History OOCIsSeriousBusiness / Webcomics

* ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'': Black Mage takes a serious hit during the fight with Lich. When the [[TheDitz thickheaded and childlike]] Fighter realizes he's not getting up, he starts becoming visibly scared and a whole lot less cheerful, [[PleaseWakeUp begging the corpse to yell at him for being stupid]]. When Black Mage ''doesn't'' get up, he then proceeds [[UnstoppableRage attack Lich like it's the only thing in the world that matters]]. It's the only time in the ''entire comic'' that Fighter doesn't even think about heroics or niceties or even being polite, continuing to hit Lich until he's satisfied. Later, when Black Mage gains extreme evil power, Red Mage and Thief don't even consider fleeing, facing him down like actual heroes.

--->'''Daniella:''' Mr. Rat...can I call you Winston?\\

* In ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'', [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff2400/fc02301.htm Max Post calls Raibert, and is polite.]] Raibert asks what's wrong, as usually Max calls Raibert to rant at him.

--> '''Dupree:''' Are... Are you okay?
--> '''Gil:''' ''No!'' Those bookbinders think they can come in here and just ''abduct people?'' After all the ''trouble'' I've gone to? I've obviously done too much ''talking'' and not enough ''damage!'' ''We're getting him back!''
-->'''Dupree:''' This is ''weird-'' You're still talking and I'm actually still ''listening.''

--> ''' Karl Tagon: ''' That means we don't have to send you our summary report.\\
''' Daggermother Ezraene: ''' Correct.\\
''' Karl Tagon: ''' I'm sending it anyway. The money doesn't matter.\\
''' Daggermother Ezraene: ''' ''Keep talking. ''

-->'''Chisulo:''' [[SuddenlyShouting Everybody!]] Stop what you are doing and '''LISTEN!'''

* ''WebComic/StandStillStaySilent'':

* From ''Webcomic/HeadTrip'', Mal is an unapologetic ChaoticNeutral ComedicSociopath. But when [[http://headtrip.keenspot.com/d/20080505.html confronted with]] ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'', she breaks down crying and ''begs'' a priest to come over and exorcise the book.

* ''Webcomic/TheBedfellows'': The one time Fatigue actually stands up for himself is in the strip "Board Meeting," when he calls out his bosses for doing nothing but patting themselves on the back (and [[ADateWithRosiePalms other places]]) for their good work rather than make it even better.

** A subtle but effective one; Airman Higgs is normally composed and nonchalant about everything, with an almost bored facial expression. Except when [[spoiler:Zola runs Zeetha through with a sword]]. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20101018#.Vbza4dhQZ8c The next strip]] features a close up of his face, eyes open, and delivering a OneLiner with [[OohMeAccentsSlipping the slightest hint]] of the [[FunetikAksent Jäger accent]] (something he'd never shown before). This comes moments before he [[UnstoppableRage punches someone across the room]] so fast that [[SpeedBlitz sequential art cannot capture it]]. The effect, whilst subtle, is rather frightening.

* ''Webcomic/{{Lackadaisy}}'': The only time Rock's not crazy, zany, and upbeat is when he's recovering from a [[spoiler:serious head wound]]. Going forward there's still something... seriously off about him from that point on.

** And [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0922.html Belkar yet again]], this time forgoing [[KnifeNut his usual style]] for [[FluffyTamer something a little nicer, though bloodier]].

** TurnedUpToEleven the first time we see ''[[TheStoic Lalli]]'' [[http://sssscomic.com/comic.php?page=627 look completely terrified]]. Remember, this is the guy who spends his nights scouting the troll-infested Silent World at night when the monsters are most active without batting an eyelash regressing to a state of panicked flailing.

* ''Webcomic/NerfNow'': Angie realizes there's a huge problem when Jo, usually eager to promote fanservice, immediately tries to cover Angie up. The problem? She's dressed up as a female [[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles Ninja Turtle]], and Jo wants no part of that due to the poor reputation female ninja turtles have after the BaseBreakingCharacter [[Series/NinjaTurtlesTheNextMutation Venus di Milo]] had become.

** Acting director Daggermother Ezraene has a moment of this when the extremely expensive [[OnlyInItForTheMoney mercenaries]] her predecessor hired (our protagonists) are willing to are willing to send a report despite the fact that she invoked an exit clause that means that they are no longer contractually obligated to.

--> ''' Karl Tagon: ''' That means we don't we don't have to send you our summary report.\\

''' Karl Tagon: ''' I'm sending it anyway it anyway. The money doesn't matter.\\

** As of Act 6, you know something's up when ''Terezi'', who is normally the resident HandicappedBadass and TheChessmaster who is obsessed with [[TheNoseKnows smelling and tasting]] everything as replacement for her missing eyesight, suddenly starts hiding her eyes behind her dragon hood and acts more withdrawn. It would seem that meeting [[spoiler:the pre-scratch version of her ancestor]] made her feel more self-conscious, and some of her behavior could also be caused by what is revealed sometime later that [[spoiler:she and Gamzee are [[FoeYay filling a black quadrant together]], and at some point she had Aranea fix her eyes.]]

* ''Webcomic/ThisIsTheWorstIdeaYouveEverHad''
-->"Oh my God! She's letting him drive her car!"
* ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance''
** When [[CloudCuckoolander Torg]] starts to actually ''think'' (or simply stops acting silly), you know business has just got serious. Often coupled with LetsGetDangerous.
** In "Oceans Unmoving", Honest Stu ''always'' tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth -- no matter how awkward or dangerous the occasion or rhetorical the question. The one time he actually lies, and [[ItAmusedMe just for the fun of it]] too, is [[spoiler: when he is dying, very nearly with his last words.]]

* ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'': Black Mage takes a serious hit during the fight with Lich. When the [[TheDitz thickheaded and childlike]] Fighter realizes he's not getting up, he starts becoming visibly scared and a whole lot less cheerful, [[PleaseWakeUp begging the corpse to yell at him for being stupid]]. When Black Mage ''doesn't'' get up, he then proceeds [[UnstoppableRage attack Lich like it's the only thing in the world that matters]]. It's the only time in the ''entire comic'' that Fighter doesn't even think about heroics or niceties or even being polite, continuing to hit Lich until he's satisfied. Later, when Black Mage gains extreme evil power, Red Mage and Thief don't even consider fleeing, facing him down like actual heroes.
** Played for comedy while Black Mage is petrified with shock at discovering that Dragoon's pet, Muffin, is a very large and very evil dragon.
--->'''Thief:''' Why hasn't Black Mage stabbed you in the back of the neck yet?\\
'''Fighter:''' I know, right? Hope he's feeling okay.
* From ''Webcomic/HeadTrip'', Mal is an unapologetic ChaoticNeutral ComedicSociopath. But when [[http://headtrip.keenspot.com/d/20080505.html confronted with]] ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'', she breaks down crying and ''begs'' a priest to come over and exorcise the book.
* In an arc of ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'', Mitzi [=McNinja=] gets cursed [[ItMakesSenseInContext to slowly disintegrate into ash, like a mummy.]] After she gets far enough along, she has a talk with her son, Sean, and apologizes for the way she raised him. Leading to this exchange.
-->'''Dan [=McNinja=]:''' (''returning with a method to cure his wife'') How is she?\\
'''Sean:''' Well... She gave me the "I'm sorry I was a horrible mother" speech.\\
'''Dan [=McNinja=]: ''DRIVE FASTER.'''''
* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius''
** A subtle but effective one; Airman Higgs is normally composed and nonchalant about everything, with an almost bored facial expression. Except when [[spoiler:Zola runs Zeetha through with a sword]]. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20101018#.Vbza4dhQZ8c The next strip]] features a close up of his face, eyes open, and delivering a OneLiner with [[OohMeAccentsSlipping the slightest hint]] of the [[FunetikAksent Jäger accent]] (something he'd never shown before). This comes moments before he [[UnstoppableRage punches someone across the room]] so fast that [[SpeedBlitz sequential art cannot capture it]]. The effect, whilst subtle, is rather frightening.
** Gil also has one of these, when the Incorruptible Library gets bold enough to try to [[spoiler:abduct Tarvek.]] Usually, Gil attempts to resolve situations diplomatically, something his enemies had counted on. [[BewareTheNiceOnes So he decides to show them that he's not to be underestimated.]] Even [[BloodKnight Dupree]] is surprised at this.
--> '''Dupree:''' Are... Are you okay?
--> '''Gil:''' ''No!'' Those bookbinders think they can come in here and just ''abduct people?'' After all the ''trouble'' I've gone to? I've obviously done too much ''talking'' and not enough ''damage!'' ''We're getting him back!''
-->'''Dupree:''' This is ''weird-'' You're still talking and I'm actually still ''listening.''
** Krosp is always hungry, filching and mooching any food when and wherever he can through the story. But in England he meets an orange cat, having an outright panic attack about her. Since he's usually so hyper and mildly paranoid, everyone ignores him. But in the April 16, 2021 [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20210416#.YHucYuhKhPY strip]], he's still so upset he ''refuses food''. That's when Agatha takes him seriously.
* In ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'', [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff2400/fc02301.htm Max Post calls Raibert, and is polite.]] Raibert asks what's wrong, as usually Max calls Raibert to rant at him.
** Much later, during Florence's recovery from the secret base, she [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff2700/fc02663.htm knows Sam was really worried about her]] when she finds out he was in the company of another person for more than twenty seconds and didn't take their wallet.
* In ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'', the normally-calm-and-passive Marten is furious after Dora flips out on him and Faye for thinking they were fooling around[[note]]actually Marten calming Faye down from a panic attack[[/note]], which startles Faye.

* In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', Ysengrin is a YesMan who is wholly devoted to Coyote. When he learns that [[spoiler:Coyote knew all along that the Court tricked Reynardine and imprisoned him and did nothing to help him]] he immediately calls him out on it, asking him how he could leave Reynardine trapped there. Especially notable since previous interactions between Ysengrin and Reynardine indicated that they were not particularly fond of each other.
* ''Webcomic/DocRat'':
** Ben's father Winston suffers from dementia, the result of a series of strokes not long after Ben reached adulthood. Normally, he was very sedentary, responding to most things with just "That's nice", and occasionally asking for his wife, who died several years prior to those strokes from breast cancer. But when Ben introduced him to Daniella after their engagement, Winston had an exceptional moment of clarity:
--->'''Daniella:''' Mr. Rat...can I call you Winston?\\
'''Winston:''' That's nice.\\
'''Daniella:''' What's your trade?\\
'''Winston:''' Tax planner.\\
'''Daniella:''' You old rascal. Can I call you Dad?\\
'''Winston:''' Sure can. And if you stick with my son Ben, [[IWantGrandkids he'll make you a mother of some extraordinary children]].\\
'''Daniella:''' [[MyBiologicalClockIsTicking Ohhh... Dad]]!\\
'''Ben:''' He's never done that before!\\
'''Winston:''' That's nice.
** At another point, Ben noticed this when Jarrad Dryandra's behavior began to change. His mother Shirley, and her then-boyfriend Brayden, initially tried to get him on ADHD drugs for it. Ben diagnosed it as a sleep disorder, and eventually Jarrad had his tonsils removed.
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'':
** While possessing Ellen in the ''Sister 3'' arc, [[LackOfEmpathy Sirleck]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/comic/2017-11-17 swerves to avoid running over a raccoon]]. Turns out Ellen [[FightingFromTheInside was never as fully under Sirleck's control]] as [[http://www.egscomics.com/comic/2018-03-21 he thought she was]].
** After discovering that [[spoiler:both Diane and Lucy already knew that she was gay and in a relationship with Catalina]], Rhoda was ''[[http://egscomics.com/comic/tlod-030 pissed]]''. She proceeded to yell about all the effort that had gone to waste, as well as order both [[http://egscomics.com/comic/tlod-031 Diane and Lucy around]], catching them both off-guard because she's usually fairly quiet and meek. All links contain spoilers.

* In ''Webcomic/TheDragonDoctors'', Aki is sweet, gentle, and lighthearted almost all the time ... but every once in a while, [[http://dragondoctors.dhscomix.com/archives/comic/ch-22-page-20 shows the iron faith and determination that underlies that gentleness.]]
-->[[TheRant Speedball:]] Aki is full of love. Some of it is TOUGH love.
* In ''Webcomic/{{Plume}}'', usually snarky and emotional Corrick turns into a statue when forced to attack Vesper to protect Dom.
* ''Webcomic/TheBedfellows'': The one time Fatigue actually stands up for himself is in the strip "Board Meeting," when he calls out his bosses for doing nothing but patting themselves on the back (and [[ADateWithRosiePalms other places]]) for their good work rather than make it even better.

* Early in ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'', Minmax teases Forgath for saying that he loves Minmax like a brother and calls Forgath gay several times. When he realizes [[spoiler:Forgath is about to die]] he holds Forgath close and calls him "Brother."
* In ''Webcomic/ThePetriDish'', Bob can tell that "Thaddeus" is really a robot when he does an experiment perfectly.
* When Rose in ''Webcomic/AskWhitePearlAndStevenAlmostAnything'' sees White Pearl, she drops all pretense of civility and fully intends on killing (or at least poofing and bubbling) Steven under the pretense that he is White Diamond. Justified, considering she had known both White Diamond and White Pearl personally and would know not to hesitate.
** White Diamond has never apologized for anything, so when Steven apologizes to Rose for whatever made her hate him so much (having no memory of White Diamond's actions), this finally makes Rose doubt her certainty that Steven is just White pulling some cruel joke on her.

* ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'': Bud is usually a bit of a goof with a [[GossipyHens keen interest in gossip]], while her friend Harley is the calm, no-nonsense StraightMan to her antics. Both girls, however, are shocked upon encountering [[spoiler:their friend Cassidy violently interrogating new club member Undine about the death of her teammates]]. Bud's tone of voice and body language are [[TranquilFury dead serious]], while Harley is absolutely furious and immediately gets in her face. In the following scene, Harely is still notably heated, and in an interesting role-reversal Bud has to be the one to remain calm and bring up rational points. Bud herself even notes how unusual it is to see her friend "this spicy."
* ''WebComic/AndShineHeavenNow'': This trope is how [[Manga/{{Hellsing}} Integra]] knows something shady is going on with [[Anime/ReadOrDie the British Library]] when they tell her Yomiko Readman burned down the Library. One, it's so ''wildly'' out of character for Yomiko to do that that it ''has'' to be true, as the Library would have made up something more plausible if they were trying to discredit her. Two, having worked with both Yomiko and her predecessor Donnie, she knows papermasters regard books as having souls and burning a library to the ground would be akin to mass murder...so for Yomiko to do that means it had to be something ''serious'' for her to get to that point. [[spoiler: Namely, she found out about Joker's experiments on children and the Paper Sisters' existence.]]