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While fighting a multidimensional monster, Raven's powers go haywire and blast the cast of Dark Titans into an alternate world. A world where superheroes and supervillains don't exist. A world where the general populace doesn't know about aliens. But that doesn't make it harmless.

In the world of The Road to Cydonia, inter-dimensional incursions begin to occur all over the world. From these emerge beings that can only be described as superhuman: a nearly full-body cyborg, the most powerful human psychic ever encountered, a new kind of alien, a living jinx, a multi-headed griffin not properly aligned with this dimension, and a doppleganger of Lieutenant Ryoga Hibiki. As X-COM moves to confront these new threats, the Mind moves to take advantage of it.

From Lathis and Cap'n Chryssalid comes a Mega Crossover between their own crossover fics, Dark Titans and The Road to Cydonia. Reflections Lost on a Dark Road is canonical to both Dark Titans and The Road to Cydonia and looks like it will have lasting effects on both. This fic spent a year on hiatus before receiving an update on December 25, 2012. The writing quality is extremely advanced for fanfiction, and is on par with plenty of professional authors.

Somewhat divisive, as Titans fans come to read about idealistic heroes defeating universe-threatening adversaries despite never compromising their ideals, and X-COM fans come to read about UN stormtroopers killing and vivisecting aliens by the bucketful while dying and getting vivisected by the bucketful. They argue.

Available on both Fanfiction.net and spacebattles.com.

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Reflections Lost on a Dark Road provides examples of:

  • Above the Influence:
    • Averted when Ukyo propositioned Ryu in the de facto morgue, despite knowing the effects the hulk dimensions had on the mind and even wondering about the fact that she might not be in her right mind due to how so lascivious she suddenly became Ryu still slept with Ukyo. Ukyo herself isn't free of this as she basically used the fact that A Man Is Always Eager to manipulate him into that morgue.
    • The confirmation that Jinx was given a mental compulsion to love T-Ryoga makes their relationship an aversion of this as well.
  • Absence of Evidence: While searching ships in the Hulk Dimension Konatsu mentioned that the smell of ash had been bothering him. Ranma replied that since their suits were hermetically sealed Konatsu couldn't possibly smell anything.
  • Aesop Amnesia: This seems to be one of the effects of the Space Hulk Dimension
    • T-Ryoga continuing to string along Starfire, Raven, and Jinx even after Trigon corrupted Raven went on a rampage.
    • At the start of The Road to Cydonia, Nabiki had a Heel Realization after someone she tried to blackmail killed themselves. However in this fic she is laughingly joking about the time she sold Ranma to the Triads to get out of a debt.
    • The perception of T-Ryoga and others "choosing" Jinx over her setting Starfire off (among other things.) was a neat echo of Trigon corrupted Raven's own tantrum back in the Azarath arc.
    • Starfire herself lampshaded the fact that her increasing Humans Are Bastards mentality causes this putting herself and others in danger numerous times.
    • In all of Lathis' fics the overall lesson that T-Ryoga learns is that comparatively his problems aren't that bad and to stop wangsting and blaming others for all of his problems. Yet all he needs is a lil push to turn him back into The Eeyore
      Daxo: while yes ryoga has been a good boy and has controlled his needs to kill ppl i dont think his hope is really high right now, and we have seen time after time that it only needs a lil push to make him go berserker
    • Mousse's inability to except the fact that he can't force Shampoo to love him to the point of coming up with a plan with Jinx that is most assuredly doomed to fail.
    • Back in Dark Titan's T-Ryoga attempted to teach Terra the incredibly dangerous Bakusai Tenketsu nearly killing them both. Yet when X-Com Ryoga gave him the Double Circulation Array the first thing he did was teach it to Starfire and Jinx.
      • What makes this worse is that when confronted one of his excused was that Cologne care when he told her he tried to teach Terra the Bakusai Tenketsu which was a Blatant Lies.
  • * A.I. Is a Crapshoot: India and Juliet Squads seem to think Cyborg is this after he deactivates the human side of his brain, while Yankee Squad seems to be under the impression that he's still him. It actually seems to be a little bit of both, mainly because Cyborg is following all of X-COM's procedures to the letter without making any of the morality based decisions that he would normally make.
  • Akashic Records: It turns out that this is what the Anti-Life Equation is
  • Alien Abduction
  • Aliens Are Bastards: Aliens abduct people and experiment on them, which includes cutting them up and using them for spare parts. Aliens kill people and replace them with clones to manipulate the governments of countries throughout the world. Aliens abduct powerful individuals and alter them into trenchards (half-alien hybrids) to force them to work for them. And the list goes on and on.
  • Aliens Speaking English: Averted with Starfire who still finds earth languages difficult do to are usage of analogies and synonyms
    • Played straight with the X-COM aliens however who are nice enough to 'think' in English for us, and Cologne and Tofu speak in English to each other, even when alone.
    • Starfire already lampshaded the issue, what with pointing out that Reava has been trapped in that room for a few thousand years longer than English even existed.
  • All Amazons Want Hercules: It took a lot of willpower for Shampoo not to attempt to jump Ranma's bones after seeing him cut loose and wreak havoc among a deserving and hated enemy.
  • All Just a Dream: Raven's date turned out to be this.
    • Sadly Averted for Starfire who was hoping everything was this when she woke up in the Thanagarian ship.
  • All Men Are Perverts: The Space Hulk dimension seems to also bring this out on people for example Titan-Ryoga asking for a fivesome.
    • The fic even lampshaded the fact Chaste Heros like Ranma, Ryoga and Ryu suddenly morph into open perverts without any rhyme or reason.
  • All Take and No Give: Titan ryoga seems to actively encourage this in his relationship with Jinx
  • All of the Other Reindeer: Nabiki has noticed a certain "battlefield camaraderie" between those who physically fought alongside one another, that doesn't seem to extend to the voice of mission control and coordination.
  • Almighty Janitor: Officially the Yankee squad are classified as Observers yet they are used as their commanding officer sees fit, whether that is as a reserve or a front line unit will depend on the situation on the ground.
  • Alternate Universe: There's the The Road to Cydonia world and the Dark Titans world, as well as several other unnamed alternate universes.
  • Always Someone Better: Trenhard Cologne to the original, Cologne is a technique genius however the Trenchard version has all the originals techniques, plus a dozen or more others stolen from hunted down martial artists, and she seems to have amped most of those up even further given how she cleaned Elder Cologne's clock when they fought.
    • While Juliet and India are very good marksmen they aren't exceptional. Almost all of them are in the top one third on-base, but there are many X-COM veterans who can still give them a good thumping, most notably Hotel Squad, Seiran's elite Powered Armored team.
      • None of them had the martial arts training to develop the same sort of superhuman reflexes, but they had years of experience and psionic augmentation. Like high level psionic aliens, they could react on an instinctive level to threats, picking, identifying, and hitting a target without conscious thought. Some could even do this at extreme range. There were well documented reports of veterans making snap shots with plasma weapons and hitting moving targets behind cover at a kilometer or more.
  • * Amnesiac Lover: Raven did some editing to Jinx's mind. Now she isn't in love with Ryoga, and doesn't remember ever being in love with him, despite remembering who he is.
  • Analogy Backfire:
    Cyborg: Heh, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, eh?
    Starfire: Why no, friend Cyborg. I was born in the Vegan system, and I did not stay there.
    Cyborg: No, no, that's not what I — y'know, never mind.
  • An Arm and a Leg: During his rampage Trencard Saffron seared off one of one of Cyborgs legs.
  • And That's Terrible: Why is X-Ryoga evil because he uses guns.
    X-Ryoga: Oh no! A gun! I must be the evil, because super heavy umbrellas and swords and ki attacks and, uh yeah, tornados! They're all fine, but guns are super evil, right?
  • Angst Nuke: How Starfire takes out Saffron.
  • Animal Motif: Both Ryogas think that Ranma has a Tiger motif.
    • Back in Dark Titans, Jinx was rather insistent that she didn't have a cat motif. Somewhere along the line, she seems to have changed her mind.
  • Anti-Hero: DT Ryoga, Raven, and Ranma are types II, but Raven is quickly marching downwards lately. Since arriving in the X-COM-verse, she's lost her telekinetic powers, but gained the ability to possess the enemy to turn them into kamikaze meat-puppets, and telepathically deliberately inflicted extreme pain on a good friend (Cyborg). X-COM Ryoga is either an extreme type III or a type IV.
  • Ape Shall Never Kill Ape: The aliens are all linked to the Mind, making it impossible for them to turn on each other (unless they are freed from the Mind's control or something else overrides it).
  • Applied Phlebotinum: the Twenty-Six Dimensional Hypergriffin
  • Arbitrary Skepticism: As X-COM is dealing with increasing numbers of delusional psychics, it takes a while to realize that the Titans are potential allies rather than alien dupes. Their first response is thus Let's You and Him Fight; a command to surrender to their authority, with a warning that they will Blaster Bomb them rather than let them wander around.
    • Numerous examples for example Cyborg has made it clear a few times that he doesn't really believe in magic, despite living with Raven.
    • Also the X-Com verse has aliens AND Supernatural Martial Arts, but every non-martial paranormal event is ALWAYS aliens?
      • There is a difference between seeing a thing happen, and fully understanding what is actually happening. The X-Com people have already run experiments on the Nerima crew, and according to their studies, a lot of the 'supernatural powers' of the X-Nerima crew actually falls in line with their understanding of psionics.
  • Arm Cannon: One of the weapons Cyborg requested be made was a arm-mounted particle accelerator
  • Armor Is Useless: While X-COM's armor may protect its soldiers from a glancing blow, the alien weapons are powerful enough to easily tear through it if they land a direct hit. Or even an indirect hit, in some cases.
    • As if to emphasize this, Starfire takes a direct hit, which eats completely through her armor, yet only leaves her with a sunburn. Apparently, Tamaraneans are pretty much immune to the weaponry used by the Mind.
  • Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: RLOADR Nabiki's consistently hardcore psychopathic acts and nature were initially given a Hand Wave as being on the same level as illegal downloading; which is generally simply morally neutral when it causes no harm, and grants a bonus much larger audience who would never have seen the work otherwise; whereas indifferently selling somebody who had saved your life into sex-slavery... is not.
    • When Ryoga asked if Nabiki would let Raven stay with, Nabiki had initially balked. Worried that Raven might go into a telekinetic fit and started breaking things like legs and arms or her computer.
  • Artistic License: In Universe Kuno's rendition of what happened in the hulk dimension had him come out as an epic samurai legend.
  • Assimilation Backfire: Averted when Ukyo used to Corpse Lantern Ring to absorb the power of the remaining rings. Since she didn't have a working conduit to the battery on Oa she had to purify the energy she absorbed within her own body while her body rejected it for awhile she was eventually fine.
    • Played straight due to the fact the lantern energy seems to have added to the adverse effects of the Hulk Dimension.
  • The Atoner: Titans Ryoga
  • Awesome, but Impractical: This is Cyborg's usual MO which causes some friction with the far more practicle X-Com
    • While Starfire has won the Superpower Lottery all it takes is one drop of blood and the visitors have an unstoppable trencard so she is simply too much of a risk to even allow on the battlefield at all .
    • Jink human shaped battle aura while it is able to cause collateral damage, that's merely sign of aura leakage and an unsettled mental state.
    • Raven has proven to be a powerful Psychic however she is over eager in testing out her new abilities. This allows more skilled but weaker psychics to defeats her.
    • According to Ryu the Thanagarian trophy room is both stupidly wasteful and undoubtedly impressive.
      • Thanagarian ship design is very strange. The outer hull is actually shockingly thin, just as in Starcrossed. Instead, given both Thanagarians and Gordanians have a preference for melee and taking trophies in battle, the ship is very heavily compartmentalized, permitting sections to be sealed off while still allowing reinforcements in or out. So, in this case, there literally are airlocks connecting various sections inside the ship.
    • Kuno's speeches while epic when your half dead they take up too much energy.
    • Saffron is a "mass production" type Trenchard. Because of his unique nature, his powers are tied to maturation, whereas Cologne or Tofu or Ayabe are a product of years of martial arts training and a very specific, artist-like mentality. Saffron is much, much easier to "make" from a production standpoint. However as powerful as he is, Saffron has some definite limits that make him far from ideal: unlike most aliens, he's worthless in space, he's lacking in control, and he 'burns out' after a certain amount of time.
    • The Yankee Squad in general their inability to except the fact that they are not in kanses anymore causes them to stubbornly cling to superhero tropes not only themselves but their fellow soldiers in danger. Combine with the fact that they would do far more good in research and development then out in the field as they have the only benign alien life form ever. As well as a scientific genius of incredible potential, from a world with technology even more advanced and the only double-A class psychic on the planet that is not either clinically insane, or a danger to themselves and those around them.
    • This was one of the first key differences Jinx noticed between the two universes. According to her in the DC Universe the fancier something is, the more prone it is to malfunction. This is not the case in the X-Com universe.
    • The Romeo squad was cultivated based on the success of Juliet and India over in Japan. Technically, they are a squad that is ideal for an Investigative Response Action (bag it; tag it; and try not to make a mess for once) the problem is that Romeo Squad is a bit lacking in subtlety.
  • Back from the Dead: Slade
  • Badass Adorable: Herb mentioned fighting kittens to Starfire.
    Starfire: Your mock humility will garner you no sympathy from me. Either continue regaling me concerning the adorable kung fu fighting kittens, or explain what you intend to tell me.
  • Badass Normal: The Lagoon Company in general Revy specifically
    • A shame in Shampoo's opinion. She really did want to see this "Revy" woman in action.
    • Thanagarian Chief Technical Rector Shandra Mal was able to take of a Apokalipian Parademon all by herself with nothing more then basic self defense training
    • Kasumi staring down Jinx.
    • X-Slade Wilson
  • Bad Boss: According to Trespasser the Guardians would sacrifice a thousand Green Lanterns. It was quickly noticed that he never mentioned anything about sacrificing Guardians
  • Barrier-Busting Blow: Starfire delivered one of these to the Zombified Thanagarian captain.
  • Batman Can Breathe in Space: Starfire's can survive in space and even fly around a bit, but the series also shows she is quite afraid of drowning. Word of God states that Tamaranians can survive in space only as long as their lungs remain a closed system, recycling oxygen with soda-lime like structures. If her lungs fill with liquid: blood, water, mucus, etc, then she will 'drown' just like a normal person.
    • Averted Starfire can survive in space and even fly around a bit, but the series also shows she is quite afraid of drowning. This is rationalized by saying Tamaranians can survive in space only as long as their lungs remain a closed system, recycling oxygen with soda-lime like structures. If her lungs fill with liquid: blood, water, mucus, etc, then she will 'drown' just like a normal person. So imagine a small reflex flap or valve that triggers under very low pressure. It works well to keep the existing air in the lungs, where it can be recycled for some time, but can't keep high pressure from forcing things in.
  • Batman Gambit: T-Ryoga challenged X-Ranma to a sparing match to discover the best way to defeat his counterpart by mimicking his fighting style.
    • Nabiki showed the interception to provoke a response out of Starfire
    • Memory Gambit: Knowing that with the amount of time she was required to spend with Tresspasser it was inevitable that he would co-opt her Nabiki had Raven suppress her memories of all of their interactions, thus making her forget that we had conspired at all.
  • * Battle Aura: All of India Squad and Juliet Squad, as well as Jinx, Raven, Starfire, and Titans Ryoga.
  • Battle in the Center of the Mind: Akira and Jinx were dragged into one of these while attempting to escape the Ethereal
  • Be Careful What You Wish For: Despite knowing that Ryoga and Jinx were mentally coerced into loving each other. They kept stressing to Raven that she missed her chance and that if she wanted a shot at Ryoga she had to take it. Boy did that blow up in there face.
    Raven: It didn't matter what Starfire or Cyborg thought, either. Neither of them were involved; they had no stake in the matter at all. The alien and the cyborg had no real idea what had been done to both Ryoga and Jinx, which made it all the more irritating that they dared to interfere with her desires.
  • Belief Makes You Stupid: Ryu believes this at least and sadly there is a lot of evidence to prove it. There are madmen within the Sirius Conspiracy who all but worship the aliens X-COM fight. The Thanagarians in the Space Hulk dimension had worshipped the 'old gods' ect.
    • Its more a case of of him seeing it as Schmuck Bait as while such allegiances appear fruitful they usually end in tragedy.
  • Berserk Button: To not ask Ukyo if Okonomiyaki is like pizza.
    • Being called a prisoner is this for Starfire as she swore years ago that she would never be taken prisoner again.
  • The Berserker: Trencard Saffron's attacks don't really distinguish between friend and foe making him an effective, but imperfect weapon.
  • Better to Die than Be Killed: The Hishou Kouryuu Ha a technique that combines the perfect she shi hokodan and earth ki that Ryoga used on Ukyo was meant to invoke this.
  • Beware the Nice Ones: It's easy to forget that Starfire was trained in The Spartan Way, but she actually went blood knight for a second when she fought the Chinese military.
  • BFG: The Behemoth, two man Thanagarian cannon that Cyborg found
  • Big Brother Is Employing You: The X-COM-verse has all sorts of very creepy implications, thankfully our main characters are on the inside and doing it to others (mostly).
  • Big Damn Heroes: This happens to Shampoo a lot.
    • Thanks to Heart Is an Awesome Power Mousse was able to save Shampoo from Konatsu.
    • Ranma saved her from the demonic Slade
    • Starfire saving Shampoo from plummeting to her death
    • Finally one that not Shampoo Kuno was able to save Jinx from a brainwashed and crazy Starfire.
  • Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Jinx to Shampoo. A huge Berserk Button for Shampoo is the fact that it is incredibly obvious yet nobody notices.
    Ukyo: Ranma told us to play nice, and then you go and just openly insult the girl in front of everyone? As much as I hate to admit it, she hasn't even done anything to be too annoying lately. We're supposed to be the adults here, remember? What brought that on?
    Shampoo: Nothing to be annoying? You have pancake batter in your ears? Every word that spills past her lips is a thinly veiled challenge. Stupid girl just asking for me to demonstrate what I do to obstacles like her.
  • Black-and-Gray Morality: Word of God this is the reason the story doesn't go into Soldier's vs Superheroes much as killing an opponent is easier than taking them alive.
    Lathis: Granted, we don't get to see too much of this, since by their very nature, X-COM opponents are impossible to take alive (for long). But one of the reasons we went with Titans into X-COM as opposed to X-COM into Titans is the fact that, after the first fight, all of the X-Com teams would likely be on the run from the Justice League after they mass scattered their first villain with hot plasma
    • The problem is that this is a pretty black and white summerization of the characters, when the entire story has been largely about shades of grey — especially with the Titans, who do normally work on the white sides of the law, but must now by environmental necessity step over to the darker half.
    • It's more a case of Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism. The Titans come from a idealistic universe where godlike entities see(some) humans as equals. X-Com is set in a cynical Warhammer universe with no God-Emperor in sight.
  • Blatant Lies: The local kids (i.e known gangsters) who tried to rob Cyborg. When later questioned by the police they told them that the "giant monster freak" has attacked them. Obviously nobody believed them.
  • Blessed with Suck: Under normal circumstances, Raven do not concentrate to use her powers; she concentrates solely on restraining her powers, rather than actively 'forming' them, she does more the opposite, simply unleashing it in a desired fashion. Since her power is so closely tied to her subconscious, and her emotions, she is forced to dedicate a large amount of her focus to simply keep them in check.
  • Blood Knight: Shampoo shows signs of this from time to time. For example while monitoring Revy Shampoo was so impressed by her combat skills that she started spewing out huge amounts of killing intent as she hungrily anticipated fighting
  • Blue-and-Orange Morality: Cyborg, after deactivating the organic portion of his brain.
    • due to the fact that both Thanagarians and Gordanians have a preference for melee and taking trophies in battle, Thanagarian ship design is very strange. The outer hull is actually shockingly thin, just as in Starcrossed and is veryheavily compartmentalized, permitting sections to be sealed off while still allowing reinforcements in or out, there literally are airlocks connecting various sections inside the ship. To human's it's supposed to be a kind of crazy way to design a warship, but then Human's normally wouldn't be flying haphazardly through space trying to get into the enemy ship to smash his head in with a magical mace.
    • The Titan's quickly learn that there is no Hero Insurance in the X-com universe and the acts of wanton destruction usually depicted in the DC Universe quickly got them labeled as terrorist. The fact that they are either unable or simply refuse to except this fact is causes a lot of problems within the story.
  • Body Horror: Clone Degeneration is a natural by product of introducing Etherial DNA to the human body.
  • Bond Villain Stupidity: The Student's of HIVE Academy are shown an education video where Jenny aka Blast Girl did exactly this to Atomic Boy.
    • Inverted T-Ryoga's hypocrisy finally came back to bite him in the butt during his untenth the reason you suck speech to ukyou as not only he tell her the weakness of the green lantern ring, but that revelation allowed her to figure out his strategy.
  • Boring, but Practical: Saffron's counter for the Hiryu Shoten as mentioned is a nice change of pace from DBZ conventions to have a villain sidestep rather than fall into the trap of "my power beam versus your power beam! RAWR!"
    • Averted since Ranma's attack since the Hiryu Shoten Overkill was essentially a bigger version of the Hiryu Shoten Ha. Since Saffron's ability to fly means he's immune to it him creating a counter is essentially pointless.
    • When Cyborg first came to the X-Com universe and found out that he had no communications and GPS system since there was no satellite network he figured out where he was by using Astronavigation.
    • X-Com approach to mastering the Green Lantern Ring was to have Ukyo practice flight and the environmental failsafes first in her armor and with the ring, and then without the armor. This gave her time to practice and refine the rings abilities under more controlled conditions.
  • Brainwash Residue: Ryoga, despite overcoming Raven's brainwashing in order to save Jinx, clearly has some left over. Likewise, his love for Jinx may or may not be entirely due to this.
  • Brainwashed and Crazy: What the space hulk dimension eventually does to everyone that enters it.
  • Break the Cutie: Trenchard Akari.
  • Brick Joke: Back in Dark Titans, Ryoga and Cyborg have a conversation about the T-Brella Cyborg made for Ryoga. Most of the conversation consists of the words "Helicopter Option" (much to Robin's annoyance). It is then never mentioned again in all of Dark Titans. However, after the fight with Saffron, as Starfire is plummeting helplessly from the upper atmosphere toward the ground, we get this:
    X-COM Ryoga: "Don't tell me. Your Ryoga… His umbrella. Does he really have something crazy like that?"
    Cyborg:"That's right."
    Ryu Kumon: "What? What does it have?"
    Cyborg:"Ryo's umbrella has a Helicopter Option!"
    • Shampoo mentioning that Cyborg would be a great match an Amazon obsessed with bringing in more modern technology to the villiage named Lotion.
  • Bring My Brown Pants: The gangster that tried to rob Cyborg quickly earned the error of their ways.
  • Broken Aesop:
    • Anime Starfire somehow rationalises restraint against non-superpowered opponents as a version of supremacism, and not in the "You should show restraint against the aliens as well" direction, but rather the other one. note  This despite that her teammates would have preferred to use non-lethal force against the alien war-breeds as well, but they were conceptually designed to be impossible to use it against, and near impossible to even keep alive in confinement to boot. However, she also makes a valid point about that the term "inhuman" is contradictory, as there will always be some human perfectly willing to commit any level of atrocity.
    • The psychologist that Starfire spoke to stated that UNETCO members who started to not find the act of murder unpleasant and actually greatly enjoyed it were sensibly weeded out of the organization, yet Shampoo is also portrayed as being extremely sexually stimulated from playing sadistic hunt-games with completely outmatched prey (including previously doing so for sport and training at the age of 13, against non-superhuman opponents), and then enthusiastically slaughter them in as brutal manner as possible, and she is still there without anybody batting an eyelash.
    • Taking Ryoga's advice, everyone gave Jinx leeway for her jerkass behavior. However, this only gave her a chance to take it up to eleven.
  • Brought Down to Normal: Not quite. Raven starts losing her telekinetic abilities due to being separated from Trigon's presence, but trains up her telepathic abilities to make up for it.
  • Call-Back: Cyborg's scenes in NYC had one of these to the Teen Titan episode when Star went to the future and found the team broken up with out her.
  • The Cameo: Slade Wilson. In The Road to Cydonia world, he's just a guy working for X-COM.
    • The Inuyasha crew.
  • Cannibalism Superpower: By consuming part of another being, Reava not only gains their powers, but their memories as well. This is the reason Darkseid chose her for the Space Hulk mission.
  • Captain Obvious: As stated by Mint, Starfire really doesn't like Herb.
  • Captured Super-Entity: Trenchard Akari.
  • Cassandra Truth:
    • At first due to his age Cyborg wasn't taken very seriously in X-com for example upon seeing his theoretical musings on a dimensional portal Jalila thought it was a model of a Stargate.
    • Word of God states that Starfire's encounter was written to evoke anger and disgust in the reader. But, Starfire's story was so outlandish there was no way the higher ups would believe it without irrefutable proof.
      Capn'n Chryssalid: Starfire was assumed to be under alien control. X-COM was called in because the PRC had just had a historic building destroyed (the clocktower), people were in a panic, and their own attempt to handle things had blown up in their face (the ambush). They know about Trenchards. They know that the Sirius Group not only had chemical weapons, but that they were willing to use them in terrorist attacks. ALL the Intel indicated that Starfire was an alien terror unit... except that she hadn't actually killed anyone. When Romeo Squad finally caught up to her, Herb could tell this. He still thought she was either an alien or a manufactured Trenchard ("one of Cologne's experiments"), but he could tell that she had no murderous or "killing" intention. He comments on this to her. But she is still an alien and she still needed to be subdued and interrogated. This is what X-COM does and so they subdued her and, when she spun a yarn that contradicted reality as they understood it, they mind probed her to get the real truth.
  • Cast from Hit Points: Jinx's power was this, but she was so used to using it that she didn't notice.
  • Central Theme: Set from the beginning chapter with Inuyasha, and being that we all have to wake up and not spend our lives in a coma, which is sympathetic in theory, but the early execution reads more like: "Wake up and smell the rotting corpses, burning ozone, absolute savagery, and infinite abyss of despair and entropy!", which is probably not the best approach. It turns much better on that front though.
  • Charles Atlas Superpower: The Nerima Wrecking Crew. Also Jinx, in addition to her luck powers.
  • Chef of Iron: Thank's to Martial Arts and Crafts all the restaurant owner's in nerima were this. At least until Ukyo and Shampoo ran them off.
    • Ryoga even mentioned once meeting a man who could kill a man with a piece of shrimp
  • Chekhov's Skill: An indirect example. Early on in TALB, Cologne enlists Starfire's help to teach Ryoga the Hiryu Shoten Ha but doesn't bother to teach him the basic steps, saying that Ryoga already knows how it's done because he helped Ranma develop the same skill earlier in the main series. Sure enough, Starfire winds up using the techniques she learned by training with Ryoga to perform her own Hiryu Shoten Ha before the series is over.
    • Back in Dark Titans, Starfire mentions having a discussion with Ranma regarding the workings of the Hiryu Shoten Ha. Then, in her fight against Herb, she uses the Hiryu Korin Dan, a variant of the Hiryu Shoten Ha developed by Ranma.
    • Since Dark Titans, Ryoga has been experimenting with Earth Elemental Ki, which manifests as a yellow aura. This is how he defeats a crazed Ukyou empowered by a Green Lantern ring, as Green Lantern rings cannot affect the color yellow.
    • Kuno's ridiculously high level of psi strength and defense mentioned in The Road to Cydonia allowed him to break Raven's mental domination.
    • Ranma's mastery of emotive ki manipulation developed when he created the moko takabisha allowed him to create a psionic disruption pulse.
      • Due to the repeated usage of Forgot About His Powers this trope is also averted as many times as it's played straight. For example during their match against Starfire and T-Ryoga both Herb and X-Ryoga mentioned that Ranma intentionally goaded them into creating counters for the Hiryu Shoten Ha allowing him to create counters to their counters. However during the battle against Saffron Ranma was left gapping in surprise at the fact that someone was able to counter the technique.
    • Like she did in her battle with Killer Croc Jinx was able to use her magical abilities to imitate Happosai's finger block technique against Starfire.
    • The training Ukyo went through for her match against Konatsu helped her in mastering her Green Lantern Ring in her match against T-Ryoga.
  • Chick Magnet: Titan-Ryoga
    X-com Ryoga: Yes, because with your manly charms women can't help but fall head over heels in love with you. I have the same problem.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: Mitsuko Hibiki, upon finding out about Titan Ryoga she gushed that Nodoka would be jealous about the fact that she had another son.
  • Coitus Interruptus: The one night Nabiki and Ryoga had time to be alone they were interrupted by the Hostile Incursion alarm.
  • Combat Medic: Titan ryoga
  • Combination Attack: The Hiryu Shoten Ha generated by Ranma and Starfire but powered by Ryoga and Ryoga's shishi houkodans.
  • Comically Missing the Point: After the EDC test run Cyborg quickly ran to find his fellow Titans to convince them not to split up the team, only to find out that they had already made that decision. Cyborg's response, yell at them for making decisions without knowing all the facts.
  • The Comically Serious: Agent Gerrera
  • Complexity Addiction: Ryu's reports are always either too detailed or all but empty.
  • The Computer Is Your Friend: Cyborg after deactivating the organic portion of his brain
  • Corrupt the Cutie: Starfire worries that this is happening to the Teen Titans.
    • Tresspasser does this a lot.
    • Starfire
    • Raven
      • Slade did this Raven by showing her Repressed Memories of the People of Azarath being disgusted, angry or just plain afraid of her birth.
  • Crapsack World: The galaxy is ruled, rim to core and pole to pole, by an evil Hive Mind. Humans might be able to destroy the local node if they become The Unfettered - abolish every civil liberty and article of war. And there's another, unattached(albeit slightly less advanced) node in the Gulf of Mexico. And its destruction would reduce Earth's biosphere to the algae level.
    • Not to mention the space hulk dimension. The dimension acts as a trap, sucking in anything that attempts to hop to a different dimension from adjacent dimensions while making leaving difficult, rogue nanobots seek out functional machines and drain the power from any that they encounter, corrupted Nth metal creates zombies from the corpses of organic beings that die nearby, potentially useful abandoned space craft rot away while corpses are perfectly preserved, and simply being in the dimension for too long causes people to have hallucinations, mood swings, and to eventually become murderously insane.
  • Crimefighting with Cash: Not even Starfire can deny that the infinite funding that Robin and Batman have is a big help in their effectiveness as crime fighters.
  • Crippling Overspecialization: The X-Com organization was built upon reverse engineering alien technology. Causing soldier to usually spend more time picking through wreckage than fighting.
    • Both played straight and averted with the titans. While the majority of them refuse to except the fact that they are Not in Kansas Anymore after the battle with Saffron Cyborg realized that he needed to stop railing against the way X-com does things and began upgrading his teams armor.
    • Kuno unlike his peers is not particularly well versed in a vast array of martial arts styles, weapons or bare handed. Instead, all his skill and love are put into mastering kendo.
  • The Cuckoolander Was Right: Kuno was the first to figure out that in addition to the Hulk Dimension T-Ryoga was also suffering from Brainwash Residue
    • Victoria Christianson a New York city cop and a bit of a scifi geek was the first to realize that the person they were searching for was a Cyborg.
  • Cut Lex Luthor a Check: The UNETCO acquires independent funding by selling certain technologies.
  • Curb-Stomp Battle: T-Ryoga's battle against X-Ranma ends with him as a crumpled heap on the floor.
    X-Ranma: Hey, that wasn't half bad for a workout! Don't feel too bad 'bout losin', I am a Ryoga-defeating expert, after all! Anyway, I'll catch up with ya later.
  • Dangerous Forbidden Technique: Elemental ki manipulation while extremely powerful comes with risks. In TRTC, Cologne's father was a heretical buddhist monk who so detached himself from the 'self' that he became inhuman, surviving days without breathing under frozen water and eventually 'fossilizing' into a statue.
    • Ki absorption techniques in general. There's serious health risks to swapping out too much 'human' ki and pumping in too much 'inhuman' ki. You don't always get a pleasant Miss Hinako like transformation.
  • Darker and Edgier: Initially, compared to Dark Titans, although it gradually turns Lighter and Softer / closer to normal.
  • Dark Is Not Evil: Raven, especially after trading in her telekinesis for mind-control abilities. Of course, given that she is now presented as a massive force of pure nihilistic entropy, the "not evil" part is turning iffy.
  • Dating Catwoman: Hiva academy had an informative video on this trope.
    Video: With the ever-increasing diversity found in the workplace, it is all but guaranteed that at one point or another you will at least be tempted to consider a relationship with your do-gooder counterparts.
  • Deadly Nosebleed: Raven, Ryoga, and Mousse all suffer them after attempting to use psychic attacks on Slade.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Jinx
  • Deal with the Devil: Reshetov made a deal with the aliens so that would cure his cancer and rejuvenated his body. Of course, those benefits didn't come without a price
  • Death of a Thousand Cuts: This is how Trespasser was defeated through ongoing systematic damage to his brain.
  • Deflector Shields: Jinx's Armor has a force field
  • Deprogramming: Ryoga refuses to let X-COM do this to him.
    • Raven did this to Jinx.
  • Determinator: Pretty much all of the Teen Titans, India Squad, and Juliet Squad, but special notice goes to Jinx and Akari. They go on a hundred kilometer dash to the nearest city through a snow filled forest while fighting off armed aliens, fending off mental attacks by an Ethereal, and fending off large tracking monsters that were raised by Akari herself, and all while dressed in a manner unsuited for the environment. Then, when Akari's operation is sabotaged by X-COM Ryoga, Jinx immediately joins the Titans in a mission to hunt down and capture an Ethereal so that they can replace the brain Ryoga destroyed, all on the off chance that the operation will save Akari's life without returning her to the Mind's control.
    • Raven was literally dead and she still fought on
    • Raven has her beat not only did she fight Tresspasser to the death she continued to fight afterwards.
    • The alien supporters who fought tooth and nail to prevent the Lagoon Company from robbing them. Every single crew member fought the pirate crew to the death.
    • The Irony of is that if they didn't fight Revy and the others with such dogged determination they wouldn't have raided the ship so thoroughly
    • T-Ryoga refused to except defeat in his battle with the Brainwashed and Crazy Ukyo.
    • It was both played straight and averted with Ukyo however. Ryoga's unstoppable determination really did a number on her yet just like him she would not go down. Even after he discovered the weakness of the Green Lantern Ring, she survived his ultimate technique and fought on.
      Ukyo: All that mattered was Hibiki. She could crush what was left of him with her bare hands. Even if her power was gone. Even if her hand was broken. Even if it felt like half of her ribs had collapsed in her chest. Even if her arms could barely move. Even if her legs felt like putty. Even if something inside was bleeding and split. Hibiki. She wasn't done yet.
    • It was then averted a millisecond later when she suddenly decided to have Starfire fight him even though he was on his last leg.
  • Deus Angst Machina: Jinx suddenly dying for no explainable reason other then to provide more angst and division between the squads as well as to provide T-Ryoga with another powerup
  • Diabolus ex Machina: The Villain Ball used to allow T-Ryoga to defeat Ukyo causing her to suddenly become a Dirty Coward seconds after invoking Determinator
    • Mousse not only suddenly gaining the ability to feel that Shampoo was in trouble but him being able to use that new ability to overcome the fact he could neither see or hear
  • Differently Powered Individual: Rogue psychics. X-COM-style psionics that, like the aliens, can use their abilities without psi-amps. That the aliens created but can't replicate in Ethereals. And let wander around freely until X-COM hunts them down. They're the justification for attacking the Titans on sight. Most are repeat abductees. Enhanced Martial artists have only recently fallen into this category as well, as the aliens turn their attention on this much smaller study population.
  • Dirty Coward: Jinx can be seen as this at least emotionally as her usual M.O when she's confronted with something hurtful is to run away. For example upon discovering Akari's condition she fled both physically and mentally back to her time at the HIVE where no one was badder than her.
    • T-Ryoga has shown to be an emotional coward as well the biggest example is that after TTLB Ryoga found solace in his relationship with Jinx despite knowing that they were both mentally compelled to love each other while never officially breaking it off with breaking it off with Raven and Starfire, due to guilt.. Then after Raven went nuts and erased Jinx's attraction to Ryoga, he told her that they were now “even”.
      • One of his most repeated usage of this trope that he has used since Dark Titans is passive aggressive combat. Ryoga would repeatedly insult Ranma to make himself feel better. The Titan's never took it seriously until they found out that Terra did. In the X-Comverse every time something bad happened to him he would deliver a backhand insult to his either his counterpart or the others.
    • The Guardians play this straight as stated by Tresspasser they would sacrifice a thousand Green Lanterns however he never once mentioned anything about them sacrificing themselves.
  • Disney Acid Sequence: Raven was able to go to Azarath through one of these using a drug she got from X-Genma.
  • Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Reava to Starfire after she was attacked by a Brainwashed and Crazy Ryu.
  • Does This Remind You of Anything?: Although it is uncertain how much of this was unintentional and simply inherent undertones in the original X-COM chronology, there are lots of Rule of Symbolism aspects packed into RLOADR, including Saffron now being an Eldritch Abomination suicide bomber. The opposition are written as some kind of odd Buddhism + Internet Addiction + Socialism + Spoiled Brat + Psychopathic Manchild + Islam Fundamentalist + Eldritch Abomination extreme Take That! Accentuate the Negative distortion/inaccurate associations overlap, considering that the first two to four groups are generally completely harmless in real world terms, if possibly helpless in certain areas, while some of the types of people set as Designated Heroes against them are very much not.
    • Rage possesses the strongest ties to Father of all of Raven's emotions. She was always filled with his hatred, filled to bursting with his fury. However once she entered the X-Comverse she was stripped of that fury and had to sustain herself only on the 'rage' of Raven herself who is not terribly prone to bouts of excessive emotion.
    • The comparison of emotions to drug use is taken further after Raven became drunk on the dark side
      Narrative: The strength of his emotions, positive or negative, the intensity of his passions: they were simply intoxicating to the empathic woman. She wanted more; she wanted all he had to give.
  • Double Standard: Abuse, Female on Male:
    • Jinx has repeatedly struck Ryoga either playfully or when angry many times hurting him. When questioned about the later Word of God played off these incidences as Rule of Funny.
      Jinx: Look, either you can take the shirt off, or Ican take the shirt off. Depends on whether you think the 'My girlfriend shredded my shirt and tossed it to the wind' excuse will work on the quartermaster when you ask for another one.
    • This is made all the more obvious when compared to Dark Titans where Raven became very concerned when she found out that Akane regularly hits Ranma when she's angry. Yet she attacked Ryoga when he flirted with Starfire in her and Jinx.
      Starfire: Friend Ryoga, it is most inappropriate for you to have such thoughts for your sister. I hope Raven's negative reinforcement has taught you a suitable lesson.
  • Double Standard Rape: Female on Male:
    • Jinx and Ryoga's entire relationship revolves around the fact that the Headmaster altered Ryoga's memories, to make him believe that he was in love with her by taking his existing memories with Raven and replacing them with Jinx. However, despite this everyone treats it as true love.
    • Interestingly this is both averted at the same time as the only time anyone finds problem with this is in the Hulk Dimension i.e while everyone was brainwashed and crazy.
      Starfire: Honestly, Starfire couldn't help but reflect, humans were such confusing creatures sometimes, and the males particularly so. Though, as of late, even the females had begun to show flaws in a disturbing quantity. She had never been fond of Jinx consorting with Ryoga, but now even her faith in Raven had been quite shaken by her actions in Azarath. Despite how things had either begun or ended, both women had, at one point or another, used mental coercion to force the poor boy to love them. It was... Disappointing.
  • Drama-Preserving Handicap: Word of God states that this is the reason Ranma stays in the back seat so much
    • Jinx seems to be a walking catalyst for The Worf Effect and Took a Level in Dumbass to the point where she might as well be renamed the Gambler Queen, as many of the plot points in the story couldn't happen without these tropes. For example both Ranma and Starfire weren't the most mentally and physically sound when they fought her.
    • Ukyou was given a number of these so that she doesn't become an Boring Invincible Villian the first is that she was only a Lantern for a short time, and her only training came from her own experiments with the ring and Trespasser's "advice." He did not want her to become a Hal Jordan or Sinestro. The ideal, his ideal, Foundation's Ideal, is an obedient lantern, with willpower but without independence. If this means limiting the GL, then Foundation can hardly care: it places no injunction against the use of lethal force in the Corpse, only the accomplishing of the mission at hand.
      • Trespasser also dredged up Ukyou's own sense of duty and of "protecting her customers" as her prime martial virtue, and twisted it: she was told she could not trust herself, only trust Trespasser. So her willpower was compromised,
      • She was also being haunted by the Green Lanterns wills trapped in their now-dead rings (which she sucked dry for energy, for lack of a working power lantern). Trespasser lied when he said she could purify and use the energy to safely recharge her ring. It was bad enough that not only was she hearing their dying moments, they were manifesting within her battle aura.
      • Ukyo was only able to maintain the control she did, because she is very much a martial artist. Trespasser mocks this later, to the effect of saying that 'his lantern' repeated 'martial arts as a mantra or religion.' Which is rather is, for her and for most of the NWC. Ukyou tied her use of the ring into her martial arts, to engrained into her mind and thinking that it was almost second nature. So closely entwined, that her battle aura was effectively merged with and into the energy generated by the ring, from willpower.
  • Dramatic High Perching: Ranma has been repeatedly sited for standing on random things.
  • Dream Land: Jinx frequently has hers visited by Akari. Akari has also appeared in X-COM Ryoga's Dream Land, and once Akari brought Jinx into her Dream Land.
  • Dream Weaver: Trenchard Akari.
  • Drunk with Power: Raven
  • Dying as Yourself: During X-Ryoga heartfelt reunion with Akari knowing that she couldn't survive without the Mind and being held in captivity isn't much better as her final wish she made him promise that this happens.
    • Sadly thanks to team Yankee this was averted
  • Elemental Powers: Titans Ryoga uses Earth Ki and Ranma uses Wind Ki
  • Enemy Mine: The only reason the decapitated head of Commander Sacristan agreed to help the heroes was that it would allow him to get revenge on Kreiger
    • After fining out about the heroes deception Tresspassers death was the only reason Reava agreed to help.
  • Emotion Bomb: One of the psychic attacks used by Etherials.
  • Emotional Powers:
    • Both Ryoga's Shishi Hokodans are powered primarily by depression, but can also draw on anger and hate.
      • After Jinx is deprogrammed into no longer being in love with Ryoga, Titans-Ryoga has issues controlling his powers.
    • Ranma's Moko Takabisha draws on his confidence.
    • Starfire's Starbolts are powered by fury, and her ability to fly is powered by happiness.
      • Thus, after X-COM mind rapes her, she can't fly as quickly, but has much stronger Starbolts.
  • Empowered Badass Normal: Ukyou, after getting a Green Lantern ring.
    • The resurrected Slade.
  • Energy Ball: The Shishi Hokodan, Mouko Takabisha, Starbolts, Titans Ryoga's unnamed earth element ki attack, and Jinx's pink fireball all count.
  • Entitled Bastard: Titan-Ryoga
    • Jinx
  • Evil Twin: What both Ryogas assume the other to be. Titans Ryoga genuinely is nicer though, and is as disturbed about the Sociopathic Soldier aspects as most people would be in seeing a killing-machine version of themselves, but is initially too idealistic to be efficient in the X-COM world, so he has to adapt. His counterpart is more mature however, but mistakenly thinks that his "brother" is simply jealous of him being stronger.
  • Excuse Me While I Multitask: This is basically required to pilot the EDC
  • Eye Beams: Starfire uses hers on Herb.
  • "Facing the Bullets" One-Liner:
    Saffron: LITTLE ONE. LET ME SEE YOUR FIRE.
  • Failed a Spot Check: It took Ukyo awhile to realize that all of the destroyed lantern's found with the dead Green Lantern's might be important.
  • Failure Is the Only Option: Mousse's plan to use Jinx to impress Shampoo relies entirely on Shampoo being stupid and unskilled enough to not notice that the two aren't really fighting each other seriously. Which considering that the Hulk Dimensioned shows that Shampoo has the most focused mind out of all the cast borders on suicidal.
    • This idea makes Moussse winning Shampoo's heart period this trope as despite his repeated declarations of love this plan shows that he has little respect for her. The fact that he's so obvious about it makes it understandable why she hates him so much
  • Fake Defector Cyborg mentions that where he's from, heroes who fake switching sides almost always end up facing some moral-testing choice or other complications that screw over their initial plan.
  • Fantastic Racism: While it may not seem like it at first this is ultimately averted in the X-Comverse as their hatred of the Mind stems from the fact that Aliens Are Bastards. Despite their initial drama X-Com holds no ill will towards Starfire. Unfortunately her unique situation makes it appear this way to her.
    • Starfire inverts this as the story goes on as her resentment towards X-Com and their treatment of aliens grows. It reaches the point where she starts to sound like Val Yor and even comes across as outright hypocritical at times.
    • The Trillarians were great butchers who were at war with the Tamaranians five thousand years ago. They were the ones who originated the term 'Troq
    • The Trillarians, The Gordanians?, The Citadel?, The Psions? were all races that met their end by the Tamerean's for doing to them exactly what the Visitor's are doing to the humans in the X-COM Universe.
  • Finger Poke of Doom: Cyborg defeated Nabiki with a single flick of his finger.
  • Fireballs: Jinx's attacks often appear as pink flames.
  • Flash Step: X-COM Ryoga can use a combination of the Shishi Houkodan and Bakusai Tenketsu technique to launch himself like a rocket.
  • Flying Brick: Starfire
  • Flying Saucer
  • Foreshadowing: Titan-Ryoga contemplating what would happen if Raven, with total control of her faculties, were ever so inclined to actually go full out?
  • Forgot About His Powers: The Hiryu Shoten Overkill was essentially unaltered in effect from the last use against Saffron. Considering the effort that is usually put into making counters and counter-counters and counter-counter-counter-counters it seems somewhat out of character that it wouldn't have been refined to account for an enemy who had in fact taken it to the face before who might not be eager to repeat the experience. Yes, there was the addition of everyone acting as distractions, the second component of the spiral, and the Hibiki brand jumpstart, but the use of the landscape shifter as a last ditch aiming tool when there should already have been allowance made for the target not cooperating is surprising.
    • This seems to be a major problem especially associated with Ranma. Starfire was forced to defeat Saffron on her own because Ranma was surprised that he had devised a way to counter the Hiryu Shoten ha despite it being established in story that he should have at least two ways to deal with such a problem.
      • The only way Jinx can get away with openly insulting Shampoo is because Ranma isn't observant enough to notice it. Despite the fact that every single one of Ranma's Batman Gambit (s) including the ones in this story require him being the only one capable of Spotting the Thread.
      • Taking it a step further the Gambler King arc is derectly referenced in story
  • For Science!: This is the reason the Psion tortured Starfire.
  • For the Evulz: Raven claim's that this is the reason that Titan Nabiki became a villain.
    Raven: It is people, people like your doppelganger, who intend to do harm with their actions that cause people to fear the most.
  • Friendly Enemy: Titan Kuno and Nabiki
  • Full-Potential Upgrade: Cyborg is making one for Yankee Squad. This includes more armor than usual since most of Yankee Squads members are significantly stronger than the standard X-COM member and can handle the extra weight, as well as specialized weapons designed for individual members.
  • Game Face: Raven does this early on when she lets her anger take control during the fight with her and Ryoga against X-COM.
  • Godzilla Threshold: The full might of the Sonic Cannon can reduce an armored tank to scrap in seconds.
  • Go Mad from the Revelation: Trespasser figured out that his metaverse (DC) was being screwed with from outside. What do you think the source of the conditionality was? The thing that drove him mad, even beyond the fact that he was trapped in and literally died in the space hulk dimension? The apex of the dimensional pyramid? Different metaverses work differently. This was said from the very start of Reflections Lost. What works in one universe will not necessarily work the same in another.
  • Gone Horribly Wrong: Nabiki mentioned how the various "please do not destroy" signs in Nerima acted more like invitations the n deterrents
  • Good Feels Good: Averted protecting others? Even for common cause sickened Reava
  • Good Versus Good: The main plot of the story is essentially "hero vs hero due to misunderstandings"
  • Green-Eyed Monster: This was the ultimate catalyst that led to Raven becoming Drunk on the Dark Side
    • Senior Sacristan Belucius Ro's jealousy over Kreiger caused him to sabotage the Oracle and sell his soul to Ixthultu
  • Grey-and-Gray Morality: While the Titan's like to think of themselves as morally superior to the heroes in the X-Comverse they narrative is more this trope.
    • Really its more of a case of Blue-and-Orange Morality as the virtues of their respective universes are completely different.
  • Guilty Pleasures: Gokusen for Nabiki
  • The Gunslinger: Revy or Lagoon-Two's skill impressed even Shampoo.
    • She was even able to feel Shampoo's fighting intent as she was watching her.
  • Hard Work Hardly Works: This has become a Berserk Button for Shampoo being surrounded by people born with free powers.
    • Jinx has only been training seriously for 3 months (2 with Happosai, and one with Batman) yet is able to hold her own against warriors who have trained since the moment they could walk.
      • it goes further then hold her own. She is able to casually hurt T-Ryoga with a playful backhand, is shown (or at least hinted) to be stronger/more skilled then shampoo, and is able to match for the Ranma's in both universes in serious combat.
  • He Who Fights Monsters: X-COM uses tactics that would be considered war crimes against any nation on earth. Fortunately for them, aliens have no rights. X-COM Ryoga uses killing techniques and possesses an evil ki. However, he makes a compelling argument to Titans Ryoga about that Titans Ryoga will also always easily turn moody, angry, and depressed, as that is how they are fundamentally built, and that it is better to learn to handle that than only pretend that they don't exist.
  • The Hedonist: Ryu has been Flanderized into this as one very lurid dream showed.
  • Heel–Face Brainwashing: Jinx's brainwashing by the Headmaster is what eventually led to her Heel–Face Turn.
    • While technically not a Heel–Face Turn, Shampoo and Titans Ryoga, who originally antagonized each other whenever possible, ended up becoming close friends after receiving the memories of a Shampoo and Ryoga from another dimension who were a couple while inside Heresiarch. Although they were arguably drifting toward a Fire Forged Friendship before that.
  • Heel Realization: While technically not a heel,X-COM Ryoga feels rather uncomfortable when compared to the much less morally questionable Titans Ryoga. Especially once he finds out that Titans Ryoga has had nearly as rough of a life as him.
    • Dealing with his younger counterpart also made him wonder how Ranma was able to deal with him and his other rival. Noting that he didn't have Ranma's patience when it came to that kind of thing. He had little time or interest in going out of his way to help those who would just as well stab him in the back.
    • Cyborg was the only one of the Titan's to realize that he didn't have the right to expect Hero Insurance when he came to the X-Comverse and his actions after the cops discovered him hacking into the satellite network was inexcusable leading to his surrender.
    • Throughout the story Jinx has been a complete Jerkass constantly insulting everyone who speaks to her be they friend or foe. Until she found out Raven was dead.
    • T-Ryoga upon realizing that Raven was dead instantly realized what a hypocritical Jerkass he had become. Bemoaning his need to blame others for his problemsand to hide behind comforting lies.
  • Hero Insurance: This doesn't exist in the X-com universe as the Titan's quickly found out. Their unwillingness to except this fact causes a lot of problem throughout the fic.
  • Heroic BSoD: Titans Ryoga, after Raven puts Jinx in a coma.
    • Starfire went through a mini one after escaping the X-com soldiers.
  • Heroic Safe Mode: Titans Ryoga, after Jinx wakes up and it is revealed that Raven also undid the Headmaster's influence, removing Jinx's love for him in the process.
    • It's implied that he sometimes slips back into a Heroic BSoD when he isn't being actively distracted.
  • Hidden Depths: Pretty much every main character, especially to readers who read either Dark Titans or The Road to Cydonia, but not the other.
    • Jinx likes to draw pictures of Unicorns
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: The lessons Akari was given to fight human psychics aided her and Jinx escape the Mind
    • The entropic energy that Tresspasser used to torture Ryoga ended up affecting him as well.
    • The C-2M Exotic Chemical Warfare Delivery System, is an X-COM chem-weapon derived from Celatid venom
    • T-Ryoga was the one who proposed that Ukyo be given the Green Lantern Ring.
  • Honor Before Reason: Averted instead of staying to fight Starfire grabbed the injured Ryu and hightailed it out of there.
  • Human Aliens: This was one of the reasons x-com believed starfires memories were fake and she was just a failed trencard experiment
  • Humans Are Bastards: After her literally explosive entrance into the world of The Road to Cydonia, Starfire does her best to save everyone from the collapsing clock tower, and manages to prevent any casualties. She is then attacked by the police, then the Chinese army, and finally by X-COM. After being captured and interrogated, they proceed to Mind Rape her. Upon discovering that she isn't lying and really is from another dimension and not with the Mind, she is recruited by X-COM as if nothing happened. She then watches as X-COM employs the exact same tactics as the aliens against the aliens, barring what circumstances prevent them from doing. She also watches all the human propaganda X-COM spreads throughout their base to keep up morale. All while being told that, as an alien, she basically has no rights and, if the Titans can't get home, she will essentially be a prisoner for the rest of her life. It's little wonder that she wants to get home as soon as possible.
  • Hyper-Destructive Bouncing Ball: Ranma created a variant of the moko takabisha that does this.
  • Hypocrite: T-Ryoga has had many hypocritical moments throughout the story especially if they happen to deal with either Jinx or X-Ryoga. For example when called out for teaching Starfire and Jinx Double Circulation despite having no idea what could happen he brushed it off with a combination of Insane Troll Logic, and Blatant Lies. Yet he had no trouble calling out Jinx when she tried to use the technique on Shampoo.
    • Given the fact that he repeatedly invokes Aesop Amnesia like his own personal philosophy his reason you suck speech to Ukyo about her not giving up on Ranma makes him this.
    • When it was Ukyo who was Brainwashed and Crazy T-Ryoga had no problem going straight for the kill yet when its one of his friends he just wants to let him do what he wants.
      • What makes this worse is that X-Comverse characters never trusted Ukyo while she wore the ring and made plans in the likely case she would betray them.
    • Then there are the Titans themselves they repeatedly see the X-COM characters as heartless due to the dark nature of the universe especially after Starfire's mind rape. Yet they see nothing wrong with allowing to Ryoga and Jinx to stay mentally compelled to love each other. They also show increasing apathy for the suffering of that universe.
    • Humans Are the Real Monsters to Starfire due to her experiences in the X-COM universe however she sees nothing wrong with X-COM's tactics as the Tamaraneans have used them against all of their invaders she just doesn't like the fact that she personally was on the receiving end of it.
  • Hypocritical Humor: When Ryoga brought up the topic of the disbanding of Yankee squad he called his friends out jumping to conclusions despite him doing the same thing when commander yasune told him
  • I Am Not Left-Handed: Jinx is something of a special case among everyone present. Pretty much everyone else on the crew fits pretty snuggly into a 'power class'. Shampoo and a few others are distinctly in the 'low end', while X-Ryo and X-Ranma are clearly leagues above them. Then there is Raven, who is definitely the heavy hitter of everyone present, and in something of her own weight class.
    • Jinx, however, relies alot on her physical abilities, which, in this particular crowd puts her on the very low end. However, her powers let her hit all the way into Raven's weight class at the drop of a hat, which is a claim that no one else can really make. Add to this fact, that Jinx has shown a willingness to go full out, right off the bat, in several fights, so one can't always assume that she'll fight to her opponent's level and work her way up.
    • It's easy to forget, but Konatsu is well above human when it came to raw strength,
    • During her fight with Ryoga after he had crushed all of rings Ukyo used her own energy to form a Brilliant Sunrise combining it the two remaining rings she hadn't yet used allowing her hold it in her hands instead of using her spatula.
  • Ignored Expert: Ranma's advice to Mouuse is winning Shampoo's favor was to stop coming on so strong as it was ultimately her decision weather or not she loves you. Mouuse decided to ignore that advice in favor of Jinx's plan to trick her into thinking he beat her up which is almost assuredly doomed to fail.
    • While Shampoo doesn't have any ki projection technique she has displayed extensive skill in ki manipulation yet because she can't fire a Shi Shi Hokodan T-Ryoga ignored her advice when she tried to help him with his earth ki techniques.
  • "I Know You Are in There Somewhere" Fight: Kuno of all people is the only one to attempt this
  • I'm Having Soul Pains: Starfire after being "interrogated" by X-COM
  • Improbable Weapon User: Both Ryogas use umbrellas and cloth as weapons.
    • Mitsuko Hibiki uses cloth as a weapon.
  • Inferiority Superiority Complex: Titans Ryoga keeps picking fights with X-COM Ryoga and shows off his moral superiority every chance he can get. The reason: he hates himself, and sees X-COM Ryoga as everything he thinks is wrong about himself in a conveniantly seperate package.
  • Inhumanable Alien Rights: It really sucks to be an alien in the X-COM-verse. Even if you're an ally of X-COM. Poor Starfire.
    • Also, if Trenchard Akari weren't already an enemy of humanity, the torturous experiments X-COM has been putting her through probably would make her one.
  • In Name Only: Titan Ryoga is only acting sergeant
  • Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain: Reava is this in universe even though she was one of Darkseid's Female Furies the heroes really felt bad about lying and abusing her just to get what they wanted. All except Jinx who took great pleasure in the abuse.
    • out of universe as well as Reava was locked in a room in the Hulk Dimension for centuries and was little to no threat to heroes
  • I Never Said It Was Poison: Given his credentials Cyborg was able to by the fact that Trespasser knew about the Thanagarian ship and its supply of Nth Metal. However what made him suspicious was that Tresspaser not only knew about Reava, but also what her job function was.
    • Taken even further with Ranma and Nabiki who knew nothing about who the Guardian's are so all of his knowledge was suspicious to them.
  • Innocently Insensitive:
    • Kuno does this a lot such as repeatedly referring to the Chief Tech with two doctorates as good smith.
    • Kuno's efforts to console Starfire after she was told she was Awesome, but Impractical only seemed to make her feel worse
    • Starfire telling one of the X-COM Doctor's that his latest invention was considered a toy on her world.
      Starfire I— I am sorry. I did not mean to bring attention to the fact that Earthly sciences are archaic by galactic standards.
      Cyborg: Star! Seriously. Archaic? That— that just hurts!
  • Insane Troll Logic:
    • The Titan's seem to thrive on this while in the X-Comverse especially Ryoga as literally every argument he gives in the story utilizes this trope. For example comparing Raven being Drunk on the Dark Side with X-ryoga fulfilling Akari's final request. He also see's Ukyo being brainwashed by Tresspasser the same as Cyborg actively choicing to work for him.
    • There is also his argument for why it was okay for him to teach an experimental technique with unknown consequences to Jinx and Starfire.
  • Starfire being sad that Ryoga hasn't been able to use the Lion's Roar Bullet for a long time.
  • Insistent Terminology: Every time someone ends up Brainwashed and Crazy everyone refers to it as a betrayal
  • Instant Expert: averted despite the unrealistic expectations of fans Raven did not instantly become the most perfect Psionicist in existence and incapable of making any mistakes.
    • Ukyo, who'd only been playing with a handful of busted ass, ancient relic Green Lantern rings for at most two weeks, didn't mastered them even beyond the abilities of trained and experienced Green Lanterns.
    • Neither of the girls had their powers for very long and their skill level's showed it.
    • played straight with the fact that Titan Ryoga, Starfire and Jinx simed to fave instantly mastered Double Circulation.
    • After only a few months training from Happosai Jinx can casually hurt Ryoga, hold her own against Titan Ranma, X-com Ranma, and Shampoo
    • X-com has both powerful psychics and machines that can do this. Referred to as the 'reading rainbow' programs.
    • This could explain all of X-Ranma's pop culture references.
  • Interrogated for Nothing: Starfire. X-COM has even less use for Presumption of innocence then they do Mind over Manners. When their initial mind probe reveals only incomprehensibly idealistic superhero memories, they subject her to one designed to destroy "false" memories. Mind Rape doesn't even begin to cover it, as this more invasive process is essentially 2 + Torture = 5: answers X-COM doesn't want to hear are punished with all-consuming psychological agony. After turning Star inside out, they realize that none of her memories are false, then forcibly recruit her with as much regret for the process as a 15th century witch hunter would for drowning a midwife.
  • Irrational Hatred: Titan Ryoga for all of X-com in general and X-com Ryoga specifically.
  • Irony: Do to the not so different nature between jinx situation with the titans and ranma's situation with ryoga Raven effectively went to ranma to get advice on how to deal with ranma
    • When Ryoga yelled at Raven that he had a life outside of martial arts, she replied that T-Kasumi was more likely to have a secret life.
    • The Titan's treated Ryoga's manipulation back in TTLB for what it was and did everything theey could to free him. Yet in Reflections they treat Jinx's manipulation as true love.
    • In the show and a lot of fanfics Raven is depicted as antisocial, outright hostile to new people and generally just not a particularly nice person. Although her reserve keeps it from showing too much. Yet in Reflections the half-demon loner is the ‘nice' one.
    • the author's in an effort to not make the X-Com characters overly powerful have worfed and dumbed them down to a ridicules and obvious degree. For example they didn't want Saffron defeated by a HSH variant was that they felt it was overdone. Yet the only reason this was noticed was that they foreshadowed it. Both Herb and X-Ryoga mentioned that Ranma intentionally goaded them into creating counters so that giving him idea for new variants. Yet he was utterly dumbfounded when Saffron countered his and Starfire's two man version.
    • Word of God also states Starfire's Nova attack was met to show that the Yankee squad weren't infallible as she could of just left Saffron in space to die.
    • Despite Lathis' dislike of God-Mode Sue Ranmafics he introduced a number of sue like traits to Jinx
    • Yankee squad see X-COM as heartless and amoral not only do they get increasingly hypocritical and apathetic they constantly antagonize them (especially Jinx and Ryoga). X-COM on the other hand are shown to be far more understanding. While it's obvious they do not like the Titan's they are willing to put with far more of the Titan's actions then the Titan's are of theres.
    • Despite being considered a Crack Pairing X-Ryoga and Nabiki have the most stable and loving relationship in the story.
  • It Amused Me: The most common reason that Jinx tends to harass people.
  • It's All About Me: Jinx is primarily concerned about herself
    • She admitted to X-Ryoga that back in Atlantis she intentionally put hers Terra's and Ryoga's lives in danger by synchronizing with their energy despite no prior training because she was jealous
      • when told about Akari's final request Jinx replied that she didn't care about what Akari wanted. And later after finding out that her efforts to save Akari only caused her end up in a fate worse then death she attacked Kasumi who if she told anyone would have most gotten all of Yankee squad throw in jail and maybe even executed.
      • When told by Mitsuko that T-Ryoga was depressed her first thought was that he was only with her to punish himself.
    • its ironic that Raven felt that X-Com was this because he didn't think it was right to allow two people to remain mentally compelled to love each other and felt that it would be better to get rid of the implanted feelings after Raven forcibly did so to Jinx.
    • Raven's or at least Terra-Raven's "The Reason You Suck" Speech to X-Ryoga was essentially telling him that all of his suffering didn't matter the fear of constant death, the pain inflicted on him by Trencard Cologne, all that he has been through don't matter because they didn't benefit her. that unlike him her Ryoga understand her and thus truly knows what fear is.
    • This seems to big problem with T-Ryoga yet he projects it on to his older counterpart.
  • It's All My Fault:
    • Raven blames herself for the Titan's ending up in the X-COM universe as it was a combination of her powers and the Griffin's that sent them there.
    • X-Ryoga blames himself for what happened in Azarath and the Hulk Dimension
      X-Ryoga: I screwed the pooch on this mission, this one... and Azarath both. I screwed up. Made bad decisions. Got careless. People almost died. The only thing I have left is to put all I have into getting everyone home alive. That's the only thing that will salvage this disaster.
  • I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Though jealous before they found out that they were talking about two different Ryoga's Akari felt this way about Jinx.
  • {{Jerkass }}: After they were finally free of the Hulk Dimension and Cyborg took over the ship, while they couldn't just attack him because he was controlling everything Titan-Ryoga still used a genuine threat on the crews life to get a final dig in on X-Ryoga.
    • Passive-Aggressive Kombat has become T-Ryoga's default mode of conversation to the point where he comes across as a hypocritical Spoiled Brat.
    • Actually it comes across more bad fanon as he constantly blames Ranma for everything. For example when he thought that he had died after his defeat by Ukyo he was happy to die because then he wouldn't have to see Ranma ever again.
    • Even after his Heroic Resolve recovery his first thought was that Ukyo reminded him of Ranma.
  • Karma Houdini: Neither T-Ryoga or jinx paid for needlessly antagonizing everyone even when that resentment pulled over to Brainwashed and Crazy they still acted the same. What makes this truly hanus is that it effects soldier moral effecting their ability to work together
    • Then there is also his blatant favoritism of Jinx
    • Jinx saved Akari's life for me complete selfish reasons despite the later wishing to die human. Then after finding out that she caused Akari to suffer a Fate Worse than Death she attacked Kasumi who had nothing to do with it putting no only her self but all the other titans lives in danger if Kasumi reported her.
    • The Titan's as a whole have caused numerous Inferred Holocaust incidents by unknowingly providing weapons to the visitors.
    • Ryoga keeping Jinx psychically forced to love him
  • Ki Manipulation: Now in two flavors - emotion based ki and elemental ki.
  • Kinetic Weapons Are Just Better: Kinetic weapons are just cheaper.
  • The Knights Who Say "Squee!": Cyborg when he discovered the ship was a green lantern vessel
  • Know-Nothing Know-It-All:
    • Raven's evolution into a Small Name, Big Ego has caused her to show signs of this such as her "The Reason You Suck" Speech to X-Ryoga which was a combination of hypocrisy and narcissism. Stating that none of his suffering and fear of death mattered because she didn't benefit from like she did with T-Ryoga's suffering. Basically she used her rudimentary knowledge of his past to call him a coward. Played with in that despite its hypocrisy it did work.
    • This is pretty much a given due to the Titans refusal to except that they are in a decidedly grey universe instead of the black and white universe they are familiar with. The biggest example is Akari. They were repeatedly warned that re-connecting her with the Alien Hive Mind was a bad idea. Even Akari herself stated that she did not want this to happen. Yet they just brushed it off and did it anyway seeing X-COM as heartless monsters for not doing it. Cyborg went as far as to compare her situation to Cybernetics Eat Your Soul stating he knows exactly what she's going through.
      Jinx: I guess you're more like your Ryoga than I thought. I don't know about you, but in the time I spent with her, I actually got to like Akari. I'd at least like to give her a shot at living, rather than shoot her in the head before even trying. What's it even matter to you? If it works, great, if not, you just kill her, anyway. Shouldn't be too hard for you guys, considering you seem so willing to let her die even while she's still herself.
      Ranma: You think you do. I don't think you guys really get what this situation is. You think any of us would give up on a friend lightly? This ain't some miracle cure, an' maybe it works or maybe it won't. It'll be ugly. Mark my words.
    • Played with while T-Ryoga's assessment that he is far more familiar with his teams capabilities since he hasn't even bothered to learn any military protocol as he himself admitted this making him better able to assign duties is false especially since this is the first time he's acting as a leader.
    • This is probably more of a case of Small Name, Big Ego as they seem to totally disregard the treat placed by the aliens of the X-COM universe.
      Jinx: Most of the aliens here, one on one, wouldn't even be able to catch Batman's attention, let alone the League itself. Except maybe those... Chryssalid crab things.
      Starfire: They do not even know what power is. The being, Saffron, which the aliens in this dimension created... they considered that to be immensely powerful, but compared to the works wrought by my own tormentors, the Psions, he was less than a single point of light in the night sky.
  • Kung-Fu Sonic Boom: India against slade
  • Lack of Empathy: The Titan's as a whole have shown a surprising amount of callousness to the suffering of those in the X-COM Universe but the cake really has to go Ryoga and Raven with their It's All About Me attitude.
    • Raven status as the X-COM Universe's strongest psychic has completely gone to her head turning her into a Small Name, Big Ego to the point that on Azarath she purposely withheld information as she believed X-COM felt she was too important to let leave. However what really cements this is her "The Reason You Suck" Speech to X-Ryoga which was essentially telling him that his suffering didn't matter because unlike with T-Ryoga she didn't benefit from it.
    • Ryoga is arguably worse not only does he intentionally antagonize everyone he meets sowing discord within the rank of X-COM he has an an extreme case of Moral Myopia condemning actions as Moral Event Horizon when done to him or the titans but sees nothing wrong when he does it. When informed the titans actions had led to akira suffering a Fate Worse than Death he replied so what at least he felt morally in the right for having done it.
    • Any action he has with his parents makes him come across as a Spoiled Brat as he went into his [Wangst woe is me]] stance to them despite not only do both of them have the hibiki curse but his father has to be confined because he is a danger to himself and others and his mother has to watch as her family is effected by the war.
      Raven: What is with you today? Here you have a ... well, maybe a thrice in a lifetime chance to meet your father, and all you can think to do is complain?
      • This is one of the things that makes x-ryoga Older and Wiser because he both recognizes and acknowledges that this he has this flaw and aims to improve it
    • The Titans are this to Raven as despite them knowing that Ryoga and Jinx are mentally coerced into loving each other they repeatedly chastise her for not fighting hard enough for him.
  • Lampshade Hanging: Nabiki committing about how Ranma suddenly went from Chaste Hero to All Men Are Perverts after he compared Jinx to a pipe cleaner.
  • Laser-Guided Amnesia: The Mind usually erases the memories it deems unimportant in its trenchards.
  • Laser-Guided Karma: Kasumi believed that Doctor Andrews' lab accident was this
  • LEGO Genetics: Trenchards. Basically, it's a human turning into an alien. Specifically an Ethereal.
  • Let's Get Dangerous!: Starfire when she was attacked by the military felt both apprehension and excitement
  • Let's You and Him Fight: As TRTC is having a plague of delusional psionics who don't need Amplifier Artifacts when the Titans show up, their world's first response to weirdos in spandex is to give a warning to surrender then attempt to incapacitate, and escalate from there. Interestingly, Cyborg never fought X-COM as he was initially assumed to be a human criminal (a local law enforcement matter) and Jinx ran into the aliens first. The others were assumed to be alien terror units or infiltrators.
  • Light Is Not Good: Traditionally, phoenixes are portrayed as holy symbols of life, light, and hope. Not Saffron. Especially disturbing symbolic imagery when set against Raven's entropic chaos and nothingness.
  • Lightning Bruiser: Konatsu
  • Likes Older Women: Cyborg
  • Living Emotional Crutch: Jinx and Ryoga seem to be this for each other due to being manipulated into loving each other. Many fans have noticed that Jinx has become increasingly antagonistic after Raven removed the manipulation.
  • Look What I Can Do Now!: The X-COM Ryoga vs Titans Ryoga fight is full of this.
  • Loophole Abuse: To keep X-COM from Taking Over The World, they are bound by the vaguely-worded Section Seven clause:(Paraphrased) "No extraterrestial technology is to be used against terrestrial combatants" AKA no using energy weapons, power armor, or psi-amps on humans. The instant the X-COM-verse Nerima Wrecking Crew fell into X-COM hands, they were formed into India and Juliet squads, their purpose being to attack civilians X-COM is forbidden by treaty to harm. They currently spend their time attacking Sirius Group operations and hunting rogue psychics, but there is absolutely nothing keeping X-COM from having them assassinate uncooperative world leaders or even destroying military sites(they rip through entire armies like a chainsaw through wet tissue paper during the invasion of Korea in The Road to Cydonia) with canonical terrain-wrecking ki abilities which they have improved on.
  • Loss of Identity: Seems to be one of Titans-Ryoga's fears. He doesn't want anyone removing the fake memories Brother Blood implanted him with, since even if they're fake, they're part of what makes him him.
    • It's part of how the Mind controls its Trenchards.
  • Love Triangle: Ryu-Ukyou-Konatsu
  • Made of Indestructium: The alien alloy is fairly close to indestructible, barring plasma attacks. Or Titans Ryoga.
  • Made of Iron: All of the Nerima Wrecking Crew. Unfortunately, that's not enough against lasers and plasma weapons.
    • Special notice goes to Cyborg and Starfire, who are indestructible enough to survive attacks by lasers and plasma weapons. But not without taking damage.
  • Magical Defibrillator: Averted when Raven revived Jinx
  • Martial Pacifist: The Hibiki-ken is an entirely defense-minded technique, developed by Tetsuya Hibiki because he was a pacifist who hated violence.
  • Meat Puppet: Raven switches to possessing enemies when her telekinesis starts to fail her.
  • Mega Crossover: This is a crossover between Teen Titans, Ranma ½, and X Com UFO Defense.
  • Men Are the Expendable Gender: According to Kuno anyway
  • The Men in Black: UNETCO acts as this by countering and controlling the flow of rumor and heresy
  • Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex: Ryoga is afraid of becoming intimate with Nabiki because of this.
  • Meta Fiction: On-off, starting with the InuYasha dismantling.
  • Mind over Matter: Raven starts with this, but eventually loses so much of it power-wise that she switches to using only telepathy and mind control.
  • Mind Probe: What Starfire is mind raped with.
  • Mind Rape: X-COM attempts to use a machine to destroy the false memories implanted within Starfire's mind so that they may discover what the Mind is actually up to. Except none of Starfire's memories are false.
  • Mirror Match: Titans Ryoga vs. X-COM Ryoga
  • Misplaced Retribution: After finding out what happened to Akari Jink decided to attack Kasumi despite the fact that not only did she have nothing to due with the torture, she didn't even know about it at the time.
  • Mood Whiplash: Compared to Dark Titans, "Reflections" initially takes a massive leap along the Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism, to I Did What I Had to Do, Sociopathic Soldier, To the Pain Gorn, Black-and-Gray Morality, A Real Man Is a Killer, Cold-Blooded Torture, Break the Cutie, Good Is Impotent and so onwards, or to put it another way, it presents the likes of Warhammer 40,000 and Friedrich Nietzsche as the only reliable worldview, and everything/everybody else must be assimilated. It is still very well written though, likely even more so on a technical level, which isn't necessarily a good thing when used in this direction. Later it becomes much more balanced and enjoyable again.
  • Moral Myopia: T-Ryoga comes across as incredibly hypocritical throughout the story to the point where he could qualify for the new trope qualifier. One of the first conversation he has is calling out Raven for not excepting Jinx's Good Is Not Nice mentality his argument was literally word for word is relationship with T-Ranma.
    • When Raven went Drunk on the Dark Side Ryoga tried to talk her down saying how wrong it was to force someone to love her conveniently forgetting that he refuses to cure his and Jinx coercion to love each other.
      • Going further after Jinx's coercion was cured he cried about the fact that she now had a choice not to love him. As well as telling Raven they could now persue a relationship after telling her he didn't lover her.
    • After X-Ryoga found out that he taught an experimental technique with unknown outcomes to Jinx and Starfire T-Ryoga used a combination of Insane Troll Logic and out right lies to explain why he was justified. Yet when Jinx tried to use that technique of X-Shampoo he flat out used X-Ryoga's reasoning for why it wasn't a good idea.
    • T-Ryoga fought the Brainwashed and Crazy ukyo he didn't hesitate to go in for the kill yet he raised holy hell when X-Ryoga tried to stop he Straw Vulcan Cyborg.
      • Made even more funnier due to the fact he as the one who called X-Ryoga a hypocrite for doing this.
      • This is mostly due to his repeated use of passive aggressive combat. In the Hulk Dimension both Jinx and Nabiki ended up hurt at the same time T-Ryoga was furious that X-Ryoga noticed Nabiki's injuries first while downplaying them.
    • Starfire shows signs of this as well after her Mind Rape by X-COM Starfire has shown increasing signs of Fantastic Racism to the point where she sounds remarkably similar to Val Yor such as referring to her fellow the good humans. However it comes to the head when it is found out that the Tamaranian had similar wars with the Gordanians, the Citadel, the Psions, and the Trillarians as X-COM and the aliens all of which ended in genocide. Yet she repeatedly calls X-COM out on their tactics even wondering if they are the good guys. you know she'd be furious if anyone said the same thing about the Tamaranians and those four civilizations.
    • Despite the hypocrisy Starfire's animosity with X-COM is more of a case of Grey-and-Gray Morality however despite her anger at her Mind Rape she saw nothing wrong with allowing Ryoga and Jinx to stay coerced into loving each other. Jinx even called her out on this after she was cured.
    • The Titan's refusal to except the Hero Insurance doesn't apply in the X-COMVerse as the Let's You and Him Fight originally started due to the massive amounts of collateral damage caused by their entry into the world.
  • Morality Pet: T-Ranma acts as this for Raven ever since arriving in the X-COMverse without an easy line of communication with him her nightmares have been getting worse and worse.
    • Literally during her dream date with ryoga ranma acted as her conscious
    • It's telling that Raven can tell Ranma things that she can't tell to her Titan's or even Ryoga. Being able to speak to Ranma is a greatly appreciated outlet for her in trying to cope with being Trigon's daughter, perhaps the only thing keeping her from retreating completely from her friends out of fear.
    • The 2 of them really have a kind of chemistry together that makes their pieces really work, especially since NEITHER one of them has so much as a speck of romantic interest in the other. Their friendship really works at a level that's just interesting to watch happen.
  • More than Mind Control: This is what happened to Raven on Azaran.
    Raven: I have no excuse. At no point was I not in control of my own actions. Everything that I did... it all seemed like the right thing to do at the time.
    X-COM Ryoga: But you're right, You don't have excuses. You were seduced, not controlled. You let down your team and your friends and you're going to have to live with that.
  • Most Common Super Power: Raven if Ryu is anything to go by. If fact, according to Raven many bloggers refer to her as such on a regular basis.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: Konetsu felt this way about his exploits in the Space Hulk Dimension.
    Konetsu: No phantoms of the past returned to haunt him; to admonish him; to mock him. Instead, his mind dredged up memories of fighting Shampoo, of turning on his friends, of giving into his selfishness and fear and frustration and anger. He didn't need ghosts of the past to lash out at him. His own actions were as damning now as they had been when he was young and still a virtual slave to his step-sisters.
  • My Greatest Failure:
    • Back in Dark Titans, Titans Ryoga, after having Fake Memories implanted by Brother Blood, managed to maim almost every member of the Teen Titans, Raven in particular. Then, after having his true memories returned, he proceeded to nearly nuke Jump City. While the other Titans forgive him, he has yet to forgive himself.
    • Nabiki's time at Meiji University really was a turning point for her.
  • Nigh-Invulnerability: Thanks to his recovery factor Slade can casually shrug off a double Geimon Tetsu Sen Shi
  • Never My Fault: It wouldn't be a Ryoga centric fanfic if this trope wasn't in play on of the first instances in the fic is him trying to blame Ranma for Raven and Jinx not getting along.
    Ryoga: To avoid hurting any of my friends. Damnit, this has to be Ranma's fault somehow.
    • The problem is that this trope soon becomes his defining traits to the point where he comes across as a Spoiled Brat such as when he blamed his parents for all of the bad decisions he made because the Hibiki curse met they couldn't spend a lot of time with each other.
      • Made all the hypocritical given his reaction to finding out about his father's condition. Speaking of which when he rushed off looking to fight X-Ryoga and ended up getting lost he contemplated attacking the first person he saw to demand answers.
    • When informed that the Titan's actions have caused Akira to experience a Fate Worse than Death he replied that at least his conscious was clear.
      T-Ryoga: Yeah, I know what they say about good intentions, too. But they also say that all it takes for evil to win is for good men to do nothing. At least we took action, for better or for worse. Maybe we did try, and fail, and we'll probably end up feeling worse about it than those of you that gave up before you even began ... but at least we'll know we tried.
    • it got worse when he entered the Hulk Dimensions as he got increasingly passive aggressive During a mission Jinx ended up causing a collapse (its unknown weather it was intentional or not) injuring X-Ryoga and damaging his air supply. He and Jinx ended up combining their abilities to get back to the ship however the combination ended up being power art a price critically injuring both X-Ryoga and Jinx. T-Ryoga ignored this calling Ukyo monsters for allowing it to happen. However Ukyo quickly called him out on his hypocrisy.
    • However it is mostly caused by the Titans inability to except the fact that Hero Insurance no longer applies and that there are now consequences to their actions causing them to see X-COM's attempts at trying to reign them in as heartless and evil. For example their entry into the universe caused substantial collateral damage and even injuries the army trying to put a stop to them was considered inexcusable.
      Ryoga: I know. And I know it's not fair. But that's just the way it is. We have to play by the rules here, no matter how abhorrent. These people are fanatics about protecting their world from any threats. Even though we've helped them out repeatedly, don't doubt for a second that they'd turn on us like a scorpion if we give them cause. I don't want anything bad to happen to you, to any of us, so you have to use your head more, okay?
    • It has also been shown to be caused by an Inferiority Superiority Complex on T-Ryoga's part as though he tries to ignore it he does blame himself for the situation the titan's are in in the back of his mind. Which is why he used Ukyo instead of Raven when argueing with X-Ryoga about Cyborg's take over.
    • Jinx is even worse due to her It's All About Me mentality for example Akira is only in her Fate Worse than Death because she didn't care what Akira wanted. However when she found out she viciously attacked Kasumi who had nothing to do with it. Later she called Kasumi out for trying to appease her by offering to introduce her to Tetsuya thinking she was lying to get out of her beating.
      Jinx: For Everything that she was... Akari was a moron, you wouldn't even believe the stuff she would go on about while we were out in the woods. She was so damn wrapped up in her ideas and perceptions on how things were supposed to work between people. She was probably so worried about messing up Ry— the Lieutenant's life, that she just told him to off her to give him an easy out. And what right did he have to do that, anyway? She was my Akari, not his. I made her, I nearly killed myself a dozen times over just to get her out of there... and then he thinks he can just waltz in and kill her? just like that?
    • Averted with Cyborg who after a short bout of Super Jerkassery had a Heel Realization and realized that Hero Insurance doesn't apply in this universe.
  • New Powers as the Plot Demands: Lampshaded, Jinx seems to stumble across some talent or ability every few minutes
  • No Guy Wants an Amazon: X-Com Ryoga always fancied himself ending up with a weak, mostly normal girl to protect. While Nabiki may be pretty normal comparatively she isn't the type to cower and let him jump in to rescue her and look cool. Which meant all his old fantasies of fighting an implacable enemy while his girlfriend constantly yelled "Ryoga-samaaaa!" with tears in her eyes weren't going to happen.
  • Nominal Hero: Mousse shows signs of being this from time to time. When told that there might be a world ending apocalyptic threat to the Titan's earth his reply was that as long as it wasn't his earth he didn't care.
  • No-Nonsense Nemesis: X-COM in general, but special mention goes to Shampoo. Upon being betrayed by Tresspasser, she immediately attempts a kill strike. Afterwards, once she verifies that Ukyou is also betraying them, she responds by blinding her.
  • Noodle Incident: Nabiki mentioned how she once sold Ranma to the Triads to pay off a debt.
    • Starfire being the spokeswoman for Zorbrian Spider Juice marinade
    • Ryoga's time in Atlantis.
    • Due to the time skip there are a lot of these.
    • Ryoga mentioning what happened the last time he tried to reign Jinx in
    • Ranma was once chased around by a dangerous man-eating nympho cult while in his cursed form.
  • No Sense of Direction: Every single Hibiki in the story. This is played for laughs often, and many jokes are had at their expense.
  • Not in Kansas Anymore: The Titan's with the exception of Cyborg refused to except the fact that many of the rules they apply to such as Hero Insurance and Black-and-White Morality no longer apply in the X-COM universe. It is for this reason that many consider them Designated Hero (s) as they continue to claim moral superiority while continuing to cause problem after problem by not being willing to adapt.
    Jinx: This isn't like Atlantis, Ryoga. There, if we knocked someone out, they were pretty much out of the fight. Here, even if we leave an enemy completely helpless, they can still get us, or other people, killed. We need to do this, hard, fast and final. Do you understand?
  • No-Sell: The zombified Thanagarian was completely unperturbed by starfires Barrier-Busting Blow.
    • Ukyou was able to do this in her fight with T-Ryoga with her Green Lantern Ring.
  • No Sense of Direction: Every single Hibiki in the story. This is played for laughs often, and many jokes are had at their expense.
  • No Sympathy: The Titan's have numerous instances of this as a sign of their taking a level in jerkass. The most obvious is the Love Triangle between Jinx, Raven and Ryoga. Despite being aware that Jinx and Ryoga are mentally coerced into loving each other the titan's show a surprisingly Lack of Empathy for Raven's feeling. Starfire even went so far as to admonish her for not trying hard enough.
    • Their allowing the mental coercion to happen is a sign as this as well. In fact after Raven got rid of it everyone kept telling Jinx how hurt Ryoga was by it forcing her to call them out on ignoring her feeling in the matter.
    • Raven isn't immune to this however as her reason you suck speech to X-Ryoga was basically telling him that his suffering and fears didn't matter because she didn't benefit from them.
    • Cyborg showed signs of this after turning off the human portion of his brain as he expected complete efficiency out of everyone no matter the circumstances.
  • Not Helping Your Case: As Cyborg mentioned the warriors of the X-COM universe are fighting an unyielding threat to their very existence. This has caused them to take on a firm with us or against us mentality. This is the reason Starfire doesn't trust Juliet and India squad as she believes that they would only need a single reason to turn against her. However her increasing humans are the real bastards mentality to the point of saying her friends are wasted as human's makes it hard not to see where they're coming from.
  • Not Quite Saved Enough: Despite Ryoga breaking free of Raven's mind control in time to rescue Jinx, then managing to get her to the ship quick enough to save her life, it turns out that Raven already erased her love for and memories of her relationship with Ryoga.
  • "Not So Different" Remark: Akari compares Jinx to Akane and Nabiki. All three are the type to ask Ryoga something, knowing he wouldn't know how to say 'no.'
  • Nothing Is the Same Anymore: Even if the Titans manage to get back to their world, they've definitly been changed by their time in X-COM. And for most of them, not for the better.
  • Obfuscating Stupidity: There are times where Ranma Is shown to be a lot more aware of things then he lets on.
  • Obviously Evil: T-Ryoga's massive hypocrisy and Moral Myopia makes him come across like this sometimes. For example when he found out that his mother had embarrassing baby pictures of X-Ryoga he started laughing maniacally.
  • Off the Chart: Raven's psychic ability after abandoning her Trigon based powers. The machine just lists her as "Double A".
  • Older and Wiser:
    • Zig-zagged with Ranma; despite his Idiot Ball moments, he does shows signs of increased wisdom regarding his relationships. Back in The Road to Cydonia, despite their character development when Akane and Ranma were together, they acted they same way they always do. However in Reflections on a Lost Dark Road, Ranma realizes that type of relationship is unacceptable and sought to fix it.
    • X-COM as a whole are this as despite their status as Designated Villain they are far more willing to put up with the antics of the Titan's then vise versa. They are willing to at least show professional courtesy.
  • One Dialogue, Two Conversations: Both Herb and Starfire believed that the other had destroyed the Amazon villiage. However since they were unknowingly talking about two different villages their conversation made them see the other as a heartless sociopath.
  • Only Mostly Dead: Raven survives having her heart mulched by Tresspasser thanks to a Father Box.
  • O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Akane noticing Ranma and X-Ryoga's haggard appearances when they were getting ready for Operation Pathfinder.
    • When Azarath went to hell after Raven became Drunk on the Dark Side everyone knew something was wrong when Ranma's voice didn't carry its usual strength and confidence.
    • When they came across an unknown alien ship in the hulk dimension Ranma's first thought was to go in and kill everyone so that they could steel their tech.
      • Actually he was thinking that they should be prepared incase the aliens were hostile the Titan's jump to the conclusion that he wanted to rush in guns blazing.
    • Despite stating that the road to cydonia is specifically a continuation of the MANGA. Ranma is openly telling people the full details of his techniques throughout reflections.
      • Fridge Brilliance It could be seen as the ultimate sign of ranma's trust
      • That doesn't explain why he would tell them to Yankee squad.
    • This also doubles as a Big-Lipped Alligator Moment but Ranma openly stating that he wants to see a bunch of girls and middle aged milfs prancing around like priests in a pervy RPG comes across as this as it comes completely out of left field.
    • The Titan's come across as forced especially when they first entered the X-COM universe. For example a few readers felt that Starfire reflexively melting a police officers gun feels very forced. She is not trigger happy even under the worse conditions let alone as she was.
    • Raven and Ryoga come out of a strange dimensional vortex, which they survived only by combining their unique abilities. They don't know what happened to their friends in the lab, they can't make contact with anybody and they…are thinking about taking a day or two off to play tourist. Huh? What? Does this method of inter-universe travel scramble your brain unless it's partly computer like Cyborg's?
    • There are many instances where T-Ryoga comes across as a sleaze stringing the Titan girls along. For example when he and Raven first entered the X-COM universe he attempted to convince Raven into allowing him to sleep in the same bed with her.
      Ryoga: Right, right, of course. I'll just set up over here. On the floor. The cold, cold floor.
  • Opposites Attract: X-COM Ryoga is paired off with Nabiki, who wants him to head her mercenary organization (which pretty much requires him to strongly rein her in if her Heel–Face Turn is going to last).
  • Organic Technology: The corrupted Nth Metal acts as this.
    • The EDC Device was built using organic material taken from the hypogrif
  • Our Zombies Are Different: The corrupt Nth Metal effected Thanagarian's. the fight in unless hoards, impervious to pain yet are cognizant enough to handle energy weapons
  • Out of Character: Absolutely excellent in TTATLB and DT, but:
    • The "Road To Cydonia" counterparts of Ryoga and Ranma have been willing to kill armed, though extremely outmatched, non-superhuman opponents in battle, whereas the originals were firm Bully Hunter types.
    • Kasumi is here perfectly willing to participate in Cold-Blooded Torture against trenchard Akari.
    • Konatsu, whose entire point was that he had no natural urge to kill whatsoever, and had to be drugged by magic to get any, constantly runs dozens of graphic combat scenarios in his head. He still typically opts for the one that does the least harm to his opponent, human or alien.
    • A much smaller issue is that Ryoga, whose entire point during the manga was that he liked Akane because he mistook her for a super-strong Kasumi with the same interests as him, was then paired off with a girl much closer to his/their actual ideal, sans the superhuman martial arts (Akari). Nevertheless, X-COM Ryoga is in a relationship with a mischievous psychopath (Nabiki), and DT-Ryoga with a much less extreme sociopath version (Jinx), although he initially ended up attracted to her because of mind-control.
  • Out of the Frying Pan: After defeating Tresspasser are heroes fell under the control of the computerized Cyborg.
    Reava: How entertaining! We survive certain death in one universe, only to witness this farce in another? Tell me, 'Soundwave', does your proclamation mean what I think it does?
    Cyborg: You are correct. I do not possess the authority to reinstate members of the crew to duty, even if a marked improvement in mental condition should occur.
  • Overshadowed by Awesome:
    • Shampoo seems to feel that this may be happening to her since the arrival of Yankee Squad, and she isn't happy about it.
    • Every single psychic in X-COM when compared to Raven. She outdoes them, and doesn't need a psi-amp to do it. There are a few psychics who are as strong as her though, including Saffron, but all of them are insane.
  • Parasol of Pain: Ryoga. Both of him.
  • Passive-Aggressive Kombat: Nearly every word Jinx says to Shampoo is one of these using an incredibly passive aggressive approach to try and bait her.
  • Perky Goth: Jinx
  • Personal Horror: Both Ryogas, mainly due to exposure to each other. One reminds the other of all the mistakes he's made, the other makes the first realize just what he's done to himself for the sake of revenge.
  • Playing with Syringes: What X-COM does to Trenchard Akari. What the aliens tried to do to Jinx.
  • Plot Hole: The Spotlight-Stealing Squad has caused a lot of these. For example during their battles with T-Ryoga and Starfire both X-Ryoga and Herb mentioned how Ranma intentionally goaded them into creating counters to the Hiryu Shoten Ha so that he could create counters to their counters. Yet during the battle with Saffron Ranma was honestly surprised that someone had created a counter to the technique and froze in shock.
    • The use the technique in the first place in the original series Saffron's ability to fly made him immune to the Hiryu Shoten Ha since he was able to navigate inside the tornado using his wings. So Ranma used a Ranma used a technique he knew was useless. While Saffron either created a counter for a technique he knew as useless or created a counter that would only make the technique he created it for more powerful since Hiryū Hyō Toppa is what actually defeated him.
    • Ranma freezing in shock at all: since Saffron and Herb have already shown that they can counter the technique in their first fight, so ranma freezing in shock doesn't make any sense.
    • Nearly every sentence out of Ranma's mouth contains a pop culture reference that is not only dated but American. Since The Road to Cydonia is a continuation of the manga and neither Manga Ranma or Ranma in The Road to Cydonia were ever depicted as watching a lot of TV. Furthermore the Time Skip is only a few mouths so either Ranma psychically inserted the knowledge into his mind or has been spend every free moment watching tv.
    • Both in this fic and the previous one every single one of Ranma's (boy he has a lot of these) ideas involves him noticing or seeing something that no one else does yet Jinx is able insult Shampoo right infront of him with the reason being specifically stated that he just isn't observant enough to notice.
    • It doesn't make much sense both in and out of universe that T-Ryoga was chosen to lead squad Yankee over Cyborg as the later as more experience in both being a leader and a superhero. Though this could be more of a case of Drama-Preserving Handicap
    • Speaking of Ryoga every single argument he has made in the fic utilizes Insane Troll Logic yet he always wins. However given the nature of this story the person he is arguing with (Shampoo, X-Ryoga) where actually at the time and place he was using in his argument so should have realized this.
    • The revelation that Jinx was also coerced into loving T-Ryoga means that Brother Blood intentionally set himself up to fail.
    • X-COM allowing Yankee to stay functioning period its shown many times that Jinx and T-Ryoga are insubordinate (T-Ryoga even refusing to learn the codes) putting a huge strain on soldier moral to the point where many don't want to work with them.
    • During the battle between the T-Ryoga and the Brainwashed and Crazy Ukyo Ryoga discovered her weakness to the color yellow turning the battle around. Though beat up Ukyo was able to block the attack get up stress to T-Ryoga that she was a warrior and continued to fight. However not a milli second later she suddenly turned into a Dirty Coward with no build up and had Starfire fight him instead.
    • Jinx's astonishing increase in martial arts ability to the point where not only can she match the worlds strongest fighters in her own world (it was mentioned she has a match against T-Ranma to determine the heir to anything goes) but match and even defeat the worlds greatest artist in the X-COMverse. All of this despite the fact that she has only trained with Happosai for about two months.
  • Plucky Girl: Starfire
  • Politically Incorrect Villain: The educational video the Brother Blood showed his HIVE Academy students featured one of these in the form of Blast Girl who refers to her mooks as henchpeople.
  • Pot Calling The Kettle Black:
    • One of the biggest signs of T-Ryoga's hypocrisy is the fact that he continuously projects his flaws onto others without the slightest hint of irony. For example he called Ukyo out for chasing after Ranma all her life to restore her honor only to change her mind when she found out he was innocent. This from the guy who chased after a guy all over china because he because wasn't at a fight that Ryoga was four days late for and then chased all the way back to Japan because to him a random girl and panda duo knocked him into a spring.
    • Ukyo was quick to to call T-Ryoga out for always using Insane Troll Logic to shift the blame/responsibility off on other people.
      Ukyo: You're a hundred times worse than I could ever be, a sick, indecisive piece of shit who strings his friends along. A pervert who abused the trust of someone he claimed to love. A moron who doesn't even know when he isn't wanted. An arrogant prick who butts in where he doesn't belong. Don't you try and lecture me, Hibiki. Don't you dare.
    • It should be noted that T-Ryoga is perfectly aware that he this
  • Power Creep, Power Seep:
    • Initially, in Titans and the Lost Boy, Ryoga (and by extension, the rest of the Ranma crew), as well as Starfire and Cyborg are all drastically reduced in strength. As the story progressed, the author has been slowly been bringing them back up to their levels displayed in the animated series source materials. Ryoga and Starfire are represented as close in strength as a conscious choice by the author, as, although her greatest blatant feat of strength was far beneath manga Ryoga's, she was sometimes able to challenge Cyborg. Cyborg, whose top showing in the animated series include tearing up an office building and using it as a bludgeon, which matches Lime keeping open a closing ravine, is presented as ten times stronger than either of them. It would be about 3 times stronger compared with manga Ryoga, but that may be irrelevant.
    • Since the author is using the Ranma anime and Titan's animated series as alpha canon (for observable combat feats, as opposed to trying to extrapolate from static page images), and the Ranma manga and Titans Go comic as Beta canon, quickly followed by the DCAU and other animated DC shows as third canon, followed finally by the actual DC comic lines for the lowest level of canon, this means that although the speed and skill feats for the Ranma crew are still superior to the Titan's cast, unlike the manga's supersonic speed and unearthly skill, it is not by an insurmountable level. Again, this was done as a balance issue, as the manga has showings far in excess of those shown in the anime, although comics Cyborg and Starfire were actually usually presented as far less physically extreme than their (much more compelling) animated series counterparts.
    • Cyborg is author fiat, but Starfire is actually Psychosomatic Superpower Outage.
  • Powered Armor: The Armor Assist System
    • The MARS suits
  • Power Parasite: The Corpse Lantern ring actually inserted itself into Ukyo to the point where Shampoo had to tear off a strip of skin to get it off Ukyou's finger.
  • Power Perversion Potential: The first time Raven left the bases mind shield after her power switch led to instances of this.
  • Power Tattoo: The martial arts calligraphy array
  • Pragmatic Villainy: The moment the Ethereal became aware of the meta-gene their first start was to both invade her universe and replicate their abilities. Knowing that it would take centuries, perhaps a thousand years, to fully sample and explore and infiltrate and explore all the possibilities the aliens had no problem discretely abducting three or four "meta-humans" every few year.
  • Pre-Asskicking One-Liner:
    Starfire: "You may burn like the heart of the volcano itself. But I. I- I burn like a star!"
  • Properly Paranoid: Ranma was the first one to notice how strange Konatsu was acting after he claimed to be smelling ash while in a hermetically sealed suit.
  • Protagonist-Centered Morality: Jinx's various sue traits makes T-Ryoga a part of this trope. The major example is her status as the friend nobody likes. Jinx's is incredibly antagonistic with nearly everyone et Ryoga completely ignores this believing that everyone is just out to get her. It gets much worse in the X-COM universe where not only does this attitude put the Titan's lives in danger (i.e if X-COM refuses to work with them, or punish them for Jinx's actions) especially due to her its all about me mentality. the soldiers there can barely give Jinx more more than professional courtesy while she doesn't even bother with that, but still Ryoga takes her side.
    • It should be noted as stated above Raven doesn't take Jinx's side and does see her as the problem. She even confronted Ryoga about this his response was ironically pretty much word for word his situation with T-Ranma.
      Raven: Ryoga... how is it that you can get along with Ranma so well?
      Ryoga: Wait, what - who said I did? Wait a second ... I thought you wanted to talk about Jinx?
      Raven: I do. I mean, you've made it clear that you want her on our team... but Jinx and I get along worse than cats and birds. How do you expect us to work with her when she verbally attacks us any chance she gets?
      Ryoga: Look, I'm not asking you to be her friend, or anything. I just ... I mean, why is it so hard for you all to accept her?
      Raven: Umm, see previous statement? If her tongue were any more acidic, her spit would be lethal to all life on the planet.
      Ryoga: Hey now, cut that out. She might have a sharp tongue, but I haven't exactly heard anyone try to take the high road when talking back to her. Hell, she told me about her conversation with Ranma. He threatened to 'beat her up' over some insults? Insults that he provoked in standard insensitive Ranma fashion? Man, he's so lucky that I talked to Jinx after I spoke to him.
      Raven: Well ... why should we all be held to a different standard than her?
    • Raven did attempt to make amends with Jinx after this only to be punched in the face.
    • Jinx's its all about me mentality is also treated as endearing ignoring the fact that it regularly endangers the lives of everyone around her as well as herself. Its repeatedly mentioned how she helped Ryoga and Terra in Atlantis. But she also put their lives in danger because she was jealous of the fact terra and ryoga could synchronize their energies together so she forcefully tried to do the same.
    • As for Akari while its true she saved her from the aliens she immediately ran off when she found out that Akari was dying forcing the former (who was presented as in the wrong for telling Jinx) to track her down so that they weren't killed. Furthermore her reaction to akari's fate worse then death is supposed to be seen as a heartwarming tearjerker. But this ignores the fact that Akari is only in that situation because Jinx paid no heed to Akari not wanting an Enthereal brain and despite repeated warnings that it was a bad idea gave it to her anyway. So basically Jinx is allowed to endanger peoples likes, and treat everyone like crap because she occasionally does good things despite a lot of them being done for entirely selfish and self serving reasons.
    • T-Ryoga is a truly bad example of this in addition to Jinx nearly every single argument he makes is either incredibly hypocritical or an out right lie. Yet he is always presented as right. It's reach the point where passive aggressive combat has become his default mode.
    • It's easier to say that the Titan's as a hole follow this trope as they see nothing wrong with allowing Jinx and Ryoga to stay coerced into loving each other.
  • Psychosomatic Superpower Outage: Starfire's Mind Rape. In Dark Titans, Starfire exhibits far greater levels of power than Reflections. Though upon her entry to the X-COM-verse, she is able to singlehandedly stop a dozens-of-stories high clocktower from collapsing, she quickly has to face three Sociopathic Soldiers with Dragon Ball-level powers while she is still in Thou Shalt Not Kill mode, who recognize her hesitation to kill and take full advantage of it to beat her into a short-term coma. After X-COM's initial Mind Probe only produces "obviously false" "superhero" memories, they subject her to 2 + Torture = 5 to get the "real" memories... but instead succeed in proving the "false" memories true. The point? Tamaranians in general and Starfire in particular have Personality Powers; To fly she must feel "unbridled joy", to throw starbolts she must feel "righteous fury", and to utilize her superhuman strength she must feel "boundless confidence". She now has enough "righteous fury" that her starbolts are able not only to incapacitate the Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy who gave her to Mind Rapists with ease but initiate a nuclear explosion through sheer force of will, blowing Saffron(an immortal capable of vaporizing a mountain) away in a single Heroic RRoD. However, despite her ability to fly FTL in the animated show, the comics and in Dark Titans, she has been dropped to sub relativistic speeds in regards to Reflections as she lacks the "unbridled joy" to go FTL or the "boundless confidence" to pick up a skyscraper while she's forced to work for said Mind Rapists. In short, as X-COM's slave, she's something of a Glass Cannon.
  • Rape Portrayed as Redemption: Since Jinx's Heel–Face Turn was mainly due to her love for Ryoga the revelation that she was manipulated into loving him as well gives the disturbing implication of this.
  • Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: One of the many evils done to Starfire by The Gordanian
  • Ray Gun
  • Razor Floss: The memory metal razor wire Mousse uses for his White Feather Trap technique

  • Reasonable Authority Figure: Lieutenant Tokuno Machinko who calmly dealt with Jinx after she and Akari had escaped the Visitors despite the dangers he gave Jinx the benefit of the doubt while making sure that she knows that Good Is Not Dumb.
    • X-COM as a whole are this as they are far more willing to put up with the actions of the Titan's then vise versa despite it being repeatedly shown that it's starting to wear thin with soldier's complaining about the unprofessionalism of Yankee squad and the fact that their commander just lets them run free.
      • Ranma deserves special mention as he try's to maintain a professional atmosphere and not let his own opinions color how he acted putting his foot down when needed and backing off when not. For example as much as he personally disagreed with the Titan's actions he aided the Yankee Squad in capturing the Ethereal even letting T-Ryoga take command. As well as keep Ukyo and Shampoo from fighting with them.
      • Even Ranma put his foot down when he found out that Jinx had attacked Kasumi.
  • Redemption Quest: Jinx is going through one, and doesn't come across as particularly extreme to start with compared with some of her allies.
    • Ryoga has arguably been on one since joining the Titans.
  • Refuge in Audacity:
    • Ryoga using one of the Saotome School of Underhanded Techniques to distract Ukyo.
      Ryoga: Now Ranma, while she's distracted!
    • The corpse ring seems to make ukyo susceptible to this trope, making it Awesome, but Impractical.
    • Nabiki using an impromptu makeout session with Raven to distract Ukyo.
  • Relationship Reset Button: Ryoga ended up being paired off with Jinx, due to a combination of growing closer with Jinx and feeling too guilty to start a serious relationship with Raven. Then Raven went nuts, nearly Brainwashed him into being her love slave, and erased Jinx's attraction to Ryoga. Now in Ryoga's eyes, he and Raven are "even", and Jinx isn't attracted to him anymore. Congratulations, Raven, you've just set everyone except Starfire back to square one.
  • Repower: After being separated from Trigon due to being in another dimension, Raven's powers from Trigon begin to fail, leaving only her telepathic abilities. So she learns to use her remaining psychic abilities like X-COM psychics. And promptly outclasses them.
  • Required Secondary Powers: While talented martial artist are superhumanly fast, with reflexes so far above baseline it was borderline precognition. However unless there was actual danger it is considered useless as they don't have actual bullet time but more a form of tunnel vision.
  • Retcon: Earlier in the fic Raven mentioned that Ranma told her about the Koi Rod of Love. However when Nabiki questioned the Titan's about the similarities about the two Ryoga's Raven had no knowledge of the rod.
  • Revenge Before Reason: After they captured her Herb went to her cell and opened it telling Starfire that attacking him would prove that they were right about her and that she would lose all hope reuniting with her friends. Starfire didn't even hesitate.
  • Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: The manifestations of jinx ego believed this at least when one of them submitted to Raven the others tried to kill her.
  • Rubber-Forehead Aliens / Green-Skinned Space Babe: The heroes encountered a number of these while in the Hulk dimension. Sadly the majority of them had been dead for millennia such as the anonymous Green Lantern.
  • Running Gag: In every new sequel Ryoga in given a What the Hell, Hero? for being a Jerkass.
  • Sanity Has Advantages: While Trespasser was able to control most of the crew using Telepathy Cyborg's cyberbrain has numerous protection against mind control. Unfortunately deactivating the human side of his brain turned him into a Straw Vulcan making him just as easy to manipulate.
    • Made all the more obvious due to the fact that despite knowing that everyone was being manipulated he did nothing to stop it.
  • Sanity Slippage: Yorrlon Varto's log
    • Trespasser arc
  • Schmuck Bait: X-COM did this to Starfire when she first arrived in china hoping to lead her out of the city.
  • Screw the Rules, I Have Supernatural Powers!: Played with due to their Black-and-White Morality the Titan's don't adapt well to the decidedly grey X-COM universe. This has caused them to take on a I'll do what's right and damn the consequences mentality. Unfortunately not only are they usually not the ones who face the consequences but what may be considered right in the DC Universe isn't in the necessarily considered right in the X-COM universe.
    • It is interesting to note that Cyborg was the only one who realized he couldn't act this way upon intering the X-COM universe.
    • Played straight given the fact that no one considers the fact that Ryoga and Jinx were mentally coerced into loving each other wrong.
    • Jinx herself has a bad case of this.
    • Tresspaser is more a case of Screw the Rules, I Make Them!.
  • Sealed Evil in a Can: The entire Space Hulk dimension seems to act like this
  • Secret-Keeper: Mousse acted as this for Jinx
  • Serious Business: Many fans did not enjoy the fics interpretation of Inuyasha. Word of God even states that he was repeatedly lambasted since those chapters came out.
  • Shameless Fanservice Girl: Starfire once decided to wonder around naked just to get a rise out of people
  • Shipper on Deck: X-COM Ryoga ships Titans Ryoga/Raven.
    • Jinx for mousse/ shampoo
    • Kasumi and Terra seem to advocate Jinx and Ryoga
  • Shipping Wars: The Raven/Jinx/T-Ryoga debate is still going strong.
    • Word of God states that Cap'n is more in the Raven camp than the Jinx one while Lathis is vise versa.
  • The Shrink: Psychiatrists are repeatedly mentioned throughout the story, and apparently all of X-COM regularly sees them. We even get to meet one in the form of Dr. Phillips.
  • Shock and Awe: Kuno's Tenchi Raimei technique
  • Shout-Out: The fact that Cyborg was able to leave a footprint in solid asphalt led to the cops thinking they were chasing Iron Man.
    • Jinx comparing Cyborg's dimensional portal to a Stargate
    • Jinx compared the Reavers chasing her and Akari to the sharks from Deep Blue Sea.
    • Cyborg's dimensional portal sound very similar to the one seen in The justice society episode
    • There have been a few allusions to alternate comic book universes and assorted Elseworlds.
    • Doctor Larsen is one to The Simpsons.
      Doctor Larsen: Hi. My name is Doctor Larsen, also known as the incredible Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man. You might remember me from such classic informative video pictures as 'Mad Science: Fact from Fiction' and 'Radiation: Friend of the Modern Age!'
    • Starfire and Ryoga debating Berserk vs. Claymore
    • Stargate was mentioned again when they entered their first alternate universe. As well as Sliders, Land of the Lost (1974) and The Empire Strikes Back.
    • Cyborg giving Ukyou a phony Green Lantern quote came across a lot like a Bleach reference since he was waiting to see if she would say it.
  • Sinister Surveillance: It's X-COM's Hat really, even saying the wrong word on a random phone can get you locked up, tortured, MindRaped, or killed.
  • Skewed Priorities: Averted while running from the Visitors Jinx and Akari nearly got into a cat fight over Ryoga.
    • Forced to steel cloths as they were running from Reavers Jinx was worried that they'd make her look fat.
    • Thoughout the story T-Ryoga has been shown to be far more worried about showing up his older counterpart then healthy especially when he should be worried about the health of his squad such as when they're being held back by enemy fire.
    • While the Yankee squad was out numbered by a surging mass of flaming enemies Titan-Ryoga only cared about looking bad in front of his older counterpart.
  • Small Name, Big Ego: Team Yseems completely unable to comprehend the fact that they need X-COM to a far greater degree then X-COM needs them.
  • Smart People Play Chess: This is the reason Kasumi asked Raven to teach her how to play.
  • Smug Super: It's been shown that a few villains see the Titan's as this with Slade calling the Titan Tower an obnoxious, gigantic T-shaped monstrosity.
    • The Titan's as a hole come across as this with the fact that they constantly compare the Visitor's to the aliens of the DCAU while looking down on the on X-COM for not being able to curb stomp them.
    • They also seem to believe that X-COM sees them as irreplaceable when that is far from the case.
  • Sociopathic Soldier: Shampoo.
  • Space Madness: The Space Hulk dimension causes this.
  • Spanner in the Works: Jinx's power's deactivated Trencards from the alien hive mind giving them their humanity back.
    • Averted however since the Titan's turned around and reconnected Akari to the mind.
    • Nabiki's treachery forced a stalemate which would allow Trespasser to complete his evil plan. However Reava isn't affected by Trespasser's force field allowing her to walk right through it.
  • Spoiled Brat: T-Ryoga comes across as this a lot in the fic. However it really comes to a head when he talks to his parents. For example upon finding out the martial arts and survival skills his father has taught him his whole life to survive the Hibiki curse weren't just going to let him coast through life he ended up Calling the Old Man Out.
    • Fridge Brilliancethis explains why Ryoga was willing to totally disregard the fact that Ranma spent everyday helping him get to and from home and to each class to instead focus on the fact that he beat him everyday during the lunchroom brawl as he expected his father to teach him all that stuff.
    • It's worth noting that Raven gave him a What the Hell, Hero? for his callousness to his father.
    • It also doesn't help that he only refers to his them as his parents when he wants to Wangst otherwise they are either his doppelganger's mother and father or mister and misses hibiki.
    • His mother almost beat him half to death when he called her miss hibiki. Luckily his parent have a lot more self control then him.
    • Jinx is even worse due to her It's All About Me mentality. Jinx regularly gets her way, everyone takes her side, and she usually throws a temper tantrum (and attacks someone) when she doesn't. she also doesn't take other peoples safety, well being, or even wishes into account when she wants something.
  • Spotlight-Stealing Squad: Early on, the Titans manage to steal the spotlight and run with it. Later on, it becomes more evenly distributed between them and India and Juliet squads.
    • It's been noticed that the crossover will seem to have more major effects on the X-Com characters once it's over. Before it almost seemed like the only lasting difference would be the appearance of the Extra-Dimensional Griffon. But now, we're seeing the seeds of definite personality change in some of the major characters being planted.
    • From an out of universe perspective the endgame against Saffron was entirely a Yankee show. It definitely made the other two teams seem entirely superfluous to the final result.
    • Word of God states that the reason for this is that not only did the Titans still have more to "prove,", but Star was only able to pull off what she did because Saffron was nearly burned out after the counterX5 to the Hiryu Shoten Overkill. Ukyou and Kuno also defended Cyborg and Starfire near the end. Still, there were some defined roles in the final straw that broke Saffron's back.
  • Static Stun Gun: The T-Brella has a shock feature in it. Although the one time it was used, it just pissed X-COM Ryoga off.
  • Stating the Simple Solution: As the Titans contemplated ways to get into a forcefield surrounding the S.T.A.R. labs facility Jinx mentioned that they call the people inside to turn it off
  • Straw Vulcan: Trespasser
    • Cyborg was turned into this after turning off the human portion of his brain.
  • Strapped to an Operating Table: How Jinx wakes up after the aliens catch her. How Starfire wakes up after Herb punches her face in.
  • Stupid Evil: As mentioned by the cops in the X-COM universe Cyborg is many things, but a career criminal he is not.
    • It is a combination of this and the police of the X-COM universe generally being far more competent then those of theDC Universe.
  • Suicidal Overconfidence: After only two months of training with Happosai Jinx seems to think she is skilled and experienced enough to go up against people who have been training since the moment they could walk. She repeatedly antagonizes Shampoo
    • Then there was her thinking that she could actually show up green lantern Ukyo. Fortunately Cyborg called her out on this before she did something stupid.
    • Jinx has a real problem with this to the point where she seems to have complete and utter disregard to her own safety. For example when walking through the Thanagerian ship Ranma had to flat out order Jinx to wear her armor eventhough being effected by the corrupted Nth Metal was not only a possibility it has already happened with Ryu and Starfire.
    • It actually made her angry to have to do it.
  • Super Jerkassery: While Cyborg was generally surprised at how much more competent the cops of the X-COM universe seemed he took glee in the fact that they didn't actually have any way of dealing with him before finally unleashing holy hell on them.
    • He also contemplated the fact that since he wasn't in his world and the police most likely had nothing that could help him there was no reason he had to listen to them.
    • averted however in that he eventually realizes that he was the one in the wrong
  • Super-Power Meltdown: Ranma worried that Titans-Ryoga was on the verge of one after Jinx was deprogrammed out of love with him. Considering that Titans-Ryoga was actually sparking at the time, he was probably right.
    • Ryoga and Ryoga intentionally try to set one off in order to power a gigantic Hiryu Shoten Ha when fighting Saffron.
  • Super Serum: Back when the war started, and routine missions had a more than forty percent mortality rate, High Command had made the decision to encourage the medical division, flush from its development of the original ATRISK medikit, to invest some time and effort into optimization of existing manpower. The same teams that had developed drugs capable of selectively blocking pain receptors but providing no other physical side effects such as euphoria or chemical addiction, and reverse effects such as euphoria or chemical addiction, and reverse engineering Floater cybernetics, turned their expertise first to improved therapy for muscle regeneration due to plasma attacks... Optimizing training came soon after, with more tailored drugs to enhance strength, reflexes and endurance. Most military personnel entering X-COM were probably at what they considered to be their physical best. After SEAL or ALFA training, or the equivalent from a given UNETCO signatory country, one could hardly expect much additional improvement. Yet improve they did. Those who survived a few months in the field and in the PCF, found their strength and speed nearly doubling, commensurate to the effort put in.
    • X-COM is also studying ways of weaponizing Jyusenkyou
    • Copying the martial artists and the abilities has been something both X-COM and the aliens have been researching. The former had gone about this from a more traditional standpoint: Research into 'telekinetic self augmentation' (Pearson's research), Study and replication of battle auras, Tissue structure, genetics, etc. Plus research on the part of the MA's themselves (Ryoga's Project Kataphract was intended to do just this)
    • Starfires powers are a result of an experiment, performed upon her and her sister by the Psions.
  • Super-Strength: Starfire is handled as a little stronger than Ryoga, and Cyborg as a little stronger than Lime.
  • Suspiciously Specific Denial: After Ranma reminded him that he couldn't be smelling ash in a hermetically sealed suit Konatsu quickly back tract by saying he didn't smell anything anymore. He then went on to claim it must be a malfunction with the suit's filtration system.
  • Take That!:
    • One was done to the Spider-Man and X-Men movies when Akari and Jinx were escaping.
      Jinx: X-Men? Sound kinda silly to me. I'm not really into weird, Indy films, anyway.
    • One was done at superhero names in general so its more of Self-Deprecation
      Akari: Super-Man? Are you serious? Are those supposed to be real people? Don't joke around with me; you're acting like this is... is some manga or anime or something!
  • Telepathy: One of the few superpowers already in The Road to Cydonia world.
  • Technopath: More like Organic Technopath Ranma was able to control a Thanagarian fighter craft using remnants of the tortured pilot inside.
  • Tempting Fate: T-Ryoga wondering just how much more dangerous could Raven be, with total control of her faculties, if she were ever so inclined to actually go full out. As well as hoping that he could be by her side when it happens.
  • That Makes Me Feel Angry: Konatsu to Shampoo after she hurt Ukyo
  • The Corrupter: Trespasser
  • The Friend Nobody Likes: Jinx
    Kuno: Sharp spoken minx though she might be, Jinx is our friend and comrade. I'll not allow you to harm her!
  • The Power of Love: What allows Ryoga to break through Raven's brainwashing in order to save Jinx.
  • Then Let Me Be Evil: Early on, Titans Ryoga expresses concern that crappy treatment by the Titans is going to undo Jinx's Heel–Face Turn.
  • Thicker Than Water: Starfire's reasoning behind why she betrays Tresspasser and Ukyou in favor of Ryoga. Although Starfire and Ryoga are not actually related.
    • averted Kuno was the one who eventually got through to Starfire not Ryoga.
  • Thrill Seeker: Nabiki has shown signs of being this from time to time. For example when tasked with watching Raven after she had managed to panic X-Mousse and push X-Ryoga and X-Kuno in a battle. She was thrilled at the thought that she could fly off the handle and go on a rampage, with a certain Tendo sister in immediate proximity.
  • Through the Eyes of Madness: The Space Hulk dimension causes anyone who inhabits it for too long to suffer this. The main characters eventually realize something is wrong when Kuno scalps himself.
  • Tiger Versus Dragon: X-COM Ryoga is the Tiger Titan-Ryoga the Dragon
  • Time to Unlock More True Potential: X-COM Ryoga developed a superior ki circulation method. Titans Ryoga, Starfire, and Jinx all promptly learn said method.
  • Too Dumb to Live:
    • Despite knowing how dangerous it is, T-Ryoga has been absorbing elemental earth ki into his body for quite sometime.
    • As the series goes on you start to wonder if jinx has a death wish due to her Suicidal Overconfidence.
      Starfire: Was that really necessary, Jinx? You are most fortuitous that I have excellent reflexes.
    • One of the first thing she did after freeing Akari from the Mind was loudly alert the visitors what was going on by destroying a wall.
    • Reava allowing Ixthultu to manipulate her into eating him.
  • Touch of Death: X-COM Ryoga's "Killing Point" technique.
  • Touch Telepathy: Shampoos puppet pressure point is this
  • Trapped in Another World: The Titans. And Jinx.
    • And later, The Titans, Jinx, and India and Juliet squads.
  • Turned Against Their Masters: Trenchard Akari turns against the aliens after Jinx severs her connection to the Mind. Afterwards, the very Reapers she raised are used to hunt her down. Which is later lampshaded.
    Trenchard Akari: Onishi was the prize of his litter. A bred champion. He also tried to bite me in half. Even a champion has no right to turn on his creator.
    Jinx: Oh, man, if I had a nickel for every time I heard a mad scientist say that! I mean, it's practically a trope or cliché or something!
  • Turn Out Like His Father: As shown in the Space Hulk Dimension this is Kuno's greatest fear.
  • Tranquil Fury: X-Ryoga after Cyborg relieved the entire ship of duty except for himself. Made worse as this was moments after they had defeated Tresspasser.
  • Unfazed Everyman: Nabiki
  • Understatement: When Ukyo asked Ranma what to expect about the next dimension they were going to Ranma replied Flurries. Turns of it was an ice planet in which calling it a frozen wasteland would be too generous.
  • Ungrateful Bastard: Starfire after being bit by a Nth Metal parasite Ryu sucked the poison out despite not knowing if this would poison him due to her alien blood. After making sure she was okay he went to capture the parasite giving Starfire a medkit so that she could bandage her hand. However because he didn't assist her in bandaging her hand Starfire considered him a complete monster and manipulative bastard.
    • Pretty much every single Titan has shown signs of this at least once
    • However X-COM aren't totally immune when Raven saved everyone after they were hit with a warp bubble Ukyo called her out for allowing it to happen in the first place.
    • Raven due to evolving into a Small Name, Big Ego she feels that X-COM sees the Titans as indispensable so in her own words as much as X-COM has done for the Titan's since their priorities are not the same as the Titan's. causing Raven to purposefully withhold information from X-Ryoga because she though he would intentionally sabotage her efforts to get home.
  • Unknown Rival: T-Ryoga to his older counterpart
  • Unobtainium: Elerium
    • Cydonium
  • The Unreveal: What ranma's plan was to defeat slade
  • Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Out of all twelve members of India, Juliet and Delta squad only Ukyo was excited by the fact that they were on the moon.
    • After starting their first mission none of our heroes were impressed that they were in another dimension.
  • Unwitting Pawn: Given that Akari has been reconnected to the mind Jinx may be one of these as a lot of the things Akari has been saying to her are suspicious.
    Akari: Maybe, But you have to fill me in on all the stuff that's going on outside!
    Akari: They're very adept thieves when it comes to technology.
  • Unwitting Instigator of Doom:
    • The mob that ran into the policewoman who cornered Starfire causing her to accidentally shoot her and later the soldier who panicked and open fired on Starfire
    • The Titans bias for Jinx played a big part in helping Slade corrupt Raven. she even went so far as to call everyone out on the way they treat her while letting Jinx run free.
      Raven: Everyone knew of the (probably one sided) animosity between Jinx and this Ryoga. A part of Raven probably wouldn't have been too surprised to hear him say or think some of what she had herself felt, deep down: that he didn't like the pink witch, that a part of him didn't want her up and about on the ship at all. That she could just stay in the tank until the mission was over. In that moment, a jealous little spike shot up within her, angry that even this Ryoga seemed to have a soft spot for the pink haired witch. That even he liked Jinx more than her.
  • Villains Act, Heroes React: This is one of the reasons Slade became a mercenary as heroes of the DC universe simply reacted when others moved, but never did anything on their own.
    • Villains Never Lie: When Slade showed Raven images of her birth she never once questioned him telling her that the people of Azerath never loved her.
  • Villain Protagonist: X-COM Shampoo. X-COM Nabiki appears comparatively Heel–Face Turn most of the time due to her near Fate Worse than Death experience, but allegedly plans to start her own world-spanning war-profiteer and mercenaries-for-hire organisation, which would turn her much worse than DT Nabiki/a more extreme version of Balalaika). Jinx kind of qualifies to a degree, but she is genuinely improving, and was simply a burglar, not an assassin.
  • Voice with an Internet Connection: Nabiki
  • Was Once a Man: The corrupted Nth metal infected Thanagarians, with special mention going to the Sacristan. Although they were Thanagarians instead of humans.
  • Weak, but Skilled: While she doesn't have the fancy - or flashy - ki attacks that some of her peers enjoy tossing around so much Shampoo has a high level of ki mastery
    • When it comes to firing a rifle Juliet and India's accuracy is still very good, but not exceptional. Almost all of them are in the top one third on-base, but there were many X-COM veterans who could still give them a good thumping… most notably the shell-heads in Hotel Squad, Seiran's elite Powered Armored team. None of them had the martial arts training to develop the same sort of superhuman reflexes, but they had years of experience and psionic augmentation.
    • Neither Ranma or X-Ryoga are anywhere close to Raven when it comes to pure power, but they've got tricks of the trade she doesn't
  • Weaksauce Weakness: Ki doesn't work in a vacuum
    • Reapers have a natural sensitivity towards certain base elements, including sulfur. Akari never bothered breeding it out of them, since its part of their hunting instincts.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: Tresspasser is this. Take out Cydonia, and the aliens are gone (that group of aliens anyway). But you'll NEVER get rid of Luthor or Joker or any of the super villains in DC. It isn't even entirely the fault of the heroes and their refusal to kill, which is a red herring. The REAL cause of it is the fact that the universe conspires to keep things "entertaining." Thus killing the Joker just means he comes back as a Jokerbot or Jokerclone. There is no Cydonia to destroy to "solve" the problem, even just for 5 or 10 or 50 years. Ironically... the one thing that may have "freed" the DCAU (Trespasser's plan) with a reboot is the thing everyone fought so hard to prevent. Though Trespasser's plan was about as likely to erase the DCAU entirely as it was to "free" it.
    • Maybe they can be called one and the same?
  • This is what Trigon and Slade turned Raven into
  • What Does She Seein Him: Now that Ryu has been flanderized into a Handsome Lech you have to wonder why Ukyo put up with him.
    • Ukyo wonders this as well
      Ukyo: I honestly don't know what I see in that guy, sometimes. I can't even think of a time when he hasn't responded to anything in the absolute most offensive manner possible! Who says 'Looks like you've got a good mouthful to me'? In a room half filled with women no less?
    • Raven and ryoga's relationship has devolved into all take and no give at least on an emotional level to the point where it just comes across like he's using her. when they are alone he is actively flirting with her (such as joking that they can't sleep in the same bed) but ignores her when jinx is around. He completely ignores Jinx antagonizing but calls everyone else out when they get angry. When Raven went mad with power he flat out told her he was in love with Jinx then said they can start dating after everything is over. Ryoga is either actively stringing her along or an emotional coward who takes the easy way out. Combine this with the fact that everyone blames her for the problems in their relationship you have to wonder why she puts up with him.
    • Starfire as well for the exact same reason, though she mostly takes ryoga's side of things.
    • Thanks to being more akin to fanon interpretation of himself, you have to wonder how Ranma and Akane have had a Relationship Upgrade as he comes exactly as she's seen him as (insulting, perverted, etc) instead of how she just perceived him as.
    • Inverted with Shampoo and Mousse the story subtly gives a very good reason for why she would never be with him.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: The InuYasha crew in the Sengoku Jidai is revealed to be hallucinations created by Kagome and her mother, both delusional psychics. Word of God is that it was just a Shout-Out that demonstrated a particularly harmless "Double A" psychic.
    • why havent we seen elemental control in X-com part??? The fight against alien cologne showed how usefull it is to control them but aside of altered enchanced Bakusai Tenketsu and Hiryu Shoten Ha...
    • whats up with the hibikken??? hasn't been even mentioned since the fight with ryoga's father and in titans we dont even know if it exist...
  • What Measure Is a Non-Human?: The Titans are much more accepting of non-humans (aliens in particular) than X-COM is.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: T-Ryoga gave one to Jinx for attacking Kasumi putting both her life and the life of all her teammates in danger.
    • It wouldn’t be a TTLB sequel with out T-Ryoga being given one of these. This time Cyborg called him out on repeatedly antagonizing every XCOM character he talks to.
    • Even Jinx had called him on it
    • Raven called T-Ryoga out for acting like a Spoiled Brat upon meeting his father
    Raven: What is with you today? Here you have a ... well, maybe a thrice in a lifetime chance to meet your father, and all you can think to do is complain?
    • Jinx called Nabiki out while in the bleed when she insulted T-Ryoga over the radio while trying to get them to respond.
  • What You Are in the Dark: The {Retcon} done to Ryoga and Jinx's relationship introduces a disturbing implication about him. In Dark Titans after seeing the effect Brother Bloods coercion had on Ryoga Jinx was devastated and went so far as to tearful beg Ranma to save him. Afterward she even pulled an I Want My Beloved to Be Happy. Ryoga however watched Jinx's Sanity Slippage which includes Suicidal Overconfidence that repeatedly puts not only herself but others in danger and his only thought is himself. To the point that he was devastated when she was cured.
  • Who Watches the Watchmen?: A few readers wondered this about X-COM
  • Who's Laughing Now?: Ukyo's Who's Laughing Now? on Ryoga was a combination of being Brainwashed and Crazy and this.
  • Why Did You Make Me Hit You?: Cyborg did this to the cops chasing after him in the X-COM universe.
  • With Friends Like These...:
    • This fic has introduced many disturbing elements to the Titan's friendship. For example despite knowing that both Ryoga AND Jinx were mentally coerced into loving each other no one bothered to stop them.
      Ryoga: Even worse, she had never actually loved him in the first place. It had all just been an elaborate, sick joke. And the punchline? After all was said and done, no one had bothered to tell them! Why would they, after all? Everyone sure seemed happy with the arrangement. What did it matter that some psychopath had done it to them in the first place? It didn't matter to him; hadn't mattered to her.
    • There is also the fact that they all act as if Raven had simply missed her chance with Ryoga despite the above knowledge
  • With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: X-Com operates on WH40k rules - if you can use psionics without assistance, it's a sensory input that drives you mad.
    • Corpse ring ukyo
    • Aside from Raven, a non native, every single Double A psychic on X-Com earth is some shade of insane. Some are relatively benign, like Kagome, just losing themselves in a fantasy world, but even that was starting to leak into the real world a bit and cause problems. And others are just full on dangers to themselves and others.
    • This is the main reason the aliens don't regularly use DA's in combat.
  • Woman Scorned: Raven
    Raven: Look at me, why do you only ever look at her? Why can't you see me? See how I feel about you? How can you be so blind?
  • The Worf Effect: Starfire is a heavy hitter who can duke it out with a tank and win so the bullet hit causing her to melt a hand gun can across as this.
    • In the India against slade Ryu was decribed as not being infamous among the teams for his raw power, like Ryouga or even Ranma were, when that is literally the entire point of the Yamasenken a powerfully aggressive style that is designed to overwhelm the defense of an opponent. He should be at least as strong as Ranma.
      • Ryu gets this a lot by both authors. The Kijin Raishu Dan is a technique where the user moves their hand so fast that they create near vacuum slashes that jet through the air at near sonic speeds. However in both Dark Titans and The Road to Cydonia the void wave is created using ki. Not only does this lower Ryu’s speed it takes away from the originality of the technique by making it similar to Herb’s ki blades.
    • Anyone who goes up against Jinx goes through this not only does she claim that she can hold her own against T-Ranma in a challenge match for the title of school heir, but X-Ranma as well, she is also shown to be stronger then X-Shampoo (or at least hinted as) and can calsually hurt T-Ryoga with an off hand back and.
    • When Starfire fought both Kuno and Jinx, Jinx while curb stomped at least put up a fight while Kuno suffered a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown.
    • Starfire handily defeating ranma powerhouses
  • Writer on Board: Lathis strongly dislikes Ranma Saotome, but goes too far in preventing him from being an Invincible Hero; the result is many instances of Idiot Ball-holding for not only Ranma but XCOM as a whole.
    • Lathis made the Titan’s personalities darker to reflect the story. Since they are still presented as being in the morally right, though, they come across as hypocritical Entitled Bastards.
  • Wrong Genre Savvy: The Titans make all of the mistakes usually seen in zombie movies such as first trying to reason with them.
    • Unfortunately they were still this when they started treating them like regular zombies.
    • Made even worse by the fact that they described it as the worse of beast boys horror movies come to life
    • The titans seemed to be unable to except the fact that they are no longer in a superhero universe. There is no longer Hero Insurance and that they need xcom more then xcom needs them
    • Raven becoming a Small Name, Big Ego thought that XCOM saw the Titan's as far more important then they actually did. Leading her to not tell India and Juliet what they were doing while on Azarath. This ended up with her becoming mad with power.
  • Yin-Yang Bomb: The Titan's were sent to the XCOM universe due to a combination of Raven's powers and that of the Hypergriffin
    • Ranma Saotome was a master of the soul of ice, able to maintain it under even the most adverse conditions, but he was also a prodigy in the use of a wide range of emotive ki developed first during his development, or invention rather, or the moko takabisha. He had even developed a pulsed means of delivering opposing emotive ki like the peaks and valleys of a sine wave, the resulting ki-annihilation having a natural psionic disruptive effect.
  • You Are What You Hate: Starfire hates the human less for her Mind Rape and more for their Fantastic Racism. However as the story goes on a lot of her commits such as referring to her fellow Titan's as the good ones come across as something Val Yor would say. Then we find out that The Tameraneans have gone through not one but four war's similar to the War XCOM is currently fighting. All of which ended with the total genocide of their enemies.
  • You Didn't Ask: The computerized Cyborg didn't tell anyone that they had escaped the Hulk dimension and returned home until after they asked.
    Jinx: That's it! I'm with Ryu and Duck Boy, time to melt you down into—!"
  • Your Mind Makes It Real: When Raven removed Jinx's implanted love, her mind wasn't able to comprehend all of the inconsistencies, so her memories are still trying to make sense of everything. To sort out the cognitive dissonance. Unfortunately, that means that not everything she remembers will be the same as how Ryoga remember them.
    • This seems to be the after effects of Ranma absorbing Shandra Mal's memories. Not only did this change the appearance of his girl form to better match Shandra's but it also locked him in his form.
    • This is the ultimate danger of rouge psychis as they legitimately believe the illusions they create
    • This is the function of the Psionic Demesne technique.
    • This is how trespasser killed Raven.
    • Damage done on the psionic realm is literally damage done to the mind - a lost arm may as well have severed the physical nerve connections to that same limb. Tresspasser has the ability to reconstruct the damage done to his own mind, in real time.

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