History Webcomic / BittersweetCandyBowl

* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Paulo ultimately acts as this to Lucy, and Daisy is this to Mike. Lucy ''used'' to be this following Mike's dating Sandy, but her situation is complicated [[spoiler:especially given the relationship troubles Sandy and Mike eventually have once she's revealedto have cheated on him.]]

** [[spoiler:Augustus]] proves to be the least toxic of ALejandro's cronies, even [[spoiler:earning Lucy's trust by calling for medical attention when discovered her post-suicide attempt]] and properly attending school [[spoiler:with Lucy and her family's help]]. The other cats, particularly Paulo, are still not too keen on him because of how he acted with Daisy.

* ReformedButRejected: "Pillow Talk" reveals [[spoiler:the old Tess]] was quite the nasty piece of work. Small wonder she's had trouble getting others to accept her...
** The bonus comic after Chapter 97 shows that Tess' influence is still felt by those she hurt by [[spoiler:spreading rumors]], but at the very least Jasmine is on speaking terms with her. She reflected on her actions and even learned about part of the experience when she discovers she's bisexual, but that doesn't mean that they're willing to forgive her just yet.

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: A fair chunk of the fandom will hate any attempted rapists instantly.

** In the 111th chapter, ''Burnt Bridges'', Augustus gives Mike one in regards to [[spoiler:giving Lucy hopes that the two of them are finally an item after a BigDamnKiss and then immediately reconciliating with Sandy afterwards, breaking her heart the next day]].

* ThirdOptionLoveInterest: As [[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c55/p29.html Lucy and Tess]] struggle over their feelings for Paulo, he finally chooses... the freshman Jasmine, introduced completely out of nowhere! [[spoiler:However, he still harbors interest in Lucy, and ultimately breaks up with Jasmine for her. Not that he counted on her moving away, of course. He gets a fourth option, Rachel, some time afterwards]]
** The outcome of it all was that [[spoiler:''none'' of these girls get/stay with him. His real, continuous love interest was Daisy, given that their relationship takes the most turns and they receive a lot of ShipTease in the later parts of the story.]]

* AlternateUniverse: According to the commentary, the chapter "[[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c59/p1.html Another Path]]" was originally intended to be set in an alternate universe where [[spoiler:Paulo had sex with Lucy during her [[HeroicBSOD mental breakdown]] in "Another Shoulder"]]. The final version has it as a daydream of Paulo's.
** Paulo does daydream about the events of that chapter, yes, but [[spoiler:WordOfGod says [[http://www.formspring.me/taeshi/q/191619996743395410 they would have happened exactly like they did if Paulo and Lucy had sex that night.]]]]

* AnchoredShip: One way to see Mike and Lucy ever getting together.

* {{Animesque}}: Noticeable by the ArtEvolution that has been done over the course of the series.

* ButNotTooBi: Despite having almost two chapters dedicated to exploring it. Paulo being bi-curious is rarely touched upon in the comic. While he does occasionally blush over a few boys and it's implied that he has a crush on [[spoiler:Mike]], his main romantic stories still mainly involve female love interests. [[spoiler:Finally {{Subverted}} as the years go on, since Paulo discovering and accepting he also likes boys becomes a big part of his character arc, and he's later given a chapter exclusively focused on the fact that he has a crush on one of his guy friends.]]

* ButNotTooBi: Despite having almost two chapters dedicated to exploring it. Paulo being bi-curious is rarely touched upon in the comic. While he does occasionally blush over a few boys and it's implied that he has a crush on [[spoiler:Mike]], his main romantic stories still mainly involve female love interests. [[spoiler:FInally subverted as the years go on, since Paulo discovering and accepting he also likes boys becomes a big part of his character arc, and he's later given a chapter exclusively focused on the fact that he has a crush on one of his guy friends.]]

** “Fuel Economy” and “Featured Attraction” are Paulo-centered chapters that take place after “Broken Bridges”, where Mike [[spoiler:is called out by Augustus for getting Lucy’s hopes up]]. However, “Featured Attraction” still has a Downer Ending where [[spoiler:weeaboos get away with demanding the subtitled version of “My Endless Sunshower”, much to the dismay of a dyslexic girl (and also Paulo)]].

* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Lucy to some extent, but especially Daisy.
** Based on chapter 59, [[spoiler:Paulo]] has elements of this.
*** Scratch that. [[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c59/p21.html It's official.]]
** Lucy in Pillow Talk seems to feel this way more than ever.
* UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: And how! First we have Mike crushing on Lucy, and Lucy's Tsundere reactions. Then we get [[spoiler:Lucy toning down the bullshit and looking at Mike more romantically...''after'' said Tsundere antics drive him away]]. And ''then'' [[spoiler:ultimately it's subverted. Lucy moves on from the experience and cuts off her ties with Mike, and Mike's stuck wanting to apologize but can't since he wanted those ties gone in the first place.]]

* TheVoiceless: Amaya never talks where we see it.
** And yet, she's somehow become the EnsembleDarkhorse. The author [[CreatorBacklash is not amused.]]

** Another Chance asks, [[spoiler:What if Abbey didn't show up in "Love My Way"? Answer: Augustus would've just kissed Daisy, and she still would be talking to him. Oh, and Abbey and Daisy would not get together.]]

* WillTheyOrWontThey: Mike and Lucy. [[spoiler:At the moment, it looks like they won't.]]

* ButNotTooBi: Despite having almost two chapters dedicated to exploring it. Paulo being bi-curious is rarely touched upon in the comic. While he does occasionally blush over a few boys and it's implied that he has a crush on [[spoiler:Mike]]. His main romantic stories still mainly involve female love interests.

** [[Mike himself also falls on the SympatheticAdulterer side of things. He appears to experience a resurgence of his feelings for Lucy as his relationship with Sandy deteriorates, and even kisses Lucy within the extremely brief period (that is, less than a single night) during which he and Sandy were broken up. While he considers this infidelity on his part, telling Daisy in "Double Down" that he feels Sandy developing feelings for Francis was LaserGuidedKarma for his own wandering eye, he remains fairly sympathetic by having similar reasons for cheating as Sandy herself, who had also been treating him somewhat poorly.]]

* DomesticAbuser:
** Abbey's father toward his wife Charlotte.
** [[spoiler: Abbey]] acts quite toxic in "Disaster Dominoes", inadvertently replicating his father's ways. He snaps out of it, though.
** The site has a [[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/art/graveyard/unfinishedabbeychapter.png canceled chapter]] that shows the extent of his abuse. It was canceled because the author couldn't stand to continue writing it. Yes, it's ''that'' horrible.

* BastardBoyfriend: [[spoiler:Abbey]] in Disaster Dominoes. The Conflicted type, based on how things were.

* DomesticAbuse: Abbey's father toward his wife Charlotte.

** And to an extent, Abbey. He started off as a polite and chivalrous character, only showing a slight dislike for the actions of Paulo and other characters. However, he has started veering into {{JerkAss}} territory, going to extreme lengths to keep ne'er do wells in detention. However, he also started to get more screen time, more friends, and more power, and he has some pretty severe mental issues.

* StereotypeGay: Carson.

* StraightGay: Matt

* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Lucy and Daisy respectively.

* TroubledButCute: Lucy and Tess.

* TurnOutLikeHisFather: Augustus (Final Fantasy Cat) beat Abbey by implying this, but [[spoiler:then lost since he couldn't hope to be close to Daisy afterward.]]

* RantInducingSlight:

* ButNotTooBi: Despite having almost two chapters dedicated to exploring it. Paulo being bi-curious is rarely touched upon in the comic. While he does occasionally blushes over boys and it's implied that he has a crush on [[spoiler:Mike]]. His main romantic stories still mainly involve female love interests.

* ButNotTooBi: Despite having almost two chapters dedicated to exploring it. Paulo being bi-curious is rarely touched upon in the comic again. Not only are his potential love interests still mostly female but it's implied that he outgrew his crush on [[spoiler:Mike]].

* ButNotTooBi: Despite having almost two chapters dedicated to exploring it. Paulo being bi-curious is rarely touched upon in the comic. His potential love interests are still mostly female.

* PantyShot: Daisy, when [[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c38/p11.html she slips during a cheerleading performance.]]

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Interesting in the case of all the characters being a realistic cat/dog color scheme. Then Jessica is introduced, who is pinkish-purple.

* {{Tsundere}}: Lucy
** [[spoiler: This tendency doesn't go too far. Lucy, while occasionally sweet, is more often than not rude, condescending, and violent. Mike, the main object of both her abusive and dependent tendencies, finally gets sick of her BS, and even though he handles the situation less than well, quite rightfully points out that his friends always make him out to be the "bad guy" despite being all but trapped in a toxic friendship since before elementary school.]]

* {{Retcon}}: As stated in its commentary, [[bittersweetcandybowl.com/c12/p6 this page]] was supposed to foreshadow the appearance of Alejandro and Toby in Confrontation, as well as explain why Paulo has a phobia of barking but it was then changed to be random bullies and [[https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c14/p10 Toby just happens to trigger the phobia without knowing]].

* CantLiveWithThemCantLiveWithoutThem: Mike and Lucy. [[spoiler:Originally, at least. As of "Pillow Talk", Michael acts like he can't stand Lucy, while Lucy seems to not be able to live without him. Now, no longer the case for either as of "Unspoken Rule".]]

** Chapter 103 has [[spoiler: Lucy revealing that Augustus is living with her, and Mike revealing that he and Sandy haven't talked in weeks.]]
%%** "Witch Hunt": The group finally reunites in full for Halloween, leaving Paulo, Lucy, and Daisy to confront Mike about how things are going with Sandy and his overall sour mood. He angrily snaps at them only to completely break down since [[spoiler: Sandy hasn't been answering his calls and texts]]. The real shocker is when Paulo [[spoiler: steals Mike's phone, calls Sandy, and leaves her a brutally harsh message calling her out for all of the pain she has (indirectly, for that matter) put Mike and Daisy through]]. WHAM!