Line #250 LetsPlay/FreelanceAstronauts


1	->''"Playing games and saying stuff."''
2
3	A (now retired) troupe of American [[LetsPlay LPers]], the Freelance Astronauts were four goons who decided to try their hand at Let's Plays from the sub-forums of Website/SomethingAwful. Within a couple of years, they became some of the most famous [=LPers=] from the forum, even with many non-goon fans. They consist of four main members:
4
5	* Maxwell Adams, [[TheLeader leader]] and main game player/breaker.
6	* Ferr, the DeadpanSnarker.
7	* Evek, [[TheQuietOne the quiet]] Franchise/StarTrek expert.
8	* pipes!, who [[LargeHam enjoys]] [[NoIndoorVoice yelling.]]
9
10	They were also joined frequently by guests on Skype, including Drakkel, Irregular Hunter, Ashley, [=PlasmaMan=] and WebVideo/{{retsupurae}} co-star Diabetus.
11
12	They have since gone their separate ways, but thanks to [[https://www.youtube.com/user/SAMaxwellAdams#g/u Maxwell Adams]] and a very awesome fan known as [[https://www.youtube.com/user/expjeans "expjeans"]] (whose account contains most of the videos that were lost when the video hosting site Viddler shut down), they have reuploaded most (if not all) of the videos onto their Youtube accounts. The Internet Archive also hosts a collection of their videos [[https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22maxwell+adams%22 here]], including some of the lost Viddler content.
13
14	Their website can still be found [[https://web.archive.org/web/20190717192841/http://www.freelanceastronauts.com/index.php here]] using the Wayback Machine; the site itself now returns a 500 error. A list of the majority of the games [=LPed=] (with outdated links) can be found [[https://web.archive.org/web/20190718131556/http://www.freelanceastronauts.com/games.php here]], and also on the [[http://lparchive.org/author/Maxwell%20Adams#results LPArchive.]]
15
16	In addition, there is a separate page dedicated towards a one-time gag of theirs, Fanfic/TheTaleOfSephirothGokuTheStampede.
17	----
18	!!''The Freelance Astronauts'' provide examples of:
19
20	* ActionGirl: Dongs REO Speedwagon can look after herself.
21	* AffectionateParody: Despite all the vitriol aimed at anime, the jokes are aimed at specific enough targets to prove they're fans. Also, Maxwell has a Mii of [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Gendo Ikari]].
22	** And [[Anime/AzumangaDaioh Mr. Kimura]].
23	** In their LP of the ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' demo:
24	--->'''pipes!''': "Watch out for the [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Anti-Spirals!]]"
25	** Music from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' plays during some of the battles in the Oblivon LP.
26	** A couple of listens to the "Sephiroth Goku The Stampede" sequence contains a lot of well-hidden references to several anime and anime archetypes, considering the whole joke is one enormous anime ClicheStorm. [[invoked]]
27	** It's established that Maxwell is a fan of anime.
28	* AmusingInjuries: Ferr.
29	** Behold, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo1gZtYviyk Chronicles of Pain]].
30	* {{Angrish}}:
31	** pipes! does this a fair amount. Perhaps his crowning achievement in Angrish (as Luigi) can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbTFvxZHJ8M here]].
32	*** Listen now to the sad song of [[http://www.tindeck.com/listen/fjrq Pipes' Lament]]
33	* ArbitrarySkepticism: Evek questions the physics behind the falling moon in Majora's Mask
34	-->'''Evek:''' So, they don't take into account any gravity field from the moon, it's just sitting there in the atmosphere?\
35	'''Ferr:''' You're a tree. You're a boy who is a tree. And the moon has a giant face on it. No, there is no gravity field.\
36	'''Evek:''' ...touché.
37	* TheAristocrats: Ferr turns [[spoiler:the tale of Sephiroth Goku the Stampede into this, making it even funnier.]]
38	* AssShove: What Ferr and Evek thinks makes Epona run faster, complete with sound effect.
39	** In the ''Majora's Mask'' LP, while searching for Lulu's eggs...
40	--->'''Ferr:''' Do they have to put the eggs back inside of her so she can sing?\
41	'''Maxwell:''' It's a plot right out of ''WesternAnimation/{{The Little Mermaid\|1989}}''.\
42	'''Evek:''' Heh. Open wide.\
43	'''Maxwell:''' Fish girl, lost her voice and you need to put eggs inside of her.\
44	'''Evek:''' Open wide...\
45	'''Ferr:''' Wrong end.
46	** Don't forget Asswings!
47	* AttentionDeficitOohShiny!: In their playthrough of Twilight Princess, the group distract Ganondorf in the final battle by dangling a fishing rod in front of him, which actually takes his attention away enough for Lonk to land a few potshots.
48	** Maxwell also suffered from this during their playthrough of ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto: Vice City'' after obtaining the tiger-striped cab from the Kaufmann's Cabs missions, and planned to park it in one of his larger garages....before he lost interest and went off to roll an SUV through a window.
49	*** In the LP of Crysis Maxwell stops midsentence to chase some Kiwis.
50	* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:Drew the Dreugh]]
51	* BigNo: All of the commentators, save Maxwell, after Link in ''Majora's Mask'' throws a valuable Powder Keg off of the edge of Snowpeak.
52	** Also, in the Oblivion playthrough, upon [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8AN6ArglSc#t=727s finding the corpse of their beloved lobster monster Drew roasting over a campfire.]] Even Lava Lamp Goddess joined in.
53	--->'''All:''' NOOOOOOOOOO!\
54	'''Maxwell:''' Maybe that's not him.\
55	(Finds a Barrel labeled "Drew's Body Parts")\
56	'''All:''' gasp NOOOOOOOOO!
57	** Another in Oblivion when they find the body of their deceased comrade Tiny Archer, a Kvatch town guard they had shrunken using console commands who had a career in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcsnnubj53k on-the-scene reporting]].
58	--->'''pipes!(as Tiny Archer):''' There appear to be dinosaurs, bipedal dinosaurs coming over the ridge! Back to you Tom.
59	** During the Tetris video, pipes! lets out one when Maxwell Adams gets two consecutive Tetrises and throws his board into a tizzy.
60	--->'''pipes!:''' ''(over all the laughter from everyone else)'' [[OhCrap HOLY SHIT, NO!]] NOOOOOOO, THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANTED!!
61	** Also Maxwell during the ''Kirby Super Star'' LP whenever pipes! turns him into another less useful Helper.
62	--->'''Maxwell:''' Ah-[=NOOOOOoooo=] I didn't want that!
63	* BigWhat: Also in the Tetris video, pipes! yells out FOUR of these in a row when, after Maxwell gets a Tetris, his screen is filled and he loses.
64	* {{BFG}}: The Astronauts' opinion of ''VideoGame/{{Killer7}}'' improves considerably when [[HandicappedBadass Harman's]] gigantic wheelchair-mounted sniper rifle comes into play.
65	* BlackComedyRape: Frequently with the mummies/zombies in the 3D Zelda games, and has culminated in a [[http://www.viddler.com/explore/MadFriarAvelyn/videos/119/ moment]] where Link cries afterwards. Also...
66	-->'''Ferr:''' They don't call me Jackhammer Custer[[note]]referring to ''Custer's Revenge''[[/note]] for nothing.
67	* BrickJoke: Maxwell reveals he stored a couple of military vehicles and helicopters in garages early on in the ''GTA: Vice City'' LP shortly before he spends two episodes dicking around in a flying tank. [[spoiler:Many, many episodes later, he takes a tank out of one of the garages during a mission...]]
68	* BriefAccentImitation: Usually Southern U.S. or Bri'ish Coppa.
69	** In [[http://www.freelanceastronauts.com/view.php?id=201 this video]], pipes! and Ferr briefly (and rather inexplicably) do stereotypical Italian and French accents.
70	* ButtMonkey: Often Ferr, by way of AmusingInjuries.
71	** pipes!. The other three mess around with him [[{{Angrish}} just to see how he reacts]].
72	* CatchPhrase: "You got X'ed, son!". Used most often by pipes!, although the others sometimes get in on it.
73	** Ferr's, "More lines than a X, son!" in the Tetris video.
74	** "My name is X, and I'm an anime!" done in a high pitched voice.
75	** [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 "Hey, it's that dog."]]
76	** "Son of a whore!"
77	** pipes! has "Oh you fucker!" and occasionally "Oh, you ''other'' fucker!" on top of his compound swears.
78	** Who's a dick?! You'se a dick!!
79	** The group usually gives a collective "'eeey!" whenever they make a discovery after minutes of pointless wandering.
80	** [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii Now Luigi is the X-iest!]]
81	** pipes!'s "YOU'VE RUINED CHRISTMAS!" when someone screws up.
82	** pipes! loves to toss out "Aww, he thinks he's people", or some variation thereof.
83	* ChekhovsGun: A few do pop up now and again in their [=LPs=], but one rather good example that actually worked surprisingly well was in their ''Vice City'' LP. At some point early in the LP, Maxwell stored a golf cart in one of his residences. Several videos later, the ''Cop Land'' mission pops up. [[spoiler: Guess which vehicle they end up using to escape from the cops, on a 5-star rating, without getting totaled.]]
84	* ClusterFBomb: ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', ''VideoGame/{{Lemmings}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'' really turns the air blue. Basically any chance they get to screw each other over will be followed by howls of very imaginative cursing, usually from pipes!.
85	** The group's swearing during New Super Mario Bros. Wii [[http://www.freelanceastronauts.com/bonus/images/Cleretic_charts.png was graphed]]. Due to this, and him being drunk, pipes! held almost 70% of the share.
86	** A compilation of quite a lot of the soundfiles arranged [[http://tindeck.com/listen/fjrq here]].
87	* TheComicallySerious[=/=]StraightMan: Maxwell Adams, probably.
88	** Irregular Hunter.
89	* ContinuityNod: During the Wii Sports Archery:
90	-->'''pipes!:''' Have you learned nothing from JFK? Or are you unable to hit a target that isn't a former president?
91	** While dicking about in ''VideoGame/JustCause2'', Maxwell pans up to the sky revealing the game's moon has been modded up to look like the [[ColonyDrop creepy evil one]] from ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]''. Cue nostalgic giggles.
92	--->'''Maxwell (a few minutes later):''' [[SurvivalMantra Three days]]...
93	** Also happened earlier in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity''. Even more fitting, considering that (as Max demonstrated) if you shoot the moon with a sniper rifle, it gets bigger/closer.
94	* DamnedByFaintPraise: Maxwell's opinion of ''Film/ResidentEvil2002'':
95	-->'''Ferr:''' ''(quoting the movie)'' You're all going to die down here...\
96	'''Evek:''' ''(shuddering)'' Ugh, why'd you have to bring that up?\
97	'''Maxwell:''' That was a good movie. That was, like, an hour and a half of looking at Creator/MillaJovovich.
98	* DarkHorseVictory: The computer opponent quite a few times in the ''VideoGame/{{Bomberman}}'' videos.
99	* ADayInTheLimelight: pipes! is Player One in ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'' while Max plays the helper. Evek has plied his trade in a few episodes of Overlord. Ferr is the one who plays through ''VideoGame/TheOregonTrail'', ''VideoGame/{{Postal}} 2'', and some levels of Overlord and he also takes up Max's mantle as the player in ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity Vice City]]'' for a few videos... just in time for [[ThatOneLevel The Driver mission, too.]]
100	* DeadpanSnarker: Anyone that isn't [[NoIndoorVoice pipes!]], but especially Ferr and [[WebVideo/{{Retsupurae}} Diabetus]].
101	** Special mention also goes to Apetit and REO Speedwagon.
102	* DeepSouth: Expect a hurricane of southern stereotype jokes whenever Diabetus is a guest commentator or posting in the livestream. Most noticeable in the [=LPs=] of North & South and Power Stone (the latter through livestream comments).
103	* DevelopersForesight: Except for [[Franchise/MassEffect tanks]] in very odd places, among other things Maxwell has done with the games.
104	* DistantFinale: The end to the Astronauts' first Let's Play of VideoGame/{{Seaman}} had them warping ahead through a few years of in-game time (1,825 days, to be exact) to see what would have become of their two Seamen if they had been left unattended for that long. [[spoiler:Cue [[DespairEventHorizon one of the most depressing things they've ever filmed]]: the sign with the Seaman on it that makes up the title screen is scratched and desolate-looking. There are no Seamen in the tank, no eggs, no nothing. The terrarium which is used for growing moths is similarly bare. Even Creator/LeonardNimoy, narrator of the whole game up to that point no matter what had been happening up to that point, abandoned them, the game apparently having nothing to say to the players after so much time passed with nothing but neglect. Ferr was freaked out enough to start apologizing frantically on the spot.]]
105	* DomesticAbuse: During a playthrough of [[http://www.freelanceastronauts.com/view.php?id=332 some terrible NES games]], pipes! and Ferr theorise this to be Maxwell's masochistic relationship with NintendoHard games such as F-Zero GX.
106	-->'''Ferr:''' You'll go to his door and knock, and he'll open it just a tiny crack and he'll be all bruised up in the face and you'll be like "Are you okay what happened?" and he'll be "I...I fell down." "Did F-Zero do something to you, do I...do you want me to come in?" "No no it's I...this house is a mess I...I have to go." ({{Beat}}) ...abusive relationships are hilarious.
107	* DudeNotFunny: During the Prototype LP, while battling a boss with a super attack...
108	-->'''Maxwell:''' Oh hey, it's shooting the shockwave of death! Get the hell out because it's got a one-hit-kill.\
109	'''Russ:''' Those are always fun.\
110	'''Ainsley Mctree:''' It's like 9/11, but worse...\
111	(Laughter and groaning)\
112	'''Russ:''' TOO SOON! %%Do not link to "Too Soon" here, since it's no longer a trope\
113	'''Ainsley Mctree:''' I feel bad now. I should go.
114	* EagleLand: During the ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil RE4]]'' LP,
115	-->'''Maxwell:''' I'm noticing that the [[ShootEverythingThatMoves more American I get]], the more victory I have.
116	* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Maxwell may be an evil bastard to his friends in ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', and quite the renegade in ''Franchise/MassEffect'', but then came this little nugget during 4-Player Bomberman.
117	-->'''Wolf Shirt:''' Maxwell, if your mom and Ferr were trapped in a fire, who would you save?\
118	'''Maxwell:''' Uhhhh, probably my mom.\
119	'''Everyone:'''Awwwwwww...
120	* EvilLaugh: Ferr, during the LP of ''Lemmings'', after he [[spoiler: kills about 50 Lemmings to prevent Maxwell from getting them.]]
121	** And again from Ferr during the ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdItjmQIpCo Master Quest]]'' LP after a rather strange discussion about [[ItMakesSenseInContext a train being powered by ground-up mummies]].
122	** Maxwell also does this during ''Power Stone 2'' after obtaining a powerup that turned his character into a robot, and then he begins to slaughter ''everyone''.
123	--->'''pipes!:''' That's a horrible laugh, I don't like that!
124	* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Ten seconds into their ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' playthrough, pipes! christens the game ''Super Asshole Bros. Wii''. 4-ish hours of backstabbing, juvenile humour, and screaming [[{{Angrish}} nonsensical]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking death threats]] promptly follow.
125	* TheFaceless: Formerly Ferr; back in the New Year's Special, Ferr refused to show his face for the camera (he opted to show his hand -- [[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2484499748624302889# as a talking face]]). For the longest time, whenever there was fanart of Ferr, his face is obscured. [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/The_Freelance_Astronauts_Ferr_small_5825.jpg It was thought that he finally revealed himself]] on the livestream party on March 12, 2011, but according to the Astronauts' Twitter feed, which acknowledged this entry, whoever posted that image didn't get the right guy.
126	* FantasticRacism: See YouAllLookFamiliar. Also:
127	-->'''Maxwell:''' ''(after [[PetTheDog a sweet moment]])'' Ashley's a really nice person, isn't she?\
128	'''Ashley:''' ''([[NoSenseOfPersonalSpace in front of a sitting salarian]])'' I can't tell the aliens from the animals.\
129	'''Maxwell:''' ''(nonchalant)'' Oh, that's right, I forgot. She's a racist.
130	** During their Bomberman LP:
131	--->'''Maxewll:''' Okay, Evek is black guy, Ferr is white guy, I'm red guy and the CPU is playing as blue guy.\
132	'''Evek:''' Well excuse me, he's blue-guy American!
133	* FourTemperamentEnsemble: Maxwell is Choleric, Evek is Melancholic, pipes! is Sanguine, and Ferr is Phlegmatic.
134	* GiantEnemyCrab: One attacks and ''kills'' Dongs REO Speedwagon in the Oblivion playthrough after they decided to mess around with the scaling settings on a normal-sized crab.
135	* [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere Giant]] [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii Bullet Bill]] [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere From Nowhere]]: A fit of screaming, laughing, and then crying ensues when a colossal Bullet Bill appears out of nowhere and runs down all four Astronauts in a level of the ''New Super Mario Bros Wii'' Hackpack.
136	* AGoodNameForARockBand: In their Oblivion LP, Ferr says that "'Tiny Archer' would be a good name for a CNN correspondent".
137	* {{Gonk}}: Dongs REO Speedwagon in all her incarnations.
138	* GroinAttack: All those robots in the ''X-Men'' arcade game.
139	* HiddenDepths: Ferr actually knows Latin, having taken it in high school.
140	* HitboxDissonance: Apparently, sitting down in ''Franchise/MassEffect'' makes you ''very'' difficult to hit, even with tank fire.
141	* HuntingTheMostDangerousGame: The Haunted Mii, or "Little Billy from the Make-A-Wish Foundation" during [[http://www.freelanceastronauts.com/view.php?id=789 Wii Sports Resort's Archery]].
142	-->'''pipes!''': See, little Billy's actual last wish wasn't to compete in an archery tournament, it was to hunt the most dangerous game of all.
143	* HurricaneOfPuns: During the Kickboat Saga.
144	-->'''Maxwell''': It's a point and kick interface.\
145	'''Ferr''': It's Das Boot!\
146	'''pipes!''': I'm gonna kick it into high gear!\
147	'''Ferr''': We're kickin' it old school.\
148	...\
149	'''pipes!''': You kicked your way out of the game. ...It kicked you out! Ha ha ha! You just got booted from the server.
150	** And after the Gerudo pirates are [[Creator/EddieIzzard covered in bees...]]
151	--->'''Ferr:''' Next time they should try to bee good.\
152	'''Maxwell:''' Oh, don't bee that way.\
153	'''Evek:''' [[Film/AustinPowers Oh, bee-have.]]\
154	'''Ferr:''' I'm looking up their bee-hinds.\
155	... %%Maxwell's kind of mumbly at this point.\
156	'''Ferr:''' [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} To bee, or not to bee.]]\
157	'''Evek:''' That is the question.
158	** When playing a Japanese cooking-themed homebrew platformer in the intermission of their Wii Sports Resort playthrough, we get a bunch of wok-related puns when they fight a boss that they dub "[[VideoGame/MegaMan Wok Man]]".
159	*** You mean [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_Restaurant Panic Restaurant]]?
160	** With Ferr around, this is generally an inevitability.
161	** In ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}'' pipes! [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSc0o3ThEEA&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL lets loose a storm]].
162	--->'''Maxwell''': (deadpan, to pipes!) You're gonna go to Pun Jail.
163	* HypocriticalHumor: Whilst playing a hacked out the ass file of Twilight Princess, early dungeon in the game:
164	-->'''Maxwell''': Let's go ahead and break some sequence here. You open in with a lantern, like this. Ker-turn into a human when you can't and set a spider web on fire to get into the dungeon Nnnnah, I'm not gonna break it that badly. Ker-gets on giant spinny top you can't get into until the fourth dungeon and flies away
165	** Sometime after Max begins using cheats in ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity Vice City]]'':
166	--->'''Maxwell''': driving a flying Cheetah Okay... now, we can do some legitimate stuff.\
167	* chuckles from the group* \
168	'''Pipes''': [[LampshadeHanging ...I have a hard time thinking "legitimate" and "flying car". Seriously.]]
169	* IncrediblyLamePun: In the first vid of the ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}'' LP, Diabetus gave us this little gem:
170	-->'''Diabetus''': I think vampires get upset when they go to download sites, and have to use mirrors.
171	* InJoke: Maxwell stopped being good at games in 1995.
172	** To elaborate on this, the joke exists because Maxwell is a master of most games in the NES/SNES days (See [[http://freelanceastronauts.com/view.php?id=335 this video]] for proof), but [[MasterOfNone not particularly great at more modern games.]] Other than [[GameBreakingBug breaking them]].
173	* ItsQuietTooQuiet: Said word for word in ''Serious Sam''. Followed by YouJustHadToSayIt.
174	* LegacyCharacter: Dongs REO Speedwagon makes her triumphant return in ''VideoGame/SaintsRow2'', though eventually Maxwell scraps the character out of sheer disgust.
175	** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Master Quest'', we see the heroic adventure of Lunk. Later, in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', we see another incarnation, Lonk, make his debut. [[RunningGag On his horse, Speedwag.]]
176	*** And once more in their LP of VideoGame/TheOregonTrail.
177	*** They later began an LP of ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'', featuring the far-in-the-future descendant, Dongs Shepard. She is considerably better looking than her ancestors. Oddly, the first streaming of the game featured Dongs as a woman, but, when it came up on Website/YouTube, the first hour of the LP was replaced with a different LP, where Dongs is some sort of Half-Of-Everything creature with no neck.
178	* LogicBomb: "Invisible walls you can walk through" from ''Master Quest''.
179	* MadScientist: Give Maxwell access to a character creator and/or game mod and he will invariably create some kind of abomination.
180	** See: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbEmJcEkLDc Dongs]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8X1-Xb3Mjk REO Speedwagon]] and [[Franchise/MassEffect Commander Shepard]], the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xmVO7qjupw tank-shitting]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvBDDw9rIy8 hermaphroditic]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da09Wel-gkE interpretive dancer]].
181	** Ferr also appears to be one in real life as [[https://www.youtube.com/user/captainferr#p/a shown by the videos on his Youtube.]]
182	* MissingEpisode: Their first recording of [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime The Shadow Temple]] failed. They did record it again, but [[LudicrousSpeed they sped up to the point of the video being only a minute long]], with SoundtrackDissonance/YaketySax playing over it.
183	* MoodWhiplash: So Ferr's playing through Ballion, and everything's easy and dandy. And then [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdqut6gq3JE&feature=related Level 8 shows up]] (skip to 7:31 for the breakdown, but it's funnier if you watch the entire thing).
184	* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Maxwell's idea for a game, Jetpack Raptor. A fighting game where you choose your ratio of jetpack to raptor. Flare guns and grappling hooks are optional.
185	* NoIndoorVoice: pipes!
186	-->"Whenever the mic input volume meter jumps up into the red, [[LoudnessWar I know I've told a good joke]]."
187	* NoJustNoReaction: During a Star Fox playthrough:
188	-->'''Ferr''': They're flying pretty close together. Maybe they should give each other some... ''space''.\
189	''[silence, followed by a hard slap]''
190	* NoOSHACompliance: Referenced in ''Contra''. pipes! even suggests that there should be an "Anti-OSHA".
191	-->'''pipes!''' "This house or building needs to have more death traps." Y'know, at least three pendulums minimum, instead of spreading woodchips on playgrounds...
192	* ObsessivelyOrganized: Maxwell's constant inventory rearranging during ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4''.
193	* OnlySaneMan: Maxwell, barely.
194	** Some would vouch for Evek.
195	* OverlyLongGag: Let's Play VideoGame/{{Seaman}} Again - Day 14 Part 1 encourages would-be viewers with the caption "I know this great joke about sea creatures let me tell you". Those poor viewers had no idea what they were getting themselves into.
196	* ParrotExposition: In the ''Majora's Mask'' LP, the Astronauts have taken to repeating the RainbowSpeak in the game. In unison.
197	* PerfectlyCromulentWord: Many [[FloweryInsults compound swears]] by pipes!, especially in ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii''. He even says "it's a perfectly cromulent term" early on in that LP.
198	** When pipes! uses "tit-bitch" in the VideoGame/{{Tetris}} Smackdown, he's [[LampshadeHanging commended for his creative insult]].
199	** From [[http://www.viddler.com/explore/Maxwell_Adams/videos/422/ this video]] of the ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' LP:
200	--->pipes!: "I died for your sins, you titshitting, fucknutting cuntwaffle!"
201	* PlanetOfHats: Another RunningGag in the ''Mass Effect'' LP is referring to various characters as [[SpaceX Space]] ____. Ashley is [[FantasticRacism Space Racist]], the asari are Space Whores, the quarians are Space Gypsies...
202	** Shepard is a Space American, after disconnecting the Council's signal.
203	* PreAssKickingOneLiner: During the second part of the final battle at the end of ''Master Quest''.
204	-->'''Maxwell:''' Get up, I'm not done hurting you.
205	* PungeonMaster: Ferr
206	** Pipes!! takes over PungeonMaster duties during the ''Crysis'' LP.
207	* TheQuietOne: Evek doesn't say a whole lot. A running gag of sorts in their fans is that he's planning to murder the rest of the Astronauts and take over the stream.
208	** When asked this question directly by the stream during the ''Bomberman'' LP, he deadpanned "Probably".
209	** And when asked a later question on if he would kill either Ferr or Maxwell, he deadpanned "Probably both".
210	*** Possibly "definitely" during his slow rage buildup in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', caused by being a deadly combination of a) the only one actually trying to play properly rather than screw everyone else over and b) the second-worst player behind Ferr.
211	* QuipToBlack:
212	-->'''pipes!''': Looks like he died of a case of a broken heart.\
213	'''Everyone:''' [[Series/CSIMiami YEEEEEAAAAHHH!]]
214	* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Because of job opportunities, the Astronauts have had to move away from one another, leaving Maxwell and Evek the only two left. They do come back for holidays though, which is when they record full [=LPs=].
215	* RefugeInAudacity: A lot of their humor disgusts even themselves.
216	* RunningGag: Several recurring references and {{Shout Out}}s, including [[Film/TopGun "Too close for X. Switching to Y"]] and "It was a rock...LOBSTER!" (from The [=B-52s=])
217	** [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} "Erotic." "What did you say?" "EROTIC!"]]
218	** The Astronauts absolutely hate anyone and everyone in the chat for their Ustream channel and will make numerous uncompromising jabs at them.
219	*** You can and will be banned for anything.
220	** [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons "X up, stupid!"]]
221	** "That's what she said!"
222	** Whenever a strange-looking character appears in a videogame, they all give a resounding cry of "[[Film/TheGoonies HEYYYY YOUUUU GUUUUYS!]]"
223	** Maxwell's relative lack of movie knowledge is mocked considerably by the others.
224	--->'''Maxwell:''' I think I'll run through this wall now.\
225	'''Diabetus:''' Link can... he can fade through solid matter. Just like that guy from ''Series/{{Heroes}}''.\
226	'''Maxwell:''' Hmm. I miss out on so many references, 'cause, I don't even have cable TV right now, and I, like, haven't even seen a lot of movies... %%Yeah, we know, Heroes is network TV, just go with it.\
227	'''Diabetus:''' Dude, are you Amish!?
228	** In the ''Majora's Mask'' LP: "Asswings!", any time Link teleports with the Song of Soaring.
229	** The different uses of the Jack [=LaLanne=] power juicer.
230	--->'''pipes!:''' Did you know that if you put a sheep in the Jack [=LaLanne=] power juicer you will not only get a glass of delicious sheep flavored juice but also a sweater.
231	** "What what, in the butt."
232	** [[WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce "It's not different at all!"]] Sometimes followed by "Is it, Steve?"
233	** "[[VideoGame/ParappaTheRapper You [X]in' awful]]!"
234	** "Whoop, whoop, pull up. Whoop, whoop, pull up"
235	** "You just got Xed, son!"
236	** [[Film/KungPowEnterTheFist "That's a lotta nuts!"]]
237	** "[[Film/{{Predator}} Do it now!]]"
238	** Pipes' mentioning of how he once tricked his sister as a kid by telling her that diamonds in ''Bubble Bobble'' are [[BlatantLies poisonous and should be avoided at all costs]].
239	** In the ''VideoGame/SeriousSam'' LP, Ferr blocking a door. "Before you can pass through this door, [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail you must answer me these questions-]] ''blam''"
240	** Given a chance, [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask the moon]] will always be modded into the night sky.
241	* SanitySlippageSong: After a game of ''Lemmings'' starts badly, Ferr begins to crack and sings "There's A Hole In My Bucket" as he mercilessly slaughters any Lemmings he can find.
242	* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: All of them did this in the game hack of ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii''. It involved the surprise appearance of [[spoiler:a giant Bullet Bill that took up 75% of the screen]].
243	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Upon getting a tiny mushroom in one of the New Super Mario Bros Wii episodes, Maxwell immediately bolts off, leaving the other three to die.
244	** Almost done by Ferr at the end of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMKo9crW7K8 Chapter 6-7]] of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]''. After an hour of trudging through two Spider Houses, the group is understandably sick of scavenging for Gold Skulltulas. So when Maxwell [[spoiler:skips forward to the second day and reveals that the prize changed from a wallet upgrade to ''50 rupees'', Ferr throws off his headset and proceeds to storm out of the room. He realizes Max made a state save on the first day, though, [[SubvertedTrope so he comes back.]]]]
245	* SeinfeldianConversation: Often occurs during quieter moments of gameplay.
246	* ShoutOut: Jokes about mythology and other nerdy topics abound.
247	** The astronauts seem to love getting references to Music/REOSpeedwagon (the name, at least) into everything.
248	* ShovelStrike: In the ''Postal 2'' LP of course, with Ferr naturally bringing up a few puns for such.
249	-->'''Ferr:''' I really ''dig'' your wife! shovel strike to the head
250	* SolveTheSoupCans: Mocked exactly 8 minutes into [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rtQYVB6A1w Chapter 8-1]] of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask.]]''
251	* SoundtrackDissonance: Music/MeatLoaf's "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" being played over the moon crashing into Termina in ''Majora's Mask''.
252	** Also in ''Majora's Mask'', Music/MichaelJackson's "Thriller" being played over the horrifying alien invasion at Romani Ranch. The worst thing is, the aliens appear to be dancing in time with the music.
253	** There's also the orchestrated version of the [[Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya Mikuru-Chan]] theme played over the first boss battles in VideoGame/{{Prototype}}.
254	** Ska music was played over their Bomberman battle mode matches. Though a few of the songs (including a remix of the tetris theme) actually blended quite well with the game.
255	* SpiderSense: [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime "Why do I have the feeling that this room's gonna be a nightmare?"]]
256	* {{Squee}}: pipes!'s reaction to the ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'' [=LP=] when [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames Link did indeed bomb some dodongos]].
257	** Also in the ''Twilight Princess'' LP, Maxwell lets out one of these when [[spoiler:Link gets to pick up a puppy.]]
258	** And in ''Seaman'', all four guys let loose a "squeal of parenthood" when one of the little abominations says his first word.
259	* SuspiciousVideoGameGenerosity: In the ''Serious Sam'' LP:
260	-->'''Ferr:''' Hey, there's some powerups out in the middle of the desert. I bet we can get them and they won't be boobytrapped. In fact I'll just have my knife out when I pick these up. (Beat) Oh. See? Nothing happened. (enemies approach) Uh oh...
261	* TakeAThirdOption: For the LP of ''Franchise/MassEffect''. "Okay, so there's a lot of debate over which is the better Shepard, [[http://youtu.be/jvBDDw9rIy8?t=4m18s the ManShep or the FemShep]]. [[TheReveal Well, what if you just can't choose?]] [[{{Gonk}} What if you just want both?]]"
262	* TeethClenchedTeamwork: In ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' at least, they are occasionally forced to actually help each other survive. They usually fail spectacularly.
263	* TemptingFate:
264	** In ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', nearly any time pipes! says Luigi is doing well expect something bad to happen to him within a few seconds.
265	** Repeat after me: "Spawn another tank..."
266	* TetrisEffect: Ferr mentions when he sees an abandoned mattress in VideoGame/HalfLife2 that his first instinct was to [[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion sleep on it to regain health]].
267	* ThatOneLevel: Referenced InUniverse as Maxwell Adams puts so dryly--
268	-->''Oh. A temple. ...Everyone who's played ''Zelda'' games ''loves'' water temples.''
269	* ThatsWhatSheSaid: Triumphantly yelled by all four of them when a female Gerudo in ''Master Quest'' asks Link to 'do her a favour by going through a little hole'.
270	** Also used constantly in ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii''.
271	--->'''Maxwell:''' Every time I see [Signs that a game crashed because of him] I'm just thinking I've won.
272	* ThemeMobile: Maxwell named his helicopter in the GTA playthrough the "Tommycopter". [[Series/Batman1966 You can probably figure out what theme the other Astronauts burst into at that point.]]
273	* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: The poor Secret Service agent in ''JFK Reloaded'' - after being put down with a bullet to the ankles, he's then shot multiple times.
274	* TooDumbToLive: Maxwell turned Leon Kennedy into this during their LP of Resident Evil 4. He constantly refused to heal until Leon was nearly dead, generally resulting in Leon dying a few hundred times (and when his inventory was full of healing items, to boot.)
275	* TrashTalk: Pretty much the only reason you would ever watch the [[http://youtu.be/IDAAwX2pKXY Tetris Smackdown]] video is purely because of Pipes! magnificent bullet train of trash talk.
276	* TurnsRed: In ''Contra''...
277	-->'''pipes!:''' I like as you shoot him you make him more flamboyant.
278	* UrbanLegend: The others speculate that Maxwell has become one amongst the enemies in ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}'' -- an invisible monster that comes in the night and hurls Koreans about.
279	* ValleyGirl: The Astronauts think one came up with the name for the ''Zelda'' enemy Like-Like.
280	* VerySpecialEpisode: 1:50 to 2:45 of F-Zero GX [[http://freelanceastronauts.com/view.php?id=377 Episode 4.]] Of course, Ferr and pipes! ruin the Very Special Moment and hilariously lampshade the trope.
281	* ViewerGenderConfusion: In-universe example with [[Franchise/MassEffect Abominashep]], where even the game can't figure out what gender ''it'' is.
282	* WalkingDisasterArea: Maxwell Adams and Blueswearshoes in Online Co-Op on Saints Row 2. No matter where they go, no matter what happens, chaos and destruction follow them. Even walking into a strip club results in them getting mobbed by a gaggle of pimps. Also an attempt at shopping in a store lead to a game of toss the civilian and an ambush by cops.
283	** Ferr cannot be trusted around any kind of beverage, as a) he'll end up with the beverage on him in some fashion, b) he'll hurt himself with the can or bottle it's in, or c) both.
284	*** '''Ferr:''' I just gave myself a Gatorade money shot.
285	* WeAreStrugglingTogether: Their ''VideoGame/SeriousSam'' Let's Play. They seemed to spend equal time fighting enemies and shooting each other to bits, especially when Maxwell let them find the [[GatlingGood Chain Gun]] early.
286	-->'''Ferr:''' ''NO CHAINGUN FOR YOU!''
287	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Doomisland, a fairly regular commentator to the Majora's Mask LP, has not been in any other videos since, and besides from one off-comment joke about it by Maxwell in a later LP, has not been talked about.
288	** Referenced on the website's "About" page:
289	--->doomisland came to play Majora's Mask with us, and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. We miss him.
290	* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: on the Facebook page, by pipes!:
291	-->'''pipes!:''' I do a lot of dumb, trivial internet shit and still hang out on SA a lot. Ferr got into improv comedy and makes a lot of people laugh in real life. Evek works for a school district and is perfectly happy to dink around with computers for kids, and Maxwell is in the process of playing through every game in the Steam library.
292	* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: Ferr asks this about the airships in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''.
293	-->'''Evek:''' Decorative only.
294	* {{Wingdinglish}}: According to the ''Majora's Mask'' LP, pipes!'s screenname has also been spelt with literal [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_bar pipes (\|\|\|)]]
295	* WithLyrics: They chant "YOU GOT A THING!" to the tune of the Zelda ItemGet music.
296	* WorldOfChaos: Their use of console commands to grow and shrink various characters (among other things) turned their Oblivion playthrough into this trope.
297	* WorthIt: In the NSMBW LetsPlay, '''[[color:green:pipes]]'''! gets on a Yoshi and repeatedly attempts to swallow '''[[color:red:Maxwell]]''' and spit him into a pit. Maxwell escapes by wall-jumping to safety. Eventually pipes! just swallows him, jumps into the pit, killing him and losing the Yoshi. Cue pipes! yelling out "Ha-HA! WorthIt!"
298	* YouAllLookFamiliar: While lost in ''Majora's Mask'', Maxwell thinks that all Zoras [[note]]and their doors[[/note]] look the same. Ferr calls him out on this.
299	* YourSecretsSafeWithMeSuperman: In the ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' playthrough, "I'm the [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration William Riker]] to your Creator/PatrickStewart."
300	** They spent a good deal of the Seaman LP calling him [[Creator/LeonardNimoy "Spock"]].
301	----
302	YHEAAAAY!

Context LetsPlay / FreelanceAstronauts