones ''tend'' to have PointyEars and MonochromaticEyes.
** They also ''tend'' to possess some degree of MasterOfIllusion powers and DreamWeaver seems to be common too.
** LargeHam is in their job description. It's not good enough to make something work if they can't do it with style, maybe even bordering ComplexityAddiction.
** And they are so [[{{Protectorate}} protective and territorial]] about their "toys" it borders on [[{{Yandere}} possessive and obsessive]].
** On the traditional weaknesses:
*** ColdIron: Seems to work... even if it isn't quite clear what that may be, but steel doesn't count that's for sure. This was established when Sarah referenced the trope as one of the reasons she doesn't believe that they managed to seriously injure Jareth with a steel sword. Her other reason was basically UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications: "NobodyCanDie in our movie."
*** CannotTellALie: [[PlayingWithATrope Played With]]. They can and they will (like the Erlkönig telling Mrs. N. that the goblin is a child in a costume), but at least some of them ([[spoiler:Like Jareth]]) possess a "[[LanguageOfMagic Voice of Magic]]" that is also of [[LanguageOfTruth Truth]].
*** MagicallyBindingContract: You can bet on this. Textbook case: How the Erlkönig and Jareth bargained out the price of a hunt. Seems to run on EquivalentExchange too. The Erlkönig's[[note]]He seems to be one of the very few who know the worth of intentions and words like "Please" and "Thank you".[[/note]] breaking this custom is a big shock to his son and his ex alike. To continue the example how important that [[TheWildHunt hunt]] must be to worth [[spoiler:a magical [[YouOweMe blank check]]]]?
*** {{Pride}}: Oh Boy. They tend to be this sin personified.
*** TrueName: To date {{Averted|Trope}}. But this belief could be related to that being on FirstNameBasis with the more powerfull ones (who fall under RedBaron) can seem like this from a less initiated point of view.
*** MustBeInvited: {{Averted|Trope}} again. The ones with teleportation abilities don't even think twice about [[YourDoorWasOpen just appearing from nowhere]].
* FunctionalMagic: Magic exists. There are [[FantasyKitchenSink magical beings of every shape and form]] with assorted powers and [[WitchSpecies "human" wizards]]. As for it's [[MagicAIsMagicA rules]]:
** Seems like the rules of magic depend on ''[[{{Canon}} the original story]]'' the magic user comes from. So the [[TheLawsOfMagic most widespread ideas]] probably work for most but each and every one of them will have his/her own quirks.
** Theoretically you can do anything with magic, but different things are easier or harder depending on:
*** the [[PersonalityPowers users talents]]/[[{{Canon}} inherited abilities]] (Jareth can heal, but it's not his forte at all),
*** source of power (mostly [[TheFairFolk Inherent]] [[WitchSpecies Gift]] & [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve willpower]], but [[DealWithTheDevil contract wizardry]] is probably also possible as Sarah's ''certain powers'' border on it.)
*** and even what the [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality story]] [[WildMagic wants]] (if the effect fits in the narrative it will probably be easier to achieve with less side-effects... except if the tale decides that it needs more dramatic tension).
** So yes, in the end we get back to the fact that as anything else in this world magic also seems to run on [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve Belief/Will]] and [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality Story]] bound by the characters' {{Canon}}.
*** There wasn't much interaction between the magic users till this point, but they would probably perceive each other's powers as WrongContextMagic.
* GogglesDoSomethingUnusual: If a high-tech or SchizoTech character has eyewear that will probably do something unusual, most likely have AugmentedReality features or act as personal {{Holographic Terminal}}s.
* HappyFunBall: Each and every item by TheFairFolk ever no matter how innocent it looks. Be it a [[PowerCrystal cry]][[CrystalBall stal]] or a slice of peach. The tech of HeavenAndHell is close too if it gets in the "wrong" hands, even Azira's work phone could cause considerable property damage.
* HolographicTerminal: Several high-tech and SchizoTech characters, like: Tony Stark; Aziraphale and Crowley.
* InstantCosplaySurprise: [[RunningGag Almost always]] happens when Jareth uses his [[ChangingClothesIsAFreeAction instant clothes ability]] on the others.
* InstantRunes: Jareth's time magic has them. [[spoiler:Also the Shadow!Main-Cast [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Such-Stuff-as-Dreams-Are-Made-On-32-301393365 sometimes]].]]
* InterspeciesRomance: [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] by TheFairFolk according to [[spoiler:[[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-88-Relativity-119779422 Jareth]]. Further proof: [[Literature/{{TheErlKing}} His dad]] flirts with [[OCStandIn James' mother]] and [[Theatre/TheMagicFlute The Queen of the Night]] lampshaded some of the dangers of this practice.]] These also tend to be {{Mayfly December Romance}}s.
* MagicalLand: The Underground, Oz, Narnia etc.. At the end of the ''Oz arc'' Jareth gives a bit of [[MagiBabble exposition]] about the rules of his magic effectively lampshading that {{Magical Land}}s are well... magic.
* MasterOfIllusion: Many of the fae. Like:
** Jareth casts a spell that the comic calls {{Glamour}} (actually not that trope) on [[spoiler: Erik]] in the [[spoiler: turned-into-children]] arc, so that he could [[spoiler: spend an afternoon with Christine without her seeing his deformity.]] ''[[{{Heartwarming/Roommates}} Awww.]]''
** Der Erlkönig uses it too to [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-183-Parent-Trap-256823412 disguise himself]] [[spoiler: and keep the unsuspecting Mrs. Norrington that way.]] He is powerful enough with this and DreamWeaver to pull of a full-blown [[spoiler:LotusEaterMachine for almost the whole comic]].
* MundaneUtility: Magical beings tend to do almost everything this way (even bordering WithGreatPowerComesGreatPerks at times). Jareth magicked lunch at least once on-panel, way to show power over time and space. He also [[{{Hammerspace}} gets stuff]] (even small things like a handkerchief), [[ChangingClothesIsAFreeAction dresses]] and [[TeleportersAndTransporters travels]] '''everywhere''' by magic routinely. Also [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-204-Sonic-265918018 this]] is "quite possibly the dumbest application of a sonic screwdriver ever". Valjean is known to use his [[TheNthDoctor different canon looks]] to get taller and reach the top shelves.
* OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness: The Conclave of the magical people.
* OurAngelsAreDifferent: As seen [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-122-Call-Center-174618567 here]] this verse has some pretty old-school angels (and [[FallenAngel ex-angels]]).
* OurGoblinsAreDifferent: Jareth holds the title of the Goblin King [[spoiler:and his kingdom is that of the [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer Unwanted]] so we are safe to assume that the goblins are literally all the creatures nobody else wants, from the most pathetic to the most dangerously unstable, and they are also NighInvulnerable as their very concept is indestructible]].
** It's also revealed that this wasn't always the case, because magical rulers are {{Fisher King}}s. Under his predecessor the Goblins were basically FairFolk just uglier, and under their first king little more than AlwaysChaoticEvil monsters.
* OurSoulsAreDifferent: If we extrapolate from James' "adventure":
** At least Humans/Mortals (even the [[MindScrew fictional ones]], like most of the cast) have souls that are [[YourSoulIsMine stealable]] and probably also [[DealWithTheDevil sellable]].
** The souls taken take the form of the preferred spell representation of the being who claimed them. So [[BodyToJewel natural crystal]] in the Erlkönig's hand but CrystalBall in Jareth's.
** The rarer types (like "[[IncorruptiblePurePureness the soul of a good man]]") worth a lot in the eyes of magical beings interested in these type of bargains.
** Soulless bodies seem to enter coma or a death like state that is reversed if the missing soul is returned. But this may be only the case for the stolen ones like those tricked by YourMindMakesItReal death.
** Looks like some memory about things that happened to/around the soul remain after awakening. (James knew that Jareth went to save his)
* PersonalityPowers / ElementalPowers: Because writers love the trope. Like the Erlkönig the hunter and manipulator is darkness, Jareth is weird... most of his power manifests through glitter (also has some darkness, earth and air), though; Jadis the EvilMatriarch is ice, [[spoiler: James]] water etc..
* PostModernMagik: In the days of old you communicated with powerful entities through elaborate rituals, nowadays you can have their [[{{Funny/Roommates}} phone number]].
* PowerFloats: Gravity is a suggestion not a law, for many of TheFairFolk and the WitchSpecies. Like "Odile", The Queen of the Night and Jareth (who in his own admission would be GravityMaster or even outright RealityWarper in his own MagicalLand).
* PowerGlows: Mostly the power of the [[TheFairFolk Fae]] (GlowingEyesOfDoom, {{Battle Aura}}s, {{Power Crystal}}s, the Erlkönig's crown even has an [[FantasticLightSource star]] on it, etc.) but this seems to be more of a deliberate act of invoking the RuleOfCool and less something inherent in their magic (so yes. If it '''doesn't''' glow that doesn't mean it's not dangerous). LargeHam seems to be in their job description.
* RealityWritingBook:
** Type 1: All fiction is this for the [[LivingDream characters from it]] despite also being fiction for almost everybody else. The characters' ''canonical'' fate is literally written (filmed etc.).
** Type 2: Also Glinda's book of records automatically records everything about everything and everybody... if it's ''canon''. So it gives almost no advantage over living in the 'verse.
*** Yes. This does imply that despite all the YouCantFightFate themes for the characters, the verse itself is ImmuneToFate by virtue of being ''fanon''.
* RedBaron: It's common for the more powerful magical people to be better known by their [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep tit]][[TheMagnificent les]], than their real names (being on FirstNameBasis with them means a whole lot too... Jareth isn't that close to at least his father apparently), and not dreading somebody like this is a sure sign of the TooDumbToLive or at least the WrongGenreSavvy. Examples: The Erlkönig, The White Witch, The Queen of the Night, the Goblin King, the Erlking's daughter. Yes. It's related to the fact that having a title means a court or something similar and AuthorityEqualsAsskicking.
* SupernaturalElite: The [[TheFairFolk magical]] [[WitchSpecies people]] tend to organize themselves into [[StandardRoyalCourt more-or-less feudal courts]] where the [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking leaders tend to be the most powerful of them]]. Also the courts' "{{Deadly Decadent|Court}}"-ness, central [[{{Motifs}} themes]] and the connected MagicalLand (if any) seem to be somehow connected to [[FisherKing their rulers]]. It's said that magical Kings and Queens are exalted by blood. Which can mean two things:
** RoyalBlood: They inherit the title.
** YouKillItYouBoughtIt: They claim it by spilling the blood of their predecessor.
* TangledFamilyTree: It has been established that in the continuity of the comic, pretty much the entire [[TheFairFolk magical]] [[WitchSpecies community]] of ''every fandom ever'' is related in one way or another.
** Even a few non-majic characters are somehow connected through the magic family tree. Case in point, Morgan is Jareth's Aunt and [[spoiler:Javert's]] mother, which makes the two of them cousins. Jareth's father [[spoiler: Der Erlkönig]] currently dates [[spoiler: James' mother,]] if this lasts the two will become stepbrothers.
** On a more meta level: This comic has enough [[RecursiveFanfiction fanfics]], {{Spin Off}}s, etc. dedicated to it to qualify as such.
* TheTrickster: The resident one is Jareth but his [[TangledFamilyTree whole]] [[TheFairFolk family]] has shades of this.
* TruceZone: The main cast's apartment is used like this by several powerful supernatural beings, not that they asked. This probably also extends to the building (and maybe even the 'verse).
* VideoPhone: Erik apparently keeps in touch with his internet friends through voice/video chat ([[WordOfGod Word of Ashe]] that he tends to [[SubvertedTrope shut off the camera]] though).
* WitchSpecies: Basically any HalfHumanHybrid or HeinzHybrid produced by the InterspeciesRomance practiced by [[spoiler: TheFairFolk who is too human to qualify as TheFairFolk]] is this. So here, any magical talent implies that the character has such relatives. They also tend to look AmbiguouslyHuman.
* AWizardDidIt: By the fans of this comic this is called ''[[TheFairFolk A Fae]] [[TheTrickster Did It!]]''[[note]](because of the Magical TangledFamilyTree this actually includes the WitchSpecies so also wizards.)[[/note]]... they are right most of the time... [[spoiler: Even more so because magic seems to [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality run on patterns, story and trope]] in the verse!]]
* WordsCanBreakMyBones: A prevalent trope about the magicusers. Like the power of ''The Monologue'' (see TalkingTheMonsterToDeath) or knowing the ''Right Words'' can grant you access to Jareth's power and force him to do what you want (only Sarah won the right to do so, but it will work for others too). [[spoiler: Sometimes even things he [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-50-Boundaries-91547204 can't do under normal circumstances]].]]
* YourMindMakesItReal: According to Javert and some poetic flavor text in ''Such Stuff...'' injuries suffered in fae magic created {{Dream Land}}s are this way.

[[folder:Style tropes]]

* AddedAlliterativeAppeal: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-213-Sneeze-273593677 Sweet sustained sonatas]], [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-154-BBaB-202655081 British Boyfriends Are Better]] etc..
* AlliterativeTitle: More like Alliterative Subtitles actually. The pages of some (mini)arcs have these, like the ''Erlkönig Arc'' (pages 135-140) Loom, Lurk, Lee, Loss, Lethe, Legacy; or the ''Kid!Jareth Arc'' (pages 130-133) Falling, Flying, Faery Tale, Forsaken. See also: PunBasedTitle.
* AllThereInTheManual: This series is {{Mind Screw}}y but less so if you read the [[TheRant author comments]] and journal (''Such Stuff...'' explicitly had a FAQ entry). Also the comment section of the pages contains useful clarifications sometimes. (Ashe's [[http://buildingnumber42.tumblr.com/ Tumbler]] account is shaping up too.)
* {{Animesque}}
* ArtEvolution: The early pages had a "chibi" style that gradually evolved into a more realistic (but still {{animesque}}) one. Compare [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=168#/dz0amg this]] to [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=0#/d33fizf this]] and then [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Such-Stuff-as-Dreams-Are-Made-On-29-299943687 this]].
* ArtShift: The more serious the mood the more realistic the art gets (but remains {{animesque}}) just to become SuperDeformed when something silly happens.
* BacktoBackBadasses: This imagery is pretty standard part of the battle illustrations.
* BrightIsNotGood: From the color illustrations ''TheFairFolk'' like bright colors ''a lot''. For example: See the trope picture? The blond guy in the bright red-yellow clothing is the MonsterRoommate.
* TheCameo: ''Lots''. See ''[[{{Characters/Roommates}} Character Sheets]]'' for a list.
* CastFullOfPrettyBoys: A VERY large portion of the cast are {{Pretty Boy}}s even if the series also has strong women who get ''panel time''.
* CasualDangerDialog: Several characters, many times. [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-188-Checked-260306606 James and House]] in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Also "Odile" a lot.
* CensorBox: For [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-58800328 swearing and threats]], [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Halloween-07-Roommates-Special-68680429 nudity]], [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-194-Americana-263879732 violence]] and occasionally [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-69-Attention-105670381 not even for the readers]]!
* CluckingFunny: This ''is'' a {{Film/Labyrinth}} fanfic (amongst others) so random black chickens appear naturally (they are a lot rarer and less important than for example in ''Webcomic/GirlsNextDoor'').
* CompoundTitle: Again, with subtitles, actually... Ashe gave us: (pages 184-185) Challenge-Accepted and (pages 187-188) Reflexes-Checked.
* CostumePorn: Ever so often. Like Erik's [=PJ=]s, Shadow!Sarah's BattleBallgown, the Erlkönig's and Jareth's fae armors, most outfits on the covers and extras etc..
* CreditsGag: TheRant has credits for all characters on the page and occasional oddities like ''[[CharacterAsHimself I belong to me]]'' for Ashe's AuthorAvatar or any Goblin being credited as belonging to Jareth with their designs getting additional crediting.
* FillerStrips: Rare, because Ashe tends to keep 4-10 pages (1-2 months worth) of StripBuffer, but exist.
* ForeignLookingFont: One of the PaintingTheMedium effects. Like the Erlkönig and Odin talk in a runic looking letters, Jareth can speak in it too (mostly when really really angry, so probably this is the visual representation of his accent slipping).
* GratuitousForeignLanguage: Ashe tried to leave other languages alone several times, as to date (s)he failed every time. So [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-150-Story-199197924 This]] has the local equivalent of ''Once upon a time...'' in several languages.
** AltumVidetur: There is at least one LiteraryAllusionTitle left in the original Latin.
** GratuitousFrench: Sometimes. The french characters mostly [[ForeignCussWord for swearing]].
** GratuitousGerman: [[UpToEleven IN RUNES]]! Odin [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-284-Quarry-334965033 here]]. [[spoiler:He says "Schattenjäger"/"shadowhunter".]] Or just so [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-290-Crush-341192198 here]].
* HeartSymbol: Every so often, like hearts used to [[SayItWithHearts dot]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-10-Croissant-64450048 exclamation points]] and a heart-shaped [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-118-Landlocked-171077771 speech bubble]] with another little heart off to the side. Also in-universe according to Jensen some code segments of the software on [[spoiler: Azira's cellphone]] is formated into hearts.
* ImpossibleHourglassFigure: Ashe's way to draw women tends to look like [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-141-Rome-191096289 this]] a lot.
* InWhichATropeIsDescribed: Each page is given [[EitherOrTitle two different]] summaries in this format in the [[TheRant author's notes]].
* LoomingSilhouetteOfRage: A textbook [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-50-Boundaries-91547204 example]].
* MangaEffects: Being {{Animesque}}, this is pretty much a given, but for example:
** BlueWithShock: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-110-Revealing-164577617 As close as we can get]].
** CatSmile: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-204-Sonic-265918018 The Doctor]]
** CrossPoppingVeins: Many people but mostly Erik... [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-58800328 he has a whole box full]].
** GivingUpTheGhost: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-S4-Butcher-Job-153550324 Here goes James' self esteem]].
** HarshWordImpact: Not so harsh word impact. Even absolute trust and good faith can hit you [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-70-Moral-Compass-106344635 hard]].
** HiddenEyes: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-149-Favor-198285146 Jareth here]]. [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-281-Exchange-331342303 The Erlkönig]].
** ShyFingerTwiddling [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-127-Humidity-180018442 Erik here]].
** VisibleSigh: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Such-Stuff-as-Dreams-Are-Made-On-3-288739055 Like this]].
* MetafictionalDevice: Occasionally. Like the vine border in ''Such Stuff Dreams are Made On'' is a lot more than just a flourish indicating "dreams". (Check the [[{{NightmareFuel/Roommates}} Nightmare Fuel]] page). Also {{Censor Box}}es seem to be actual things the characters can interact with.
* ModestyTowel: Erik [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-13-Flush-66111403 here]], James [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-75-Icy-Cold-109871640 here]]. This comic has a lot of {{Fanservice}}.
* MoodWhiplash: This series is a CerebusRollercoaster but you can be sure that this works on a smaller scale too.
* OddNameOut: The main cast. Javert, James, Jareth and Erik.
* OnceUponATime: Several times.
** On [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-150-Story-199197924 page 150]] in several languages.
** On [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Kings-War-59-445907413 Kings War 59]] a call back by Story to that.
** On [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Kings-War-89-456989620 Kings War 89]] James summarizes the arc that far this way.
* OneSteveLimit: Averted. This comic has two James' (Norrington and Cobb), two Deaths and seems to have two Sherlock Holmes' and Doctor Watsons and let us not even think about how many people can be addressed as "Doctor". As for similar names we have a Toby and a Tony and just the main cast has three characters named by the pretty strict "Ja*e*" naming pattern etc.
** [[LiteralMinded But there is only one Steve on the characters page!]]
* OnlySixFaces / CastOfSnowflakes: In the early pages OnlySixFaces was pretty much the case, but it got subverted by ArtEvolution later evolving into a CastOfSnowflakes (despite the general PrettyBoy tendencies)... at least in the case of the male cast members. The female ones on the other hand are still harder to distinguish (especially the ones with long, dark hair). Maybe a side effect of the [[GenericCuteness rather strict definition of female beauty]] our culture has.
* PaintingTheMedium: Different characters' speech is written in different fonts, and various kinds of [[OddShapedPanel speech bubbles]] are used depending on the character's mood.
* PatronSaint: The local ExtranormalInstitute is named after St. Jude. Also Javert tells James to "Go St. George on" the dragon [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-272-Toothless-319339842 here]].
* PersonalRaincloud: James [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-55-POV-95137303 here]].
* TheRant: The Artist comments. These are the most common place for WordOfGod information. Always contains credits for '''all''' the characters on a given page and also tend to give a lot of [[AllThereInTheManual additional information about the story, characters]], Ashe's life, or rarely just poetic flavor text. See also InWhichATropeIsDescribed.
* RebusBubble: 1+1 = ><> ; [[Creator/OrlandoBloom Legolas]] = [[Creator/OrlandoBloom Will Turner]] ([[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-24-Bloom-72785397 Here.]])
* ShoutOut: So many it has a [[{{Shoutout/Roommates}} subpage]] and nobody even dares to catalog all the ones to {{canon}}.
* SilenceIsGolden: We get several pages [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-293-Winner-344119976 without]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Mystery-Pg-1-101175965 any]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-99-Denouement-128354062 text]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-108-Cavalry-163020749 mostly]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-125-ForeSHADOW-177399111 for]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Such-Stuff-as-Dreams-Are-Made-On-1-287810724 dramatic]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Such-Stuff-As-Dreams-Are-Made-On-38-304244392 effect]]. (There are also some with the bare minimum like the LoveConfession example earlier.)
* SpeedEchoes: Legolas can climb trees [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-187-Reflexes-259633618 FAST]]!
* SplashOfColor: Not counting covers and specials: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-41-Shirts-85355253 Cristine's ''garment'' piece]] in the washing machine and [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-42-Pink-86000371 its effect]]. The [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Mystery-Pg-1-101175965 splatter]] in Mystery. When [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-78-Confrontation-1-112212850 Javert]] met [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-79-Confrontation-2-113065902 Valjean]] again. The [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-153-Vegas-201786871 ''green'' fairy]]. The full color page for [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-171-Magic-Words-216609356 Jareth's confession]]. The colored panel for [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-181-Tomorrow-254371528 James' speech]]. If a page/panel has any color it's there for a reason.
* TranslationConvention: Used sometimes. Like when the Erlkönig speaks to magical beings. Or expanded: When magical beings speak in the magical language and nobody else is around. See also: {{Wingdinglish}}.
* TropesForDummies: The in world equivalent is "[[TheWikiRule Wiki]]'s _____ for Beginners" for example "[[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-309-Astronomy-362859230 Wiki's Astronomy for Beginners]]".
* UnsoundEffect: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-58800328 Dropping!]] Yeah. This is the very first page. It still happens.
* VisibleSilence: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Such-Stuff-as-Dreams-Are-Made-On-5-289384062 ...]]
* WebcomicPrintCollection: Well, not print just downloadable pdf, and for free because such a MassiveMultiplayerCrossover work is a legal nightmare, but there are/will be official collected editions.
** ''[[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Collection-1-457034995 Collection 1 Roommates 2007-2012]]'' - Roommates proper and Mystery (including a lost page) with some extra pages up to ''Such Stuff...''.
** ''[[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Such-Stuff-As-Dreams-Are-Made-On-Entire-Arc-455616061 Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made One]]'' - Which is a basic collection of the 42page arc complete with its cover.
** ''[[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Kings-War-Collector-s-Edition-464879983 Kings War Collector's Edition]]'' - Collects the 107 page ''Such Stuff'' arc with the next page from Roommates proper (OneHundredAndEight). Also has extra content, including some yet unpublished sketches and background information related to the creation of the arc.
* WebcomicTime: It's a webcomic with story arcs so this isn't too surprising. Like the 30 something pages of the ''Dark!Jareth arc'' were the story of one day (posted 1 page/week) or ''Such Stuff...'' (with 3 pages/week) took 3 months to post but it chronicled the happenings of a single night.
** Between these the series seems to operate on ComicbookTime. The resulting anachronisms can almost always {{Hand Wave}}d with: "Well, the characters are from [[FishOutOfTemporalWater their fictional times]] (80s, 1700s etc.) anyway."
* WindowsOfTheSoul: There are a lot of eye closeups in the comic to show emotion or more (there can be story in someone's eyes, and as literally as text).
* WindowsToTheSoul: The [[TheFairFolk less]] [[WitchSpecies human]] or [[ReallySevenhundredYearsOld older]] a character is the more inhuman their normal eyes get. Example: MonochromaticEyes indicate [[SupernaturalElite pure blooded]] FairFolk.
* WingdingEyes: "Circles around pupils and nothing else" a lot. "Spirals" sometimes.
* {{Wingdinglish}}: The language of the magical people is represented by English written in runes. The Erlkönig spoke this way in his first real appearance ([[WordOfGod Word of Ashe]] that he [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-138-Loss-188692595 never bothered learning any other languages]]), but Odin and Jareth speak it too (Jareth mostly just for cursing). See also: TranslationConvention.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Story tropes]]

* BittersweetEnding: Almost all the arcs with definite endings. The only thing the cast tends to win is the right to continue their life as it is now (with all its happiness, sadness, weirdness and relative freedom) and even that comes with a price.
* BuildingOfAdventure: Subverted. Despite what the name of its 'verse suggests. It was actually played straight at the beginning of the series then ContinuityCreep kicked in.
* CerebusRollercoaster: This is a highly [[MediumAwareness Self-Aware]], {{Comedy}}, FanService WebComic with an some pretty dark arcs (maybe even overarching plot) about the [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality nature of stories]] and fictional characters ([[YouCantFightFate Can you fight your own story?]] [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong Can you change what happened?]] etc.). Wait. WHAT? [[http://comments.deviantart.com/1/48267877/2353474235 This]] is [[WordOfGod Word of Ashe]]:
-->Depending on how much patience you have for absurdity, it's either not about anything except having [[RuleOfFunny fun with implausible situations]], or it's about the [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality nature of stories and characters]]. The early parts are mostly just for fun, but they do establish some setting and ground rules that [[ContinuityCreep come back later]] on to get into the more complicated parts of the story.
-->Technically, it's a [[{{Dramedy}} bit of both]], but [[CerebusRollercoaster some story arcs veer more to one side than the other]].
* CerebusSyndrome: It shifted from comedy to {{dramedy}}. Not that the themes responsible for this weren't there from the beginning (most related to the [[NoFourthWall lack of fourth wall]]) but were subtext and {{played for|Laughs}} BlackComedy and SurrealHumor, as time went by they became text [[{{Deconstruction}} pushed to their logical extremes]] and PlayedForDrama and occasionally even SurrealHorror more often. It still [[CerebusRollercoaster zigzags this like crazy]] so be prepared to hurt something from MoodWhiplash.
* ChekhovsSkill: The dramatic entrance techniques that James learned from Erik in [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-68-Rule-Number-1-105027947 Episode 68]], posted in November 2008, show up again [[spoiler: allowing James to save Sarah in [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-176-Demands-250092245 Episode 176]], posted in August 2011,]] over 32 months later.
* ContinuityCreep: This series began basically as one of the GagPerDayWebcomics before it got arc based (with longer and longer arcs) and got on with the CerebusRollercoaster (and exploring the consequences of it's own premise)... it didn't reached the level of an ongoing plot yet (or did it?) and sometimes still switches back to the original format.
* ConversationalTroping: Happens sometimes. Like this [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=168#/d12p906 conversation]] about how RedemptionEqualsDeath.
* DeathByOriginStory: One of the two known ways to be DeaderThanDead in this world. As poor [[Film/{{Zombieland}} Tallahassee]] can attest. (See: the [[TearJerker/{{Roommates}} Tear Jerker]] page)
* EnsembleCast: The main four. If you really want to find a protagonist that would be Jareth, but probably mostly because his background here has the most storytelling possibilities. (It's a good question if Ashe knew what Pandora's box of stories (s)he opened with the Magic Family Tree.)
* ExtranormalInstitute: The [[PatronSaint St. Jude]] University where 3/4 of the main cast works. Plus others like [[TheLordOfTheRings Gandalf]], [[Franchise/IndianaJones Dr. Jones]], [[Series/{{House}} Dr. House]], and the [[Series/DoctorWho tenth Doctor]].
* FacePalm: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-6-River-62111743 Let's]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-13-Flush-66111403 just]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-17-Hospital-68397225 say]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-53-More-Awkward-93659264 that]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-54-Up-and-Down-94397769 it]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-67-Staff-Lounge-104382342 happens]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-102-Boy-Player-156480419 a]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-145-The-M-Word-194726509 lot]]... Even a [[UpToEleven triple]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-112-Beneficiary-166305258 one]] isn't an imposibility.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Lots and lots. Sometimes even [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-125-ForeSHADOW-177399111 literally]].
* HalloweenEpisode: Usually the highlight story arc of the year.
* {{Hammerspace}}: Every character can produce his signature weapon out of nowhere (except maybe if someone explicitly takes it away but that's [[EpilepticTrees not tested]]), Jareth, [[CaptainObvious being the]] SpaceMaster, also anything else.
* HopeSpot: This comic is full with them. To name one longer episode: The time between the ''Second Vacation arc'' and the ''Dark!Jareth arc'' is this for Jareth despite getting several warnings [[spoiler:from his father, Schmendrick and his own {{Genre Savvy}}ness]] that no he didn't win.
* InherentInTheSystem: Yeah. This is a [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality story]] so you can't be [[IJustWantToBeNormal just normal]]. Also a [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve fanwork existing for fans wanting it]] so you can't thwart {{fanservice}}. But this is a ''different'' story, so a second chance? Maybe. If you are [[GenreSavvy savvy]] and [[PopularityPower lucky]] enough.
* InnBetweenTheWorlds: The setting of the proto-strips. Also can be argued that the 'verse itself is this just [[ExaggeratedTrope really REALLY BIG]].
* InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons: We have Toothless who is a cameo, and some Shadow Beasts who are at best symbolic (Saito's and Arthur's)... and we maybe could also count the [[KrakenAndLeviathan Leviathan]].
* KudzuPlot: Happens sometimes. The most glaring were ''the Second Vacation Arc'' and the ''Erlkönig arc'' [[spoiler: both led to the ''Dark!Jareth arc'' that still left loose ends]]. Also the ''Zombie arc'', the invasion was stopped but nothing else was resolved.
* NationalStereotypes: Animosities played straight: The French ''hate'' the "British"[[note]](Jareth tends to ally himself with this side)[[/note]], Europeans the Americans, and vice versa. Others mostly subverted (Like: the sillier characters tend to be the "British" ones).
* NatureVersusNurture: One of the questions Jareth's parents seem to disagree in. [[spoiler: Jadis stands on the Nature side and is deeply annoyed by his ex's [[EvilParentsWantGoodKids meddling]]. The Erlkönig disagrees and bets on Nurture. The comic seems to indicate that the true answer is both.]] See also OpposedMentors.
* NotProven: Jareth's (and by extension his family's) involvement in any shenanigans and pranks ever can be summed up with this (except if he admits it).
* OffstageVillainy: Many characters are villains, and did (or do) unspeakable evils... but never on panel, or not in this story.
** HeroOfAnotherStory: Most heroic characters do the occasional heroing offstage too. Except maybe James and Sarah.
* PairTheSpares:
** [[spoiler: [[Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean Norrington]] and [[Theatre/LesMiserables Eponine]]]]
** [[spoiler: [[ThePhantomOfTheOpera Erik]] and [[Film/RepoTheGeneticOpera Blind Mag]]]]
** [[spoiler: The Erlkonig and James' mother, much to their respective sons' horror.]]
* RuleNumberOne: "Always make an Entrance" - which was originally Erik's, but according to [[http://comments.deviantart.com/1/365832041/3018035163 this]] it applies to the whole series.
* RunningGag:
** [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-3-Neighbors-60371604 The]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-4-Meetings-60853004 dreaded]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-14-Celestial-66685128 fruit]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-17-Hospital-68397225 basket]].
** [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-105-Congratulation-159654767 Jareth's]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-116-Party-Hats-169674358 inability]][[note]]This example also doubles as one of his SignatureMove {{Instant Cosplay Surprise}}s[[/note]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-143-Neater-192922601 to do good]].
** [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-58-Blind-Date-Pt1-97279069 Jareth's]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-88-Relativity-119779422 friends]] and [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-128-Switch-Hit-180702569 family]].
** [[spoiler: [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-63-Auditing-100518935 Eponine]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-66-Unemployed-103742720 pouncing]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-69-Attention-105670381 James]]]].
** The English-French hostility.
** Erik's aversion to glitter.
** Making fun of UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications.
** There is also the [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-108-Cavalry-163020749 fainting]] and [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-145-The-M-Word-194726509 carrying stuff]] that Javert so [[SubvertedTrope doesn't want]] to [[LampshadeHanging turn into]] a running gag (which pops up [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Such-Stuff-as-Dreams-Are-Made-On-12-292407851 again]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Such-Stuff-as-Dreams-Are-Made-On-13-292750951 later on]]).
** Invoked ActorAllusion form [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-24-Bloom-72785397 Norrington misgivings to Legolas]], why Erik gets [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Old-23013883 younger]] and [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-209-Younger-268990761 younger]], to the entire ''Copies miniarc'', or the AccidentalMisnaming example on the recap page, or even the "Wacky adventures" OffScreenMomentOfAwesome.
** Etc.
* ShowWithinAShow: James is a fan of ''Devious Gingers'' non-existing BBC ([[JustForFun/FortyTwo 42]]) show of insane metaness and ActorAllusion (almost all of its fictional cast also provides the looks of people actually living in the building).
--> '''Ashe''': For anyone curious, ''Devious Gingers'' is like a [[JustForFun/XMeetsY cross between]] Radio/CabinPressure and {{Series/Coupling}}, without [[{{Dissimile}} airplanes or sex]].
** TokenMinority: This fictional show has precisely one not ginger cast member "[[Creator/DavidTennant Dave]]".
* SlidingScaleOfPlotVersusCharacters: It began as ''Less Plot Than Characters'' then slowly [[ContinuityCreep crawled]] up on the scale. It might didn't reach ''Equal Focus Between Plot and Characters'' yet, but it's damn close.
* SlidingScaleOfRealisticVersusFantastic: Somewhere between ''Fantastic'' and ''Surreal'' it's weird enough to be the later but it's internal consistency pushes it closer to the former.
* StoryArc: Several. And longer and longer ones. See the ''[[{{Recap/Roommates}} Recap page]]'' for more info.
* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath: Mentioned as Jareth's cause of defeat [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-12-Movie-Night-65642265 when the boys watch Labyrinth together]].
-->'''Javert''': You were monologued to death?
** Later it's revealed in a [[{{TearJerker/Roommates}} heartbreaking]] (mini)arc that [[spoiler: his father got banished by his mother]] with the [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-133-Forsaken-184751515 very SAME monologue]] and appearently [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-22-Girls-Rock-71158866 also works]] on [[TheLordOfTheRings Ringwraiths]]. So it's more WordsCanBreakMyBones despite what the characters might think.
** For a perfectly straight example see The Shadow Child and SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers.
* VillainsOutShopping: Shopping, at work, doing laundry, having [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=168#/d132xw9 movie night]]... The series kind of runs off of VillainsOutShopping, if for no other reason than most of the characters are [[TokenEvilTeammate villains]].
* WunzaPlot: The original concept for this series was: One's an irredeemable FairFolk {{Trickster}} the other is an obsessive MadArtist GadgeteerGenius they are [[DrowningMySorrows Drowning Their Sorrows]] (as both have StalkerWithACrush tendencies) together. Later: They share the same apartment.
* [[YouCantFightFate You Can't Fight]] [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality Your Story]]: Recurring theme of the darker stories for some years. [[spoiler: It reached its current peak in the ''Dark!Jareth arc''. Magic doesn't make it easier, if not outright runs on the character's story tropes.]] Yes. This means this series is pretty much at least ''Fighting Fate Is Hard'' high on the fate side of the SlidingScaleOfFreeWillVsFate.
* YouAllMeetInAnInn: Jareth and Erik definitely did (all of the proto-strips for this comic take place in a [[InnBetweenTheWorlds bar]]) and according to [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-264-Questions-1-and-2-307694070 this]] also the others.
--> '''Q''': To all 4 guys: How in the world did you four meet?
--> '''A''': [[DrowningMySorrows Tequila.]]
** If we accept that the 'verse is a BIG InnBetweenTheWorlds then this trope fits almost everybody. (JustForFun/HowToGatherCharacters -> Geographical Convenience[[note]]Everybody lives in (or at least visited) the same town, works in the local ExtranormalInstitute, is tenant in the same apartment building[[/note]] with some DebutQueue[[note]]Characters tend to be inroduced in groups of 2. As this is the default number of people being you know [[TitleDrop Roommates]] in the building.[[/note]] and Backstory Relationships sprinkled in.)
[[/folder]]

[[folder:World & Meta tropes]]

* CelebrityParadox: Completely averted. The characters mostly avoid it by not going to places with high enough {{muggle}} population or by abusing TheNthDoctor shapeshifting powers.
* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: Probably not the characters, more the readership / {{fandom}} / [[BreakingTheFourthWall YOU before the monitor]] / US, our love and dedication keeps fiction alive, or we could say this world takes the YouCannotKillAnIdea trope VERY literally, and to quote:
-->'''Erlkönig''': [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Such-Stuff-as-Dreams-Are-Made-On-18-295029792 Fight for the ending you want. Somewhere someone will feel the same and believe. Then even if you lose, even if you die... you will live.]] [[spoiler: You will live on in dreams. ...]]
** This would also neatly explain the phenomenon of {{Fanservice}} in general.
** Also a "Clap if you believe" reader poll [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/journal/poll/3317784/ here]] to combat Disbelief.
* ComicBookFantasyCasting: Pretty much standard. Characters will be ''modelled after'' actors who played them, or a mix of those people, or [[TheNthDoctor change into them]], occasionally [[VoluntaryShapeshifting willingly]].
* DarkIsNotEvil: Like the Erlkönig or Jareth aren't the worse fair ones around, and Crowley also quite affable for a minion of hell.
* {{Deconstruction}}: In its later arcs mercilessly deconstructs MediumAwareness. You are fictional and part of a story what do you do with this? Or more specifically how do you cope with it. All your life is just a footnote, you are not the hero (usually) so your happy ending was never an option for the first place, even your free will is questionable. Let's just say: drama ensues.
* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: The series runs on this and the characters don't mind it particularly. Every world shattering event that reached them yet would have made their life worse anyway.
* FanService: [[ShirtlessScene shirtless scenes]], [[ShowerScene shower scenes]], {{PrettyBoy}}s, HoYay, [[BeachEpisode beach episodes]], the list goes on and on. And the cast knows this from the [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-2-Nightcap-59889322 very beginning]]. [[spoiler: One of the main powers of the world.]]
* FanVid: See the {{Franchise/Buildingverse}} page for a list.
* FinaglesLaw: As named by [[WordOfSaintPaul Pika]]: The Fail Field. [[Webcomic/GirlsNextDoor There]] it's more aligned with the RuleOfFunny but here "the perversity of nature" is good friends with the RuleOfDrama too ... but still has something against the RuleOfCool and the RuleOfRomantic for that matter.
* LightIsNotGood: Just think about the fact that the most "light" character is [[CardCarryingVillain Jadis]].
* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Even if only Jareth, Erik, James and Javert are counted as main cast but with the regulars the number of characters inflates to over 15 people. (With everybody ... just look at the characters page.)
* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: All fiction seem to have a back door leading to the ''{{Franchise/Buildingverse}}'' (and back). Taken together with the RecursiveReality of the series and the ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve rule... and this will even border on the idea of TheWorldAsMyth. Yes, RuleFifty is pretty much in effect too.
* MetaFic: Played with. Yes, Fictional characters have a life outside their original story BUT this doesn't make it any less real for them. Example: Maybe there is no reason to hate their enemies even here, but frogetting the past wrongs is not that easy.
** Not to mention that maybe this place is out of their original continuity but NOT out of the realm of [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality stories]].
* MoralityKitchenSink: Well, technically there are forces of [[BlackAndWhiteMorality good and evil]] but those are generally A) [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil too busy stalling eachother]]. B) Not allowed to (dirctly)interfere with the free will of people. So most conflict stems from not so polar opposite moralities. From the {{Blue And Orange|Morality}} of the fair ones to almost every other imaginable morality spectrum.
* NobodyCanDie: At least nobody who isn't [[TheVerse verse]]-[[{{Muggles}} native]] (if they have a story even they can be [[OnlyMostlyDead only Canonically Dead]], but this means [[PutOnABus moving out of the comic]]) or DeaderThanDead.
* NoFourthWall: Most, if not all, of the characters are aware that they are fictional characters, many even see the FourthWall effects. This is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] frequently. [[WordOfGod Word of Ashe]] that the series has a fourth wall [[http://comments.deviantart.com/1/279724525/2371391861 made of sugar-glass]] so [[LampshadeHanging it's less dangerous]] to [[BreakingTheFourthWall break it]]... And what can we say about a verse where the "get viewer sympathy" is a perfectly valid advice?
* TheNthDoctor: When a different adaptation of the source material becomes more well known, or just the author feels like screwing with the cast, AuthorPowers / [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve Fan-Fantasy]] and ActorAllusion changes the appearance of the characters, for their great dismay. Like Javert's and Valjean's [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-297-Visualization-348466370 here]]. It's generally not permanent, though, as they are {{Composite Character}}s and by definition encompass all their portrayals but according to [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-300-Reversion-352356882 this]] they are be able to [[VoluntaryShapeshifting switch between their canonical versions at will too]].
* {{Postmodernism}}: MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, MetaFic with MediumAwareness bordering on NoFourthWall where {{All Stories Are Real|Somewhere}} and also [[SugarWiki/FictionIdentityPostulate Fiction]] not to mention {{Recursive|Reality}} running on ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve (and to get that PanderingToTheBase and general {{Fanservice}}) and the TheoryOfNarrativeCausality with an AuthorAvatar and [[LampshadeHanging enough lampshades to make hard to see the sun]] where you are encouraged to think EverybodyIsJesusInPurgatory. [[MindScrew Are you dizzy yet]]?
* RealityWarpingIsNotAToy: A highly meta example. The cast members are fictional characters; their reality is their (canon and fanon) story. If writers, authors and other assorted storytellers mess with it, the result [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-128-Switch-Hit-180702569 won't be]] [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-129-Mashup-181507675 pretty]]. Poor Morgan.
* RecursiveReality: Mostly the more {{Mind Screw}}y {{Transfictionality}} kind. The characters come from stories that where real for them but are fictional in the world of the comic (so all the responsible people too. James already placed Creator/OrlandoBloom as his problem with Legolas), that is fictional in ours, and they [[MediumAwareness know this]]. This isn't even accounting for all the {{Dream Within A|Dream}} {{Dream World}}s TheFairFolk can create from the inside or the possibility for things being MutuallyFictional. And don't let us get started on the [[WordOfSaintPaul word of Pika]] that it's possible to read the comic [[RecursiveCanon in the comic]]. Is there a true reality? Does the chain of fictionality ever end? We don't know. [[BreakingTheFourthWall You reading this]] [[FridgeHorror could be fictional in some other world/story too]].
* SchrodingersButterfly: See the [[{{Fridge/Roommates}} Fridge page]] for elaboration but in a nutshell: Dreams within dreams, fiction within fiction ... and almost NoFourthWall. What ''is'' real anyway?
* SentientCosmicForce: The TheoryOfNarrativeCausality and {{Fanservice}}[[note]]Even if the comic's use of the word is closer to PanderingToTheBase in Tropese.[[/note]] are referred to as such by Jareth and/or narration. Because they are basically the in-universe representation of AuthorPowers and ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve (of the fandom) respectively this may be very very literally true too.
* SortingAlgorithmOfDeadness: To recap. This world runs mostly on the TheoryOfNarrativeCausality (Story), and mostly the fans' ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve (belief) and generally has a NobodyCanDie rule [[spoiler: TheFairFolk could still steal your soul, though]]. So you can be:
** "Alive": Even if the [[NotUsingTheZWord tale calls it differently]]. Which means you have both a narrative life and audience sympathy, by definition as long you have both you [[ContractualImmortality can't die]].
** "[[OnlyMostlyDead Canonically Dead]]": So you died in your narrative you should be and are dead in it, but you also have enough fans to make you for all intents and purposes alive outside of it. Just know to avoid places which require your non-existence. Ashe [[PlayingWithATrope playes with]] and [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this frequently ("Killed for canon" support group meetings; "Still Dead" checks; Confused undead etc.).
** "[[PutOnABus Canonically Dead In-Comic]]": If a liked OC who had a story dies (as ''this'' comic is their canon) they must go and try to find a place outside of it to live on.
** "[[YourDaysAreNumbered Canonically Alive]]": You are alive in a story and pray for it to never end because the [[TheScrappy fans hate you]]. You also can't venture outside that narrative. This is the inverson of being "Canonically Dead" and is way worse for the character.
** "DeaderThanDead":
*** "DeathByOriginStory": [[YouCantFightFate Your death is required]] for someone else's backstory characterization. Technically this is just being "Canonically Dead", but your options are so severely limited where you don't have a narrative compulsion to stay dead that you effectively are. [[spoiler: See the [[TearJerker/{{Roommates}} Tear Jerker page]]]]
*** "[[TheScrappy The fandom hates YOU]]": Yeah. What happens when you were just "Canonically Alive" and the story ends. [[CessationOfExistence Bye bye, you]]. This is as dead as it gets in this comic. [[invoked]] [[spoiler: This is why Mrs. Norrington is a widow]].
* SpinOff: Has many. Just check out the [[http://roomatesfans.deviantart.com/ fan group]] or the [[{{Franchise/Buildingverse}} franchise page]]. This comic has a [[TangledFamilyTree family tree]] of RecursiveFanfiction rivaling the magical people's.
* TakeThatAudience / SelfDeprecation / BitingTheHandHumor: And not always played for laughs. This is a selfaware fandom work for fans by a fan. Yes, nobody thinks twice about making jokes about shipping, fans and their/our assorted antics... but the same time it doesn't shy away delivering punches against the "original" authors either (like pointing out that the resident {{Woobie}}'s (originally side character's) [[DarkAndTroubledPast tragic backstory]] wasn't made tragic by ''us'').
* TheoryOfNarrativeCausality: Played with, discussed, lampshaded, etc. [[CerebusRollercoaster for comedy and tragedy]]. Also seems to function as WildMagic [[spoiler:so borders on Semi-SentientCosmicForce]].
* TheyWalkAmongUs: Well, there isn't a {{Masquerade}} and at least in the ''[[CityOfAdventure Unnamed University Town]]'' {{Muggles}} are probably the rarest species. But some of the inhabitants (mostly older supernatural beings) still [[InvokedTrope insist]] on keeping a SecretIdentity, even if [[SubvertedTrope it actually doesn't fool anybody]][[note]]Lord Errol King is a prime example.[[/note]]... but [[DoubleSubversion sometimes it does]][[note]]Like that ''avarage'' looking student girl with the freckles is... well not somebody you want to mess with.[[/note]]
* {{Troperiffic}}: Is there any {{Metafiction|DemandedThisIndex}} trope this series doesn't use?[[note]]Not many, just the ones that would require actual actors. Not counting ActorAllusion.[[/note]] And half the JustForFun/TropesOfLegend with characters from half the CultClassic list and some from even actual [[ClassicLiterature clas]][[ClassicTheatre sics]] sprinkled in. Not to mention anything even remotely related to MindScrew or {{Crossover}} or {{Fanservice}}.
* TheVerse: ''Roommates'' and its {{Spin Off}}s are the ''{{Franchise/Buildingverse}}''.
** In a narrow definition ''Building-verse'' is shared by ''Webcomic/{{Roommates}}'' and its largest and most popular {{Spin Off}} ''Webcomic/GirlsNextDoor'' (even if some canon differences suggest AlternateContinuity).
** In a wide one it also encompasses (this is the definition of most fans and Ashe) the whole ExpandedUniverse around these main two so all other {{Spin Off}}s from ''Webcomic/DownTheStreet'' to anything in the [[http://roomatesfans.deviantart.com/ fan group]].
* WatsonianVersusDoylist: This comic is so meta that many times the Watsonian explanations are ''in-universe'' wrong. Or maybe the Doylist explanations are actually Watsonian just [[RecursiveReality on a different level of recurson]].
* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: The unnamed (and hidden, Tony Stark used the place to test his improbable GPS) university town where the story takes place. We only know that you can watch the entire ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' trilogy on the plane from England (Mrs. N. did it), it's [[OffToSeeTheWizard not in Kansas]], far from any larger body of water (the duck pond is the biggest) and winter can begin pretty abruptly around it.
* WomenAreWiser: [[NotSoAboveItAll A bit]]. As the {{Catch Phrase}}s of the main cast and their respective female counterparts state: "[[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-10-Croissant-64450048 Girls are scary]]" - "[[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-9-Silly-Boys-63858598 Boys are silly]]". The girls tend to have the outsider perspective on whatever antics are going on so it's easier for them to play the OnlySaneWoman (if not them, this task falls to [[RealMenWearPink Jamie]]), and also tend to be underestimated because of the guys old-school notions (like FemalesAreMoreInnocent).
* {{World Of|Badass}} RetiredBadass: With some RetiredMonster's and their ilk for good measure. So don't let the FantasticComedy exterior fool you almost all characters are badass in some way, it's just that their story ended... and also for their (mis)fortune [[FinaglesLaw The Fail Field]] is not generous with the cool allowance, but almost '''everybody''' can pull a LetsGetDangerous if needed.
* WorldOfSnark: Yeah. Also. Go to the character sheets and count the DeadpanSnarker related tropes. Also the characters wellbeing is apparently measured by their ability to snark ([[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-Such-Stuff-as-Dreams-Are-Made-On-13-292750951 here]]).
[[/folder]]
----
[[folder:Tropes - For "Lakótársak"]]
* UsefulNotes/{{Fonts}}: It's not hand lettered as the original because of technical difficulties (the translator lacks a tablet), but you know ''someone'' has a weird obsession with these when she chooses [[http://cooltext.com/Download-Font-%E3%81%86%E3%81%AB+Uni Uni Font]] as the main font for her work. She has a list [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/journal/Fonts-fonts-fonts-FONToskodok-265361852 here]].
* IHaveManyNames: OK. There is that PetPeeveTrope of the translator, InconsistentDub, now she tends to add all possible versions of the characters' names, which ends up being this trope, even they get confused by this at times.
* LeetLingo: Sometimes instead of SymbolSwearing ([[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-135-Vetul-259780883 this]] and [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-105-Gratulacio-258799935 this]]) but this is also a Jareth exclusive phenomenon... for some reason.
* LostInTranslation: Some jokes and references do despite all efforts. If noticed there is a writen explanation about it in the artist comment.
** Sometimes this actually happens because the comic references something that doesn't have a Hungarian edition either because of NoExportForYou (''Theatre/{{Wicked}}'' the musical) or just delayed release (for example ''WesternAnimation/AMonsterInParis'').
* OverlyLongName: T(ündér) Király Vilmos Rémusz úr the Erl-king's Hungarian pseudonym. It's actually shorter than it could be if the translator would go all out and incorporate ShoutOut to all possible translations.
* ShownTheirWork: The translator tends to do a lot of research for "just an unofficial localization" going so far to re-watch the [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-44-Utazas-257067658 referenced movies]] or listen to the soundtrack CD several times to [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-27-Karaoke-2-2-256512481 get a song lyric right]].
* TheSongRemainsTheSame: [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-Mint-az-almok-anyagja-25-298345368 Always]]. [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-26-Karaoke-1-2-256510652 But]] [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-27-Karaoke-2-2-256512481 almost]] [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-86-Lollipop-258214645 always]] [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-208-La-Seine-A-Szajna-267911036 subtitled]]. [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-44-Utazas-257067658 And]] [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-104-Eletben-258799482 sometimes]] [[http://mali-chan.deviantart.com/art/Lakotarsak-133-Elhagyva-259625129 reversed]].
* TotallyRadical: The characters from the 80s in general and Jareth in particular. (It's unknown if this is intentional or the translators age is showing.)
* TranslationPunctuation: She mostly uses <translation> ''under'' the [[GratuitousForeignLanguage untranslated text]]. She also inverts this with the Erlkönig as his normal Hungarian speech gets <{{Wingdinglish}}> subtitles.
* ValleyGirl: Or at least the local equivalent of the accent (''Plázacica''). James sometimes when showing [[RealMenWearPink his more feminine side]]. This is mostly for making replacement jokes for untranslatable ones (also adds a bit more [[TheGadfly troll]] to the character).
[[/folder]]

This page has ''[[{{YMMV/Roommates}} Your Mileage Might Vary]]'', ''[[{{WMG/Roommates}} Wild Mass Guessing]]'', ''[[{{Trivia/Roommates}} Trivia]]'', ''[[{{ShoutOut/Roommates}} Shout Out]]'', and ''[[{{Fridge/Roommates}} Fridge Logic]]'' entries as well as ''[[{{Characters/Roommates}} Character Sheets]]'', ''[[{{Recap/Roommates}} Recap of the arcs]]'' and subpages for ''[[{{NightmareFuel/Roommates}} Scary]]'', ''[[{{Funny/Roommates}} Really Funny]]'', ''[[{{Heartwarming/Roommates}} Heartwarming]]'', ''[[{{Awesome/Roommates}} Awesome]]'', and ''[[{{TearJerker/Roommates}} Tear Jerking]]'' moments.

* {{Troperiffic}}: Is there any {{Metafiction|DemandedThisIndex}} trope this series doesn't use?[[note]]Not many, just the ones that would require actual actors. Not counting ActorAllusion.[[/note]] And half the TropesOfLegend with characters from half the CultClassic list and some from even actual [[ClassicLiterature clas]][[ClassicTheatre sics]] sprinkled in. Not to mention anything even remotely related to MindScrew or {{Crossover}} or {{Fanservice}}.

--> '''Ashe''': For anyone curious, ''Devious Gingers'' is like a [[XMeetsY cross between]] Radio/CabinPressure and {{Series/Coupling}}, without [[{{Dissimile}} airplanes or sex]].

* {{World Of|Badass}} RetiredBadass: With some RetiredMonster's and their ilk for good measure. So don't let the FantasticComedy exterior fool you almost all characters are {{badass}} in some way, it's just that their story ended... and also for their (mis)fortune [[FinaglesLaw The Fail Field]] is not generous with the cool allowance, but almost '''everybody''' can pull a LetsGetDangerous if needed.

* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: [[WordOfGod Word of Ashe]] that this is the karaoke night for the main cast and nobody brought it up yet (but Jareth was shown to have [[EmbarrassingOldPhoto pictures]] of it). Also the Amalthea incident for Lír. The third Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean movie and his [[spoiler: canonical death]] for James.

* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: The unnamed (and hidden, Tony Stark used the place to test his improbable GPS) university town where the story takes place. We only know that you can watch the entire Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean trilogy on the plane from England (Mrs. N. did it), it's [[OffToSeeTheWizard not in Kansas]], far from any larger body of water (the duck pond is the biggest) and winter can begin pretty abruptly around it.

* TheFourLoves: The primary motivation of most characters (not Jadis' but she is the exception not the rule). Best seen in the case of Jareth because he sucks in showing it but still tries [[StopHelpingMe exceptionally hard]].

* {{Postmodernism}}: MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, MetaFic with MediumAwareness bordering on NoFourthWall where {{All Stories Are Real|Somewhere}} and also [[FictionIdentityPostulate Fiction]] not to mention {{Recursive|Reality}} running on ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve (and to get that PanderingToTheBase and general {{Fanservice}}) and the TheoryOfNarrativeCausality with an AuthorAvatar and [[LampshadeHanging enough lampshades to make hard to see the sun]] where you are encouraged to think EverybodyIsJesusInPurgatory. [[MindScrew Are you dizzy yet]]?

--> -- Narration form [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-61-Lundi-99389187 "Roommates 61 - Lundi"]]

* ExtranormalInstitute: The [[PatronSaint St. Jude]] University where 3/4 of the main cast works. Plus others like [[TheLordOfTheRings Gandalf]], [[IndianaJones Dr. Jones]], [[Series/{{House}} Dr. House]], and the [[Series/DoctorWho tenth Doctor]].

->''Somewhere, there is a place where all stories are real and all dreams are truth.\\

This is not quite that place, but it's close.''

* TheBechdelTest: Considering how little interaction between the female characters is on panel it's a miracle but by the loose definition ("it's okay to mention a man or men so long as they're not the primary subject of the conversation") it passes. Like Christine and Tracy talking about university stuff or Sarah, Christine and Shilo about music. And now even have a reference [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-304-Bechdel-356375590 here]].
* CanonWelding: OK. Fanon Welding but still. In this world there is a continuity between Literature/TheHobbit the Literature/TheErlKing and {{Film/Labyrinth}} (Literature/TheDresdenFiles is also connected).

[[quoteright:300:~~FanWebcomic NoFourthWall, MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, MetaFic, SupernaturalSoapOpera, {{Dramedy}}, BlackComedy, {{Fanservice}}, MindScrew~~]]

* CrossoverCosmology: All stories exist as fiction and as real past for the characters[[note]](probably because [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve people remember/believe]])[[/note]], myths and legends are stories too, if we make the connection: They also really exist... for someone [[TheMultiverse somewhere]]. And can drop by to visit. Example when Jareth hosted TheWildHunt both [[NorseMythology Odin]], the [[Literature/TheErlking Elkönig]] and KingArthur attended.

->''[[TheMultiverse Somewhere]], [[InAWorld there is a place]] where all stories are real and all dreams are truth.\\
This is [[WellThisIsNotThatTrope not that place]].\\
This is [[PlayingWithATrope not quite that place]], [[DoubleSubversion but it's close]].''

*** VampireInvitation: {{Averted|Trope}} again. The ones with teleportation abilities don't even think twice about [[YourDoorWasOpen just appearing from nowhere]].

* OpposedMentors: [[SecretWar Jareth's parents and they still fight]] (one is [[GoodOldWays Old]] [[MightMakesRight Fashioned]] {{Evil|Mentor}} and the other a MagnificentBastard {{Trickster|Mentor}}). This seems to be one of the reasons they divorced. [[spoiler: Jareth [[TakeAThirdOption choose neither]].]]

* TakeThatAudience / SelfDeprecation / BitingTheHandHumor: And not always played for laughs. This is a selfaware fandom work for fans by a fan. Yes, nobody thinks twice about making jokes about shipping, fans and their/our assorted antics... but the same time it doesn't shy away delivering punches against the "original" authors either (like pointing out that the resident {{Woobie}}'s (originaly side character's) [[DarkAndTroubledPast tragic backstory]] wasn't made tragic by ''us'').