History WesternAnimation / WordGirl

* EleventhHourSuperpower: [[spoiler:Subverted]]. When Miss Power [[spoiler:takes over Fair City, intending eventual world domination]], Captain Huggyface takes [=WordGirl=] to a Lexiconian lair which holds their tome of "Super-Advanced Secret Battle Rules". While the local villains rampage against Miss Power, [=WordGirl=] gets a montage of devouring the whole book. However, after all the build-up, when [=WordGirl=] shows up for the showdown, she [[spoiler: doesn't have ''any'' new superpowers, but she has the power of ''knowledge''. [=WordGirl=] knows that Miss Power doesn't have ''any'' powers, neither superhuman nor ordinary, as long as other people are happy with themselves. This time, when Miss Power begins showering vitriol at her and the villains' way, [=WordGirl=] doesn't stand for it and begins lifting everyone up. Surrounded by joy, Left Powerless, Miss Power and Colonel Gigglecheeks are forced to flee. The world is saved]].

* EleventhHourSuperpower: [[spoiler:Subverted]]. When Miss Power [[spoiler:takes over Fair City, intending eventual world domination]], Captain Huggyface takes [=WordGirl=] to a Lexiconian lair which holds their tome of "Super-Advanced Secret Battle Rules". While the local villains rampage against Miss Power, [=WordGirl=] gets a montage of devouring the whole book. However, after all the build-up, when [=WordGirl=] shows up for the showdown, she [[spoiler: doesn't have ''any'' new superpowers, ''but'', she has the power of '''knowledge'''. [=WordGirl=] knows that Miss Power doesn't have '''any''' powers, neither superhuman nor ordinary, as long as other people are happy with themselves. This time, when Miss Power begins showering vitriol at her and the villains' way, [=WordGirl=] doesn't stand for it and begins lifting everyone up. Surrounded by joy, Miss Power is left powerless, and she and Colonel Gigglecheeks are forced to flee. The world is saved]].

* CheatersNeverProsper: Exaggerated in the episode "Two Brains' Quartet". Dr. Two-Brains doesn't even ''try'' to win legitimately despite multiple protests from his henchmen that they could probably win and cheating is likely to backfire. They end up disqualified, but the henchmen plead to perform anyway, and their song is amazing -- the mayor [[LampshadeHanging outright states that]] [[DickDastardlyStopsToCheat they probably would have won if they hadn't already been disqualified for cheating]].

* CheatersNeverProsper: Exaggerated in the episode "Two Brains' Quartet". Dr. Two-Brains doesn't even ''try'' to win legitimately despite multiple protests from his henchmen that they could probably win and cheating is likely to backfire. They end up disqualified, but the henchmen plead to perform anyway, and their song is amazing -- the mayor outright states that they probably would have won if they hadn't already been disqualified for cheating.

* {{Idiosyncrazy}}: Discussed in "The Young and the Meatless". Lady Redundant Woman and The Butcher keep trying to steal the same things because they are both meat and matching or redundant sets.

** The Butcher's the "Butcher" because a butcher deals with meat, and he can summon any meat with his bare hands, and the "Butcher" because [[DoubleMeaning butchering something is spoiling it by dealing with very badly, and he is a criminal who spoils the days of people]]. And as [=WordGirl=] points out, he also ''butchers'' the English language with his frequeny BuffySpeak.

* TalkingIsAFreeAction: For [=WordGirl=], when she stops to define a word in the middle of a heated battle.

* SpitefulSpoiler: In the episode "Princess Triana and the Ogre of Castlebum," Tobey steals the titular book on the night of its release and threatens to reveal the ending to [=WordGirl=], a big fan of the series, if she tries to stop him.
* TalkingIsAFreeAction: OnceAnEpisode, [=WordGirl=] has to define the word of the day, and often the opportunity comes up during the climax. Even when she's in the middle of a battle, she'll have enough time to eloquently explain what the word means without the villain taking a hit.

* PunnyName[=/=]MeaningfulName:

** The Butcher's the "Butcher" because a butcher deals with meat, and he can summon any meat with his bare hands, and the "Butcher" because [[DoubleMeaning butchering something is spoiling it by dealing with very badly, and he is a criminal who spoils the days of people]].

* SeverelySpecializedStore: "Fondue, Fondon't" has the "The Great Big Things Store".

** Little Mittens in "Meat with a Side of Cute".
** Violet's pet cat.
** Possibly even Bootsy the Cat in "Mousezilla".

* SmarmyHost: Beau Handsome.

* ShoutOut:
** The names TJ and Becky might ring a bell. A ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' bell.
** "Banned on the Run" is named after a Music/PaulMcCartney song, "Cherish is the Word" is named after a song by The Association, and the name of "The Times, They Are A-Cheesy" is a play on Bob Dylan's "Music/TheTimesTheyAreAChangin".
** The following quote from "Kids Action News" may ring a bell for wrestling fans and San Diego residents alike:
--->'''[=WordGirl=]:''' Huggy, initiate secret plan number '''[=6-1-9=]'''!
** In "Mouse Brain Take-Over", the scene where Two-Brains lets the mouse take over is straight out of ''Series/TwinPeaks''.
** The [[{{Pun}} Bat]] [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Signal]], anyone?
** Maybe unintentional, but [[WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom "Invisi-Bill".]]
** In "Chuck with a Sidekick of Brent", Chuck tries turning the city into a sandwich by squashing it between two giant slices of bread. His plans are thwarted by [=WordGirl=] (natch) and [[Literature/TheBible the bread ends up breaking into little bits and are shown raining down from the sky and being caught and eaten by the citizens below]].
** Eileen's powers (grows huge and green when she gets mad) are taken directly from ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk.
** Tobey invents a robot with the intent to stop time, and calls it "Cronos". In Greek mythology, Cronos is the leader of the first generation of Titans, and has the ability to control time.

''[=WordGirl=]'' is an animated television show on Creator/{{PBS}}. The title character is a superheroine who fights crime with her powers of literacy as well as her powers as a FlyingBrick. The show is an AffectionateParody of the superhero genre and uses writers from sketch comedy shows like ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', plus actors known for ad-libbing ability, in hopes of making a show as entertaining for adults as it is educational for kids.

* EleventhHourSuperpower: [[spoiler:Subverted]]. When Miss Power [[spoiler:takes over Fair City, intending eventual world domination]], Captain Huggyface takes [=WordGirl=] to a Lexiconian lair which holds their tome of "Super-Advanced Secret Battle Rules". While the local villains rampage against Miss Power, [=WordGirl=] gets a montage of devouring the whole book. However, after all the build-up, when [=WordGirl=] shows up for the showdown, she [[spoiler: doesn't have '''any''' new superpowers. Instead, when Miss Power begins showering vitriol at her and the villains' way, [=WordGirl=] doesn't stand for it and begins lifting everyone up. She doesn't ''need'' a new superpower, because it turns out that Miss Power doesn't have '''any''' powers, neither superhuman nor ordinary, as long as other people are confident in themselves. Now impotent, Miss Power and Colonel Gigglecheeks are forced to flee, and Earth is saved]].

* CliffhangerCopout: At the end of part 1 of "[=WordGirl=] Makes a Mistake," Mr. Big uses the [[KryptoniteFactor Lexinite]] to disable [=WordGirl=] by clipping a collar around her neck with a star-shaped chunk of it on. No wait, come part 2 a few minutes later, she's been put in a Lexinite cage instead.

** If bullies really are as superior as they want you to believe, they wouldn't have to stand on the self-worth of others to feel tall. If they can't put other people down, then bullies are nothing.

* EleventhHourSuperpower: [[spoiler:Subverted]]. When Miss Power [[spoiler:takes over Fair City, intending eventual world domination]], Captain Huggyface takes [=WordGirl=] to a Lexiconian lair which holds their tome of "Super-Advanced Secret Battle Rules". While the local villains rampage against Miss Power, [=WordGirl=] gets a montage of devouring the whole book. However, after all the build-up, when [=WordGirl=] shows up for the final showdown against Miss Power, she [[spoiler: doesn't have '''any''' new superpowers. Instead, when Miss Power begins showering vitriol at her and the villains' way, [=WordGirl=] doesn't stand for it and begins lifting everyone up. She doesn't ''need'' a new superpower, because it turns out that Miss Power doesn't have '''any''' powers, neither superhuman nor ordinary, as long as other people are confident in themselves. Now impotent, Miss Power and Colonel Gigglecheeks are forced to flee, and Earth is saved]].

* 11thHourSuperpower: [[spoiler:Subverted]]. When Miss Power [[spoiler:takes over Fair City, intending eventual world domination]], Captain Huggyface takes [=WordGirl=] to a Lexiconian lair which holds their tome of "Super-Advanced Secret Battle Rules". While the local villains rampage against Miss Power, [=WordGirl=] gets a montage of devouring the whole book. However, after all the build-up, when [=WordGirl=] shows up for the final showdown against Miss Power, she [[spoiler: doesn't have '''any''' new superpowers. Instead, when Miss Power begins showering vitriol at her and the villains' way, [=WordGirl=] doesn't stand for it and begins lifting everyone up. She doesn't ''need'' a new superpower, because it turns out that Miss Power doesn't have '''any''' powers, neither superhuman nor ordinary, as long as other people are confident in themselves. Now impotent, Miss Power and Colonel Gigglecheeks are forced to flee, and Earth is saved]].

[[folder:Tropes A-L]]

** "Banned on the Run" is named after a Music/PaulMcCartney song, "Cherish is the Word" is named after a song by The Association, and the name of "The Times, They Are A-Cheesy" is a play on Bob Dylan's "Music/TheTimesTheyAreAChangin'".

** "Banned on the Run" is named after a Music/PaulMcCartney song, "Cherish is the Word" is named after a song by The Association, and the name of "The Times, They Are A-Cheesy" is a play on Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'".

** "Banned on the Run" is named after a Music/PaulMcCartney song and "Cherish is the Word" is named after a song by The Association.

* ABirthdayNotABreak: The whole premise of the two-part episode "A World Without [=WordGirl=]", where Becky gets fed up always having to fight crime repeatedly as [=WordGirl=] and miss out on her birthday party.

* CryCute: A male case. Yes, Tobey relishes in EvilGloating, is [[LongList condescending, petty, vindictive, conniving, and leaves a trial of destruction in his wake]]...but in "[=WordGirl=] vs. Tobey vs. The Dentist" he makes [[PuppyDogEyes Puppy Dog-like Eyes]] while on the verge of tears due to his cavity.

* HandRubbing: There are times Tobey rubs his hands together when in the villainous mood. The Narrator once [[LampshadeHanging called him out]] on it.

* RoguesGallery

* TemptingFate: At the end of "By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot!", when Mrs. Botsford tells Tobey he's in big trouble, he scoffs at her and tells her she isn't his mother. Cue the sudden arrival of Mrs. [=McCallister=], complete with ominous lightning flashes.

* YoureJustJealous: At least in [[SmugSnake Tobey's]] mind, Becky was just being jelly when she told him he shouldn't be sending a robot in his mommy's place for a parent-teacher conference.

* BatmanGambit: A ''beautiful'' one by Becky against the titular character in "Victoria Best". [[spoiler: To retrieve the trophies Victoria stole from everyone, [=WordGirl=] organizes a cracker-eating competition between her and Captain Huggyface. Huggy being Huggy, he wins easily, and his trophy is a golden net. Victoria can't stand, sit, or lie down with being second-best, so she tries to summon the trophy. She can't summon it slowly and inconspicuously with her clarinet; her mouth is too dry to play it. In a rage, Victoria summons the net with her eyes, but the speed with which she summons it traps her beneath the net. [=WordGirl=] then threatens to keep her there unless she hands everyone's trophies back, and Victoria is forced to comply]].

* PunnyName[=/=]MeaningfulName: Ms. Libri and Ms. Dewey, who own a book store and manage a library respectively, among many others, like Hunter Throbheart, Hal Hardbargain, Sonny Days, Guy Rich...

* StealthPun: Plenty.

* The Butcher's the "Butcher" because a butcher deals with meat, and he can summon any meat with his bare hands, and the "Butcher" because [[DoubleMeaning butchering something is spoiling it by dealing with very badly, and he is a criminal who spoils the days of people]].

* StealthPun: Plenty. For just one example, in "Answer All My Questions and Win Stuff", Captain Huggyface tries to grab Seymour Orlando Smooth, but keeps sliding down his body, as if he were unusually [[spoiler:smooth]].