GirlGenius/TropesAToE | '''Tropes F to J''' | GirlGenius/TropesKToO | GirlGenius/TropesPToT | GirlGenius/TropesUToZ
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!!!''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' provides examples of the following tropes:

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[[folder:F]]
* FaceFault: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090220 When Gil makes the (bogus) reveal to Zola]] that he's been a pirate all along, this is the reaction from [=DuMedd=], Sleipnir, Zeetha and Krosp. Not from Higgs, though -- Airman Third Class Axel Higgs has long since [[SeenItAll lost the capacity to be surprised by anything]].
* {{Facepalm}}: Frequent. ''Smek!''
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050914 The actor playing Punch]] in Master Payne's Heterodyne shows facepalms upon learning from Maxim and Oggie that his portrayal is way off.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20041103 In the flashback of Zeetha]] wiping the whole fortress of the pirates who kidnapped her, at the end she smackes her brow upon realizing she left no-one alive to tell her how to get back to Skifander.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070411 Two-handed face-palm for Gil]] on learning from Dr. Sun that it's too late to suppress the stories about his father getting wounded and nearly killed, or the coming of a new Heterodyne heir.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090311 Agatha gets to do this too]] after joking that their will be a big party... but only after all the numerous problems at hand are settled.
--->'''Violetta:''' This party -- can ''I'' have a pretty dress ''too?''\\
'''Agatha:''' ''[facepalming]'' ...Well, ''of course''. ...Assuming you're still ''alive.''
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20121126 Mama Gkika slaps a hand to her forehead]] when Agatha clears the way to the observation tower, with a weapon that also destroys the observation tower]].
** Agatha's gesture starts as a HandBehindHead, but morphs into a facepalm when talking to [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20150126 the Heterodyne monster train:]]
--->'''Agatha:''' It hate schedules and it's a ''glutton'' -- and they gave it to the ''monks''.
** The Master of Paris must have established some sort of record with [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20150826 a double-facepalm that lasts a good 15 minutes.]]
** While being in England's main area of study, Agatha asks what this new "golden age" the sparks were talking about is. The explanation she's given makes the sparks look so delusional (saying that the queen herself, who's shown to be one of the most powerful sparks in existence, will bow to them) [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20190327 that she pulls one at the end.]]
** [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20240126 Jäger General Dimo buries his face into his clawed hand]] as he comes to the realization that being in charge not only means he's SurroundedByIdiots, but that his job also includes preventing the Jägers from fighting among themselves out of boredom when there are no other enemies around.
* FaceplantingIntoFood:
** After a drugged Agatha spills the beans to Aaronev and Tarvek Sturmvoraus about her identity, her past, and her adventures up to that point, she face-plants into her dessert.
** When the [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20150429 "mysterious, invisible hand"]] of a Smoke Knight knocks out Martellus with a sap, he face-plants into the "fine cake" he was eating.
* FailedASpotCheck: Inescapable Death Traps [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100721 do not always remain so]].
-->'''[[spoiler:Lucrezia/Agatha]]:''' That hole was ''not there'' when I last looked!
* FailedAttemptAtDrama: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20130306 Gil barges in the control bridge]] of ''Castle Wulfenbach'' while fighting an enemy clank, crushes it underneath him and coolly dusts off his sleeve. And then he trips over a broken clank part, all under the eyes of his father.
* FakingAmnesia: Lucrezia [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20061117 pulls this]] whilst [[GrandTheftMe possessing Agatha's body]], telling Agatha's rescue party that she's been drugged and can't remember any of them. She manages to pull it off for a while, too, since no-one imagines for a second that it could be anyone ''other'' than Agatha talking to them. It isn't until she encounters someone that knew the original Lucrezia and recognizes her mannerisms that it all goes downhill.
* FakingTheDead: Having a casualty of roughly the same sex / race / age as Agatha, Master Payne's circus sees fit to give their rescuer a new lease on life. Olga lived for cons anyway.
* FalseInnocenceTrick: Agatha mentions this trope when she first encounters Othar Tryggvassen, '''{{GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER}}!''' who asks her to free him. She believes he's doing this and does not free him; however, he [[WrongGenreSavvy actually believes]] he's TheHero being held by the villain. [[GreyAndGreyMorality He may not be wrong]], even if he is a bit of a {{Cloudcuckoolander}}.
* FamedInStory:
** The Heterodyne Boys. They have a book series on them that is highly exaggerated while probably also being highly understated.
** Othar is also very popular. Few realize how annoying/insane he can be, and many people don't even care when they DO find out that he is a {{CloudcuckooLander}}.
** Trelawney Thorpe is another popular hero, who like the Heterodyne Boys has her own book series of debatable accuracy.
* FamousNamedForeigner: Zola is French. "Zola" is hardly a French first name -- and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89mile_Zola Émile Zola]]'s last name is in fact of Italian origin. [[spoiler: It is eventually revealed that Zola's mother's family is from Minsk and her name [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast reflects their heritage]].]]
* {{Fanservice}}:
** So very, very much gratuitous Agatha-in-her-underwear. On the other hand, it is only ''[[OfCorsetsSexy Victorian]]'' underwear... [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030512 Not that that especially matters.]]
** Later: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20061011 The Really Nice View of Agatha's Signal]], and [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070219 this little gem]], followed by [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070221 this one]].
** And let's not forget the [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080407 rather lengthy section]] of Volume 8 where Gil was entirely naked save for a strategically placed bedsheet.
** And Gil is next [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090803 wandering around shirtless]]. Nom.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090925 Another case]]. Not only are both Gil and Tarvek ''naked'', but they ''[[ItMakesSenseInContext keep changing colors.]]''
** Like son, like father. There are many who are very grateful for [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20041206 that Naughty Flashback Scene]].
** Also Tinka's metal but curvy body in a semi-transparent nightie.
** Zeetha and the [[TheNudifier Wacky Weave Destabilizer]].
--->'''Zeetha:''' What are you thinking, using Bunbury's trash? He's why every smart actress from here to Paris wears special underwear! Why do you even ''have'' one of those?
** Speaking of which, Zeetha spent a lot of time running around in that leather underwear...
** And now, we have "Revenge of the Weasel Queen", in which Agatha and Zeetha end up wearing BUNNY outfits. Although these "bunny outfits" are [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090605 not quite]] what [[PlayboyBunny one might assume]].
** Sleipnir O'Hara, one of the "hostages" of the Baron on Castle Wulfenbach, sports a halter-top that shows a bit of {{Sideboob}} once she arrives in Mechanicsburg later in the story.
* FanserviceExtra: Ferretina. She drips with fanservice. Quoting a bit from the wiki: "... her outfit isn't chosen for modesty." You can say that again.
* FantasticLegalWeirdness: There are a wide variety of ways to bring someone BackFromTheDead to varying degrees. Unsurprisingly, this does not mesh well with a social structure based on inheritance, so the Fifty Families have [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090826 an ironclad rule]] that once you're dead, your titles and lands pass to your heirs even if you later get brought back. It's also mentioned that there have been cases of people trying to conceal the fact that they've been killed and resurrected so that they don't lose their lands and privileges to their next of kin.
* FantasticRacism:
** There is much prejudice against [[FrankensteinsMonster Constructs]] of [[http://girlgenius.wikia.com/wiki/Construct all 11 varieties]], and also against the Jägers. In the case of the Jägers, the prejudice is [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050518 understandable]] (they're awesome BloodKnight troops of the most dangerous conquerors around, and without TheKidWithTheLeash they're bad news). But not in Mechanicsburg. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20111216 There]] it's "[[ForYourPeopleByYourPeople by monsters, for monsters]]".
** Brother Ulm of the Corbettite Railway is deeply prejudiced against Krosp -- not because he's a construct, but because he's a cat.
--->'''Ulm:''' They're all filthy liars, you know.\\
'''Agatha:''' Oh, that's true...\\
'''Krosp:''' ''Hey!''
* FantasticVermin: Mimmoths are mouse-sized mammoths created by a MadScientist some time in the past, which escaped and bred in the wild to become ubiquitous microfauna in both the wilderness and in cities. They're mostly harmless, but can make machines malfunction by getting inside them and pushing components around with their tusks.
* FascinatingEyebrow: Baron Oublenmach [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110418 should be afraid now... very afraid.]]
* FashionableAsymmetry: Maxim, with a glove and a spiked shoulderpad on one side.
* FighterMageThief:
** If you construe sparkiness to be "magic" (which isn't too much of a stretch seeing that sparks regularly violate the laws of nature), [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20140509 Zeetha handily lines up]] [[WarriorPrincess herself]], [[GadgeteerGenius Agatha]], and [[ImpossibleThief Violetta]] as such respectively.
** Respectively, you can describe Gilgamesh, Agatha and Tarvek this way even though all the three of them Sparks and none of them is the SquishyWizard. Gil tends to solve problems in a straightforward manner, despite knowing other means like politics, Tarvek is trained as [[McNinja Smoke Knight]] and is the most adept at politics and scheming among the three, and Agatha, who has least knowledge of politics and scheming (and also the least combat ready) but has the (relatively) strongest Spark between the three.
** Also, try the [[TheEmpire Wulfenbachs]], the Heterodynes and the [[DecadentCourt branches of House Valois]]. They all have Sparks, armies and tend to be the big player. Similar to Gilgamesh, Agatha and Tarvek as above, and fitting as they're the top members of the respective factions. Wulfenbach tends to deal with problems with sheer naked force, yet is adept at politics and scheming, the Heterodynes have a huge armory full of creations by a long line of {{Mad Scientist}}s, but is the least politically fluent, and the Storm Lords deals with "The Game" as their breakfast and are very famous for having [[McNinja Smoke Knights]], and they have a line of strong Sparks, but despite the Storm Lords' army's quantity and quality, [[WeAreStrugglingTogether they lack a centralized command structure]].
** {{Lampshad|eHanging}}ed by Franz in a 2022 side-story. He [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20221121 points out]] that his teammates are a proper bunch of old-school adventurers with a Fighter (Humongulus), Spark (Lumi von Mekkhan), Cleric (Brother Marcus), and Thief (Vipsania Perrault) -- with "Mage" being split between "Spark" and "Cleric" here. Vipsania objects to being called a "Thief".
* FillerStrip: Radio Theatre Breaks, Short Stories, Fairy Tale Theatre: Cinderella, and to a lesser extent, Heterodyne Boys Stories and "The Storm King Opera" synopsis, as the latter two contribute to the overall mythology. More lately, there's been a series of post-story-ending fillers: a ChristmasSpecial involving the two (at the time newlywed) AuthorAvatar characters coming home to meet the hubby's family and [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20201130 Fictional Kaja getting embroiled in a returning Mechanicsburg holiday tradition]] (because the Foglios wanted to), a story about the revival of the [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20211004 Mechanicsburg Guild of Monsters]] (drawn by their colorist Cheyenne Wright because Phil had rotator cuff issues in his drawing arm), and a DayInTheLimelight for [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20220826 Franz Scortchmaw, the Great Dragon of Mechanicsburg.]] (so the Foglios can get continuity of future material in the main story straightened out)
* FiveManBand: The in-universe Heterodyne shows have this cast dynamic. In particular:
** TheHero: William "Bill" Heterodyne
** TheSmartGuy: Barry Heterodyne
** TheBigGuy: Punch
** TheHeart / ActionGirl: Judy
** TheLancer: Klaus Wulfenbach
* {{Flanderization}}:
** In-universe example; the character of BigGuy Punch in stories and stage-shows is reduced to comic buffoon and ButtMonkey. Among the secrets kept from Agatha her whole life was that the quiet, competent blacksmith she knew as her father ''was'' Punch. The Jägermonsters who knew Punch try to give an actor advice on how to play him authentically, but all of it requires casting out what makes his act so successful.
** Klaus' characterizations in many Heterodyne stories has undergone similar treatment, being rewritten as an excitable cowardly braggart. Although he's now the unquestioned conqueror of the entire continent, Klaus permits this impertinence for one simple reason: [[ActuallyPrettyFunny he thinks it's hilarious]].
* FlashbackEffects / MonochromePast: Sepia tones.
* FlashForward: The "Ivo Sharktooth, P.J." story takes place in the future, showing Agatha having restored Mechanicsburg from the Take Five bomb.
* FlipPersonality: Lucrezia and [[spoiler:Agatha]]. Little outward signs of transition, save for the smile and the eyes, but obviously different personalities.
* FloorboardFailure: Happens to Zeetha's whole group in [[AbsurdlySpaciousSewer the sewers of Sturmhalten]], shortly after [[FromBadToWorse escaping a rampaging monster]]. They land in an oubliette, so that 'weak floor' may actually have been a deliberate trap.
* FluffyTheTerrible:
** The Fun-sized Mobile Agony and Death Dispensers, a.k.a. the "devil dogs".[[note]]They seem an awful lot like cats, though. They even fall for [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080922 laser pointers.]][[/note]]
** Countless other one-shot gags such as the name of the big happy fun ball of death which Gil has to rescue Zola from.
** Also the KillerBunny in a sidestory, whose names range from Flopsy to ''Nietzsche''.
* FollowTheChaos:
** How Adam and Lilith locate Agatha aboard Castle Wulfenbach.
** How Baron Wulfenbach knows Agatha is in Sturmhalten: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060227 how does a notoriously meticulous scientist die in a lab accident?]] Agatha must be involved.
* FootnoteFever: A great deal of the AdaptationExpansion in the novels comes in the form of footnotes that expand on little side-details about the world.
* FootPopping: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120716 Agatha with Tarvek.]] Yup, played straight.
* ForDoomTheBellTolls: The aptly-named Doombell.
* ForeignCussWord: Ultimately a subtrope of all the GratuitousForeignLanguage entries.
** Klaus' [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030122 "Götterdämmerung!"]][[note]] This isn't a curse word in the usual sense; the second part of the word is closely related to English "dim" and the word/phrase (German is highly agglutinative, so sometimes these are the same thing) really just means "twilight of the gods". It is most commonly used as a synonym for "Ragnarok" (as in, the Apocalypse of Nordic mythology).[[/note]]
** Zola will mutter [[GratuitousFrench "Merde!"]][[note]]French for "shit"[[/note]] when riled up enough.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110725 "Vot der]] [[CurseOfTheAncients dumboozle?"]]
* {{Foreshadowing}}:
** One of the first ones is that the Jägers all think that Agatha smells "quite nice" - [[spoiler:due to her actually being a Heterodyne.]]
** Agatha does a nice job of intimidating one of Klaus' scientists [[spoiler:who turns out to be a revenant]] into calling her "mistress" [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040310 here]]. Jump ahead several years...
** A more minor example:
--->'''Gil:''' ''[to Agatha, about Othar]'' [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040714 Trust me. When you get to know him better,]] [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040927 you'll want to throw him out of the window yourself.]]
** The whole missing tale of the Storm King that Klaus told the Author Character is either Klaus foreshadowing things to come or sending a message to his son in a very cryptic manner, so that Lucrezia wouldn't realize what he was doing.
** Agatha being able to ''[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100312 order]]'' Gil [[HowDareYouDieOnMe not to die on her]] foreshadows [[spoiler:Klaus' [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120404 discovery]] that Gil is a revenant.]] Although that likely was faked, since [[spoiler:the wasp-detector was ''not'' reacting to Klaus, and we ''know'' he's got one!]]
** It's mentioned several times that the Storm King Conspiracy needs the Heterodyne heir alive for their plans. [[spoiler:Guess who Tweedle tries to escape Mechanicsburg with once things go south]].
** When Wooster tries to calm Margarella Selnikov, she briefly shoots him a suspicious glare, incredibly out of place amidst her constant panicking beforehand. [[spoiler:It's the first hint of her actual, much more cold-blooded personality, before TheReveal.]]
** Around the same time, we hear a comment concerning Krosp the Moldovian Puff: "that breed'll turn on you." [[spoiler: Much later, Krosp does exactly that towards his creator Vapnoople.]]
** Possibly the most notable of them all is Theo's story about [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030804 the Heterodyne Boys and the Dragon from Mars.]] While it was just a story Theo made up to calm down the kids on Castle Wulfenbach, events in the tale are near prophetic predictions to major plot points in the comic, such as [[spoiler:Klaus getting wasped, Lucrezia having a secret lab in the basement of Castle Heterodyne, and that creatures only described as "[[EldritchAbomination others]]" have shown up in Mechanicsburg due to experimenting with time and they appear in portals similar to the Dragon's. In the novels, the Other also has the ability to collect asteroids through the portals, possibly while based on Mars.]]
** Agatha [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040206 finds some books]] about the adventures of "Trelawney Thorpe, Spark of the Realm" in Gil's library. Wooster insists that she's a real person. Agatha [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20171206 meets Trelawney Thorpe]] in England ''nearly fourteen years'' of comics later.
** There's a lot of subtle foreshadowing about Higgs [[spoiler: being the seventh Jäger general]], such as [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110128 here]] ([[spoiler: using the Jägers' favored term "smart guy" to reference sparks]]), and [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20101018 here]] ([[spoiler: when he gets angry and slips momentarily into the Jäger/Mechanicsburg accent]]). Not to mention how [[spoiler: both the Castle and Ottila recognize him]]. The first hint, however, comes from [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080613 his second appearance]], as he's at Mamma Gkika's, [[spoiler: which is already established as being the ''only'' place Jägers can go for healing until the Heterodynes return]].
** While Agatha is [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20031210 reassuring Dr. Dimitri Vapnoople]], on the last panel you can see a shelf full of his stuffed bears. Among them is a doll of a scowling cat. [[spoiler:Given [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20150220 subsequent events]], it's obvious that the stuffed cat is Krosp, whom we first met only a few pages prior, who is the leader of the Vapnoople's actual live bear constructs.]]
** Several characters comment that Agatha can't be the Heterodyne heir because she's a girl, or express surprise that the child of Bill and Lucrezia is female. At the start of the Castle Heterodyne arc, it's shown that Bill and Lucrezia's only known child prior to their disappearance was their son, Klaus Barry Heterodyne.
* ForeverWar: The status quo in the days [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040804 before the Heterodyne Boys]] due to constant infighting between rival Sparks, referred to as "The Long War". When [[TheDreaded The Other]] appeared and the Heterodyne Boys disappeared, it came roaring back. Then the Baron [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040806 stopped it]] his way. And then, after the Battle of Mechanicsburg, the Wulfenbach Empire weakened severely and the Long War came back ''again''.
* ForgetsToEat: This can happen to Sparks if they stay in the MadnessPlace too long. Non-Sparks can be used to remind them.
* ForegoneConclusion: Several side comics set in the future confirm that [[spoiler:Agatha liberates Mechanicsburg from the time-stop, is officially accepted as the Hetereodyne and restores the town to its former glory; the Other is apparently defeated and Europa is at (relative) peace; and Othar Trygvassen has been missing for some time, presumed dead.]]
* ForgotFlandersCouldDoThat: Tarvek [[LampshadeHanging admits]] that he keeps forgetting Othar is a spark.
* ForgotToMindTheirHead: [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20211208 Rakethorn and Violetta are on the lookout]] during the island arc, Rakethorn hiding in a hole under a rock outcropping. When Violetta calls his attention, he straightens up too fast and bumps his head.
* ForkFencing: Cranked up to Eleven, as can be expected of Sparks, with Gil's ''[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20081015 Hand-cranked Runcible Gun]].
* FormFittingWardrobe: How does Agatha even breathe in some of those outfits?
* ForScience: It is a world ruled by Mad Science! ''Girl Genius'' would not '''exist''' without this trope. {{Lampshaded}}.
* ForTheLulz: Apparently, this is why Castle Heterodyne kills people. Because it "will be fun". All Heterodynes before Bill and Barry also seemed to have this as their primary motivation. Klaus even claims in his Storm King story that Clemethious Heterodyne always smiled, even while sleeping - because he constantly thought up new ways to torture, kill etc. people.
* FrameBreak: Apparently, the Spark also conveys the power to [[BreakingTheFourthWall break the fourth wall]] -- quite literally. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120210 Or maybe that's just Gil.]]
* FreezeRay: Used as firefighting gear. It is mentioned that, with a little tinkering on one, you could freeze a castle wall and then bash it in with a hammer.
* FreudianExcuse:
** There's an implied inversion with the Heterodyne Boys. [[AllThereInTheManual Supplementary material]] has indicated they grew up to be good because they were raised by their kind and decent mother Theodora who was forced into marrying Saturnus Heterodyne via threats to her family (and was later beatified by five out of the seven popes for the miraculous feat of raising a Heterodyne to be a decent human being). The standard Heterodyne idea of a worthy [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080827 mate]] and/or proper [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110209 child caretaker]] is somewhat different.
--->'''Gil:''' So this was the ''nursery?''\\
'''Tarvek:''' It explains ''so much...''
** Speaking of which, the same can be said of Tarvek and Gil: they have turned out better than they might otherwise have because they both [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100512 spent time]] as children under the care of Von Pinn, who turns out to be [[spoiler:the [[MamaBear Muse of Protection]].]] Ditto Agatha and her step-parents the Clays.
* FridgeLogic: InUniverse, when [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20121112 Moloch told Agatha that it was impossible to make it across town.]]
-->'''Agatha:''' But... you say nobody can get through all that...\\
'''Moloch:''' There's just no way!\\
'''Agatha:''' And you've been doing work all over town?\\
'''Moloch:''' That's right! So I've ''seen'' it! It's ''hopeless!''
* FriendlyEnemies:
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100927 Invoked]] with Gil and Tarvek's "friendly" banter.
** Played absolutely straight when [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20150410 Zeetha has her first social meeting with Bang]]. The two hit it off right away and get along just famously, even though they're both ''fully'' aware that they're going to have to fight each other eventually. Zeetha is [[BloodKnight looking forward to it.]], and Bang [[spoiler:is positively ecstatic when she learns that [[ItsPersonal Zeetha is the person that killed her pirate crew]] and she gets to have an incredible revenge fight]].
* FriendOrFoe: The Jägers have an excellent way of [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060414 solving the problems presented by this trope.]]
* FriendsAreChosenFamilyArent:
** Agatha definitely has this dynamic with her maternal side of family ''sans'' Theo, the other WhiteSheep. The paternal side is just as bad, but because her missing father and uncle are the last two Heterodynes before her generation, it's not mentioned much.
** Brother Ulm later uses the religious side of the trope [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20140314 word for word]] in his intro pages.
* FromBadToWorse: The entire Castle Heterodyne arc is stuffed to the gills with this trope. [[TakeOurWordForIt Just trust us on this one.]]
* FrustratedOverheadScribble: When Maxim gets shut down by Gkika, Oggie and Dimo while trying to tell the story of how he acquired his latest hat in turn he slumps with an irked grump depicted with a [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20091211 scribble in his speech bubble.]]
* FunetikAksent: "De Jägers hall talk like dis, sveethot!" Even their ''clapping'' [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120530 is accented.]] The novels explain that it's an ancient Mecanicsburg accent, carefully maintained as a point of pride. That's why a random mother Gil runs afoul of in Mecanicsburg shares the accent. The girls in the bar dressed up as Monsters also fool every tourist (and some of the main cast), simply because they can speak the accent fluently, despite also being able to speak normal english.
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: The Foglios love this. In particular, it's worth reading any notices, signs, control labels, advertisements or scripts that appear.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030912 No clanks, cucumbers, clocks, or dancing]].
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20031126 Do Not Drink]]. Look at panel 1, then panel 3. then look at the mug in the next page.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20031210 Ether Bunny]]. In the same frame, what appears to be "Mummy Dust" and "Daddy Dust".
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040324 No Alchemy (unless it works)]].
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040414 Lab Full of Exploding Things #5]]. NUMBER FIVE.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20071116 "Trade Entrance. Invade in front."]]. (The small signs in the bottom panel. You may need to squint.)
** [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20081210 The signs at the science fair.]]
*** "Why potatoes and time are friends"
*** "Why time is good: 1. Keeps watches busy. 2. I don't know."
*** "Basic instructions: Don't eat paint or lead"
*** "Goblins: Threat or food?"
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100326 This page]] on the last panel. Four arrows pointing, from the top: left, right, up and down. All of them say "'''DANGER'''".
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100324 While Othar and Sanaa are talking]], we see her fellow prisoners get out of the pit trap, run away from Othar, a sign signalling "Secondary pit trap activated" and a sign asking "Want a laugh?" with two buttons, [[ButThouMust "Yes" and "Hell Yes"]].
** There is a gumball machine in the background. The sign over it says [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100910 "POISON! Illiteracy Reduction."]]
** More recently, look at Agatha's [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110211 attempts]] to [[PercussiveMaintenance fix]] that machine in the background. She still has the hammer when she yells at Gil in the last panel.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100908 Read what's written on the steps.]]
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070808 Down in the Heterodyne Crypt]] (bottom left panel)
** While Jenka passes on important information from Castle Heterodyne, [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20151216 Fust and Agatha's pet wasp eater duke it out.]] Lil' waspie wins.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030606 Demon Olí and Oil of Olay]]
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20031110 Castle Wulfenbach has a lot]] of [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20031112 choices of drink]] including "Old Upside Down Ale".
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040514 "Lab Tech in a Drum 'Expendable!'"]]
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050928 First, Krosp puts a bucket on Agatha's head, then a few panels later, Krosp is in the bucket with Agatha sitting on it.]]
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100929 This page and two previous pages, you can see the Castle's face just getting more annoyed and confused. The same thing happens a few pages later when Agatha grabs it by its hair.]]
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20140312 "Don't Laugh" during someone's confession.]]
** Oggie and his great-great grandson [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060927 argue about great-great-great grandchildren]] while everybody else is getting on with the job.
** A doll of a scowling cat appears amongst the bears behind Agatha on [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20031210 this page]]. [[spoiler:This is obviously Krosp, his relationship to the bears becoming obvious [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20150220 later in the comic]].]]
** [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20200131 Dimo explains to a few sparks the odd situation. They laugh. Then, he explains the severity of it. They panic, plan, and get to work.]]
* FurBikini: Agatha ends up dressed in a skimpy fur top and bottom (along with fur boots) when [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20230816 Albia "snaps" her into a memory of the Queen's prehistoric past.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:G]]
* GadgeteerGenius: Pretty much all Sparks, but the Heterodynes were notable even among Sparks.
-->'''Von Mekkan:''' In my experience, a strong Heterodyne will take about two hours to ''truly'' warp the laws of nature.
* GambitPileup:
** At the best of times, Europa's nobility and Sparks could be counted on to have a dozen or so plans brewing to unseat Baron Wulfenbach. Agatha's SpannerInTheWorks nature has often prompted these conspirators to set off their coup attempts early....and all at once.
*** Agatha's arrival in Sturmhalten caused everyone to set off their master plan at once.
*** When Agatha and Zola reached Castle Heterodyne, everything just went nuts as Zola started revealing about half of the actors involved in her power play.
*** After Agatha took the castle, she found herself at the center of a maelstrom as every two-bit power in Europa tried to seize Mechanicsburg (and her along with it); when the various factions started fighting over her, this took the trope virtually to the point of parody. [[spoiler:To top it off, Klaus [[BatmanGambit predicted the whole thing, and used it to get all the troublemakers in his realm in one place for easy disposal]].]]
* GargleBlaster: A few examples.
** Theo's idea of a good home-brewed liquor can be expected to be [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20081006 at least 200 proof]], and have other... interesting ingredients. Note that 200 proof is pure alcohol. Also note that under normal circumstances, opening a container of pure alcohol outside of laboratory conditions will cause it to be diluted by the moisture in the air. Maybe part of Theo's talent as a Spark makes him a Mad Moonshiner who can make impossible drinks?
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090116 Double Fortified Lingonberry Snap]]:
--->"You hoist a noggin of ''that'' stuff to the 'Lady Heterodyne'-- you'll soon be skipping through the streets trying to catch '''flying [[PinkElephants pink mimmoths]]'''."
* GatlingGood: The machine Merlot uses to try and kill Agatha in the Castle has two of these. They're capable of ripping a Mobile Fun-Sized Agony and Death Dispenser to shreds.
* TheGayNineties: Paris' popular culture is very like that of our world's 1890s. The famous Moulin Rouge (home of can-can dancers) exists (being advertised prominently at the Paris train station), for instance, and many women, such as the customs agent Dimo tries to chat up, are dressed in the height of 1890s-1900s fashions, down to the high collars and the Merry Widow hats (one popular brand -- not to mention a lot of other things, including a brand of pantalettes -- is named after Agatha herself!)
* GeekyTurnOn:
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20071128 And how!]]
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090828 And then some]] -- back the other way!
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100906 Now with some side characters!]] Although that's debatable about just how much of it is "geeky" and how much is "insanity".
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080829 He has a MAGNIFICENT death ray...]]
** Gil was initially attracted to Agatha [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060217 because of her Spark.]]
* GenerationXerox: Several of the characters apparently look almost exactly like younger versions of their parents, enough to confuse Lucrezia in the cases of [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060206 Tarvek]] and [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100628 Zola]]. Gil appears to resemble his father as well, but it doesn't get him recognized as the Baron's son.
* GeniusBruiser: Many Sparks, the Jägergenerals, and Da Boyz.
* GenreSavvy:
** On [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060410 this page,]] the rescue party thinks that there's a secret passage in the castle because there's one in all the stories. They even accurately predict that it should be in the castle's sewer because that's where it is in stories.
** Lucrezia and Lucrezia[[note]]it makes sense in context[[/note]] [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110223 react in horror]] when they realize that Zola-Lucrezia is TemptingFate when she offhandedly dismisses the possibility of [[HeroOfAnotherStory Barry]] returning to cause them trouble. In this case the GenreSavvy kicks in after the accidental slip, but it's there nonetheless.
--->'''Zola-Lucrezia:''' But ''he's'' been missing for ''years''. ''He's'' no threat --\\
''[both look around in dread]''\\
'''Anevka-Lucrezia:''' Do you '''''want''''' him to show up?!
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20191204 Even Dimo and Maxim have their moments]]:
--->'''Maxim:''' Hoy! Knew it! Vorkopian Dictator Shpider in de ear! A classic!
* GentleGiant: Punch, apparently, though most people who didn't know him assume he's just DumbMuscle. Also possibly a GeniusBruiser, though the evidence for that comes from the Jägers who are... not the best at determining who's "schmott". [[spoiler:Appears to be confirmed when we meet him again after the TimeSkip.]]
-->'''Belloptix:''' But... didn't he have a... lighter side?\\
'''Maxim:''' Oh yah! He build very amuzing toys for de ''orphan cheeldren!''
* GentlemanAdventurer: Othar Tryggvassen is the TropeNamer.
* GenuineHumanHide: A subterranean civilization under Paris turns any interlopers into gloves. Based on the number of eerily tan gloves in their introductory panel, they've been doing it for a while.
* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: Most often done by using water. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070119 Or pies.]] [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050725 Fists]] and [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050810 bricks]] are fine too.
* GetItOverWith: Boris
* GhostTown: They are apparently [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050727 quite common]] across Europe, which isn't so strange given how many monsters and rampaging experiments wander around in the Wastelands.
* GiantSpider:
** One of the many creepy albino monsters the Geisterdamen use for transportation.
** Also one in Castle Heterodyne. Not quite as big, [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090729 but...]] '''"Nyar!"'''
* GiantSquid: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110325 A giant mechanical squid]] and [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110530 a giant flying squid]].
* GilliganCut:
** "[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040524 There's no male guard on this ship that can resist the charms of a beautiful princess!]]"
** "[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060731 Do you really think he'd just hand it to her?]]"
** "[[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110518 Vot? Hyu wants de hammer?" "...Yes?]]"
* GirlOfTheWeek: "The High Priestess" is an in-universe trope in Heterodyne stories. Since Barry evidently wasn't known for any love interests, the storytellers pair him off with whatever girl is available aside from Lucrezia.
* TheGirlWhoFitsThisSlipper: {{Deconstructed|Trope}} during the [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090107 Cinderella parody]]. Tarvek has Cinderella's slippers and wants to find the girl who fits them, but Gil argues that the shoes, size nine-and-a-half, would fit too many other women. Tarvek keeps adding descriptors, and finally brings out a picture of Cinderella, prompting Gil to point out if they have that, they no longer need the shoe.
* GivingThemTheStrip:
** [[AuthorAvatar The Minstrel]] leaves his jacket behind [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120208 to escape a clank]].
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120319 Bangladesh DuPree escapes]] from being StrappedToAnOperatingTable by leaving her boots and jacket behind.
** [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20220325 Monahan frees herself from a grapple]] by slipping out of her gloves before elbowing Steelgarter.
* TheGlassesGottaGo: Averted. In Agatha's case, it is NOT so that "men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses."
* TheGlomp:
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120227 Zoing to Gil]], with a "GLOMPH" sound effect.
** No sound effect, but [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20180820 Zeetha does it]] when unexpectedly reunited with Higgs.
* GlowingFlora: When Agatha's group is traveling the river beneath Paris they pass several groupings of giant bioluminescent toadstools on the [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160113 riverbanks.]]
* GodEmperor: GenderFlipped for the Brits; their queen is known as "Her Undying Majesty".
* GodGuise: Lucrezia Mongfish ([[spoiler:a.k.a. The Other]]) is worshipped by the Geisterdamen. They literally weep with joy when they get her back.
* GodzillaThreshold:
** The Baron's approach to governance can be summed up thusly: "Don't make me come down there." So getting the Baron involved in a problem is perceived this way.
** Master Payne explains his decision to notify the baron about Passholdt being overrun by monsters, over Agatha's protest that they should help instead:
--->'''Payne:''' Could you burn down people -- women and children -- even if you knew they had become monsters? The Baron can. The Baron ''has''. I respect him for that but I don't want to ''be'' him.
** The Baron's own personal GodzillaThreshold involves plots having to do with Revenants or The Other. Unfortunately, this means Agatha is number one on his Most Wanted list because of her relation to [[spoiler:and possession by]] Lucrezia. His response to Agatha gaining full control of the Castle and Mechanicsburg is to fly down himself with a "black level device" which turns out to be [[spoiler:a city-wide stasis-field generator]].
* GogglesDoNothing: Dimo (green Jäger with 5 o'clock shadow, wearing an olive-drab cap with mustard trim and a yellow ostrich plume stuck in).
* GoGoEnslavement:
** Agatha ends up in the Leia-style slave bikini for [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20071228 one gag panel]] in the opening of "Revenge of the Weasel Queen Part 2".
** She's also [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20051128 stripped down to her corset here]], though it's for different reasons than the usual (the villains want to [[CompellingVoice analyse her voice]] when she angrily demands her clothes back).
** The King of the Silver Lands [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160805 seems to be big on this,]] as he has all of the captive heroes stripped down to attire akin to Slave Leia from ''Star Wars''.
* GoingToGiveItMoreEnergy: The "more Movit 11 to Zola" example falls more into PhlebotinumOverdose than this trope.
* GoKartingWithBowser: What happens when the heroic BloodKnight Zeetha meets with her evil counterpart Bang? [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20150410 They sit down, enjoy some cake, and have some girl talk.]] {{Justified|Trope}} since they are in a sanctuary and forbidden to fight. {{Lampshaded}} when Zeetha even comments how much fun it's going to be when they wind up fighting each other.
* GoneHorriblyRight: The guy that wanted to steal the hammer for the Doom Bell? [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110518 Mama gives it to him willingly]].
* GoneHorriblyWrong: This seems to occur with alarming frequency for Sparks. Generally with [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters horrible results]]. Though some cases also happen because of other instances.
* GonnaNeedMoreX: "[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070122 I don't think I've got one big enough.]]"
* GoodCopBadCop: ''Anyone'' and Bangladesh [=DuPree=]. It happens both intentionally and just because she [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20041231 acts]] [[AxCrazy as usual]].
* GoodCostumeSwitch: After Eotain and Othar convince several other Geisterdamen to switch their loyalty to Agatha in the aftermath of events in Paris they also change their outfits.
* TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin: In a flashback, Lucrezia tells Klaus this one of the reasons why she's accepted Bill's marriage proposal.
* GoodIsNotDumb: Everyone thinks that just because Gilgamesh Wulfenbach never built a DeathRay and almost never screams at people or beats them up to get them under control, they can push him around and act like he's nothing. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080229 When]] [[BerserkButton he's finally pushed over the edge]], he shows the entire world that yes, he ''does'' know how to build a DeathRay, and yes, he's perfectly capable of kicking the crap out of Europa to protect his father and [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend not-girlfriend]].
* GoodIsNotNice: Gil; Agatha; Master Payne... Quite possibly Klaus.
* GoodNewsBadNews: When Agatha is worried about Tarvek's health and whether he might have gangrene, [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090309 Moloch has this update for her:]]
-->'''Moloch:''' Well, the good news is: I've ''seen'' gangrene, and this ''ain't it.''\\
'''Agatha:''' Err... what's the ''bad'' news?\\
'''Moloch:''' ''[gesturing to Tarvek, who is currently some shade of greyish green]'' He's got ''something.'' And I hope ''you'' know what it is, 'cause ''we'' sure don't.
* TheGoodTheBadAndTheEvil: Save for a few independent characters with their own goals, most of the cast can be sorted into three camps. The "Good" would be Agatha Heterodyne and her companions. The "Bad" would be the TheEmpire of Baron Klaus Wulfenbach, who is very much an enemy of Agatha as present (though Gil is both on the empire's side ''and'' Agatha's). The "Evil" would be the network of those people who swore loyalty to the Other; but since the Other is currently a GreaterScopeVillain frantically clawing their way over to BigBad territory, those on their side are very fractured and prone to infighting.
* GracefulLoser: Old Man Death takes the loss of his hat to Maxim quite cheerfully, if only because his wife always hated the thing.
* GrandTheftMe: [[spoiler:Lucrezia]] attempts this on several occasions on different characters. How successful she is varies:
** [[spoiler:Agatha]] is able to shrug it off, thanks to her [[spoiler:[[OrphansPlotTrinket locket]]]], later by sheer force of will, though [[spoiler:Lucrezia]] is noted to be FightingFromTheInside.
** She later succeeds at it fully with [[spoiler:Anevka]].
** Her try with [[spoiler:Zola]] fails, because [[spoiler:Zola's]] brain was prepared with a trap for exactly that occasion. [[spoiler:Zola]] now has a replica of [[spoiler:Lucrezia's psyche]] inside her mind and can sift through the thoughts and memories of it more or less at will. [[spoiler:Due to Zola's injuries and her overdose on Movit, nobody knows who is in control now.]]
** It would appear that [[spoiler:The Baron]] has done this to [[spoiler:Gil]] as of the summer of 2014. Possibly to get out from under the control of the Other.
* GrapplingHookPistol:
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060630 Standard issue]] for [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080917 Smoke Knights]].
** The [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030321 Baron]] and [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100721 Zola]] have one too.
* GratuitousFrench:
** Gil once started speaking French while delirious. Translated: "Excuse me sir, but where is the catastrophe?" Gil spent a lot of time in France when he was younger -- and he spent so much of that time coming to the rescue of [[BrainlessBeauty danger-prone ditz Zola]] that it's just sort of reflex for him to [[FollowTheChaos keep an eye out for disasters]] when she's around.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20111014 One exit door of Castle Heterodyne]] has the inscription "''Fuyez les dangers de loisir''" ("Flee the dangers of leisure") above the frame.
** There's a sub-trend for characters using French to invoke the inherent sophistication, and butchering it. ("Ve get heem fixed op '''''toot sveety!''''' [-Dot's French!-]")
--->'''Guard:''' "Mighty generous" says I, but "no bless obli cheese," says he.\\
'''Master Payne:''' ...''Does he?''\\
'''Guard:''' All the time.
** In the "Revenge of the Weasel Queen" side-story, the blueprint for the Giant Rabbit/MiniMecha costume made by the tailor clank has its captions entirely in (surprisingly accurate) French.
* GratuitousGerman:
** Jägermonster = hunter-monster (or infantry-monster), Geisterdamen = ghost ladies, Sturmvoraus = storm ahead, Wulfenbach = "Wolf's stream" (not strictly correct, but German is dialectual and it's a place/family name). Of course, since this story is apparently set in a 19th century Central Europe not totally unlike our own, this is more of a TranslationConvention, since German actually would be the ''lingua franca'' of the setting.
** Though according to the novels, the official language of the Wulfenbach Empire is actually ''Romanian''.
** There is one straight-up bit of gratuitous German when a Jäger uses "Jägermonstern" as a pseudo-German plural for his own kind. The German plural is in fact "Jägermonster", which of course sounds rather odd in English.
** Note also the writing on a [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050905 deactivated clank dial]].
** Holzfäller, the fake surname Gil used in Paris, translates as "lumberjack".
** Sturmhalten, the home of the Sturmvoraus familiy (see above), literally means "to keep storm", a.k.a. Storm Keep or Storm Hold. This matches with Mechanicsburg, "burg" being old Germanic for "castle". Wulfenbach started as a smaller house, so their fortress is just ''Castle Wulfenbach''.
* GratuitousSpanish:
** Professor Diaz tends to throw it in. ([[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090413 His introductory page]] alone has two examples.)
** Tarvek believes Spanish is "''muy sexy.''"
* GraveRobbing: In the best tradition of ''Franchise/{{Frankenstein}}''. There even are professionals. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070601 Furthermore,]] ItRunsInTheFamily.
* GrievousHarmWithABody: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100224 WHAK!]] [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110729 WHAK!]]
* GroinAttack: Agatha [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20141222 delivers]] a solid one to Tweedle after he gets a little grabby with her.
* TheGuardsMustBeCrazy: When Gilgamesh needs to get back onto ''Castle Wulfenbach'' to take control of the Wulfenbach armies around Mechanicsburg, he needs to get past a number of guards who have never dealt directly with him and thus don't know what the Baron's son looks like. Sleipnir tells him to wear the hat given to him by the Jägers. You know, the [[http://girlgenius.wikia.com/wiki/Magnificent_Hat giant purple and red hat]] with "Gilgemesh Wulfenbash, [[FunetikAksent Schmott]] Guy!" written on the front and the flame on top which flares up periodically. Each guard Gil approaches is initially unimpressed and unconvinced, until he fires up the flame. At that point, they believe he really is "Gilgemesh Wulfenbash" [sic] and let him pass. But eventually he gets to one who reacts differently.
-->'''Guard:''' Oh come on. You expect me to believe you--\\
''[Gil's hat goes FOOM!]''\\
'''Guard:''' Just because of that ''ridiculous''--\\
''[Gil punches the guard in the face, knocking him out]''\\
'''Gil:''' When this is all settled, ''you'' get a ''promotion.''
* GunboatDiplomacy: Deconstructed. [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20200228 Agatha's fellow Sparks wanting to bring hidden weapons to a diplomac meeting]] nearly brings about a total apocalypse. Fortunately, [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20200316 Agatha demands the weapons in her mermaid disguise were removed]], which proves to be [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20200320 the right decision]].
%%* GunStruggle
[[/folder]]

[[folder:H]]
* HairRaisingHare: The Weasel Queen's Lapinomorphs.
* {{Hammerspace}}: Agatha has multiple pockets that hold just about every other gadget that a well-equipped Mad Scientist might require. Lampshaded on a [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080114 paper doll]] page.
* HandicappedBadass: Dimo, after he loses an arm in the sewers beneath Sturmhalten. It doesn't slow him down much.
* HandInTheHole: The castle challenges Agatha to stick her arm into a giant clank's mouth to prove her identity; unfortunately for her, it's a blood test....
* HandsLookingWrong: Agatha comes to the realization that she caught [[https://girlgenius.fandom.com/wiki/Hogfarb%27s_Resplendent_Immolation Hogfarb's Resplendent Immolation]] too -- her skin having turned green -- by [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20091106 taking out her glove and checking her hand.]]
* {{Handwave}}: An in-universe one. Higgs tells the group that he can guide them through Castle Heterodyne because he found a map. Sleipnir starts to say that doesn't make any sense before Theo shushes her. They need his help and if he needs to have "found a map" to provide it, then fine, he found a map.
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: The Lord High Conservator cuts one of the Smoke Knights that have infiltrated his ship in half.
* HappilyAdopted: Agatha calls Punch and Judy her parents, in spite of knowing that they aren't her biological parents.
* HappilyMarried: Master Payne and the countess. Also Balthazar's parents. And Punch and Judy, though it may not be strictly official in their case.
* HappinessInSlavery: Fräulein Snaug is extremely devoted to Professor Mittelmind.
* HardOnSoftScience: Yes, there are ''[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090506 mad social scientists.]]'' They constantly complain that all of the funding goes to [[HumongousMecha flashy clanks]] and {{death ray}}s instead of social research. What kind we don't know, but a thousand orphans, a hedge maze, and cheese is involved.
* HarmfulHealing: Most attempts at Spark medicine follow this. One section follows the long story of Agatha curing another Spark of a disease. In the process she infects two other people, one of them being herself, everyone involved is electrocuted two or three times, all three of them have a ''rolling death'' lasting several minutes, and Agatha comes within forty-five seconds of exploding or melting. It works, but bear in mind that the three people involved are all ''very good'' Sparks, and fairly disciplined as they go. And of course, for all their knowledge and ability, none of the three are actually ''doctors''.
* HarmlessLiquefaction: According to Aldin (who apparently lacks the imagination to make stuff up), [[HeroOfAnotherStory his brother Hoffman]] [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160516 was once liquefied during an adventure]] and Aldin had to carry him in a jar for the rest of it. Given that Hoffman is perfectly healthy during the events of the comic he solidified no worse for wear, and it's implied this isn't even the worst thing ever to happen to him.
* TheHatMakesTheMan:
** The helmet which allows Castle Heterodyne to possess the Seneschal.
** In a "Trelawney Thorpe" short story, the crown of Myth/KingArthur, which allows Arthur to possess its wearer.
* HatOfAuthority: Hats might be the only thing Jägers take seriously. You simply can't be a Jäger in good standing without a hat, which makes the over-the-top monstrosity they present to Gil a gesture of magnanimity. Hilariously, a lot of ''generals'' that are ''not'' Jägers also find the hat very impressive and simply believe it must be the son of the Baron since the hat says so. Old Man Death also deserves mention.
* HauntedTechnology: Castle Heterodyne is generally seen as this, and it suits Wulfenbach to let people believe it. The application of ClarkesThirdLaw effectively makes it so; even characters familiar with the machinery refer to the rooms as "alive".
* HeadTiltinglyKinky: When Agatha is working in the traveling Heterodyne Circus as the psychic Madame Olga.
-->'''Agatha:''' [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050523 She... ...tea cozy... ...forty-three hours... ...only one spoon... ...how... eek!]]
* HeartSymbol: Bangladesh [=DuPree=], of all people, gets a huge one when she meets [[spoiler:Vole, a Jägermonster of her taste. More specifically, from hearing his jubilant, bloodthirsty anticipation regarding a war that would devastate the continent]].
* HeIsNotMyBoyfriend:
** Agatha about Gil. All the time. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20071212 She even uses the actual phrase.]]
** A consequence of it can be seen with [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20091021 Violetta]].
** They are her... er... ''[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20091002 her experimental subjects]]''! Honest.
** Othar and... ''[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100324 Gil!?]]''
** Agatha and ''Moloch'', in [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20121107 an odd subversion]].
--->'''Tarvek:''' You really are the best minion ''ever.''\\
'''Moloch:''' I am ''not'' her ''minion!'' ''Tell'' him! Tell him I'm ''not your minion!''
* HeKnowsTooMuch:
** [[spoiler:The entire Wulfenbach Vespiary Squad is targeted by the rest of the Wulfenbach forces after Herr Baron himself is infected by a slaver wasp and is compelled to destroy them. Thankfully, Tarvek and the Jägers salvage enough of the unit and their materials for them to scatter and try continue their mission outside the Wulfenbach empire; whether any of them succeeded or even survived is currently unknown..]]
** According to Tarvek, the Master of Paris encourages clubs to look over the code he uses to control the city in order to look for weaknesses that he can fix. Between Gil and Tarvek, they belonged to over twenty such clubs. The problem is if they learned too much about the code, the Master would drop their entire headquarters into a bottomless pit.
--->'''Tarvek:''' The trick was to always make it out the door ''just'' as they started celebrating.
* HellBentForLeather: Von Pinn, and how. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040503 Lampshaded]].
-->'''Von Pinn:''' I teach restraint.\\
'''[=DuPree=]:''' Oh, so your dressmaker's an A+ student then.
* HellishHorse: The aptly-named [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050404 Monster Horse Beastie]].
* HerBoyfriendsJacket: Zeetha wears Higgs' striped shirt when we see them [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20131202 after they had hitched up.]]
* HerCodeNameWasMarySue: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20051216 An interstitial series of strips]] has [[MeaningfulName Mary]] tell her siblings a Heterodyne story, but she insists on inserting herself into it. TheStinger is that [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20051226 her mother used to do the same thing]].
* HeroAntagonist: Othar, plus or minus a little serial murder.
* HeroicBSOD: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20061220 SHOWTIME!]]
* HeroicComedicSociopath:
** Bangladesh [=DuPree=]
** Castle Heterodyne
** Most of the Jägers....
* HeroicSacrifice: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110803 Hilariously defied while in Castle Heterodyne.]]
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050713 Defied by the Jägers.]]
** [[spoiler:Played straight by Lars, who intercepts a sword blow meant for Agatha. Even the Jägers are impressed; Maxim gives up his hat (presumably to be buried with Lars) out of respect.]]
* HerrDoktor: A large portion of the Sparks.
* HiddenBadass: Higgs; Wooster; Tarvek (to Gil and Violetta); Zola, with ObfuscatingStupidity; and [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100319 Sanaa]].
* HiddenDepths:
** The Jägers, who at first appeared to be little more than comic relief and have since been revealed to have more layers than an onion. It's even been lampshaded in canon.
** Given what he [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110909 will do for those he cares for]], one wonders if Tarvek might have avoided the worst of his family heritage.
* HiddenElfVillage: The Lost Kingdom of Skifander, where Zeetha comes from. Notably, it's lost to her as well, as she has no idea how she got to Europa.
* HiddenWeapons: Violeta hides weapons in her sleeves even when wearing an obvious utility belt, and Bang is revealed to keep throwing knifes up her sleeves and in her boots.
* HighVoltageDeath:
** In the DeathMontage of the traitor Beausoleil's bodies one is depicted as [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20170616 getting fatally zapped with electricity.]]
** This is how Anevka [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20051118 kills her father]].
* HindenburgIncendiaryPrinciple: Many, many ZeppelinsFromAnotherWorld. Some are destroyed in the course of the story, some survive, and even more were destroyed in various offscreen incidents ([[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20031017 "And how do dose alvays end? De dirigible iz in flames..."]]).
* HisAndHers: Parodied [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20091028 on two]] [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20101115 pages]] in Castle Heterodyne.
* HobbesWasRight: You can't uphold a democracy with power-hungry {{Mad Scientist}}s running around.
* HoldingOutForAHero / StayInTheKitchen: Othar tried to keep his sister "safe" at home. But it turns out that in this world the concept of "safety" is [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100322 even more volatile]].
* HomicideMachines: Virtually every piece of advanced technology can be used as a dangerous weapon no matter what it was meant for originally.
-->'''Gil:''' What about this one? It looks like a toaster.\\
'''Agatha:''' Well, it is a toaster. Sort of.\\
'''Gil:''' Sort of?\\
'''Agatha:''' Oh, yes. It could toast the whole town.
* HonestAdvisor:
** Baron Wulfenbach says early on that he would rather his men criticize him rather than fear him too much to tell him important information -- in fact, the first time we see him, he's testing Gil to see if he'll tell him he's wrong. It's one of the many signs that he's not your average EvilOverlord.
** Gil and Agatha seem to prefer advisors like this as well.
* HorrifyingTheHorror:
** The mere ''mention'' of Barry Heterodyne's name is enough to make [[spoiler:two separate incarnations of]] the Other shit a brick.
** Jägers are widely regarded as objects of horror by Europa in general - something about being super-tough, super-violent and relishing every moment spent in destruction. Therefore, when one of them says, "Run," it's '''not''' wise to stop and argue. So far, the Dreen and an army of uplifted [[BearsAreBadNews grizzly]] {{Super Soldier}}s (with an axe) are the only two things to bring out this near-extinct fear response.
** Queen Albia is a PhysicalGod who can basically rewrite reality to suit her needs, so powerful that even Klaus Wulfenbach and ''Lucrezia'' are wary of attacking her. Dimitri "Dr. Dim" Vapnoople used to be one of the only people Queen Albia was scared of. [[spoiler:Once Kjarl restores his mind, he demonstrates ''why.'']]
* HostageSituation: Gil volunteers for one. Agatha doesn't want it.
* HowDareYouDieOnMe:
** Agatha's reaction when it looks like [[spoiler:Gilgamesh]] is dying. It helps.
** Tarvek tried the same a bit earlier, in an even more amusing manner.
--->'''Tarvek:''' Hang on! The system's damaged! If you die before we fix it, I'll... I'll ''kill you''!
* HulkSpeak: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20111209 Snoz]], quite appropriately, has a mild case of this.
* HumongousMecha: Walking Battleships (Moloch served on a walking gunboat) and War Stompers (one of the first armies to [[spoiler:lay siege to Mechanicsburg]] use huge {{Spider Tank}}s with [[MagneticWeapons Coilgun cannons]]).
* HunterOfHisOwnKind: Othar Tryggvassen ({{Gentleman|Adventurer}} [[DrinkingGame/TVTropes Adventurer!]]) [[spoiler:He's a spark, with a goal of killing every other spark, then killing himself when he's the last one left]].
* HurtFootHop: Happens in [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20091009 a strip]] to Agatha (along with ''subtitled'' SymbolSwearing) after being attacked by a pair of her little clanks [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters turning against their mistress]].
* HydePlaysJekyll; [[spoiler:Lucrezia often tries to pass herself off as the girl whose body she has hijacked, to varying degrees of success.]]
* HypocriticalHumor:
** Gil tells Agatha her bedside manner needs work. Turns out [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090821 his isn't so great either]].
** Zola makes a crack about ''Agatha's'' [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110112 butt]] being big?
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110429 Gil...]]
** Krosp [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040317 complains]] that his role as a spy chief leading a group of unaugmented cats was bound to fail because normal cats are too easily distracted to follow orders for any length of time. Years later, when Krosp himself has the opportunity to gather information, [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20130619 he gets hungry]]...
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110808 Violetta to Vole:]] "You give that ''back'', you thief! I stole that gun off you ''fair and square!''"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:I]]
* IAmWho: Agatha is quite shocked when her parentage is revealed.
* IAmXSonOfY:
** "I am Zeetha, Daughter of Chump! Yes, I know what it means in your language."
** Gil uses the line to [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20071121 much greater effect.]]
* ICanStillFight: Repeatedly.
* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: Each volume of the print collection is titled "Agatha Heterodyne and the [[CharacterNameAndTheNounPhrase Noun Phrase]]", where the noun phrase in question refers to some person, place, or thing that does indeed appear in that volume, but is never actually referred to by that name.
* IdiotBall:
** Agatha kisses a feverish and raving Tarvek on the forehead to soothe him back into sleep -- and thus gets infected with Hogfarb's Resplendent Immolation. Gil, learning about this after the fact, is appalled that she didn't take this into account.
** Agatha's entire entourage repeatedly grabs it during the England plot-arc after [[spoiler: Tarvek announces no more delays, he's going to remove the copy of Lucrezia from Agatha's mind. Instead of coming along during this vital mission, Zeetha, Oggie and Maxim all evidently decide to wander off somewhere. Then, after the Lu-copy kicks up a very noticable fuss as the procedure is prepared, everyone else lets Agatha leave the room. Alone. She promptly disappears. And when the disappearance is discovered, there's a debate about whether she maybe went to get a snack or take a bath.]] It turns out [[spoiler: she was briefly kidnapped rather than Lu taking over.]] After that gets sorted out, the crew grabs the ball ''again'', and [[spoiler: rather than strapping her into a chair like they tried to do the first time around, lets her work unsupervised on the Lu-extraction machine. Sure enough, this time, Lu really does take over, and alters the machine to her own ends. This gets noticed before the machine is actually used, and Lucrezia gets mystically gagged and restrained by a projection of Queen Albia.]] Which leads to example number three, when [[spoiler:Albia is forced to withdraw without further restraints being applied, letting the captive get free and for a ''third time'' left unwatched. Oggie and Zeetha are back by this point, so she grabs the latter's dropped swords, takes the former by "surprise" and skewers him through the chest. Violetta the Smoke Knight then tries to... grab her from behind or something... and gets stabbed in the hand.]] Plus during all this [[spoiler:there's a clank-copy of Lu on the scene causing further damage and delays.]]
* IdiotHair: It's obviously not reflective of her intelligence ''per se'', but Agatha's got a bit of hair that won't stay down; as highlighted in [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20131023 this]] [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20131025 two-part]] {{Filler}}.
* IdTellYouButThenIdHaveToKillYou:
** Combined with "TheEasyWayOrTheHardWay" [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070115 when Master Payne gives two Wulfenbach troopers]] the choice of his being a good magician (who doesn't reveal how a trick is done) or an evil one (who doesn't leave any evidence there was a trick in the first place).
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20130201 Castle Heterodyne declines to reveal information]] about [[spoiler:Airman Higgs]] to Zeetha, as doing so would require Zeetha to be killed. Not that the Castle ''objects'' to killing ''anyone,'' but Zeetha is essential to Agatha in the Castle's opinion, so she must be spared.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160523 Inverted in a way]] when a smoke knight tells Agatha "if we told you we'd have to let you live ... for a very long time"
* IfIHadANickel: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100205 Violetta's done the math.]]
* IllPretendIDidntHearThat: In no way did Violetta [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20150429 assault Tweedle's royal personage with a blackjack]] in the presence of Father Gerät and several other Corbettites.
* IgnoredConfession: Invoked. No, no, the stairway's just echo-y.
* TheIgor:
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070601 Basically the entire populace of Mechanicsburg.]]
--->'''Carson von Mekhan:''' Sure, the Heterodynes were dangerous lunatics-- but they became '''our''' dangerous lunatics!
** Moloch von Zinzer stands out because, like the natives of Mechanicsburg, he's a natural minion, but unlike the Mechanicsburgers, he has a certain amount of insight into Spark psychology, and can use this to get them back on target when they inevitably get sidetracked.
** The world has been under the control of Sparks for so long that pretty much any non-Spark, even [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060306 a trained agent]], will be reduced to a groveling mess if a Spark starts ranting like a cut-rate stage villain.
* IJustKnew: {{Invoked|Trope}}: When [[spoiler:Higgs's time-displaced friend]] [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20201016 tries to explain]] how he knows which books are relevant, he says it's because [[spoiler:they emit temporal echoes which indicate that they will be leaving the shelf]]. Instead of relaying this, Higgs says "he 'just knows'".
* IJustWantToBeNormal: Said by Agatha, in the beginning. Othar thinks the entire idea is hilarious.
* IKissYourHand: Franz, the giant dragon construct, kisses the hand of a MiniMecha manned by Agatha as a sign of respect. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120831 We kid you not.]]
* IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100712 Subverted with Lucrezia]] [[spoiler:(in Agatha's body) calling forth ''a copy of her own mind'' to take over Zola -- because the expected possession isn't working.]]
* ImAHumanitarian: "Snapper" Boikov and "[[http://twitter.com/Othar/status/6120430016 Jack A'Horned]]" -- prisoners in the Castle Heterodyne.
* IMeantToDoThat: Agatha, while improving the coffee blender, causes an incredibly large explosion, and quickly states this. Then she goes on to create several more. The people helping her take it in stride.
* TheImmune: For some unknown reason, the people of Mechanicsburg are immune to [[PuppeteerParasite slaver wasp infestation]]. After a sweep by the Vespiary Squad and their [[EvilDetectingDog wasp eater weasels]], the only two revenants found were a couple of non-resident tourists. [[SarcasmMode This in no way will be important later on.]] In one interview, Kaja hinted that it might be thanks to [[spoiler: the water of the River Dyne.]]
* ImpaledPalm:
** Von Pinn [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040903 does this purposely]] to catch Bang's sword -- and crushes the hilt despite the wound.
--->'''Von Pinn:''' I live with pain. I use it. ''Cultivate'' it.
** In the "Maxim Buys a Hat" side story, [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100526 Old Man Death spikes Jäger Maxim's hand to the table with a carving knife]]. Maxim's only reaction is to lick the blood off the wound.
** All Martellus von Blitzengaard [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20131122 gets from trying to strangle]] Bangladesh [=DuPree=] is an impaled palm.
** Violetta trying to get the jump on Lucrezia in Agatha's body results in an impaled hand by Zeetha's two-bladed sword.
* ImplacableMan:
** Higgs and [[spoiler:Zola [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20101013 post-Movit #11]]]].
** The Jägermonsters. When Maxim, Dimo and Oggie are introduced, they'd been hanging in nooses for days, casually observing and commenting on the town. It's implied that Othar conned them into getting into the nooses voluntarily. Dimo later, um, shrugs off his [[spoiler:losing an arm]]. When we finally actually [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20140409 see a Jäger die]], it takes [[spoiler:an entire pack of Tweedle's Sparkhounds and then several gunshots point-blank to the face to finish the job.]] It gets even more extreme, seeing that Jägers can reach a extremely high age (some have been around for ''centuries''), to the point where Gil decides that Vole is the best chance for them to [[spoiler:analyze just what is causing any living extracted out of the Mechanicsburg Time Stop Bubble to age rapidly and die quickly, so they can avert it and do clean extractions]]. While he doesn't like it, he most certainly survives it.
* ImpoverishedPatrician: There are a number of nobles who have nothing but their titles to their name because their lands were conquered and/or rendered uninhabitable by Sparks. They tend to end up as retainers to nobles who still have wealth, as not providing these disenfranchised nobles shelter is considered bad form.
* ImprovisedWeapon:
** Wrenches seem to be used as cudgels a lot.
** Ol' Man Death using his butcher knife against a Jäger is no surprise, since he's a ChefOfIron. But then, he can just as well fight with a coffee cup, a huge sausage or a barrel of anchovies.
** And now, a ''[[LampshadeHanging book on the use of improvised weaponry]]'' has been used as [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin an improvised weapon]].
* ImprovFu: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160701 Heroic Freestyle]] is a combat style used by both the Heterodyne Boys and the Hoffmann brothers. It apparently involves a lot of chaotic improvisation and getting hit a lot. Given that the only practitioners we know of are two-person teams it may also be based around team combat.
* InadvertentEntranceCue: Discussing demon summoning while Higgs is impersonating an attendant results in this:
-->'''Agatha:''' ''[smugly]'' I mean, you can't just say, "appear before me, all-powerful creature" and expect--\\
'''Higgs:''' ''[appears out of ButlerSpace]'' Tea?\\
'''Agatha:''' Oh! Yes, thank you!
* IncendiaryExponent: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080730 The Torchmen]], Mechanicsburg's air defense system. Imagine a semi-autonomous clank with flight wings that's on fire. Now [[ZergRush imagine a whole lot of them]], all perched atop lamp posts throughout the town when inactive. Now you understand why the old timer airman in the Pink Airship was so fretful.
* IncessantMusicMadness: In the (psychological) torture chamber.
-->'''Othar:''' ...and that MUSIC! [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110307 WHAT is that MUSIC?!]]
* IndyEscape:
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090720 The Rolling Fun Ball of Death.]]
--->'''Professor Tiktoffen:''' Huh. I '''wondered''' where that went on Tuesdays.\\
'''Agatha:''' Why do I even ''have'' one of those?
** Tarvek gets to do the [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120702 "pursued by giant monster"]] variation... while carrying an injured woman, an injured Jäger, a dozen baby wasp weasels, and some precious notes.
--->'''Tarvek:''' What are you people ''doing''? '''''[++RUN!++]'''''
* IndyPloy: Often. Klaus seems to be almost the only character who plans more than fifteen minutes ahead.
* INeedAFreakingDrink:
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070418 2007 April 18, Panel #7]].
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20200706 Gil and Tarvek are in agreement about this.]]
* INeedToGoIronMyDog: Diaz and Mittelmind use up [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20091026 all the good excuses]].
* InfantilizationRetaliation: When Agatha meets [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20131209 Maxinia]], baby daughter of her adoptive parents (who are both [[ArtificialHuman constructs]] and couldn't have children prior to being [[BackFromTheDead rebuilt]] by Gil), she calls her "an adowable widdle miwacle of science". Unfortunately, Maxinia is rather stronger than the average infant, and really doesn't like baby-talk. She punches Agatha in the face, almost knocking her out.
* InfernalRetaliation:
-->'''Krosp:''' Great. Now the crowd is ''trapped by the stalagmites'' while the ''[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20081027 flaming monster]]'' advances.
* InMediasRes: The ''Adventures in Castle Heterodyne'' video game opens with Agatha entering the title castle and meeting Sanaa Wilhelm, which happens at the start of Volume 8 ("Agatha Heterodyne and the Chapel of Bones") [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080213 in the webcomic]].
* InMyLanguageThatSoundsLike: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080519 Zeetha, daughter of Chump.]] And, yes, she knows what it means in our language. [[spoiler:It's been pretty much established that "Chump" was/is Klaus, which makes it highly likely the name is not a coincidence.]]
* InsistentTerminology: By the fandom, often by the characters, and even by the website itself.
** "Othar Tryggvassen! '''GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER!'''"
** In TheRant rather than the comic itself, hyperlinks are always "elegant and finely-crafted".
** It's a GASLAMP FANTASY, not SteamPunk.
** Gilgamesh is ''very'' insistent that the little Heterodyne generator is ''not'' a lamp. [[spoiler:The novelisations state that it is in fact a lamp. It just happens to have other functions as well.]]
* InSpiteOfANail: Despite the fact that there have been people capable of warping the fabric of reality via science for at least three centuries (and for several thousands of years in a few rare cases) Europa at least still looks relatively similar to 19th century Europe. Cities like Paris, Vienna and Prague still exist, as does the Catholic Church (although with ''seven'' Popes) and England still has a ''vast'' global empire even though most of the country is underwater at this point -- albeit they do also have an extremely powerful and seemingly immortal queen, who refuses to abandon the British Isles.
* InstantCosplaySurprise:
** When [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060628 Lucrezia abruptly gains control of Agatha's body]], she's astonished to discover the dress that Tarvek provided for Agatha.
--->'''Lucrezia:''' ''Really'' now -- playing with ''dolls'', at ''your'' age.
** [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20230818 When Albia drags Agatha]] into her "place of utmost secrecy" (a memory of her prehistoric past), Agatha finds herself in [[FurBikini cavewoman attire]], to her mild dismay.
* InstantlyProvenWrong:
** Old Man Death, [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100604 explaining about Maxim trying to get his hat]], notes that Jägers are no good at being subtle, so he can always "see 'em coming two streets away". Unbeknownst to him, Maxim is currently hiding in his barrel of pickled herring, and assuming he's being called out, bursts out with an indignant exclamation. Old Man Death [[VerbalBackspace is forced to admit]] that ''sometimes'' a Jäger can surprise him.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20161205 Agatha wants to break in a Parisian dress shop,]] since they are barely clothed and supposed to go to a costume party. Dimo objects, as according to him you should only loot from defeated enemies. Agatha counters that it's not like she's going to battle a horde of socialites on the way. Cue a horde of well-dressed socialites turning the corner and coming at her with hostile intentions, to Agatha's exasperation.
--->'''Zeetha:''' Wow! You ''can'' find ''anything'' in Paris!
** [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20210414 Gil doubts the Dreen's supposed ability to predict the future,]] as one recently told him he'd be going to Paris, and he has no reason to go there. Cue an officer entering to tell him they're about to land there.
** Princess Neena, disguised as a steward, try to join the expedition to Mechanisburg as a stowaway... sorry, "surprise freelance member". She begs Agatha and Zeetha to not tell her mother, and that everything will be OK as long as Dr. Rakethorn doesn't see her... not realizing he's [[RightBehindMe standing right behind her]].
--->'''Neena:''' It'll be fine, as long as ''Doctor Rakethorn'' doesn't see me.\\
'''Rakethorn:''' Oh, "''steward''"... won't your poor me ''some tea?''\\
'''Neena: ''AIEEE!'''''
* InstantSedation:
** C-Gas, D-Gas and Ichor of Somnia.
** Most shocking example is when Gil shot Franz with a sedative through the palm... and he's down for the count in mere seconds, despite being a freaking dragon. [[spoiler:On the other hand, Franz only stays knocked out a minute or two.]]
* InstrumentOfMurder: Sleipnir O'Hara's "[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20081027 Hot Pipes]]".
* InternalReveal: The fact that "revenants" can actually be normal people is a huge revelation in setting, just look at how they're treated in ''[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030804 Dragon from Mars]]''. But readers get a hint of this well before it becomes common knowledge thanks to [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040326 Mr. Rovainen's actions]]. It takes a while for the [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110330 full story to come out, though]].
* InterserviceRivalry: Jägerkin (as a part of being "perfect soldiers") got it straight -- [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20031024 they deem themselves better]] than anyone else and eager to make a point, but shut up [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040503 when a real action is in sight]]:
-->'''General Zog:''' Sir -- dere iz a time to twit nancy-boy feetsmen und a time to crush bogs.
* InterspeciesRomance: Considering the presence of countless artificial lifeforms created by Sparks, this is inevitable, most commonly in the form of humans and constructs. Jägermonster and human relationships are rare but they tend to pop up in Mechanicsburg, due to a lack of the stigma that Jägers get elsewhere. It's eventually revealed that [[spoiler:Zeetha and Higgs]] are one as well, as the latter is [[spoiler:a Jäger General]].
* InTheBlood: Sparkiness is usually hereditary. Spark styles of invention too.
-->'''Agatha:''' I believe another [[LudicrousPrecision forty-five point three seconds]], and I would have ''exploded'' or something.\\
'''Castle Heterodyne:''' ... or something. Under the [[DramaticStutter circir/circumstances]] I/I am forced to admit that yo/you are most most likely oneoneone of the family...\\
'''Agatha:''' Oh, ''yeah''... I have ''got'' to try [[PsychoSerum that]] ''again!''\\
'''Castle Heterodyne:''' yesss... ''most'' likely, in/in/in''deed''.
* InTheFutureWeStillHaveRoombas: Agatha's self-replicating clanks.
* InTheHood: Subverted because the guards looking for Agatha recognize it for [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070416 the obvious disguise that it is.]] Doubly subverted because the heroes [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070418 expected as much.]]
* InTheNameOfTheMoon:
-->"'''[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050617 SCHTOP!]]''' Hyu horr'ble monster-y ting of ''Evil!''"
** Although that was an intentional delivery of a LargeHam as well...
** And a beautiful example of BuffySpeak.
** And a message HiddenInPlainSight.
--->"... Ve iz Jägerkin charged by the ancient contract--"
* InUniverseFactoidFailure: Some people apparently believe Klaus Barry Heterodyne, child of Lucrezia and William Hetrodyne, was actually Lucrezia and Klaus Wulfenbach's child, even though K. B. Heterodyne was born more than two years after Klaus's disappearance.
* IronicEcho:
** Agatha [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030514 quoting]] Moloch von Zinzer back at himself [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080312 here]] demonstrating that the tables have indeed turned.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090406 Zola]] echoing [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090311 Agatha's]] sarcastic party plans virtually word-for-word (albeit in a very different tone) as ObfuscatingStupidity.
** And Agatha describing [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090724 Tarvek to Gil]] with the last three words being the same she used describing [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080929 Gil to Tarvek]].
* IrrevocableOrder: One of the reasons people are reluctant to hire Ivo Sharktooth, Private Jäger is that [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20170816 you can hire him, but you can't fire him.]] In a town like Mechanicsburg, he's likely to discover something that no one wanted uncovered.
* ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne: Agatha's new set of advisers in Mechanicsburg [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20111202 have no objection]] to being called "bandits" by Vanamonde, but take umbrage at his prefixing this description with "old".
* ItMakesSenseInContext:
-->'''Agatha:''' We're just going to '''kill you''', and then you'll be '''fine!'''\\
''[later...]''\\
'''Gil:''' I've changed my mind! Let's just '''kill him!'''\\
'''Agatha:''' Stop it. We're going to kill him '''properly'''.
%%* ItWasAGift: Agatha's ring(s).
* IWantGrandkids:
** Oh, Castle Heterodyne, that really wants its current master to get busy in the bedroom to make the next generation.
** Also, Oggie to [[CreatorCameo the storyteller]] (his great-great grandson) who he really wants to make him a great-great-great grandpa.
* IWantMyMommy: Neena freaking out in a life-threatening situation and screaming for her Mama [[spoiler:[[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20220722 summons her]]]].
* IWasNeverHere: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060920 Lucrezia to Vrin.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:J]]
%%* JadeColoredGlasses: Some would say every Spark should get a pair.
* JarOfTheBizarre: Unusual things in flasks, jars and tanks appear frequently as background decoration, and given that the few that are released get weaponised they're probably safer that way. An in-universe [[ScienceHero Heterodyne Tale]] ends climactically with the opening of a [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030827#.ZBTSKS-p6Ec literal ocean-in-a-bottle]], and later advancements in [[spoiler:the Other's Hive Engine technology]] produce a small ominous glass globe full of meat and clockwork [[spoiler:that manufactures [[ParasiteZombie a prototype slaver wasp capable of infecting a Spark]]]].
* JawDrop:
** Agatha's mouth drops open in shock when she realizes that not only is someone taking advantage of the Heterodyne girl rumor to impersonate her and try to take over her town they're also dressed as an incredibly feminine pink thing that plays very well to the crowd.
** The jaws drop on pretty much [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20071128 everyone in Mechanicsburg]] when [[spoiler: Gil summons up a lightning strike to destroy the lead war stomper.]]
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20111024 One of the Mechanicsburg councilors reacts in slack jawed shock]] to [[spoiler:Gil]]'s rampage.
** When Sanaa sees that Moloch is actually incredibly competent [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120402 rather than the bumbling fool she thought he was]] her mouth goes slack.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120528 Goomblast takes the cake.]] When it comes to jaw-dropping, that huge mouth of his blows the competition away.
* {{Jerkass}}: Several. Merlot is prominent as a cruel teacher who abuses his position to look down on students and then blames someone else for his getting in trouble after he murders a bunch of Empire employees and burns down a wing of the university.
* JigsawPuzzlePlot: And how! Chekhov's Guns that were put on the mantle in books 1, 2, and 3 are being taken off and fired years later. Gil and Tarvek also indulge in some LampshadeHanging when they discuss a bunch of [[NoodleIncident convoluted noodle incidents]].
* JuggleFu:
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030117 In an early strip]], Gil throws a fishbowl in the air, and catches it again in the first panel of the next page.
** Gil also [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120312 throws a silver of vixonite vial]] while taking a punch from Bang, before catching it again.
* JustTheFirstCitizen: Klaus Wulfenbach, Ruler of Europa, is styled "Baron" (for context, baron is usually the ''lowest'' tier of landed nobility). His son Gil carries on with the precedent set by his father when he inherits the Empire.
[[/folder]]

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