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Scott Pilgrim / Tropes S to Z

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Scott Pilgrim Trope Examples
A - C | D - J | K - R | S - Z
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    S 
  • Say My Name
  • Secret Test of Character
  • Self-Deprecation: Scott performs one during the early records of the disc ("I know a guy who owns a car?") and the author managed to do it, with Ramona's "It's official, nothing cool ever happens in Canada." Remember, the author is Canadian, so he broke the fourth wall and did some self depriciation humour very subtly.
  • Self-Disposing Villain: Some of the evil exes end up doing themselves in rather than Scott actually defeating them. For example: Scott challenges Lucas Lee to perform an impossible skateboard trick in the middle of their fight. Lucas would rather take on the challenge than lose face. The trick ends up killing him, as he goes too fast and bursts into coins. Another example is when Todd Ingram is about to defeat Scott (who acknowledges that he could only win via some Deus ex Machina), and right on cue, the Vegan Police shows up to take away Todd's powers for eating gelato the day before. Could also be a Karmic Death in the second case.
  • Self-Serving Memory: Scott's memories are not accurate thanks to Gideon mucking around with them.
  • Seven Deadly Sins: All the characters showcase signs of these throughout the series. Special mention goes to Natalie (also known as Envy).
  • Sex Slave: Gideon's ex-girlfriends, by implication. The fact that they're imprisoned and brainwashed doesn't help.
  • Shadow Discretion Shot: Scott and Ramona's sex scene in Volume 5. And even then, only two panels of it is shown.
  • Shaped Like Itself: Issue 4 has Wallace introduced as:
    Wallace Wells
    • [Scott's] gay roommate.
    • Lives with Scott.
    • Is gay.
  • Sheathe Your Sword: Scott's battle with The Negascott.
  • She Is All Grown Up: "L is for... Lisa?".
  • She Is Not My Girlfriend: Scott insists this about Knives after breaking up with her.
  • Shipper on Deck: In Ramona and Envy's battle in volume 3, the crowd that gathers starts yelling out various things cheering on Envy. One of these things happens to be "MAKE OUT!!"
  • Ship Tease:
    • Here and there, what with Scott's previous exes never having proper closure until about the last volume.
    • Knives also probably had a short crush on Stephen Stills, seeing how he usually doesn't treat her like crap and even lets her drink with the folks. Young Neil even says "she's obsessed with Captain Homo these days".
    • This exchange from Volume 4:
      Ramona: (drunkenly) Where'd Kim go? She seemed pretty wasted...
      Scott: Why are you always so interested in Kim?
      Ramona: I like Kim.
      Julie: Are you gonna marry her??
      Ramona: Tooooooootally.
  • Shout-Out: Now with its own page.
  • Shoryuken: Scott to Matthew Patel.
  • Shut Up, Hannibal!: Gideon attempts a very short Hannibal Lecture just before Scott and Ramona defeat him:
    Gideon: Getting rid of me... won't save you. You're your own worst enemies! Both of you!
    (Beat Panel, with Ramona and Scott looking at each other)
    Ramona: No, I'm pretty sure you're worse, dude.
    Scott: You're definitely worse.
  • "Shut Up" Kiss: Ramona gives one to Scott on more than one occasion.
  • Sickening Sweethearts: Scott and Ramona can be this at times, at least to the other characters.
  • Sigil Spam: Gideon's triple G inverted Triforce logo appears all over the place in Volume 6. Scott even ends up sporting a triple G shirt (much to his chagrin) for the first round of his fight with Gideon.
  • Single-Minded Twins: Kyle and Ken. A deliberate choice on their part; Ramona played them against each other, and they vowed to work in tandem forever after that.
  • Single-Stroke Battle: At the end of the fourth book.
  • Sky Face: The part in 6 where Kim's face shows up magically from a distance in the final scene. It's signifying that she's in there in spirit, and it's sort of related.
  • The Slacker: Most of the characters, but especially Scott a slacker amongst slackers. He starts to change his ways, though, particularly in Volume 4, "Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together".
  • Slasher Smile: Near the end of Volume 5, Scott's reflection in the mirror while brushing his teeth at Stephen Stills's place is split into a normal, tired-looking Scott, then this... Even better, that half is Negascott, an embodiment of Scott's tendency to repress painful memories instead of learning from his mistakes.
  • Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: Messed with, severely. It slides back and forth all over the place throughout the course of the series.
  • The Smurfette Principle: One of Ramona's evil ex-boyfriends is actually a girl. Justified by the fact Ramona is mostly heterosexual and only became bisexual during her "phase", so it's actually a surprise the group even includes a girl to begin with.
  • Snow Means Love: Scott and Ramona are caught out in a sudden snowstorm (it is Toronto, after all) in the middle of deciding to date each other. This also has the convenient side effect of forcing Scott to crash at Ramona's place...
  • Sour Outside, Sad Inside: Sex-o-bomb's drummer, Kim, is misanthropic and sarcastic. This attitude masks her inferiority complex.
  • Spiritual Successor: The video game adaptation could be considered as a love letter to Technos Japan Corp's Kunio-Kun games.
  • Spit Take: Scott does it after chugging an (alcoholic) drink at the Chaos Theatre when he sees Julie, Sandra, and Monique staring at him.
  • Splash of Color: Volume 4's intro at the beach is in full color, although it quickly shifts back to regular monochrome once the actual story begins.
  • Stalker Shrine: Knives has one for Scott.
  • Stalker with a Crush: A very common theme in this series.
    • Most prominently displayed by Knives "I'm a Scottoholic!!!" Chau.
    • And Scott.
      AND THEN HE STALKED HER UNTIL SHE LEFT THE PARTY.
  • Star-Crossed Lovers: In order to date Ramona, Scott must battle her seven evil exes. At the climax, they defeat Gideon with "Power Of Love".
  • Start of Darkness:
    • Envy's plays out through flashbacks in Vol. 3. It begins with her selling all her Anime paraphernalia and culminates with her asking Scott to start calling her "Envy" rather than Natalie. Then she breaks up with him and turns completely evil, showing the reader the exact moment she crossed the Moral Event Horizon that she'd been living on the other side of since she first appeared in the comic. Though she wasn't as bad as Scott made her to be. In Volume 6, it is implied that Scott "wasn't a paragon of virtue either" and the big fight on New Year's Eve was a fight that he started rather than her just dumping him. It's true that she sold out and didn't return Scott's affections when he said he loved her, it's not clear that she was pure evil after Volume 6.
    • The part in Volume 4 when Scott sees Nega-Scott, a darker, more malevolent version of himself, after he learns that Roxanne, Ramona's evil ex-girlfriend, had been staying over at Ramona's apartment could have been this, but gets subverted as he quickly disperses it and goes back. He confronts it again in Vol 6, realizing it's his own repression working against him and trying to fight it only makes it worse. After he comes to terms with himself and decides to stop running from painful memories, it stops attacking him.
    • Gideon's is exposited near the end of Volume 6. He always was a bit of a brilliant but psychologically-stunted prick, but when Ramona dumped him, he went right out of his mind. He then went on a bender and posted a drunken ranting ad on Craigslist, which was then discovered by the other six exes.
  • Stealth Pun:
    • How can one describe Scott's fight with Matthew Patel? An Indian versus a Pilgrim.
    • Ramona's mental subspace is a subspace, as in a room where she wears black leather and Gideon keeps a chain around her neck.
    • Ramona's Bag of Holding. Gee, you think this girl's got a lot of baggage? It's destroyed in the climactic showdown with Gideon, showering its contents everywhere. Afterwards, Ramona isn't interested in gathering up her old stuff. It's hard not to interpret it as a good sign for her relationship with Scott.
  • Stopped Reading Too Soon: Matthew Patel sends Scott an email explaining the basic plot of the series. Scott skims it before declaring it boring and deletes it, thus Scott is completely blindsided when the first fight over Ramona starts.
  • Straight Gay: Wallace (who is the most prominent gay character shown) but also his boyfriend Mobile, his friend "Other Scott", Hollie's roommate Joseph, and his new boyfriend Stephen Stills.
  • Strange Minds Think Alike:
    • Ramona going on a "wilderness sabbatical." Though in truth, Ramona spent most of her time at her dad's house, watching old The X-Files episodes on the internet.
      Wallace: You see, Scott? WILDERNESS!
    • The entire gang of evil exes all agreeing to the idea of killing Scott so that they can have Ramona is a darker version of this trope. This could be the result of Gideon's manipulations, though.
  • Stylistic Suck: Scott's terrible song that he writes for Ramona and sings for her on the bus. Most of the lyrics are ... "Ramona".
  • Subspace or Hyperspace: Subspace is some kind of realm that connects different locations in the world as well as providing pathways into peoples' dreams. They don't teach it in Canadian schools.
  • Subverted Rhyme Every Occasion:
    Matthew Patel: That doesn't even rhyme!
  • Suddenly Always Knew That: Vol 4 has this when Scott earns the Power of Love, before exclaiming "Now I'm glad I picked that longsword proficiency in grade 5!"
  • Sudden Musical Ending: Volume 6 ends with Shatterband playing "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees.
  • Summon Backup Dancers: The Demon Hipster Chicks that Matthew Patel can call on.
  • Super-Deformed: In some background panels, the characters are drawn in a cutesy animesque style.
  • Superpower Meltdown: The sheer volume of cheap, random crap in Honest Ed's causes Todd to have a Villainous Breakdown to the point where he ends up imploding the store with his Vegan powers.
  • Suspiciously Specific Denial: Ramona "didn't even string [Lucas Lee] along or cheat on him with any cocky pretty boys."
  • Sword over Head: Envy does it to Ramona with her hammer.

    T 
  • Take Our Word for It: In Volume 6, Scott's trying to woo Envy at a party gets so cringey that in the middle of his wooing a text prompt appears that states that the reader has been spared the ugly sight of the rest of Scott's feeble attempts.
  • Talking Is a Free Action: Every single fight in the series.
  • Taxidermy Terror: The evil-looking stuffed moose head mounted to a clock at Honest Ed's. It really freaks Scott out, especially when it seems to hiss, "Ssscottt..."
  • Terrible Trio: The Clash at Demonhead: Envy, Todd, and Lynette.
  • There Are No Police: Even though Scott’s battles take place in public—with a bystander saying he’s calling the police—cops are nowhere to be seen. Even Todd Ingram’s confrontation with the Vegan Police is only due to breaking his vegan diet.
  • There Are No Therapists: It's Volume 6. Scott is devastated from Ramona leaving without an explanation. He is moping around, playing videogames, goofing off on the internet, staying isolated, and trying to forget he has a life to live. What does he do? Go into a wilderness sabbatical and fight Nega-Scott!
    • And Ramona's time apart was not very different.
  • There Is Only One Bed:
    • Scott and Wallace share a bed because they can't afford another.
    • Scott does this to his friends a lot in Volume 5, particularly when when Ramona disappears and he bedhops at Stephen Stills's and then Kim's.
  • This Is for Emphasis, Bitch!:
    • Played straight at the end of Volume 3.
      "No vegan diet, no vegan powers, bitch."
    • A hilarious example at the end of Volume 6.
      Stephen Stills: You got my green beans?
      Scott: Word, bitches!
      (flips green beans into air, they fall onto floor)
      Stephen Stills: ...Whatever. They ordered dinner at 10:55. They're getting a salad.
      Scott: W-word, bitches!
  • Those Two Guys: Julie's friends, Sandra and Monique. Lampshaded in that they're not nearly as popular or cool as they seem to think they are.
  • Thou Shalt Not Kill: Very much averted, as Scott has absolutely no issues with causing humans to explode into coins, even ones who are at his mercy. Considering that Scott Pilgrim runs on video game logic, it makes perfect sense. Has Mario ever felt guilty about stomping on Goombas?
  • Threesome Subtext: In Volume 5, while Kim, Ramona, and Scott are all drunk together, Kim says she loves them and Ramona wonders where Kim has been all her life, kissing her on the head. Scott encourages them to make out. Then, as all three leave, Ramona encourages Kim to come sleep in their bed, but she declines.
  • Took a Level in Badass: Scott does this literally, gaining a new level, new stats, and a new sword each time.
    • First he does it in Volume 4, when he mans up and confesses his feelings.
    • Then, after he is killed in the middle of Volume 6.
  • Training from Hell: Played for Laughs in Volume 2. Before Scott goes to fight Lucas Lee, he studies up on his moves by watching his movies, and Wallace orders him to do push-ups on the floor, all while Wallace himself sits in an armchair playing video games.
  • Train-Station Goodbye: Scott and Envy do this at the end of Volume 3.

    U 
  • The Unfair Sex: Ramona becomes incensed when she learns that Scott was dating her behind Knives' back when she herself dated the Katayanagi Twins behind each others' backs. Not to mention the fact that got angry at Scott for staying at Lisa's sister's place when she let Roxie stay the night at her place. (And actually made out with her, unlike Scott, who remained totally faithful).
  • Unreliable Narrator: Scott himself. We find that most of his flashbacks are a mixture of his own repression, to avoid his mistakes and past pain, and Gideon "spicing up" his boring high school memories. The big fight where he "rescued" Kim and won her heart? Scott beating up her current wussy boyfriend. Envy also implies that Scott may not have been as blameless in their break-up as his flashbacks made it seem.
  • Unresolved Sexual Tension:
    • Between Kim and Scott. It's pretty subtle at first, but starts becoming more visible by the third volume and comes to a head by the end of the fifth. In volume 6, Scott attempts to reconcile his relationship with Kim, and Kim is initially receptive to it, but breaks it off because Ramona is who he loves, not her.
    • Lisa and Scott. They almost hook up after Lisa questions why they never did. Scott puts a stop to it because he realizes that he's in love with Ramona.
  • Unseen No More: There's a Running Gag of Mobile and Lawrence barely being off-screen but often mentioned. Both of them finally appear in-person at the end of Volume 5, and Scott briefly confuses them both for Gideon.
  • Unsound Effect: All over the place, like STARE! and CLUTCH! and NOD. NOD.
    • ~pause
    • ~unpause
  • Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist: Scott has shades of this when you first read the series, due to his extreme manchild tendencies. Fridge Brilliance sets in when you realize that this is actually Scott's main character flaw, and him realizing this is essential to his character development.

    V 
  • The Vamp: Inverted. Envy Adams seems to prefer dating evil guys rather than corrupting good ones.
  • Verbal Tic:
    • ...or whatever.
    • None of the characters have verbal tics when they're in denial. Yes they do.
  • [Verb] This!: Envy while fighting Ramona.
    (Wallace has just left after continously cheering on Ramona)
    Ramona: But...but I'm enjoying your company!
    Envy: ENJOY THIS! (kicks Ramona in the chin, launching her upward)
  • The 'Verse:
    • Kim Pine started out as a character in series of comic strips that started years before Scott Pilgrim debuted. Bryan Lee O'Malley did three short comic strips called "Style" which featured characters named Kim Pine and Lisa Miller. You can read them at his site under "Best of My Online Comics" here. The Kim Pine and Lisa Miller in the "Style" strips look NOTHING like their Scott Pilgrim namesakes, and aren't really given distinct personalities, so they are probably better classified as Proto-Kim and Proto-Lisa, much like rabbits from Warner Bros. cartoons from the late 1930s predating the 1940 Tex Avery directorial effort "A Wild Hare" are considered prototypes for Bugs Bunny.
    • Also, Scott made a cameo in Corey Lewis's graphic novel PENG, which is in continuity with Lewis's series Sharknife.
  • Very Loosely Based on a True Story: Bryan Lee O'Malley has joked about this, since he (Canadian) met his now ex-wife Hope Larson (American) when she was living in Canada, like how Scott meeting Ramona.
  • Villain Song: Matthew Patel gets to sing one when facing off against Scott, complete with his fireballs and demon hipster chicks. S-L-ICK!
  • Villain with Good Publicity: Lucas, Envy, and Gideon.
    Ramona: What the hell is this?! Why are they all rooting for you when you're obviously a huge bitch?
    Random Guy: You're a huge bitch!!
    Envy: Ramona, sweetie, I'm famous.
  • Visible Invisibility: Roxie appears as blurred lines when teleporting. She is only half ninja, after all.
  • Visible Silence: On occasion.

    W 
  • Wall Jump: Ramona does one to chase after Knives during their fight.
  • Warp Zone: Subspace.
  • Waxing Lyrical: Scott's quoting of the Backstreet Boys at the end of Volume 5.
  • We Can Rule Together: Gideon makes this offer to Scott when it turns out that Scott qualifies to join the League of Evil Exes, on account of no longer being with Ramona. Scott declines vigorously... and is dead three pages later.
  • Weird Trade Union: Of Ramona's evil exes.
  • We Named the Monkey "Jack": Ramona's cat is named Gideon. A fact that shocks even Gideon.
  • Wham Episode:
  • Wham Line:
    • In Volume 5.
      Knives: He cheated on us, Ramona. Both of us.
    • Volume 5 ends with Scott getting a call from someone, and Scott asks who's on the other end.
      Gideon: This is Gideon. When would it be convenient for you to die?
  • Wham Shot: Gideon stabbing Scott with the Power of Love in Volume 6, complete with a very nasty blood splatter on the page.
  • What Does She See in Him?: Various Deadpan Snarker characters question how Scott attracts these girls. Honestly, it's a good question. He's hot, that's what they see. Only ''we'' don't get to see it in the comic and in the film the character was played by Michael Cera; but it's explicitly stated, mostly by Wallace.
  • What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?: Averted with Scott gaining a flaming sword from the power of love and the power of understanding, a frigging big Bleach-like sword.
  • What the Hell, Hero?:
    Scott: Are you okay now?
    Envy: Am I...? You just headbutted my best friend so hard he burst, Scott.
    • Scott gets another one with Envy in Volume 6. Becomes more apparent and embarassing when he breaks it down in front of a thousand quiet fans staring at Envy in awe.
    Scott: Envy Adams? Partying with mere mortals?
    Envy: *glare*
    Scott: Why don't you go back to... to... Montrealhalla.
  • White Void Room: When Ramona gives Scott a haircut in chapter 16, they are depicted in a completely blank-white room as a text prompt reads "time passed".
  • Why Don't You Marry It?
  • Wingding Eyes: In book 3, Scott's pupils turn into starry asterisks when Ramona offers to cut his hair in chapter 16.
  • Wins by Doing Absolutely Nothing: Scott defeats Lucas by tricking him into skateboarding down a dangerous stairway. In fact, Scott never actually directly harms Lucas in their fight.
  • World of Ham: So many tasty, delicious moments of ultra-ham.
  • World of Weirdness: The best example of this is that learning that a character is psychic is no more shocking than learning that someone is vegan—in fact, in this world, it's often the same thing.
  • Would Hit a Girl: Todd shows his true colors in volume 3 when he psychically throws Envy into a wall, and then claims that he's not afraid to hit girls because he's a rock star.
  • Wouldn't Hit a Girl: Played straight with Scott, which is especially shown in Free Scott Pilgrim and Volume 4.
    Roxie: Is that a moral high ground thing, or are you just a pussy?
    • If she's one of Ramona's evil exes and trying to cut him to pieces, he will use a sword on her, though. Well, after leveling up.

    Y 

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