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1''Teh Gladiators'' is a fantasy gaming webcomic written by Uros Jojic and drawn by Borislav Grabovic. Launched in 2008, it follows the adventures of a RagtagBunchOfMisfits who, through various circumstances, wind up playing Arena matches in [=WoW=] during the ''Burning Crusade'' and find spectacularly improbable ways to win. It later branches out into the main storyline of ''Wrath of the Lich King'', and then works its way through the author's hilariously wacky version of ''Cataclysm'' before parodying the Warcraft [[CollectibleCardGame CCG]] ''VideoGame/{{Hearthstone}}''.
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3Sadly defunct: its [[https://web.archive.org/web/20170605202823/http://www.tehgladiators.com/be-right-back-as-soon-as-we-do-this-thing-690 final installment]] is from August 2016, and its web domain is squatted as of 2021. Much of it is archived on the Website/WaybackMachine starting [[https://web.archive.org/web/20171214165729/http://www.tehgladiators.com/the-genesis-page-1 here]] or [[https://web.archive.org/web/20200218185206/http://www.tehgladiators.com/book_cat/teh-gladiator/ here]], though.
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5The main characters are:
6* Gorrok, an Orc Warrior who decides to fight in the arena to expiate for royally pissing off Thrall. He's the OnlySaneMan, a DeadpanSnarker, and the only actually competent combatant.
7* Vallant, a Human [[strike:Hunter]] "lover, not a fighter" who is [[TheDitz completely, embarrassingly stupid]], yet manages to win battles through AccidentalAimingSkills.
8** His "pet", Trevor, who is a LovableCoward rat. No, that's not redundant.
9* Spin, a Tauren [[NewAgeRetroHippie hippie]], who has yet to actually do anything useful except wave a staff around [[strike:threateningly]] idiotically.
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11Their occasional companions have included two Murlocs with macabre tastes and penchants for Alchemy and Engineering; LeeroyJenkins (yes, the literal TropeNamer), and during their journey through ''Cataclysm'', a couple of Gnome Druids.
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13!!This webcomic provides examples of:
14* AccidentalAimingSkills: Vallant's whole character is based around this. Ironically, when the Scroll of Unconditional Victory is dispelled, he starts hitting what he aims at.
15* AffectionateParody: The comic's attitude towards [=WoW=].
16* AfterTheEnd: A BizarroUniverse parody in the ''Cataclysm'' arc.
17* AlternateContinuity[=/=]{{Fanon}}: Although it follows the broad elements of ''Burning Crusade'' and ''Wrath of the Lich King'', the comic's plot is radically different from the official story line. With ''Cataclysm'', the author openly stopped even trying.
18* AntiHero: Gorrok, who became a gladiator through a series of mischances involving Onyxia, terrible luck at dice, and a poorly timed use of the Bloodrage ability. Spin and Vallant would qualify except that they're so ineffectual that it's hard to label them "heroes".
19* AttackAttackAttack: Parodied in the ''Cataclysm'' Tauren, who are so stubbornly militaristic that they sacrifice half their population in an attack on a door. That they had a key to open.
20* BerserkButton: For Vallant, threatening Trevor ([[spoiler:or Leeroy]]). For Yolanda, harming Vallant.
21* BizarroUniverse: The comic's version of ''Cataclysm'' turns Azeroth into this, with complete role reversals for the various races: Orcs are pacifists; Humans are moronic cannibals; Gnomes are nature worshippers; Tauren are militaristic; etc. The landscape and many major [=NPCs=] are similarly turned on their heads. Oh, and Teh Glads ''succeed in their quests''. Truly disturbing.
22* CampGay: The Blood Elf leader in Silvermoon City, apparently.
23* CerebusSyndrome: Occurs once the comic moves out of the Arena and starts getting involved in the main storyline of the game.
24* CondemnedContestant: Technically, Teh Gladiators, although it's more like "fight in the Arena to ''avoid'' being executed or imprisoned for life."
25* DeadpanSnarker: Gorrok
26* DeadSidekick: [[spoiler:Trevor's HeroicSacrifice to defeat [=X32A=]]].
27* DeathIsCheap[=/=]NonLethalKO[=/=]PlotlineDeath: These tropes are mixed up in a rather schizophrenic manner. Defeated Arena foes may simply show up again for the next match, or they may be KilledOffForReal. It's also unclear which deaths in the main story are supposed to be permanent. Teh Glads themselves never seem to suffer anything more than a NonLethalKO no matter how much injury they take; but then there's the death of [[spoiler:Trevor]]. It's possible that this is deliberately making fun of the same tendencies in [=WoW=].
28* DeusExMachina: Arguably, the ending to both the ''Burning Crusade'' Arena arc and the ''Wrath of the Lich King'' arc, as the former ends with [[spoiler:Vallant accidentally aggroing Illidan]], and the latter ends with [[spoiler:every single raid boss in the game fighting against the Lich King]].
29* DisasterDominoes: Expertly achieved by Vallant in the near total destruction of Booty Bay, [[http://www.tehgladiators.com/?p=38 here]].
30* TheDitz: Vallant and Leeroy.
31* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: What the Cyclonator [=X32A=] does to Azeroth. The [=X33A=] nearly does this as well but Arthas made the mistake of sticking [[spoiler:Leeroy]] into it. The ''Cataclysm'' arc is a weird parody of AfterTheEnd.
32* EvilTwin: Death Knight Trevor, for Luke, sort of -- see below.
33* FacePalm: Gorrok's favorite gesture of disgust for his companions' idiocy, with bashing his head against a wall as a close second.
34* FunnyBackgroundEvent: When Thrall and Bolvar are surveying the wreckage caused by [=X32A=] [[http://www.tehgladiators.com/?p=37 here]], look at Thrall's horse. Also the RunningGag in the ''Cataclysm'' arc with the savage human chomping on Spin's hindquarters.
35* GladiatorGames: The Arena, obviously.
36* GodModeSue: What the Scroll of Unconditional Victory accidentally turns Teh Gladiators into, in universe.
37* GoneHorriblyRight: The Scroll and [=X32A=].
38* HandsomeLech: Vallant, who only ''wishes'' he were TheCasanova.
39* {{Headdesk}}: This is OnlySaneMan Gorrok's second favorite method (behind FacePalm) of expressing his disgust/despair with his companions' idiotic antics.
40* HeelFaceTurn: The [=X33A=].
41* HeroicSacrifice: [[ManlyTears *sniff*]]... [[spoiler:poor Trevor]].
42* IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight: After Leeroy gets fused into the [=X33A=] by the Murlocs, Vallant talks him back to his senses, but not until after he's wrecked Silvermoon.
43* ImAHumanitarian: The post-''Cataclysm'' humans are cannibalistic savages.
44* InterspeciesRomance: Yolanda and Vallant. Well, from Yolanda's point of view, anyway. Vallant is far too {{squick}}ed to reciprocate.
45* LeeroyJenkins: Directly present in the story, with Leeroy (the character) actually pulling a Leeroy (the trope) on several occasions.
46* LovableCoward: Trevor, whose preferred method of combat is to stick his head in the ground until the danger passes. This ends up being a ChekhovsGun.
47* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler:Leeroy is Vallant's dad. Which should surprise nobody, given their natures]].
48** This trope is also parodied and [[InvokedTrope invoked]] ''by name'' between Death Knight Trevor and, well, Luke, Vallant's new pet. [[RuleOfFunny Who didn't know his name was Luke beforehand.]] And is more concerned that his name is Luke.
49* MadScientist: The Murlocs, who assemble a Frankenstinian monster using a medley of parts taken from defeated Arena foes. They do it a second time on Arthas' behest in the ''Lich King'' arc, and yet again in the ''Cataclysm'' arc using quest items dropped from various old world raid bosses.
50* MindScrew: The ending of the ''Wrath of the Lich King'' arc, {{lampshaded}} within the comic itself.
51-->'''Spin:''' "Can somebody please explain the madness behind us?"\
52'''Vallant:''' "I have no idea!"
53* [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone My God, What Have We Done?]]: The reaction of Bolvar Fordragon and Thrall after realizing that giving Teh Gladiators the Scroll of Unconditional Victory has made the [=X32A=] invincible.
54* NewAgeRetroHippie: Spin, who hooked up with Teh Gladiators after an incident involving a stoned Kodo ride.
55* OnlySaneMan: Gorrok, an actual Warrior and arena trainer.
56* PinballProjectile: Forms the basis of Vallant's AccidentalAimingSkills, such as when he fires straight forward and somehow kills a Rogue sneaking up on him ''from behind''.
57* ShoutOut: To ''Film/TheKarateKid'', in the [[http://www.tehgladiators.com/?p=89 big showdown]] between Death Knight Trevor and Luke. Also, in the same sequence, there are numerous references to speeches and locations in various raid dungeons.
58* TheGuardsMustBeCrazy: Teh Glads bluff their way into Thunder Bluff in the ''Cataclysm'' arc by exploiting the Tauren guards' {{Literal Minded}}ness, as seen [[http://www.tehgladiators.com/?p=175 here]].
59%%* ThisCannotBe: Quoted literally by Arthas.
60* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Leeroy and crab cakes, which makes fun of the MemeticMutation from the TropeNamer. They're also a ChekhovsGun, as Vallant uses them to [[spoiler:bring Leeroy back to his senses]].
61* TurnsRed: Spoofed; when Trevor gets Vallant's The Beast Within buff, he's still a coward.
62* UnsettlingGenderReveal: Reversed. The Murlocs are named ''Sharon'' and ''Yolanda'', as Vallant finds out to his horror.
63* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Arthas]], after seeing his plans fall into ruin thanks to Teh Glads.
64* WackyFratboyHijinx: What Veron Rockhoof enjoys getting up to, with Spin as the unwilling prank victim.

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