Web Animation / The Watchers

The Watchers is a dark themed Web Animation created by a YouTuber known as LT.LICK ME. First known for his COD Montage Videos, he would later delve into genre of Voice Trolling, where various characters such as the Stalker, and eventually Anonymous, would enter public servers and target seemingly random people and say their name and address, and scare them into thinking that they were in danger. Eventually, his Stalker series would be rebooted into the Watchers series, where the origin of the Stalker would be revamped, with new characters revealed and announced. As of October 2023, this series would garner over 20,000,000 views, with a comic book currently on sale on the LT Army website. In 22 October 2023, it was announced that 10-minute comic-animated episodes of the Watchers might be released in between the normal scheduled episodes.

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Tropes in The Watchers include:

• Accidental Public Confession: Brenton, Brenton, Brenton, you are kinda in trouble for confessing that you wanted the Watchess to show her curves to you. And you got recorded. And she's gonna send it to your girlfriend. Haha.
• Accomplice by Inaction: In episode 6, it was revealed that the abusive stalker has friends of his own, and they not only did nothing to help her, but they celebrated her attempt on seeking an early demise. Needless to say, the Watchers were after them as well.
  Watcher: Now, although you are technically innocent, you have befriended a vile little worm, and ignoring his twisted behaviours just cannot go unpunished.
• Affably Evil: The Watchers seem to be courteous to both enemies and allies alike, if they do have allies. Addressing them as Mr (Censored-Surname), the Watchers not uttering a rude word of Anonymous despite fighting on both sides.

• Ambiguous Time Period: According to the creator, the time period set in the Watchers' universe is somewhat futuristic. However, the exact time period and date is unknown.
• Anarchy Is Chaos: A common theme in the series. The Watchers are determined in every episode to unleash absolute anarchy and chaos onto their contracted targets.
• And Here He Comes Now: The Maniac suddenly towering over Anthony in the comic book. Oohh, Anthony, you are in trouble now.
• And You Thought It Was Real: The fans originally assumed that the newly rebooted Watchers series was real, due to the fact that LT started the Stalker Voice Trolling with the widespread consensus that the series was real as well. The sound effects and live-action filming didn't really help matters either. Until LT eventually reveals that the videos were fabricated, the majority of the audience assumed that the whole series was real, and it was genuinely a series to punish real-life people.
• Anti-Climax: Doubles as Vengeance Denied. Since Anonymous butted into the Watcher's contract the very first time in Episode 7, the climax didn't really come. And Ben sadly didn't get the vengeance that everyone was craving to see, and what he must have been craving for.

• Ballroom Blitz: In episode 7 specifically. The Watchers were about to drag Corbin down in a blaze of glory, when Anonymous allegedly called the police on them. That did not go down well for the Watchers on the scene. Especially the main Watcher.
  Watcher: (upon finding out the game was interrupted by an Anonymous call) ANONYMOUS!
• The Big Board: As explained in Newspaper Backstory, there will be a bulletin briefing board explaining the points of the episode itself, as well as serving as a Mission Briefing for the Watchers themselves. String Theory is often utilised here, as well as Serial Crime Map showing the last known locations that their target is last seen.
• Black Cloak: Seems to be the common trope for all the episodes. All the Watchers wear black cloaks matched with Malevolent Masked Men.
• Blow That Horn: Yes, there is a summoning horn. The Watcher used it to summon the other 2 in the comics.

• Bring Him to Me: Watcher to Anonymous. However, Anonymous did not back down.
  Watcher: GIVE HIM TO ME.
  Anonymous: No, we are not finished.
• Camera Abuse: In Episode 7. The Watcher kicked the camera onto the floor, showing a brief glance at his robotic shoes, as well as the hard drives. Whoops.
• Caught on Tape: Oh no, did the big bad abuser get caught on tape by the Watchess, and the big bad rapist recorded on tape by Anonymous and the Watcher? Did the arsonist get caught burning a kid for fun? You better run, sweetheart.
• Character Catchphrase: "We are your Watchers. We are the moths drawn to the burning flames of vile indiscretions. We are your conscience / consequence."

• Cliffhanger: In Episode 7. Did the Watcher ever find out what's in the hard drive? Who is using the edited voice to authenticate themselves? How did Anonymous know about the whole thing?
• Company Cross References: In the first Q & A for the Watcher himself. He referenced the Anonymous and their ideals, but Anonymous did not make any appearances.
• Content Warning: Episode 5 had one for self-harm and suicide, and in the episode 7 trailer for the possibility of the recording too disturbing for viewers.
• Continuity Cavalcade: Just look at the intro of Moths to a Flame Issue #1. Multiple nods to the origins of the Watchers stated in Episode 1 can be found by any newcomer to the series. Go check Episode 1 out if you would to know more about them and the series as a whole!
• Creator Cameo: LT LICK ME appears in episode 2 as Tyler Ashwin, who would later be revealed as the Watcher in disguise. He also appeared in episode 1 as a random gamer.
• Continuity Reboot: This whole series is a reboot of the Stalker series.
• Covert Group: The Watcher refers themselves as a "small group of mercenaries that jumped through loopholes of this broken legal system."
• The Cameo: In episode 7, the Watcher's second voice actor made a live-action cameo in a news studio.
• Darker and Edgier: Since episode 6, the series has taken a tone shift. The Watcher has become more psychotic than aggressive, and the Watchess has seemingly became darker in character.
• Detail-Hogging Cover: With Sudden Anatomy and newly designed city landscape, the difference of detail between the cover and the web animation itself can be pretty obvious.
• Did You Actually Believe...?: The Watchers asked that kind of questions. Multiple times in fact.
  Watcher (in the comic book): You truthfully think a piece of metal with a handle on it will save you?
• Distinctive Appearances: More prominent in the comic book, but can also be seen in the episodes. The Maniac is a huge guy and the most muscular of the trio, complete with a red sash and a toy tied to his leg (implying Psychopathic Manchild, the Watchess having a scar on her right eye, implying her feminine beauty and hidden fury, and the Watcher simply being Badass Normal.
• Dramatic Unmask: In Episode 5. When the Watchess told a girl to unmask herself to their target, the mask was off... And out comes the boy who was in the beginning of the video... And he was in cahoots with the Watcher. The target was horrified.
• Egging: In episode 6. Except that they threw apples at Tyler's house instead of eggs.
• Everything Is Online: All of their computers run under masked virtual private networks and under layers of security.

• Group-Identifying Feature: The red smiley face. Shows up everywhere in the entire series and the Episode 7 teaser.

• Home Field Advantage: Double as Master of Your Domain. Once you are contracted to them, once you started a game with them, beware, for once the Watchers strike, you can NEVER get out.
  Theme Song: Will you come play their game? But their game is rigged, you might as well surrender. You will never get away.
  My Domain by Tommee Profitt feat SVRCINA (Song associated with the Watchess): This is my domain, domain. You're in the kingdom now.
• Homemade Flamethrower: The flamethrower in a small makeshift cart, full with rotating pipe and mini Watcher laugh.

• I'm Not a Hero, I'm...: Try to call the Watchers heroes for what they are fighting for. They would definitely snort.
  Watchess: I stand not as a hero, but as a means of retribution and closure. That, that is where I come from.
• Impersonating an Officer: In episode 6, Tyler initially assumed that the police had come for him, to rescue and help him, only to have his hopes turned against him.
  Henchmen: So, did you really believe that, little worm? Tell me, does this make you feel, PARANOID? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
• I Warned You: In episode 6.
  Watcher: You have chosen your path, little worm. Now you will going to have to walk down it.

• Justice Will Prevail: Doubles as Third Party Stops Attack. In episode 7, when Anonymous called the Police on Corbin.
  Jessica (Presumed Female Side Watcher): It seems that an Anonymous call was submitted and the police have arrived here on the scene. They must have somehow been notified with the evidence stacked against Corbin. Well guys, what a happy ending, (I know, Jessica. I know.) clean and controlled, or some would say, boring. Justice prevails once again. Back to you in the studio.
• Karma: All actions have consequences. WE are your consequence.
• Kill the Lights: Yup, a common trope in the series. Somehow the killing of lights before doing their thing scares their targets very much every time. Perhaps they are not so...originally big and mighty as they thought they were?
• Live Episode: Episode 6 Part 2 and Episode 7 are uploaded as live premieres.
• Machine Monotone: All the Watchers speak in a very creepy voice complete with signs of cybernetic life.
• Macabre Moth Motif: The Watchers often describe themselves as moths drawn to the burning flame of vile indiscretions.
• Masculine Lines, Feminine Curves: Very obvious trope in the comic book. The male Watchers have broad shoulders, and features that make it look obvious about their masculine gender. For the Watchess, she had feminine curves, round robotic face, and feminine beauty.
• Meaningful Name: Thewa Tcher. The Watcher. Used in and after Episode 3.
• Mugging the Monster: Doubles as a You Have No Idea Who You're Dealing With moment. In Issue #1, Anthony took a knife out of a knife-holder and threatened the Watcher with it. When rushing into the kitchen to threaten his wife's safety, he was confronted by not one, but two other Watchers. Anthony, you dun goofed up now.
  Anthony: What the fuck did you do, you bitch! You think they will save you?
  Watchess (stepping in to help the wife): I will...
  Maniac (stepping out of the shadows): And where do you think you are going, sweetheart?
• Narrator: Besides the bulletin board, the Watchers would start each episode with narration of their own, sometimes even Breaking the Fourth Wall.
• Newspaper Backstory: Can double as a Mission Briefing. A new episode would always start with a camera zoom to The Big Board, with newspaper clippings that would contain the episode's main plot points, as well as the Watchers' backstories themselves.
• Nocturnal Crime: For some reason, in the series and comic book, the Watchers usually strike during the night.
  Watcher: We thrive in darkness.
• Nothing Is Scarier: Common trope in the series. Just when you think something's gonna happen, they just stand there. Menacingly.
• Now, Buy the Merchandise: Ah yes, the Watcher would like you to buy the Watchers hoodies. And the limited Moths to a Flame merch.

• An Offer You Can't Refuse: A common trope in a series for all of the main Watchers; They make offers that the targets just can't refuse.
• Ominous Fog: Very prevalent in the early episodes. You know something's gonna go down when the fog appears...
• Order Versus Chaos: The Anonymous vs the Watcher. Heck, even Word of God confirms this.
  LT: You know, the Anonymous is basically an order that is more 'inside this square', while the Watcher is 'out of the square, the box that is put up, and that makes it easier to handle them.
  Ok, not in these exact words, but that's just the gist of it.

• Page-Turn Surprise: Just as the Maniac was about to put the scalding branding iron onto Anthony's arm, and the Watcher was pinning him down, the page had to be turned in Issue #1, to reveal that Anthony was already in a single cell in prison, presumably imprisoned for his crimes, with a familiar symbol on his arm.
• Pay Evil unto Evil: A common trope of the series. The Watchers have one thing in mind: An eye for an eye. Thus, if you abuse someone, they will pay it back tenfold.
• Point of View: In Issue #1. The Watcher starts off the story as Character Narrator.

• Plot Device: The hard drive in Episode 7. Let's see what Corbin has in his drive that he was protective of...
• The Punishment Is the Crime: A common trope in the series. Keith in episode 3 did try to convince the Watcher that he was punished enough, but the Watcher seemed to see right through his crocodile tears.

• Red Eyes, Take Warning: All of the Watchers have red eyes. Once you see them, you know exactly what is going to go down for the target.

• Retro Universe: Strangely, despite the setting being in an Ambiguous Time Period, there are items seen in the bunker being used that are not as futuristic as its surroundings. A grandfather's clock, a retro TV, a radio and a casette player...Yeah, very retro, guys.

• The Sacred Darkness: The Watchers claimed to have been 'born in the darkness', and that they are 'the evil that comes for the evil', and that they are 'the virus that the world must keep to kill its infection'.

• Shadow Discretion Shot: In episode 7. The shadow of the Watcher flipping through drawers and throwing things around can be seen in the ending scene.
• Shaky P.O.V. Cam: In episode 7 as well. Very prevalent when the Watcher attempted to play a game with Corbin...with robohands, ball and cups. And with a very shaky camera.

• Shell Game: The Watcher played this with Corbin, with ball and an ever-increasing number of cups, and shaky cam with darkness. Corbin understandly freaked the heck out.

• Supervillain Lair: Shown in episode 6 and briefly in the comic book. Abandoned mineshaft on the outside, top secret lair with bulletin board, two computers and radio with projector on the inside.
• Tears of Fear: Cry, little worms, cry. Show what the Watchers crave; your impending doom, and fear.
• Terms of Endangerment: The main Watchers use the term 'Sweetheart' at least once towards their enemies. Especially the Maniac and Watchess.

• The Voice: In episode 1, a mysterious character was heard giving the Watchers in the organisation a briefing of the contract they were given. Even though the identity of the character is unknown, this presumed contractor was able to give the briefing to the Watchers and give information about the target's last known location and personal information, as well as give rules out to them, which implies that this person is of a higher authority than the 3 main Watchers, since they work with both the Watchers and the clients alike.
  Mysterious Contractor: Welcome all Watchers, tonight, we have a new contract for you. So let us begin your briefing, shall we? Your target's name is James (Censored Surname), born on the 4th of January, 1993. The last known whereabouts were at the (Censored Locations). Use any and all information at your disposal, to find, track and monitor the target. You are to observe his actions for the next 3 weeks. During these 3 weeks, you are to judge your target. If at any point they violate any previous indescretions that placed their name on our list, your chains will be removed, and you will have full authority to unleash absolute chaos.
• Title, Please!: Until Episode 6, none of the episodes has the title on its opening scenes.
• Undying Loyalty: It is actually interesting and amazing that the Watchers have LOYAL henchmen to help with the contract. They seemed to have this trope. Same goes for the fans.

• Video Phone: However, since the Watchers use the video call function and livestreaming softwares to hunt their targets, it might imply that the time period might be the not-so-distant future.

• Villain with Good Publicity: This trope was used in Episode 6, when it was revealed that one of the friends of the abusive stalker was apparently a police officer, and he unfortunately laughed and cheered about the downfall of the victim herself, very clearly believing in the lies of his friend. That did not go down well for him.
• Wrecked Weapon: In the comics, Anthony tried to brandish a knife to attack the Watchers. The Maniac stood forward and the knife was destroyed upon contact with the armour, leaving him helpless.
• Written Sound Effect: Every laugh, every telephone ring, and even every note being sung is all written explicitly in the comic book.
• You Can Run, but You Can't Hide: A common trope in the series. There will be no escape, once the Watchers are out to play.

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