History Literature / AvalonHigh

* UnusualPopCultureName: Because her parents are Medieval Literature scholars, Ellie's name is mainly inspired by the poem [[Creator/AlfredLordTennyson "The Lady of Shalott"]], that was in turn based on the the figure from Arthurian Legend. For her part, Ellie doesn't love the fact that she was [[DidntThinkThisThrough named for a character who killed herself over a man]]. (See EmbarrassingFirstName, above).

* HeroesWantRedheads: In the movie, Jennifer is portrayed by a redhead.

Not to be confused with Josh Phillips's 1999 webcomic ''[[{{Webcomic/Avalon}} Avalon]]''.

* AllGuysWantCheerleaders: Jennifer

* BigManOnCampus: Will
* BrainyBrunette: Will and Ellie.

* HighSchool
* HighSchoolAU

* LovableAlphaBitch: Jennifer
* LovableJock: Will and Lance

* MeaningfulName: ''Everyone''.
** Somewhat subverted by Ellie and Will. [[spoiler:Ellie is a RedHerring, since she's not Elaine of Shalott as everyone thought and William is Will's nickname.]]
* MrExposition: Mr. Morton

* NewTransferStudent: Ellie

* RedHerring: Ellie being named Elaine.
* {{Reincarnation}}: Again, the whole point

* ActionGirl: Allie
* AdaptationInducedPlotHole: Making Ellie [[spoiler: the reincarnated Arthur. Traditionally, Arthur was at least attracted to Guinevere, even if he didn't love her. Shouldn't Ellie have a crush on Jennifer?]]
** [[FridgeBrilliance The fact that the heroes are all reincarnations may give them the freedom to pick and chose who they love.]]

* DeadpanSnarker: Miles
--> '''Miles''': (''to Marco'') When I'm at Yale and you're in jail, I'll be sure to tell everyone how cool you are.
* GoodAllAlong: [[spoiler: Marco]]

* TheMole: [[spoiler:Marco, in the movie]].

* LoveTriangle: Between [[TheChick Jennifer]], [[TheHero Will]], and [[TheLancer Lance.]]

The plot follows Elaine 'Ellie' Harrison, the daughter of two professors who specialize in medieval and Arthurian studies. The family moves to Annapolis, Maryland for a year long sabbatical and Ellie begins HighSchool at Avalon High. There she meets some of the students like Lance the jock, Jennifer the cheerleader and Will Wagner, the BigManOnCampus. Ellie begins to bond with Will and gets a crush on him despite him dating Jennifer. Slowly Ellie begins to notice major similarities between the situations at Avalon High to Myth/KingArthur legend. Will is Arthur, Jennifer is Guinevere, Lance is Lancelot and Ellie herself is believed to be Elaine, the Lady of Shalott, a woman who committed suicide after falling in love with Lancelot. She is not the only one to know this as it is revealed her teacher Mr. Morton (aka Merlin) and Will's evil step-brother Marco (who is Mordred) are also clued into the legend. Now Ellie must try to help save Will from Marco and the powers of darkness but how can she if she is just the Lady of Shalott?

** Will's stepmother [[spoiler:actually biological mother]] Jean has this when [[spoiler:Will goes missing, and Marco steals a gun from General Wagner's case. She calls Ellie in an AdultFear moment to ask if she's seen Will, which alerts Ellie that Will is outside just as a storm is about to start]].

* AbusiveParents: Will's father doesn't win any prizes in the parenting department. He's an EducationMama to Will, wanting him to go to the military academy, and treats Marco as TheUnfavorite despite the fact that he indirectly killed Marco's father via a UriahGambit. [[spoiler:It also turns out that he was Marco's biological father all along, making his treatment of Marco even worse]]. Will himself points this out to Marco while the latter is pointing a gun at him, that if anything Marco should be mad at the man who screwed both of their lives over. To top it all off, [[spoiler:his father kicks him out when Will refuses to go to military school after Marco nearly killed him, and Will is much happier living with Ellie and her family]].

** Marco is less than amused when he finds out that he and Will [[spoiler:are half-brothers rather than step-brothers.]] He is quite furious with his "adopted" father after learning the truth.

** Will's stepmother Jean has this when [[spoiler:Will goes missing, and Marco steals a gun from General Wagner's case. She calls Ellie in an AdultFear moment to ask if she's seen Will, which alerts Ellie that Will is outside just as a storm is about to start]].

* ParentsAsPeople: Will's father is an absolute {{Jerkass}}, and it's implied that his stepmother is weak-willed given she doesn't protect her son Marco from her husband's emotional abuse. [[spoiler:It especially becomes this case when Mr. Morton convinces her to reveal that Will is her biological child, not her stepchild, and she starts crying when Marco finds out]].

* RevengeByProxy: This is why Marco wants to shoot Will with the stolen gun, rather than kill his father as Ellie suggests. He says that he wants the general to live with the guilt that his favorite child died because of him. Will tells him that's nuts, because their father is their common enemy at this point.
* ShipperOnDeck: Mr. Morton for his ShipMates, Will/Jennifer and Lance/Ellie. It backfires; Will and Jennifer break up after Marco forcibly reveals the affair that Jennifer and Lance are having, and Will admits that he's started to fall for Ellie.

* AbusiveParents: Will's father doesn't win any prizes in the parenting department. He's an EducationMama to Will, wanting him to go to the military academy, and treats Marco as TheUnfavorite despite the fact that he indirectly killed Marco's father via a UriahGambit. [[spoiler:It also turns out that he was Marco's biological father all along]]. Will himself points this out to Marco while the latter is pointing a gun at him, that if anything Marco should be mad at the man who screwed both of their lives over. To top it all off, [[spoiler:his father kicks him out when Will refuses to go to military school after Marco nearly killed him, and Will is much happier living with Ellie and her family]].

* AbusiveParents: Will's father doesn't win any prizes in the parenting department. He's an EducationMama to Will, wanting him to go to the military academy, and treats Marco as TheUnfavorite despite the fact that he indirectly killed Marco's father via a UriahGambit. [[spoiler:It also turns out that he fathered a love child with her]]. Will himself points this out to Marco while the latter is pointing a gun at him, that if anything Marco should be mad at the man who screwed both of their lives over. To top it all off, [[spoiler:his father kicks him out when Will refuses to go to military school after Marco nearly killed him, and Will is much happier living with Ellie and her family]].

* UnusualPopCultureName: Because her parents are Medieval Literature scholars, Ellie's name is mainly inspired by the poem [[Creator/AlfredLordTennyson "The Lady of Shalott"]], that was in turn based on the the figure from Arthurian Legend. For her part, Ellie doesn't love the fact that she's named for a character who killed herself over a man. (See EmbarrassingFirstName, above).

* UnusualPopCultureName: Because her parents are Medieval Literature scholars, Ellie's name is mainly inspired by the poem [[Creator/AlfredLordTennyson "The Lady of Shalott"]], that was in turn based on the the figure from Arthurian Legend. For her part, Ellie doesn't love the fact that she's named for a character who killed herself over a man. (See EmbarassingFirstName, above).

* TomboyishPonytail: Ellie

* DumbJock: Lance

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Jennifer cries TearsOfRemorse in the girls' bathroom the day after everyone finds out that she and Lance were cheating on Will. It doesn't help that the entire school body has been judging her for hurting Will, even though he said that he wasn't hurt.

* YouCantFightFate: Discussed. Ellie is told by Mr. Morton that dark forces want to play out the old story so that Marco would kill Will. Marco keeps sneering that "Elaine" is a helpless damsel so she should keep out of it and pine for Lance. Ellie says nuts to both of those proclamations; as she keeps telling Mr. Morton and Marco, she is not the Lady of Shallot, and Lance is not her type. [[spoiler:They realize, however, that she is the Lady of the Lake's reincarnation a bit too late, and Will's true love. Ellie ends the novel pondering that the Lady of the Lake transported Arthur to Avalon when he was dying, so she doesn't know if she fulfilled their destiny or subverted it]].

** Marco is less than amused when he finds out that he and Will [[spoiler:are half-brothers rather than step-brothers.]] He is quite furious with his "adopted" father on learning the truth.

* ShipperOnDeck: Mr. Morton for his ShipMates, Will/Jennifer and Lance/Ellie.

* AlphaBitch: Subverted with Jennifer who comes off as this the first half of the novel. Once we get to know her she turns out to be more sweet along with a DumbBlonde.

* AdaptationInducedPlotHole : Making Ellie [[spoiler:'Arthur']]. Traditionally Arthur was at least attracted to Guinevere, even if he didn't love her. Shouldn't Ellie have a crush on Jennifer?
** [[FridgeBrilliance The fact that the heroes are all reincarnations may give them the freedom to pick and chose who they have feelings for]].
* AdaptationalHeroism: [[spoiler:Marco (who was the reincarnation of Mordred in the books)]] is now a member of the Order of the Bear, and thus loyal to King Arthur.
* AdaptationalVillainy: Whereas [[spoiler:Mr. Moore (who was called Mr. Morton and was the reincarnation of Merlin in the books)]], is Mordred.

* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: Wouldn't be a King Arthur story without one, and [[spoiler:Allie's crowning in front of her knights certainly counts]].

* CoolSword: Excalibur [[spoiler:which can be summoned and sent away in an instant by it's master]].

* GoodAllAlong: [[spoiler:Marco]]
* HeroesWantRedheads: In the movie Jennifer is portrayed by a redhead.
* HopeSpot: After [[spoiler:Marco decks Mordred]] it looks like it's all over and everyone is safe, wrong! Mordred proceeds to get his [[HeroicSecondWind Villainous Second Wind]].

* ObviouslyEvil: If his introduction bullying Miles wasn't enough, Marco comes across as very sinister, wears all black, and has a habit of sneaking around and threatening people. [[spoiler:It's intentional, and he gets much less threatening after TheReveal.]]
* OohMeAccentsSlipping: The actor who played Will in the movie is from England. His accent shows through quite a bit.
* MeaningfulName: [[spoiler:Allie Pennington... sounds a lot like Arthur Penndragon]]

* {{Reincarnation}}: Unlike the book, the characters in the film appear to be direct reincarnations of there past counterparts.
** [[spoiler:Allie Pennington = King Arthur]]
** [[spoiler:Miles = Merlin]]
** [[spoiler:Lance = Lancelot]]
** [[spoiler:Jeniffer = Guinevere]]
** [[spoiler:Mr. Moore = Mordred]]
** And in a twist, [[spoiler:Will is implied to be Sir Bedivere, Arthur's marshall and the only knight entrusted with Excalibur.]]

* SheIsTheKing: Mr. Moore thought she might have been the lady of the lake, but didn't really consider that she might be [[spoiler:King Authur]]. And yet, here we are.
* WaterIsWomanly: Ellie spends almost all her time in her family's pool and this leads her (and everyone around her) to suspect that she is the reincarnation of Elaine, who killed herself in the water after being betrayed by her love. [[spoiler:However, she is not, but she retains her link to the water - she's the Lady of the Lake, who ultimately gives Arthur the sword of Camelot and takes him home.]]

* ReverseMole: [[spoiler:Marco, in the movie]].

* [[spoiler:SheIsTheKing]]: Mr. Moore thought she might have been the lady of the lake, but didn't really consider that she might be [[spoiler:King Authur]]. And yet, here we are.

* FiveManBand:
** TheHero: Will
** TheLancer / TheBigGuy: Lance
** TheSmartGuy / SixthRanger: Ellie
** TheChick: Jennifer

* BlackBestFriend: Lance is black and the best friend of the idealized Will.