| 1 | ->''"Well, after terrorists, mad scientists, ninjas, and a completely unnecessary trip to the troposphere, Europe's looking better everyday."'' |
| 2 | -->--'''Dr. Shelton''', succinctly summing up the first RP. |
| 3 | |
| 4 | It's 2008, in the lonely deserts of Nevada. A team of [[WesternTerrorists desert-based]] terrorists invade a remote government research station, hoping to steal some [[MinovskyPhysics supplies]] for a [[CoolGate secret project]]. They cut off communications, barricade the exits, and start clearing the base. |
| 5 | |
| 6 | Unfortunately, the base just happens to be staffed completely by badasses. |
| 7 | |
| 8 | ''Darwin's Soldiers'' is an online ScienceFiction/[[UsefulNotes/FurryFandom Furry]] RP trilogy set primarily in Pelvanida Base, Nevada. Most of the story is written on the [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?act=idx Gang of Five]] forum, with a few unfinished [=RPs=] on [[http://forums.furtopia.org/ Furtopia]]. Other than the [=RPs=], GOF user [=LettuceBacon=]&Tomato has written numerous [[ExpandedUniverse tie-in stories]] that are also considered canon. |
| 9 | |
| 10 | The Darwin's Soldiers universe includes: |
| 11 | |
| 12 | * [[http://forums.furtopia.org/index.php?action=printpage;topic=33419.0 Darwin's Soldiers (Furtopia)]] - the first attempt at a Darwin's Soldiers RP. Chronicles a terrorist attack on Pelvanida Base, and how the scientists [[LaResistance fight back]]. [[OrphanedSeries Never finished]], and canonically considered the [[AlternateUniverse Anti-Matter universe]].[[note]]The story ''Ground One'' provides a sort of resolution.[[/note]] |
| 13 | * [[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=4135.0 Darwin's Soldiers (Gang of Five)]] - After the failure of the first RP, the creator Serris reposted the same concept on another forum. This one took off. |
| 14 | * [[http://forums.furtopia.org/index.php?action=printpage;topic=34492.0 Darwin's Soldiers (rebooted)]] - an attempt to reboot the RP on Furtopia, but like its predecessor ended up dwindling and dying. Featured several differences from the original, notably [[{{Expy}} expies]] for Dragonstorm and Dr. Shelton, and babyfur elements. For this reason, its creator dislikes it, and it's considered [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canon]]. |
| 15 | * [[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=5158.0 Survival of the Fittest]] - The sequel to the Gang of Five RP. Set shortly after the events of the first RP, it tells the story of the surviving scientists breaking back into Pelvanida to stop an illegal underground project called [[PlayingWithSyringes Dragonstorm]]. |
| 16 | * [[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=7064.0 Disruptive Selection]] - The third RP. The scientists learn about more Dragonstorm locations and search the West Coast to eliminate the remainders of the project. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | Note that when this TV Tropes article refers to the first, second, or third [=RPs=], it's talking about the Gang Of Five ones. The other two are commonly referred to as "The Furtopia RP" or "The rebooted/second Furtopia RP''. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | In addition, tie in stories include: |
| 21 | |
| 22 | [[folder:Show/Hide]] |
| 23 | * ''[[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=4635.msg136716#msg136716 Card of Ten]]'' - Written by [=LettuceBacon=]&Tomato before there was even talk of a second RP, ''Card of Ten'' was one of Serris' motivations to start ''Survival of the Fittest''. Set immediately after the first RP, it tells of a team of scientists who travel through the [[CoolGate Einstein-Rosen Bridge]] to another universe and become trapped, and try to find a way home. |
| 24 | * ''[[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=6091.msg208034#msg208034 Schrodinger's Prisoners]]'' - Written by [=LettuceBacon=]&Tomato. Set before the first RP, it tells the story of LB&T's character Dr. Shelton as he test runs a [[InsideAComputerSystem virtual reality machine]] which turns out to have malicious programming. |
| 25 | * ''[[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=6279.msg212896#msg212896 Pavlov's Checkmate]]'' - Written by [=LettuceBacon=]&Tomato. Set after the third RP, and tells the story of how the survivors from ''Card of Ten'' met up with the survivors from ''Disruptive Selection''. |
| 26 | * ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6686 Darwin's Soldiers drabbles]]'' - a scattering of short stories written by Serris that take place in the ''Darwin's Soldiers'' universe, of varying canon. [[CrackFic One of them]] is a ''Darwin's Soldiers''/''WesternAnimation/TheLandBeforeTime'' crossover. |
| 27 | * ''[[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=6721.msg228513#msg228513 Nietzsche's Soldiers:Will to Power]]'' - Written by [=LettuceBacon=]&Tomato. Set between the second and third [=RPs=], tells the story of Drs. Shelton and Kerzach [[TheMole undercover]] in the Dragonstorm ranks. |
| 28 | * ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7514 Fool's Gold]]'' - Written by Serris. Details Dr. Kerzach's career at a Dragonstorm refinery and what he finds there. |
| 29 | * ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=8041 Aftermath]]'' - A one-off written by [=StarfallRaptor=] detailing the fates of his characters. |
| 30 | * ''[[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=7953.msg269898#msg269898 Ship of State]]'' - Written by [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=]. A sequel to ''Card of Ten'', detailing what happens to Hans and Werner, who were left behind in the original story. |
| 31 | * ''[[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=7954.msg269899#msg269899 Nietzsche's Soldiers 2]]'' - Written by [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=]. Follows a team of Dragonstorm commandos sent to Alaska to see why Dragonstorm's energy provider stopped sending shipments. |
| 32 | * ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=8316 New Divide]]'' - Written by [=MrDrake=]. It details Hailey's time in Trinity Facility and delves into the backstory of who Old Mother Hubbard is. |
| 33 | * ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=8710 Zero Hour]]'' - Written by [=MrDrake=]. Follows the lives of Viper and Zara, two Dragonstorm experiments based in New York City. |
| 34 | * ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=9842 Gamer]]'' - Written by [=MrDrake=]. A prequel story where Hailey gets trapped in a virtual reality machine by a rival. |
| 35 | ** ''[[https://aabicus.itch.io/gamer-2 Gamer 2]]'', an 8-bit pixel platformer that finishes the story from ''Gamer'', made by [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=]. |
| 36 | * ''[[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=9600.msg315749#msg315749 Nietzsche's Soldiers 3: Super Men]]'' - Written by [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=]. Chronicles the founding of Dragonstorm as a club in the fictional University of California Three Rivers ([=UC3R=]). |
| 37 | * ''[[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=9601.msg315750#msg315750 Ground One]]'' - [=Written by LettuceBacon&Tomato=]. Another sequel to ''Card of Ten,'' following the teammates left behind in the anti-matter universe. |
| 38 | * ''[[http://darwinssoldiers.com/2013/10/23/chasing-seconds-is-out/ Chasing Seconds]]'', a six-episode miniseries written by [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=] to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the first roleplay. Takes place roughly twenty years after ''Disruptive Selection'' and follows the children of several major ''Darwin's Soldiers'' characters. |
| 39 | * ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=13101 Kinsey's Mimic]]'' - Written by Serris. Taking place after the first RP, it follows Sharon Varma as she encounters Dragonstorm personnel she had thought to be jailed. |
| 40 | * ''[[http://darwinssoldiers.com/2014/05/17/new-story/ Byte Me]]'', written by [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=]. Covers ROSS' first moments of freedom, the thirty minutes after his escape from Drake Cybernetics before he reappears in ''Disruptive Selection''. |
| 41 | * ''[[http://darwinssoldiers.com/2016/01/16/find-the-cure-released/ Find the Cure!]]'', a text-based adventure game written by [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=]. |
| 42 | * ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=16042 The Disease]]'', written by f22 "raptor" ace. Covers Hans and Werner's life with the former terrorists after the end of the third roleplay. |
| 43 | * ''[[http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16212.0 Next of Kin]]'', written by [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=]. Set on the space colony founded at the end of ''Ship of State'', and stars Werner's daughter traveling to Earth seeking the cure to a disease threatening the lives of her parents. |
| 44 | [[/folder]] |
| 45 | |
| 46 | Both Serris, [=LB&T=], and several of the other writers are tropers, which might explain the [[JustForFun/TropeOverdosed prevalence of tropes]], sometimes even invoked by name. |
| 47 | |
| 48 | Since it's a role-play, it fittingly has a [[Characters/DarwinsSoldiers character sheet]]. Go here for the [[http://darwinssoldiers.wikia.com/wiki/Darwin%27s_Soldiers_Wiki wiki]], which has over 700 articles. Go [[ShoutOut/DarwinsSoldiers here]] if you'd like to read through some of the [[NameDrop many]], [[ReferenceOverdosed many]] shout outs to various other franchises. |
| 49 | |
| 50 | See also ''VideoGame/FindTheCure'' and ''VideoGame/Gamer2'', video games set in the universe. |
| 51 | ---- |
| 52 | !!Tropes Common To the Series |
| 53 | |
| 54 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 55 | [[folder:Tropes A-D]] |
| 56 | * AbsurdlySharpBlade: In the third RP, a Dragonstorm assassin slices through ''an armored SUV'' with one swing of his [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana]]. |
| 57 | * AccidentalMisnaming: In the first RP, Kagetora mistakenly refers to Victor Summers as [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9032314 Vincent]]. Vic politely corrects him. |
| 58 | * ASimplePlan: In the third RP, Shelton's intimately detailed plan on how to infiltrate Lab 101 and maximize their chances of success falls apart really, really quickly. They [[DespiteThePlan still succeed in destroying the lab]]. |
| 59 | * AchillesHeel: The [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9035576 back of the neck]], for Dragonstorm experiments. |
| 60 | * ActionGirl: Aisha, Dr. Joe, Snow...pretty much all of the female characters. Except Seska. |
| 61 | * ActionSurvivor: The surviving scientists from the first RP. After that, they willingly bring pretty much everything upon them. |
| 62 | * AdvancingWallOfDoom: In ''Schrodinger's Prisoners'', Dr. Tinner included in his machine a [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6336&view=findpost&p=9125726 plane of green light]] which could come out of the walls and [[RailRoading force the players to go where he wanted them to]]. |
| 63 | * AerithAndBob: Characters with names like Neku or Dr. James Zanasiu interact with people like Dr. Josephine Stephenson and Dr. Rudyard Shelton. |
| 64 | * AfterTheEnd: ''Card of Ten'' takes place in a post-apocalyptic antimatter universe. ''Ship of State'' is this for planet Gaman. |
| 65 | * AHandfulForAnEye: When Shelton escapes from the guards outside the Texas Base, he throws sand at one of the guards and runs to the SUV waiting for him. |
| 66 | * AirVentPassageway: |
| 67 | ** [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6336&view=findpost&p=9126190 Played straight]] with Shelton and Ridgeway in ''Schrodinger's Prisoners'', but subverted in the second RP when Hans suggests this as a way to get into Pelvanida and James points out how that wouldn't work. |
| 68 | ** Nixx uses one in the 3rd rp, but it turns out it quite cramped inside...and the fact that she just makes too much noise while crawling around inside it. |
| 69 | * AnIcePerson: The [[MeaningfulName aptly named]] experiment "Ice". |
| 70 | * {{Animorphism}}: |
| 71 | ** Dragore was a human boy before being turned into a dragon for [[ForTheEvulz unstated reasons]]. |
| 72 | ** Sehack from the same RP was morphed into a Bengal Tiger for unknown reasons. |
| 73 | * ArtisticLicensePhysics: Turning a wardrobe into antimatter would not result in it disintegrating. It would result in a ''massive'' explosion as the antiparticles of the wardrobe and the atoms of the air around it annihilate each other in a burst of gamma rays. This becomes a VoodooShark when the writers try to HandWave it by saying it was actually turned into anti''energy'', not antimatter. And thus completely ignoring what the problem was. |
| 74 | * AuthorAppeal: Serris ''really'' seems to like science, military hardware, weapons and gunplay. |
| 75 | * AntiMagic: A 'serum' invented by some scientists in the third role-play can completely negate psionic powers in experiments for a few hours. A pistol loaded with these finishes off Breathtaker, Deathwind and Stalker because the serum strips them of their defenses, and the [[BroughtDownToNormal bullets are bullets]]. |
| 76 | * AntiMatter: The Antimatter universe, duh. Interestingly, the series states that antimatter and matter only annihilate each other if they're ''identical'' objects in contact, which is [[ArtisticLicense wrong]] but at least shows they checked the research. |
| 77 | * AscendedExtra: |
| 78 | ** Zachary originally didn't even have a name; he was just James' assistant, and was originally intended to get killed off. It never happened, however, and he's now a fully established main character. |
| 79 | ** The First Dragonstorm Reconnaissance Team, or DS-1, were a team of commandos in the first RP who all got [[RedShirt quickly killed off]]. They then starred in the prequel story ''Nietzsche's Soldiers 2''. |
| 80 | ** Alfred Byford from the second RP counts as well. Random unnamed construction worker who gets saved by Aisha. And he later turns into a full cast member. |
| 81 | ** Jayden from the third RP was originally just a normal cop, but then his backstory expanded some more and he's now a full cast member too. |
| 82 | * AllForNothing: In ''Fools Gold'' Dr. Kerzach risks his life and job to stop a Dragonstorm convoy. [[spoiler:His friend, Paul, was killed by Dr. Kerzach in a HeroicSacrifice]] as the two battled to stop a truck that had lagged behind the convoy. What did Dr. Kerzach accomplish? [[spoiler:Nothing. The convoy still reaches Pelvanida and the truck he battled to stop was filled with cinderblocks]]. |
| 83 | * AllGermansAreNazis: Subverted with Hans and Werner. |
| 84 | * AlternateContinuity: The rebooted Darwin's Soldiers RP on Furtopia (''not'' the first incarnation) takes place in a totally different continuity than the trilogy and the original first RP. In turn, the trilogy is an almost totally different continuity than Furtopia [=RPs=]. ''Card of Ten'' does give them a ''very'' little bit of crossover. |
| 85 | * AnArmAndALeg: Two of [=MrDrake=]'s characters have lost limbs. Aimee's back story involves having both her arms amputated. Jayden got his hand cut off by an intruder. |
| 86 | ** Aimee lost her left arm ''again'' [[spoiler:during her final battle with Trinity]]; after it was crushed useless, she ripped it free and used it as a [[GrievousHarmWithABody bludgeoning device]]. |
| 87 | * AppliedPhlebotinum: Anti-Matter, for the Einstein-Rosen Bridge. |
| 88 | * ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Even though she's a cold-hearted killer and a downright bitch...Trinity does have a taste for classical music. |
| 89 | * ArtisticLicenseNuclearPhysics: Varyingly averted and played straight. |
| 90 | ** In the second RP, when a commando team plants explosives on the fusion reactor and detonates them, nothing happens except the fusion reaction shuts down because the magnets have been destroyed |
| 91 | ** In the first RP, the soldiers are worried that a stray bullet could cause the small ''fusion'' reactor to explode in a mushroom cloud. Dr. Zanasiu tells them that it won't happen but using explosives will scatter radioactive material across the grounds of Pelvanida (However, do note that he mistakenly thinks that the reactor is a ''fission'' reactor). |
| 92 | * AutobotsRockOut: |
| 93 | ** in ''Fools Gold'', Paul suggests that Dr. Kerzach play some music to settle his nerves right before [[spoiler:they head out to chase the Dragonstorm convoy]]. What does he play? ''Blow Me Away'' by Breaking Benjamin. Later, [[spoiler:when they actually engage in a shootout with one of the straggling trucks]], Dr. Kerzach puts on "Highway to Hell" by Music/{{ACDC}}. |
| 94 | ** In the second RP, [[spoiler:when the group returns to Pelvanida to force out some rogue soldiers,]] Alfred turns on the radio in his Humvee and Sabaton's ''Primo Victoria'' starts playing. Cpl. Stern orders him to turn it off. |
| 95 | * AwesomeButImpractical: Before the RP, Kozlov was attempting to build a flare ''shotgun''. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] when someone mentions his funding had been cut. |
| 96 | * BackForTheDead: Head technician Marty, who [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6336&view=findpost&p=9126190 appeared]] in ''Schrodinger's Prisoners'', was [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=5381&view=findpost&p=9140442 brought back]] in the third RP. [[spoiler: Dr. Tinner in ''Nietzche's Soldiers'' and Anti-Lockdown in ''Pavlov's Checkmate'' also work.]] |
| 97 | ** The day Mirumoto_Kenjiro finally announced he's leaving the Gang of Five for good, [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=] brought back all of his surviving experiment main characters and had them killed off in overly throwaway fashion. |
| 98 | * BackFromTheDead: Zenarchis, Murakami and Trinity have all managed to survive clearly fatal injuries without a scratch. Only Zenarchis' recovery has been [[BodyDouble explained]]. |
| 99 | * BadassBookworm: If there is a scientist in this RP, there is a ''very'' high chance they can hold their own in combat. |
| 100 | * BadassBystander: The loggers in the 3rd RP help the heroes fight off a Dragonstorm ambush...and they do remarkably well. |
| 101 | ** A nameless [[http://darwinssoldiers.wikia.com/wiki/Southport_guard#Trivia guard]] in Southport fights Subject 19 in the longest duel in the ''Darwin's Soldiers'' canon. For comparison: she's a superpowered psionic/cybernetic experiment who has repeatedly fought the entire team of protagonists to a standstill, he's a RedShirt who proves adept at setting traps. And in the end he loses (you could even argue they fought to a draw) only because the building collapses while being overrun by zombies, and then the entire city is nuked. |
| 102 | * BadassNormal: |
| 103 | ** The nonpowered heroes (villians) usually put up a decent fight against the augmented villians (heroes). They sometimes win. |
| 104 | ** Trinity deserves a special mention. A normal human, she simultaneously fights someone with [[SuperStrength robotic arms]], someone with [[PlayingWithFire pyrokinetic powers]], and someone with not one but ''two'' PsychicPowers: [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]], and [[ShockAndAwe electrokinesis]]. Oh yeah, she ''beats them all at the same time''. |
| 105 | * BaitAndSwitchGunshot: A heroic version. Anti-Siberys has the villain King Gamas at gunpoint, and a shot is fired...[[spoiler:by Anti-James, who shot Siberys because he was stopping the rest of the team from escaping.]] |
| 106 | * BattleButler: The [=MacLee=] family is famous for producing some of the finest bodyguards in the world. [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=8224&view=findpost&p=9194955 Stetson MacLee]], the only one we meet, is one of them that didn't pan out. |
| 107 | * BerserkButton: |
| 108 | ** Don't call Aimee a cripple. |
| 109 | ** Zara apparantly, does not like it when anyone threatens Viper while she's around either. |
| 110 | * TheBerserker: Gustave has a penchant for violence and has little regard for his personal safety. Of course, being a [[FunnyAnimal anthropomorphic Nile Crocodile]] with thick muscle, thick scaly skin and scutes that essentially serve as body armor, "personal safety" might mean different things to him. |
| 111 | * BewareMyStingerTail: Gustave can use his massive tail as a pretty effective bludgeon. |
| 112 | * BewareTheNiceOnes: Alfred, the [[TheBigGuy massive]] construction worker, is rather easy going and not interested in physical violence. But if sufficiently pushed, he will remind his hapless victim that he has SuperStrength. |
| 113 | * {{BFG}}: Gustave Chiumbo, a ''[[TheBigGuy massive]]'' Nile Crocodile, wields a double barreled 4-gauge shotgun. Clyco's prototype weapon from the second RP counts too. |
| 114 | * BifurcatedWeapon: Not a weapon, but Shelton's signature radio-flashlight is a combination of two very useful pieces of equipment. In ''CardOfTen'' it's revealed to have a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot timer]] in it as well. |
| 115 | * BigDamnHeroes: In the first RP, when terrorists are attacking the control room, Shelton is saved by Cobalt Squad busting through a window. |
| 116 | * BioAugmentation: The Pelvanida and Dragonstorm experiments |
| 117 | * BlackAndGrayMorality: Dragonstorm gleefully crosses over the MoralEventHorizon but the heroes not only show a blatant disregard for laws and the legal system, they also tend to wantonly kill anyone who gets in their way. |
| 118 | -->'''Shelton''': I don't think any of us like what we're doing, but we have to take down Dragonstorm. That unfortunately involves [[IDidWhatIHadToDo doing things we might not want to do]]. |
| 119 | * BlackLikeMe: Accidentally meta-invoked in the third RP of ''Darwin's Soldiers'', when author Mirumoto_Kenjiro mentioned a black woman exiting a car and calling herself Dr. Joe (one of his characters). Everybody else's characters reacted skeptically, since everyone had always assumed Dr. Joe was white. Kenjiro later admitted that he'd never mentioned beforehand that Dr. Joe was black. This [[FridgeLogic begs the question]] of how all the characters fought alongside Dr. Joe for ''three [=RPs=]'' without noticing her ethnicity. |
| 120 | * {{Blackmail}}: Ricky does this to Hans, Cale, and Kerzach in ''Pavlov's Checkmate''. [[TwoOutOfThreeAintBad It works with two of them]]. |
| 121 | * BlasphemousBoast: Seen [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9197892 here]]: |
| 122 | -->'''Subject 19''': So come on! Give me a real challenge! Give me a fight against a God! |
| 123 | * BodyCountCompetition: Hailey [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9208059 tries]] to have one of these with Aimee. Aimee reminds her that they're not playing a game. |
| 124 | * BondOneLiner: Shelton, when Delta Leader has him cornered. |
| 125 | * BookcasePassage: |
| 126 | ** Averted. Dr. Joe expects to find one of those in the Gaman library, but doesn't. |
| 127 | ** Played straight with the passage in the walk-in freezer. |
| 128 | * BottomlessMagazines: Averted. There are many cases of characters having to reload weapons. |
| 129 | * BrainsAndBondage: Implied with the Pelvanida engineer and mechanic [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9246742 Sharon]]. A later line implies it extends even to [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=22005304 electrobondage]]. |
| 130 | * BringMyBrownPants: Lupis from the rebooted Furtopia RP wets himself out of fear several times. Luckily, he spends a fair portion of the RP in diapers. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] by the fact that he is four years old and not fully toilet trained. |
| 131 | * BulletproofHumanShield: Subverted. Garrelli [[http://forums.furtopia.org/index.php/topic,33419.msg656136.html#msg656136 uses a human shield]] in the Furtopia RP but the bullets go through anyway. |
| 132 | * BullyingADragon: |
| 133 | ** Alfred is a hulking Bison with hands bigger than most people's heads and is strong enough to bend rebar with his bare hands. People pick fights with him anyways. |
| 134 | ** Gustave is an even more extreme example. There have been multiple cases where people have tried to pick fights with him, despite being a massive scarred up, Nile Crocodile with a major anger management problem. Not to mention, he has several convictions for assault and he ''dismembered someone with his bare hands''. |
| 135 | * ButNotTooForeign: Shelton has mentioned that he's not American, but other than a few odd colloquialisms and the use of "[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9033857 zed]]" instead of "z", he's pretty much the same as the rest of the team. |
| 136 | * ButtMonkey: [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9183965 Shelton]] [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9055770 gets]] [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9041955 beat]] [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=5381&view=findpost&p=9131116 up]] [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6970&view=findpost&p=9148958 a]] [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9179211 lot]]. |
| 137 | * BusCrash: [[spoiler:Aydin]] is reported by a newspaper to have committed suicide in a Cornova, TX convenience store. The heroes find out about it from a local newspaper. |
| 138 | * CaligulasHorse: Gilead Conch, the CEO of SORA Gas & Electric, is a block of coral. Siberys appointed him so that Siberys can call the shots as his "[[TheManBehindTheMan assistant]]." |
| 139 | * CallingYourAttacks: "[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9205633 Flaming Fist of Doom!]]" Lampshaded by Aimee. And later... "[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9205720 Flamethrower of Death!!!]]" |
| 140 | -->'''Aimee''': Hailey, you mind not giving each of your attacks a name? It sounds....stupid.... |
| 141 | * TheCameo: Aimee makes a non talking appearence in ''New Divide'' |
| 142 | * CanonDiscontinuity: [[WordOfGod Serris]] [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6643&view=findpost&p=9135675 says that]] the rebooted Furtopia RP is not part of the Darwin's Soldiers canon and it never will be. It was never mentioned in any of the [=RPs=] or stories |
| 143 | * CarFu: Done several times. |
| 144 | ** Alfred uses his truck to smash through a locked gate and run over some soldiers trying to shoot down an allied helicopter. |
| 145 | ** [[spoiler:Lab101 (on an armored truck)]] runs Alfred off the road and into a cafe. |
| 146 | ** In the third RP, Alfred uses a ''bulldozer'' to ram a Chimera attacking Kiara and Hailey. |
| 147 | ** In ''New Divide'', Rhino throws a motorcycle at Subject 18 |
| 148 | * CardCarryingVillain: The scientists that created Dragore in the Furtopia RP. The villains in the Gang Of Five [=RPs=] tend to be a little more rounded, or at least have clear motivations other than ForTheEvulz. |
| 149 | * CarnivoreConfusion: Avoided in the first RP, present in the second RP and semi-avoided in the third RP. However, WordOfGod is inconsistent on this matter; Serris said that anthro and "normal" animals exist and eating "normal" animals was acceptable. But he has also said to assume all meat is seafood. |
| 150 | * CelibateHero: Zachary, Neville, Alfred, Cobalt Squad, Hans, Werner and PFC. Reynolds have absolutely no interest in romance. |
| 151 | * ChaseScene: Most of the 2nd RP cast, through Las Vegas. |
| 152 | * ChekhovsGun: ''The Complete Works of William Shakespeare''. |
| 153 | * ChefOfIron: Dean Nixon, the Pelvanida chef, joins in the chase through Las Vegas. |
| 154 | * ChromeChampion: Gustave [[PlayingWithSyringes injects himself]] with a SuperSerum which turns his skin, scales, bones, claws and teeth metallic. |
| 155 | * ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: As an online role-playing series, characters belonging to writers who disappear between [=RPs=] are generally never heard from or mentioned again. Examples are Siberys after the first RP and Sgt. Clyco after the second RP. Averted with Shelton, whose author requested that his [[PutOnABus disappearance]] be explained[[note]]And he ended up coming back, anyway[[/note]]. |
| 156 | * ClothingDamage: |
| 157 | ** [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9188102 Shakila]] after her fight with Project Zeta. |
| 158 | ** [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=8710&view=findpost&p=9210050 Zara]] suffers some as well in her first fight in ''Zero Hour'' |
| 159 | --> '''Zara:''' This was my favourite shirt...and you ruined it... |
| 160 | * CombatPragmatist: Pretty much everyone fights dirty but Dr. Kerzach seems to fight the dirtiest. |
| 161 | * TheConstant: [[spoiler:The file cabinet]], in ''Pavlov's Checkmate''. |
| 162 | * ContestWinnerCameo: [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=] [[http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showpost.php?p=34692436&postcount=635 auctioned off]] a [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=22033253 background character name]] for ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' items. Only two people bid, so second place got in for free. |
| 163 | * ContinuityNod: In the third RP, Dr. Zanasiu mentions he disarmed a rogue Pelvanida night watchman and killed him with his own knife. This is a reference to ''Pavlov's Checkmate''. |
| 164 | * ContractualImmortality: Inevitable as each character is played by a different person. |
| 165 | * CPRCleanPrettyReliable: [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9238227 Played straight]] with Shelton and Shakila in Calchas' dungeon. |
| 166 | * CrewOfOne: Averted. Every Humvee that fires a weapon has a crew of at least two. |
| 167 | * CuriosityKilledTheCast: The expedition team in ''Card Of Ten''. |
| 168 | * CurseCutShort: |
| 169 | ** When Shelton and Tinner were [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6336&view=findpost&p=9126079 communicating]] from opposite sides of a freezer window. |
| 170 | ---->'''Tinner''': ''Congratulations. You survived Scenario #2. Now can you tell me where the gas originated?'' |
| 171 | ---->'''Shelton''': ''F...U...C...'' |
| 172 | ---->'''Tinner''': {cuts him off} ''Luckily...'' |
| 173 | ** Happens in the third RP as well where the pilot of a helicopter is about to swear, only to be killed by Subject 19. |
| 174 | * CutLexLuthorACheck: Dr. Tinner. If he had just worked around the flaws in his virtual reality machine rather than [[spoiler:using it to hide illegal projects in a big "screw you" to the world]], he'd be a rich man. |
| 175 | * CuttingTheKnot: |
| 176 | ** Alfred tends to do this quite a bit. Subverted in one case when a rogue scientist he is threatening pushes [[BigRedButton the panic button]] and Alfred ''tears the entire button from the wall'' in an attempt to disable it. [[spoiler: It does not work]]. |
| 177 | ** In ''Fools Gold'', Dr. Kerzach uses a sledgehammer to break down a door instead of finding the key and he cuts the chain securing an industrial shotgun to a post rather than unlock it. |
| 178 | * CyberneticsEatYourSoul: Played straight with Dragonstorm experiments. Subverted with [[{{Cyborg}} Hawkeye]]. |
| 179 | * DeadPanSnarker: Shelton. The AI based off of him, ROSS, is sometimes [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9229780 even]] [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9238459 worse]]. |
| 180 | * DeadlyGas: The [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6336&view=findpost&p=9125894 second test]] in ''Schrodinger's Prisoners'' is for the characters to contain an outbreak of "knockout gas." This would arguably justify why the gas is [[HollywoodScience colored yellow]]. |
| 181 | * DecoyProtagonist: An unintentional example. In the Furtopia RP, James Zanasiu was quickly stuck in a room with Ender McThair, whose author left the RP. Serris created a scientist named Zachary so he could keep playing, and James disappeared from the story. |
| 182 | * DemotedToExtra: Hans and Werner, since their author left the RP, have done little more than tag along and sometimes provide extra firepower, until they were finally PutOnABus. |
| 183 | * DepravedBisexual: Roux definitely counts. She strips and sexually assaults Aimee in public. And she works for Dragonstorm. Gustave even says this about her. |
| 184 | -->'''Gustave:''' She likes to have sex. Lots of it. In every possible place, every conceivable position, any number of partners. |
| 185 | * DestinationDefenestration: Alfred throws someone through a reinforced window...with fatal results. |
| 186 | * DeusAxMachina: |
| 187 | ** The first weapon James gets in the Furtopia RP is a fire ax. |
| 188 | ** In ''Fool's Gold'' Dr. Kerzach breaks into a control room and one of the workers snatches a fire ax hanging on the wall next to a fire hose and attacks him with it. |
| 189 | ** In ''Schrodinger's Prisoners'' Dr. Shelton grabs a fire ax from an emergency station and uses it to break into the control room. |
| 190 | ** In the RP ''Disruptive Selection'', Dr. Pauline Wayne breaks down the door to her lab with a fire ax that she took from an emergency station in her lab. She then later uses it to kill a zombie that tried to get aboard the helicopter that she and two other survivors were going to evacuate on. |
| 191 | ** Zenarchis cuts off Dr. Keith Bailey's arm with a fire axe before Bailey can get to the first-aid kit. |
| 192 | ** Zenarchis attacks Dr. Kerzach with a fire axe on the oil rig. |
| 193 | * DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: |
| 194 | ** Sharon fought Death with a shotgun and an improvised flamethrower. And ''won''. |
| 195 | ** Literally in Aimee's case in the same fight above, as she ends up punching him a few times. |
| 196 | * DieHardOnAnX: The first RP could be described as "Die Hard in a secret military base". This is lampshaded in the third RP. |
| 197 | * DisneyDeath: Cale and Neku at the end of the first RP. |
| 198 | * DistantFinale: The finale of the RP takes place thirty years after the events of ''Disruptive Selection''. |
| 199 | * DistractedByTheSexy: Hailey, in ''New Divide'', gets [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=8316&view=findpost&p=9203186 distracted]] by some strippers at a strip club, whilst trying to pursue Subject 18. |
| 200 | * TheDividual: Slash and Agito. Hicks and Montgomery never left each others' side in the first RP, but have since branched off. |
| 201 | * DirectionlessDriver: Averted. Apparently [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9209255 James]] does. |
| 202 | * DoesntLikeGuns: Shelton. Not for moral or political reasons, but because he [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9046168 sucks with them]]. Shakila is no good with a gun, granted that she hasn't actually fired one before....well, except for a [[NailEm nail gun]]. |
| 203 | * DontExplainTheJoke: Hailey does this to Kiara after seeing Neku activate his lightsaber, and even receiving a look from Kiara afterwards in regards to it, as seen in this small exchange between the two of them: |
| 204 | -->'''Kiara''': Nice to see you too [[Franchise/StarWars Skywalker]] |
| 205 | -->'''Hailey''': Hehe, Star Wars reference... |
| 206 | * DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength: Alfred possess extreme strength. Most of the time he is in control of it but if he is angry then things tend to get destroyed. For instance, he crushed a piece of concrete that he was planning to use as an ImprovisedWeapon. A more extreme example was when he started pounding on Aisha's door and leaves the door looking like someone had taken a sledgehammer to it. And he accidentally knocked over a vending machine while trying to free a stuck snack. |
| 207 | * {{Doorstopper}}: The second RP is over 400 pages in length. The third RP has reached ''900'' pages! |
| 208 | * DoubleStandard: In-universe example. It is [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9208316 stated]] that jurors do not take kindly to anthros who have [[NaturalWeapon natural weapons]] and use them on others-even in self-defense. Yet use of venom does not carry the same stigma. |
| 209 | * DrivesLikeCrazy: The chase scene in the second RP. Everything from making U-turns in the middle of the highway to going 150 mph on a 65 mph zone. |
| 210 | * DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Aydin]] is reported by a newspaper to have committed suicide in a Cornova, TX convenience store. This is also an example of a BusCrash. |
| 211 | * DrowningMySorrows: After [[spoiler:Gustave's death]], Alfred spends several hours in a bar in the center of Platanna Town getting completely drunk. |
| 212 | * DualWielding / GunsAkimbo: |
| 213 | ** This is how Trinity wields her twin pistols. The other characters more realistically only use one pistol at a time. |
| 214 | ** Werner generally carries two Berettas, but he doesn't often use both at the same time. |
| 215 | * TheDulcineaEffect: There's no real reason why anti-James holds up their escape to rescue Seska, other then this. |
| 216 | * DumbMuscle: Brainpower is not exactly Hans's [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=5381&view=findpost&p=9143734 forte]]. |
| 217 | * DuelToTheDeath: Murakami challenges Kagetora to one in the first RP, who accepts. See StayingAlive. |
| 218 | [[/folder]] |
| 219 | |
| 220 | [[folder:Tropes E-J]] |
| 221 | * EasyAmnesia / LaserGuidedAmnesia: |
| 222 | ** Shelton and Eddie in ''Nietzsche's Soldiers''. Almost became AmnesiaDanger at the end. |
| 223 | ** Also appears to have happened to Aimee in the third RP. |
| 224 | * ElaborateUndergroundBase: A large portion of Pelvandia is underground. |
| 225 | * ElectronicTelepathy: Some Dragonstorm operatives, [[spoiler:Shelton is one of them]], have chips implanted nasally that allow them to send thoughts to each other. Later [[spoiler: James, Shakila, Hans, Dr. Landon and Cpl. Stern]] get the same implants ([[{{Squick}} that were removed from the dead operatives]]). |
| 226 | * ElementalPunch: [[spoiler:Modified]] Hailey's [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9205633 Flaming Fist of Doom]] as well as [[ShockAndAwe Cale's]] "[[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} thunderpunch]]". |
| 227 | * EmotionBomb: Famine manipulates the emotions of each team member to force them to fight each other. |
| 228 | * EmpoweredBadassNormal: [[spoiler:Trinity is already extremely strong and agile but after she gets her hands on some SuperSerum that her scientists were working on, she gains superhuman strength, speed and agility.]] |
| 229 | * EnemyMine: Cale's [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9049830 rationale]] for switching sides in the first RP. |
| 230 | * EnergyWeapon: A Humvee used in the second RP mounts a powerful experimental laser cannon. Also, laser rifles have been used on occasion. ''However'', lasers in this RP behave like real ones. They cannot be dodged and the beam is invisible. |
| 231 | * EqualOpportunityEvil: Both Dragonstorm and the terrorists were composed of a uncountable amount of different species. Racism in general is only occasionally touched upon, and usually through isolated incidents with civilians. |
| 232 | * EverybodyWasKungFuFighting: Many, many characters are quite proficient with firearms. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that firearms training and basic marksmanship are mentioned as being mandatory or that the employee in question enjoy recreational shooting. And yet Shelton got in somehow. |
| 233 | * EveryBulletIsATracer: Averted. Mounted autocannon and machineguns ''do'' use tracers but handheld weapons ''never'' carry tracers. |
| 234 | * EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: |
| 235 | ** The leader of Cobalt Squad is simply called "Cobalt Leader". Two other soldiers with him are simply referred to as "the Human soldier" or "the Mongoose soldier". |
| 236 | ** Likewise, the leaders of various security squads are just given bland call signs like "Rho Leader", "Omega Leader", etc. |
| 237 | ** Cobalt Leader now has a name. It is revealed in this [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9184943 post]] to be be [[spoiler:Zachary Slavik]]. But every still calls him "Cobalt Leader". |
| 238 | * EveryoneWentToSchoolTogether: Averted for the most part, but Shelton and Tinner were in the same dorm at ETH Zürich. Also the core Dragonstorm cast met at the fictional [=UC3R=] (University of California Three Rivers). |
| 239 | * EvilOldFolks: "Old Mother Hubbard" from ''New Divide'' is a 79 year old woman...who is a Dragonstorm scientist. |
| 240 | * EvilVersusEvil: |
| 241 | ** Averted. Dragonstorm never encounters the terrorists in the first RP, except for a single (later [[CosmicRetcon retconned]]) terrorist in the lab shootout. The heroes merely alternate between fighting the terrorists and fighting Dragonstorm. |
| 242 | ** Finally happens briefly in the third RP, when a [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9210787 Dragonstorm]] plane is briefly attacked by the remainders of the terrorist camp. |
| 243 | * ExactlyExtyYearsAgo: ''Pavlov's Checkmate'', set in 2010, jumped back to 1990. |
| 244 | * ExpendableAlternateUniverse: Almost the entire team of anti-matter duplicates in ''Card of Ten'' is killed, but it has no effect on the main storyline. |
| 245 | * {{Expy}}: |
| 246 | ** Dr. James Zanasiu is an expy of James Miardian, the scientist from the first RP that Serris ever played: ''The Spreading Hazard''. |
| 247 | ** Dr. Bailey, who first appeared in the rebooted Furtopia RP, was an expy of Dr. Shelton from the Gang of Five [=RPs=], after the latter showed how useful it was to have a [[NonActionGuy non-action]] tech guy around. |
| 248 | * ExtremityExtremist: Dr. Kerzach prefers to use a weapon in combat but when he fights unarmed, he will almost always use his feet. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] because as a Cassowary, he has sharp talons and ''very'' powerful leg muscles that can easily cause serious injuries. |
| 249 | * EyeScream: |
| 250 | ** [[spoiler:The terrorist commander]] is shot through the eye [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9063952 when]] [[spoiler: the heroes retake the auxiliary control room after the sublevel guards [[FaceHeelTurn go rogue]]]] |
| 251 | ** Rhino from the third RP takes a bullet to his mechanical eye. |
| 252 | ** Subject 16 had both his eyes gouged out by Subject 19 at Trinity's orders. |
| 253 | ** [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9189232 Kain]] gets [[HoistByHisOwnPetard his own]] [[PlayingWithSyringes syringe]] through the eye when he tried to inject Aimee. |
| 254 | * FaceHeelTurn: In the first RP, [[spoiler: the sublevel guards plan to turn the base over to the invading terrorists]]. |
| 255 | * FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: Several characters die some pretty horrible deaths. |
| 256 | * FamilyUnfriendlyViolence: The violence in these roleplays is brutal and realistic. |
| 257 | * FantasticRacism: [[SnakePeople Snakes]] are [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent considered to be repulsive]] by other species. |
| 258 | * FantasticSlurs: The term "serpent" is considered to be a ''very'' offensive term (roughly equal to the N-word) for snakes in the Darwin's Soldiers universe. |
| 259 | * FantasyCounterpartCulture: Vulpines are quite clearly supposed to be modern-day Native Americans. The depiction is [[UnfortunateImplications not flattering]]. |
| 260 | * FatBastard: Gustave is somewhat overweight and a violent {{jerkass}}. |
| 261 | * FeatherFingers: Based on a certain [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9035950 quote]] by Shelton, Oli doesn't have these. He ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9035957 does]]'' attempt to strangle Shelton, but he uses his feet. |
| 262 | * FeatherFlechettes: Hawkeye [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9033612 killed some terrorists in the AWTR]] using this technique. |
| 263 | * FetchQuest: Protesilaus [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=8224&view=findpost&p=9194955 complains]] that their mission in ''Nietzsche's Soldiers'' is a glorified fetch quest. |
| 264 | * FictionalCounterpart: Partial example. The fictional University of California campus [=UC3R=] (University of California Three Rivers). |
| 265 | * FieldPromotion: After [[spoiler: Cobalt Leader (Lt. Zachary Slavik) is killed while his group is under Famine's influence]], Sergeant Masters is assigned to command Cobalt Squad. |
| 266 | * FiveTokenBand: The group of heroes covers species ranging from human to diamondback rattlesnake and everything in between. |
| 267 | * HorsemenOfTheApocalypse: [[VampiricDraining Death]], Famine, Pestilence and War show up in the third RP. |
| 268 | * ForScience: Kain's rationale for experimenting on Aimee. |
| 269 | * {{Foreshadowing}}: [[http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=9883&view=findpost&p=9273236 here]] |
| 270 | -->'''terrorist''': Tell us your names! |
| 271 | -->'''James''': James Zanasiu! |
| 272 | -->'''terrorist''': Dr. James Zanasiu? From Biologics? |
| 273 | -->'''James''': No, the ''other'' James Zanasiu![[note]]Explanation: A lot of James' angst comes later when he learns that a James Zanasiu from a different universe exists and accomplished everything this James thought he'd done.[[/note]] |
| 274 | * FourthWallMailSlot: shared with multiple [=RPs=] in [[http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=6893&st=0 this topic]] on the Gang of Five forum. |
| 275 | * FullFrontalAssault: Spc. Crota ends up confronting and fighting a Black Mamba assailant while completely naked. |
| 276 | ** The final battle between Trinity and Aimee is also done completely in the nude. |
| 277 | * FunetikAksent: Stetson [=MacLee=] in ''Nietzsche's Soldiers 2'' |
| 278 | * FurryConfusion: Twice in the 3rd RP. |
| 279 | ** Cpl. Stern has this to say: |
| 280 | ---> '''Cpl. Stern''': So, Vipers. I understand that you can sense motion and heat differently than humans can. Does it works like a real snake's senses? |
| 281 | ** Birds chirping outside the window wake up Shakila. Pretty damn sure that said birds are non anthro. |
| 282 | ** A chapter from ''Ground One'' opens with: "A non-anthro rabbit sniffed the meadow air." |
| 283 | * FurryReminder: |
| 284 | ** Canine, feline and equine characters often have their ears described as flattening or pivoting towards sounds and in response to various stimuli. Snake characters are always mentioned as slithering or having fangs or gulping down food whole. Avian characters are sometimes shown using their beaks as weapons. |
| 285 | ** An extreme example is when Dr. Zanasiu reminds his girlfriend (who is a Dhole) that he has forty six chromosomes while she has seventy eight and thus reproduction is impossible. By the way, [[ShownTheirWork the chromosome counts are accurate]]. |
| 286 | ** Snakes and other reptiles don't sweat, nor do they have hair, nor do they have external genitalia. |
| 287 | * GenderIsNoObject: Males and females are treated pretty much equally in this world. |
| 288 | ** Except in the (heavily criticized) portrayal of "Vulpine" culture. |
| 289 | * GeniusBruiser: |
| 290 | ** [[FunnyAnimal Zachary Johnson]] is a researcher at Pelvanida. He is so strong that when he kicks a combat robot, ''he leaves the imprint of his foot on the robot's armor''. |
| 291 | ** [[FunnyAnimal Keegan]] [[TheDragon O'Neill]] stands over six feet tall and is almost all muscle. He's also a high ranking officer of Dragonstorm. |
| 292 | ** [[FunnyAnimal Piotr]] [[TheBrute Kozlov]] is seven feet of pure [[HuskyRusskie Siberian]] [[BearsAreBadNews grizzly bear]] muscle, who is also a talented weapons designer. |
| 293 | ** Hans Donitz in the story ''Ship Of State'' is capable of understanding and explaining how the [[CoolGate Einstein-Rosen bridge]] works. He is also a huge man with great strength and extraordinary combat prowess. |
| 294 | * GenreSavvy: This tends to happen when most of the writers are tropers. |
| 295 | * TheGhost: Dr. Kyle. See RunningGag below. |
| 296 | * GratuitousSpanish: Zyanya. It helps that she comes from Brazil. |
| 297 | * GreasySpoon: Shelton and Kerzach visit one of these in a small Florida fishing town. |
| 298 | * GrievousHarmWithABody: Rhino (his name and species) uses an InnocentBystander as a projectile. |
| 299 | ** During [[spoiler:the final battle with Trinity]], Aimee [[AnArmAndALeg removes her]] destroyed cybernetic left arm and uses it as a weapon. |
| 300 | * GroinAttack: |
| 301 | ** In ''Fools Gold'', Paul punches Lu in the groin, allowing Dr. Kerzach to stab him. |
| 302 | ** In ''New Divide'', Icarus gets punched in the groin...twice by Bianca |
| 303 | -->'''Icarus:''' Oh come on...will you give a guy a break? |
| 304 | ** In ''Disruptive Selection'', Spc. Crota shoots an enemy guard in the groin. |
| 305 | ** Also in ''Disruptive Selection'', Alfred does a successful GroinAttack to a ''robot''. To be fair, he hit the robot so hard he damaged its hydraulics. |
| 306 | * GoodGunsBadGuns: Averted. "Good guns" are frequently used by the bad guys and the "bad guns" are used equally by heroes and villains. |
| 307 | * HealingFactor: Neku is implied to have at least a mild healing factor. Subject 19, Subject 18 and Dragore have instantaneous ones. |
| 308 | * HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: |
| 309 | ** Cale switches sides no less than four times, playing for almost every faction (experiments, terrorists, scientists, Dragonstorm) at some point. This is [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9202069 lampshaded]] by Dr. Shelton. In ''Pavlov's Checkmate'', Cale finally gets over this, refusing to switch sides when Ricky gives him the offer. |
| 310 | ** All of Starfall's character have run into this, since joining a Dragonstorm counter-team called Oruboros, then claiming that none of them really meant it, except when they hack Crimson Base's mainframe and kill half a dozen guards... |
| 311 | * HeelFaceTurn: Hans and Cale in the first RP. Eddie in ''Nietzsche's Soldiers'' and Reynolds in the 2nd RP. Hailey in the 3rd RP, [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor twice]]. And Gustave in the 3rd RP as well. |
| 312 | * HeroKiller: In the expanded universe, Shelton's disease. [[http://darwinssoldiers.wikia.com/wiki/Shelton%27s_disease The list of main characters it kills off is extremely high.]] |
| 313 | * HeroicSacrifice: |
| 314 | ** [[spoiler:Eddie in ''Nietzche's Soldiers'' and Hawkeye in ''Card of Ten''.]] [[spoiler:Ridley]] dies destroying a helicopter in the second RP ChaseScene. |
| 315 | ** In ''Fools Gold'', [[spoiler: Paul Gamay grabs hold of Lu, restraining him. In the process, he is fatally injured. He orders Dr. Kerzach to shoot Lu. Dr. Kerzach does so, killing Paul in the process.]] |
| 316 | * HeroStoleMyBike: |
| 317 | ** In the second RP, after Alfred's pickup truck gets rammed through a cafe, Nixon steals a ''[[CoolCar Lamborghini Gallardo]]'', Alfred steals an expensive convertible. |
| 318 | ** Later, Dr. Zanasiu steals a Chevy Corvette from Pelvanida's parking lot. |
| 319 | * HeyCatch: In the first RP, O'Neill throws a burning flare at his captors, giving him time to run away. |
| 320 | * HighlyVisibleNinja: Kagetora doesn't spend much of his screen time hiding. |
| 321 | * HollywoodHealing: Werner gets injured over and over in the first RP, but he still manages to kick ass, and recovers in time for the finale. He's also fully recovered in time for ''Card of Ten'', which took place just days after the first RP. This happens with other characters sometimes, but Werner is the biggest case. Ironically, in ''Ship of State'' Werner is like the only character who isn't wounded by the end. |
| 322 | * HotterAndSexier: The third RP has several ''pages'' of sex scenes. |
| 323 | * HuskyRusskie: Evil example. Piotr Kozlov is a hulking Siberian Grizzly Bear with muscles to match his [[GeniusBruiser brains]]. |
| 324 | * HypocriticalHumor: [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9231250 from an AI, no less.]] |
| 325 | -->'''Shelton''': You're lightyears ahead of anything on a computer system made in Texas. |
| 326 | -->'''ROSS''': Now let's not stereotype; Texas Instruments is one of the top hardware producers in the nation. On June 9th, 1997, you purchased a TI 83 from a MediaMarkt in Munich. |
| 327 | -->'''Shelton''': Don't be stupid; I wasn't in Germany then. And how the hell would you know what I bought 13 years ago? |
| 328 | -->'''ROSS''': You purchased it electronically, and the Germans are staunch record-keepers. |
| 329 | * ICanStillFight: Subject 16 gets shot and it becomes obvious that he is rather badly injured, but refuses to accept any medical treatment, wanting to [[HonourBeforeReason finish off the mission first]] before receiving medical treatment. [[spoiler:[[HeDidntMakeIt He ends up getting killed...]]by a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Chimera!]]]] |
| 330 | * IDidWhatIHadToDo: This line from Shelton says it all: |
| 331 | --> '''Shelton''': I don't think any of us like what we're doing, but we have to take down Dragonstorm. That unfortunately involves doing things we might not want to do. |
| 332 | * IHaveManyNames: Trinity tends to go by other names, known names she has used have been Selina Kyle, Raven and Gabriel. |
| 333 | * IJustShotMarvinInTheFace: sarcastically used by Cobalt Leader in the 3rd RP when [[spoiler:he ''intentionally'' shoots a disarmed and incapacitated rogue soldier in the throat]] |
| 334 | -->'''Cobalt Leader''': Oops. Safety slipped. |
| 335 | * IJustWantToBeNormal: [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9193980 Siberys]] agrees to be the test subject for a bioweapon that permanently disables the [[PsychicPowers powers]] of psi-experiments because he doesn't want his powers any more. |
| 336 | --> '''Dr. Bradley''': Won't that rob him of his powers? |
| 337 | --> '''Siberys''': That's what I'm hoping. Then maybe I could live a normal life. |
| 338 | * IconicItem: Shelton's radio-flashlight. Neku's lightsabers might count too. |
| 339 | * ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: |
| 340 | ** The bad guys never hit ''anybody''. If they do, the person is usually just injured. Justified because every main character is [[ContractualImmortality being played by someone else]], and they rarely have NPC backup of any kind. |
| 341 | ** Averted in the case of Subject 16, Alfred and Neville. |
| 342 | * ImprobableWeaponUser: |
| 343 | ** Shakila from the third RP has used everything from a [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9179210 nail gun]] to a ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9187928 laptop]]'' ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9187984 computer]]'' to a [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9197005 screwdriver]] as a weapon. |
| 344 | ** Drake from ''New Divide'' uses a [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=8316&view=findpost&p=9197904 flute]] as his weapon of choice. |
| 345 | * ImprovisedWeapon: ''Extremely'' common. |
| 346 | ** ''Nietzsche's Soldiers'': Eddie kills someone with a mop handle. |
| 347 | ** The first RP: |
| 348 | *** James' team shorts out Cale with saline solution. |
| 349 | *** Zachary kills a terrorist by ambushing him and beating him to death with a pipe. |
| 350 | *** Sharon kills a terrorist by ambushing him and beating him to death with a steel rod. |
| 351 | *** Arguably, Shelton's use of ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9062867 Lockdown's hand]]'' to disintegrate a rogue soldier counts. |
| 352 | *** Joey (an unspecified experiment) uses a piece of rebar to attack terrorists in the final battle. |
| 353 | ** The second RP: |
| 354 | *** Shelton and Dr. Kerzach use a waterlogged mattress to temporarily disable two guards to escape from prison. |
| 355 | *** Dr. Rawlson/[[spoiler:Dr. Jeston]] tries to kill Dr. Zanasiu with a [[CrowbarCombatant crowbar]]. |
| 356 | *** Kerzach kills Dr. Gallo with a [[LethalLetterOpener letter opener]]. |
| 357 | *** Only the aftermath is seen but two construction workers beat a Dragonstorm scientist to death with a chunk of concrete and a piece of rebar. |
| 358 | ** The third RP: |
| 359 | *** Alfred uses a table then a [[ChairmanOfTheBrawl chair]] to knock out some punks who decided to pick a fight with the group. |
| 360 | *** Aimee kills two soldiers with a ''sharp stick'' during an ambush on a lonely Oregon road. |
| 361 | *** Zachary kills another soldier with a chunk of concrete during that same ambush. |
| 362 | *** Hans uses a MRI machine to trap Subject 19. |
| 363 | *** Subject 19 kills someone with an operating table. She also has the habit of using nearby large items like tables as projectiles. |
| 364 | *** Vic stabs Ariol in the leg with a scalpel so he can evacuate ''The Surrounded Sea''. |
| 365 | *** Alfred throws a metal trolley then an oxygen tank at Trinity when he runs into her at the hospital. |
| 366 | *** Alfred throws a small ''trailer pulled cement mixer'' at some Dragonstorm agents. |
| 367 | *** Shakila takes out two reptilian guards with her own laptop at Trinity Facility. |
| 368 | *** Shakila makes use of Trinity Facility's power room, followed by the sprinkler system to destroy Project Zeta |
| 369 | *** Dr. Pauline Wayne, a scientist from a lab at Southport, arms herself with a [[DeusAxMachina fire ax]] after she survives Subject 19's rampage through the building and her subsequent release of a biological weapon that [[spoiler:turns everyone exposed into zombies]]. |
| 370 | *** During the battle at Lab 101 Alfred throws a boulder at a Dragonstorm experiment. |
| 371 | *** During said battle, Alfred also uses a sledgehammer to [[OffWithHisHead behead]] another Dragonstorm experiment. |
| 372 | *** Again during said battle, he throws an oil drum at a Chimera. [[spoiler: It is not very effective.]] Then follows it up with a [[PowerfulPick pickax]]. [[spoiler: It too is not very effective.]] |
| 373 | *** Aimee uses a broken pickax handle to kill one of the Lab 101 guards shooting at Alfred. |
| 374 | *** Alfred kills the remaining Lab 101 guard with a ''log''. |
| 375 | *** Gustave subdues Slash with a tool box then a mechanic's cart. |
| 376 | *** Shelton subdues and then kills someone with a pot of boiling coffee and ''the coffee maker''. |
| 377 | *** Gustave's use of a ''handicapped parking sign'' as a club probably counts. |
| 378 | *** Sharon uses a hammer intended for breaking the glass on a box containing a fire ax to kill a guard. |
| 379 | *** Dr. Zanasiu uses a fire extinguisher as an impromptu smokescreen to get past a group of guards. He also uses it to bludgeon a guard. |
| 380 | *** When Famine turns everyone on each other, Zachary and Gustave proceed to try and kill each other with a variety of improvised weapons. Zachary with a [[KillItWithFire welding torch]] and then a [[DeusAxMachina fire ax]]. Guistave uses a ''filing cabinet'' and then Zachary's dropped ax. |
| 381 | *** When Alfred and Gustave battle Soundwave in New Peenemunde, they attack him with everything from chunks of concrete to rebar to steel girders to ''spare engine blocks''. |
| 382 | *** Aimee won her final battle against Trinity when the latter crushed her left robotic arm; Aimee surprise the other by ripping her left arm off and beating Trinity to death with it. |
| 383 | ** ''Fools Gold'': |
| 384 | *** Dr. Kerzach sprays lubricant into an assailant's face. |
| 385 | *** A rogue worker attacks Dr. Kerzach with a fire ax. |
| 386 | *** Arguably Dr. Kerzach's use of an 8-gauge industrial shotgun to disable a truck containing stolen materials counts. Yes, it is a gun. No, it was ''not'' designed for punching holes in truck radiators. |
| 387 | ** ''New Divide'': |
| 388 | *** Rhino throws a motorcycle at Subject 18. |
| 389 | * IndyPloy: Subverted. Shakila starts off knowing what to do with Project Zeta, leading the creature to the power room. However, after that, she had to think on her feet on how to destroy the creature. [[spoiler:She does destroy it however]] |
| 390 | * InformedAbility: Shelton's original character sheet mentioned he has a limited understanding of ufology. This has never been so much as mentioned since. |
| 391 | * {{Interquel}}: ''Nietzche's Soldiers'' and Serris' story ''Fool's Gold''. ''Card of Ten'' doesn't qualify, because when it was started the sequel hadn't yet been conceived. |
| 392 | * InternalHomage: |
| 393 | ** [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9212704 In the third RP]], a reference to [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9030849 this scene]] from the first RP. |
| 394 | ** When Shelton kills Achilles, he shouts to Kerzach that [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9222149 he's got this under control]], the same line that Kerzach [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=5381&view=findpost&p=9138451 told Shelton]] when he killed Gallo. |
| 395 | * InvulnerableKnuckles: Averted. Alfred ends up needing several stitches on his knuckles after he [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9212273 dishes out]] a beating to [[spoiler:Hawkeye]]. |
| 396 | * InterspeciesRomance: Neku and Snow. [[strike:Stern]][[StrangledByTheRedString Aydin]] seems to be hoping for one of these with Aimee. Hailey seems to ''really'' like Kiara. Amphinomus and Camilla in ''Nietzsche's Soldiers 2'' |
| 397 | * ItWorksBetterWithBullets: Shelton holds Hans at gunpoint before learning that Hans was on his team, and only afterward realized that his gun had been out of ammo. |
| 398 | * IvyLeagueForEveryone: |
| 399 | ** Dr. James Zanasiu is a graduate of Columbia University. Zachary Steven Johnson is a graduate of Cornell. Sharon Varma is a graduate of MIT. Shelton and Tinner were in the same dorm at ETH Zurich. |
| 400 | ** Dr. Yuri Kerzach is an exception: he is a graduate of Rutgers University. Also the core crew of Dragonstorm came from the fictional University of California Three Rivers. |
| 401 | * JailBaitWait: Shelton avoids this by ending his relationship with Shakila. |
| 402 | * JamesBondage: Shelton gets chained to a chair by a security team in the second RP. Unlike in normal James Bondage, however, he gets himself out, which also makes this LockingMacGyverInTheStoreCupboard. |
| 403 | * {{Jerkass}}: Spc. Crota has a tendency to make offensive comments. |
| 404 | * JustEatHim: Nixx's suggestion to Gustave in how to deal with Soundwave, after seeing Gustave chew through metal like it was nothing. |
| 405 | * JustFriends: Aimee and Hailey. Hailey had told Aimee that she loves her, but Aimee hadn't returned the feelings back. The two of them however, remain as just being friends in the end. |
| 406 | [[/folder]] |
| 407 | |
| 408 | [[folder:Tropes K-P]] |
| 409 | * KickTheDog: A heroic example. Neku kills [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9239961 four]] [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9240573 civilians]] with lightning strikes just because he's angry [[spoiler:about Hailey's death]]. |
| 410 | * KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: After Dr. Branston looses conciousness, Aimee ends up kicking him at least twice while he's on the ground out of frustration. |
| 411 | * KillSat: The Dragonstorm defense satellites. |
| 412 | * KillerGameMaster: Not exactly (Serris, the actual game master rarely kills his characters or longstanding public domain characters), but [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=] is constantly petitioning to get characters killed off and to 'thin the ranks' of James' followers for dramatic effect, especially is he thinks a character has "fulfilled their purpose for the story." [[spoiler:He successfully got almost every main character in the Furtopia role-play killed off in his story ''Ground One''.)]] |
| 413 | * LampshadeHanging: Shelton in ''Schrodinger's Prisoners'', which takes place before the RP: |
| 414 | -->'''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6336&view=findpost&p=9125726 Shelton]]''':This simulation is a little unrealistic, isn't it? |
| 415 | -->'''Tinner''':What do you mean? |
| 416 | -->'''Shelton''':Some enemy army invades the base? There's no way that would ever happen.\ |
| 417 | \ |
| 418 | Shelton seems to be especially prone to this since his stint in Dragonstorm. Among the tropes he's lampshaded are PoliceAreUseless, CharacterMagneticTeam, WalkingDisasterArea, and Aimee's tendency to [[StuffBlowingUp blow stuff up]]. |
| 419 | * LargeHam: Cpl. Thomas Stern |
| 420 | --> '''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9183923 Cpl. Thomas Stern]]''': Say what you have to say, Vulpine, and be gone! My comrades seem oblivious to your warnings and mine, so I have to go in and fish them out of the fire. If there is a trap, tell me about it and tell me now! |
| 421 | * LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Cpl. Thomas Stern from the 3rd RP gives us this little quote: |
| 422 | --> '''Stern''':Its as if someone is watching us and giving us what we need in order to get through our problems. That's very odd. Too much like 'deus ex machina' for me. |
| 423 | * LaResistance: The main characters in the first RP and the Gaman rebels at the end of ''Card of Ten''. |
| 424 | * LaserBlade: Neku [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9034186 finds one]] in the first RP and has used it infrequently since. |
| 425 | * LethalHarmlessPowers: Cale from can use his electrical powers to fuse dust particles in the air into glass. This does not sound impressive when compared to his other power ([[ShockAndAwe electrokinesis]]). This sounds really lame until he shreds a group of {{mooks}} with razor sharp glass shards he pulled out of thin air. |
| 426 | * LightningBruiser: Alfred is capable of smashing concrete with his bare hands, ripping locks off doors, ''ripping doors out of their frames'', fighting combat robots barehanded (and winning!). He is also [[http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=22005767 quite fast on his feet]]. |
| 427 | * LightningGun: The most commonly recurring experimental weapon from Pelvanida's arsenal is the "electric rifle." |
| 428 | * LionsAndTigersAndHumansOhMy: There are as many human characters as there are anthro characters. |
| 429 | * LongList: As an online RP which has had nineteen writers across two forums, and there's no limit to the amount of characters a writer can control, this is a given. |
| 430 | -->'''James''':Thank you. Zach, Shelton, Cale, Neku, Sharon, [=Æ=]delwulf, Kagetora, Snow, Dr. Joe, Siberys, Cale, Slash, Agito, the Cobalt Squad. thank you all. And that was just from the ''first'' RP! |
| 431 | * LockedInAFreezer: [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9040657 James]] in the first RP, [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6336&view=findpost&p=9125894 Shelton and Ridgeway]] in ''Schrodinger's Prisoners''. |
| 432 | * LockingMacGyverInTheStoreCupboard: Not, as you might expect, either of the examples above. In the second RP, Shelton gets himself out of a locked laboratory where he had been imprisoned. Kerzach does much of the same in ''Fool's Gold'', though this time it's actually a closet. |
| 433 | * LongLostRelative: Hans, to Werner |
| 434 | * LowerDeckEpisode: ''Nietzsche's Soldiers 2'' and ''New Divide'' were both written to give more screen time to different [[EliteMooks Dragonstorm teams]] that only appeared briefly in the RP. |
| 435 | * LuckilyMyPowersWillProtectMe: AI Shelton tends to explain everything that happens in a battle, including whatever code he's manipulating to accomplish his tactics. Lampshaded when he mentions later that Drake never coded the part of him that could internally monologue. |
| 436 | * MacGyvering: Shelton does this for a time once he arrives in the second RP, using mundane items to unchain himself from a chair, then escape the locked room, then get past a Dragonstorm experiment and into Lab 101. |
| 437 | * MadeOfIron: |
| 438 | ** [[ScaryBlackMan Marcus]], [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9184864 an ordinary Human Dragonstorm agent]], should not have been able to continue fighting, let alone remain standing after being being punched several times by two beings with SuperStrength. |
| 439 | ** Dragonstorm experiments can survive extraordinary amounts of damage. |
| 440 | * MagicGenetics: Stated to be the reason for the psychic powers. |
| 441 | * MagicMusic: Drake from both ''New Divide'' and the 3rd RP uses his flute as a weapon. However, when he plays a tune on his flute, it causes the listner to dance, giving Drake time to either attack them or escape. |
| 442 | * MagneticWeapons: a Humvee used in the second RP mounts a fairly powerful railgun. Also, handheld coilguns (in rifle form) have been used as well. |
| 443 | * ManBitesMan: In ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6524&view=findpost&p=9135974 Pavlov's Checkmate]]'', [[BadassBookworm James]] [[TheHero Zanasiu]] bites [[FunnyAnimal Richard]] [[BigBad "Ricky"]] Warden during the climactic battle [[spoiler: inside a wormhole to break free from a chokehold to seize his knife and kill him with it.]] |
| 444 | * MatureAnimalStory: This RP has a lot of intense violence, sexual situations and cursing. In addition, it deals with some pretty serious themes. |
| 445 | * MauveShirt: Most of the recurring public domain characters are this. Examples are Neville Ivers, Cobalt Squad, Wayne Anthony, PFC Reynolds... |
| 446 | * MeaningfulName: |
| 447 | ** Cpl. Thomas Stern is, as his name suggests, stern. |
| 448 | ** It's quite a [[ContrivedCoincidence coincidence]] that a human boy named "'''Dragore''' Wing" got [[{{Animorphism}} turned into a dragon]]. |
| 449 | * MeanwhileBackAtThe: The final post of ''Ship of State'' starts with: "[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=8223&view=findpost&p=9213125 Meanwhile, back at the bridge]]..." |
| 450 | * MeanwhileInTheFuture: The beginning of the third RP established two concurrent stories: A group of characters from Crimson Base (played by Mirumoto_Kenjiro) attack a Dragonstorm oil tanker, and the other characters (played by everybody else) prepare to attack Lab 101. Since then, several days and nights have passed in the Lab 101 storyline, while the oil tanker storyline has been in the same day from the beginning, causing the time disparity between them to grow more and more with each post. |
| 451 | * MedalOfDishonor: Not intentionally, but Shelton is embarrassed about the [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9195867 Commendation medal]] he got while in Dragonstorm. |
| 452 | * TheMedic: Vic and Dr. Joe. Dr. Landon appears to be filling this role while they're gone. |
| 453 | * MindScrew: ''Card of Ten'' and ''Pavlov's Checkmate'' are a little bizarre. |
| 454 | * MissingBackblast: |
| 455 | ** Averted and played straight. In the second RP, a rogue scientist takes out a light tank with a RPG and the backblast was specifically mentioned as scorching the paint on the vehicle behind him. |
| 456 | ** Played straight in the handheld prototype antitank rocket launchers used by the rogue scientists against some pursuing tanks. However, it is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] by the fact that they used small plastic balls as a countermass. They were still dangerous, as one of the plastic balls knocked out a scientist who was too close to the launcher. |
| 457 | * MissionControl: This is basically Shelton for the first half of ''Darwin's Soldiers''. He never leaves the control room. |
| 458 | * TheMole: Shelton and Kerzach in Dragonstorm is the most obvious example. Sir Beys was one in ''Nietzsche's Soldiers''. [[spoiler:Brut]] was one in ''Ship of State''. Later, it turned out that [[spoiler:''all of Starfall's characters have been this since the first RP''.]] Later still, [[spoiler:maybe they weren't...see HeelFaceRevolvingDoor]] |
| 459 | * MonumentalDamage: In ''New Divide'' the Statue of Liberty is destroyed by a [[CarFu train]] thanks to the [[EvilCounterpart corrupt Viper]]. |
| 460 | * TheMovie: In the third RP, there's a rather humorous discussion about a Hollywood blockbuster being made based on the original terrorist invasion. |
| 461 | * MuggingTheMonster: The punks who attack Aimee in the 3rd RP. Just because her arms are artificial, that does not mean she cannot kick your ass. |
| 462 | * MyInstinctsAreShowing: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]], subverted and used by the lupine soldier Capt. Kayle Storm. When his rifle jams, he clubs a terrorist with it and latches his jaws onto the terrorist's face and proceeds to maul him. Subverted in the fact that he speds a few seconds vomiting after he does so. |
| 463 | --> '''Capt. Storm:''' Instinct. What a love-hate relationship. |
| 464 | * MyNaymeIs: WordOfGod [[http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=6984&view=findpost&p=9230644 states]] that the cybernetics company [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Weyland-Yutani]] is pronounced "Vey-land OO-tani". |
| 465 | * NameOfCain: Kain. |
| 466 | * NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: [[Creator/RudyardKipling Rudyard]] [[Creator/OscarWilde Oscar]] Shelton. |
| 467 | * NaturalWeapon: Some of the [[FunnyAnimal anthropomorphic animals]] have natural weapons. Most of the time, it takes the forms of teeth, claws and muscle but snakes in this universe possess ''working'' venom glands. Also the experiments are blessed with a host of PsychicPowers. |
| 468 | * NeverFoundTheBody: Stern is too GenreSavvy to fall for this when Trinity is presumed dead. |
| 469 | * NeverMessWithGranny: "Old Mother Hubbard" from ''New Divide.'' [[spoiler:She built a Hydra in her basement.]] |
| 470 | * NeverTheSelvesShallMeet: According to ''Card of Ten'', if the anti-matter teammates were to encounter their matter duplicates, both copies would be annihilated. This is why they need to define the t-coordinate, because the old setting would return them to Earth at the exact moment the original team was jumping through. |
| 471 | ** Of course, this didn't happen when both Sheltons met in ''Pavlov's Checkmate''... |
| 472 | * NeverSmileAtACrocodile: Gustave is a speciesist Nile Crocodile with a penchant for violence, a sizable rap sheet, a ''big'' gun and a ''very'' bad temper. |
| 473 | * NewRulesAsThePlotDemands: In the first RP, scientist player characters weren't allowed to carry heavy weaponry. For some time in the first RP, Zachary got to wield a bazooka and he wielded a RPG in the final battle. The rule about "no heavy weaponry for scientists" was rescinded for the second and third [=RPs=] |
| 474 | * NighInvulnerability: Tardigan, the villain from ''Ground One''. Among surviving numerous direct explosions and all forms of weaponry, he even grabs a [[LaserBlade lightsaber]] blade with his bare hand and pulls it out of its owner's hand! In story, its apparently because he's an indestructible invertebrate called a "water bear" (aka tardigrade). |
| 475 | * NightVisionGoggles: Used by Hans and James in ''Pavlov's Checkmate''. And apparently portrayed correctly as well. |
| 476 | * NoBodyLeftBehind: Lockdown's genetic modifications allow him to turn objects or people into [[AntiMatter anti-energy]]. This causes them to instantly vaporize. |
| 477 | * NobodyPoops: Averted. Pelvanida Base has all the facilities of a real military base. Bathrooms and all. And of course, in the third RP, Cpl. Stern avoids getting caught up in a massive fight because he had to go to the bathroom. And of course, see PottyFailure below. |
| 478 | * NonMammalMammaries: Partially averted. Kiara, Aimee and Shakila (all non-primate mammals) apparently have breasts. But reptiles do not have breasts or any form of hair. And snakes in this universe have their genitals hidden inside a slit like real snakes. Exception: Neku does have hair but it is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in that he was created in a laboratory. |
| 479 | * NoOSHACompliance: Lampshaded by Kerzach in ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7514&view=findpost&p=9185371 Fool's Gold]]'': |
| 480 | * NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup: Subverted by the terrorists, or at least justified. The point of the raid was to gain the supplies necessary to build the bridge, and they brought a backup generator. |
| 481 | * NonActionGuy: Shelton and Kerzach both start as this, but Kerzach is slowly morphing out of this. Shelton, however, still sucks with firearms. Bailey from the third RP plays this straight. |
| 482 | * NoNameGiven: |
| 483 | ** Jayden, Aimee, Ariol and Trinity never have their last names mentioned. Likewise, Capt. Lutra's first name is never mentioned. |
| 484 | ** Zachary's full name was hidden throughout the first RP. Through supplementary material, it is revealed his full name is [[spoiler:Zachary Steven Johnson]] |
| 485 | *** Which makes him one of three characters[[note]]Himself, Shelton, and Dr. Zenarchis[[/note]] whose middle names have been revealed. It's been revealed that Drs. Zanasiu and Kerzach ''don't have middle names.'' |
| 486 | ** The main characters of ''Nietzsche's Soldiers 2'' are never referred to by their real names, only their code names. The exception is Hippolytes, who proudly boats that he's a [[TheClan MacLee]]. |
| 487 | * NoodleIncident: |
| 488 | ** In the 3rd RP, Alfred mentions that he can easily tip over a 3 ton pickup truck. ''How'' he knows this is never mentioned. |
| 489 | ** Sgt. Larry Masters [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9194250 is nicknamed Sgt. Pepper]]. It is not explained how he got that nickname aside from the fact it involved some Tabasco sauce, his uniform and some beer. |
| 490 | * NotDistractedByTheSexy: |
| 491 | ** When Shelton has to get Shakila and Aimee uniforms out of the (occupied) women's changing room. |
| 492 | ** Later, when [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl Nixx]] takes her top off right in front of him, turning the other man in the room into a drooling idiot, what is Shelton's response? Go right ahead with explaining his plan to infiltrate Soundwave's inner sanctum. (He does [[PleasePutSomeClothesOn offer her his jacket]] once he's done explaining, though.) |
| 493 | * NotThatKindOfDoctor: Shelton in the first RP, when Hans is injured and no one else is around to help. |
| 494 | * NotWhatItLooksLike: Said word for word [[http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9239671 by]] a system admin after Montgomery walks in on him trying to delete a bunch of porn popups on his computer. A virus had hit his computer. |
| 495 | * NukeEm: [[spoiler:Southport]] is nuked by the Dragonstorm defense satellite. [[spoiler: The Idaho Base]] is destroyed by a downed Dragonstorm defense satellite when it is bought down by an anti-sat missile. |
| 496 | * OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo: The [=RPs=] only. |
| 497 | ** The first RP was simply titled ''Darwin's Soldiers'' |
| 498 | ** The second RP was titled ''Darwin's Soldiers: Survival of the Fittest'' |
| 499 | ** The third RP was titled ''Darwin's Soldiers: Disruptive Selection'' |
| 500 | * PairTheSpares: Whenever a character breaks up with somebody, another character quickly rises to claim them. [[spoiler:Enforced by nick22 when [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=] wanted to kill off Zyanya and Nixx but nick insisted they live and pair off with Landon and Aisha (who had recently stopped seeing Roux).] |
| 501 | * PlotThreads: Every RP has a primary plot and secondary plot. In the first RP, the terrorist invasion is the primary plot, and Dragonstorm is a secondary plot. In the second RP, Dragonstorm is elevated to main plot, and the actions of Crimson Base serve as a secondary (if related) subplot. In the third RP, Dragonstorm is still the main plot, and Aimee's investigations into Trinity Facility are the secondary plot. |
| 502 | * PoisonousPerson: Snakes in this universe have working venom glands. Some snakes can actually ''spray'' their venom. This is TruthInTelevision. |
| 503 | * PoliticallyIncorrectHero: [[FunnyAnimal Gustave]] [[TheBigGuy Chiumbo]] is openly [[FantasticRacism speciesist]] against mammals. |
| 504 | ** [[SnakePeople Specialist Crota]] has his moments too. |
| 505 | * PutOnABus: |
| 506 | ** Hans, Werner and Cpl. Stern encounter an old friend of Cpl. Stern in a bar in New Mexico. The friend then offers to bring them back to Nevada where the [[WesternTerrorists terrorists]] from [[CallBack first RP]] are trying to put their lives back together. The three then accept the offer. |
| 507 | ** A [[spoiler:temporary]] example in the second RP. [[TheSmartGuy Shelton]] is deported to Austria after the events of the first RP. |
| 508 | * ObstructiveBureaucrat: Kiara. Shelton also pretends to be one to try and get information from Trinity. |
| 509 | * OffscreenTeleportation: Unintentional, but several times due to [[PoorCommunicationKills communication failure]] among authors, characters will spontaneously appear in places where they weren't seconds before. For example, a character who'd been in the control room for several pages will suddenly start talking and interacting with characters in the sublevels. |
| 510 | * OffWithHisHead: Alfred decapitated a Dragonstorm experiment with a sledgehammer. Gustave ''[[MegatonPunch punched]]'' off a Dragonstorm guard's head. |
| 511 | * OhCrap: The onlookers' response when an ''extremely'' pissed off Alfred tears a large pole out of the ground and starts trying to attack Marcus with it. |
| 512 | * OncePerEpisode: Shelton gets knocked out once in every RP. |
| 513 | * OneLetterName: O Donnell from the Furtopia RP was always written as such. Never with an apostrophe. |
| 514 | * OneSteveLimit: Averted. |
| 515 | ** Zachary Johnson and [[spoiler:Zachary Slavik]] (Cobalt Leader) are both important characters. |
| 516 | ** Then there's [[spoiler:Sharon Redfield]] (Human Cobalt Soldier) and Sharon Varma from the first RP. |
| 517 | ** Ethan the Dragonstorm assistant and Ethan Garner were also introduced at the same time. |
| 518 | ** Lutra, a main character from the Furtopia RP, shares his name with Captain Lutra, a recurring MauveShirt in the third Gang Of Five RP. |
| 519 | ** Mirumoto_Kenjiro added a character named [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9192165 Thomas]] '''Sterm''', a single letter off from Noname's main character Thomas '''Stern'''. |
| 520 | ** Main character Kaylee Storm from ''Disruptive Selection'' and Kayle Storm from the Furtopia roleplay take a close second to the above. |
| 521 | * OnlyAFleshWound: |
| 522 | ** Mostly averted as characters tend to aim for the head and body. But two ''very'' notable aversions are in the second RP, [[spoiler:Hicks]] gets shot in the knee and dies. A sniper takes a bullet to the leg and bleeds to death in the second RP. |
| 523 | ** Played straight with Alfred in the third RP. He takes a point-blank shot to the gut with a pistol and a ''.308 magnum'' round to the arm. After he is bandaged up, he is able to continue fighting as if nothing happened. Granted, it is mentioned that he has [[MadeOfIron superhuman toughness]]. |
| 524 | * OnlyOneName: Cale, Siberys, Neku, Snow, Deathwind for starters. In general, the Pelvanida and Dragonstorm experiments are either given inventory numbers or just a single name. |
| 525 | * OpeningACanOfClones: |
| 526 | ** Averted. James Zanasiu has been seen in at least four different forms (regular, anti-matter, Furtopia regular, and AI) but they never interact, and so are easily distinguished. |
| 527 | ** On the other side of the coin, Rudyard Shelton has encountered all three of his doppelgängers (anti-matter, AI, and [[{{Expy}} Keith Bailey]] but the problem of telling them apart never comes up since there are always superficial differences. |
| 528 | * OrphanedSeries: The two Furtopia [=RPs=] were never finished. |
| 529 | * OurZombiesAreDifferent: The infected that start to show up in Southport from what Subject 19 had created aren't zombies, yet, are able to to spread the virus within them much like how zombies do. |
| 530 | * PantsPositiveSafety: Aisha keeps a pistol in her purse. Alfred kept a pistol in the glove box of his truck. Averted by Dr. Zanasiu, Zachary, Cpl. Stern and Cobalt Squad (Dr. Zanasiu and Zachary use a pump shotgun and an assault rifle, respectively; Cpl. Stern and Cobalt Squad have holsters to keep their pistols in). |
| 531 | * ThePasswordIsAlwaysSwordfish: |
| 532 | ** Dr. Tinner's [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6336&view=findpost&p=9127033 password]] on his virtual reality machine. Also Montgomery on his computer files, though at least he tacked a number onto the end. |
| 533 | ** Lettuce, Serris, and Drake all use this trope in one of their stories. In ''New Divide'' Tricell's password was, well, Tricell. |
| 534 | * PistolWhipping: How Shelton generally uses a gun, since he's not trained for firearms. |
| 535 | * PlayingWithSyringes: Nixx's [[http://gangoffive.net/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=22003633 modus operandi]]. |
| 536 | * PoliceAreUseless: the reason Shelton feels safe walking around Culeston in part of his Dragonstorm uniform. |
| 537 | --->'''Shelton: ''"The cops haven't proven themselves to be very observant in the past."'' |
| 538 | * PortalSlam: This is what the main characters think happened in ''Card of Ten''. [[TeleporterAccident In reality...]] |
| 539 | * PottyFailure: Lupis from the rebooted Furtopia RP occasionally wets himself and spends a fair portion of the RP in diapers. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] by the fact that he is four years old and not fully toilet trained. |
| 540 | * [[PreMortemOneLiner Pre Mortem]] / PreAssKickingOneLiner: Cale in ''Pavlov's Checkmate'', right before going apeshit on Ricky and his men. |
| 541 | * PoweredArmor: Powered exoskeletons have been seen the second and third [=RPs=] as well as in ''Fool's Gold'' but only for carrying heavy loads. Omega Squad on board the ''Surrounded Sea'' uses a lighter form to enhance their strength and let them carry heavier armor. |
| 542 | ** Dr. Zanasiu dons a construction exoskeleton to fight and kill [[spoiler:O'Neill]] in the 3rd RP. |
| 543 | * {{Prequel}}: ''Schrodinger's Prisoners''. |
| 544 | * PrettyLittleHeadshots: Not really dwelt on as the descriptions are not graphic. However, two notable aversions occur: |
| 545 | ** In ''Fools Gold'', [[spoiler:when Paul kills Jackson with a near-point blank shot to the head with a pistol. The result is quite bloody]] |
| 546 | ** In the second RP, a sniper on a catwalk at one of Pelvanida's hangars kills several rogue soldiers. The wall near the entrance to the hangar is described as covered in blood. |
| 547 | * PrivateMilitaryContractors: Pelvanida guards are explicitly stated to from an unnamed private security company. |
| 548 | * TheProfessor: Invoked by name for an otherwise unnamed character briefly encountered in ''Card of Ten''. |
| 549 | * PsychicPowers: The [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Psi-Experiments]] can wield a multitude of psionic powers. |
| 550 | ** [[MindOverMatter Telekinesis]]: Neku and Siberys |
| 551 | ** [[PlayingWithFire Pyrokinesis]]: Snow and Hailey |
| 552 | ** [[ShockAndAwe Electrokinesis]]: Neku and Cale |
| 553 | ** RazorWind: Slash |
| 554 | * PublicDomainCharacter: Serris releases characters into the public domain every so often. [=LB&T=] has explicitly stated that every character he creates other than Shelton is public domain. Several authors (such as f-22 and lbt/cty_lover) do this with their main characters once they leave the RP. |
| 555 | * PunnyName: |
| 556 | ** Spc. Mitchell '''Crota''' and Sgt. Larry '''Masters'''. Spc. Crota is a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake ('''Crota'''lus atrox) and Sgt. Masters is a South American Bush'''master'''. Also Spc. Hannah Ophio is a King Cobra ('''Ophio'''phagus '''hannah'''). |
| 557 | ** Capt. Lutra is a Eurasian Otter (''Lutra lutra'') |
| 558 | [[/folder]] |
| 559 | |
| 560 | [[folder:Tropes R-Z]] |
| 561 | * RankScalesWithAsskicking: Mostly averted. The highest-ranking characters in central factions (Zenarchis, Branston, Shelton, the terrorist commander) tend to be somewhere between MissionControl and an ActionSurvivor, while the lower-ranking scientists and personnel kick a lot more ass. Of course, there are enough factions and characters across the RPs that plenty of leaders (most notably Dragonstorm base commanders) play this trope straight. |
| 562 | * RasputinianDeath: Subject 18's final stand against Terror Squad in ''New Divide'' resulted in this '''after''' his healing ability had been stripped from him. It took shocks from the surrounding generators, being stabbed and his throat slit and multiple shots to his body before he finaly fell and accepted death. |
| 563 | * RebelLeader: Werner, on Gaman. |
| 564 | * RedEyesTakeWarning: [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9262152 Famine]]'s eyes glow red when he's controlling people's emotions. |
| 565 | * RedShirt: A rare main-character example. An author named Belmont2500 joined the 3rd RP and introduced his character, Ethan Garner, into a hospital shootout. However, Belmont just as quickly left the RP, and requested his character be killed off. |
| 566 | * ReptilesAreAbhorrent: In the 3rd RP some people visibly flinch around Sgt. Masters, and Spc. Crota. Corporal Stern is mentioned as having a dislike for snakes. |
| 567 | * RescueEquipmentAttack: Dr. Zanasiu uses a fire extinguisher as an impromptu smokescreen to get past a group of guards. He also uses it to bludgeon a guard. |
| 568 | * RingWorldPlanet: Gaman. |
| 569 | * RocksFallEveryoneDies: the end of the second RP features a mild version of this when [[spoiler:Crimson Base levels Pelvanida with a massive airstrike]]. WordOfGod states this was done because the GM wanted the RP to end and it was starting to drag on. |
| 570 | * RunningGag: Shelton's ambiguous nationality. Also, a Dr. Kyle is mentioned in every RP, but [[HeWhoMustNotBeSeen never seen.]] |
| 571 | * RussianBear: Piotr Kozlov is a hulking Siberian Grizzly Bear with brains and [[GeniusBruiser brawn]] in abundance. |
| 572 | * SatelliteLoveInterest: Aydin Marcos really has no defining personality traits other than the fact that he loves Aimee. |
| 573 | * ScaryBlackMan: Marcus, a big black guy with a gun and [[MadeOfIron superhuman toughness]]. |
| 574 | * SeeYouInHell: The James AI in ''[[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6336&view=findpost&p=9126446 Schrodinger's Prisoners]]''. |
| 575 | * SeenItAll: Vic's [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9035274 response]] in the first RP upon hearing about Dragonstorm. |
| 576 | * SelfDefenseless: Averted. Dr. Kerzach wields pepper spray to great effect in the second RP when he [[spoiler:he escapes from a prison cell]]. Dr. Landon in the third RP uses pepper spray and a ''[[ImprovisedWeapon medical dictionary]]'' to fend off some punks who pick a fight with the group. |
| 577 | * TheShelton: Dr. Shelton of course. Former TropeNamer. |
| 578 | * ShoutOut: Oh so many. The writers reveal themselves to be major fans of video games, science, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking classical music]]... |
| 579 | ** So many that it now has its own [[ShoutOut/DarwinsSoldiers page]]. |
| 580 | ** ShoutOutToShakespeare: |
| 581 | *** A [[EvilTwin creepy clone]] of him is briefly seen in the first RP. [[spoiler: He posthumously plays a huge role in ''Card Of Ten''.]] |
| 582 | *** Aisha [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9207889 quotes]] ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' in the 3rd RP. |
| 583 | * ShamelessFanserviceGirl: Nixx. After her introduction scene, she heads off on her own, fights a few more robots and runs into another group to the point that her [[ClothingDamage shirt has been torn rather badly]]. Her answer to that? Take off her badly damaged shirt and walk around and fight, all the while topless. |
| 584 | * SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: |
| 585 | ** Aimee corrects newcomer Shakila when she assumes that Aimee and Stern are dating. |
| 586 | ** Hailey also snaps at Aimee, thinking that she thought that she and Trinity used to be item. |
| 587 | ** Hailey also tells Aimee that she only thinks that Subject 19 is cute, not that she is in love with her |
| 588 | * ShownTheirWork: It is rather obvious that "Serris" is pretty damn well versed in science. |
| 589 | * ShurFineGuns: Averted. The firearms rarely jam and when they do, it takes only a few moments to clear the jam. |
| 590 | * SmartPeoplePlayChess: Hicks mentions Shelton was [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9039838 chess champion]] in a contest at Pelvanida. |
| 591 | * SociopathicSoldier: [=SSgt=]. Michael Garrelli from the first Furtopia RP fits this trope quite well. His backstory implies that he joined the Marines ''just'' so he can kill. Not to mention some of the actions he does in the RP are...questionable to say the least. |
| 592 | * SoftGlass: Thoroughly averted. In the third [=RP=], Alfred kills someone by flinging them through a pane of ''reinforced'' glass. |
| 593 | * SoLastSeason: The terrorists become virtually unheard of after the first RP, replaced almost completely by Dragonstorm as the primary villains. In the third RP, Trinity Facility seemed to replace Dragonstorm (or at least receive much more screen time) until its destruction. |
| 594 | * SoleSurvivor: A running theme in the series is battles that leave a single person alive on one side (usually the enemy side): |
| 595 | ** In the Furtopia RP, Zachary's team leaves one terrorist alive after a shootout so they can interrogate him. Garrelli and O Donnell are both mentioned to be the only survivor of a squad killed by the terrorists. Dragore mentions that his "brothers and sisters" did not survive the invasion. |
| 596 | ** In the Gang Of Five RP, the first shootout at the AWTR explicitly states that only one [[FinalGirl female]] terrorist survives. |
| 597 | ** When Shelton's team is attacked by sublevel guards, Shelton is the only one left awake. It turns out they needed him for the password to auxiliary control. |
| 598 | ** [[spoiler:Shelton is also the only avatar still alive by the end of the simulation in ''Schrodinger's Prisoners''.]] |
| 599 | ** When James' team launches a counter assault, a single terrorist gets a shattered kneecap instead of death. |
| 600 | ** In the second RP, Dragonstorm guards disarm or incapacitate every defender in the control room except Clyco, who [[spoiler: activates a {{BFG}} and]] kills all the attackers except PFC Reynolds. |
| 601 | ** Noleson is the only survivor of the security team that tries to arrest James and his men. [[spoiler:At least, before Pelvanida is blown up...]] |
| 602 | ** When a rocket hits the gunner bay [[spoiler:of an escaping Lab 101]], everyone inside is killed except Shelton, who was unconscious on the ground. He seems to have a habit of this. |
| 603 | ** Shelton is knocked out with everyone else in ''Nietzsche's Soldiers''. This time it's Kerzach who's left awake. |
| 604 | ** In ''Pavlov's Checkmate'', Hans knocks out a Russian enemy before the shooting starts, presumably leaving the Russian the only enemy survivor. |
| 605 | ** When DS-1 ambushed James' team after incapacitating their van, "Achates" [[spoiler:later revealed to be Shelton]] was the only one who didn't die. |
| 606 | ** Part of Ethan Garner's backstory involves being the only survivor from 'Delta Force', though Ethan's author left the RP before explaining what that meant. |
| 607 | ** When a police force fights Terror Squad, Jayden is the only officer left alive. |
| 608 | ** When Terror Squad attacks the Schutzhund competition, Hailey is the only survivor. |
| 609 | ** Xanthus is the only surviving member of the hunters that attacked Viper. |
| 610 | * SomeoneHasToDie: At the end of ''Card of Ten'', four teammates have to stay behind to keep the bridge open so the rest of the team can escape to Earth. [[spoiler:Later stories reveal only one of these characters died.]] |
| 611 | * SorryILeftTheBGMOn: In the second RP, Alfred turns on a Humvee's radio and ''Primo Victoria'' by Sabaton starts playing. Cpl. Stern then immediately orders him to turn it off. WordOfGod states that ''Primo Victoria'' is indeed supposed to be the background music. |
| 612 | * SpaceIsNoisy: Twice averted: There's no sound whenever the shuttlecrafts from ''Card of Ten'' or ''Ship of State'' are out of Gaman's atmosphere, and when Ricky whispers to James inside a wormhole, James can't hear him because there's no medium for the sound to travel through. |
| 613 | * SpellMyNameWithAnS: Siberys/Syberis from the first RP. The character was played by lbt/cty_lover, Serris, and [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=] at various times and none of them could keep their spelling standard. Also happened to Pietr Kozlov/Koslov in the first RP. |
| 614 | * SpySpeak: Dragonstorm uses code names to refer to other team mates, locations, and projects. |
| 615 | * {{Sssssnaketalk}}: Averted. All snake characters speak normal English. |
| 616 | * StalkerWithoutACrush: The story ''Byte Me'' chronicles ROSS' attempts to locate Dr. Shelton and figure out why he was created. |
| 617 | * StatingTheSimpleSolution: Ridgeway [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6336&view=findpost&p=9126079 suggests]] just shooting AI Zenarchis as a way to get past him in ''Schrodinger's Prisoners''. [[spoiler:It turns out that's pretty much what they do.]] |
| 618 | * StayingAlive: [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9049169 Kagetora]] [[TakingYouWithMe blew himself and Murakami up]] in front of the entire cast, and subsequently appears with no explanation given for the final battle. Apparently [[UnexplainedRecovery he got better]]. |
| 619 | * StealthPun: In ''Fools Gold'' truck #71 is driven by a Giant Panda named Lu. [[spoiler: 71 is the atomic number of the lanthanide '''Lu'''tetium. Its symbol in the periodic table is Lu. Lu is also a common Chinese surname.]] |
| 620 | * StormingTheCastle: The main characters, in the second and third [=RPs=] and ''Pavlov's Checkmate''. |
| 621 | * StoutStrength: Gustave has a potbelly and is described as being a little on the fat side. Despite that, he is '''''extremely''''' strong, capable of hoisting 800 pounds over his head or dismembering his opponents with his bare hands. |
| 622 | * StrippedToTheBone: The final [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9210782 fate]] of Ajax. |
| 623 | * StupidSexyFlanders: This more or less happens between Aimee and Subject 19, to which Aimee mentions how she can see how Hailey thought that Subject 19 was cute. |
| 624 | * StylisticSuck: Gustave's line from TheMovie somehow combines two common yet diametrically-opposed cliches: |
| 625 | --->'''Gustave''': [[FirstDayFromHell Aw, come on, my ''first'' day on the job]]! And to think, [[{{Retirony}} I was just ''forty years'' away from retirement]]! |
| 626 | * SuperSerum: |
| 627 | ** Trinity Facility apparently produces some of this. And it is used none other than by [[spoiler: Trinity]]. |
| 628 | ** Zachary Johnson has also been working on one that would grant a HealingFactor. The downsides of it are [[ShownTheirWork fairly realistically]] depicted. |
| 629 | * SuperSoldiers: What Pelvanida's research is intended to create. |
| 630 | * SuperStrength: |
| 631 | ** Aimee has some degree of this (demonstrated when she crushes the barrel of a pistol) |
| 632 | ** Alfred clearly possesses this. And it has been demonstrated several times. |
| 633 | ** It is mentioned that bovids in general have some degree of this. |
| 634 | --->'''Random Bystander''': Bovids naturally have incredible strength. Trust me, I once saw one tie a knot in a piece of rebar. |
| 635 | ** Subject 18 from ''New Divide'' has this and it is further augmented by a set of experimental gloves he stole. |
| 636 | ** Gustave Chiumbo is the strongest character in the RP. The SuperSerum he injected himself increases his already considerable strength. |
| 637 | * TakeThat: at ''Creator/ParisHilton'' |
| 638 | --->'''Aisha''': "Look at Paris Hilton, or better yet, don't. Famous for being famous, not because she has anything approaching talent." |
| 639 | * TakeThatKiss: A textbook example: [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9185081 Trinity with Hailey]]. |
| 640 | * TakingYouWithMe: Premier Jacade of Gaman [[spoiler: blew up the entire planet rather than let the rebels take power from him]]. |
| 641 | * TechnoBabble: Shelton seems especially prone to this. Here's a particularly egregious [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=4340&view=findpost&p=9035950 example]]. |
| 642 | * {{Telepathy}}: It seems that Snow has some form of this power. |
| 643 | * TerroristsWithoutACause: Averted. The terrorists were originally concieved as this but later an ulterior motive was devised for them. |
| 644 | * TheyCallMeMrTibbs: Done for comedy when [[TheMole Shelton]] intercepts a thought message by Achilles to Narcissus and replies in turn. |
| 645 | -->'''Achilles''':Why did they give us such a wimpy commander? |
| 646 | -->'''Narcissus''':Hey, Achilles, I don't think it's such a great idea to be insulting the commander, especially when he's right here. |
| 647 | -->'''Achilles''':Not going to stop me. I'm not afraid of a pussy. |
| 648 | -->'''Shelton''': (spoken) It's Commander Pussy to you. |
| 649 | * ThreeWaySex: |
| 650 | ** [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9214895 An implied]] [[ThreeWaySex Three-way]] between [[SnakePeople Spc. Crota]], [[FunnyAnimal Zachary]] and Roux. |
| 651 | --> '''Spc. Crota:''' What, you want her? We can share; he said multiple partners |
| 652 | ** Dr. Landon's sarcastic comment about an in-universe movie about the first RP: |
| 653 | -->'''Dr. Landon''': A lewd 12 way followed by a battle between three different dimensions, led by a guy dressed like the guy from ''Film/AnimalHouse'' screaming "Toga! Toga! Toga!" |
| 654 | * ThroughAFaceFullOfFur: Played straight and averted in ''Ground One.'' After Snow (Siberian Husky) has almost all her fur burnt off by a carnivorous atmosphere, Neku mentions being able to see her blush for the first time. Then later in the story, Ender McThair (jackal) reads a computer monitor and his face turns pale. |
| 655 | * TokenHuman: [[http://forums.furtopia.org/index.php/topic,33419.msg654667.html#msg654667 James']] original function. Didn't really pan out when a lot of other writers chose to play as humans too. |
| 656 | * TortureTechnician: Dragonstorm's is Calchas. |
| 657 | * JustForFun/TheTropelessTale:[[invoked]] From the ''Darwin's Soldiers'' discussion thread on the Gang Of Five: |
| 658 | --->'''Caustizer''': Hmm I must have done my job with Clyco pretty well... he was so atypical that he doesn't have any tropes attached to him. |
| 659 | --->'''[=LettuceBacon&Tomato=]''': Administrivia/TropesAreNotBad... |
| 660 | * ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: Shelton empties an entire pistol magazine killing Delta Leader. Justified, since he doesn't know how to use a weapon, and an unspecified majority of the bullets missed. |
| 661 | * ThisIsNotADrill: Said by Shelton in the first RP. Visible in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Darwin%27s_Soldiers_image.jpg this]] image from Website/ThatOtherWiki. |
| 662 | * ThisIsReality: In the second RP, this exchange occurs:, |
| 663 | -->'''Zachary''': Hans, do you think this was a good idea, try to disguise ourselves as staff? |
| 664 | -->'''Hans''': It seems like a good idea but I was thinking about going in through the areas not covered by the security cameras and cutting the power long enough for us to get in and disguise ourselves like base personnel. |
| 665 | -->'''Zachary''':Also works but remember that the fusion reactor is in the basement and protected quite well by autoturrets and cameras. Also, few areas are not covered by cameras. |
| 666 | -->'''Aisha''':Uh, yeah this isn't like the Oceans 11 movies |
| 667 | * ThrowAwayGuns: |
| 668 | ** Usually averted. The characters (both good and bad) rarely discard firearms and will usually reload them instead. |
| 669 | ** Played straight with Subject 19 in one instanst, she ends up stealing a gun and guns down the other guards in the room that she's in and without relaoding the gun or keeping it, she simply throws it away to the side. |
| 670 | * TimeForPlanB: Happens between Aimee and Kagetora when faced up against Subject 19 |
| 671 | -->'''Aimee''': We need a new plan |
| 672 | -->'''Kagetora''': Looks that way. Got any suggestions? |
| 673 | -->'''Aimee''': Er, run?\ |
| 674 | \ |
| 675 | Aimee apparantly hadn't thought of a Plan C yet, which might also mean that [[IndyPloy she's making it up as she's going along]] |
| 676 | * TitleDrop: The final post of the first RP. |
| 677 | * TomatoInTheMirror: ''Card of Ten'' follows the tale of Dr. James Zanasiu and his team through the antimatter world of Gaman. At the end, it's revealed that [[spoiler: this Dr. Zanasiu is actually an antimatter copy of the real one, who's still back on Earth.]] |
| 678 | * TooDumbToLive: The scientist who created Dragore. He repeatedly insults Dragore and expresses the pleasure he gets from seeing Dragore in pain, while surround by ''armed'' characters who repeatedly threaten to kill him if he doesn't shut up. |
| 679 | * TookALevelInBadass: Shelton starts off as a control room admin in the first RP, and by the third RP he's living as an undercover spy within the Dragonstorm ranks. |
| 680 | * TrapMaster: The Southport guard. See BadassBystander above. |
| 681 | * {{Troperrific}}: this happens when the gamemaster and some of the players are avid Tropers. |
| 682 | * {{Tuckerization}}: Occurs several times: |
| 683 | ** The fictional actor Stephen Di Georgi mentioned in the third RP is a fusion of the names of two people that Serris knows in real life. |
| 684 | ** The [[PlayingWithSyringes Dragonstorm]] scientists Dr. Phyllis Lefrak and Dr. Thomas Sotille are named after people that Serris ''hated'' (an school teacher and a former classmate, respectively). |
| 685 | ** Dr. John Volkowitz (the Pelvanida scientist mentioned in the second and third [=RPs=])is named after someone that Serris knows in real life. |
| 686 | ** Corporal Thomas Stern's last name comes from an old friend of Noname. |
| 687 | ** The terrorist commander is named Halsey. He is played by LB&T, who has the surname of Halsey. |
| 688 | ** [[spoiler:The [[HappilyAdopted adopted]] son of [[HappilyMarried Sharon and James Zanasiu-Varma]] is Erik, named for the creator of ''Darwin's Soldiers'']] |
| 689 | * TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: It is set in the early 2000s but yet laser weapons, [[MagneticWeapons railguns, gauss guns]] and fusion reactors exist. Not to mention advanced cybernetics technology. |
| 690 | * UndeadAuthor: Averted in ''Pavlov's Checkmate'', regarding Steven's (AKA Zachary) book. He says he wants to write a book chronicling everything that happened in ''Card of Ten''. Luckily for him, at least one of the three surviving away team members was present at every major event of the story. |
| 691 | * UnhandThemVillain: In the third RP, Jayden [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9201678 tells Trinity]] to let Kiara go. Trinity obliges...and then drop-kicks Kiara into a tree. |
| 692 | * {{Unobtainium}}: Diamontainium, used in Soundwave's own Rhino suit. |
| 693 | * UnskilledButStrong: Gustave and Alfred have no martial arts training. Their tactic in a fight: beat the opponent with anything handy until they stop moving. |
| 694 | * VagueAge: Ariol, Kain, Subject 19, Siren, Breathtaker and Stalker all have their age listed in their profiles as "unknown". |
| 695 | * VibrationManipulation: Deathwind, a Dragonstorm experiment, can create a painful and ''very'' destructive noise by vibrating his wings. |
| 696 | * [[VigilanteMan Vigilante Group]]: The heroes in the second and third [=RPs=]. |
| 697 | * VillainEpisode: The ''Nietzsche's Soldiers'' stories focus on Dragonstorm characters. |
| 698 | * VillainousBreakdown: Drake suffers one throughout the assault on his base as Hailey and Neku keep on escaping the various situations he puts them through in his virtual reality machine, to the point in breaking his calm talking to yelling and snapping. |
| 699 | * VillainousCrossdresser: In the third RP, a female Dobermann bystander who calls 911 to report someone breaking into a car is actually a male German Shepherd spy working for Dragonstorm. |
| 700 | * TheVoiceless: Rhino never talks at all. |
| 701 | * WealthyEverAfter - Most protagonists who survive the third role-play get millions of dollars in hush money from the government. |
| 702 | * WeNeedADistraction: During his MacGyvering phase in the second RP, Shelton used a battery, propane tank, and steel wool to distract and slip past a Dragonstorm experiment guarding Lab 101. |
| 703 | %%* Weapon Of Choice: Mostly averted as characters tend to grab whatever weapon is handy but some characters have signature weapons. |
| 704 | %%** Dr. James Zanasiu: Full size Remington 870 shotgun. |
| 705 | %%** Zachary: AR-15 rifle. |
| 706 | %%%%** Dr. Yuri Kerzach: six inch long amorphous metal switchblade |
| 707 | %%** Werner: Dual Berettas |
| 708 | %%** Hans: AK-47 |
| 709 | %%** Neku: Beam swords |
| 710 | %%** Cale: Seems to favor his glass daggers of various shapes |
| 711 | %%** Slash: Organic metal spikes (Not known if he can use guns or not) |
| 712 | %%** Kagetora: Customized machine gun and twin Katana |
| 713 | %%** Cobalt leader: Elite 1A |
| 714 | %%** Shelton: Not a weapon, but his radio-flashlight is his most-used item. |
| 715 | %%** Gustave Chiumbo: Double-barreled 4-gauge shotgun |
| 716 | * WesternTerrorists: The villains in the first RP. |
| 717 | * WeveGotCompany: Spoken verbatim multiple times throughout the third RP and once in ''Survival of the Fittest''. |
| 718 | * WinToExit: |
| 719 | ** Played with in ''Schrodinger's Prisoners'': If the players all die, they'll still be let out of the machine, but their memories will be wiped and they won't remember how dangerous the machine is. |
| 720 | ** Played straight with Hailey in ''Gamer''. |
| 721 | * WhatMeasureIsAMook - The characters kill a ''lot'' of terrorists, rogue guards and other assorted [[{{Mooks}} mooks]] and no one seems to have a problem with it. |
| 722 | * WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong: [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=7319&view=findpost&p=9210065 played straight]], complete with both proper responses. |
| 723 | -->'''Shelton''': [[YouJustHadToSayIt Did you have to say that?]] |
| 724 | -->'''Kerzach''': [[TemptingFate Don't tempt fate.]] |
| 725 | * WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: The fictional town of Springwood. Aimee, while drunk, explains its location as being borded by the states of Maine, Washington, Hawaii and Brazil. WordOfGod though, states that it's suppose to be intentional, that the location Springwood would remain unknown. |
| 726 | * WhiteVoidRoom: One of these plays a major [[ChekhovsGun plot point]] in ''Card of Ten''. |
| 727 | * WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: |
| 728 | ** Shelton reveals a fear of flying in the third RP. |
| 729 | ** Likewise, Gustave, a ''massive'' [[FunnyAnimal Nile crocodile]] with SuperStrength and is MadeOfIron is terrified of heights. |
| 730 | * WordPureeTitle: Serris came up with Dr. Zanasiu's last name by pounding random keys on his keyboard. |
| 731 | * WorldOfBadass: Everyone, everywhere, kicks ass. With few exceptions. |
| 732 | * WouldHitAGirl: |
| 733 | ** Done on both sides. The heroes have no problem killing female enemies. Likewise, the [[{{Mooks}} rogue guards, terrorists, assorted bad guys]] have no problem trying to kill Aisha, Aimee and Sharon. |
| 734 | ** Likewise [[spoiler:Dr. Shelton]] killing Delta Leader. |
| 735 | * WouldNotShootAGoodGuy: |
| 736 | ** Averted in the second RP's chase scene. One of the Humvees driven by the group rams a police cruiser off the road. Hans ''slices a SWAT truck in half'' with a Humvee mounted laser cannon after it tried to run him off the road. He cuts off part of a police helicopter's landing gear with the same weapon after a sniper on the helicopter tried to shoot him. Dr. Greene grenades a bunch of civilians who mistake his vehicle for a Dragonstorm escort vehicle and start shooting it. |
| 737 | ** Anti-James also shoots Anti-Siberys in ''Card of Ten,'' after the latter goes a little too far in trying to get revenge on Gamas and puts the team in jeopardy. |
| 738 | * WrenchWench: Sharon used to work in the magnetic materials research division at Pelvanida. After [[spoiler: she got fired]], she worked as an electrician and a mechanic in Southport. |
| 739 | * WrestlerInAllOfUs: Alfred piledrives a guard with so much force that he cracks the concrete floor. Obviously, the guard is killed in the process. |
| 740 | * WriteBackToTheFuture: Anti-Shelton realizes they can do this in ''Pavlov's Checkmate'', when the team trapped in 1990 needs to contact Shelton in the present day. |
| 741 | * WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants: [[WordOfGod Serris]] states that ''nearly everything'' he write was improvised on the fly, ''including the two sequels''. The exception is [=LettuceBacon&Tomato=], who plans out Shelton's story arcs ahead of time, sometimes months in advance. This doesn't stop him from improvising when things take an unexpected turn, though. |
| 742 | * WriterOnBoard: Aydin Marcos shares the same values as his devoutly Catholic creator, Noname. |
| 743 | * YearInsideHourOutside: The ''t''-coordinate of the Einstein-Rosen bridge causes this. You can adjust the coordinate to go wherever you want, but when you return to your starting point you only lose the amount of time you'd been gone. |
| 744 | * YouAreInCommandNow: Happens to Shelton when he becomes the highest ranking survivor in the convoy during Dragonstorm's evacuation of Lab 101. He later uses this to promote Kerzach to DS-2. |
| 745 | * YouGotMurder: Sort of. Trinity leaves a bomb in Aimee's room. She succeeds in blowing up the hotel, but Aimee was [[GenreSavvy suspicious of the package]] and evacuated everyone in time. |
| 746 | * YoungerThanTheyLook: Most Pelvanida experiments are ''much'' younger than they look. This is totally [[JustifiedTrope justified]] because they were grown with accelerated growth chambers. |
| 747 | ** Neku looks and acts like a seventeen year old but is six. |
| 748 | ** Snow looks and acts like a twenty year old but is the same age as Neku. |
| 749 | ** Chase looks and acts like a twelve year old. He is two years old. |
| 750 | ** John "Johnny" Smith is an extreme case. He looks and acts like a thirty four year old. He is '''[[SerialEscalation seven]]'''. |
| 751 | ** Sabre 9 looks and acts like a thirty one year old. He is eight. |
| 752 | ** Ice looks and acts like like a thirty two year old. He is the same age as Sabre 9. |
| 753 | ** Walter "Wally" O'Pierce looks and acts like a thirty four year old. He is ten. |
| 754 | * YouWakeUpInARoom: Happens to the ''Card of Ten'' away team, and to Shelton and Eddie in ''Nietzsche's Prisoners''. |
| 755 | * YouWouldntLikeMeWhenImAngry: Subject 19 tends to get angry at anyone in particular, good or evil, and once she gets angry, it takes some time for her to calm back down again. |
| 756 | * YourMindMakesItReal: Averted in ''Schrodinger's Prisoners''. Tinner [[http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/index.php?showtopic=6336&view=findpost&p=9125748 explicitly states]] that dying in the Virtual Reality machine simply returns you to a state on non-REM sleep, and all the characters wake up in the end. |
| 757 | [[/folder]] |
| 758 |
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