Line #125 Webcomic/BloodStain


1	[[quoteright:345:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/blood_stain_cover_chapter_2_4527.jpg]]
2	%%[[caption-width-right:345:some caption text]]
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4	->''"[[OpeningNarration Somewhere in the asscrack of the Mediterranean sea...]]"''
5
6	''Blood Stain'', by Linda Luksic Sejic (under the Website/DeviantArt username [[http://sigeel.deviantart.com/ Sigeel]]) is a SliceOfLife webcomic centered around Elliot Torres, a chemistry major who has been searching for a stable job for two years. After being let go from a multitude of jobs [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny for various reasons]], she resorts to applying for a job rumored to be offered by a MadScientist. It turns out, despite first impressions, there's nothing to fear from the so-rumored employer, [[AbsentMindedProfessor Dr. Vlad Stein]]. Instead, both Elliot and Dr. Stein learn from each other's situations while going through a plethora of humorous events along the way.
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8	Linda Luksic Sejic is also known for her work in ''ComicBook/GrimmFairyTales'' and is married to [[Webcomic/{{Sunstone}} Stjepan Sejic]], another professional comic artist with a webcomic.
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10	Starting in 2016, it was picked up by Creator/ImageComics for printing and distribution, which had also published several of Stjepan's previous works, including his own webcomic ''Webcomic/{{Sunstone}}'', which shares a universe with ''Blood Stain''. It still remains free to read and view on Linda's [=DeviantArt=]. It can also be read on Webtoons [[https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/blood-stain/list?title_no=166806 here]].
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12	----
13
14	!!''Blood Stain'' provides examples of the following tropes:
15
16	* AbsentMindedProfessor: Dr. Stein embodies this trope, as evidenced multiple times throughout the webcomic.
17	** He manages to forget that he booked a flight for Elliot and later, when Elliot arrives at his house, he is perplexed at who is his visitor.
18	** He himself describes that his "time/space orientation is a little off".
19	** His lack of a sleeping schedule leads to him being late for teaching and, if not for Elliot's interruption, he would have forgotten his briefcase.
20	* {{Affectionate\|Parody}}[=/=]IndecisiveParody: Elliot's perception of her new job is this to mad science.
21	* AnswerCut: The end of page 53 ends with Elliot asking Dr. Stein what ''exactly'' her job is. The start of page 54 shows her scrubbing beakers and flasks.
22	* ArtEvolution: As a whole, the comic's pages have grown sharper, and Dr. Stein looks younger in later pages compared to his first appearances.
23	* AsleepInClass: The reader sees Dr. Stein falling asleep mid-lecture on Elliot's first day on the job. His students comment on how loud he snores after class.
24	* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Elliot has this issue frequently; she is not quite as absent-minded as Dr. Stein, but she lapses into {{Imagine Spot}}s even when she's being directly talked to.
25	* BeleagueredAssistant: Both Elliot and Serge take this role to Dr. Stein, as not only do they have to do their written jobs as an assistant and cook, respectively, but they end up having to manage Dr. Stein's life, such as waking him up when he's late for teaching and reminding him to hold his suitcase. As the story continues, Elliot takes on more of the 'beleaguered' part.
26	* BerserkBoardBarricade: After Dr. Stein sleepwalks into the door of Elliot's room, Elliot rushes to block the entrance with furniture. She then has to put the furniture back the next morning, and the sound of scraping (and his own forgetfulness) causes Dr. Stein to become troubled.
27	* BerserkButton: Do not call Dr. Stein "Blood Stain". He had [[KidsAreCruel more than enough of that kind of crap]] during his school days.
28	* BizarreTasteInFood: Dr. Stein likes ordering take-out chicken feet dipped in ketchup, despite having Serge as a chef.
29	* BloodBath: Elliot thinks of one in an ImagineSpot about the doctor's appearance.
30	* ABloodyMess: Zigzagged; the red stains Dr. Stein acquires are [[PlayedStraight sometimes ketchup]] and [[SubvertedTrope sometimes blood]].
31	* BrainyBrunette: Elliot majored in chemistry and will mention it in casual discussion. However, her braininess also comes with a consuming self-doubt and anxiety that disconnects her from the real world.
32	* BreakTheCutie: At the start, coddled Elliot finds out that real life is harsh when her lack of focus gets her rejected from every job she applies to. Her self-confidence grows with the start of every opportunity, but it is crushed when she inevitably gets fired. She looks to be on the verge of tears on page 70 after Dr. Stein lets his pent-up frustration out on her.
33	* ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes: When a blackout occurs at the doctor's house, Sigeel draws the characters this way for a few frames before Serge illuminates the scene with a match.
34	* TheCameo: Ally of ''Webcomic/{{Sunstone}}'' appears on the chapter five cover.
35	* CatapultNightmare: Elliot's awakens this way after rushing to 'God-knows-where' and having a night of restlessness.
36	* CheatedAngle: Dr. Stein's hair is always draped over the side away from the camera.
37	* {{Cliffhanger}}: Several pages end with Elliot asking unresolved questions. Due to the genre of the series, though, the answer is typically predictably mild or funny.
38	%%* CloudcuckoolandersMinder: Serge to Dr. Stein.
39	* ComingOfAgeStory: The series is one for Elliot, who starts off as irresponsible and scatterbrained for her age but learns to handle the pressures of real life.
40	* ConfirmedBachelor: Serge helpfully clears up for Elliot that Dr. Stein is unmarried, in case she had any plans (she didn't).
41	* CoversAlwaysLie:
42	** The cover of the first chapter's cover milks the work's implied horror genre, but there's very little actual horror outside of the protagonist's mindset.
43	** In-universe, Dr. Stein uses a literal example from a childhood diary as a "VERY VERY blatant metaphor" for his own personal appearance.
44	** A teaser for page 54 turns out just to be the ImagineSpot of the page.
45	* CreepyShadowedUndereyes: Dr. Stein frequently sports them, mostly because of his lack of sleeping habits.
46	* DeepImmersionGaming: The characters' appearances in the in-universe MMORPG ''Moonstone Gate'' appear to be this, though it is debatable how much of that is player customization rather than a projection of their real-life appearances.
47	* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: A gag in one of the first comics reveals the name of the science university at Elliot's college as "Teh [sic] Science University [[AC:of science]]".
48	* DontYouDarePityMe: Because Elliot has been berated by previous bosses over incompetence at jobs, Elliot refuses to ask Dr. Stein for help or take suggestions from Serge, even when it's her first day at work.
49	* TheDoorSlamsYou: [[InvertedTrope Inverted]]: as Dr. Stein is trying to figure out what to say and lurking outside Elly's door about to knock, Elly swings the door open inward. It startles both of them.
50	* DramaticThunder: Used for dramatic effect on the house and, in a silly illustration, on a drawing tablet.
51	* DrivesLikeCrazy: The fourth chapter begins with Elliot taking a ride with Dr. Stein in his tiny little car, only to find out that he drives like a maniac.
52	* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: Dr. Stein
53	* EinsteinHair: As expected from a not-quite-mad scientist, Dr. Stein sports a healthy crop of frizzled hair. Sigeel jokes that he has a special shampoo that gives his hair the appearance of bramble, and a sketch journal skin on her deviantART page shows Vlad using StaticElectricity to make his hair stand up.
54	* EmergingFromTheShadows: With the artistic element of {{Chiaroscuro}}, Dr. Stein reveals himself to Elliot through candlelight during the blackout on the first night.
55	* EmpathicEnvironment: When Elliot has had success with holding onto a job, the atmosphere remains sunny. When she loses it and has to rush to the airplane to 'God-knows-where', it suddenly pours, and the rain later causes a blackout.
56	* EvilSoundsRaspy: Among the itinerary of cliches Dr. Stein initially appears to have, Elliot thinks of this as one.
57	* FaceOfAThug: Elliot is horrified to see Dr. Stein in person, given how it was during a blackout and he was [[ScaryFlashlightFace illuminated by candlelight]]. She quickly learns that he's much less scary than she thinks.
58	* FacialDialogue: Serge and Dr. Stein have one on page 48 regarding Elliot's presence.
59	** Also this [[http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2014/156/3/6/doctordeathstarer_by_sigeel-d7l6lsp.gif .gif crossover with Shiniez]].
60	* FictionalVideoGame: ''Moonstone Gate'', an MMORPG that Elliot plays and eventually drags Dr. Stein into. The game is where also {{Crossover}}s with ''Webcomic/{{Sunstone}}'' occur.
61	* FlashbackEffects: In the comic, flashbacks are introduced by the panel's border becoming bubbly. Sometimes, other effects are added, such as [[CountingSheep sheep]] bouncing along on clouds when Elliot is nearly asleep on page 58.
62	* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: Elliot to Clara.
63	* ForegoneConclusion: It's known from strips Sigeel draws set in the future that Elliot will keep the lab assistant position, making the uncertainties presented in chapters 1 - 3 dismissible.
64	* FreakyFashionMildMind: Dr. Stein appears scary to Elliot due to his messy hair, red-stained clothes, and creepy voice. He is an AbsentMindedProfessor at worst.
65	* FreudianExcuse: Dr. Stein's BerserkButton appears to stem from him being teased for his nosebleeds as a child.
66	* FriendToAllChildren: It's briefly alluded that Elliot and children get along. She gets Clara's toddler to hush within a few moments of being around, and she is excited at the prospect of children in her future boss's family. Clara mentions that she would make a good babysitter.
67	* FrustratedOverheadScribble: Elliot breaks off from explaining herself and her thought bubble is reduced to an angry scribble when frustrated at Stein for asking about her impractical shoes, which she's stuck in due to his unreasonable demands.
68	* GhostButler: When Elliot steps outside of a bathroom at Dr. Stein's residence, a draft slams the door shut. The house itself is anything but horrific, though Elliot perceives it as so.
69	* GoodAngelBadAngel: Sigeel portrays Elliot's conflicting thoughts in a scrapped take of page 70 as a "passionate voice", "doubt voice", and "reasonable voice" as mini-Elliots dressed in different costumes on her shoulders.
70	* GothicHorror: The entire comic is a comedy masquerading as Gothic horror. The tropes common to the genre are playfully subverted. [[http://www.blackshipbooks.com/blood-stain-a-fresh-new-take-on-gothic-horror/ In a review of the work]], L.J. Phillips remarks how Elliot, while being DamselInDistress and UnreliableNarrator common to works of the genre, confronts not fantastic monsters but instead from the burdens of maintaining a job.
71	* GotMeDoingIt: If Sigeel's sketches that take place later in the timeline are of any indication, it's that Elliot will succumb to the same messy behavior as Dr. Stein.
72	* HairContrastDuo: Inverted from the standard blonde/brunette duo: Clara, the (albeit dyed) blonde, is responsible and takes multiple jobs to keep their family afloat, while Elliot, the brunette, would much prefer not having to worry that her family is in financial issues--though she understands the weight of their troubles.
73	* HealingShiv: As Sigeel draws in one of the ''Moonstone Gate'' [[http://sigeel.deviantart.com/art/low-MP-429376670 comics]], Elliot's character's staff can heal Vlad's character's HP by bashing him over the head even if she has run out of mana.
74	* HiddenPurposeTest: On page 52, Dr. Stein asks why Elliot rushed to his location on such short notice, forgetting that he gave her the plane ticket on such short delay. After Elliot's response, he covers up his question by claiming it was a test.
75	* HighTurnoverRate: The assistant position Elliot strives for has been filled frequently before, and Serge shows support for Elliot for being so determined to take it despite how implausible it was that she arrived under the time limit Dr. Stein set up for her.
76	* HollywoodDarkness: Mostly averted; lighting is portrayed rather realistically, with the exception being [[ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes characters' visible eyes]].
77	* IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace: Dr. Stein's house is 01 Fatal Accident St., Godknowswhere. [[LampshadeHanging Elliot and Serge both note how ridiculous it sounds]].
78	* IMeantToDoThat: When Elliot is explaining to a forgetful Dr. Stein that he had provided a plane ticket and hence she arrived at his house late at night, Dr. Stein hesitantly responds as if the question was a HiddenPurposeTest.
79	* InfiniteCanvas: Each 'page' is a long, horizontal stretch of panels, some almost fifty long. However, this is not true of the PDF versions of the chapters, which breaks up the "pages" into more traditionally-sized ones.
80	* INeedAFreakingDrink: Upon reflecting on Elliot's first day on the job, Dr. Stein ignores an explicit assessment and asks Serge for a refill. It's subverted in that he needs coffee, not alcohol.
81	* TheInsomniac: Dr. Stein, who is otherwise prone to dropping asleep otherwise.
82	* IronicEchoCut: When Serge and Dr. Stein discuss their new lab assistant over coffee while she's in the restroom, Dr. Stein claims she's probably [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere climbing out the window]]. The next panel cuts to Elliot, musing over how high the bathroom window is and where she would go if she could escape.
83	* LabcoatOfScienceAndMedicine: As Dr. Stein's laboratory is his home, [[LimitedWardrobe he doesn't bother changing out from his lab coat]].
84	* LateForSchool: In a twist from the usual trope, it's the professor who has to rush to class after oversleeping.
85	* LeadYouCanRelateTo: Elliot is a gamer, college graduate, and person struggling to keep a job, like many a reader of this work's audience.
86	* LethalChef: Clara refers to "the bakery incident" when recapping Elliot's jobs and how the food Elliot made "tasted like ash", "had concrete hard density", "had dry gravel texture", or "all three combined"! Later in Chapter 1, we see [[BadToTheLastDrop the start of a running gag]].
87	* LighterAndSofter: The webcomic was originally intended to go in a much darker direction with a more serious plot--of which Sigeel has revealed that [[OurClonesAreIdentical it involved cloning Elliot]], the genre was full horror, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Serge was a brunette]].
88	* LyingToProtectYourFeelings: On page 37 -- appropriately named 'Lies' -- Elliot comforts Clara and Daniel with lies as to why she went missing earlier that day. It is true that she rushed in desperation for the lab assistant position, but the details differ completely. She isn't in a student dorm but Dr. Stein's own home and her boss wasn't in a rush -- only the plane flight was. Elliot then tells Clara to 'make up something' to tell their mother.
89	* MadScientistLaboratory: Elliot creates one in an ImagineSpot, though, in actuality, the lab that has been revealed so far looks normal and unlike how HollywoodScience perceives them to be.
90	* MasculineLinesFeminineCurves: The art style uses a mix of angles and curves for characters, but some of the character's traits still demonstrate a downplayed version of this trope. For instance, Elliot is drawn with rounded cheeks and curly hair, while Dr. Stein has sharp cheekbones and angular 'bramble' as hair.
91	* MatchCut: On page 64, the piece of chalk dropped during Dr. Stein's class is matched with a red-stained bone Elliot accidentally steps on at work.
92	* MistakenForRomance:
93	** Serge tries to introduce Elliot to Dr. Stein after he picks her up from the airport, but Dr. Stein thinks Serge invited a girlfriend to his home. He still doesn't quite get that Elliot is the new lab assistant until the next morning after Serge explains for an hour.
94	** On page 66, Serge assumes that the question Elliot is about to ask him involves an OfficeRomance between her and Dr. Stein. Elliot is disturbed at his assumption. The follow-up dialogue seems to be a friendly poke toward {{Shipp\|ing}}ers.
95	---> '''Elliot''': Do people normally ask that question often?\
96	'''Serge''': More than you would think...
97	* MistakenForPrankCall: Elliot's first application is perceived this way, and Dr. Stein reacts to it when he later discovers that the resume and call to him are genuine.
98	* MistakenIdentity: Elliot wonders, when she first meets him, if Serge was Dr. Stein. She chastises herself for remembering the voice dissonance between the two.
99	* MisunderstoodLonerWithAHeartOfGold: Dr. Stein is this in Elliot's eyes early on, given how Elliot is MsImagination and interprets Dr. Stein's unkempt appearance and [[CloudCuckoolander insomniac, blase behavior]] as those of a MadScientist and his home as a HauntedHouse. After the initial bumpy introduction, Elliot sees him as a person rather than imagined cliches.
100	* MrImagination: Because Elliot indulges in video games--or perhaps, from video game withdrawal--she tends to anticipate fantasy sequences in her head instead of more realistic scenarios.
101	* MustHaveCaffeine: Dr. Stein craves a good cup of coffee due to his demanding work schedule. Elliot, as his assistant, quickly follows suit. As Serge can't make a drinkable pot, Elliot imagines a 'coffee god' in one page and pleads to it for decent coffee.
102	* NaiveNewcomer: Elliot is the newest lab assistant to Dr. Stein's workplace, so the reader receives exposition through her lack of experience.
103	* {{NEET}}: Elliot, at the beginning of the comic. Her older stresses harshly that all Elliot does is play games rather than trying to hold onto a job to keep their financial situation from crumbling. Elliot does make a genuine effort at her next job as a waitress, but after she is fired again, she has trouble with her self-confidence and escapes from reality by jogging her imagination and playing games again.
104	* NeverHeardThatOneBefore: Dr. Stein launches into a pissed-off and ''very'' snarky rant about this after Elly mistakenly hits his BerserkButton by calling him "Mr. Blood Stain."
105	* NotAMorningPerson: Dr. Stein is not one. Nor is he an afternoon person or an anytime person. He goes by his own schedule, whatever that is.
106	* NotWhatItLooksLike: Elliot comes down from her first night of sleep at Dr. Stein's house to see the doctor wielding a knife with red blotches over his lab coat. It turns out to be from him spreading jam and ketchup over bread from brunch.
107	* ObfuscatingStupidity: Elliot is suspicious that Dr. Stein is either this or genuinely clueless.
108	* ObliquelyObfuscatedOccupation: Elliot and the readers are kept in the dark about the details about Dr. Stein's job beyond the fact that he works "for a science institute". It takes two chapters to reveal that he is a professor at the institute, although he still has myriads of unidentified chemicals at home that hint at a second occupation.
109	** An early, scrapped comic has the doctor mention working with viruses, but that is never brought up in any of the completed pages.
110	* OldDarkHouse: Dr. Stein's mansion ''looks'' sinister when it's at the top of a cliff, covered in creeping vines, and lit by lightning or candlelight. On a sunny day, though, it's completely normal and probably sunnier than most houses.
111	* OnlineAlias: Elliot and Dr. Stein's usernames in ''Moonstone Gate'' are "ellyoldcoot" and "bloodstein", respectively, according to [[http://shiniez.deviantart.com/art/bloodstone-sunstein-369089546 Sigeel's husband]].
112	* OnlySaneMan: Serge acts as the sensible guy between Dr. Stein's messy habits and Elliot's naivete and imagination.
113	* OutOfJobIntoThePlot: Not that the job Elliot had beforehand was significant, since she couldn't hold a job anyway.
114	* PaintingTheMedium: The color of text bubbles reflect the characters; Dr. Stein's text bubbles are always black with white text and outlines, and text bubbles in various panels take on an abundance of shapes to better illustrate a situation.
115	* ParodyOfEvolution: The montage where Elliot gains experience waitress starts with her hunched over and cautious about balancing glasses on her plate. In later frames, she straightens up and skillfully handles multiple plates at once. Sigeel dubs the page "Ellyvolution of a Waitress".
116	* PerspectiveReversal: Contrast Nebezial's [[https://www.deviantart.com/nebezial/art/his-asisstants-hips-were-nice-308705196 original]] [[https://twitter.com/LindaSejic/status/1158455334475849734/photo/1 [1] ]] inspiration for the webcomic with Sigeel's one-year anniversary [[https://www.deviantart.com/sigeel/art/1-year-anniversery-378434415 retake]] [[https://twitter.com/LindaSejic/status/1112694522549555200/photo/1 [2] ]].
117	* ThePigpen: Dr. Stein somehow perpetually leaves red substances on his coat--even his DigitalAvatar in an MMORPG!
118	* PottyEmergency: Elliot politely asks for the restroom after seeing Dr. Stein's BerserkButton after flubbing her introduction. Sigeel does justify, though, that she hadn't been guided around the house yet.
119	* PowerTrio: Elliot, Dr. Stein, and Serge.
120	* PunnyName: Vlad Stein's name is intended as a cliché science name as well as a slant rhyme of "Blood Stain".
121	* RaceAgainstTheClock: Dr. Stein gives Elliot three hours to catch a plane, and, remarkably, she does so, though not without plenty of frustration from herself and her friends about this short notice.
122	* RainbowPimpGear:
123	** In the MMORPG ''Moonstone Gate'', Elliot asks what Dr. Stein's setup looks like under his cosmetic armor, and [[http://sigeel.deviantart.com/art/optimized-gear-430178303 said setup]] is a mishmash of armor sets that optimize his character's stats but is, to put it lightly, aesthetically unappealing.
124	** In another strip, [[http://sigeel.deviantart.com/art/a-new-build-503417981 Elliot's unicorn armor]] looks like, in her words, "a stripper with a weird fetish".
125	* RepeatAfterMe: Serge helps Elliot introduce herself to Dr. Stein after being frightened by their second impression, up to the point where he suggests for her to repeat "And I think Serge is smoking hot!"
126	* RightBehindMe: In a dubiously canonical sketch comic, Elliot mimics Dr. Stein's position by dressing up and sitting in his chair, while the actual Dr. Stein appears behind her.
127	* RunningGag: Coffee. Dr. Stein's work environment essentially requires caffeine, and as Serge's brew is... [[BadToTheLastDrop not the most appetizing]], both Elliot and Dr. Stein frequently poke fun at the lack of respectable coffee and crave a good cup.
128	* SatelliteLoveInterest: Daniel, who, out of the characters named in the comic, is the only one who hasn't revealed [[NominalImportance his last name]].
129	* ScaryFlashlightFace: Dr. Stein, with a candle, during the blackout.
130	* ScaryShinyGlasses: Light works correctly in the actual events in the comic, though Elliot {{imagines\|pot}} Dr. Stein with them as he's bathing in blood.
131	* SeriouslyScruffy:
132	** This is one of Dr. Stein's most defining tropes. Dr. Stein's messy appearance is caused by him working almost non-stop--not from a bolt of electricity or the like, as Elliot uncovers throughout the chapters.
133	** Thanks to a combination of omitting shampoo in her suitcase and a desire to prove her capabilities to her boss, Elliot's hair also becomes more disheveled the longer she stays in her job.
134	* SharedUniverse: With ''Webcomic/{{Sunstone}}'', as the webcomic authors are married. Interactions between the characters of each story primarily take place online, usually through the gaming sector.
135	** Also Sigeel's ''Webcomic/{{Swing}}'' confirms, first in a single panel suggestion, than in a storyline, that Elliot, Vlad, Ally, Lisa (Sunstone) and Dan (Swing) are part of the same guild, with Elliot and Vlad being mostly online friends.
136	* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: Elliot's reaction to Dr. Stein's interpretation of Serge's introduction of her.
137	* ShipTease: Sigeel loves ribbing her readers with images of Elliot and Dr. Stein with each other, both canonically and out-of-canon.
138	* ShoutOut:
139	** The comic was inspired by Music/{{Helloween}}.
140	** Elliot makes references to ''Literature/HarryPotter'', ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', and ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'' in her thoughts.
141	** [[invoked]]Sigeel is not above drawing a parody of the ''Series/AncientAliens'' meme with her characters, replacing aliens with science.
142	** Elliot, bored from the cleaning work she has to do, imagines a beaker as ''Literature/TheHobbit''[='=]s Arkenstone and Dr. Stein as Smaug.
143	** The Moo-Moo Hide piece of armor in an MMORPG short comic hints at ''VideoGame/{{Diablo II}}''[='=]s Secret Cow Level.
144	** The ImagineSpot on page 67 makes references to the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' and ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' series through a Malboro and StatusEffects.
145	* SkilledButNaive: Elliot might be a college graduate, but her utter lack of attention comes at odds with her ability to retain a job. ''Blood Stain'' shows how she eventually breaks this cycle.
146	* SlasherSmile: Only in the Dr. Stein of Elliot's {{Imagine Spot}}s.
147	* SleepyHead: Dr. Stein is prone to falling asleep at inopportune times, such as while wandering a hallway at night or when someone is talking directly to him.
148	* SlidingScaleOfSillinessVersusSeriousness: ''Blood Stain'' is a turn from the grim horror expected from its subject; Sigeel admits that she can't keep a situation serious, so she embraces humor with open arms.
149	%%* SoundsOfScience: Mumbles.
150	%%* SpeechbubblesInterruption
151	* SplashPanel: Dr. Stein's home is introduced in one to give both Elliot and the reader the sense of how imposing it initially seems.
152	* StealthPun: Elliot clutches onto a stick of pepper spray frequently in chapter two. The weapon she holds onto in her MedievalEuropeanFantasy {{Imagine Spot}}s is a ''mace''.
153	* SuddenGameInterface: Elliot mixes reality and video games at times--when she falls asleep on the autoclave on her first day of work, she hallucinates that she's wielding the MagicStaff and wearing the tiara from her ''Moonstone Gate'' character. Several comedic moments are punctuated with elements such as {{Critical Hit}}s and stat boosts for successful actions.
154	-->Elly uses '''[[RainbowSpeak bad breath]]''' on boss. [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} It was super effective]]. \
155	[[StatusEffects Status Inflicted]]: poison \| slow \| sleep \| zombie \| confuse \| darkness \| silence \| petrify
156	* TableSpace: Elliot initially has her first breakfast with Dr. Stein and Serge sitting next to each other, but her being uncomfortable with Dr. Stein prompts her to scoot in her chair away to the corner of the table. %% Page 48.
157	* TallDarkAndSnarky: Dr. Stein
158	* TeamChef: Serge is the one to the main cast, though he cannot make a cup of coffee for Dr. Stein, which ails his tendency to want to stay awake.
159	* TravellingSalesmanMontage: Elliot's job flashback.
160	* TroubledBackstoryFlashback: For a single panel to explain Dr. Stein's reaction to Elliot's {{Malaproper}} of his name.
161	* UndisclosedFunds: The salary for the assistant job is revealed without numbers, but instead, through Elliot's shocked expression.
162	* TheUnfavorite: Elliot starts off as this, given her {{NEET}} status providing little to support the family. She expresses disappointment that she is similarly ignored outside of the family, in Dr. Stein's workplace.
163	* VisibleSilence: The webcomic's {{Beat Panel}}s often take this form, the ellipses often creatively integrated into the panel.
164	* VisualPun:
165	** When Elliot's imagination causes Dr. Stein to take the form of a nightmarish dragon, Elliot is holding a [[CarryABigStick mace]]. In reality, Elliot carries pepper spray--a.k.a., mace.
166	** In one of Sigeel's supplementary ''[[FictionalVideoGame Moonstone Gate]]'' comics, Elliot's character casts a heal spell on Dr. Stein's character. We see a high-heeled shoe thrown at Dr. Stein's character that restores him to full health.
167	* WallOfBlather:
168	** In one of Elliot's jobs, her employer explains the process of making candles to her, only to have it be received as a wall of "blah" and "mumble" from her perspective.
169	** Clara is on the receiving end of one as Elliot hastily explains why she is running off--unable to absorb the urgency of Elliot's situation and panicking later on.
170	* WhatAPieceOfJunk: Dr. Stein's tiny little car may not look like much, but it has a souped-up motor that allows it to pass sportscars with ease.
171	* WhatTheHellHero: Serge is calling Vlad on his behavior repeatedly throughout the comic, even at one point claiming he is [[YoureInsane completely insane]] for the lengths to which he goes to give Elliot ''something'' to do when he isn’t doing any physical experiments.
172	* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: The comic takes place somewhere in the Mediterranean, and Sigeel goes out of her way to obfuscate location names, substituting "somewhere in the asscrack" and "God-knows-where" in lieu of locations.
173	* YouDidntAsk: Elliot initially looks for an autoclave on her own in Dr. Stein's basement, figuring that doing so will show that she is a responsible person (in contrast to her bumbling behavior in previous jobs). However, after spending a few pages searching with no avail, she hesitantly asks Dr. Stein where the autoclave is; she is surprised to find that Dr. Stein just nonchalantly throws out its location instead of criticizing her absentmindedness.
174	* YouGetMeCoffee: Elliot's first task in the lab assistant position is to clean out Dr. Stein's glassware. Elliot calls her position 'lab maid' as she works.

Context Webcomic / BloodStain