Line #91 Webcomic/VocationalDeathCruise


1	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tumblr_lzzbrnD8ng1rpsdt6o6_250_6952.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:250:Two of the organizers, PLOTTING]]
3	A letter of obvious origin arrives in the mailboxes of many characters around the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' {{multiverse}}. It invites them to join a competition simply titled 'Vocational Death Cruise' and watches as the contestants arrive, each expecting a different outcome. Vocational Death Cruise is a large-scale Ask Blog competition that challenges artists from around the tumblrverse to compete for a prize by drawing comics that meet a specific criteria by a deadline.
4
5	The story thus far can be found starting [[http://vocationaldeathcruise.tumblr.com/archive/2012/1 here]].
6
7	This is a Collaborative Webcomic involving hundreds of authors. Character tropes should to the Blog/AskAPony page. Interaction tropes are fine. Character Tropes specific to the challenge with no basis in the actual character may also go here [[spoiler: especially when considering Krampus as a villain is unique to the VDC and nowhere else]]
8
9	----
10	!!Tropes:
11	* AccidentalPervert: Poor Hawkesho. Ever since the [[http://ask-thecrusaders.tumblr.com/post/21402709678/vdc-day-4-part-10-featuring-askthedoctorallons-y hotel door challenge]] lead him to the bathroom [[spoiler:the now bald]] Sweetie Belle was in, he is forever known to Sweetie Belle as "Mr. Pervert" [[spoiler:[[http://ask-thecrusaders.tumblr.com/post/30489289904/vdc-day-7-part-12-transcript-panel-1 even in death.]]]]
12	* AllJustADream: [[spoiler:After Stoner Spike (somehow) dies from not smoking any weed for four days, he wakes up back in his bed at Twilight's house, his experiences on the cruise a dream. Time will tell if this is how future deaths will be handled.]]
13	* AnyoneCanDie: Stated more than plainly in the rules.
14	* ArtShift: All over the place since each contestant has a different art style to them.
15	* AxCrazy: Done literally when Pinkie Pyro was in the house of mirrors.
16	* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:[[http://ask-thecrusaders.tumblr.com/post/30761848149/vdc-day-7-part-21-finale-transcript-panel Sweetie Belle convinces Slendermare]] to bring all the ghosts trapped in his house to life, though it was the final day of VDC for the blog so it doesn't influence much.]]
17	* BeamOWar: [[spoiler: Twilight gets into one with Werelight. Though with Werelight, it's more like a Breath O War.]]
18	* BerserkButton: [[spoiler: When the Oblivion Machine destroys Blight's locket, she loses it.]]
19	* BigBad: [[spoiler:Krampus, though individual blogs may have one of his minions as TheHeavy and/or FinalBoss, such as Diablo for Werelight Shine's party and the Oblivion Machine for Vanilla Flash's party.]]
20	%%* BlatantLies
21	* BreakTheCutie: [[spoiler:Happens to all three of the Cutie Mark Crusaders from the 'Ask the Cutie Mark Crusaders' blog. Sweetie ends up losing all her fur and breaks down crying, Scootaloo accidentally hurts Applebloom [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone and is guilt-ridden]], and Applebloom is traumatized by the same event. They manage to recover though.]]
22	* CanonWelding: More like headcanon welding.
23	** In general, it varies from blog to blog rather the events of the Death Cruise are AllJustADream, an AlternateContinuity from their blog, or actually canon to the blog (which normally requires they actually ''survive'' the Death Cruise). Even the survivors vary on which it is.
24	* ChekhovsArmoury: While not strictly in-world: The prizes handed out after each day and bonus challenges. Notably the VIP passes handed out at the start of the competition and the life preservers which can be used to save another contestant should they be eliminated.
25	* ChekhovsGun: In the Day 6 collab between Askmat2, Askthosesillystickmen, and Sirlintalot, there is a rock in the background. In a move of FridgeBrilliance the mod of Ask-thecrusaders made this rock guide the way of the cruaders' group in day 7.
26	* CoolDownHug: [[spoiler:[[http://ask-thecrusaders.tumblr.com/post/30608066369/vdc-day-7-part-19-transcript-panel-1-scoot Sweetie Belle manages]] [[http://ask-thecrusaders.tumblr.com/post/30614523168/vdc-day-7-part-20-transcript-panel-1 do this to Slendermare]], who was just lonely, not evil.]]
27	* ClusterFBomb: The Scout of the [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 TF2 ponies]] randomly dropped one shortly after boarding.
28	* ComicalOverreacting: Inkie Pie's reaction [[spoiler:[[http://ask-thecrusaders.tumblr.com/post/30592049864/vdc-day-7-part-17-transcript-panel-2-inkie to Slendermane]]]]. Yes, that EyelessFace and that evil looking magic can be terrifying, but it's hard to take it seriously when she's spouting out lines like "IT'S HORRIBLE!! KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!" and "IT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL FOR IT TO BE ALIVE!!!"
29	* ContinuitySnarl: Since very few of the authors actually communicate, the players may find themselves overwriting continuity from the other contestants. This happens so frequently, the Moderators created a section to count against it.
30	* CrisisCrossover: Of various tumblr blogs, which results in some of the same problems.
31	* CurseCutShort: When Wing Ace is sent to fight the final boss in day 6
32	---> Ivan: I'm free! Now off you go to fight the final boss! BYE!
33	---> Wing Ace: Wait what the f- pop!
34	* DarkerAndEdgier: For the blogs that participated that were normally lighthearted, such as Ask the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
35	* DarkIsNotEvil: [[spoiler:Slendermare]]
36	* DeaderThanDead: After Teen Applebloom left the competition and was apparently killed inexplicably (which is the presumed fate of all eliminated or dropped out contestants unless someone else whom's party they were in continued using them), the blog was subsequently shut down. The blog has since been restarted...
37	* DevilInPlainSight: She changed forms! In front of you! How is this confusing?
38	%%* DealWithTheDevil
39	* DyingMomentOfAwesome: [[spoiler:Discorded [[Series/DoctorWho Whooves]] sacrificing himself to save Inkie and [[VideoGame/Persona4 Pony!Yusuke]] from the Horror.]]
40	* EarnYourHappyEnding: Pretty much anyone who actually survived. [[spoiler:But special mention goes to the CMC from the 'Ask The Cutie Mark Crusaders' blog. Given [[BreakTheCutie everything they're put through]], they ''definitely'' earned it.]]
41	* EnemyWithout: [[spoiler: In an earlier [[http://twilightunbound.tumblr.com/post/28983103450/well-at-least-im-finally-cured-of-my-werelight entry]], Twilight Sparkle exorcised herself of the Windigo spirit inside her. It was then been [[http://twilightunbound.tumblr.com/post/30230365246/alright-werelight-i-dont-like-you-and-you-dont revealed]] that Diablo took the spirit when it was released from Twilight's body and brainwashed it, and it took on the form of [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent Werelight Shine]]. Diablo makes it face Twilight. When things got bad, Twilight had no choice but to remerge with her Windigo Spirit.]]
42	* EvilCounterpart: "TheKrampus", sometimes [[spoiler: "Evil Santalestia"]] in the VDC, is an actual mythological creature who works alongside Santa, as an evil analog: When the Krampus finds a particularly naughty child, it stuffs the child in its sack and carries the frightened child away to its lair, presumably to devour for its Christmas dinner.
43	** This however is slightly averted due to the fact [[spoiler: Normal Santalestia was evil]], and that both of them are Satan, at least in the belief system that spawned the characters.
44	* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Vocational DEATH cruise.
45	* FaceYourFears: [[spoiler: Twilight's team has to face them in order to get to Diablo. Mr. Turnip's fear is CulturalTranslation, Twilight's is Werelight herself, and we don't even know what Lazy Pwny's fear is.]]
46	* FinalBoss: Day 7 pretty much amounts to this, with each group facing off with one. [[spoiler:The Cutie Mark Crusader's party faces Slendermane, Werelight's faces Diablo, and Vanilla Flash's faces the Oblivion Machine.]]
47	* FinalBossNewDimension: [[spoiler: Twilight's team gets transported to an unknown dimension to face Diablo.]]
48	** [[spoiler:The same happens with Vanilla Flash's team, being transferred into a video game for their final fight with the Oblivion Machine.]]
49	* ForgedByTheGods: Creation's Ashes and Death's Scythe, among others.
50	* AGodAmI: [[spoiler:The Oblivion Machine after its mask is shattered.]]
51	* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler: Old Scratch qualifies, seeing as the BigBad summons him with the corpse of Santalestia.]]
52	* HarmfulToTouch: The steam challenge. [[NightmareFuel Inkie Pie even had her face torn halfway off]]...
53	* HauntedHouse: Dr. Whooves, Derpy, Inkie Pie, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders enter one on the final day.
54	* HeroKiller: [[spoiler: Krampus has actually killed several players, according to fan canon.]]
55	* HoldingBackThePhlebotinum: Most of the useful items in the competition expire quickly.
56	* {{Homage}}: Day 5 is shaping up to be one giant one to ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}''.
57	** [[spoiler:Homestuck's and Vocational Death Cruise's use of Old Scratch is actually a reference to a demon of Scandinavian mythology.]]
58	* [[HumanPopsicle Pony Popsicle]]: After the Scout flipped the table onto Werelight, she froze her solid in retaliation.
59	* IdiotBall: Played with. The players have mixed feelings about the whole event, but they're not STUPID. At least, not most of them.
60	* ItMayHelpYouOnYourQuest: What the hell ARE Artifacts, anyways?
61	* ItWasAGift: Most of the prizes are this in-game.
62	* KnightOfCerebus: [[spoiler: Take a wild guess.]]
63	* LaserGuidedKarma: At one point, the Cutie Mark Crusaders got affected with Poison Joke. During the earthquake, Werelight Shine came and rescued them, promising to give them the cure to Poison Joke. But, as the Crusaders were close to figuring out who Werelight really is, Werelight instantly denied having a cure and ran away. Only to run into Poison Joke herself.
64	* LongBusTrip: During the weeping alicorn attack, a few characters that had dropped from the competition early were [[http://askmat2.tumblr.com/post/18218171803 sent into the past]] [[http://askmat2.tumblr.com/post/18568772839 and wound up on a battlefield]], possibly severely damaging the time line of the world they were flung to. It didn't help that their blogs were among the several that either stopped updating or shut down.
65	* {{MacGuffin}}: [[spoiler: The Stone of Starswirl.]]
66	* MiniBoss: Seeing as [[spoiler: TheKrampus]] is the BigBad, some of the FinalBosses may be considered this in a way.
67	* AMacGuffinFullOfMoney: The back room challenge. [[spoiler:Subverted]].
68	* MonsterClown: The robotic clowns in Day 2, [[spoiler: and Big Boss Bozo in Day 5.]]
69	* TheMostDangerousVideoGame: [[spoiler: Vanilla Flash's team gets caught up in one in Day 7.]]
70	* TheMultiverse: Many personal universes from all over the land of Tumblr continuity get put in the same universe.
71	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:Scootaloo's reaction to [[http://ask-thecrusaders.tumblr.com/post/21229836030/vdc-day-4-part-8-featuring accidentally hurting Applebloom in a fit of rage.]]]]
72	* MythologyGag: While playing minecraft, Sweetie Belle learned that the "black tall ponies" wanted a hug. As fate would have it, these were enderponies based on endermen which are in turn based on Slenderman. [[spoiler: This fact would later be alluded to when [[ThePowerOfLove Sweetie Belle saves the day by hugging Slendermare]] as mentioned in NotEvilJustMisunderstood]]
73	* NotEvilJustMisunderstood: [[spoiler:Slendermare, who wasn't keeping ponies souls captive out of malicious intent, but because he was lonely. Sweetie Belle manages to calm him down by realizing this.]]
74	* OmnicidalManiac: [[spoiler:The Oblivion Machine, the FinalBoss for Vanilla Flash's party. Apparently, the Oblivion Machines were meant to destroy worlds when they became redundant, but this specific one decided ''not'' to wait and to wipe out all universes by triggering every Oblivion Machine at once. It's creators [[SealedEvilInACan sealed its power away so it couldn't]] and its entire goal was to break free. Thankfully, Vanilla Flash's party defeat it.]]
75	* PottyFailure: While stuck on the ski lift, Sweetie Belle wets herself. Scootaloo comments on it after they get off.
76	* RuleOfFunny: Multiple characters have [[AmusingInjuries maimed themselves]] only to [[UnexplainedRecovery recover later]], [[NightmareFuel and one even rips of their face to get a few laughs]].
77	* SharedUniverse: Although tumblr contains several separate universes, the island where the event takes place is a nexus universe.
78	* ShoutOut: [[WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien LET ME TELL YA SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS VOICE NO ONE EVER SEES!]]
79	** [[http://vocationaldeathcruise.tumblr.com/post/19442039472/askhoopsanddumbbell-vdc-day-3-part-2-of-2 Whatever is in the briefcase]][[Film/PulpFiction , it sure is shiny.]]
80	** "[[http://twilightunbound.tumblr.com/post/30519668381/you-will-pay-for-this-part-5-ooc This is impossible, how can this be?]]" "[[ComicBook/ScottPilgrim Open your eyes, and maybe you'll see!]]"
81	** [[LeeroyJenkins Let's do this! WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEEEEEEEEEEEEEE]]
82	** [[http://www.screwattack.com/shows/partners/game-overthinker Ivan]] In spite of captions claiming he's not from the Game Overthinker, makes a non-canon cameo in Askmat2's Day 7 posts and serves as a sterptypical "helper fairy" character and also makes references to [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 Omochao]]
83	** The [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Happy Mask Salesman]] Also aids Wing Ace in Day 7, and makes a reference to WebVideo/BenDrowned that Wing Ace immediately criticizes.
84	** Slendermane. [[Franchise/TheSlenderManMythos It's exactly]] [[IncrediblyLamePun what you think it is]].
85	** Wing Ace's, Blight's, and Bright's Sentai/Power Ranger style Roll Call and SuperSentaiStance complete with their cry of "Pony Power Posse!" (Except Blight who refused to do the whole thing)
86	* ShownTheirWork: [[spoiler:Krampus- At least, for the players, who requested a villain to use and got the pivotal BigBad.]]
87	* SpoilerTitle: Quite clearly a lot of folks are going to die. Thanks, title!
88	* SuperSentaiStance Played for laughs when [[http://vocationaldeathcruise.tumblr.com/post/33989428347/askvanillaandrummie-panel-21-bright-we-have Wing Ace, Blight, and Bright do this after a makeshift roll call]] as Wing Ace suggested it. [[http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mbl910Wd2z1r7f2qyo7_1280.png Blight, however refused to take part in it]] [[http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mbl910Wd2z1r7f2qyo8_1280.png thus slightly messing it up]]
89	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: A [[RunningGag running gag with the organizers.]] Even outside of the competition they deny when a new challenge has been posted.
90	* ThereCanBeOnlyOne: [[spoiler: Twilight says something along the lines of this trope before she fights with Werelight.]]
91	* ThisCannotBe: [[spoiler:[[http://twilightunbound.tumblr.com/post/30519668381/you-will-pay-for-this-part-5-ooc Diablo's reaction to Werelight's party overcoming his attempt to destroy them.]]]]
92	** [[spoiler:The Oblivion Machine has this reaction when Vanilla Flash's party finishes it off.]]
93	* TrueFinalBoss: While [[spoiler:Old Scratch]] is never actually fought or seen, he qualifies as this, playing true to the trope in that everyone would have thought [[spoiler: TheKrampus]] was the FinalBoss
94	* TonightSomeoneDies: Half the cast was killed in one of these.
95	* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Diablo has one when his attack on Werelight's party are defeated, leaving him in complete disbelief as to how they managed to beat him.]]
96	--> [[spoiler:'''Diablo''']]: [[BigNo NOOOOOOOOO!]] [[EvilCannotComprehendGood I don't understand]]...I used [[spoiler:your biggest fears]] to cripple the likes of you! I even [[spoiler:split myself into three]] to make them believable! [[ThisCannotBe This is impossible,]] [[ComicBook/ScottPilgrim how can this be?]]
97	** [[spoiler:The Oblivion Machine begins to subtly slip as Vanilla Flash's party makes it through the game it's trapped them in. It's left in complete disbelief once they manage to defeat it.]]
98	--> [[spoiler:''Oblivion Machine Unsealed (?)'']]: [[spoiler:No… This… But I’m a god they can’t.. G-Game Over for… Me.]]
99	* WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong: The name is probably just a gimmick. Probably. Right?
100	* WhatTheHellHero: [[spoiler: The Cutie Mark Crusaders from [=AskTheCutieMarkCrusaders=] get one from the ghosts of [[http://ask-thecrusaders.tumblr.com/post/30489289904/vdc-day-7-part-12-transcript-panel-1 [=DrizzleDrips=]]] and [[http://ask-thecrusaders.tumblr.com/post/30518908507/vdc-day-7-part-13-transcript-panel-1 Hawk]]. [=DrizzleDrips=] gives one to Scootaloo for refusing to help her in the door challenge and Hawk to Applebloom for leaving him alone with the vines, resulting in their deaths. As for the other two ghosts, Neon's death was in no way their fault, he just finds Sweetie Belle annoying and Octavia doesn't really care and is willing to let them go.]]
101	** [[spoiler: Wing Ace makes a snarky remark when Vanilla is supposedly killed by the Oblivion Machine and is promptly scolded by Blight. WordOfGod said he could have easily suffered a worse fate, leading to a small disagreement between the group's mods]]
102	* WombLevel: [[spoiler: Twilight, Lazy Pwny, and Mr. Turnip end up inside Big Boss Bozo at some point.]]

Context Webcomic / VocationalDeathCruise