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11[[quoteright:350:[[Series/DoctorWho https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/badwolf_8.png]]]]
12[[caption-width-right:350:"Everywhere we go: two words. Following us."]]
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17
18->'''Morden:''' What do you want?\
19'''Sebastian:''' Who are you?
20-->-- Repeated lines, ''Series/BabylonFive''
21
22A word or phrase that appears throughout an {{Arc}} as a {{Motif|s}}.
23
24Arc Words can be a way to hint at [[AnAesop the Aesop]] or one of the themes of a show, often in the form of a question the characters must find an answer to. Alternately, they can be used for {{Foreshadowing}}.
25
26They're often cryptic, and left unexplained until the {{Climax}} or {{Denouement}}. This builds up tension and mystery, and hints that anyone using the words knows more than they're telling. This enigmatic variant is a typical element of a MindScrew, and is sometimes used as a {{meme}}tic way of advertising the show.
27
28Arc Words need not have [[LampshadeHanging attention drawn explicitly to them]]; they often rely instead on eagle-eyed/sharp eared viewers noticing for themselves. In the "Bad Wolf" example from the first series of the revival of ''Series/DoctorWho'', the words appeared as, among other things, [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E6Dalek a helicopter's callsign]], a reference in dialogue to "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E3TheUnquietDead The Big Bad Wolf]]", a graffito, and even in other languages (the [inaccurate] German ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E10TheDoctorDances Schlechter Wolf]]'', and the Welsh ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E11BoomTown Blaidd Drwg]]'', the latter tipping off the Doctor about it).
29
30Look for these on the Internet Movie Database "memorable quotes" page for the show, with the label "repeated line".
31
32The high-browed, academic term used for this is "Leitwort" from the German for "leading" or "guiding word".
33
34When this is a number instead of a phrase, it's ArcNumber, and ArcSymbol if it's an image. Compare with DreamMelody.
35
36Arc Words are '''not''' the same thing as a RunningGag, a CharacterCatchphrase, or even just a phrase that ends up popping up a lot due to being used a lot in the plot. "[[Franchise/StarWars May the Force be with you]]" are ''not'' arc words; it's an expression and a social nicety. Arc Words also must help define the tone of their entire work, or at least the plot arc where they appear.
37----
38!!Example subpages:
39[[index]]
40* ArcWords/AnimeAndManga
41* ArcWords/ComicBooks
42* ArcWords/FanWorks
43* [[ArcWords/AnimatedFilms Films — Animation]]
44* [[ArcWords/LiveActionFilms Films — Live-Action]]
45* ArcWords/{{Literature}}
46* ArcWords/LiveActionTV
47* ArcWords/{{Music}}
48* ArcWords/VideoGames
49* ArcWords/WebComics
50* ArcWords/WesternAnimation
51[[/index]]
52
53!!Other examples:
54[[foldercontrol]]
55
56[[folder:Advertising]]
57* Every variation of the Advertising/PartnershipToEndAddiction's famous "This Is Your Brain on Drugs" contains TheStinger "Any questions?"
58** The original ad simply says "This is drugs; this is your brain on drugs. Any questions?".
59** The version starring Creator/RachaelLeighCook has her list everything heroin can destroy in one's life (starting with the brain, then the body, family, friends, money, job, self-respect, and future), ending with the question.
60** One ad in 2016 had the same set up as the original, but followed it with some actual questions kids could have about drugs, imploring parents to be ready for anything their kids may ask about drugs.
61[[/folder]]
62
63[[folder:Podcasts]]
64* The followers of the cult of the Nameless God (including the Silent One, a creature stalking the party) in ''Podcast/DarkDice'' usually reveal themselves with the phrase "''Da haf wyyc Mah?''" Infernal for "Do you seek Him?"
65* The most recurring term used in ''Podcast/KakosIndustries'', beyond the word "fuck", is "dark auras." The main character is prone to having on and off AuraVision that allows him to see Evil energy resonating as clouds of darkness around people. Though he believes it is all a case of him struggling with delusions, it might just be heredity seeing as how [[spoiler:his grandfather had a similar problem.]]
66* ''Podcast/TheStoragePapers'': "Nothing is what it seems."
67* Multiple from ''Podcast/WelcomeToNightVale'':
68** "Perfect" and "imperfect" in general, but also; "No X is perfect. It becomes perfect when you learn to accept it for what it is."
69** "The Smiling God."
70** "A dark planet, lit by no sun." Appears to be some sort of death omen.
71** "There's a blinking light up on the mountain..."
72** "The unraveling of all things."
73* People exposed to [[spoiler:or turning into]] the creatures from ''Podcast/TheWhiteVault'' often find themselves reciting a litany that begins "when you see it, it sees you too."
74[[/folder]]
75
76[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
77* The run-up to Wrestling/ChrisJericho's return to Wrestling/{{WWE}} in 2007 had the commentators and the wrestlers on-screen puzzling over mysterious interruptions to WWE's programs that prominently featured the phrases SAVE_US.222, SAVE_US.X29, and 8.2.11/SAVIOR_SELF. Most of the puzzlement happened on-screen; the fans largely figured it out fairly quickly (though there were a few alternate theories that stuck around until TheReveal, chief among them a new Hart Foundation stable led by Bret Hart's nephew Teddy), which reportedly drove WWE's creative team nuts.
78* In ''Wrestling/{{WWENXT}}'', "This is my moment!" for the feud between former #DIY tag team partners Wrestling/JohnnyGargano and Wrestling/TommasoCiampa. It's a MeaningfulEcho to their catchphrase as a tag team: "This is ''our'' moment!"
79* Wrestling/{{CHIKARA}} 2009: The buildup to the debut of Wrestling/DieBruderschaftDesKreuzes began at ''Young Lions Cup VII Night III'', August 16, 2009. There was a four-way tag team elimination match with Team F.I.S.T. (Wrestling/{{Icarus|Wrestling}} and Wrestling/GranAkuma) vs. Chiva V/Halcon Guerrero vs. [[Wrestling/TheColonyWrestling The Colony (Soldier Ant and Green Ant)]] vs. The Order of the Neo-Solar Temple (Wrestling/{{UltraMantis Black}} and [[Wrestling/HunterJohnston Delirious]]). It came down to F.I.S.T. and the Temple. A masked man in white walked to the ring and placed a box in the Temple's corner, distracting Mantis enough for Akuma to pin him. After the match, Mantis opened the box and found it contained a message reading "A War Is Coming." At the SeasonFinale ''Three-Fisted Tales'' on November 22nd, the man started his promo by saying, "I told you A War Is Coming, and I'm tired of waiting."
80[[/folder]]
81
82[[folder:Radio]]
83* The ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' audios used Arc Words for one season of their Eighth Doctor Adventures. The phrase itself was a [[IronicNurseryRhyme nursery rhyme]]:
84-->Zagreus sits inside your head, Zagreus lives among the dead, Zagreus sees you in your bed and eats you when you're sleeping.
85* ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy1978'': Life, The Universe And Everything.
86* ''Radio/JourneyIntoSpace'': In ''The Red Planet'', people who have been conditioned by the Martians often say "Orders must be obeyed without question at all times." The phrase is repeated in Episode 14 of ''The World in Peril'' in which Doc sardonically notes that he has heard it before.
87[[/folder]]
88
89[[folder:Roleplay]]
90* ''Roleplay/DestroyTheGodmodder'':
91** The term "Operator" has popped up frequently. Three major characters have the name, and another term for godmodding, or at least a technique similar to it, was revealed to be called "operating." [[spoiler: Ultimately the two surviving characters with that title (The evolved Virus and Slenderman) and the third's descendant (Build) united to ultimately aid in defeating the Godmodder once and for all during Act 5.]]
92** "Heh." The Godmodder picked that up after [=TT2000=] unleashed a horrific April Fool's prank on him. It ultimately became a Character Tic for the Godmodder, but was also used as the foreshadowing of imminent doom (i.e. the summoning of Calamity).
93* ''Roleplay/EXEAVirusContainmentGame'': In ''.EXE'', '''failure'''. Experiments #111387 and #024960 [[spoiler:(Ikei and The Virus, respectively)]] are described as "RESULT: FAILURE." The phrase "failure" in .EXE 2 acts as the Admin's BerserkButton. [[spoiler:Yui, the Progenitor, is executed with the Virus describing her as having failed it, after she labeled it as a failure when it was first created.]]
94* ''Roleplay/NanQuest'': "You are not the Anasazi." And "Thunder roars."
95[[/folder]]
96
97[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
98* ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'': "Once, there was a maiden..."
99* TabletopGame/HunterTheReckoning: '''INHERIT THE EARTH.'''
100** "[{{Koan}}]", she said.
101* ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings'' has at least two: "A man will kill his lord, the other will save him," for the Hidden Emperor {{Arc}} and "Four Winds and Void between them," for the Four Winds {{Arc}}.
102* ''TabletopGame/NewWorldOfDarkness'': "What rises may fall / What has fallen may rise again."
103* ''TabletopGame/PsionicsTheNextStageInHumanEvolution'': Shut up and keep running!
104* ''TabletopGame/UnknownArmies'': ''You did it''.
105* Ask any ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' player and chances are they'll say "Roll for [x]". Depending on what kind of player they are, the [X] might stand for [[{{Ambadassador}} Persuasion]], [[BloodKnight Initiative]] or [[KleptomaniacHero Sleight of Hand]].
106[[/folder]]
107
108[[folder:Theatre]]
109* Almost every song in 35mm: A Musical Exhibition contains the phrase "Hold still; focus," in reference to the show's origins in photography.
110* ''{{Theatre/Ainadamar}}'': The opening ballad from ''Theatre/MarianaPineda'' is sung by the chorus several points throughout the opera
111--> "¡Ay, qué día tan triste en Granada, / que a las piedras hacía llorar / al ver que Marianita se muere / en cadalso por no declarar! / ¡...las campanas doblar y doblar!" [[labelnote:Translation]] "What a sad day it was in Granada, / the stones began to cry / seeing Mariana die / because they could not make her speak! / ...the bells tolled and tolled!"[[/labelnote]]
112* In ''Theatre/{{Anastasia}}'', the Dowager Empress's description of Anastasia: "My favorite. Strong, not afraid of anything."
113* ''Theatre/{{Beetlejuice}}''
114** "Daylight come and me wanna go home" (a lyric from Music/HarryBelafonte's "Banana Boat Song") comes up a lot; among other things, it's both the first and last line in the show. "Home" also appears by itself, and [[CentralTheme the concept motivates all of the major characters to various degrees]].
115** "Invisible" also recurs, referring to both how ghosts are literally invisible to normal people, and how Lydia feels due to everyone else trying to move on from her mother's death while she's still not done grieving.
116* "Nothing" and "something" in ''Theatre/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory''.
117* ''Theatre/ComeFromAway'' has both "Wherever we are" and the answering "You are here"/ "I am here", popping up in multiple of the musical's songs as the Newfoundland residents try to comfort the "Plane People" stranded by the 9/11 attacks, and as the "Plane People" grapple with the fear and uncertainty of their situation.
118* ''Theatre/DearEvanHansen'' has the title phrase, as well as "When you're falling in a forest".
119* In ''Theatre/{{Eurydice}}'', Eurydice is fascinated by "interesting" things and people, and the lord of the underworld exploits this to tempt her away. The usage of the word frequently means trouble.
120* ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'' has a number of words and phrases repeated throughout the show.
121** Many phrases used by and about Alexander are double meanings which {{foreshadow|ing}} his fatal duel with Aaron Burr. He insists on "not throwing away my shot", as in opportunity. Other characters question why he works as though he's "running out of time." And more than once people say that he'll never be "satisfied" because he's so ambitious.
122** "Wait" for ambition. "Just you wait" is sung by Hamilton, while "wait for it" is Burr's credo.
123** "Enough" represents Eliza's contentment with life [[spoiler:which changes as Hamilton's death finally spurns her into action to preserve his legacy]].
124** Counting up to ten is directly associated with dueling--that it's sung by Alexander's son in a childhood exercise is significant.
125** Moving from one segment of the show to the next always has Burr singing "how does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore" in reference to Alexander.
126** "History has its eyes on you", first sung by Washington and repeated by others in reference to legacy.
127* ''Heaven By Storm'' (a stage show by Creator/TheUmbilicalBrothers) has the phrases "there can be only one" and "gimme 20 cents".
128* ''Theatre/IntoTheWoods''
129** Count the number of times they say "children", "giant(s)", "witch(es)", "wish(es)", "wolves", "spell(s)", "right", "wood(s) and "wrong" just in a generic context.
130** "I wish" is always sung the exact same way, with the same two notes.
131** The words "nice" and "good" -- particularly in lines sung by Cinderella and Little Red.
132* ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar'': "Beware the Ides of March..." Guess what happens to Caesar on that day.
133* Korczak's Children: A play the orphanage children are putting on comes up numerous times, with Doctor Korczak asking people what they think it means, always using the words "What is it about?"
134* ''Theatre/LesMiserables''
135** "Look down” first refers to oppression ("don't look 'em in the eye!"). It later becomes a plea for some charity to the underprivileged. Jean Valjean then says these words to Javert when he is trying to help Marius. Finally, the spirit says these words as a plea to God as Jean Valjean is dying.
136** "Night" refers to the darkness of the human soul and to death. Eponine is the only one who likes night because its the only time she can rest from her dreadful life to fantasize about Marius.
137** “Tomorrow" is the ultimate goal of a better life and future for all the characters.
138* ''Theatre/{{Matilda}}'': "(My mummy says I'm a) Miracle", "That's not right", "(A little bit) Naughty", "This little girl", and "Revolt(ing)".
139* ''Theatre/MerrilyWeRollAlong'' gives us a strange example in that, since the show is told Main/BackToFront, we first see the words' climax, and then we're shown where they came from and what they mean. Most notably:
140** "Here's to us. Who's like us?" "Damn few."
141** "Old friends."
142** And the whole title song, in a sense, considering it's repeated throughout the show between scenes. Particularly, "How does it happen?" and "Rolling along."
143* Eric Overmyer's ''Theatre/OnTheVerge'': "Vaya con dios!"
144* ''Theatre/{{Oslo}}'': Throughout the clandestine process of negotiating the Oslo Accords and the efforts to bring relief to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Norwegian diplomats Mona Juul and her husband, social scientist Terje Rød-Larsen, are forced to remind participants that the goal of the Accords is greater than any one man's contribution with the words "it's not about you."
145** Said by Terje to Yair Hirschfeld, when Uri Savir has taken over the role of chief delegate from Israel in the negotiation process. Yair and his colleague Ron Pundak both feel like Uri has minimized their contributions to the peace talks and demeaned them by kicking them out of the meetings, but Terje reminds them that the goal of the peace talks is much more important than any one man's ego.
146** Said by Mona to Terje when he's upset that they won't be recognized for their facilitation of the peace talks, or even be invited to the banquet after Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and and Palestinian Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat sign the Accords. Mona tells him it's enough to stand in the background and watch it happen — again, the Accords are more important than any one man's ego.
147* ''Theatre/{{Pippin}}'': "Rivers belong where they can ramble. Eagles belong where they can fly."
148* ''Theatre/{{Ragtime}}'': References to ragtime music. Doubles as a TitleDrop.
149* ''Theatre/{{RENT}}'': "I should tell you" for Mimi and Roger's relationship.
150* ''Theatre/RosencrantzAndGuildensternAreDead''. The titular duo always answer with "We were sent for" every time someone asks why they are in Denmark. The phrase also symbolizes the very of idea of existence.
151* ''Theatre/{{Seussical}}'': "Alone in the universe."
152* "A big, bright beautiful world" in ''Theatre/ShrekTheMusical''.
153* "And the boy/girl falls from the sky" in ''Theatre/SpiderManTurnOffTheDark''.
154* ''Theatre/TanzDerVampire'': "Sei bereit!" ("Be prepared!")
155* ''Literature/TheSecretGarden'': "Come spirit, come charm." "Come to my garden."
156* In the [[{{Absurdism}} absurdist play]] ''Theatre/WaitingForGodot'', by Samuel Beckett, the following snippet of dialogue recurs, almost as a refrain (and to punctuate the various ways the two find to pass the time):
157-->'''Gogo''': Let's go.\
158'''Didi''': We can't.\
159'''Gogo''': Why not?\
160'''Didi''': We're waiting for Godot.
161** Or:
162--->'''Gogo''': Let's go.\
163'''Didi''': Yes, let's go.\
164'''They do not move.'''
165* ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}:''
166** Replete with them. "I'm/We're/You're unlimited" stands out. "You deserve each other" is also used quite frequently. Also, "a celebration throughout Oz / That's all to do with (me/you)."
167** The words "wicked" and "good" themselves.
168[[/folder]]
169
170[[folder:Toys]]
171* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'':
172** [[BadassCreed Unity. Duty. Destiny.]]
173** Ignition
174[[/folder]]
175
176[[folder:Visual Novels]]
177* ''Franchise/AceAttorney''
178** Any variation on "seven years ago" in ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney''. Lampshaded in game: "Seven years... That phrase sure likes to pop up, doesn't it..."
179** It pops up again in ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies Dual Destinies]]'', along with "The Dark Age of the Law" and [[spoiler:"a third party"]].
180** Likewise, DL-6 or "fifteen years ago" in [[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney the original]], or any mention of [[spoiler:Edgeworth]] in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyJusticeForAll''.
181*** Really, the phrase "X years ago"(or for more recent events, "X months ago") comes up so often in Ace Attorney that it's almost surprising to come across a case that ''doesn't'' use it. Almost every game has at least one plot-relevant event that is referred to in terms of how many years before the game it took place.
182** SL-9 takes this role in the first game's DS bonus case, Rise from the Ashes.
183** "The only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over" from [[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTrialsAndTribulations the third game]].
184** "Proof of our friendship" from the third case of ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies''.
185** The final case of ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice'' has "A dragon never yields!"
186** The DLC case of ''Spirit of Justice'' has references to time travel. Ellen claims that her pendant caused her to travel back in time from when she was nearly murdered on her wedding day to just before the reception. Sorin's anterograde amnesia causes him to travel back in time to just after the accident in which he lost his sister. The true culprit, [[spoiler:Sprocket family butler Pierce Nichody]] is also described as a "time traveler" stuck in the past.
187** A series wide one is "The worst of times are when lawyers have to force their biggest smiles."
188* ''VisualNovel/{{Aquarium}}'': "Broken bonds can always be mended." is mentioned several times in reference to Aqua and Theo's complicated relationship.
189* ''{{Franchise/Danganronpa}}'':
190** Across the first and second games, [[spoiler:"the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in all of human history"]].
191** ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'': "Despair", and also "hope".
192** ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' has "future" in addition to the other two.
193** ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony:
194*** "Truth" and "Lies".
195*** [[spoiler: It also has the Gopher Project, and the Ultimate Hunt.]]
196*** [[spoiler: During chapter 5, it tries to pull a switch to the arc words of the older series. It feels forced though, and for good reason.]]
197* ''VisualNovel/TheDevilOnGString'' has "Oh come, lovely child! Oh come thou with me! For many a game will I play there with thee!", from ''Literature/TheErlKing'' by Creator/JohannWolfgangVonGoethe.
198* ''VisualNovel/DokiDokiLiteratureClub'':
199** "Monika" and "Just Monika" get said as full sentences throughout the game. Their significance is revealed in the third act.
200** "Can you hear me?" is repeated several times throughout the game, usually whenever Monika speaks directly to the player.
201* ''VisualNovel/{{Ever17}}'': "This story is not an end yet. Because only you are in the infinity loop."
202** "Infinity loop" is pretty much the arc phrase of the whole Infinity series.
203** ''VisualNovel/Remember11'': "Where is Self"
204* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight:'' "I am the bone of my sword/My body is made of swords."
205** To a lesser extent, "hill of swords".
206* ''VisualNovel/FleuretBlanc'' has "We are, each of us, a collection of mistakes." It's engraved above the statues in the foyer (and is thus seen at the end of every day), and characters will sometimes echo it. Metatextually, it ties into the CentralTheme of materialism and possession; textually, it is implied to be [[spoiler:the motto of the White family, who were the original owners of the Chateau]].
207* ''VisualNovel/LittleBusters'': "Do you know the secret of this world?"
208* In ''VisualNovel/PiofioreFatedMemories'', in Dante's route, "Key Maiden" comes up often and it seems to revolve around the protagonist Lili. [[spoiler: It refers to how Lili was chosen by the church to act as part of a seal to guard the secret relic.]]
209* In ''VisualNovel/ShikkokuNoSharnoth'' several phrases and questions are repeated, including the most common 'Have you given up yet?' and 'And thus I deny tomorrow.'
210* Spoofed in ''VisualNovel/SteinsGate'', wherein Okabe Rintarou constantly attributes unusual and serendipitous occurrences to the decisions of a mysterious entity called the Steins Gate. What is this Steins Gate? Just a nonsense term Okabe made up [[InvokedTrope because it sounds cryptically meaningful]]. [[spoiler:At the end of the series, the Steins Gate is revealed to be a world line that lies outside of any [[RubberBandHistory Attractor Fields]] and thus has no predestined outcome... [[SubvertedTrope and is only called Steins Gate because Okabe named it]].]]
211* ''Franchise/WhenTheyCry'':
212** ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' has "I'm sorry" and "USO DA!" ("THAT'S A LIE!"), both quite common phrases in themselves, but both clear indicators that things are about to get worse.
213** ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'': "Without love, it cannot be seen." [[spoiler:or "Without love, the truth cannot be seen."]] Also appears in different variations in both anime and game openings.
214** ''VisualNovel/CiconiaWhenTheyCry'': "All is in the name of guiding Humanity down the right path." which appears to be the motto of various [[SecretCircleOfSecrets Chirvalic Orders]], particularly the one helmed by [[TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness The Three Kings]]. [[KudzuPlot Confusingly,]] it's unclear if everyone who uses the phrase actually agrees on what the "right path" even ''is''.
215** The first two share the phrase "You who have read this. Please find out the truth. That's my only wish." It remains to be seen if Ciconia will include the phrase too.
216* The ''VisualNovel/ZeroEscape'' games all have "Seek a way out!", the words that always appear before starting a RoomEscapeGame puzzle and the overarching goal of the series to find a way to escape the setting and have [[EverybodyLives everyone live]].
217** ''VisualNovel/ZeroTimeDilemma'' also has the phrases "Time to decide!" and "Life is simply unfair".
218[[/folder]]
219
220[[folder:Web Animation]]
221* ''WebAnimation/BravestWarriors'': "Never doubt the Worm" for Season 2.
222* ''WebAnimation/BrokenSaints'' has a great many, most notably [[{{Tagline}} "What would you give to know the truth?"]] "This was not meant for me!" the LEAR/SPEC/SILO [[SignificantAnagram anagram]], and anything printed on the Vagrant's board.
223* ''WebAnimation/DiamondInTheRoughTouhou'':
224** "Exisential threats must be eliminated by any means necessary."
225** Also, "I will be different."
226* ''WebAnimation/EmesisBlue'' has two, doubling as a ShoutOut to ''[[Literature/SkeletonCrew The Jaunt]]'': "It's eternity in there" and "Longer than you think."
227* ''WebAnimation/FalloutLoreTheStoryteller'': "But that is a story for another day..."
228* Two of note for ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbwp4PbWYzw&ab_channel=RationalAnimations The Goddess Of Everything Else]]'':
229** [[GodOfEvil The Goddess of Cancer:]] "KILL! CONSUME! MULTIPLY! CONQUER!"
230** [[GodOfGood The Goddess of Everything Else:]] "I am the Goddess of Everything Else, and my powers are devious and subtle."
231* Several Strong Bad Emails in a row in ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' featured the words "DNA evidence," which later turned out to lead to a cartoon of the same name, where the seemingly out-of-context utterances were explained. (The last email to feature these words only did this in an EasterEgg, which involved Homestar wearily saying these words after a long silence, as if he was obliged to continue the gag.)
232* In ''WebAnimation/LlamasWithHats'', "You must finish your work, Carl." [[spoiler:That means [[DrivenToSuicide Carl himself]].]]
233* ''WebAnimation/MadnessCombat'' has every episode beginning with the words "Somewhere in Nevada..."
234* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue:'' ''"You ever wonder why we're here?"''
235** [[BrickJoke "It's one of life's great mysteries, isn't it?"]]
236*** Amusingly, what makes "You ever wonder why we're here?" such a '''masterful''' example of this trope is that it originally ''wasn't intended to be one.'' Throughout ''The Blood Gulch Chronicles'', any instances of it were just supposed to be {{Call Back}}s to the first episode. In later seasons, it crops up a few more times as a simultaneous RunningGag and ArcWords, with Sarge even using it to great effect at the end of the ''Recollection'' trilogy as part of his RousingSpeech to the other Reds and Blues.
237** PlayedForLaughs with "Son of a bitch!", which is usually said by a character before they die, get seriously injured or almost die.
238** "Memory is the key," from ''Reconstruction'' onwards.
239*** Also from ''Reconstruction'' onward (and mostly when referring to [[GreaterScopeVillain the Director]] [[MadScientist of Project Freelancer]]), there's "[[WellIntentionedExtremist When faced with extinction]], ''[[GodzillaThreshold any]]'' [[GodzillaThreshold alternative is preferable]]."
240** Starting with ''The Project Freelancer Saga'', there's [[NeverGotToSayGoodbye "Don't say goodbye. I hate goodbyes."]]
241** [[invoked]] ''The Chorus Trilogy'' uses the phrases "You just have to try" and [[ArmorPiercingQuestion "What do you fight for?"]] to great effect. WordOfGod has even stated that the latter phrase is ultimately "just a twist on" the series' overall ArcWords of "You ever wonder why we're here?".
242** Season 15 has "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction." They're the first words spoken in Episode 1, and they're spoken again when [[spoiler: Dylan Andrews learns of the planet-destroying power the Blues and Reds' time machine-laser drill has.]]
243** As befitting a story arc based around time travel, both ''The Shisno Paradox'' and ''Singularity'' have [[TemporalParadox "paradox."]]
244* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'':
245** There is a lot of use in both the show and songs of words that bring to mind the idea of light, especially light against darkness. There are Academy names like "Beacon" and "Signal", descriptions of humanity as a light against the darkness, and references to "sparks" or "burn" regarding the fire of humanity to fight for survival. By contrast, the main threat to humanity's existence (the Creatures of Grimm) are described in terms of darkness and shadow, and the villains take on these aspects as well. The only reference to light and darkness that is turned on its head is Vacuo's academy, Shade. Based in a desert, Shade is the symbol of hope and life against the unrelenting, destructive desert sun.
246** Volume 3 focuses on the concept of "fall". The intro song is called "When It Falls", {{The Heavy}}'s name is Cinder Fall, the Volume itself takes place during the fall season, the song "I May Fall" plays during a battle, and the episode in which the villains really get the upper hand and the plot takes a noticeable turn towards darkness is called "Fall". [[spoiler:Pyrrha is selected to become the next Fall Maiden and the volume ends with the fall of both Beacon and Pyrrha, at the hands of Cinder.]]
247** Volume 7 focuses on the two concepts of "trust" and "fear". The intro song is called "Trust Love" and the massive conflict for most of the volume revolves around characters struggling to know who they should trust and being afraid of making the wrong decisions; Ruby distrusts Ironwood because she fears how badly he'd react to the truth while Ruby's team-mates fear their decision to hide the truth from Ironwood is the wrong one and makes them like Ozpin, whose secrets they criticised in Volume 6. Ironwood and Ace-Ops place a lot of trust in Team RWBY and Oscar's potential as Ozpin's heir while also arguing with them over the concepts of loyalty. Meanwhile, everyone's afraid of how best to handle Mantle's situation, repeatedly questioning their own and others' decisions out fear that the wrong choices are being made. [[spoiler: The final episode is called "The Enemy of Trust", closing off a volume where fear finally overwhelms the trust and alliances between the heroes, driving them to make choices that turn them against each other. The volume's closing song is called "Fear", with lyrics based on a speech Oscar remembers Ozpin once making about how people underestimate the power of fear and how much it can change a person who is acting under its influence.]]
248** Volume 8's arc word is "risk", beginning with the opening song focusing on the concept. Throughout the Volume, various heroes and villains struggle with the riskiness of their actions, with some becoming paralysed with fear of taking risks and others recklessly taking on too much risk. Ultimately, the heroes learn the lesson of both Volumes 7 and 8 to conclude "trust is a risk", whereupon they're able to use risk as a method of balancing trust and fear to find a solution to a seemingly impossible problem.
249** Volume 9 continuously asks the question, "What are you?" [[spoiler:The fantastical residents of the Ever After define themselves by the roles and duties they play in life, to the point that they do not have names until they find their purpose. They always ask what Team RWBY are, forcing the girls to examine their lives up to that point and what they've achieved. Who and what are they at the end of the day? Ruby struggles with this answer the most, as the weight of her failures in volume 8 dog her every step.]]
250[[/folder]]
251
252[[folder:Web Original]]
253* ''Literature/IlivaisX'': "Why do you fight? Why do you exist?" More prevalent but not as unanswered is "Where are we going?"
254* ''Website/MultiversesWiki'' has "Hail Tiamat" and "R'LYEH".
255* The Website/SCPFoundation has a variety of arc words, some of which only apply to specific SCP objects, others that only apply to a group of objects, a "Group of Interest" or the Foundation as a whole.
256** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1782 There's a hole in the wall in the bottom of the floor.]]
257** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-026 The children used to sing.]]
258** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1981 Now there you go again!]]
259** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1730 What happened to Site-13?]]
260** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1591 The stars are beautiful tonight.]] (Crossing over to Website/TheWanderersLibrary below)
261** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-2316 You do not recognize the bodies in the water.]]
262** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-6500 I will not fade.]]
263* Montauk.
264** Can't fit round pegs in square holes.
265** Are we cool yet?.
266** Does the black moon howl? [[note]] And variations thereof, including "When" and "Why does the black moon howl?". Got an explanation in [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-4002 scp-4002]] [[/note]]
267** "Thaumiel"
268** "We die in the darkness so you can live in the light"
269* Website/TVTropes: Website/ThisVeryWiki. And some more [[JustForFun/{{Egregious}} egregious]] examples on it as well.
270* ''Website/TheWanderersLibrary'' has frequent mention of stars in the Elrich setting ("The stars look beautiful tonight."), which crosses over back to an SCP on Website/SCPFoundation. (See above.)
271* "I believe in Harvey Dent", Harvey's campaign slogan, recurs throughout ''ARG/WhySoSerious'' both during his campaign and through some of the Joker's messages to his followers.
272[[/folder]]
273
274[[folder:Web Video]]
275* ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'':
276** For its major villains: "He's coming for you!" for [[spoiler:Mechakara]], "All he sees, he conquers" for [[spoiler:Lord Vyce]], and "A piece of the world is missing" for [[spoiler:The Entity[=/=][=MissingNo=]]].
277** The ''Ghost of the Machine'' story arc had "Are you afraid?" as its arc words.
278** The "Sleepwalker" had the arc words, "Sleepwalk through eternity."
279* ''WebVideo/BenDrowned'':
280** "You shouldn't have done that."
281** Also "You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?" and the title itself, "BEN DROWNED" (which appears as the names of the save files on the haunted cartridge).
282* In the sci-fi [[AlternateRealityGame ARG]] ''Dad'', the phrase "Obey the Server" appears numerous times, and takes on more of a sinister meaning as the story unfolds.
283* In ''WebVideo/DaisyBrown'', "hateful thoughts" tends to come up in this series often, usually in reference to Daisy dealing with intense negative emotions. Alan even lampshades it when [[HostileShowTakeover he takes over Daisy's twitter]], as he responds to a fan's tweet using the word "hateful" with "huh, not the first time I've heard that word today."
284* ''WebVideo/DreamSMP'':
285** In every war L'Manburg endured, there was always someone who would betray the nation. Whenever this happens, the traitor, along with doing a salute, utters the phrase "It was never meant to be". So far, this has happened three times -- [[spoiler:[[RebelliousRebel Eret]] after betraying the L'Manbergian Rebellion in the Final Control Room, [[WellIntentionedExtremist Wilbur]] before blowing up L'Manberg in the Manburg-Pogtopia War, and [[DespairEventHorizon Niki]] after burning [[MonumentalDamage the]] [[BurningTheFlag L']][[SymbolicallyBrokenObject Man]][[MourningAnObject tree]] during the Doomsday War.]]
286** "Are we the bad guys?" Said by [[FallenHero Wilbur Soot]], being the central question as to whether or not L'Manburg can be saved from Schlatt's tyrannical grip.
287** "Me and you, versus Dream." Said by Tommy to anyone within his alliance, stemming from seeking to defeat Dream to reach his goals.
288** Throughout its spin-off ''Tales From the SMP'', [[GeniusLoci the Inbetween]] tells Karl "Don't stray from the path" and "Fear not. This is [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial not a place to provoke harm]], but a place to feel at ease" [[spoiler:until he breaks free of its [[{{Gaslighting}} manipulation]]]].
289* And in ''WebVideo/EverymanHYBRID'', we have HABIT.
290-->''The good doctor is not so lucky as to be dead, just dealing with some old habits.''
291* ''WebVideo/EconomyWatch'': Coin, money, economy and eternally.
292* ''WebVideo/ImAMarvelAndImADC'' has "[[TimeForPlanB Plan Q blows]]."
293* ''WebVideo/MarbleHornets'' has "The Ark", the importance of which still remains unknown.
294-->''From the start, this was a game for us. Not anymore. I'm coming for you. And you will lead me... to the ark.''
295* ''WebVideo/NightwingTheSeries'': "It's who we are...it's what we do."
296* From WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick's Dark Nella Saga: "Embrace your inner fangirl". {{Squee}} over pretty boys and musicals is what manages to bring the old Nella back.
297* In WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's reboot, "illusion". This comes into play in Matrix Month, where Chester reveals Critic has "ruining" RealityWarper powers left over from the PlotHole.
298* The educational Website/YouTube series ''WebVideo/PBSSpaceTime'' ends the main script of almost every episode (excluding comment responses and talking about sponsors, which come after) with the word "spacetime". At the start, it was just a mundane self-reference, but at some point, it seems the writers started deliberately crafting the last sentence to put that word there, occasionally stretching a bit to achieve it. [[ParodiedTrope Parodied]] in the episode "Supersymmetric Particle Found?". They previously explain how supersymmetric particles are named for their ordinary counterparts by prefixing an "s" (e.g., "selectron", "squark", "stau neutrino", etc.). So this time, they end with "space-stime".
299* WebVideo/ProZD's King Dragon series has "You'll never save Prince Horace. I, [insert villain] will strike you down!", which is said several times by King Dragon and at least once by Ice Dragon.
300* ''WebVideo/TheTownThatNeverExisted'' has "PRAY TO YOUR GODS".
301* In fellow ''Slenderman'' series ''WebVideo/TribeTwelve'', there has been quite a bit of unexplained recurring ''visual'' themes -- beyond Slendy himself, of course. And recently, with the introduction of [[spoiler:The Order]], there are a great number of enigmatic phrases being tossed out in a shockingly direct manner.
302-->''Is he what they say in the ancient texts? Is he truly a god? Have you ever seen someone pass through to the Fourth World? Have you ever seen someone pass on in glorious exhaltation?''
303* From ''WebVideo/WormtoothNation'': "The sky is infinite."
304* [[WebVideo/RadioDeadAir WTFIWWY]]: Combined with ARareSentence, many of the arch words and phrases have something to do with recurring issues that pop up in their news of the weird and dumb criminal stories. Such as:
305** Poop is not a plan
306** Guns are not a remote control for life
307** 911 is not customer service
308** Don't record your crimes
309** No one wants to see your dick
310** The old drugs still work
311** [[AssShove Your butt is not a bag of holding]]
312[[/folder]]
313
314[[folder:Real Life]]
315* Illusionists and mentalists like Derren Brown will often use ''subconscious'' arc words in their illusions; in one example, Brown uses phony news reports, confidence-building mental trickery and conveniently-placed advertisements to convince his subject to do the unthinkable and ''rob an armored car'' (albiet a phony armored car, staffed with actors).
316[[/folder]]
317----
318[[JustForFun/TVTropesWillRuinYourLife "Will Ruin Your Life."]] What does that mean?

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