History ElGoonishShive / TropesFToL

* LampshadeHanging: [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2008-11-26 Mr. Verres']] transformation into the newest MrExposition.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters

* FigureItOutYourself: Ellen's approach to help Elliot [[spoiler: [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2013-03-13 realize what kind of relationship he truly wants.]]]]

** By WordOfGod, it was unintentional, but Adrian Raven casting an illusion on Grace to make her look like a theoretical niece made her look like a dead ringer for Susan. It was dismissed at the time since Adrian said half-breeds like him can't have kids. [[spoiler: Years later, it's revealed half-breeds ''can'' have kids, and not only is Susan a distant descendent, but her IdenticalStranger Diane is his ''daughter'']].

* FreudianExcuse: Most of the cast have really screwy home lives. Specifically, Susan's hatred of men is very nearly outright said to be [[spoiler: her making an excuse for her father cheating. Her mother's hate-filled "because he's a ''man''" when lil' Susan asked her why probably helped this along a little.]]

* HardTruthAesop: "Death Sentence" has one. [[spoiler: Blind idealism and hope is ''not'' an option, because of reality. That doesn't mean trying is futile, but it can be misguided, even harmful]].

* HeroicBSOD: Elliot suffers one after he realizes [[spoiler: he loves Sarah like a sister, not a girlfriend]].

* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: Tara believed everything [[spoiler: Voltaire]] told her, because [[spoiler:Immortals in her world cannot lie, and she assumed the same thing was true on Earth. It's not.]] Bonus points for actually having been informed of this difference beforehand, only to get DistractedByTheSexy.

** Vlad is abnormal even among shapeshifting chimera in that he was made using the DNA from so many different animals that he can't transform without risking death. This leads him to be jealous of his "brothers" ability to transform into human forms and blend in with society.[[spoiler: He gets his desire partially fulfilled when he is [[GenderBender transformed into a human woman]] by [[TransformationRay Ellen's beam]] becoming Vladia.]]

** The [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Immortals]] are basically spiritual beings who never die, but the way they go about it is almost a [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] of the concept. They continue to get older, smarter, stronger, [[WhoWantsToLiveForever more bored]] and [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity less sane]] until the point comes where they basically become [[PersonOfMassDestruction Persons Of Mass Destruction]]. To prevent this, they voluntarily undergo a kind of ritualistic death/rebirth cycle every couple centuries to lose most of their power and memories so they can start over and keep things interesting. Which is a good thing, as [[spoiler: Pandora Chaos Raven (name chosen by self) shows to full extent with her crazy, and EldritchAbomination / CreepyChild forms...]]

* INeverSaidItWasPoison: Susan was already starting to grow suspicious of [[spoiler: Tom ]]'s behavior, but it comes to a head when she realized he apologized for missing her online the night before. She hadn't said for certain that she would even be on, concluding that he ''had'' been online, but in invisible mode.

* LastBreathBullet: [[spoiler: How Pandora commits Abberation genocide]].

-->[[spoiler: '''Emissary of Magic''': So... so long as '''you''' don't think you're breaking Immortal law...\\

** [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2013-03-14 ...Uh-oh.]] [[spoiler: Elliot realises he likes Susan after listing several qualities he likes about her]].
** [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2013-06-05 Also.]] [[spoiler: Diane realises she wants a real relationship with Elliot]].

** Inverted when [[spoiler: Elliot realizes he [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1596 loves Sarah like a sister]].]]

** MostCommonSuperpower: More literal than usual for Ellen, who can use one of her powers to [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2008-04-11 expand her already-impressive bust]].

** SensualSpandex: [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-12-29 Uryuom clothes]] give a considerable protection and are made for shapeshifters. The net effect, however, is that three {{Action Girl}}s have to wear outfits guaranteed to remain skin-tight in all and any circumstances. Later Grace starts to wear this [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-04-01 just in case]]. And that's ''before'' adding [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-05-23 some fun poses]]. And [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2012-05-21 combine in costumes]] that underscore this.

** SexySilhouette: Of transforming [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2005-10-05 Susan]], DualWielding [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-05-17 Susan]], and [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1840 Diane]].

* FauxPaw: Done by Ellen to Nanase's ponytail several times, starting [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-06-18 here]].

* FireballEyeballs: Ellen [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-11-11 here]] and [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2008-01-08 here]], Susan [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2007-08-14 here]].

* FirstContact: [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-09-02 At least, for Elliot]].

* FlatWhat: Performed [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-06-04 here]], and [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-06-23 again]] by Susan. And then by Justin [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-09-22 here]] and [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-02-18 here]]. Also by Raven [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-12-15 here]]. And by Elliot [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2013-03-12 here]], and Sarah [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2013-04-12 here]]. And now by Tom [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1789 here]]. This is the reason why the FlatWhat page image is from EGS.

** All humans can naturally sense magic power, but it's a subtle thing that's contextual and easily confused with something else. A powerful magic user who gets angry can be sensed by the person they're angry at for example as demonstrated [[https://www.egscomics.com/comic/balance-055 here]].

** What's seen [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2004-08-26 here]] translated with [[http://www.ookii.org/egs/uryuom/ this]]. [[spoiler:"Death. It Is Time For The End Of Man. This Master of Fire Shall Inherit The Earth. My Very Presence Eats Away At Your Flesh" Other than the two bizarre words in the end, it's pretty creepy.]]

** The photographs on the cabinet in the comic from [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?date=2011-12-13 2011-12-13]] show, from right to left, Max (Raven's spikey cat who may be related to Jeremy, first revealed on [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?date=2011-12-22 2011-12-22]]), Noah with a basketball, and [[spoiler:Raven standing behind '''both''' Tedd's parents... [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2012-01-20 whose breakup he feels personally responsible for]].]]

** Back in 2013, when Diane first [[https://www.egscomics.com/comic/2013-03-01 set her sights]] on Elliot, one of the selling points was that he was "unlikely to pressure anyone for physical romance". In "The Legend of Diane", five years later, she's shocked to realise she has a reputation, thinking "[[https://www.egscomics.com/comic/tlod-005 But I'm a virgin!]]" with later strips in the sequence establishing that, while she had dated a lot of boys, [[https://www.egscomics.com/comic/tlod-016 sex simply hadn't been a factor for her]]. While it's not stated, the specificity of that thought makes it entirely likely that she dumped at least some of them because they ''had'' pressured her (and subsequently lied about it, but she didn't know that).

* FourthWallPsych: In one [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=2051 strip]], Tedd appears to be commenting on a stupid mistake that Elliot made despite not being around to witness it. However, he is quickly revealed to instead be commenting on a similar situation in the sitcom that he was watching, meaning that he was merely LeaningOnTheFourthWall rather than breaking it.
* FreakinessShame: Grace worried about her "monstrousness," until she discovered that the only reaction Sarah and Elliot ever show is blaming Tedd (due to [[BalefulPolymorph specific experience]]), while Tedd ogles her in hybrid form even more eagerly than in human form. Even after the remark about "[[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2002-05-09 furry fetish and a half-cat girlfriend]]" she [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2007-02-12 had a fit of concern]] about her three-tailed omega form. As if there ''could'' be any problem.

* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Lots. [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2004-06-23 Panel #3 here]], [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2004-01-20 panel #3 here]], [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-05-03 panel #1 here]].

** During the Card Game Tournament arc, [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1973 while Sarah and her opponent are stuck in a stalemate]], [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1981 Sarah's summoned monsters keep themselves occupied]].

** [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2009-12-01 And a mysterious stalker from the mysterious girl's past]]. [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial But not a crazy wizard attack]]. Not at all.

*** Tedd as a female deserves special mention, as "she" is [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2005-05-30 just about the hottest character in the comic]]. Conversely, Tess in Newspaper [[http://www.egscomics.com/egsnp/?date=2008-10-02 complained]] she became "so androgynous she wasn't even sure it worked."

** A more literal example is Susan's [[GoodAngelBadAngel curiosity]], [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2005-01-14 seen]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2005-01-17 here]].

* GenreBusting: It crosses a few. It starts out like a comedic slice-of-life comic, quickly adds sci-fi and drama, then fantasy ([[spoiler:later explaining the sci-fi as magic]])([[spoiler:except it's not the same magic]]). Currently it's kind of a mix of the lot. And weird.

** An ImagineSpot showed Nanase [[GenderBender as a man]], [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2005-11-04 looking exactly like her normal self only sporting a moustache]].

* TheGlomp: [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2002-03-29 Frequently.]] a.k.a. "[[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2005-01-28 Tackle Cuddle]]"

* GoodAngelBadAngel: Susan's [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2005-01-17 Curiosity and Logic]] (Curiosity is a {{Catgirl}} and Logic is a [[Franchise/StarTrek Vulcan]]); [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2005-01-19 they end up agreeing]], to her chagrin. Later, Susan's [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2008-06-16 Nature and Nurture]]; they do not agree, and [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic Nurture ends up gagging Nature.]]

* HairWings: The Mysterious Cloaked Figure ([[spoiler:Noah]]) [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-05-13 makes hair wings]] (called by name in the commentary) that are actually hair.

** Tedd in CatGirl form, when [[http://www.egscomics.com/egsnp.php?id=188 its revealed he stored a form backup on Grace, without the form owner's permission]].

* HardHead: Lampshaded [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2002-08-14 here]]. Upon learning that he was knocked out by a [[TapOnTheHead blow to the head]], Elliot starts worrying about brain damage, but Tedd tells him he's overreacting.

* [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend He Is Not My Boyfriend]]: Susan does this a lot with Elliot during the ''Summer'' arc. [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1607 This comic, in particular]], holds links to most of the instances in the author commentary beneath it.

* HighOnCatnip: The mini-arc "[[http://egscomics.com/comic/2002-05-05 Catnip]]"; also, the plant itself reappeared later.

* HiroshimaAsAUnitOfMeasure: [[http://www.elgoonishshive.com/?date=2011-02-11 A thousand Seymours]].

** Now it got even [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-04-26 better]], but hammers are off-line.
** Dan {{lampshaded}} his reasoning behind changing the hammer origin in the [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-07-02 later story arc]]. The old guy who looks vaguely like Santa explains his initial reasoning for using the hammer gag to humorous effect... that is, the same as out of the 'verse.
* HypnoPendulum: In the Pokemon parody arc, the Hypno anologue uses a pendulum just like the Pokemon she's based on. We see her use it to hypnotize [[http://egscomics.com/egsnp/gam-18 Justin]], as well as [[http://egscomics.com/egsnp/gam-17 herself.]]

** As it turns out, [[spoiler: Diane is Raven's daughter and Susan is a more distant descendant. Which makes Diane some form of extended great-aunt to Susan.]]
* IfItsYouItsOkay: Said in reverse by Susan [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2013-02-05 when talking about Elliot teasing her over a sexy outfit]].

** Immortals in general turn out to have this magically enforced. If an immortal vows, any attempt to break the vow will result in "a deafening bombardment of intrusive thoughts", and if they manage to actually break it the thoughts persist ''forever''. This was [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1699 displayed]] by [[spoiler:Jerry, post-reincarnation]] and much later [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=2255 spelled out by Edward]].

* IHaveNoSon: Or sister. Mrs. Kitsune [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-01-28 has no sister]], and it's [[BerserkButton clearly unsafe]] to argue about the accuracy of this statement.

* ImmortalityHurts: In [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?arcid=68 Wrath Of God]], [[spoiler:Nanase must keep Abraham from killing Ellen using only her Fairy Doll and Fey Punch spells. Because she feels everything that happens to the dolls as if it had happened to her own body, she is essentially hacked to pieces over, and over, and over...]] The page is titled [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2009-09-27 To Die a Dozen Deaths]]

** Allows [[http://www.egscomics.com/sketchbook/?date=2010-11-30 rather funny Sketchbook entries]], though.

* IneffectualSympatheticVillain: Technically, [[spoiler:Magus]] apparently was behind the [[spoiler:[=FV5=] Elliot incident]] and tries to manipulate Ellen within some plot that sounds [[{{squick}} quite dubious]]. And is not very good at this. But he's in desperate straits, which isn't even his own fault (unlike Abe's case). And he's still reluctant to kill a guy who stands in his way even when pushed hard to do this. [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2008-04-14 He knows it, too]].

* InstantTurnOff: Elliot trying to find a sexy form that he enjoys being, but [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-12-13 feels guilty about all of them]].

* InterruptedIntimacy: [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=791 Susan and Justin]] are interrupted by [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=793 The Demonic Duck]].

** Elliot, with his "Gracelyn" form, once "[[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2009-02-21 broke Tedd]]."

* ItMakesSenseInContext: "[[https://www.egscomics.com/comic/party-228 Pressure release chopsticks]]". {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in TheRant.
* ItsASmallWorldAfterAll: [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2002-02-17 Hello there]]. [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-07-26 You're dating Tedd Verres]]?! And... [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-05-27 haven't I seen you cosplaying as Chun-Li]]?

* IWillShowYouX: During the WizardDuel between Terra and Magus, Terra promised to [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2007-01-01 show him "potential"]].
* JawDrop: The last two panels of [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2008-08-08 this strip]]. And [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-07-26 this]]. And [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2007-09-21 this]]. Multiple instances plus Elliot closing Tedd's jaw [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1806 in this strip]].

* KissMeImVirtual: While not exactly romantical, [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1260 Dex gets rather attached to his semi-autonomous fairy companion]], despite knowing exactly what she is.

** Mr. Verres [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2008-11-26 gets his moment]], even if only for one panel.

** In another [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=2051 comic]], after Elliot accidentally reveals information that he wasn't intending to due to jumping to conclusions, the strip immediately cuts to Tedd who appears to be calling him out on it despite being in a completely different location. However, [[FourthWallPsych it turns out he's just watching an old sitcom, and commenting on a similar mistake]].
* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: Elliot tells this to Tedd [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2002-06-15 here]]. Not that it stopped them [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2005-10-05 from speaking of it again]]. [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-11-19 Grace's suggestion that Elliot turn into her to be sexy in front of a mirror]] seems doomed to a similar fate.

* ALightInTheDistance: "[[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2009-10-08 What is...]]" [[AC:[[{{Incoming}} THWACK]]!]]

** Also, used without the duck during Elliot vs. Noah [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-03-22 Epic Race]].

* LastBreathBullet: [[spoiler: How Pandora commits Abberation genocide]].

* LastBreathBullet: [[spoiler: How Pandora commits Abberation genocide]].

** The so called [[FanNickname Trapped in the Basement]] portion of New and Old Flames (so-called due to the just under two months real time spent infodumping in the Verres' basement) and the entire Hammerchlorians arc (essentially an entire arc devoted to nothing but infodumps and backstory exposition for Susan and her summoning abilities) are probably the most notorious example of Dan's tendency to slip into infodump territory.

* TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne: [[spoiler:Adrian Raven]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2009-12-12 admitted]] having ability to measure magical power without devices, which all but confirms a common [[WMG/ElGoonishShive wild guess]] on who [[spoiler:his "random favourites"]] are. Later was explained he can sense magic from people...through his ears. Taste, precisely. [[ItMakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext Don't ask.]]

* HardTruthAesop: "Death Sentence" has one. [[spoiler: Blind idealism and hope is ''not'' an option, because RealityEnsues. That doesn't mean trying is futile, but it can be misguided, even harmful]].

*** Tedd is the only straight example. He likes this form of shapeshifting because his androgynous face becomes an advantage while close enough to Tedd's own form and he likes to feel attractive. Once this problem became moot [[FirstLawOfGenderBending it was revealed]] that BodySwap is [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2006-08-07 #37 on his fetish list]]. Later on justified when Tedd realizes he's gender-fluid, but was uneducated on non-cisgender orientations. He just has access to technology that allows him to shape-shift when he feels more like a woman than a man.

** Ironically, half-immortals ([[OurElvesAreDifferent elves]]) largely have the advantage over true immortals. Since their power is not constantly increasing like their parents', they don't have to worry about resetting, but get ageless immortality and powerful magic. The downsides are that, unlike their Immortal parents, they are unable to have children; and they are bound by similar rules as the immortals, meaning that they can only interfere directly when a situation involves magic, or to defend themselves and others.

** Ironically, half-immortals ([[OurElvesAreBetter elves]]) largely have the advantage over true immortals. Since their power is not constantly increasing like their parents', they don't have to worry about resetting, but get ageless immortality and powerful magic. The downsides are that, unlike their Immortal parents, they are unable to have children; and they are bound by similar rules as the immortals, meaning that they can only interfere directly when a situation involves magic, or to defend themselves and others.

* FamilyUnfriendlyAesop: "Death Sentence" has one. [[spoiler: Blind idealism and hope is ''not'' an option, because RealityEnsues. That doesn't mean trying is futile, but it can be misguided, even harmful.]]

** PlayedForLaughs in the BSideComics. Susan plays a game with a KarmaMeter that changes your appearance based on your morality. After accidentally setting her alignment to good, Susan decides that she prefers the devil look over the angel look. She tries to set her KarmaMeter back to evil by literally kicking a dog. but she doesn't have the heart to go through with it.

* KickTheDog: Almost made literally in Elliot's imaginary scenario of [[spoiler:[[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1782 Tom manipulating Susan into date him.]]]] Of course, Elliot thought Susan's most [[TalkToTheFist likely]] [[DropTheHammer answer]].