Heartcore - Television Tropes & Idioms

Clockwise from right: Ame, Royce, Lutz, Lilium, and Teodora

"Goddamn, why are you so weird?"

—Lutz, to Ame

Heartcore is a web graphic novel by T.L. Welker about Amethyst Lashiec, a Fiendlord and princess of Asgar that grew disdainful of her father Royce's methods and decisions ever since the end of the demons' war against the beastmen. Royce, likewise, becomes fed up with his daughter's rebellious attitude and strips Ame of her rank and inheritance and promises the other Fiendlords that the one to bring him the ex-princess' head will become the new heir to the throne, before Ame can try to overthrow him.

Tropes used include:

Absolute Cleavage
A-Cup Angst: Teodora
Affectionate Parody: The guest parody comic
Alien Lunch: Ame is pleased to find that Rip and Tear have found her some delicious Heartcores. She's less than pleased to find out where they came from.
Anime Hair
Anything That Moves: Ame
Author Appeal: Pretty much all the tropes related to female figures and Fetish Fuel. The author has admitted that Ame was created to be her ideal woman, but also put everything "cute" she liked within Teodora.
Author Avatar: Once again, Ame
Beam-O-War: Ame/Lilium has one of these against an empowered Royce.
Berserk Button: Royce is set off when Ame blows up the blood storage.
- Also worth noting that commenting on Emerald's weight might lead to a fist to the face.
Bicep Polishing Gesture: Ame, after getting healed up by Heartcores. (Warning: NSFW)
Big Eater: Emerald has shown to be this, considering her MASSIVE order at a fast food joint.
Black Eyes of Crazy: The whites of characters' eyes turn black when fighting
Blond Guys Are Evil: Slade
Bond Villain Stupidity: Royce is guilty of this
Brainwashed and Crazy: Ame
Bratty Half-Pint: Teodora, Lutz, and Carval.
Breaking the Fourth Wall: Lutz ends up doing this to keep the comic's content from getting risky.
Butt Monkey: Lutz
Calling Your Attacks: Spells in Heartcore require one to call out its name to execute. More powerful and elaborate spells require long incantations followed by the spell's name.
Catch Phrase: Lutz's line, from which the page quote comes.
Cel Shading
Censor Steam
Chivalrous Pervert: Asmodai
Combat Sadomasochist: Slade, oh god SLADE.
Cute Little Fangs: All characters thus far, except Ryo and a random human passer-by (it helps that most of them are demons)
Cute Monster Girl: This applies to many characters so far, but mostly Theodora.
Darker and Edgier: Would you believe that the characters trying to brutally murder each other used to be part of a comedic, gag-a-day webcomic?
Deader than Dead: The only way to kill a demon is to either destroy its head or rip out their heartcore, Word Of God says the latter is easier.
Dark is Not Evil: The heroes of Heartcore, although you may say otherwise at some points.
Demonic Possession: This happens a lot, but most recently is Lilium possessing Ame.
Demon Lords And Arch Devils: Most of the characters we have seen from Asgard are this.
Drop the Hammer: Teodora's weapon of choice.
Even Badass Demons Love Their Mama: Clearly shown when Ame encounters her mother, Lilium.
Even Evil Has Standards: Even Asmodai is slightly appalled by Slades battle tactics.
Everything's Better With Princesses: Ame and Suko
Evil Redhead: Royce. Are you really suprised by that answer?
Eyes of Gold: Royce, Ame, Lutz
Eyepatch of Power: Royce gets one,
Fangs Are Evil: Again, the vast majority of characters thus far are demons.
Fan Nickname: "Ass-mode" for Asmodai, "Rolls Royce" and "Big Red" for Royce
Fanservice: Considering that one of the main characters is a succubus, this trope is bound to happen a couple of times through the series.
Fetish Fuel Station Attendant: We could be here all night going through the list, but suffice to say that none of the female characters design were an accident.
Fire, Ice, Lightning: The Lashiecs, Asmodai and Teo, and Slade
Fish out of Water: Ame has some trouble adjusting to her exile in human society. It's also been said that demons are easily overwhelmed by human sights and sounds, which is why Beastmen are practically required to assist them as tour guides and bodyguards.
Flash Step: Slade is very good at this
For the Evulz: Royce using Ame's body to attack Suko. There is literally no reason for him to have done this other than that he simply wanted to. It seems to be purely for extending Ame's suffering.
Fridge Horror: It is known that the gates of Asgar require a Beastman to open and allow demons to enter the human world. It is also revealed that Royce uses a Beastman's body— most likely the king of the Beastmen, who we saw defeated in the flashback segment— to hide his true self. Later on Lilium states the advantages of possessing a Beastman; so what is the point of keeping Lutz around except as a backup body? Royce's Beastman body can allow him to leave Asgar and go to Midgard or any other realm at his own whim to cause mayhem; he could show up at any point in the New Ayers arc and kill Ame himself if he wanted to. So just what is he waiting for?.
Funetik Aksent: Slade has a Scottish accent, for whatever reason.
Gag Boobs: Rip and Tear playing Go Fish on Emerald's breasts along with a few other moments.
Ghibli Hills: Nifelhiem appears to be as such
Glass Cannon: Teodora. She sure knows how to swing a giant hammer around, but considering her young age, this is trope is to be expected.
Good Scars, Evil Scars: Amethyst's face/arms
Gory Discretion Shot: Sukina's face gets seriously messed up by Ame while she is under Royce's spell. We never see the injury, though, as the afflicted side of Sukina's face is cleverly hidden behind Ame's head after she picks her up.
Handsome Devil: Royce, Asmodai and also Goristro to a certain degree.
Hartman Hips
Horny Devils: Asmodai is an incubus, and Ame is a succubus
Hot As Hell: Applies to Royce, along with Evil Is Sexy applying to most of the cast.
Hot Chick in a Badass Suit: Ryo's hunter outfit
Hot Dad: Royce.
Hot Mom: Lilium.
"I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: Between Lutz/Suko and a Royce-possessed Ame.
Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: All the chapters are named after music from various video games.
Important Haircut: Ame cuts her hair short when she becomes her current personality.
Jerk Ass: Royce, oh dear GOD, Royce.
Large Ham: Royce.
Master of Illusion: Ame has shades of this. Exhibit A: assuming the form of a helpless human about to be harassed by a couple of thugs, then opening a can of whoopass on them.
Mook Horror Show
Mr. Exposition: Lutz and Slade help with this.
Mugging the Monster: A couple of thugs attempt to have their way with a seemingly helpless woman. They weren't expecting said woman to be Ame in disguise.
My Name Is Not Durwood: Lutz appears to have this problem, with people merely referring to him by his title rather than by his given name.
Name's The Same: Slade has no relation to Deathstroke. This is lampshaded in the chapter one parody. Word of God says Slade was actually named after the Rat Thief character "Slade" in Shining Force II for the Sega Genesis.
Noble Demon
Our Demons Are Different
Out-of-Clothes Experience
Persona Non Grata
Pimped Out Dress: Suko, as well as younger Ame
Pointy Ears: So far, the only character without pointy ears is Gimlett.
Really 700 Years Old: Most of the cast being demons, this comes as no surprise. Also, Ryo
Rebellious Princess: Two of them, technically.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: Slade
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Amethyst and Royce are the Red to Teodora and Asmodai's Blue.
Requisite Royal Regalia: Color-coded for each overfiend, no less.
Scarfof Asskicking: Slade.
Seven Deadly Sins: According to Word Of God, Ame and the six overfiends each represent a Deadly Sin; Ame is Wrath, Royce is Gluttony, Asmodai is Lust, Emerald is Envy, Slade is Greed, Goristro is Pride, and Carval is Sloth.
Shout Out: Royce makes an entrance reminescent of Giygas on page 110
- Many characters' names harken to classic Sega. The family name Lashiec, for example, comes from the actual translation of the name "Lassic", the villain of the first Phantasy Star. Likewise, Lutz is named after the esper in the same game. Then there is also the afformentioned Slade...
Show Within a Show: Royal Jelly Complex, a TV show that Tastes Like Diabetes if Disguised!Ame's initial reaction is anything to go by.
Slasher Smile: A good number of characters have them, but notable mention goes to Carval, who's always sporting one.
Smoking Is Cool: Ryo
Stocking Filler: Ame in the Chapter 6 end.
Superpowered Evil Side: Lilium taking over Ame's body.
- Also qualifies as a Super Empowering.
Sweater Girl: Complete with Detached Sleeves and lots of cleavage. Life is amazing.
Thanks for the Mammary: Ame does this to Suko while trying to pull her out of her hiding place.
Theme Naming: Amethyst and Emerald.
Throw the Book at Them: Suko's muse is literature; it was bound to happen.
Token Human: Gimlett is shaping up to be this.
Token Loli: Teodora
Tomboy and Girly Girl: Well, Ame isn't exactly tomboyish, but she's definitely an Action Girl, whereas her sister Sukina is demure and generally a non-combatant.
Too Kinky to Torture:
Lilium: Now, if you don't mind, these aren't nearly tight enough.
Trademark Favorite Food: Potato chips for Lutz, and barbecue sauce for Ame.
Unusual Ears: In addition to the Pointy Ears mentioned above, beastmen apparently have animal ears
Voluntary Shapeshifting
Vomit Indiscretion Shot: Upon finding out she ate the Heartcores of mice, Ame has a particularly colorful one.
Wicked Cultured
Winged Humanoid
The Worf Effect: Ame
You Gotta Have Blue Hair: Green, pink, blood red, turquoise, indigo and orange, and perhaps others as the story moves along.
Zettai Ryouiki: But of course.

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Tropes used include: