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1[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mva_poster.jpg]]
2[[caption-width-right:300:[[{{Tagline}} When aliens attack, monsters fights back.]]]]
3
4''Monsters vs. Aliens'' is a 2009 AllCGICartoon movie made by Creator/DreamWorksAnimation. The movie is a ScienceFiction comedy that pays homage to the monster movies of the 1950s, and uses RuleOfCool and RefugeInAudacity to hilarious effect in an almost ''Magazine/{{MAD}}'' type of way.
5
6The movie was the first [=DreamWorks=] film to be produced in a [[UsefulNotes/ThreeDMovie 3D format]], using the "[=InTru3D=]" brand technology co-developed by the studio. A special promotion ran during the UsefulNotes/SuperBowl that could be watched using 3D specs sold alongside Sobe soft drinks.
7
8The story features a four-eyed, alien fiend attacking the United States with a [[HumongousMecha giant robot]]. After conventional weaponry proves ineffective, a high-ranking general, W.R. Monger, suggests using the monsters that the government has been capturing for 50 years and keeping in "Area 52" against them.
9
10Oh, yeah, and [[Creator/StephenColbert The President of the United States of America]] playing a ''kickass'' keyboard solo... [[Film/BeverlyHillsCop of Axel F]].
11
12Technically there's only one alien in the movie (except the clones) but "Monsters vs. an Alien" doesn't have quite the same ring to it.
13
14It was later followed up by a HalloweenSpecial, entitled ''Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space''. The monsters head out to investigate a UFO sighting in Susan's hometown on Halloween, and discover that an entire patch of pumpkins has been mutated by waste dumped on them by said UFO. These vicious vegetables[[note]] Technically they're fruit[[/note]] rampage through the town and gobble up every piece of candy in sight, and it's up to the monsters to stop them before they turn the world into a giant pumpkin patch. The short later got a sequel in 2011 called ''Night of the Living Carrots'', which follows up on that short's SequelHook.
15
16A [[RecycledTheSeries TV series]] [[WesternAnimation/MonstersVsAliens2013 of the same name]] aired on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} (of ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' fame) in March 2013.
17
18'''The monsters include:'''
19* '''[[GiantWoman Ginormica]]''', the most recent addition, a normal woman named Susan Murphy who has been turned into a 49 foot, 11 1/2 inch giant after being hit by a radioactive meteor -- on her wedding day!
20* '''[[FunWithAcronyms B.O.B.]]''', a one-eyed, talking, brainless (literally and [[DumbIsGood figuratively]]) and wholly-indestructible blue blob that was the product of a freak chemical accident involving [[NoodleImplements a tomato and ranch dressing]];
21* '''[[MadScientist Dr. Cockroach]]''', a scientist who transformed into a humanoid roach in a freak accident during an attempt to give himself the resilience of one;
22* '''Missing Link''', a tough, sardonic 20,000-year-old [[FishPeople fish]]-[[MixAndMatchCritters ape]];
23* '''[[{{Whateversaurus}} Insectosaurus]]''', a [[{{Kaiju}} Godzilla-sized]] bug with the [[AllAnimalsAreDogs personality of a puppy]].
24
25Not related to ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'', ''Franchise/{{Predator}}'', [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs or]] ''Franchise/AlienVsPredator''. ([[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids We hope not.]])
26----
27!!''Monsters vs. Aliens'' provides examples of the following tropes:
28[[foldercontrol]]
29[[folder:A-M]]
30* FiftiesHair: Despite being set in 2008, almost all human characters have standard '50s dos. Derek Deti has a crew cut, Ms. Ronson and one of Susan's roommates have short wavy hair, President Hathaway has cropped hair on the sides with a curly mop on top, and General Monger has the standard-issue flat top.
31* AchievementsInIgnorance: B.O.B. somehow managed to get a fake phone number from some gelatin he thought was alive and was hitting on. The line about the fake phone number was [[Creator/SethRogen the voice actor's]] AdLib.
32* AffablyEvil: The Gallaxhar clones when the monsters fool them with [[PaperThinDisguise Paper-Thin Disguises]]. Once they blow their cover, though, the trope wears off pretty quickly.
33* AffectionateParody: Of 1950's monster B movies.
34* AgonyOfTheFeet: When Susan tosses the giant hypodermic needle, it impales some poor soldier's foot and he screams in pain.
35* AlienGenderConfusion: B.O.B. has no idea that Susan is a woman. Later he is also convinced that Susan's fiance Derek is his fiance, and when he meets Susan's mom he mistakes her for Derek.
36--> '''B.O.B.:''' What? No way, it's a boy. Look at his boobies.\
37'''Link:''' [[TheTalk We need to have a talk.]]
38* AliensInCardiff: Or, in this case, Modesto, CA.
39* AlienInvasion: The octopus-like alien Gallaxhar enters Earth to extract quantonium from the planet, and to use it to build his army of clones and conquer Earth.
40* AliensSpeakingEnglish: As does the rest of the planet, apparently, because they all understand Gallaxhar's giant holographic message whether they're in Paris, Egypt, or Tokyo.
41** The video game version plays with this. Each country gets its own version of Gallaxhar's message, which amounts to Gallaxhar [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm7mMYrf4Vs butchering the language while wearing a stereotypical outfit]].
42* AllAnimalsAreDogs: Insectosaurus. He even thumps his leg when his belly is scratched.
43* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: Insectosaurus, [[IntelligibleUnintelligible once the Link translates his roars]]. He once helps the Link cheat at cards.
44* AmusingInjuries: B.O.B., Ginormica, Link, Dr. Cockroach, Derek and Gallaxhar at various points in the film receive such injuries. B.O.B. especially -- he gets stuck to the sole of the robot probe's foot and stomped on [[OverlyLongGag so many times]].
45* AndCallHimGeorge:
46** B.O.B. enthusiastically hugs Susan's mom, and since he's The Blob, accidentally absorbs her. Susan orders him to spit her out before she suffocates, then apologizes for him. "He's just a hugger."
47** Later, Susan herself goes to her fiancé Derek, and as she is ten times taller than he is[[note]]Assuming Derek is 6 feet tall, she is [[ForScience approx. 8.32 times taller]] than he is.[[/note]], she very nearly crushes him and almost snaps his head off with a kiss.
48* AndTheAdventureContinues: By the end of the movie, the monsters (and Monger) are off to Paris to stop a new monster: Escargantula, a giant snail mutated through radiation. Paris, Ho!
49* Area51: Or Area 52, in this case.
50* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The Missing Link recalls fighting off the National Guard, the Coast Guard and... the lifeguards.
51* ArtisticLicenseBiology:
52** Most of the monsters are physically impossible. Then again, that's probably the point - they were created by freak genetic mutations.
53** InUniverse, B.O.B. fails biology forever: "She? It's a boy! Look at his boobies." [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that [[TheDitz he is an idiot]].
54* ArtisticLicensePhysics: Ginormica leaps onto rooftops and relies on the suspension system of two sportscars to support her weight. Neither would be compatible with the mass of a 49'11.5" woman. Of course, if quantonium allows mass control (and only causes ginormification of Earthlings as a side effect), then it's just as impossible - but slightly more plausible.
55* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: Ginormica (although she's ''just'' half an inch shy of that mark) and Insectosaurus (at a [[{{Kaiju}} massive 350-feet tall]]) are both colossal monsters who tower over the normal humans and everything else.
56* AttentionDeficitOohShiny:
57** Insectosaurus is easily mesmerized by bright lights, even at the worst possible moment. When Dr. Cockroach accidentally causes the alien robot to shoot out a beam of light, Insectosaurus is distracted and essentially taken out of the fight.
58** B.O.B. is not much better. While Susan is fighting for her life against the alien robot, B.O.B. gets distracted by a bird and has to be told by her to move the dividers and get the people off the bridge.
59* {{Backstory}}: Messed around beautifully with Gallaxhar, as he tells his tale while in his cloning machine... which slams him down multiple times during the process (think copy machine) and [[LostInTransmission blocks out most of what he says]].
60%%* BadassAdorable: Susan, B.O.B., Insectosaurus, and arguably Dr. Cockroach.
61* BadassBoast: "You can't crush a Cockroach! Muahaha!"
62* BadassNormal: Susan, when not ginormous.
63-->'''Gallaxhar:''' Are you crazy? You could have ''killed me!''\
64'''Susan:''' ''(coldly)'' Then we ''understand'' each other.
65* BenevolentMonsters: The guys have no malicious intent whatsoever, and are merely imprisoned to keep from scaring people with their presence. At least one, the Missing Link, likes to scare people for laughs, but otherwise they're pretty decent.
66* BigDoor: A vast door opens on a dark space and two menacing red eyes of what appears to be a gigantic monster... [[BigLittleMan and General W.R. Monger flies out]]. The two glowing eyes were just the lights of his JetPack.
67* BigDamnHeroes:
68** Insectosaurus during the fight on the Golden Gate Bridge, though this is soon subverted when he gets distracted by the robot's bright eye beam.
69** Susan/Ginormica pulls off one later when saving her friends in Gallaxhar's ship.
70* BigHonkingTrafficJam: Several drivers impatiently honk their horns at the stalled traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. Although the bottleneck is caused by a fifty foot tall young woman engaged in combat with a colossal alien robot, leadfoot drivers nevertheless honk at them for the delay.
71* BigLittleMan: Susan Murphy is captured by the government after growing to a height of 49 feet 11 ½ inches and wakes up in a large, empty room with furniture the same scale as her. At first she (and the audience) is unsure whether she is normal size or not, until she steps on a normal-sized chair and crushes it.
72* BigRedButton: Two in the War Room: one to launch all nukes, and one to make coffee. [[TooDumbToLive They are placed right next to each other and are unlabelled.]]
73* BizarreAlienBiology: Gallaxhar drinks with his ear, but spits it out of his mouth. He later mentions his ear nubs, which are presumably the antennae on his head.
74* BlobMonster: B.O.B. is a large, blue goo monster who was created when scientists injected a chemically-altered ranch dressing into a genetically-altered tomato, causing the resulting goo to gain consciousness. He can eat anything and has one eye.
75* BloodbathVillainOrigin: Implied for Gallaxhar. We don't hear the sordid details, but it's implied to involve blowing up his planet over an unknown incident with his parents and girlfriend.
76* BreakTheCutie: Susan goes through a long and torturous process for the first part of the film. When she transforms, she's just crying for help in an understandably-distressing circumstance and worried about her fiancé before the military sedate her and rope her down. As a result of a chance encounter with a MagicMeteor, she is ripped from her beloved life, labelled a monster, and imprisoned within a hyperconfidential government facility to be essentially life-sentenced as an occasional superweapon for being unlucky. To cap it all, she then has to face a 350-foot NighInvulnerable killer robot to secure her freedom and then she finds out that her fiancé didn't love her nearly as much as she deluded herself into believing. That set the stage for her reconstruction.
77* BrickJoke:
78** The nuke button is first shown when the President is about to push it (instead of the identical one that makes coffee), but he is prevented from doing so by Monger. In TheStinger, the President actually does push it, accidentally launching all the nukes.
79** B.O.B. is shown eating ham. Later, after he gets too enthusiastic hugging Susan's mom and she falls in, he spits her out and we get this line.
80-->"I taste ham!"
81* BridalCarry: Spoofed by [[GenderInvertedTrope having the girl carry her boyfriend this way]].
82* {{Bridezilla}}: Inverted with Susan. Despite becoming a literal Kaiju-sized bride and having her wedding ruined, Susan remains incredibly composed and level-headed during the entire incident.
83* BrigBallBouncing: At the top secret facility where the monsters are imprisoned, B.O.B. can be seen bouncing a ball on wall of his cell. It dislodges his one eyeball, which he then bounces off the wall as well.
84* BringMyBrownPants: The President after Gallaxhar's speech.
85-->'''President Hathaway:''' Boys, set the terror level to 'code brown', 'cause I need to change my pants.
86* BroughtDownToNormal: Gallaxhar drains the AppliedPhlebotinum from Susan to power his cloning device, which shrinks her to her original size.
87* BuffySpeak:
88** Susan trying to describe a cyborg.
89-->'''Susan:''' Oh, thank goodness. A real person. You are a real person, right? Not one of those half person, half machine, whatever you call those things.\
90'''General W.R. Monger:''' A cyborg?\
91'''Susan:''' Oh, no! You're a cyborg!
92** The President agreeing to Monger's plan, complete with a TitleDrop.
93-->'''President Hathaway:''' I say we go forward with your Monsters vs. Aliens idea... thingy.
94** Gallaxhar's attempt to rename Earth: "Let the birth of my new planet, now called... [[ShapedLikeItself Gallaxhar's Planet]], begin!"
95** Link, when he sees a depowered Susan: "Wow, Ginormica ain't so... ginormic anymore."
96* CantStayNormal: Susan.
97* CapsLockNumLockMissilesLock: There's two {{Big Red Button}}s: One to launch the nuclear warheads and one to make latte. They're placed right next to each other and are otherwise unlabeled. [[spoiler:[[BrickJoke In the movie's Stinger, the President accidentally presses the wrong button when he wanted to make some coffee.]]]]
98* CaptainErsatz: To old monster movies:
99** Ginormica -- ''Film/AttackOfThe50FootWoman''. Also ''Film/TheAmazingColossalMan'', when she first transforms and the military comes to secure her, they fire a comically giant syringe into her leg. She pulls it out, and throws it at a soldier -- it appears to go through his foot and he screams in pain.
100** B.O.B. -- ''Film/{{The Blob|1958}}''. His backstory may also be a nod to ''Film/AttackOfTheKillerTomatoes''.
101** Missing Link -- ''Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon''. His meal of fish could be a nod to Columbia Tristar's ''Film/{{Godzilla|1998}}''. He's also incredibly simian in behavior (runs on all fours, for instance), and can probably be considered a mini Film/KingKong. He also happens to closely resemble the monsters from the ''VideoGame/{{Rampage}}'' video games. And he's thawed out of the ice like ''Film/TheThingFromAnotherWorld''.
102** Insectosaurus -- [[spoiler:Starts as]] ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'', [[spoiler:ends as ''Film/{{Mothra}}''.]]
103** Dr. Cockroach is a homage to ''Film/{{The Fly|1958}}''.
104** The Giant Robot might be an homage to the one in the movie ''Kronos''.
105* CastingGag:
106** Reese Witherspoon, one of the most petite actresses in the A-list, plays the tallest woman in the world.
107** At the time Creator/StephenColbert was recording his role as the President, his [[Series/TheColbertReport TV alter ego]] was running a presidential campaign of his own.
108** Hugh Laurie [[Series/{{House}} yet again]] voices a doctor (although he's more of a MadScientist rather than an actual doctor).
109* TheCenterpieceSpectacular: The battle between the five monsters and the alien robot probe on the Golden Gate bridge. Partly thanks to its prominence in the trailers, partly because it's the turning point of Susan's characterization, and partly because there's a long build-up to it (a build-up including several crowning moments, such as the introduction of the President, the War Room scene, and the monsters getting a chance to do what they do best for the first time), it's probably better known and more popular than the actual climax.
110* ChekhovsGun: General Monger ''could'' have given Ginormica her orientation driving in a jeep. The fact that he has jetpacks lying around ready for use turns out to be important.
111* ChekhovsSkill: We find out Susan's really good at "roller skating" when she uses a pair of cars as skates in San Francisco. Then, when separated from her team on Gallaxhar's ship, all she has are the remains of the hoverbike...
112* CitywideEvacuation: It shows San Francisco being evacuated as Gallaxhar's giant robot approaches the city.
113* CloneArmy: Gallaxhar considers himself to be a perfect being so he clones an army of himself.
114* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}
115** B.O.B. He has no brain, so he is quite clueless.
116** And the [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent President]], who is fairly bumbling in general, and in particular keeps reaching for the "launch all the nukes" button instead of the "coffee" button.
117* CompanyCrossReferences:
118** General Monger [[https://www.reddit.com/r/Shrek/comments/f8t0zu/its_a_repost_from_rmeme/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1 wears a pin]] of fellow Creator/DreamworksAnimation character Franchise/{{Shrek}} wearing an eyepatch.
119** When Gallaxhar gives his world destruction speech in Japan, other Dreamworks movies can be seen on some of the [[https://i0.wp.com/caps.pictures/200/9-monsters-vs-aliens/full/monsters-vs-aliens-disneyscreencaps.com-7843.jpg background screens]]. ''WesternAnimation/MadagascarEscape2Africa'' appears on the top left screen while ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda1'' appears on the top right.
120* CoolPlane: The cargo aircraft used to transport the monsters is based on an ASC Guppy, and is VTOL capable.
121* CoolVersusAwesome: The premise of the movie. It even gets a TitleDrop.
122* CrazyPrepared:
123** There is a meteor crash, and the guys sent to investigate it carry a missile-sized syringe full of enough sedative to send a giant person to sleep in under twenty seconds, a lot of rope, and a trampoline. They just outdid Franchise/{{Batman}} for this trope.
124** There is also W.R. Monger, who always has a parachute on.
125* CreatorProvincialism:
126** {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d with extreme prejudice by the newscaster with the line:
127-->"Once again a UFO has landed in America. The only country [=UFOs=] ever seem to land in."
128** The Modesto, California TV station is shown as having call letters starting with "W". (West coast stations all start with "K".) Considering how often writers make the opposite mistake due to this trope, this could practically count as an inversion.
129* CreatureHunterOrganization: General Monger leads a covert ops team that captures monsters and confines them in a secret base to keep the populace safe. Later, the monsters themselves become one such team, sent to battle an AlienInvasion.
130* CulturalStereotypes:
131** California's Central Valley. It's more of an in-joke than anything else. Guess where Dreamworks' HQ is located?
132** "We need our top scientific minds on this. Get India on the phone."
133%%* CuteGiant: Ginormica and Insectosaurus.
134* CuteMonsterGirl: Susan, who has been described as a smoking hot monster girl.
135* CyberCyclops: The alien robot has one huge eye which swivels and focuses on the humans around it. It can also scan things with its eye beam.
136* {{Cyborg}}: Susan briefly thinks General Monger is one.
137* {{Cyclops}}: B.O.B. His eye is detachable, and indestructible.
138* DamnedByFaintPraise: The absolute best thing Link can say about the monsters' failed party - where they accidentally scared away Susan's parents and all the guests - is that it was the best party he'd been to since he got out of prison. The joke, of course, is that it's the ''only'' party he's been to since he got out of prison.
139* DarkIsNotEvil: The film shows that, although the monsters may look scary and ugly, they're actually funny and nice guys.
140* DavidVersusGoliath: Ginormica versus the robot. The 49'11 ½" woman is the ''David'' in this scenario. There's another scene later in which she has to face a whole hangar full of them, having been shrunk down to normal size.
141* DelayedExplosion: Parodied. "Hm, nothing happened. Maybe my countdown wa--" BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM.
142* DelusionsOfLocalGrandeur: When federal agents are attempting to tranquilize Ginormica, they manhandle local weatherman Derek Dietl, who snarls, "Don't you know who I am?"
143* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler:Insectosaurus is downed by a shot from Gallaxhar's ship, but turns out to have survived and gone into a cocoon. She re-emerges as Butterflyosaurus.]]
144* DisposableFiance: Derek is initially set up as Susan's boyfriend and soon-to-be husband, but the wedding gets called off after Susan becomes a giant and is taken by the government. He later breaks up with her out of jealousy for her fame, [[FalseSoulmate which turns out to be a good thing for Susan]].
145* TheDitz: B.O.B. {{Justified|Trope}} because he has no brain.
146* DoesNotKnowHerOwnStrength: Susan struggles with controlling her strength for a good part of the movie, accidentally destroying a helicopter early on and subjecting Derek to both [[AndCallHimGeorge bone-cracking hugs and near-neck-snapping kisses]].
147* DressingAsTheEnemy: B.O.B. comes up with the idea of him, Dr. Cockroach, and Missing Link dressing up like alien clones during their attempt to rescue a recently de-powered Susan.
148* EvilLaugh: Dr. Cockroach tends to break out in one whenever he's having a MadScientist moment. Susan objects when ''she's'' the experiment.
149-->'''Susan:''' Throw the switch, Doctor... but - don't do the laugh!
150* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: With a TitleDrop in case you don't get it.
151* ExactTimeToFailure: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] when [[spoiler:Gallaxhar's ship]] is set to self destruct (the one time you would expect to know exactly when you're going to blow up); the AI hits 0 long enough before exploding that it wonders aloud if its count was wrong, only to be KilledMidSentence.
152* ExpendableClone: People keep accidentally shooting the Gallaxhar clones. Acceptable, because it's [[RuleOfFunny really damned funny]].
153* ExtraEyes: Gallaxhar, being an alien from another planet, has four eyes.
154* ExtremeOmnivore:
155** B.O.B. can absorb anything, being a BlobMonster, such as ham, road dividers, and Gallaxhar's clones.
156** Dr. Cockroach eats trash, since he's a cockroach.
157* EyeLightsOut: The probes.
158* EyePoke: Susan does this to Gallaxhar. He attempts to block, but that is complicated by the fact that he has four eyes.
159* FearInducedIdiocy: When Susan sees an oncoming meteor, she gets so scared that she attempts to run away, only to run right in its path (keep in mind that she was well out of its direction at first). She gets crushed by it and ends up becoming a GiantWoman during her wedding.
160* FalseReassurance
161** After the party, Dr. Cockroach tries this while in a friendly spirit, but Link is less reassuring.
162-->'''Link:''' Yeah, great party, the best one I've been to since I... got out of prison.
163** B.O.B. subverts it; he says he must've been at a different party, because his recollection varies from theirs:
164-->'''B.O.B.:''' I don't think your parents liked me, and I think that Jell-O gave me a fake phone number.
165* FalseSoulmate: Derek to Susan. He is a vain weatherman who is more interested in furthering his career than in his fiancée's needs, and after Susan spends the first half trying to win her freedom and return to him, he rejects her because he isn't interested in having a wife who overshadows him, [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever in more ways than one.]] And at the end, it's obvious he only wants to get back with her to leech off her fame and publicity.
166* FauxAffablyEvil: Gallaxhar is a pretty fun company, as long as you don't mind him invading the Earth and enslaving the population, and all that.
167* FiremansSafetyNet: A trampoline is provided to catch Derek when he's dropped by the newly giant Susan. He bounces off it and hits the ground.
168* FirstRuleOfTheYard: Invoked by Link when introducing himself to Ginormica.
169-->'''Link:''' Wow, look at you. I know what you're thinking: first day in prison, you wanna take on the toughest guy in the yard? Well, I'd like to see you try.
170* FishPerson: The Missing Link.
171* FiveRoundsRapid: Subverted. At first it looks like the US military is trying to attack the enormous alien robot with just a few infantrymen with small arms. Then the camera pulls back and you see them throwing everything they've got at it. Tanks, attack helicopters, jet fighters, the works. It doesn't work, but at least they tried.
172* FlippantForgiveness: After dumping her earlier, Derek returns to Susan to forgive ''her'', because "it wasn't your fault you got hit by a meteor and ruined everything."
173* ForceFieldCage: Susan is trapped in one on Gallaxhar's ship, which is said to be utterly impenetrable. She breaks out a few seconds later.
174* ForScience: The core of Dr. Cockroach's character, including why he is a cockroach in the first place.
175* FourStarBadass: General Monger. He's also 89 years old.
176* FreudianExcuse: The BigBad, Gallaxhar, claims to have one of these -- the problem is that he delivers his backstory while being cloned, meaning we only hear tiny snippets of it.
177* FriendOrIdolDecision: [[spoiler:After forcibly having the quantonium extracted from her body and being [[BroughtDownToNormal restored to her normal human size]], Susan has to chose between going back to her normal life but leaving her friends trapped on Gallaxhar's soon-to-be-exploding spaceship, or reabsorbing the quantonium to save them but being unable to go back to her normal life. Unsurprisingly, she picks the latter.]]
178* FunnyBackgroundEvent: There were probably many, but at least one is worth noting as such. When Ginormica is given her tour of the prison, B.O.B. is bouncing a ball against the wall of his cell, catching it in his ooze, spitting it out into his hand and throwing it again. At least once, he fits the ball into his eye socket instead apparently by accident, pops the eye out, throws ''that'' into the wall, and continues as if nothing had happened.
179* FunWithAcronyms: B.O.B. stands for "Benzoate Ostylezene Bicarbonate". Not a ''real'' chemical compound, but the acronym spells B.O.B. so there we are.
180* GargleBlaster: Dr. Cockroach offers Susan's folks some "atomic gin fizz". It explodes as he's mixing it. Lord knows what would have happened to the poor soul who would ingest it.
181%%* GenderInvertedTrope: Katie and Cuthbert, the couple who first witnesses the robot's arrival. %%what trope are they inverting?
182* GeneralRipper: General Monger is a complete subversion. He certainly has the look of your typical General Ripper, but after TheMasquerade is [[BrokenMasquerade snapped in two]] by a giant alien robot, he mobilizes the monsters he's captured, ''and he also makes sure that they are set free afterwards''. Adding to that, [[spoiler:he proves to be a surprisingly caring and nice guy when he gives a call to Susan's parents, telling them she was going back home, ''and then he gives another call, to the local police, so that they don't try to shoot Susan at sight.'' Plus there's his reaction when the president [[MacrossMissileMassacre launches all the nukes]]: "My God, Man. What have you done?!]]" Nicest General Ripper Ever.
183* GenocideFromTheInside: Gallaxhar blew up his own planet. His attempts to explain why are always interrupted.
184* GiantMedicalSyringe: When the army arrives to deal with the [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever newly giant]] Susan, they bring along a needle of sedative so large it needs to be administered via ballista. After getting hit in the leg, Susan pulls it out and throws it, impaling a soldier's foot.
185* GiantWoman: Susan, obviously.
186* GodzillaThreshold: Pretty much the premise; army can't handle an alien robot, sends in monsters.
187* GoGoEnslavement: When Gallaxhar abducts Susan, she wakes up to find herself wearing a [[SensualSpandex skin-tight bodysuit]]. The implication is that Gallaxhar changed her clothes [[UndressingTheUnconscious while she was knocked out]].
188* GoThroughMe: Said by B.O.B., the one character one ''can'' go through. A Gallaxhar clone punches him in the eye, only to be knocked out when it bounces back.
189* {{Hachimaki}}: General Monger wears one for the climax.
190* HandSlidingDownTheGlass: When Gallaxhar traps the giant Susan in an extraction chamber to extract the Quantonium out of Susan, she tries striking the glass to break free, but is too weakened to do so. With the Quantonium surrounding her, all that's visible of her last attempt at the glass is her outstretched hand before she slowly collapses.
191* HarmlessElectrocution: One of Dr. Cockroach's experiments to get Susan back to her normal size essentially amounts to electrocuting her with wires. Though she gets knocked out for a moment when it goes wrong, and her hair is visibly singed, she is otherwise unharmed. Justified as the quantonium inside her significantly boosts her strength and durability, allowing her to survive things a normal human would not.
192* HarmlessFreezing: The Missing Link's backstory shows that this happened to him.
193* HelicopterFlyswatter: Ginormica does it by accident, while trying to explain how she's not dangerous at all.
194* HeWhoFightsMonsters: W.R. Monger. [[spoiler:He's as nice as the monsters themselves]]. If the logic of HeWhoFightsMonsters is to be trusted, then he's [[spoiler:become just as kindhearted as they are]].
195* HighSchoolSweethearts: The movie begins with Susan Murphy and Derek Dietl about to get married, and [[https://i0.wp.com/img.screencaps.us/200/9-monsters-vs-aliens/full/monsters-vs-aliens-disneyscreencaps.com-198.jpg a prom photo]] briefly glimpsed during the opening scene shows (and confirmed through the ''Art of [=MvA=]'' book) that they've been dating since high school. Unfortunately, after Susan gets hit by a meteor, turns into a giant, and gets taken away by the government, the wedding is postponed, and their relationship later falls apart when Derek breaks up with Susan under the belief that [[ItsAllAboutMe she would overshadow him]].
196* HugeHolographicHead: Gallaxhar addresses the entirety of Earth using one.
197* HumansAreUgly: Gallaxhar finds Susan's body "grotesque".
198* HyperventilationBag: Referenced when Ginormica sees the gigantic alien robot she has to fight. She starts [[OhCrap panicking and hyperventilating]] instantly, asking for a giant paper bag.
199* HypocriticalHumor: Dr. Cockroach calls the Missing Link's meal of raw fish "repulsive", even though his own favourite food is [[ExtremeOmnivore literal garbage]].
200* IdiotBall: The alien clones. When they're given the order "destroy all monsters", every single one of the aliens, who outnumber monsters 100 to 1, charge blindly at the monsters '''[[DefensiveFailure whilst holding ray guns that they don't even bother to shoot with]]'''.
201* IfIDoNotReturn: Parodied. Monger tells the monsters that if doesn't come back to pick them up on time, it means he's dead... or late. He even engages in a bit of LampshadeHanging when they are falling from the Mothership, thinking they're going to die, and he states, as he arrives [[spoiler:on the reborn Insectosaurus]] to save them...
202-->'''Gen. W.R. Monger:''' "OR LATE!"
203* IJustShotMarvinInTheFace: B.O.B. does this to one of the clones upon being handed a gun. Dr. Cockroach later takes the gun, saying that it belongs in the hands of someone responsible, [[HypocriticalHumor only to do the exact same thing]].
204* IJustWantToBeNormal: Susan ''really'' doesn't want to be a nearly 50-foot woman, at least until she notices how much of a jerk her fiancé is, and how being 50 feet tall means she can kick ass and take names.
205* ImmuneToBullets:
206-->'''President Hathaway:''' Eat lead, alien robot!\
207''(shoots gun at robot to no effect, gulping noise is heard)''\
208'''President Hataway:''' ...evidently they eat lead. Huh.
209* ImpactSilhouette: Susan leaves a series of these as she chases Gallaxhar down a corridor as he orders the bulkheads closed behind him.
210* ImpairmentShot: Every time we see Susan lose or regain consciousness.
211* ImpendingDoomPOV: Subverted for laughs. The opening scene shows what appears to be a gurgling monster walking into Susan's bedroom as white flashes of light appear. Turns out it's actually Susan's bridesmaids coming to wake her up for her upcoming wedding; the scary noises that were heard were just an inhaler used by one of the bridesmaids, the gurgling was just a bridesmaid drinking coffee, and the flashes of light was just a bridesmaid taking flash photos.
212* ImportedAlienPhlebotinum: A meteorite full of "quantonium" is the source of Susan's powers, and the object of Gallaxhar's desire.
213* ImpossiblePickleJar: After Susan defeats the giant robot probe all by herself, she tells the others "Did you see how strong I was? I bet there wasn't a jar in the world I couldn't open." B.O.B. gets {{sidetracked|ByTheAnalogy}} and asks about the giant pickle jar.
214* ImpossiblyGracefulGiant: Ginormica is surprisingly graceful for a 50-foot tall woman, easily performing various acrobatic moves and even using two sports cars as roller skates at one point.
215* InkSuitActor:
216** Susan looks almost exactly like her VA Creator/ReeseWitherspoon. Except that she starts as a brunette, and her size (the producers said it's ironic to see a 5'1½" actress play a giantess).
217** General Monger and the President both slightly resemble their respective voice actors, Creator/KieferSutherland and Creator/StephenColbert as well as seeming to have similar personalities to their most [[Series/TwentyFour famous]] [[Series/TheColbertReport works]].
218** The original form of Dr. Cockroach also looks like Creator/HughLaurie.
219** B.O.B. has Creator/SethRogen's mouth and eye shape. He's a blob, and could look like anyone, but his loose resemblance to Rogen is uncanny.
220* InstantSedation: After getting hit with a giant syringe full of sedative, Susan is out like a light within seconds.
221* ItHasBeenAnHonor: General Monger to the monsters before the rescue. The monsters (sans Susan and Insectosaurus) do this when they're trapped on the alien ship. Subverted in that B.O.B., lacking a brain and being indestructible, simply says "I'll see you guys tomorrow." The other two decide not to tell him the truth.
222* ItsAllAboutMe: Derek. First he ditches his honeymoon plans to go to Fresno for a job interview, then he breaks up with Susan because he's afraid of being overshadowed by a giantess who's practically a national hero.
223* IWasBeatenByAGirl: Indirectly. The Missing Link isn't too happy that Susan beat the giant robot practically all by herself while he lay unconscious the whole time.
224-->'''Dr. Cockroach:''' Poor Link. After all that tough talk, you were out-monstered by a girl. No wonder you're depressed.
225* {{Jerkass}}: Derek, whose interests lie [[ItsAllAboutMe entirely on himself]]. He's willing to put aside his fianceé for his career, right up until it looks like associating with her might start helping his career again.
226* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: General Monger seems like a hard-nosed, heartless DrillSergeantNasty, but he honestly has the monsters' best interests at heart. A few deleted scenes even show Monger standing up for the monsters when the President threatens to renege on his promise.
227* JetPack: General Monger uses a jet-pack to get around the secret base where the monsters live. It's even designed to avoid butt burn.
228* JugglingLoadedGuns: B.O.B. is given a plasma gun by a clone, and the gun goes off in his hands and hits said clone. Later, Dr. Cockroach grabs the gun away, claiming that it should be in the hands of someone capable... and then the gun goes off in his hands and shoots another clone.
229* {{Kaiju}}: Insectasaurus, as homage to the ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' movies.
230%%* KidAppealCharacter: B.O.B.
231%%* LampshadeHanging: Mercilessly, continuously, and with a great deal of flair.
232* LargeHam:
233** B.O.B. fills this trope's requirements as wonderfully as one would expect to see from Seth Rogen. Even better, the movie lampshades the fact by having him swallow Susan's mother, who remarks upon being spit out: "I taste ham." It's a pun, it's a lampshade, it's the ham trope, all in one burst. (It's even ''in character'': B.O.B. had eaten an entire ham in the previous scene, so it makes sense that [[FridgeLogic he'd actually taste like ham]].)
234** Creator/RainnWilson as Gallaxhar also hams it up quite a bit, as does Creator/StephenColbert as the President.
235* LarynxDissonance: Derek's mother is played by director Conrad Vernon.
236* LastDayOfNormalcy: The story opens on Susan Murphy's wedding day, as she prepares for the big day and suffers some anxiety over it. As she stands outside to clear her head, she is hit by a meteorite full of {{Unobtanium}} that turns her into a GiantWoman during the ceremony. The government captures her and sends her to a secret facility for imprisoning monsters, despite her insistence that she isn't one. There, she makes friends with the other monsters, who are all then freed to fight an AlienInvasion.
237* LastSecondWordSwap: Dr. Cockroach on Gallaxhar's ship.
238* LetsGetDangerous: Though Susan is initially scared of the giant robot, she shows just how cunning she can be when she uses the Golden-Gate Bridge itself to knock it down and [[OffWithItsHead cut off its head]].
239* LiteralCliffhanger: Susan slips off a building and panics as she tries not to fall off. Considering she's not that much shorter than what's she's hanging onto, losing her grip results in a drop of a couple feet at most.
240* LoadBearingHero: [[spoiler:Ginormica holding back the robot's claw. She plays this trope again inside the self-destructing spaceship, stopping a huge piece of machinery from falling onto her friends]].
241* LockedIntoStrangeness: Susan's hair turns white when she turns into a giant. [[spoiler:Even when [[BroughtDownToNormal she's reduced to normal size]], her hair stays white.]]
242* LostInTransmission: The aforementioned BackStory that Gallaxhar is telling while being dropped into the cloning machine. We have no idea what he says in full.
243* MacGyvering: Exaggerated ''so much''. Apparently, Dr. Cockroach can build a super-computer out of a [[NoodleImplements pizza box, two cans of hairspray, and a paperclip]]. On screen, he manages to build what appears to be a nuclear bomb out of Legos (he asks Susan if she has uranium) in his spare time, and a rocket-powered, wheel-steered tram car in less than ten minutes.
244* MadScientist: Dr. Cockroach. With a little bit of GadgeteerGenius, since he can make a supercomputer from [[MacGyvering a pizza box, radio antennas, and other garbage]]. Though he isn't truly evil, he'd prefer you call him an EvilGenius.
245* MagicMeteor: Gives Susan her powers, and ultimately sets off the whole plot.
246* MagicPants:
247** The [[spoiler:alien SpyCatsuit Susan wears after Gallaxhar abducts her - it adjusts to fit Susan at all times, presumably via alien technology.]]
248** Susan's wedding dress fulfills the trope too, but only at the cost of substantial ClothingDamage.
249* MarsNeedsWomen: For the Missing Link, abducting cuties is a top priority.
250* MeaningfulName:
251** If anyone could get hit by a meteorite, have her church wrecked, ''and'' wind up imprisoned by the military '''on her wedding day'''... it would be someone named Susan ''{{Murphy|sLaw}}''.
252** General W.R. Monger, who has made a career of capturing monsters and, up to the events of the film, [[TheMasquerade convincing the public that they don't exist]], sells them to the President in a plan to save humanity from an alien invasion.
253* MilitariesAreUseless: The entirety of the US Armed Forces combined are unable to hold out against one robot drone of Gallaxhar's (and there's plenty more where that came from). Susan and her monster gang are, albeit with severe difficulty, able to tackle them in spite of the technological gap.
254* MisfitMobilizationMoment: The attack on Gallaxhar's ship.
255* MonsterMash: Monsters based on [[Film/AttackOfThe50FootWoman the 50-foot Woman]], Film/TheFly1958, the Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon, Film/{{Mothra}} and a BlobMonster team up to fight an evil alien.
256* MonumentalBattle: Let's just say the Golden Gate bridge will [[MonumentalDamage never be the same]] after the battle between the monsters and the alien robot. In the TV series, the alien Coverton offers to restore it as a peace offering.
257* MookChivalry: The Gallaxhar clones are nearly all armed, and yet the heroes fire more shots than they do.
258* MostWritersAreHuman: The major reason our viewpoint character is just a really tall human instead of, say, the blob or the fishman.
259* MookHorrorShow: Gallaxhar thinks he has Ginormica trapped and at his mercy. She gets out. Nothing he does can stop her for long, and it's made clear she's only going to leave a purple stain if she catches him. Gallaxhar reacts accordingly.
260* MundaneMadeAwesome: Monger ordering coffee during TheStinger.
261[[/folder]]
262
263[[folder:N-Z]]
264* NeverTrustATrailer: The promo trailers were edited to showcase all the Monsters equally and tended to show Ginormica in the middle or the end of the line. This was an effort to disguise the fact that Susan is the protagonist.
265* NobodyHereButUsBirds: Subverted humorously when B.O.B. tries imitating birds on an alien spaceship, only for Dr. Cockroach to ask him who he's signalling to.
266* NondescriptNastyNutritious: On Susan's first day at the monster holding facility, she is fed a gray, oatmeal like substance dispensed from a tube (along with a spoon to eat it with). All the other monsters are given food appropriate for their species (fish for Link, garbage for Dr. Cockroach, a ham for B.O.B.), so it might just be they haven't figured out what to feed a GiantWoman and went with the most basic dish.
267* NoodleImplements: How exactly can a pizza box, two cans of hairspray and a paperclip function as a supercomputer?
268* NotHelpingYourCase:
269** Susan has a moment in the Area when, after saying she's not a threat to anyone or anything, she accidentally backhands an escorting helicopter, causing it to crash.
270-->'''Pilot''': Don't let her get me!\
271'''Susan''': Sorry!
272** Also, although it comes before his objections are voiced, Susan's [[AndCallHimGeorge affectionate manhandling]] of her fiancé Derek certainly helped convince him he was doing the right thing when he dumped her.
273* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: At first it seems Gallaxhar wants to rebuild his species on Earth, but he just wants a new army composed of ''him'', and thus wiped out the rest of his species and set out to find a planet to populate with his clones.
274* NothingPersonal: Said by Gallaxhar after announcing his plans to invade Earth, slaughter most of the population, and enslave the rest. It's just ''business''.
275* NuclearOption: Subverted by General Monger, who suggests trying the monsters before resorting to nukes. Toyed with by the President (who keeps mistaking the BigRedButton for a different big red button that makes coffee).
276* OctopoidAliens: Gallaxhar is an evil extra-terrestrial with octopus-like tentacles instead of legs and a large head shaped like a cephalopod's body.
277* OffIntoTheDistanceEnding: Four of the five heroic monsters ride on the back of Insectosaurus into the distance to save Paris, France from the menace of Escargantua.
278* OffscreenTeleportation: The robot probe moves slowly onscreen, but look away for a few seconds and it has covered far more ground than expected. The most obvious example can be seen when Susan goes back to help the overturned truck on the bridge, at which point it goes from being about half a mile away to right at the bridge in the span of a couple of seconds.
279* OhCrap: The alien drone's eye widens a second before one of the Golden Gate Bridge's arches comes down on its head and [[OffWithHisHead completely decapitates it]].
280* OlderThanTheyLook
281** W.R. Monger is apparently 90 years old.
282** Also, most of the monsters have been imprisoned since TheFifties, appearing largely unchanged between footage of their initial rampages and their in-person likenesses decades later. Although it's inevitably hard to tell the age of a cockroach-man and a gelatinous blob (to say nothing of Insectosaurus, whose irradiation presumably [[spoiler:delayed their adult metamorphosis]] by decades), Link at least shows signs of having let himself go with age, presumably due to being the sole monster of the group (until Susan's arrival) to not be artificially created nor significantly modified by science, hence his greater perviousness to natural ageing.
283* OmnicidalManiac: Gallaxhar committed genocide ''[[WhereIWasBornAndRazed on his own race]]'' because he wanted a planet filled only with him and his clones. He's far more than willing to do that to humanity, too. He may or may not have a FreudianExcuse, along with a dozen or so other issues.
284* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: Dr. Cockroach. [[spoiler:He got his [=PhD=] in ''Dance'']].
285* OurMonstersAreDifferent: They're nice, in fact.
286* OurPresidentsAreDifferent: And they're also voiced by Creator/StephenColbert.
287* PaddleballShot: There are many instances of stuff being shoved toward the camera, starting with an actual paddleball.
288* PaperThinDisguise: ZigZaggedTrope. Link, B.O.B., and Dr. Cockroach are all mistaken for cloned mooks just by wearing the same shirt they do. Then Link claims that he's Gallaxhar to try and get past a confrontational mook. The mook promptly declares him to be defective, but then orders B.O.B. and Dr. Cockroach to take him to the incinerator. He even helpfully gives B.O.B. his gun. An IJustShotMarvinInTheFace moment later puts an end to their disguises.
289* ParentalBonus
290** Most of the {{Shout Out}}s and the scene with the Journey song, plus the pun on ''An Inconvenient Truth''.
291** The streetcar Dr. Cockroach commandeers has the destination "Castro" on it. The Castro is the famous all-gay district of San Francisco.
292* PetTheDog: W.R. Monger has a little poster set up in Susan's room to cheer her up during her forced captivity. Doesn't help much, but the thought still counts.
293* PlanningForTheFutureBeforeTheEnd: Subverted. After The Missing Link and Dr. Cockroach are telling each other ItHasBeenAnHonor, B.O.B. tells them he'll see them tomorrow for lunch. They agree, although B.O.B. was totally serious...
294-->'''The Missing Link:''' It's been an honor knowing you, Doc.\
295'''Dr. Cockroach:''' The feeling's mutual, my friend.\
296'''B.O.B.:''' I'll see you guys tomorrow... for lunch.\
297'''The Missing Link:''' That's right, B.O.B.\
298'''Dr. Cockroach:''' There'll be candy and cake... balloons.\
299'''B.O.B.:''' CAKE AND BALLOONS FOR LUNCH? IT'S GONNA BE THE BEST DAY EVER! [[PlatonicDeclarationOfLove I LOVE YOU GUYS!]]
300* PlotTailoredToTheParty:
301** Ginormica is basically the Superman to her team's Justice League [[spoiler:until the end of the movie when she's depowered for just long enough to give the rest of her team a chance to do something useful]]. She is notably the only member of the team who makes any significant progress in defeating the alien robot, as Link is knocked out at the start, B.O.B. gets sick from eating too many road dividers, Dr. Cockroach is knocked out when he messes with the robot's machinery, and Insectosaurus is incapacitated by the probe's light.
302--->'''B.O.B.:''' Whoa, you're doing good!\
303'''Susan:''' I'M DOING ''EVERYTHING''!!
304** There is a subtle hint of Deconstruction, however, as Link gets rather depressed when he has to face the fact he isn't as powerful or useful as he used to be.
305* PowerLossMakesYouStrong: [[spoiler:Ginormica after Gallaxhar strips her of her AppliedPhlebotinum]].
306* ThePowerOfFriendship: [[spoiler:When the only people who accepted Susan while she was a monster are trapped and doomed, she sets aside her fear and starts defying death. Several times]].
307* PowerTrio: Despite the FiveManBand vibe of the eponymous MonsterMash, the three all male monsters have so many scenes together, that they form this with Link as Id, Dr. Cockroach as Superego, and B.O.B. as Ego, if only because he's the happiest-go-lucky monster.
308* ProductPlacement: When making first contact, the President is playing on a Yamaha DX7 keyboard.
309* ProfessorGuineaPig: Dr. Cockroach's backstory.
310* PunnyName: W.R. Monger = "Warmonger". His government also has a tendency to name monsters this way.
311* RadarIsUseless: There's no explanation as to how Gallaxhar's [[MileLongShip honking massive starship]] seemingly just ''appears'' over Earth without anyone noticing it coming, especially after they were able to detect one of his probes.
312* RagTagBunchOfMisfits: The monsters consist of a GiantWoman who just wants to be normal again, a dim-witted blob who eats everything, a human/cockroach hybrid MadScientist, a fish/ape hybrid who acts like a jock, and a humongous mutated grub, but they become a team to fight Gallaxhar.
313* ReactiveContinuousScream: A brief one at the beginning of the movie; Before Susan's wedding, her friends, who are going to be the bridesmaids, wake her up at 5 AM to watch Derek's announcement of the wedding. Being awaken so early and abruptly makes Susan scream in shock, but her friends think she's [[{{Squee}} screaming with delight]], so they do the same.
314* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: General Monger, in a subversion of GeneralRipper.
315* RedEyesTakeWarning: When Susan starts banging on the walls of her prison, the other monsters warn her not to do that, whereupon a huge door opens to reveal a dark interior with two [[GlowingEyesOfDoom glowing red eyes]] within... which merely turn out to be the navigation lights on General Monger's JetPack.
316* ReferenceOverdosed: It's a family-friendly pastiche of dozens of monster movies.
317* RefugeInAudacity: This movie would not be ''nearly'' as funny if they didn't make it as screwball as possible. Seriously, a supercomputer that has a security system beatable only through VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution? And a security checkpoint that for severe security includes tongue, both elbows, and bare ass?[[note]]Ironically, the one kind of scan that ''isn't'' done is the one you would most expect to see - a retinal scan.[[/note]]
318* ReluctantMonster: Susan. Her CharacterArc leads her out of the trope.
319* RevoltingRescue: Susan is trapped in an extra-terrestrial robot's jaws and is very nearly crushed, but Insectosaurus [[GiantsDropletHumansShower sprays snot]] into [[EyeScream the robot's eye]] to stop it.
320* ARiddleWrappedInAMysteryInsideAnEnigma: General Monger refers to the top-secret prison Susan is taken to as "an X-File, wrapped in a cover-up, and deep-fried in paranoid conspiracy".
321* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Susan tears her way through Gallaxhar's ship to get revenge for Insectosaurus, literally roaring most of the time.
322* RoofHopping: Ginormica does this in UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco to escape the alien robot. [[MST3KMantra (Don't ask how the roofs don't crumble under her feet.)]] She jumps to one tilted roof that's too far for her, scrambles to hold on as she slips down, loses her grip... and safely lands on the ground, since she's almost as tall as the building.
323* RuleOfFunny: The science of this is non-existent, one-dimensional characters outnumber the [[RoundedCharacter fleshed-out ones]], and several characters hold onto the IdiotBall. However, it's a MassiveMultiplayerCrossover of 1950s horror movies, in 3-D, with Creator/StephenColbert as president and a recognizable voice for almost every other named character as well, so who the hell cares about all that other stuff?
324* RunningGag: Link getting his head smacked by, in succession, a manhole cover, a falling piece of the Golden Gate bridge, a diving board and the entrance to the power core on Gallaxhar's ship.
325* SamusIsAGirl: [[spoiler:Insectosaurus]], possibly. At the very least, [[spoiler:they're sporting some noticeable TertiarySexualCharacteristics after metamorphosing.]]
326* SchmuckBait: The BigRedButton that launches ''every single nuke'' in the US at once. That is right next to an identical big red button that makes lattes.
327* ScreamingWoman: In the War Room, Monger shows footage of all the monsters he's got locked up. ''Every time'' he moves on to the next monster, Ms. Ronson the coffee lady screams in sheer terror and drops her tray. Finally, Monger has had enough and angrily orders her thrown out of the room. He then shows his next clip, that of "Ginormica", a [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever 49 foot, 11 1/2 inch woman]]. Whereupon there's an identical high-pitched scream... from [[spoiler:the President!]]
328* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl:
329** [[spoiler:The President]]. Especially amusing since the previous four ''exactly identical'' girly screams were from an actual girl.
330** When the giant KillerRobot proves ImmuneToBullets, an army officer starts to order a retreat in a high-pitched squeal, then quickly clears his throat so he can speak in a more manly tone.
331* SensoryTentacles: Bob sometimes contorts his amorphous body to extend his eye on one of these, to look around corners or through openings.
332* SexyFigureGesture: General Monger unconsciously cups his hands while describing [[GiantWoman Ginormica]] as having "enormous strength and size."
333* ShareTheMalePain: When General W.R. Monger gives a wedgie to the poor "nerd" who questions the wisdom of unleashing a monster problem to fight an alien problem, everyone else in the board room cringes.
334* ShoutOut
335** Gallaxhar's computer resembles [[WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory Dexter's computer]].
336** General Monger's pin with the clouds on it on his upper left side is Franchise/{{Shrek}} wearing an eyepatch.
337** There is also a ShoutOut to ''Film/CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind'' when the president attempts to communicate with the robot probe musically. (and he ends up playing Axel F, the ''Film/BeverlyHillsCop'' theme song). Plus, he gives the [[StrangeSalute Vulcan salute]] from ''Franchise/StarTrek''.
338** Link mentions that finding out that the Earth had gotten warmer in his absence would be a "very convenient truth", a reference to the film ''Film/AnInconvenientTruth''.
339** Modesto, CA, Susan's hometown in the movie, was the hometown of Creator/GeorgeLucas.
340** General Monger: "This place is an [[Series/TheXFiles X-File!]] Wrapped in cover-up and deep-fried in paranoid conspiracy."
341** Ms. Ronson (the coffee lady who screams at the monsters' footage) resembles [[Series/TheXFiles Dana Scully]] (or [[WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant Annie Hughes]]).
342** Gallaxhar's line, "Destroy all monsters!" is a reference to the ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' movie of [[Film/DestroyAllMonsters the same name]].
343** The eventual fate of [[spoiler:Insectosaurus]] is much like that of [[spoiler:Mothra]]. If you're familiar with that particular monster, [[spoiler:the supposed death of Insectosaurus isn't quite as traumatic]].
344** Also, "Oh, Film/{{Spaceballs}}."
345** That one convertible belonging to the jock that had [[Franchise/{{Transformers}} racing stripes and a radio that shifted frequencies on its own]]. Interestingly, the capture of Susan and Bumblebee both involve helicopters and some similar equipment. They even start with roping one arm.
346** The scene where Susan tosses the giant hypodermic needle, only to have it impale some poor soldier's [[AgonyOfTheFeet foot]], is a reference to ''Film/TheAmazingColossalMan'', where the results are a bit more lethal.
347** Gallaxhar's speech to all of Earth sounds a lot like the Vogon's speech before they destroy Earth in ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy1978''.
348** Not only is the president an {{expy}} of Creator/StephenColbert, but his code name ("Papa Bear") is a ShoutOut to Colbert's nickname for Creator/BillOReilly (one of the main inspirations for his over-the-top alter-ego.)
349** The Robots' shields use the same effect as the aliens' in ''Film/IndependenceDay''.
350** They got three in the space about three seconds: "{{Film/Supernova}}. This is Series/RedDwarf! We actually have one! Code [[Creator/LeonardNimoy Nimoy]]!"
351** When B.O.B. is in his cell [[BrigBallBouncing throwing the rubber ball against the wall to pass time]], that is an homage to a scene with Steve [=McQueen=] in the movie, ''Film/TheGreatEscape''.
352** When the military attempts to defeat the robot probe, there is a shot of a missile with the words "E.T. Go Home!" Not only that, if you listen carefully, the theme from the movie ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' is actually played for a second.
353** A Gallaxhar clone getting thrown off the side of the walkway lets out the WilhelmScream.
354** In a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-cjAtTElow#t=50s deleted scene]], B.O.B. charges into battle yelling [[LeeroyJenkins "LEEEEEEROOOOOOOOOOOOOY]] [[MemeticMutation JEEEEEEEEEEEEENKIIIIIIIIIIINS!!!!"]] The lines surrounding that are even roughly the same as the ''WebVideo/LeeroyJenkinsVideo'', namely the request for a "number crunch", the absurdly low odds of survival being "better than usual", and the like.
355** At the beginning of the movie, we see a guy playing with a paddle-ball, as the ball is sent flying toward the audience before springing back. This is a riff on the paddle-ball scene from ''Film/HouseOfWax1953'', one of the classic 3D movies.
356** The shot of B.O.B.'s blue mass flowing out the doors of laboratory he was created in (in Monger's video of his origins) is exactly the same as shot of the Blob coming out of the front doors of the theater from ''Film/TheBlob1958''. He's also created from a [[Film/AttackOfTheKillerTomatoes tomato]].
357** Similarly, the shot of Susan's hand reaching into the news station to get Derek calls to mind a similar shot in ''Film/AttackOfThe50FootWoman'' (1958).
358** One of the trucks that nearly falls off the Golden Gate bridge has the letters "SKG" on its grill, in reference to Spielberg-Katzenburg-Geffen, the founders of Creator/DreamWorksSKG.
359** Lastly, there's a shout out to ''Film/DrStrangelove'' during TheStinger.
360*** In fact, there are several shout outs to that film, including the appearance of the war room and General Monger's "YYEEEEEEEEEE-HAAAAAHH!" as his plane goes down.
361** The scene of the military attacking the alien robot with jets and artillery is a perfect copy of the scene in the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still, in which the U.S. military attacks the automaton GORT.
362** The closing credits play over silhouettes of Susan's doing WaifFu moves, along with the fighter jets and stuff, reminiscent of the ''Franchise/JamesBond'' films.
363* ShutUpKirk:
364-->'''Susan:''' You destroyed San Francisco, you terrified millions of people, you killed my friend, just to get to me?!\
365'''Gallaxhar:''' "Wha-ka-ka-ka-ka!" Silence! Your voice is grating on my ear-nubs!
366* SigilSpam: The agents from Area Fifty-something have their logo on everything from their [=SUVs=] and briefcases to their rescue trampoline and playing cards.
367* SmallNameBigEgo: Derek, made briefly apparent when he shouts the typical "don't you know who I am" line to the military personnel. Keep in mind he's a local news anchor, and not even in a primetime slot.
368* SmartPeopleSpeakTheQueensEnglish: Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.
369* TheSmurfettePrinciple:
370** Susan/Ginormica is the only woman in the main cast ("We are in the presence of the rare female monster."). However, she is the main character and has the most CharacterDevelopment of anyone else, and TookALevelInBadass. The rest of the female characters are in small, stereotypical roles, with the exception of the girl [[AutoErotica making out in a car]], which reverses the usual role by being more assertive than her milquetoast boyfriend.
371** The jury is still out on whether [[spoiler:Insectosaurus is female or not, since he/she has eyelashes in his/her final form as a butterfly]]. Even so, the ratio of female monsters to male would still be 2:3.
372* SmugSnake: Gallaxhar gloats at every opportunity, and has an obnoxiously big ego, but seems to be new to the business of being an evil invader. One of the more satisfying scenes in the film is watching him flee in panic from an enraged Ginormica onboard his own ship, having twice [[TemptingFate tempted fate]] by smugly claiming that she can't break past his security defences.
373* SongsInTheKeyOfLock: VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution-style.
374* SquareCubeLaw: Ginormica, Insectosaurus and the robot probes. This movie doesn't so much ignore the trope as shred it to mulch. Then again, it's [[RuleOfFun too fun of a movie]] to really matter. Also, Monger and Gallaxhar [[HandWave handwave the trope]] in Ginormica's case by mentioning that her strength and size were both increased separately as a result of exposure to the AppliedPhlebotinum.
375* StarshipLuxurious: Really, it's a plot necessity if you're going to have a 49 foot, 11 1/2 inch woman rampaging through it.
376* StrongAsTheyNeedToBe: Downplayed. If Susan attempts to do something that should be impossible even for ''her'' (forcing open the claw of a machine twenty times her size, or tearing apart a force field designed to render her helpless), she succeeds. But it's never spelled out.
377* StuckOnBandaidBrand: In the video game version, The Missing Link is always referred to as such, whereas in the movie he's known more often as "Link". Presumably, this was to prevent confusion/copyright issues from [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda that other Link]].
378* TakeOverTheWorld: With clones. After killing most of the people and enslaving the rest, to be precise.
379* TerrorAtMakeOutPoint: A couple making out in their car are the first to see the giant robot probe.
380* TertiarySexualCharacteristics: [[spoiler:Insectosaurus as a butterfly has prominent eyelashes and lipstick-like markings. Never would've guessed "he" was actually a girl, huh?]]
381* ThatManIsDead: [[spoiler:When Gallaxhar reveals he ''can't'' free the others]], we get this exchange:
382-->'''Gallaxhar:''' [[spoiler:Now we're all gonna die! And there's nothing you can do about it, Suuusan!]]\
383'''Susan:''' [[spoiler:I wouldn't be so sure. And the name... is Ginormica.]]
384* ThatPoorCar: Averted when Susan uses those cars as roller skates, but played straight with the deep bass roar of Insectosaurus at the first Modesto party.
385%%* TheyCalledMeMad: Played straight with Dr. Cockroach.
386* TitleDrop: By the President:
387-->'''President Hathaway:''' I propose we go forward with your "monsters vs. aliens" idea... thingy.
388* TokenRomance:
389** Averted in Susan's case, which is extremely refreshing for a movie starring a female lead (whose love life is part of her character development, no less).
390** Also made fun of with B.O.B. and his girl, [[CargoShip the plate of green jello]].
391* TooDumbToLive: It's excusable for Susan to misjudge the path of the meteor as potentially heading toward the gazebo she's in. It's not excusable when she decides to run ''in the same direction as it's falling'', when literally '''any other direction''' would have prevented her from getting hit. Any other film and we would have had one squashed bride.
392* TookALevelInBadass: Susan takes ''several'' levels of badass throughout the film, going from a scared girl who just wants to go home to a powerful monster who fully embraces her new strength. The biggest leap occurring when she meets Gallaxhar for the first time, and she [[spoiler:effortlessly breaks through almost every defense he has and comes ''this close'' to killing him outright.]]
393* TotallyRadical:
394** Dr. Cockroach with his [=Ph.D=] [[spoiler:in dance.]] At least he has the grace to realize how absurd he is (at times).
395-->'''Dr. Cockroach:''' What my associate is trying to say is we all think the new Susan is the cat's me-''wow''. ''(awkward silence from everyone)'' I'm sorry.
396** B.O.B. is guilty of it too.
397-->'''B.O.B.:''' These disguises are da ''bomb''!
398** Not to mention Gallaxhar.
399--> '''Gallaxhar:''' The Omega Quadrant? ''Lame.''
400* TouchOfTheMonster: Parodied with the date couple.
401* TranquillizerDart: The army tranquilizes Susan when she first becomes Ginormica. She pulls the huge dart out and throws it, comically hitting a soldier in the foot and causing him to scream in agony.
402* TroubledFetalPosition: When Susan gets captured by the government, taken away from her old life, and forced into an isolated cell, all the [[BreakTheCutie poor girl]] can do is curl up into a ball and cry.
403* TrueCompanions: Over the course of the movie, the other monsters become a sort of family, bonding over their time spent in captivity and always sticking up for each other against those who dare to harm them. [[spoiler:Even when Susan loses her quantonium and [[BroughtDownToNormal becomes a normal human]], the others still consider her one of them and go out of their way to save her from Gallaxhar.]]
404-->'''Susan:''' I can't believe you guys came to save me. Thank you.\
405'''Link:''' Don't mention it. We monsters gotta stick together.\
406'''Susan:''' But [[IronicEcho I'm not a monster]] anymore. I'm just... [[BroughtDownToNormal me]].\
407'''Dr. Cockroach:''' My dear, no matter your size, you'll always be- ''[sees Gallaxhar clones approaching]'' [[MoodWhiplash NOTHING BUT A FILTHY CARBON-BASED LIFEFORM]]!
408* UndressingTheUnconscious: Happens to Susan Murphy/Ginormica twice, first by the government and then by Gallaxhar. Both times she wakes up in a different outfit to the one she was wearing before rendered unconscious. An impressive feat, considering it's difficult enough to undress and redress a regular unconscious human and Susan is a [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever 50-Foot]] tall [[GiantWoman giant]].
409* UnnecessarilyLargeInterior: Every part of the alien ship - even the parts not made for giant robots - is big enough to accommodate a [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever 50-foot woman]].
410* TheUnmasquedWorld: The public becomes aware of the existence of aliens at the beginning of the movie, and of the existence of monsters towards the end.
411* TheUnreveal: Gallaxhar's explanation of his backstory is constantly interrupted by his cloning machine, meaning the audience (and Susan) never get to hear more than a few unfinished details about it.
412* UnusualEuphemism
413** "What the [[PardonMyKlingon flagnar]]?!"
414** Plus "Oh Film/{{Spaceballs}}!"
415** "By [[Creator/StephenHawking Hawking's]] chair!"
416* {{Unobtainium}}: The Quantonium.
417* TheUnseen: There was a sixth monster in the movie, [[spoiler:The {{Invisible}} Man]], but he had died 25 years before. [[spoiler:The others told the childlike B.O.B. that he had escaped]]. It appears briefly in the prequel short, ''B.O.B.'s Big Break''.
418* ValleyGirl: Unexpectedly, Gallaxhar briefly talks like one while telling his life-story:
419-->'''Gallaxhar:''' ...and then I was all "NO WAY!", and she was all "''YES'' WAY!", and I was like...
420* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Gallaxhar twice -- once when he realises Ginormica can burst through his allegedly impenetrable shield, and again when Susan holds him at gun point.]]
421* VersusTitle: But of course. It would hardly be a CoolVersusAwesome movie without one, after all.
422* TheWarRoom: The so-crazy-it'll-never-happen command center where you need your bare ass scanned to get in, showing the cut version of the Earth across 3 or 4 monitors, with a giant button to launch every Nuclear Missile in the U.S..
423* WeComeInPeaceShootToKill: Gallaxhar's broadcast has him ''say'' he comes in peace... then [[ImmediateSelfContradiction immediately declare his intent to destroy humanity]].
424-->'''Gallaxhar:''' To recap: We come in peace. We mean you no harm. And you all will die.
425* WeaksauceWeakness: Insectosaurus is mesmerized by bright lights. Handy if you need him to travel someplace specific, less so when it makes him freeze up mid-battle.
426* WeddingSmashers: Susan does this to her own wedding when she suddenly transforms into a giant mid-ceremony. She is then captured by government agents, who were there investigating the meteor that caused her growth spurt in the first place.
427{{Wedgie}}: General Monger gives the “nerd” one after he anticipates blowback for the monster solution.
428* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: ZigZaggedTrope. At first, the monsters are considered a danger (and a distraction) and are kept out of the public eye in Area 52. The monsters themselves are indeed mostly too destructive to be let out, but later in the film they seem upset about the fact that they can't get out, and are enthusiastic when they are given a chance to earn their freedom. Once they are out, the trope is played straight and the monsters don't enjoy it. They later earn respect by SavingTheWorld. Link is a good indicator of how this trope is faring at any point in the film.
429* WhatTheHellHero: Monger, when the President accidentally [[spoiler:presses the "fire all nukes" button, instead of the "get me a latte" button, during the end credits scene.]]
430* WhereIWasBornAndRazed: Gallaxhar destroyed his own home planet, [[TheUnreveal though we never find out why]].
431* WorldOfHam: Try finding a scene ''without'' someone who is clearly enjoying their role.
432* YouDoNOTWantToKnow: Most of Gallaxhar's life-story is never heard by Susan ([[TheUnreveal or the audience]]). But whatever it was, it drove him crazy enough to destroy his planet and develop a lifelong obsession with Quantonium. It also apparently involved [[NoodleIncident some terrible secret his parents kept from him ("No child should ever have to go through anything like that!") and his marriage going sour]].
433* YouWontFeelAThing: Variant:
434-->'''Dr. Cockroach:''' Now, you might feel a slight pinch in the brain. [[EvilLaugh Mwahaha...]] Sorry.
435[[/folder]]
436----
437[[folder:The Shorts]]
438!!The shorts provides examples of the following tropes:
439%%* CannotSpitItOut: B.O.B.'s attempt at trick-or-treat.
440* CaptainErsatz: (From the Halloween Special) The Pumpkins -- ''Film/AttackOfTheKillerTomatoes'''
441* CompanyCrossReferences:
442** A woman giving out candy thinks Link's "[[YourCostumeNeedsWork costume]]" is supposed to be Franchise/{{Shrek}}.
443** Susan's old plushes that B.O.B. picks up in ''Night of the Living Carrots'' include ones based on [[Franchise/{{Shrek}} Dragon]] and [[Franchise/{{Madagascar}} Alex the lion]].
444%%* EvilLaugh: Dr. Cockroach.
445* ForHalloweenIAmGoingAsMyself: All of the monsters (barring Insectosaurus, who dresses as Music/ElvisPresley) go to the Halloween party without costumes. Susan intended to wear a zombie cheerleader outfit, but was forced into the mission before she could change.
446* FourPhilosophyEnsemble: In ''B.O.B.'s Big Break'', Dr. Cockroach is the realist, the Missing Link is the cynic, B.O.B. is the optimist, and the Invisible Man is apathetic. In the Halloween Special, Ginormica is the realist, Dr. Cockroach starts as the cynic and Link starts off as the optimist (they swap roles later), and B.O.B. [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} is frankly well out of it]].
447* FreudianExcuse: Dr. Cockroach hates Halloween because he was bullied during it as a child. He quickly gets into the spirit of things when an old lady gives him a swirly pop.
448* GoingToGiveItMoreEnergy: In ''Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space'', the cast battles living jack o'lanterns that feed on candy. When the pumpkins join together to form a giant monster, they bombard it with candy until it explodes.
449* HalloweenSpecial: ''Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space''
450%%* HurricaneOfPuns: During the battle against the giant mutated pumpkin.
451* ImmediateSequel: ''Night of the Living Carrots'' directly continues on from the SequelHook brought on at the end of of ''Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space''.
452* MarriedToTheJob: Ginormica in the HalloweenSpecial. Her parents are so glad to see her that she doesn't want to ruin it by revealing that she's actually still working, and is not on holiday.
453* MyGrandmaCanDoBetterThanYou: Variant in the ''B.O.B.'s Big Break'' supplemental short on the DVD:
454-->'''General Monger:''' You throw like my nine-year-old niece... that I may or may not have.
455* PanFromTheSkyBeginning: ''Mutant Pumpkins'' starts with the boy on the moon like usual, and then it pans down to reveal a UFO heading towards Farmer Jeb's.
456* PrizedPossessionGiveaway: In the short ''Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space'', Dr. Cockroach is joyful to realise the Swirlypop he always wanted was still intact after the battle, and then a trick-or-treating kid also appeared eager to see it. After a moment of hesitation, Dr. Cockroach eventually decides to give the Swirlypop to the child.
457* RussianReversal: Ginormica tries to squash the main pumpkin. When they pull a OneWingedAngel, they try to squash her.
458* ShoutOut:
459** At the beginning of ''Mutant Pumpkins'', the theme tune to Creator/JohnCarpenter's ''Film/{{Halloween|1978}}'' plays... [[spoiler:and turns out to be a cell phone ring tone]].
460** One person thinks Link's "[[YourCostumeNeedsWork costume]]" is supposed to be Franchise/{{Shrek}}. A child mistakes him for [[Series/TheMuppetShow Kermit the Frog]].
461* SuddenlyFluentInGibberish: On the HalloweenSpecial, B.O.B. tries to reason with the evil pumpkins because, since he's part tomato, he's fluent in produce.
462-->'''Dr. Cockroach:''' Well, what did he say?\
463'''B.O.B.:''' Horrible things! About my mother, in a salad bar.
464* {{Tagline}}: "Alien problem? Monster solution."
465* {{Telepath}}: Dr. Cockroach accidentally grants B.O.B. the ability to read minds during a failed escape attempt, which leads to him [[XanatosSpeedChess quickly coming up with a new plan of escape]].
466* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: PlayedForLaughs: B.O.B. in the ''B.O.B.'s Big Break'' short hinders as often as he helps the others.
467* UnwittingPawn: Dr. Cockroach tries to manipulate B.O.B. in order to break out of their prison, but B.O.B. turns out to be a SpannerInTheWorks and [[LaserGuidedKarma it comes back to bite him later]].
468* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Despite being prominent characters in the ''Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space'' special, Susan and Insectosaurus are absent without mention in the ImmediateSequel ''Night of the Living Carrots''.
469* YourCostumeNeedsWork: Parodied, at the Missing Link's expense, at Halloween.
470[[/folder]]

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