History YMMV / TheAuthority

* CompleteMonster: See [[Monster/DCUniverse here]].

* ItsBeenDone: An authority-based stable that features a member of the family that owns the company at the top, ridiculous heel behavior, AND an unabashed attempt to screw over [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson an insanely popular babyface]]. The comparisons between them and Vince [=McMahon=]'s "Corporation" angle are frequent. It's the FleetingDemographicRule in full effect - the Corporation and the [=McMahon=]-Helmsley Faction were both done nearly a decade and a half ago. Except unlike most instances of that rule, it pays full homage to continuity rather than pretending it doesn't exist, and can perhaps be appreciated ''more'' by those fans that were around in the late 90s-mid 2000s. Call it something of a ParentalBonus.

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Whenever a political figure, journalist, or really ''anyone'', tried calling the team on their excessive and often times, borderline fascist-esque vigilante activity. This was especially true during Mark Millar's run. When said strawman had a ''very'' legitimate reason to be concerned with the team overstepping their jurisdiction.

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Whenever a political figure, journalist, or really ''anyone'', tried calling the team on their excessive and often times, borderline fascist esque-vigilante activity. This was especially true during Mark Millar's run. When said strawman had a ''very'' legitimate reason to be concerned with the team overstepping their jurisdiction.

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: The Authority's main problem is one the Wrestling/NewWorldOrder fell into -- they don't lose. Every loss they've suffered are ultimately minor setbacks at best, and the fans are ''sick'' of them. Unlike the [=nWo=], they don't have the PopularityPower that can sustain and justify their long run at the top, and once it became clear that they weren't going to lose anytime soon, if ever, the fans started leaving in droves, as evidenced by RAW's declining ratings.
* HilariousInHindsight: At the start of the angle, the Authority really hammered in that their actions were "Best for business". The first two pay per view events after the start of the angle were so poorly received that the WWE had to provide refunds to the paying audience.

* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: After 2014 Royal Rumble, the group, specially Triple H and Stephanie [=McMahon=] were much better received by IWC, in part due to them escalating their heel character and their feud with Daniel Bryan & Shield which resulted in some of the best matches of the year.
** But they sadly fell right back into the Heap in 2015: Not only was their seemingly crippling Survivor Series 2014 defeat just {{Diabolus Ex Machina}}'d into pointlessness only a few weeks later, but they then proceeded to squash Sting (along with both the nWo and WCW in general) in his debut match at [=WrestleMania=] 31 as well. After all of that, the aforementioned DarknessInducedAudienceApathy simply kicked back in full-force.

** In a ''ComicBook/S{{tormwatch}}: Achilles'' comic, Midnighter admits that he's a natural redhead. He just likes to dye his hair.

** Right from the start, this was the case. Ellis has said on more than one occasion that he wrote the Authority as villains, just ones who happened to fight even bigger villains. The first story arc does end with Midnighter plowing a giant swathe through a populated city just to reach one person, after all. If that's not enough for you, one arc later the Authority stops an invasion from a parallel Earth by totally and indiscriminately destroying a whole country to eliminate the enemy's infrastructure, even though by that point it is clear that the invaders are completely outmatched by them anyway. Starting from Millar's run, however, the comic increasingly turned into a vehicle for political [[AuthorTract Author Tracts]], where the Authority were [[DesignatedHero indeed designated to be heroes]], [[MoralDissonance although, obviously not all readers were convinced]].

* {{Fanon}}: Artists have given Midnighter several different hair colors, probably because he keeps his cowl on so much that none of them know any better. Fans have used this to draw the conclusion that the otherwise ManlyGay Midnighter just loves to dye his hair.
** In a {{ComicBook/Stormwatch}}: Achilles comic, Midnighter admits that he's a natural redhead. He just likes to dye his hair.
* HarsherInHindsight: The "Brave New World" arc features the White House and New York City being suddenly attacked by a third-world army that suddenly gained access to advanced technology. Only a month or two after the four-part arc ended, September 11th, happened.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: It's hard to describe how completely influential the series was, to the point that pretty much every event comic to follow for the next decade or so took inspiration. It was pretty much the formative work of the early 2000s, combining the grim tone of the 90s with the scale and creativity of classic Silver Age works and adding a sense of social consciousness and consequences - and that's before one discusses its "blockbuster"-style artwork. People who got into comics from things like ComicBook/UltimateMarvel, though, which refined a lot of these elements even further, or the host of copycats since, might not find ''The Authority'' to be anything impressive. It doesn't help that much of the series's subject matter now seems less shocking and more tastelessly edgy.

* CompleteMonster: [[InsaneAdmiral Regis Slzfi]], from the September-December 1999 issues, the vicious, warmongering leader of [[AlternateUniverse Sliding Albion]], is one of the most singularly vile foes to grace the Authority's pitch-black RoguesGallery. Upon being appointed to save his species, the Blues, from sterility and extinction, Regis opts first to use massively populated countries such as China as rape camps, butchering the males to use the females as [[BreedingSlave breeding fodder]]. Regis eventually takes his efforts to Earth, attempting to massacre an entire city-—his own son Lorenzo included-—in violent protest of Lorenzo's wedding to Jenny Sparks, and eventually deigns to turn all of Earth into a rape camp. His evil [[EvilIsPetty not strictly grandiose]], Regis once even tricks a man into slaughtering a party full of people, crushing the man's head before waltzing off to eat the man's children, all because of an offhanded insult the man had made.

* MyRealDaddy: An interesting variation on this. Creator/WarrenEllis created and wrote the team to acclaim but it's Creator/MarkMillar's tenure that is the most influential and popular. Though, some will argue this is not necessarily as benevolent as this trope usually is. Millar's run could easily be considered a DorkAge but the high sales, edgy tone, and satirical jabs at mainstream comics meant that it was under his pen that the Authority found their footing and current reputation in popular culture, to the point of prompting "ComicBook/WhatsSoFunnyAboutTruthJusticeAndTheAmericanWay" (and by extent, [[WesternAnimation/SupermanVsTheElite its animated adaptation]]) as a measured response to the series' DarkerAndEdgier thesis about modern age superheroics.

* MyRealDaddy: An interesting variation on this. Creator/WarrenEllis created and wrote the team to acclaim but it's Creator/MarkMillar's tenure that is the most influential and popular. Though, some will argue this is not necessarily as benevolent as this trope usually is. Millar's run could easily be considered a DorkAge but the high sales, edgy tone, and satirical jabs at mainstream comics meant that it was under his pen that the Authority found their footing and current reputation in popular culture, to the point of prompting "[[WesternAnimation/SupermanVsTheElite What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?]]" as a measured response to the series' DarkerAndEdgier thesis about modern age superheroics.

* AcceptableTargets: Creator/MarkMillar despises UsefulNotes/BillClinton, so it should come as no surprise that while Millar was writing the series, there were many potshots taken at Clinton's expense. At one point he has Swift remark about the time she kicked Clinton in the [[GroinAttack nads]] for attempting to make sexual advances on her while in the bathroom. I the Jenny Sparks mini-series, one of the issues even goes so far as to implicitly [[GodwinsLaw compare Clinton to Hitler]].

* CreatorsPet:
** The reason why Wrestling/VinceMcMahon was considered one of the best {{heel}}s in the business by far is because he cared more about the product than his ego; he had no problem letting the champ get one over on him, or being made a fool. Basically, [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin Steve Austin]] was a wish-fulfillment character (in addition to being an alcohol fueled whoop-ass machine), standing up for the little guy and humiliating their boss. For others, it's an excuse for them to remain on top, continuously comfortable, blurring the line between their booking decisions and some real-life insecurity issue. By the time Triple H pinned Wrestling/{{Sting}} cleanly at ''[=WrestleMania=]'' 31 — in the latter's very first WWE match, no less -- everyone was tired of The Authority. The fact that Sting and Wrestling/TheUndertaker were both on the same ''[=WrestleMania=]'' card and did not face each other is just depressing to think about. What a miss. At least we got the most convoluted wrestling feud of all time in Sting vs. HHH. And WWE turning it into an interference match which had to involve the [[Wrestling/NewWorldOrder nWo]], which spoiled that match for most people. Sting vs. HHH encapsulates pretty much everything HHH is about: a facade that he was a pivotal part of the Wrestling/MondayNightWars because he [[Wrestling/DGenerationX did a couple of goofy skits]] (there are at least five guys who better-defined the Wrestling/AttitudeEra that spring to mind but when you re-write history you can make yourself as important as you like); going 20 minutes with an older guy because ''He's That Damn Good And Can Carry Anybody''; [[Wrestling/TheKliq getting all his friends involved for a big payday]] even though it did nothing for the match or the story; a ridiculous over-the-top babyface entrance even though he's supposed to be the heel. (And then they shook hands [[EasilyForgiven after Sting took a sledgehammer to the face.]])
** Wrestling/StephanieMcMahon is like Puff Daddy in the nineties dancing in all the Bad Boy Entertainment videos like he's trying to steal the spotlight from the artists. It's the age-old question: Was Stephanie doing her job well by making the audience hate her? The problem is that the writers want to build her up as the emasculating, omnipotent heel: the way she always talks down to the wrestlers makes them feel small, instead of larger-than-life characters. Why in the hell would [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Lana]] be cowering in her presence? Stephanie is a non-wrestler. Why is Wrestling/AJStyles shrinking away in fear? (She was put in the ring with AJ for no reason other than to let us all know Stephanie is taller than he.) Male characters aren't afraid of Triple H at all. She even throws shade on Triple H from time to time ("You love spending [=McMahon=] money"). Steph has the benefit of being able to influence her character to go over everyone. In that case, she should be willing to field some serious questions about why the critical reception hasn't been positive.

** Everything people feared Triple H would become as an authority figure is what came to pass with Wrestling/StephanieMcMahon. It's the age-old question: Was Stephanie doing her job well by making the audience hate her? The problem is that the writers are seemingly afraid of not making Stephanie look as sweet as possible, since she also wants to be the face of the company and front the charity stuff: A wrestling news site reported that in meetings with WWE stockholders, she has to open by informing them that she is only playing a character on TV, and makes similar statements in her interviews and Tweets. But the writers also want to build her up as the emasculating, omnipotent heel: the way she always talks down to the wrestlers makes them feel small, instead of larger-than-life characters. Like, why in the hell would [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Lana]] be cowering in her presence? Stephanie is a non-wrestler. Why is Wrestling/AJStyles shrinking away in fear? (She was put in the ring with AJ for no reason other than to let us all know Stephanie is taller than he.) Male characters aren't afraid of Triple H at all. She even throws shade on Triple H from time to time ("You love spending [=McMahon=] money"). Steph has the benefit of being able to influence her character to go over everyone.

* DesignatedHero: In the beginning, the Authority were hardline with their ideals and used violence reasonably. With Jack Hawksmoor as leader [[spoiler:receiving the position after Jenny Sparks's death]], the Authority became increasingly predisposed toward unyielding moral positions and merciless brutality as time went on, but the entry of another character, [[spoiler:Jenny Quantum/Quarx,]] as a member of the team softened them somewhat. Now, their level of violence is about par for Wildstorm's post-apocalyptic world, so they're no better or worse than any other group.

** The reason why Wrestling/VinceMcMahon was considered one of the best {{heel}}s in the business by far is because he cared more about the product than his ego; he had no problem letting the champ get one over on him, or being made a fool. Basically, [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin Steve Austin]] was a wish-fulfillment character (in addition to being an alcohol fueled whoop-ass machine), standing up for the little guy and humiliating their boss. For others, it's an excuse for them to remain on top, continuously comfortable, blurring the line between their booking decisions and some real-life insecurity issue. By the time Triple H pinned Wrestling/{{Sting}} cleanly at ''[=WrestleMania=]'' 31 — in the latter's very first WWE match, no less -- everyone was tired of The Authority. The fact that Sting and Wrestling/TheUndertaker were both on the same ''[=WrestleMania=]'' card and did not face each other is just depressing to think about. What a miss. At least we got the most convoluted wrestling feud of all time in Sting vs. HHH. And WWE turning it into an interference match which had to involve the [[Wrestling/NewWorldOrder nWo]], which spoiled that match for most people. Sting vs. HHH encapsulates pretty much everything HHH is about: a facade that he was a pivotal part of the Wrestling/MondayNightWars because he [[Wrestling/DGenerationX did a couple of goofy skits]] (there are at least five guys who better-defined the Wrestling/AttitudeEra that spring to mind but when you write history you can make yourself as important as you like); going 20 minutes with an older guy because ''He's That Damn Good And Can Carry Anybody''; [[Wrestling/TheKliq getting all his friends involved for a big payday]] even though it did nothing for the match or the story; a ridiculous over-the-top babyface entrance even though he's supposed to be the heel. (And then they shook hands [[EasilyForgiven after Sting took a sledgehammer to the face.]]) Then coming out for another twenty minutes to gloat and take center stage, and to once again put {{Wrestling/Steph|anieMcMahon}} over as the Alpha Diva of the roster. Speaking of which...
** Everything people feared Triple H would become as an authority figure is what came to pass with Stephanie [=McMahon=]. It's the age-old question: Was Stephanie doing her job well by making the audience hate her? The problem is that the writers are seemingly afraid of not making Stephanie look as sweet as possible, since she also wants to be the face of the company and front the charity stuff: A wrestling news site reported that in meetings with WWE stockholders, she has to open by informing them that she is only playing a character on TV, and makes similar statements in her interviews and Tweets. But the writers also want to build her up as the emasculating, omnipotent heel: the way she always talks down to the wrestlers makes them feel small, instead of larger-than-life characters. Like, why in the hell would [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Lana]] be cowering in her presence? Stephanie is a non-wrestler. Why is Wrestling/AJStyles shrinking away in fear? (She was put in the ring with AJ for no reason other than to let us all know Stephanie is taller than he.) Male characters aren't afraid of Triple H at all. She even throws shade on Triple H from time to time ("You love spending [=McMahon=] money"). Steph has the benefit of being able to influence her character to go over everyone.

** Everything people feared Triple H would become as an authority figure is what came to pass with Stephanie [=McMahon=]. It's the age-old question: Was Stephanie doing her job well by making the audience hate her? The problem is that the writers are seemingly afraid of not making Stephanie look as sweet as possible, since she also wants to be the face of the company and front the charity stuff: A wrestling news site reported that in meetings with WWE stockholders, she has to open by informing them that she is only playing a character on TV, and makes similar statements in her interviews and Tweets. But the writers also want to build her up as the emasculating, omnipotent heel: the way she always talks down to the wrestlers makes them feel small, instead of larger-than-life characters. Like, why in the hell would [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Lana]] be cowering in her presence? Stephanie is a non-wrestler. Why is Wrestlig/AJStyles shrinking away in fear? (She was put in the ring with AJ for no reason other than to let us all know Stephanie is taller than he.) Male characters aren't afraid of Triple H at all. She even throws shade on Triple H from time to time ("You love spending [=McMahon=] money"). Steph has the benefit of being able to influence her character to go over everyone.

** Everything people feared Triple H would become as an authority figure is what came to pass with Stephanie [=McMahon=]. It's the age-old question: Was Stephanie doing her job well by making the audience hate her? The problem is that the writers are seemingly afraid of not making Stephanie look as sweet as possible, since she also wants to be the face of the company and front the charity stuff: A wrestling news site reported that in meetings with WWE stockholders, she has to open by informing them that she is only playing a character on TV, and makes similar statements in her interviews and Tweets. But the writers also want to build her up as the emasculating, omnipotent heel: the way she always talks down to the wrestlers makes them feel small, instead of larger-than-life characters. Like, why in the hell would [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Lana]] be cowering in her presence? Stephanie is a non-wrestler. Why is AJ shrinking away in fear? (She was put in the ring with AJ for no reason other than to let us all know Stephanie is taller than he.) Male characters aren't afraid of Triple H at all. She even throws shade on Triple H from time to time ("You love spending [=McMahon=] money"). Steph has the benefit of being able to influence her character to go over everyone.

** Everything people feared Triple H would become as an authority figure is what came to pass with Stephanie [=McMahon=]. It's the age-old question: Was Stephanie doing her job well by making the audience hate her? The problem is that the writers are seemingly afraid of not making Stephanie look as sweet as possible, since she also wants to be the face of the company and front the charity stuff: A wrestling news site reported that in meetings with WWE stockholders, she has to open by informing them that she is only playing a character on TV, and makes similar statements in her interviews and Tweets. But the writers also wants to build her up as the emasculating, omnipotent heel: the way she always talks down to the wrestlers makes them feel small, instead of larger-than-life characters. Like, why in the hell would [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Lana]] be cowering in her presence? Stephanie is a non-wrestler. Why is AJ shrinking away in fear? (She was put in the ring with AJ for no reason other than to let us all know Stephanie is taller than he.) Male characters aren't afraid of Triple H at all. She even throws shade on Triple H from time to time ("You love spending [=McMahon=] money"). Steph has the benefit of being able to influence her character to go over everyone.

** The reason why Wrestling/VinceMcMahon was considered one of the best {{heel}}s in the business by far is because he cared more about the product than his ego; he had no problem letting the champ get one over on him, or being made a fool. Basically, [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin Steve Austin]] was a wish-fulfillment character (in addition to being an alcohol fueled whoop-ass machine), standing up for the little guy and humiliating their boss. For others, it's an excuse for them to remain on top, continuously comfortable, blurring the line between their booking decisions and some real-life insecurity issue. By the time he pinned Wrestling/{{Sting}} cleanly at ''[=WrestleMania=]'' 31 — in the latter's very first WWE match, no less -- everyone was tired of The Authority. The fact that Sting and Wrestling/TheUndertaker were both on the same ''[=WrestleMania=]'' card and did not face each other is just depressing to think about. What a miss. At least we got the most convoluted wrestling feud of all time in Sting vs. HHH. And WWE turning it into an interference match which had to involve the [[Wrestling/NewWorldOrder nWo]], which spoiled that match for most people. Sting vs. HHH encapsulates pretty much everything HHH is about: a facade that he was a pivotal part of the Wrestling/MondayNightWars because he [[Wrestling/DGenerationX did a couple of goofy skits]] (there are at least five guys who better-defined the Wrestling/AttitudeEra that spring to mind but when you write history you can make yourself as important as you like); going 20 minutes with an older guy because ''He's That Damn Good And Can Carry Anybody''; [[Wrestling/TheKliq getting all his friends involved for a big payday]] even though it did nothing for the match or the story; a ridiculous over-the-top babyface entrance even though he's supposed to be the heel. (And then they shook hands [[EasilyForgiven after Sting took a sledgehammer to the face.]]) Then coming out for another twenty minutes to gloat and take center stage, and to once again put {{Wrestling/Steph|anieMcMahon}} over as the Alpha Diva of the roster. Speaking of which...

* ArcFatigue: It was an angle which started well at ''{{Wrestling/Summerslam}}'' '13, with several mini-storylines involving the rise of Wrestling/TheShield, then inexplicably overstayed its welcome to the point where it abruptly ended without fanfare. There were three logical places were it could’ve ended: 1) After ''[[Wrestling/WrestleMania 'Mania]]'' 30, the Authority splits after they lose all their big-name matches. 2) After Team [[Wrestling/JohnCena Cena]] wins at ''Survivor Series'', the Authority lose all their power in {{Wrestling/WWE}} (and don’t [[JokerImmunity come back]]). 3) Wrestling/SethRollins turns face and The Authority disbands after he beats Wrestling/TripleH. It was so easy. Rollins was practically a babyface wrapped in a bow once he returned from injury. It should’ve ended with a definitive Rollins face turn, but none of those things happened. Wrestling/RomanReigns beating Triple H at ''[=Wrestlemania=]'' 32 was probably supposed to be the payoff: that show as a whole was pretty much a dud, along with Roman's unpopular [[{{Face}} babyface]] push against Authority-aligned Triple H. This was the same angle which had Trips beating the tar out of Roman to raucous cheers on an episode of ''Raw'', which certainly didn't help.

** The reason why Wrestling/VinceMcMahon was considered one of the best {{heel}}s in the business by far is because he cared more about the product than his ego; he had no problem letting the champ get one over on him, or being made a fool. Basically, [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin Steve Austin]] was a wish-fulfillment character (in addition to being an alcohol fueled whoop-ass machine), standing up for the little guy and humiliating their boss. For others, it's an excuse for them to remain on top, continuously comfortable, blurring the line between their booking decisions and some real-life insecurity issue. Triple H got the brunt of it, as it had essentially become the "Reign of Terror" 2.0 where Haitch was by proxy the champ and started cutting 20-minute promos again. By the time he pinned Wrestling/{{Sting}} cleanly at ''[=WrestleMania=]'' 31 — in the latter's very first WWE match, no less -- everyone was tired of The Authority. The fact that Sting and Wrestling/TheUndertaker were both on the same ''[=WrestleMania=]'' card and did not face each other is just depressing to think about. What a miss. At least we got the most convoluted wrestling feud of all time in Sting vs. HHH. And WWE turning it into an interference match which had to involve the [[Wrestling/NewWorldOrder nWo]], which spoiled that match for most people. Sting vs. HHH encapsulates pretty much everything HHH is about: a facade that he was a pivotal part of the Wrestling/MondayNightWars because he [[Wrestling/DGenerationX did a couple of goofy skits]] (there are at least five guys who better-defined the Wrestling/AttitudeEra that spring to mind but when you write history you can make yourself as important as you like); going 20 minutes with an older guy because ''He's That Damn Good And Can Carry Anybody''; [[Wrestling/TheKliq getting all his friends involved for a big payday]] even though it did nothing for the match or the story; a ridiculous over-the-top babyface entrance even though he's supposed to be the heel. (And then they shook hands [[EasilyForgiven after Sting took a sledgehammer to the face.]]) Then coming out for another twenty minutes to gloat and take center stage, and to once again put {{Wrestling/Steph|anieMcMahon}} over as the Alpha Diva of the roster. Speaking of which...

** The reason why Wrestling/VinceMcMahon was considered one of the best {{heel}}s in the business by far is because he cared more about the product than his ego; he had no problem letting the champ get one over on him, or being made a fool. Basically, [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin Steve Austin]] was a wish-fulfillment character (in addition to being an alcohol fueled whoop-ass machine), standing up for the little guy and humiliating their boss. For others, it's an excuse for them to remain on top, continuously comfortable, blurring the line between their booking decisions and some real-life insecurity issue. Triple H got the brunt of it, as it had essentially become the "Reign of Terror" 2.0 where Haitch was by proxy the champ and started cutting 20-minute promos again. By the time he pinned Wrestling/{{Sting}} cleanly at ''[=WrestleMania=]'' 31 — in the latter's very first WWE match, no less -- everyone was tired of The Authority. The fact that Sting and Wrestling/TheUndertaker were both on the same ''[=WrestleMania=]'' card and did not face each other is just depressing to think about. What a miss. At least we got the most convoluted wrestling feud of all time in Sting vs. HHH. And WWE turning it into an interference match which had to involve the [[Wrestling/NewWorldOrder nWo]], which spoiled that match for most people. Sting vs. HHH encapsulates pretty much everything HHH is about: a facade that he was a pivotal part of the Wrestling/MondayNightWars because he [[Wrestling/DGenerationX did a couple of goofy skits]] (there are at least five guys who better-defined the Wrestling/AttitudeEra that spring to mind but when you write history you can make yourself as important as you like); going 20 minutes with an older guy because ''He's That Damn Good And Can Carry Anybody''; [[Wrestling/TheKliq getting all his friends involved for a big payday]] even though it did nothing for the match or the story; a ridiculous over-the-top babyface entrance even though he's supposed to be the heel. (And then they shook hands after Sting took a sledgehammer to the face.) Then coming out for another twenty minutes to gloat and take center stage, and to once again put {{Wrestling/Steph|anieMcMahon}} over as the Alpha Diva of the roster. Speaking of which...

** The reason why Wrestling/VinceMcMahon was considered one of the best {{heel}}s in the business by far is because he cared more about the product than his ego; he had no problem letting the champ get one over on him, or being made a fool. Basically, [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin Steve Austin]] was a wish-fulfillment character (in addition to being an alcohol fueled whoop-ass machine), standing up for the little guy and humiliating their boss. For others, it's an excuse for them to remain on top, continuously comfortable, blurring the line between their booking decisions and some real-life insecurity issue. Triple H got the brunt of it, as it had essentially become the "Reign of Terror" 2.0 where Haitch was by proxy the champ and started cutting 20-minute promos again. By the time he pinned Wrestling/{{Sting}} cleanly at ''[=WrestleMania=]'' 31 — in the latter's very first WWE match, no less -- everyone was tired of The Authority. The fact that Sting and Wrestling/TheUndertaker were both on the same ''[=WrestleMania=]'' card and did not face each other is just depressing to think about. What a miss. At least we got the most convoluted wrestling feud of all time in Sting vs. HHH. And WWE turning it into an interference match which had to involve the [[Wrestling/NewWorldOrder nWo]], which spoiled that match for most people. Sting vs. HHH encapsulates pretty much everything HHH is about: a facade that he was a pivotal part of the Wrestling/MondayNightWars because he [[Wrestling/DGenerationX did a couple of goofy skits]] (there are at least five guys who better-defined the Wrestling/AttitudeEra that spring to mind but when you write history you can make yourself as important as you like); going 20 minutes with an older guy because ''He's That Damn Good And Can Carry Anybody''; [[Wrestling/TheKliq getting all his friends involved for a big payday]] even though it did nothing for the match or the story; a ridiculous over-the-top babyface entrance even though he's supposed to be the heel. (And then they shook hands after Sting took a sledgehammer to the face.) Then coming out for another twenty minutes to gloat and take center stage, and to once again put Steph over as the Alpha Diva of the roster. Speaking of which...

* AcceptableTargets: Mark Millar absolutely '''''despises''''' ''UsefulNotes/BillClinton''. So it should come as no surprise that while Millar was writing the series, there were many, ''many'', '''''many''''', potshots taken at Clinton's expense. At one point he has Swift remark about the time she kicked Clinton in the [[GroinAttack nads]] for attempting to make sexual advances on her while in the bathroom. And if that wasn't enough, he takes his hatred of Clinton ''[[UpToEleven even further]]'' in the Jenny Sparks mini-series. Where one of the issues even goes so far as to implicitly compare Clinton to '''''Adolf Hitler'''''.

* ArcFatigue: The angle started at ''Wrestling/{{SummerSlam}} 2013'', and didn't end until ''[=WrestleMania=] 32'' in ''2016''. In fact, within those 2½ years were only SIX months in which the WWE World Heavyweight Champion ''wasn't'' either an Authority hand-picked centerpiece (Wrestling/RandyOrton and Wrestling/SethRollins) or supported by them as a means to an end (Wrestling/BrockLesnar and Wrestling/{{Sheamus}}) — the five-month time period between ''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'' and ''[=SummerSlam=] 2014'', and the one month between the night after ''TLC 2015'' and ''Royal Rumble 2016''.
* CreatorsPet: Like Wrestling/TheCorporation before it, part of the reason why The Authority has lasted for so long in WWE is because of the [[WrestlingFamily McMahon family]]'s [[WriterOnBoard creator status]] since their power is not only {{kayfabe}}, and the fact that Wrestling/TripleH and Wrestling/{{Stephanie|McMahon}} enjoy being reality TV stars just as much as Wrestling/{{Vince|McMahon}} and Wrestling/{{Shane|McMahon}} did. Wrestling/TheBigShow and Wrestling/{{Kane}} may be even more hated than Triple H and Stephanie are, especially given that they're viewed as far less intriguing characters. In fact the only member of the Authority that the IWC had a high opinion of was Seth Rollins — until he got injured and, while not officially inducting him to the stable, supported Wrestling/{{Sheamus}} as a means to an end, as he's about as [[SarcasmMode well-liked]] as anyone else in the group. They're so hated that Wrestling/RomanReigns, who spent time as arguably the biggest CreatorsPet on the main roster (aka the biggest [[TheScrappy Scrappy]]), and couldn't get over with ten months of being booked as the second coming of Wrestling/JohnCena, managed to get over in ten ''minutes'' after giving a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown to Wrestling/TripleH. So Administrivia/TropesAreTools in this case, as it finally got one CreatorsPet over and made the fans happy.

* TheScrappy: The entire stable was hated for how long it remained on the roster, how many years the WWE championship remained in their possession, and how utterly invincible they were.

* CompleteMonster: [[InsaneAdmiral Regis Slzfi]], warmongering dictator of the alternate Earth named Sliding Albion, earns the distinctive honor, despite [[ArcVillain only appearing in 4 issues in 1999]], of being one of the most astonishingly vile villains to ever fight against the Authority. A member of the Blue which colonized Sliding Albion centuries ago, Regis distinguishes himself from even the other Blues by virtue of his aggression and {{sadis|t}}m, poisoning the entire planet through repeated campaigns of war and overuse of chemical weapons that lead to countless lives lost. When Regis is tasked to repopulate the dying Sicilian-Blues-- poisoned by Regis's own insane conquest--Regis starts using entire countries as rape camps, invading highly populated countries like China and totally butchering the male populations to use the entirety of the females as rape fodder. Regis's [[EvilIsPetty pettiness]] and arrogance leads him to attempt to [[OffingTheOffspring murder his own son Lorenzo]] and his wife when they wed, vowing to slaughter the entire city and decorate it with the skinned faces of its populace, and tricking a man into slaughtering an entire gathering of people before [[YourHeadAsplode crushing the man's head]] and [[ImAHumanitarian devouring his children]] due to [[DisproportionateRetribution an offhand insult the man makes]]. To complete his task of repopulation, Regis has his forces assault the main Earth with the intention to turn the entire planet into a rape camp, and roars to Midnighter whilst beating him into a bloody pulp that he's butchered and raped countless people over half a millennium. [[ItsAllAboutMe Egotistical]] and xenophobic among a laundry list of other traits and unconcerned even with the survival of his own people so long as he can glory in his own victories, Regis is one of the singularly most depraved villains to ever grace the CrapsackWorld he inhabits.