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* [[FakeUltimateHero Fake Ultimate Villain]]: Heathcliff turns out to be quite the [[JustForPun scaredy-cat]] after several comics' worth of building him up as [=Megatug=]'s final test of heroism. Which isn't to say he's not tough for [=Megatug=] to defeat, however.
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* [[FakeUltimateHero Fake Ultimate Villain]]: Heathcliff turns out to be quite the [[JustForPun [[LiteralMetaphor scaredy-cat]] after several comics' worth of building him up as [=Megatug=]'s final test of heroism. Which isn't to say he's not tough for [=Megatug=] to defeat, however.
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TRS, chained sinkholes
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** Dr. Wily [[ShoutOut uses]] [[Anime/OutlawStar Melfina]]'s deactivation and reactivation phrases on Mega Man, with the reactivation phrase coming later.
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** Dr. Wily [[ShoutOut uses]] [[Anime/OutlawStar uses Melfina]]'s deactivation and reactivation phrases on Mega Man, with the reactivation phrase coming later.
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* HandWave: The explanation for how Proto Man and Bass got out of Mega Man's head: they fell out through his ear. ([[FridgeLogic and then grew back to normal size?]]) Keep in mind their presence inside Mega Man's head [[WidgetSeries was never explained to begin with]].
to:
* HandWave: The explanation for how Proto Man and Bass got out of Mega Man's head: they fell out through his ear. ([[FridgeLogic and then grew back to normal size?]]) Keep in mind their presence inside Mega Man's head [[WidgetSeries was never explained to begin with]].with.
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** Dr. Wily [[spoiler: closes out the comic]] with one of these. [[spoiler: "Let's just call him Dr. Light [[KilledOffForReal at the end of the tunnel, eh?]] [[EvilLaugh Mwaahahahahahahaha!!]]]]
to:
** Dr. Wily [[spoiler: closes out the comic]] with one of these. [[spoiler: "Let's just call him Dr. Light [[KilledOffForReal at the end of the tunnel, eh?]] [[EvilLaugh Mwaahahahahahahaha!!]]]]Mwaahahahahahahaha!!]]
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Up To Eleven is a defunct trope
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* ReferenceOverdosed: The comic's references range from [[ShoutOut shout-outs]], to getting meta about shout-outs, to [[UpToEleven getting meta about how meta the shout-out gags are getting]].
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* ReferenceOverdosed: The comic's references range from [[ShoutOut shout-outs]], to getting meta about shout-outs, to [[UpToEleven getting meta about how meta the shout-out gags are getting]].getting.
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** The epilogue for the first arc tells us that Mega Man and co. had many adventures afterwards, "to which the legends of yore stand ill in comparison. But there is not time enough to tell those stories here. [[AndNowForSomethingCompletelyDifferent Instead, we bring you this]]."
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** The epilogue for the first arc tells us that Mega Man and co. had many adventures afterwards, "to which the legends of yore stand ill in comparison. But there is not time enough to tell those stories here. [[AndNowForSomethingCompletelyDifferent Instead, we bring you this]].this."
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* RealityEnsues: Proto Man tries to use [=Megatug=]'s head for soccer. He fails because it's way too heavy for that. Then when Proto Man puts his head inside a robot bird body, 'Tug can't fly, because his head is ''still'' too heavy.
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* SeveredHeadSports: Proto Man tries to use [=Megatug=]'s head for soccer. He fails because it's way too heavy for that. Then when Proto Man puts his head inside a robot bird body, 'Tug can't fly, because his head is ''still'' too heavy.
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* BigLippedAlligatorMoment:
** The pressing of the Reset Button causes [=Megatug=] to be face to face with an unknown character named 'Tempest' in Mega Man's place. The error is soon corrected. Who Tempest was or why he showed up there is never explained. He seemed to be in the middle of something.
** The 12 days of christmas comic. Wily shows up, threatens to blow up a mountain to [=Megatug=], and then leaves, having done nothing nefarious at all. Tug ends up wondering what even just happened.
** The pressing of the Reset Button causes [=Megatug=] to be face to face with an unknown character named 'Tempest' in Mega Man's place. The error is soon corrected. Who Tempest was or why he showed up there is never explained. He seemed to be in the middle of something.
** The 12 days of christmas comic. Wily shows up, threatens to blow up a mountain to [=Megatug=], and then leaves, having done nothing nefarious at all. Tug ends up wondering what even just happened.
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* AuthorsSavingThrow: The author presented a redaction for Neon Tiger's name in the June 5th 2001 strip.
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* EvilCostumeSwitch: Done to a ''building'' when [[spoiler: Neon Tiger takes over and decides to redecorate their base to make it more menacing]], complete with so-called 'blood red' curtains.
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* EvilMakeover: Done to a ''building'' when [[spoiler: Neon Tiger takes over and decides to redecorate their base to make it more menacing]], complete with so-called 'blood red' curtains.
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** For Dr. Light, Series/MacGyver. His GoKartingWithBowser moment falls apart when Neon Tiger says the show didn't hold up.
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** For Dr. Light, Series/MacGyver.''Series/MacGyver1985''. His GoKartingWithBowser moment falls apart when Neon Tiger says the show didn't hold up.
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* DisproportionateRetribution: Dr. Light goes from casually talking with Neon Tiger to declaring his intent to ''murder'' him because he insulted Series/MacGyver.
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* DisproportionateRetribution: Dr. Light goes from casually talking with Neon Tiger to declaring his intent to ''murder'' him because he insulted Series/MacGyver.''Series/MacGyver1985''.
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* DuckSeasonRabbitSeason: The [[http://web.archive.org/web/20180523032035/http://low.newbsoft.com/index.php?date=2001-04-09 April 9th]] comic:
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* DuckSeasonRabbitSeason: The [[http://web.archive.org/web/20180523032035/http://low.newbsoft.com/index.php?date=2001-04-09 April 9th]] 9th 2001]] comic:
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** Dr. Wily [[ShoutOut uses]] [[Anime/OutlawStar Melfina]]'s activation and deactivation phrases on Mega Man, with the reactivation phrase coming later.
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** Dr. Wily [[ShoutOut uses]] [[Anime/OutlawStar Melfina]]'s activation and deactivation and reactivation phrases on Mega Man, with the reactivation phrase coming later.
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--> '''Proto Man:''' Who was I kidding? I'm a robot with a built-in blaster, and my sole purpose in life is to kill.
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lifeofwily.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:And now [[SeriesEstablishingMoment you are prepared]].]]
->''"Sounds fun. And that's what we're all about [[BreakingTheFourthWall here at Life of Wily]]. Pure. Stupid. Fun."''
-->-- '''Mega Man''', summing up [[RuleOfFunny the strip's general philosophy]]
''Life of Wily'' was a SpriteComic that ran from 2001 to 2003, immediately {{follow|TheLeader}}ing in ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'''s wake. The comic's primary distinction from its many-at-the-time competitors is the addition of one OriginalCharacter: [=Megatug=], a NaiveNewcomer created to replace Mega Man when the latter was presumed dead, who resembles him in almost every way aside from being green and having Auto's boots.
The comic remained online for a considerable amount of time after its cancellation (ended in 2003, remained online until late 2019), but is now fully available [[http://web.archive.org/web/20180708204255/http://low.newbsoft.com/index.php?date=2001-01-19 through the Internet Archive]]. Bear in mind that you'll have to sometimes switch to a different snapshot to see some of the strips.
----
!!Includes examples of:
* AbortedArc: The final strip has a ToBeContinued teasing a potential continuation, titled "Life of Wily: Dead to [[StealthPun Rights]]", to come out September 2003. It never came, as the author felt the time was right to put the strip to rest.
* AccidentalHero:
** Dr. Light slams into Wily by accident while trying to control [[spoiler: Flame Mammoth]].
** Proto Man dares Bass into pressing an upside-down switch [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext inside Mega Man's mind]]. The plaque on the side of the switch reads 'STRIP RESET'. As Proto Man was not around to learn of the Reset Button, he and Bass spend the final moments before the reset believing they did something wrong.
* AccidentalMisnaming:
** [=Megatug=] frequently calls Dr. Light "Dr. Wily", since at that point [[SpotlightStealingSquad he's the scientist with most appearances]] and thus [[IAmNotShazam must be who the comic is named after]].
** The author himself, in an example of CowboyBebopAtHisComputer, called Neon Tiger 'Slash Man'. In his defense, the internet was young and there were a lot of sprites.
** Dr. Light calls Sigma 'creepy guy' while forced to [[spoiler: pretend to be Dr. Wily]].
* ActionGirl: Roll ends up becoming this after every single one of the heroes either gets captured or sidetracked.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Despite the direness of the situation, [=Megatug=] gets a good laugh from seeing Proto Man be decapitated, especially after all the grief the latter gave him.
* AdaptationOriginConnection: Some characters who would otherwise only appear in the X series are introduced as Wily's robotic creations in this comic. Neon Tiger being a Wily creation is actually pivotal for a certain plot point.
* AdaptationalPersonalityChange:
** Most notably Sigma, who is a minion of Wily in this continuity, and a very easygoing one at that. [[spoiler: Until, that is, he becomes Demigod Wily]].
** Proto Man starts off being rather cowardly (though some would argue he's just picking his battles), but he gets over it when it comes time to fight [[VideoGame/MegaMan8 Grenade Man]].
--> '''Proto Man:''' Who was I kidding? I'm a robot with a built-in blaster, and my sole purpose in life is to kill.
* AffablyEvil: The large majority of the villains, including Wily himself. [[spoiler: [[FauxAffablyEvil Until his actions directly lead to the murder of Dr. Light, that is.]]]]
* AllergicToLove: Wily's reaction to being blinded by his night vision goggles is "it hurts like kindness!"
* AnachronismStew: For Mega Man. Some mavericks from the VideoGame/MegaManX series, set over a 100 years after the end of VideoGame/MegaManClassic, show up, as well as Sigma, the BigBad, hobnobbing it with Wily for some reason.
* AmbiguousSituation: We'll likely never know what that coffin from the May 8th 2002 strip was, or who was knocking inside it. That strip is called '[[LampshadeHanging Loose Ends]]' for a reason, after all.
* AndThenWhat: Heat Man throws a variation of it in Neon Tiger's face, stating that, as he believes himself to be nothing more than the sum of his parts, he could not ''possibly'' have any reason to want to rule the world.
--> '''Neon Tiger:''' ...[[IWasToldThereWouldBeCake Free pizza]]?
* AnimalsNotToScale: Lampshaded with the Antlion, a giant beast named after a small bug.
* AnimatedActors: Used several times, with strips that start before the 'camera' starts running. A notable instance is when Roll and Wily are talking about buying an Xbox, followed by a jagged yellow speech bubble (apparently coming from Dr. Light) saying "And, ACTION!" appearing, after which they immediately segue into giving each other dramatic speeches.
* AntagonistTitle: Wily occasionally veers into VillainProtagonist territory, but he's never the main focus.
* AntiClimax: The search for the Reset Button, which takes only one comic. It being pushed, however, takes a little longer... because [[IdiotHero Mega Man]] mistakenly thought it meant pushing the ''platform'' the button was in along the floor.
* ApocalypseAnarchy: PlayedForLaughs after [[spoiler: the pressing of the ResetButton]]:
--> '''Dr. Light:''' Well, you know what this means. \\
'''Light/Roll/[=Megatug=]:''' Let's go find some butts and kick 'em!
* AppealToObscurity: In their big battle, [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] accuses Roll of being "about as pop culture as Dee Dee Stockton" was. Note that there is no celebrity named Dee Dee Stockton.
* ArcVillain: Dr. Wily, then [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] and then Cut Man in the final arc, though the latter is just a [[TheDragon Dragon]].
* ArtEvolution: As soon as the author found out how to create anti-aliased text bubbles, God gave Mega Man the ability to use them.
* ArtifactTitle: This is the reason why the characters refuse to believe Wily could die, since the strip is named after him. Neon Tiger [[spoiler: plots to {{invoke|dTrope}} it just to shut them up]].
* ArtisticLicense: The way Proto Man is able to take [=Megatug=] apart while leaving him conscious, even going as far as removing his motherboard. In reality, [=Megatug=] would have to be deactivated for this.
* AskAStupidQuestion: Mega Man walks right into this by asking [=BreakMan=], a character whose specialty is taking breaks constantly ([[FridgeLogic a break from what]]?) why he won't help them beat Wily: "[[CaptainObvious I'm on break]]". The title hangs a {{lampshade|Hanging}} on it with "Saw it Coming a Mile Away, Didn't You?"
* AtrociousAlias:
** Why the name [=Megatug=]? According [[WordOfGod to the author]], he just tried to come up with the dumbest possible name for a robot superhero.
** Roll dislikes the name [=DoctorMan=] for Dr. Light's suit of PoweredArmor, but he thinks it sounds cool.
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Mega Man is easily distracted by anything cool, no matter if he has to save the world or not.
* AuthorGuestSpot: Surprisingly, the author decided to not use a sprite recolor for his avatar. It is instead a hanging portrait of himself in RealLife. In fact, the first time it appeared, it wasn't even actually him, just a regular portrait.
* AuthorsSavingThrow: The author presented a redaction for Neon Tiger's name in the June 5th 2001 strip.
* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler: It is unknown where the strip might have gone had it continued longer, but the final arc]] ends in nothing short of complete victory for Wily. And given that [[spoiler: the last strips are titled "Life of Wily: Endgame", it may not even be a {{cliffhanger}} so much as a straight DownerEnding]].
* BadLiar: Dr. Wily is just not very good at pretending to be a good guy.
* BeatPanel:
** Roll's reaction to the Dee Dee Stockton joke.
** A notable instance when [=Megatug=] and Proto Man are alone. [=Megatug=] tries to ask him something, but Proto Man cuts him off with a terse "[[LittleNo no]]." The panels that follow show [=Megatug=] looking at him dumbfounded, looking away, and then finally giving up and closing his mouth.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Did [=BreakMan=] think that his AuthorAvatar would be introduced and then rather quickly KilledOffForReal? Probably not.
* BetterThanABareBulb: The comic lampshades damn near everything weird that happens.
--> '''Mega Man:''' The power is inside me, but [[ContemplateOurNavels I have so many questions that need answers]]. How can a robot like me stand up against a demigod like [[spoiler: Dr. Wilysigma]]? What will happen to us all if the strip actually resets, as unlikely as that may be? \\
''(AsideGlance)'' How long has it been since we had a ''new'' background?
* BigLippedAlligatorMoment:
** The pressing of the Reset Button causes [=Megatug=] to be face to face with an unknown character named 'Tempest' in Mega Man's place. The error is soon corrected. Who Tempest was or why he showed up there is never explained. He seemed to be in the middle of something.
** The 12 days of christmas comic. Wily shows up, threatens to blow up a mountain to [=Megatug=], and then leaves, having done nothing nefarious at all. Tug ends up wondering what even just happened.
* BlahBlahBlah: Roll says "The nefarious evil of blah, blah, blah, blah..." as she runs to confront Wily.
* BlatantLies:
** Mega Man proudly proclaims he has arrived at Wily's fortress to avenge his fallen brothers (not knowing they're alive). Wily points out that he was brought there by his bird, and in fact did not actually want to come at that point.
** Wily tells [=Megatug=] that he created Cut Man to cut out labels for [=CDs=].
---> '''[=Megatug=]:''' Now I know [[IdiotHero I may seem stupid]]. But you don't think for a second I believe this robot cuts out CD labels, do you? \\
'''Wily:''' [[BadLiar Ah, but he does]]. (glances around) \\
''''Tug:''' You're trying to trick me! \\
'''Wily:''' Ah, but I'm not.
** Proto Man tells [=Megatug=] that he tried to stop the black bird from stealing his stuff, but all [=Megatug=] saw was Proto Man tell said bird to leave the stuff alone and then when they refused to listen, he just stood around.
** Dr. Light gives Wily a run for his money in this regard while [[spoiler: unwillingly impersonating him]].
---> '''Sigma:''' You seem to be acting funny lately. Is everything okay? \\
'''Dr. Light:''' I'm not acting funny. (waves his hand up and down) \\
'''Sigma:''' Yes you are. \\
'''Light:''' No. I'm not. (waves hand again) \\
'''Sigma:''' [[LampshadeHanging What are you doing there with the hand waving?]] \\
'''Light:''' I'm not acting funny, that's for darn sure.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Mega Man starts the strip off by addressing the reader, and the comic continued to break the fourth wall on occasion, though not to the degree that Bob and George did.
* BrickJoke:
** The second bird that was sent by Wily's minions in Strip 57 finally makes an appearance dragging Mega Man away from the Wilding Girls in the May 3rd 2001 strip.
** Roll saves the good guys by grabbing [=Megatug=]'s jetpack that Dr. Light had forced him to leave earlier.
** Dr. Wily [[ShoutOut uses]] [[Anime/OutlawStar Melfina]]'s activation and deactivation phrases on Mega Man, with the reactivation phrase coming later.
** After so many attempts to either have Proto Man kick [=Megatug=]'s head, or have 'Tug kick Proto Man's head, Proto Man finally manages to kick 'Tug to great effect while in the latter's body.
* ButHeSoundsHandsome: A variation: Dr. Wily, when [[spoiler: impersonating Dr. Light]], mentions "our nemesis Dr. Wily (may he live forever)".
* [[CagedInsideAMonster Caged Inside a Reploid]]: Dr. Light ends up locked inside Flame Mammoth, and later [[spoiler: discovers how to control him from the inside]].
* CallBack:
** [=Megatug=] points out that Mega Man's 'feel-good matrix' appears to have worn off when he calls the LotusEaterMachine a 'stupid videogame world'.
---> '''Mega Man:''' [[IdiotHero My what?]]
** Mega Man and 'Tug reminisce about the "Prepare to meet your doom' line from way, way back in the beginning of the strip [[BreatherEpisode as the comic gears up for its first (mostly)-serious arc]]. Mega Man comments it was awesome, and [=Megatug=] gives him a very wide smile. The title ([[RandomEventsPlot 'What Plot?']]) is less enthused about it, however.
** When the strip resets, it reverts back to what was happening in Strip #105, the moment that set in motion the events of the previous arc.
** Mega Man brings up how [=Megatug=] went on the quest to kill Wily to avoid being fired by the author, some 200+ strips after that happened.
* CardCarryingVillain: Wily, as always, fights to advance the cause of evil.
* CassandraTruth: In one guest comic, a fan character named [=WarpMan=] interrupts the events of Strip #105 to explain why they shouldn't [[spoiler: kill Wily]], and sums up the events of the [[spoiler: Wilysigma]] arc that will result from that decision. [=Megatug=]'s response is "Yeah, right" and he proceeds to do it anyway.
* {{Catchphrase}}: "Oh, COME ON!" gets used a few times, [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness but it then disappears]]. Mega Man goads [=Megatug=] into saying it again later for old times' sake, before using it himself when he returns to the LotusEaterMachine.
* CatUpATree: Proto Man takes a break from rescuing the two Megas in order to return a cat to its owner.
* CerebusSyndrome: Not as much as some of its peers at the time, but what started as a RandomEventsPlot quickly becomes more serious, and the second arc ends in a catastrophic defeat for the good guys with no silver lining in sight.
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: This ''almost'' happens to Proto Man, if not for the characters suddenly remembering his existence.
* CircularReasoning: Not only does Flame Mammoth believe that if someone resembles Dr. Wily [[OccamsRazor they must BE Dr. Wily]], but he also believes that because he's said that more than once, it must therefore be true!
* {{Cliffhanger}}: [[spoiler: The comic ends in such a way.]] Though Wily's last scheme has ended in his victory, [[RayOfHopeEnding the heroes are still at large and ready to oppose him, as they always have been]].
* CloudCuckooLander:
** Mega Man, most definitely. He keeps mentioning having both a childhood and a mother, despite that being impossible.
** Mega Tug is also, such as his constant confusion over Dr. Light and Dr. Wily. However, he tends to be more of a StraightMan than Mega Man.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Heat Man threatens [=Megatug=] with this. At first, 'Tug thinks he'll be asking him questions during it, but he is wrong.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint:
** [=Megatug=] says the LotusEaterMachine that trapped them in an 8-bit world reminds him of a Creator/KeanuReeves movie... Film/{{Parenthood}}! Of course!
** Heat Man gets interrupted constantly as he is pondering the ramifications of Neon Tiger's sentience so the others can talk about pizza.
* ComicallySmallBribe: [=Megatug=] ''would'' have betrayed the other heroes had Wily only had ten bucks to give him.
* ContemplateOurNavels:
** Proto Man tries doing this with Mega Man about the importance of courage and preparation. Mega Man's response is to put on a hardhat.
** Neon Tiger begins examining his own existence in a conversation with Heat Man, believing himself to be JustAMachine. Heat Man argues back that Neon Tiger wants to TakeOverTheWorld, something Wily wouldn't have programmed into one of his minions. It is this back-and-forth that allows Wily to [[spoiler: come BackFromTheDead]].
** [=Megatug=]'s justification for not killing Dr. Wily is taken [[ShoutOut word-for-word]] from a speech by [[Literature/LordOfTheRings Gandalf]]. Mega Man is having none of it.
** And likewise, Proto Man is having none of [=Megatug=]'s brief StrawNihilist spiel in the beginning of the second arc.
---> '''Proto Man:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Settle down there, Socrates, you're blowing my mind into tiny pieces]].
* ContinuityCreep: Went from a RandomEventsPlot with very little happening to a battle for the fate of the earth, not unlike the games themselves.
* ContrivedCoincidence:
** Guts Man just ''happens'' to throw a boulder directly into the ravine where Junk Man was about to [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomp]] Mega Man, saving him.
---> '''Mega Man:''' Ah, [[LampshadeHanging the luxuries of coincidence as a plot device]]. That was messy.
** A similar thing happens much later in the strip when Roll fires her blaster in such a way as to light several candles on the wall in a row. The blast goes so far that it hits Heat Man just as he was getting ready to finish off [=Megatug=].
* ConversationalTroping: The wilybots enjoy doing this quite a bit, especially discussing movies. Sigma and Flame Mammoth argue about a PlotHole in the ''Film/TheTimeMachine'' remake at one point.
* CurbStompBattle: This is what happens to anyone who tries to fight Guts Man fairly.
* CurseCutShort:
** Protoman says "Alright, let's open up a can!" (of whoop-ass) before he and Mega Man head off to fight Wily's robots.
** Proto Man must have some problem with swears, because he also stops Mega Man from saying [[Film/DieHard John McClane]]'s catchphrase.
* CurseOfTheAncients: Wily's "Holy Toledo!"
* CuttingTheKnot: How does Roll save the two Megas and Dr. Light? Why, [[BrickJoke with [=Megatug=]'s jet pack]], of course!
--> '''Dr. Light:''' CHEATER!
* CutYourHeartOutWithASpoon: Sigma tells the heroes that he'll grind their bones to make bread.
* DatingCatwoman: [[spoiler: Roll]] ends up having a brief fling with [[spoiler: Wily. He was in his Sigma form at the time, [[NoYay but still]]]].
* DeadpanSnarker: Proto Man is the primary purveyor of this in the strip. Such as when [=Megatug=] claims he'll take his revenge on [[spoiler: Dr. Light (actually Wily in Light's body)]] with his harmless bird body: "Sounds great. I'll just stand back to avoid the shrapnel, shall I?"
* DeathIsCheap: Discussed by the characters. [=Megatug=] does not believe for one second that Wily is dead, despite having literally blasted him through the chest.
* DecapitatedArmy: [[spoiler: Wily]]'s army becomes directionless after his death as none of them truly have the ability or desire to be an evil villain... aside from [[spoiler: Neon Tiger]], that is.
* {{Dedication}}:
** The May 15th 2001 strip has one to Creator/DouglasAdams.
---> But he left me with laughter, \\
Having long ago planted here \\
So gentle a seed of wonder... \\\
Perhaps I can tell stories, too.
** The September 11, 2001 strip has one for the people who lost their lives that day.
* DeityOfHumanOrigin: [[spoiler: Wily]] undergoes ascension to godhood after Heat Man and Neon Tiger conclude through [[ContemplateOurNavels a lot of rhetoric]] that he was able to create life.
* DenserAndWackier: Compared to the games it's based on, very much so. Keep in mind, this is a webcomic that at point involved one of its main characters playing a football video game with ComicStrip/{{Heathcliff}} the cat.
* DerailedTrainOfThought: Dr. Light goes into a long digression about how he hopes everyone is okay back home, describing how they should make sure to feed his cute little metools, and groom Rush ([[RememberTheNewGuy wait, Rush exists here]]?), perform maintenance on Roll... Sigma is tired of it.
* DirtyCoward:
** Proto Man, despite promising he would have [=Megatug=]'s back in the fight against Heathcliff, immediately flees.
** Prince Edward, though Rydia is certain he'll come back to help at just the right moment. [[spoiler: she's wrong]].
** Dr. Light offers Mega Man's specs to Flame Mammoth just so he can be spared torture. Nevermind that mass-producing Mega Man would make Wily's army unstoppable.
* DisproportionateRetribution: Dr. Light goes from casually talking with Neon Tiger to declaring his intent to ''murder'' him because he insulted Series/MacGyver.
* DistinctionWithoutADifference: Wily's interrogation of [=Megatug=]:
--> '''Wily:''' So, you say there was just the one bird? I'm told there were two. \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Well, I suppose if they were exact genetic replicas occupying the same spot in the space-time continuum]]...
* DistractedByTheSexy: Rydia gets distracted by seeing Mega Man in his usual outfit.
* TheDragon: It isn't all that clear who Wily's dragon was at first, as Sigma, Heat Man, Flame Mammoth and Neon Tiger seemed to have equal standing. However, in the second story arc, Cut Man acts as TheMole for him and tries to systematically murder all of the good guys at once.
* DragonAscendant: {{Discussed|Trope}} by the bad guys after [[spoiler: Wily's death]]. Flame Mammoth says that he has no desire to rule the world, while Sigma notes that he lacks Wily's gift for planning. Neon Tiger, on the other hand, is very eager to take up his mantle. [[spoiler: He becomes the Dragon Ascendant for a while before Wily's resurrection.]]
* DramaticIrony: Several times, the Reset Button [[spoiler: and the so-called Manual Override]] are overlooked by the heroes, usually with them obliviously asking "But where could it be?"
* DressingAsTheEnemy: [=Megatug=] steals Heat Man's outfit to use as a disguise.
* DuckSeasonRabbitSeason: The [[http://web.archive.org/web/20180523032035/http://low.newbsoft.com/index.php?date=2001-04-09 April 9th]] comic:
--> '''Wily:''' Oh, you'll talk, [=Megatug=]. \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' No, I won't. \\
'''Wily:''' Oh yes you will! \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' No, I won't. \\
'''Wily:''' Oh, no you won't! \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' Oh, yes I will! \\
'''Wily:''' Excellent! I'll hold you to that. \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' HEY! What kind of torture is this?!!
* EasyAmnesia: Dr. Light made 'Sandwiches of Forgetfulness' to induce this.
* EnemyMine: Sigma and Dr. Light team up to fix the situation in the second arc.
* EveryManHasHisPrice: [=Megatug=]'s is ten bucks, apparently.
* EvilLaugh: Dr. Light tries and fails to do one of these. It apparently sounded really bad, given Sigma's reaction. Wily gives an earnest one in the ending.
* EvilMakeover: Done to a ''building'' when [[spoiler: Neon Tiger takes over and decides to redecorate their base to make it more menacing]], complete with so-called 'blood red' curtains.
* TheExitIsThatWay: Proto Man dramatically sets off to rescue his brothers, complete with a narration caption that is then abruptly interrupted when he turns around to go the right direction.
* FairWeatherFriend: Mega Man and 'Tug abandon Proto Man the first chance they get, and likewise, Proto Man does the same for Bass.
* [[FakeUltimateHero Fake Ultimate Villain]]: Heathcliff turns out to be quite the [[JustForPun scaredy-cat]] after several comics' worth of building him up as [=Megatug=]'s final test of heroism. Which isn't to say he's not tough for [=Megatug=] to defeat, however.
* FillerStrips: Has quite a few, usually for the holidays. The February 4th comic for instance, was nothing but the title of '[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI Final Fantasy III]]' and [=Megatug=] freaking out about why the comic was stalling so hard. [[HilariousInHindsight Ironically enough]], characters from Final Fantasy would end up appearing in the comic later on, but from VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV instead.
* FinaglesLaw: Of ''course'' Proto Man's flare would happen to be fired at exactly the right time to murder Melvin, the robot bird that was carrying [=Megatug=].
* FiringDay: The others make [=Megatug=] believe he will be fired from the comic, [[SecretTestOfCharacter to motivate him to be a better hero]].
* FiveAcesCheater: [=Megatug=] tells Heathcliff to exit the house onstensibly to check if Proto Man is gone, only to then scream "YES! Safety!" because Heathcliff neglected to pause the game and he kept playing.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: The March 2 comic has an opening narration that quickly devolves into a Final Fantasy reference, foreshadowing that characters from that franchise will make an appearance during that arc.
* ForgottenFallenFriend:
** Mega Man {{invoke|dTrope}}s this when Proto Man is shot down, telling Mega Tug they need to forget about him so the plot can move along. [=Megatug=] quickly acquiesces, saying "Oh, I get it. MY BROTHER IS DEAD!"
** Mega then plays it straight when he proclaims he will avenge his brother ([=Megatug=]) whose name he's already forgotten.
* FreakyFridayFlip: [[spoiler: Dr. Light and Dr. Wily]] switch bodies in the beginning of the second arc.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: Wily wasn't exactly nobody, but he was hardly a threating villain, until [[spoiler: he became a DeityOfHumanOrigin]].
* FunetikAksent: The one time a Wilding Girl talks, they use this. "Meester [=Megatug=], where haf joo gone tooooo?"
* TheFunInFuneral: [[spoiler: Wily's minions]] organize a funeral for him. It quickly devolves into their typical nonsense. Heat Man gets into an argument about Neon Tiger's sentience while the rest are discussing Pizza.
* GallowsHumor: The way [=Megatug=] and Proto Man's headless bodies are constantly being injured, broken, or getting other heads shoved into them is funny in a rather macabre way.
* GaveUpTooSoon: In one guest comic, the panel of Mega Man ordering 'Tug to shoot Wily is repeated three times, before it cuts to Bass and Proto Man to reveal it's because he's been pressing the Reset Button and not seeing a reaction.
--> '''Bass:''' Okay. We've flipped this switch a dozen times and nothing happened. I give up.
* GeniusDitz: {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d when Neon Tiger is having a philosophical discussion with Heat Man.
--> '''Heat Man:''' Is it just me, or are you switching back and forth between smart and stupid? \\
'''Neon Tiger:''' It's a glitch.
* GenreSavvy: [[spoiler: Wily after gaining omniscience in his Demigod form.]]
--> '''[[spoiler: Wily]]:''' So does this mean you'll join me? [[WeCanRuleTogether Rule at my side as queen]]? \\
'''Roll:''' Aw, why not? But I have one condition: Give me demigod powers, too. \\
'''[[spoiler: Wily]]:''' So you can betray me, start the countdown and reset [[spoiler: my]] strip? Not likely. \\
'''Roll:''' I had to try.
* GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul: PlayedForLaughs when Mega Man tells Proto Man how he'll remain happy the entire trip because Dr. Light gave him a good attitude about it ([[LiteralMetaphor by pressing buttons on his chest]]).
* GilliganCut:
** Flame Mammoth thinks Wily must be giving [=Megatug=] some EvilGloating. Cut back to Wily, and he's in the middle of a SeinfeldianConversation with 'Tug.
** Dr. Light's BigDamnHeroes moment and declaration that Wily's minions are no match for him is immediately interrupted by a panel of him in Wily's dungeon.
* {{God}}: Mega Man hears a voice which he believes to be the voice of God. Said voice neither confirms nor denies it.
* GoKartingWithBowser:
** Wily has a truce with the heroes during the holiday comics, citing "[[EvenEvilHasStandards the constraints of decency]]" as the reason why he doesn't blast them all to smithereens.
** [=Megatug=] and Heathcliff have a match of electronic football at one point, though it's less a friendly break from their rivalry and more an extension of it.
** Dr. Light goes to lunch with Neon Tiger, since their fight simply wasn't going to happen. [[spoiler: [[WatsonianVersusDoylist The more likely reason]] is that Flame Mammoth just doesn't have any good fighting sprites, due to his fighting style largely consisting of jumping.]]
* GoneHorriblyRight: A bird steals [=Megatug=]'s body, so he uses his blaster to shoot it dead. It works, but he also hits his own body as well.
* GoodLuckCharm: Mega Man's "Lucky Hat".
* GoryDiscretionShot: What happens to [[spoiler: Heathcliff]] is not shown on-panel. Neither is what happens to [[spoiler: Edward]] and [[spoiler: Break Man]].
* GoshDangItToHeck: A strange minced oath from Dr. Light early in the comic: "Oh, my dear..."
* GrandTheftMe: [[spoiler: Wily]] takes Sigma's body after his resurrection.
* GuestComic: Had one during the author's {{hiatus}} in May 24th 2001, for a [[TheMerch t-shirt]] idea contest. There were several from December 26th 2001 up to the 31st, and a few more later on.
* GuestStarPartyMember: [=BreakMan=], a green Proto Man recolor, appears for a while, though has no effect on the plot, since [[MeaningfulName he's on a break]].
* HandWave: The explanation for how Proto Man and Bass got out of Mega Man's head: they fell out through his ear. ([[FridgeLogic and then grew back to normal size?]]) Keep in mind their presence inside Mega Man's head [[WidgetSeries was never explained to begin with]].
* HeroismMotiveSpeech: Dr. Light's speech about why he's going after Mega Man, Mega Tug and Proto Man:
--> '''Dr. Light:''' Listen - [=Megatug=] went to Dr. Wily's lair because he believed something that wasn't true. \\
'''Roll:''' What do you mean? \\
'''Light:''' He thought the Author sent him on this stupid quest, but [[TricksterMentor it was me]]. [[SecretTestOfCharacter I rigged the whole thing]]. \\
'''Roll:''' So you're going after him? \\
'''Light:''' I'm going after him because I believe in something, too. \\
'''Roll:''' And what is that? \\
'''Light:''' [[BigDamnHeroes I believe I can bring them back]].
* HistoryRepeats: Despite the heroes' best efforts... [[spoiler: Mega Man ''still'' blows a hole in Dr. Wily's chest, just much, much later]]. The only reason the heroes don't realize this is that they believe he shot [[spoiler: Dr. Light]] instead.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Flame Mammoth [[spoiler: eating Dr. Light allows the latter to control him like a {{People Puppet|s}}]].
* HolidayEpisode: Used as justification for filler comics. The most frequent is the Fourth of July, but there was even one for Groundhog Day at one point.
* HoneyTrap: When they're not beating you up, the Wilding Girls engage in this, as [=Megatug=] discovered when one of them stole his clothes.
* HypocriticalHeartwarming:
** Happens when Mega Man claims he'll avenge [=Megatug=] while also admitting to having forgotten his name, and when [=Megatug=] defiantly declares to Wily that [[EveryManHasHisPrice as long as he doesn't have ten bucks to give him]], he shall ''never'' betray his friends!
** The two megas thank [=BreakMan=] for dying in their stead.
* IAmNotShazam: InUniverse, [=Megatug=] thinks Dr. Light must be Dr. Wily, due to the title of the comic.
* IdiotHero: Mega Man, [=Megatug=], Dr. Light, and to a lesser extent, Proto Man.
* ImagineSpot:
** Roll briefly imagines Dr. Light being burned alive by Heat Man after Light insists he can take care of himself.
** Mega Man imagines himself roasting weenies over [[GallowsHumor Wood Man]]'s corpse, but is taken out of the fantasy when the real Wood Man asks what he is doing.
** Bass hallucinates that he's escaped from prison.
* ImmediateSelfContradiction:
** Wily's order to Grenade Man:
---> '''Wily:''' I must destroy him, along with all his little robot pals. And when I say 'I', that means 'you'.
** Cecil states that Edward will not run away in battle... unless the monster attacks them.
** Dr. Light says he trust the boys to come through as they always do, and then admits Roll's gonna have to save them.
* IncrediblyLamePun:
** [[VideoGame/MegaMan7 Cloud Man]] makes a pretty bad one about a "facili-tater". Wily gives an AsideGlance in response. This becomes a mild RunningGag.
** [=Megatug=] is "one step a-head" of Proto Man. [[DontExplainTheJoke They were both headless at the time]].
** Dr. Wily [[spoiler: closes out the comic]] with one of these. [[spoiler: "Let's just call him Dr. Light [[KilledOffForReal at the end of the tunnel, eh?]] [[EvilLaugh Mwaahahahahahahaha!!]]]]
* InMediasRes: The August 1st 2001 strip is set later than the two strips following it.
* InstantlyProvenWrong: Dr Light reassures Roll that his robots are resourceful, and to always expect the unexpected from them. Right then, Mega Man pops in looking for his retainer, having apparently made the entire trip back just to get it. Well, he ''was'' [[RightForTheWrongReasons right about that last part]]...
* IronicEcho: [=Megatug=] and Mega Man arrogantly declare that Roll is probably heading home already and leaving the fight to the 'professionals'. She flings that word back in their face [[spoiler: after taking the Doctor Man armor]].
* ItsQuietTooQuiet: Proto Man name drops the trope name despite immediately preceding it with a "Do you hear that?"
* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: This is the villains' primary interrogation method. Most notably, the reused sprite from ''VideoGame/RiverCityRansom'' does this while ''pretending'' to ask [=Megatug=] some questions. He actually [[{{Sadist}} doesn't have any]].
* JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind: Proto Man and Bass find themselves inside Mega Man's head after their bus comes back. How they got there is never explained.
* JumpScare: Not really; the 2001 Halloween strip is a gif that eventually [[spoiler: shows the word "[[CatScareBoo]]!"]].
* KilledOffForReal:
** Auto's boots were used to make [=Megatug=]. He's not coming back.
** Likewise for [[spoiler: Heathcliff and Prince Edward]], the latter of which isn't even seen onscreen before his gruesome death. [[GoryDiscretionShot Or during it, for that matter]].
** This is also what happens to the guest character, [=BreakMan=], who also gets his head ripped off out of panel.
* KillerRabbit:
** Heathcliff is portrayed as this; the reality is [[FakeUltimateHero somewhat different]].
** The Wilding Girls are a band of cute chibi girls, but are very dangerous.
* LamePunReaction: Wily gives an aside glance at hearing "facilitater" for the first time. Even more dramatic is Proto Man's reaction to hearing the headless [=Megatug=] say "I'm way ahead of you" and then proceed to [[DontExplainTheJoke explain the joke]].
--> '''Proto Man:''' Oh, Lord! [[SuckinessIsPainful Smite me with the thunders of Thy mighty hand]]!
* LaserGuidedKarma: Discussed when [=Megatug=], sans head, is sitting with the likewise headless Proto Man, who had earlier tried to play soccer with 'Tug's head before losing his own. Then 'Tug reveals he can still control his body, leading Proto Man to remark that if he does anything to his head, he will ''end'' him. 'Tug gives him a large grin in response as his body gets up from the floor.
* LastStand: Proto Man inadvertently causes this for himself and Bass, not knowing just how numerous the Wilding Girls are.
* LeftHanging: The comic was cancelled in the middle of its final arc.
* LemonyNarrator: The narrator frequently gets interrupted by the team's antics, and sometimes even by outside sources.
* LesCollaborateurs: Dr. Light tries to do this so Flame Mammoth will spare him. Mammoth isn't really interested.
* LetMeGetThisStraight: The august 30th comic, "[[LampshadeHanging Summarizing Foolishness]]", has Mega Man recapping the events that just happened with this line.
* LetsYouAndHimFight: Cecil and Rydia think Proto Man might be the Antlion, or know where it is, so they capture him.
* LiteralMetaphor: Proto Man assumes that Dr. Light told Mega Man some encouraging thing when the latter tells him that Light gave him a good attitude about the journey. What he actually did was activate his 'Feel Good Matrix'.
* LiteralMinded: Shade Man serves Dr. Light a Jack and Coke on the rocks. It's a drink filled with tiny Mega Men. [[DontExplainTheJoke Because his original name is Rock]], see.
* LosingYourHead:
** [[spoiler: Edward]] somehow manages to grab his head and place it back on his body and is seemingly no worse for wear... [[GallowsHumor until it uncerimoniously falls off]], that is.
** [=Megatug=], being a robot, can survive with only his head, and even control the rest of his body remotely.
* LotusEaterMachine: Mega and Tug get trapped in an 8-bit one.
* MacGuffin: The very literal ResetButton.
* ManipulativeBastard: Dr. Light has shades of being a good version of this. Such as sending [=Megatug=] on the quest to kill Wily by lying to him and pretending to be the author, or telling Mega Man to eat the sandwiches of forgetfulness he made.
* MediumAwareness: Damn near everyone has this, aside from the FF characters, [[HypocriticalHumor who express skepticism at the idea of video game characters existing]].
* MilestoneCelebration: Started with the 50th comic celebration, then the 100th, and continued every hundred comics, aside from the 200th, which only had the title expressing surprise at getting that far.
* MindOverMatter: [=Megatug=] appears to try this against Heat Man's flames. It doesn't work; as he puts it, the fire is still "PIPIN' HOT!!"
* MinionWithAnFInEvil: Every single one of Wily's minions is incompetent, aside from Guts Man and Grenade Man. Even the otherwise capable Slash Man-ER, Neon Tiger has to stop after some EvilGloating to ask the others if he sounded evil enough.
* TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf: An {{inver|tedTROPE}}sion; when Dr. Light looks at the mirror after [[spoiler: switching bodies with Dr. Wily]], he realizes what happened. It's actually his regular sprite that shows the readers his true self.
* MiseryPoker: After the reset, Flame Mammoth and Sigma talk about how glad they are to have avoided their {{Bad Future}}s. Mammoth says he's glad to not have an [[spoiler: old man]] inside of him anymore. Sigma retorts with "Yeah? I had [[spoiler: Dr. Wily]] inside my dead husk, gallavanting around with Megaman's sister".
--> '''Flame Mammoth:''' Touché, my friend. Touché.
* MixAndMatchCritters: Proto Man puts [=Megatug=]'s head in a bird body, making him look like a Cuccoo from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess''.
* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome: When Proto Man kicks [=Megatug=]'s head as a distraction and blasts Cut Man in the head, fulfilling an earlier BrickJoke and ending the ArcVillain's life.
* MurderByCremation: What very well could have happened to Wily had [[spoiler: Neon Tiger's plan to cremate him succeeded]].
* MusicSoothesTheSavageBeast: Mega plots to sing Guts Man a lullaby to lull him to sleep.
* MythologyGag: The entire fight between [[spoiler: Roll wearing the DoctorMan armor and Demigod Wily]] is a big one for the VideoGame/MegaManX series.
* {{Narm}}: [[invoked]] InUniverse, Roll is too distracted by [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] squishing his two halves together to feel the terror he expected her to feel. Later on, she mocks his attempts to be imposing in his bright purple suit.
* NarratingThePresent: Some of the characters do this in certain strips. Usually what's actually happening [[UnreliableNarrator is not nearly as dramatic as they make it sound]].
* NewSeasonNewName: The strips after May 5th 2003 are titled "Life of Wily: Endgame" for a reason.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero:
** Auto ends up blowing Mega Man sky-high (literally) while trying to repair him.
** Dr. Light winds up [[spoiler: shot dead at the hands of the heroes]] while they believe him to be Dr. Wily doing a GrandTheftMe on the good doctor. [[spoiler: And they were ''right'', up until Wily switched back.]]
* NonIndicativeName: The comic itself doesn't really focus on Wily's life. He's just the antagonist.
* NoodleImplements: Proto Man opens up [=Megatug=]'s head and discovers a badger living inside. [=Megatug=] appears to not know why it's there.
* NoodleIncident: Dr. Light apparently tried to convince Sigma he wasn't Dr. Wily by dropping his pants. What this was supposed to accomplish is anyone's guess.
* NoSell: A thug in the 8-Bit Realm no-sells [=Megatug=]'s blaster shot with his ''fist''.
--> '''[=Megatug=]:''' Curse this 8-Bit Hell!
* NotMeThisTime: Neon Tiger denies Dr. Light's idea that he trapped Mega Man in the 8-Bit Realm on purpose, saying that whatever he did, he did it himself.
* OccamsRazor: Flame Mammoth applies this during the second arc, thinking that if the man in front of him resembles Dr. Wily, he must be Dr. Wily, rather than seeing his odd behaviour and words that clearly indicate otherwise.
* OfficialFanSubmittedContent: The various guest comics. The entire second arc itself was submitted by a fan (Chris Williams).
* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: Bass ''claims'' to have had one of these with Flash Man and Bomb Man when Proto Man arrives at their hidey-hole. Proto Man thinks otherwise.
* OffWithHisHead: The antlion rips [[spoiler: Edward]]'s head and shoves it on a pike.
* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] transforms from a 16-bit sprite to a 32-bit one to highlight a higher level of power. [[spoiler: More specifically, from X1 Sigma to X5 Sigma.]]
* OnlyMostlyDead: Mega Man wasn't destroyed by the explosion in the beginning of the comic, only blown clear.
* [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Woman]]: Roll very quickly grows into this role the moment she enters Wily's castle.
--> '''Roll:''' You're [[IronicEcho professionals]], so act like it!
* OutOfCharacterAlert: Dr. Light and Dr. Wily both start acting unlike themselves in the second arc, causing their allies to become suspicious of them. Well, [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter some of their allies]].
* PeoplePuppets: Dr. Light manages to do this to [[spoiler: Flame Mammoth]], and uses him as armor afterwards.
* PleaseIWillDoAnything: Dr. Light is reduced to trying to buy his freedom at any cost when being interrogated by Flame Mammoth.
* PlotHole: How did Roll manage to regenerate her arm? Simple: "[[TakeOurWordForIt In an amazing sequence you can only wish you'd seen]]!"
* PoliteVillainsRudeHeroes: Outside of Dr. Light, all the heroes are quite rude, while the villains are very polite and [[AffablyEvil easy-going]].
* PokeThePoodle: Mega Man's plan to beat Guts Man? Sing him a lullaby.
* ThePollyanna: Dr. Light turns Mega Man into this with a feel-good matrix. Otherwise, he tends to be a bit cranky.
* PoweredArmor: Dr. Light's "[=DoctorMan=]" suit, which resembles Zero from VideoGame/MegaManX.
* PowerCreep: Deliberately {{inverted|trope}} by Dr. Light, who removes [=Megatug=]'s wings after Mega Man comes back, so they can be on the same level.
* PromotedFanboy: Chris Williams won the contest for the second arc idea. All the comics for the GrandTheftMe arc have a 'story by Chris Williams' credit.
* PullingThemselvesTogether: This is one of [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]]'s many powers, which he demonstrates to Roll.
* {{Pun}}: The title of the February 15th, 2002 strip [[Creator/JRRTolkien Tolkien]] it one step too far.
* PutOnABus: Proto Man left for a while to hide in fear from the Wilding Girls inside a cave, alongside Bass. However, TheBusCameBack as of the January 30th 2002 strip.
* RaceAgainstTheClock: The timer for the Reset Button results in this for the villains.
* RageAgainstTheAuthor: A milder example than most occurs when [=Megatug=] gets angry at an unnecessary {{Filler Strip|s}}.
* RandomEventsPlot: The earlier strips have a lot of this. [=Megatug=]'s training in particular largely consists of a lot of trolling.
* RayOfHopeEnding: This is one way to interpret the ending of [[spoiler: the comic itself]]. Wily has succeeded only in [[spoiler: murdering Dr. Light]]. Mega Man and the others are still alive and well, and there's every likelihood they'll stop him, even if they were unable to this time.
* RealityEnsues: Proto Man tries to use [=Megatug=]'s head for soccer. He fails because it's way too heavy for that. Then when Proto Man puts his head inside a robot bird body, 'Tug can't fly, because his head is ''still'' too heavy.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot:
** The Thanksgiving comic for 2001 is one example, as it became a wall of text explaining what happened because the author's computer crashed while he was hard at work on the actual comic that was supposed to be posted that day.
** If you know your sprite comics, you can see a few subtle examples of this at work, such as the reason why Flame Mammoth and Neon Tiger never actually fought (Mammoth doesn't have sprites ideal for a close-quarters battle) or why [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] reverted to his classic [[spoiler: Sigma]] sprite when facing 8-bit mega (because likewise, his 32-bit sprite his exactly one alternate pose, and that's extending his hand).
* ReferenceOverdosed: The comic's references range from [[ShoutOut shout-outs]], to getting meta about shout-outs, to [[UpToEleven getting meta about how meta the shout-out gags are getting]].
* ResetButton: The Reset Button that is a MacGuffin in the penultimate arc exists for this purpose. [[spoiler: Mega Man succeeds in activating it.]]
* RoboticPsychopath: Neon Tiger is the most clear example. Sigma is also, though he's quite mellow about it.
* RunningGagged: Dr. Wily presents Cut Man to [=Megatug=] and calls him a "facilitator of mankind's ultimate doom". [=Megatug=] then says "Hehehe...facilitater".
--> '''Wily:''' Oh, come off it! That's not even a funny joke!
* SanitySlippage: Proto Man goes through this after having too much of 'Tug's stupidity, and starts talking like Gollum.
* SarcasmBlind: [=Megatug=] briefly becomes this when Proto Man quips that all he has left is his 'Furious Flutter' attack, which he'd previously been rather unimpressed by. [=Megatug=] replies with "See?! And you doubted!" Granted, it might just be SelectiveObliviousness on his part.
* SelfDeprecation: The comic is rather harshly critical of itself. However, of all the characters, Mega Man is the one who seems to despise it the most.
* SelfProclaimedLiar: A variation: When they decide to do an EnemyMine together, Dr. Light asks Sigma if he can trust him. Sigma says "no". It takes Dr. Light [[WontTakeYesForAnAnswer a second to realize that's what he said]].
* SeriousBusiness:
** The flight velocity of an unladen swallow, which [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] defines as 15 to 45 mph. When he explains why, Roll falls to her knees and exclaims that [[AGodYouAre he IS a god]].
** For Dr. Light, Series/MacGyver. His GoKartingWithBowser moment falls apart when Neon Tiger says the show didn't hold up.
* ShoutOut: Has [[ShoutOut/LifeOfWily its own page]].
* SinkOrSwimMentor: Proto Man, if he isn't a DirtyCoward.
* SkewedPriorities:
** Mega Man interrupts the all-important quest to defeat Dr. Wily to get his retainer.
** Neon Tiger AND Flame Mammoth are very preoccupied with pizza.
** Dr. Light would rather play with the pedals inside [[spoiler: Flame Mammoth]] than help the heroes. At least until the countdown starts.
** Mega Man's [[spoiler: virtual underling]] allows the Robot Masters he controls to beat Mega up because he "[[SoreLoser doesn't like losing]]".
* TheSociopath: Neon Tiger, as exemplied by his lack of regard for his own creator.
* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: Inverted: Dr. Light proves his true identity to Sigma by doing a ''very'' poor attempt at an EvilLaugh.
* SpeakIllOfTheDead: Dr. Wily, not seconds after telling Sigma that [[spoiler: Dr. Light is dead]], makes an IncrediblyLamePun about it.
* SpoofAesop: A PublicServiceAnnouncement for stopping robot violence plays at [[spoiler: Wily's funeral]].
* SpotlightStealingSquad: Mega Man {{defie|dTrope}}s this with the FFIV characters, telling them to go away because [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX this is his story, not theirs]]. They are promptly PutOnABus and forgotten.
* StartXToStopX: Wily wants to stop the heroes from getting to his evil lair. How will he do this? By capturing them and then bringing them to his evil lair.
* {{Sting}}: {{Parodied|Trope}} when Mega Man manages to cause a yellow "DUN, DUN, DUN!!" speech bubble to appear on command by saying the words "or someone".
* StrangeMindsThinkAlike:
** Mega Man also tells the "facili-tater" joke to a Wilding Girl, much like Cloud Man did to Wily. It must be a famous joke in their universe.
** When [=Megatug=] explains to Dr. Light how Mega Man is going to push the Reset Button to solve everything, Dr. Light asks "how far back does it go?" Cut to Mega Man pushing the button further and further away from its original location, but never actually pressing it.
** Proto Man puts [=Megatug=]'s head in a headless bird robot's body, while Wily places a bird robot in [=Megatug=]'s headless body.
* SuddenDownerEnding: Did you really expect such a zany and random webcomic to end [[spoiler: with a major character's death while the main bad guy is now in a position to destroy our heroes from the inside with impunity]]?
* SuperGullible: It is very easy to trick [=Megatug=] and Bass into thinking you have their best interests in mind.
* SupervillainLair: Wily has one of these, which the narration [[LampshadeHanging outright calls]] an "evil lair".
* SureLetsGoWithThat: When Flame Mammoth tells Dr. Light to get on with their plan to [[spoiler: kill Dr. Light]], he responds with a casual "sure, why not?"
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: [=Megatug=] is simply an EagerRookie version of Mega Man, down to looking almost exactly like him. He was this at first, but then Mega Man was revealed to be alive.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Cut Man didn't cut off [[MixAndMatchCritters Pummeltug]]'s head because he was going to reveal Wily's plan, no sir! (Surprisingly, [[GenreSavvy the heroes don't buy it this time]].)
* TacticalWithdrawal: {{Parodied|Trope}}: Bass makes him and Proto Man do this against the Wilding Girls, planning to hide in terror afterward. "It always works", he says.
* TakeOurWordForIt:
** Because of a [[RealLifeWritesThePlot hard drive crash]], the author is forced to write a wall of text explaining what would happened in the 2001 Thanksgiving comic (Dr. Light gorging himself on the food and vomiting into a river).
** InUniverse, the virtual thug is defeated by [=Megatug=] claiming to have unleashed such a devastating attack that he'll never recover from it.
** The epilogue for the first arc tells us that Mega Man and co. had many adventures afterwards, "to which the legends of yore stand ill in comparison. But there is not time enough to tell those stories here. [[AndNowForSomethingCompletelyDifferent Instead, we bring you this]]."
---> '''[=Megatug=]:''' You bring back my Hot Pocket before I blast your face into sweet endless oblivion!
* ThouShaltNotKill: Soundly {{averted|Trope}}, no matter what [[AdaptationalPersonalityChange the games]] have to say about it. [=Megatug=] and Mega Man are perfectly willing to murder Dr. Wily, [[spoiler: and in the former's case, actually go through with it]].
* TooDumbToLive: [=Megatug=] asks for a demonstration of Cut Man's ability to separate heads from their bodies. Walked right into that one, he did...
--> '''[=Megatug=]:''' Will it hurt? \\
'''Cut Man:''' [[ExactWords Only for a moment]].
* TooMuchInformation: Dr. Light happens to eavesdrop on [[spoiler: Roll and Wily talking about [[DatingCatwoman their relationship]]]]. He can't handle it.
* TakeThat: Cecil is portrayed as irritatingly mumbling to himself about his Dark Knightness, much like he did in his game. Rydia is sick of it.
* TemptingFate:
---> '''Proto Man:''' What, you'd rather have more enemies face, jumping around and shouting "Prepare to meet your doom"? \\
'''Guts Man:''' PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM!
** [=Megatug=] declares that ''something'' dramatic needs to happen while inside a LotusEaterMachine. The floor then vanishes.
** [=Megatug=] {{invert|edTrope}}s it when he's left alone in said machine, saying [[SarcasmMode it can't get any better than this]]. It immediately does get 'better' - a sprite from ''VideoGame/RiverCityRansom'' shows up to beat him up. Apparently, this trope is cognizant of sarcasm.
* ThankingTheViewer: The 100th strip has a message from the author thanking the readers for stopping by and reading the comic.
* TheRant: There's only the one, a long message to the side memorializing the comic's day in the sun.
* TimeBomb: Both literal and figurative: [[spoiler: The Reset Button]] gives both the heroes and villain exactly one minute to either ensure or prevent its activation, respectively.
* TomTheDarkLord: ComicStrip/{{Heathcliff}} of all people is treated like a terror beyond reckoning by Proto Man.
* TriggerPhrase: Wily added two for Mega Man, one to deactivate him and one to reactivate him, both of them being references to ''Anime/OutlawStar''. The reactivation was apparently also supposed to make him BrainwashedAndCrazy, but Mega seems none the wiser.
--> "Did I hear something about breakfast?"
* TrollingCreator: The author claimed to skip [=BreakMan=]'s death to get the plot moving, but then spent two strips showing it happening.
* UnknownRival: Implied to be the case with Wood Man's monologue about taking his revenge on Mega Man.
* UnreliableNarrator: Not the actual narrator, but when the characters themselves do it, it's usually this. Case in point, Bass narrates how he kept himself and Proto Man entertained while in prison, when he's in fact only narrating that he is, while Proto Man has already escaped.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom:
** Bass is tricked by Dr. Wily into trying to kill Mega Man and Roll. That's not the 'instigating doom' part. That comes when [[spoiler: he jumps over a blaster shot from Mega Man which hits Dr. Wily... just as Dr. Light is transferring his own consciousness back into that body. [[DownerEnding So now Dr. Light is dead, the world thinks that he died as a villain and traitor, and Wily is still at large with the heroes none the wiser]]]]. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Nice Job Breaking It, Heroes!]]
** Dr. Light, with Sigma's help, makes a mental transporter in order to put himself back in his normal body. [[spoiler: He dies, and]] Dr. Wily is able to replicate the plans, raising the possibility he could pull multiple GrandTheftMe's on the heroes without them ever finding out.
* VaguenessIsComing: [=MegaTug=] of all people sees 'a vision of blood and burning death' that he warns Mega and Roll about, but refuses to get into specifics. [[spoiler: Turns out it was about the emergence of Demigod Wily.]]
* VolleyingInsults: Heathcliff and [=Megatug=] engage in a bout of this while engaged in a bout of VideoGame/MaddenNFL.
--> '''Heathcliff:''' And that's called RESET. It was going to be called BOOT TO THE HEAD, but I'm not wearing shoes. \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' Heh... so you lost your wittle shoesies, kitty-cat? \\
'''Heathcliff:''' Yeah. I left them at the foot of YourMom's bed.
* WarriorPoet: Neon Tiger can ContemplateOurNavels like no one else. [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] as well, as shown when he dissects the the concept of the existence of the '[[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail unladen swallow]]'.
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: Proto Man and [=Megatug=] are reduced to this after their mutual decapitations, bickering together in ways worthy of Heathcliff.
* WeCanRuleTogether: Wily extends this proposition to roll, but she interprets it as a [[DirtyOldMan marriage proposal]].
* WhatDoesThisButtonDo: Surprisingly, it's not Mega Man or 'Tug who engage in this sort of behaviour, but rather Proto Man and Bass. Proto Man [[AchievementsInIgnorance managed to save the day]] by pressing the Reset Button with this mentality. And conversely, [[spoiler: He screws it up by pressing another button later]].
* WholePlotReference: Twelve strips leading up to Christmas 2001 do this with ''The Night Before Christmas''.
* WilliamTelling: Cut Man sets this up with [=Megatug=], but it's [[ExploitedTrope really only a ruse]] to slice off his head.
* WontTakeYesForAnAnswer: Inverted with Dr. Light and Sigma. Dr. Light barrels through Sigma's statement that he cannot be trusted, and has to ask him to repeat.
--> '''Dr. Light:''' I don't know...can I trust you, Sigma? \\
'''Sigma:''' No. \\
'''Light:''' Excellent. Well, first we need to engineer a... Wait. Did you just say "no"? \\
'''Sigma:''' No. \\
'''Light:''' [[SuperGullible Okay. Good]].
* XanatosRoulette: How did Wily know Proto Man [[spoiler: Would be so eager to press the button on his GrandTheftMe device]]? Simple: He didn't. There was no possible way he could have known that would happen.
* YankTheDogsChain:
** [=Megatug=] gets a new friend named Melvin for all of two comics before he's abruptly shot down and vaporized by Proto Man by complete accident.
** [=Megatug=] is gladdened by the deactivation of Mega Man's feel-good matrix, but Dr. Light quickly turns it back on.
* YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe:
** Dr. Light's reaction when Neon Tiger wonders why the readers don't believe [[spoiler: Wily is dead]] is a "you're kidding me, right?"
** Mega Man's reaction to the reason why Dr. Light isn't coming to help them: [[SkewedPriorities He's playing with pedals]].
* YourMom: Delivered by Heathcliff to [=Megatug=], and by Proto Man to Guts Man.
----
[[caption-width-right:350:And now [[SeriesEstablishingMoment you are prepared]].]]
->''"Sounds fun. And that's what we're all about [[BreakingTheFourthWall here at Life of Wily]]. Pure. Stupid. Fun."''
-->-- '''Mega Man''', summing up [[RuleOfFunny the strip's general philosophy]]
''Life of Wily'' was a SpriteComic that ran from 2001 to 2003, immediately {{follow|TheLeader}}ing in ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'''s wake. The comic's primary distinction from its many-at-the-time competitors is the addition of one OriginalCharacter: [=Megatug=], a NaiveNewcomer created to replace Mega Man when the latter was presumed dead, who resembles him in almost every way aside from being green and having Auto's boots.
The comic remained online for a considerable amount of time after its cancellation (ended in 2003, remained online until late 2019), but is now fully available [[http://web.archive.org/web/20180708204255/http://low.newbsoft.com/index.php?date=2001-01-19 through the Internet Archive]]. Bear in mind that you'll have to sometimes switch to a different snapshot to see some of the strips.
----
!!Includes examples of:
* AbortedArc: The final strip has a ToBeContinued teasing a potential continuation, titled "Life of Wily: Dead to [[StealthPun Rights]]", to come out September 2003. It never came, as the author felt the time was right to put the strip to rest.
* AccidentalHero:
** Dr. Light slams into Wily by accident while trying to control [[spoiler: Flame Mammoth]].
** Proto Man dares Bass into pressing an upside-down switch [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext inside Mega Man's mind]]. The plaque on the side of the switch reads 'STRIP RESET'. As Proto Man was not around to learn of the Reset Button, he and Bass spend the final moments before the reset believing they did something wrong.
* AccidentalMisnaming:
** [=Megatug=] frequently calls Dr. Light "Dr. Wily", since at that point [[SpotlightStealingSquad he's the scientist with most appearances]] and thus [[IAmNotShazam must be who the comic is named after]].
** The author himself, in an example of CowboyBebopAtHisComputer, called Neon Tiger 'Slash Man'. In his defense, the internet was young and there were a lot of sprites.
** Dr. Light calls Sigma 'creepy guy' while forced to [[spoiler: pretend to be Dr. Wily]].
* ActionGirl: Roll ends up becoming this after every single one of the heroes either gets captured or sidetracked.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Despite the direness of the situation, [=Megatug=] gets a good laugh from seeing Proto Man be decapitated, especially after all the grief the latter gave him.
* AdaptationOriginConnection: Some characters who would otherwise only appear in the X series are introduced as Wily's robotic creations in this comic. Neon Tiger being a Wily creation is actually pivotal for a certain plot point.
* AdaptationalPersonalityChange:
** Most notably Sigma, who is a minion of Wily in this continuity, and a very easygoing one at that. [[spoiler: Until, that is, he becomes Demigod Wily]].
** Proto Man starts off being rather cowardly (though some would argue he's just picking his battles), but he gets over it when it comes time to fight [[VideoGame/MegaMan8 Grenade Man]].
--> '''Proto Man:''' Who was I kidding? I'm a robot with a built-in blaster, and my sole purpose in life is to kill.
* AffablyEvil: The large majority of the villains, including Wily himself. [[spoiler: [[FauxAffablyEvil Until his actions directly lead to the murder of Dr. Light, that is.]]]]
* AllergicToLove: Wily's reaction to being blinded by his night vision goggles is "it hurts like kindness!"
* AnachronismStew: For Mega Man. Some mavericks from the VideoGame/MegaManX series, set over a 100 years after the end of VideoGame/MegaManClassic, show up, as well as Sigma, the BigBad, hobnobbing it with Wily for some reason.
* AmbiguousSituation: We'll likely never know what that coffin from the May 8th 2002 strip was, or who was knocking inside it. That strip is called '[[LampshadeHanging Loose Ends]]' for a reason, after all.
* AndThenWhat: Heat Man throws a variation of it in Neon Tiger's face, stating that, as he believes himself to be nothing more than the sum of his parts, he could not ''possibly'' have any reason to want to rule the world.
--> '''Neon Tiger:''' ...[[IWasToldThereWouldBeCake Free pizza]]?
* AnimalsNotToScale: Lampshaded with the Antlion, a giant beast named after a small bug.
* AnimatedActors: Used several times, with strips that start before the 'camera' starts running. A notable instance is when Roll and Wily are talking about buying an Xbox, followed by a jagged yellow speech bubble (apparently coming from Dr. Light) saying "And, ACTION!" appearing, after which they immediately segue into giving each other dramatic speeches.
* AntagonistTitle: Wily occasionally veers into VillainProtagonist territory, but he's never the main focus.
* AntiClimax: The search for the Reset Button, which takes only one comic. It being pushed, however, takes a little longer... because [[IdiotHero Mega Man]] mistakenly thought it meant pushing the ''platform'' the button was in along the floor.
* ApocalypseAnarchy: PlayedForLaughs after [[spoiler: the pressing of the ResetButton]]:
--> '''Dr. Light:''' Well, you know what this means. \\
'''Light/Roll/[=Megatug=]:''' Let's go find some butts and kick 'em!
* AppealToObscurity: In their big battle, [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] accuses Roll of being "about as pop culture as Dee Dee Stockton" was. Note that there is no celebrity named Dee Dee Stockton.
* ArcVillain: Dr. Wily, then [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] and then Cut Man in the final arc, though the latter is just a [[TheDragon Dragon]].
* ArtEvolution: As soon as the author found out how to create anti-aliased text bubbles, God gave Mega Man the ability to use them.
* ArtifactTitle: This is the reason why the characters refuse to believe Wily could die, since the strip is named after him. Neon Tiger [[spoiler: plots to {{invoke|dTrope}} it just to shut them up]].
* ArtisticLicense: The way Proto Man is able to take [=Megatug=] apart while leaving him conscious, even going as far as removing his motherboard. In reality, [=Megatug=] would have to be deactivated for this.
* AskAStupidQuestion: Mega Man walks right into this by asking [=BreakMan=], a character whose specialty is taking breaks constantly ([[FridgeLogic a break from what]]?) why he won't help them beat Wily: "[[CaptainObvious I'm on break]]". The title hangs a {{lampshade|Hanging}} on it with "Saw it Coming a Mile Away, Didn't You?"
* AtrociousAlias:
** Why the name [=Megatug=]? According [[WordOfGod to the author]], he just tried to come up with the dumbest possible name for a robot superhero.
** Roll dislikes the name [=DoctorMan=] for Dr. Light's suit of PoweredArmor, but he thinks it sounds cool.
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Mega Man is easily distracted by anything cool, no matter if he has to save the world or not.
* AuthorGuestSpot: Surprisingly, the author decided to not use a sprite recolor for his avatar. It is instead a hanging portrait of himself in RealLife. In fact, the first time it appeared, it wasn't even actually him, just a regular portrait.
* AuthorsSavingThrow: The author presented a redaction for Neon Tiger's name in the June 5th 2001 strip.
* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler: It is unknown where the strip might have gone had it continued longer, but the final arc]] ends in nothing short of complete victory for Wily. And given that [[spoiler: the last strips are titled "Life of Wily: Endgame", it may not even be a {{cliffhanger}} so much as a straight DownerEnding]].
* BadLiar: Dr. Wily is just not very good at pretending to be a good guy.
* BeatPanel:
** Roll's reaction to the Dee Dee Stockton joke.
** A notable instance when [=Megatug=] and Proto Man are alone. [=Megatug=] tries to ask him something, but Proto Man cuts him off with a terse "[[LittleNo no]]." The panels that follow show [=Megatug=] looking at him dumbfounded, looking away, and then finally giving up and closing his mouth.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Did [=BreakMan=] think that his AuthorAvatar would be introduced and then rather quickly KilledOffForReal? Probably not.
* BetterThanABareBulb: The comic lampshades damn near everything weird that happens.
--> '''Mega Man:''' The power is inside me, but [[ContemplateOurNavels I have so many questions that need answers]]. How can a robot like me stand up against a demigod like [[spoiler: Dr. Wilysigma]]? What will happen to us all if the strip actually resets, as unlikely as that may be? \\
''(AsideGlance)'' How long has it been since we had a ''new'' background?
* BigLippedAlligatorMoment:
** The pressing of the Reset Button causes [=Megatug=] to be face to face with an unknown character named 'Tempest' in Mega Man's place. The error is soon corrected. Who Tempest was or why he showed up there is never explained. He seemed to be in the middle of something.
** The 12 days of christmas comic. Wily shows up, threatens to blow up a mountain to [=Megatug=], and then leaves, having done nothing nefarious at all. Tug ends up wondering what even just happened.
* BlahBlahBlah: Roll says "The nefarious evil of blah, blah, blah, blah..." as she runs to confront Wily.
* BlatantLies:
** Mega Man proudly proclaims he has arrived at Wily's fortress to avenge his fallen brothers (not knowing they're alive). Wily points out that he was brought there by his bird, and in fact did not actually want to come at that point.
** Wily tells [=Megatug=] that he created Cut Man to cut out labels for [=CDs=].
---> '''[=Megatug=]:''' Now I know [[IdiotHero I may seem stupid]]. But you don't think for a second I believe this robot cuts out CD labels, do you? \\
'''Wily:''' [[BadLiar Ah, but he does]]. (glances around) \\
''''Tug:''' You're trying to trick me! \\
'''Wily:''' Ah, but I'm not.
** Proto Man tells [=Megatug=] that he tried to stop the black bird from stealing his stuff, but all [=Megatug=] saw was Proto Man tell said bird to leave the stuff alone and then when they refused to listen, he just stood around.
** Dr. Light gives Wily a run for his money in this regard while [[spoiler: unwillingly impersonating him]].
---> '''Sigma:''' You seem to be acting funny lately. Is everything okay? \\
'''Dr. Light:''' I'm not acting funny. (waves his hand up and down) \\
'''Sigma:''' Yes you are. \\
'''Light:''' No. I'm not. (waves hand again) \\
'''Sigma:''' [[LampshadeHanging What are you doing there with the hand waving?]] \\
'''Light:''' I'm not acting funny, that's for darn sure.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Mega Man starts the strip off by addressing the reader, and the comic continued to break the fourth wall on occasion, though not to the degree that Bob and George did.
* BrickJoke:
** The second bird that was sent by Wily's minions in Strip 57 finally makes an appearance dragging Mega Man away from the Wilding Girls in the May 3rd 2001 strip.
** Roll saves the good guys by grabbing [=Megatug=]'s jetpack that Dr. Light had forced him to leave earlier.
** Dr. Wily [[ShoutOut uses]] [[Anime/OutlawStar Melfina]]'s activation and deactivation phrases on Mega Man, with the reactivation phrase coming later.
** After so many attempts to either have Proto Man kick [=Megatug=]'s head, or have 'Tug kick Proto Man's head, Proto Man finally manages to kick 'Tug to great effect while in the latter's body.
* ButHeSoundsHandsome: A variation: Dr. Wily, when [[spoiler: impersonating Dr. Light]], mentions "our nemesis Dr. Wily (may he live forever)".
* [[CagedInsideAMonster Caged Inside a Reploid]]: Dr. Light ends up locked inside Flame Mammoth, and later [[spoiler: discovers how to control him from the inside]].
* CallBack:
** [=Megatug=] points out that Mega Man's 'feel-good matrix' appears to have worn off when he calls the LotusEaterMachine a 'stupid videogame world'.
---> '''Mega Man:''' [[IdiotHero My what?]]
** Mega Man and 'Tug reminisce about the "Prepare to meet your doom' line from way, way back in the beginning of the strip [[BreatherEpisode as the comic gears up for its first (mostly)-serious arc]]. Mega Man comments it was awesome, and [=Megatug=] gives him a very wide smile. The title ([[RandomEventsPlot 'What Plot?']]) is less enthused about it, however.
** When the strip resets, it reverts back to what was happening in Strip #105, the moment that set in motion the events of the previous arc.
** Mega Man brings up how [=Megatug=] went on the quest to kill Wily to avoid being fired by the author, some 200+ strips after that happened.
* CardCarryingVillain: Wily, as always, fights to advance the cause of evil.
* CassandraTruth: In one guest comic, a fan character named [=WarpMan=] interrupts the events of Strip #105 to explain why they shouldn't [[spoiler: kill Wily]], and sums up the events of the [[spoiler: Wilysigma]] arc that will result from that decision. [=Megatug=]'s response is "Yeah, right" and he proceeds to do it anyway.
* {{Catchphrase}}: "Oh, COME ON!" gets used a few times, [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness but it then disappears]]. Mega Man goads [=Megatug=] into saying it again later for old times' sake, before using it himself when he returns to the LotusEaterMachine.
* CatUpATree: Proto Man takes a break from rescuing the two Megas in order to return a cat to its owner.
* CerebusSyndrome: Not as much as some of its peers at the time, but what started as a RandomEventsPlot quickly becomes more serious, and the second arc ends in a catastrophic defeat for the good guys with no silver lining in sight.
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: This ''almost'' happens to Proto Man, if not for the characters suddenly remembering his existence.
* CircularReasoning: Not only does Flame Mammoth believe that if someone resembles Dr. Wily [[OccamsRazor they must BE Dr. Wily]], but he also believes that because he's said that more than once, it must therefore be true!
* {{Cliffhanger}}: [[spoiler: The comic ends in such a way.]] Though Wily's last scheme has ended in his victory, [[RayOfHopeEnding the heroes are still at large and ready to oppose him, as they always have been]].
* CloudCuckooLander:
** Mega Man, most definitely. He keeps mentioning having both a childhood and a mother, despite that being impossible.
** Mega Tug is also, such as his constant confusion over Dr. Light and Dr. Wily. However, he tends to be more of a StraightMan than Mega Man.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Heat Man threatens [=Megatug=] with this. At first, 'Tug thinks he'll be asking him questions during it, but he is wrong.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint:
** [=Megatug=] says the LotusEaterMachine that trapped them in an 8-bit world reminds him of a Creator/KeanuReeves movie... Film/{{Parenthood}}! Of course!
** Heat Man gets interrupted constantly as he is pondering the ramifications of Neon Tiger's sentience so the others can talk about pizza.
* ComicallySmallBribe: [=Megatug=] ''would'' have betrayed the other heroes had Wily only had ten bucks to give him.
* ContemplateOurNavels:
** Proto Man tries doing this with Mega Man about the importance of courage and preparation. Mega Man's response is to put on a hardhat.
** Neon Tiger begins examining his own existence in a conversation with Heat Man, believing himself to be JustAMachine. Heat Man argues back that Neon Tiger wants to TakeOverTheWorld, something Wily wouldn't have programmed into one of his minions. It is this back-and-forth that allows Wily to [[spoiler: come BackFromTheDead]].
** [=Megatug=]'s justification for not killing Dr. Wily is taken [[ShoutOut word-for-word]] from a speech by [[Literature/LordOfTheRings Gandalf]]. Mega Man is having none of it.
** And likewise, Proto Man is having none of [=Megatug=]'s brief StrawNihilist spiel in the beginning of the second arc.
---> '''Proto Man:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Settle down there, Socrates, you're blowing my mind into tiny pieces]].
* ContinuityCreep: Went from a RandomEventsPlot with very little happening to a battle for the fate of the earth, not unlike the games themselves.
* ContrivedCoincidence:
** Guts Man just ''happens'' to throw a boulder directly into the ravine where Junk Man was about to [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomp]] Mega Man, saving him.
---> '''Mega Man:''' Ah, [[LampshadeHanging the luxuries of coincidence as a plot device]]. That was messy.
** A similar thing happens much later in the strip when Roll fires her blaster in such a way as to light several candles on the wall in a row. The blast goes so far that it hits Heat Man just as he was getting ready to finish off [=Megatug=].
* ConversationalTroping: The wilybots enjoy doing this quite a bit, especially discussing movies. Sigma and Flame Mammoth argue about a PlotHole in the ''Film/TheTimeMachine'' remake at one point.
* CurbStompBattle: This is what happens to anyone who tries to fight Guts Man fairly.
* CurseCutShort:
** Protoman says "Alright, let's open up a can!" (of whoop-ass) before he and Mega Man head off to fight Wily's robots.
** Proto Man must have some problem with swears, because he also stops Mega Man from saying [[Film/DieHard John McClane]]'s catchphrase.
* CurseOfTheAncients: Wily's "Holy Toledo!"
* CuttingTheKnot: How does Roll save the two Megas and Dr. Light? Why, [[BrickJoke with [=Megatug=]'s jet pack]], of course!
--> '''Dr. Light:''' CHEATER!
* CutYourHeartOutWithASpoon: Sigma tells the heroes that he'll grind their bones to make bread.
* DatingCatwoman: [[spoiler: Roll]] ends up having a brief fling with [[spoiler: Wily. He was in his Sigma form at the time, [[NoYay but still]]]].
* DeadpanSnarker: Proto Man is the primary purveyor of this in the strip. Such as when [=Megatug=] claims he'll take his revenge on [[spoiler: Dr. Light (actually Wily in Light's body)]] with his harmless bird body: "Sounds great. I'll just stand back to avoid the shrapnel, shall I?"
* DeathIsCheap: Discussed by the characters. [=Megatug=] does not believe for one second that Wily is dead, despite having literally blasted him through the chest.
* DecapitatedArmy: [[spoiler: Wily]]'s army becomes directionless after his death as none of them truly have the ability or desire to be an evil villain... aside from [[spoiler: Neon Tiger]], that is.
* {{Dedication}}:
** The May 15th 2001 strip has one to Creator/DouglasAdams.
---> But he left me with laughter, \\
Having long ago planted here \\
So gentle a seed of wonder... \\\
Perhaps I can tell stories, too.
** The September 11, 2001 strip has one for the people who lost their lives that day.
* DeityOfHumanOrigin: [[spoiler: Wily]] undergoes ascension to godhood after Heat Man and Neon Tiger conclude through [[ContemplateOurNavels a lot of rhetoric]] that he was able to create life.
* DenserAndWackier: Compared to the games it's based on, very much so. Keep in mind, this is a webcomic that at point involved one of its main characters playing a football video game with ComicStrip/{{Heathcliff}} the cat.
* DerailedTrainOfThought: Dr. Light goes into a long digression about how he hopes everyone is okay back home, describing how they should make sure to feed his cute little metools, and groom Rush ([[RememberTheNewGuy wait, Rush exists here]]?), perform maintenance on Roll... Sigma is tired of it.
* DirtyCoward:
** Proto Man, despite promising he would have [=Megatug=]'s back in the fight against Heathcliff, immediately flees.
** Prince Edward, though Rydia is certain he'll come back to help at just the right moment. [[spoiler: she's wrong]].
** Dr. Light offers Mega Man's specs to Flame Mammoth just so he can be spared torture. Nevermind that mass-producing Mega Man would make Wily's army unstoppable.
* DisproportionateRetribution: Dr. Light goes from casually talking with Neon Tiger to declaring his intent to ''murder'' him because he insulted Series/MacGyver.
* DistinctionWithoutADifference: Wily's interrogation of [=Megatug=]:
--> '''Wily:''' So, you say there was just the one bird? I'm told there were two. \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Well, I suppose if they were exact genetic replicas occupying the same spot in the space-time continuum]]...
* DistractedByTheSexy: Rydia gets distracted by seeing Mega Man in his usual outfit.
* TheDragon: It isn't all that clear who Wily's dragon was at first, as Sigma, Heat Man, Flame Mammoth and Neon Tiger seemed to have equal standing. However, in the second story arc, Cut Man acts as TheMole for him and tries to systematically murder all of the good guys at once.
* DragonAscendant: {{Discussed|Trope}} by the bad guys after [[spoiler: Wily's death]]. Flame Mammoth says that he has no desire to rule the world, while Sigma notes that he lacks Wily's gift for planning. Neon Tiger, on the other hand, is very eager to take up his mantle. [[spoiler: He becomes the Dragon Ascendant for a while before Wily's resurrection.]]
* DramaticIrony: Several times, the Reset Button [[spoiler: and the so-called Manual Override]] are overlooked by the heroes, usually with them obliviously asking "But where could it be?"
* DressingAsTheEnemy: [=Megatug=] steals Heat Man's outfit to use as a disguise.
* DuckSeasonRabbitSeason: The [[http://web.archive.org/web/20180523032035/http://low.newbsoft.com/index.php?date=2001-04-09 April 9th]] comic:
--> '''Wily:''' Oh, you'll talk, [=Megatug=]. \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' No, I won't. \\
'''Wily:''' Oh yes you will! \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' No, I won't. \\
'''Wily:''' Oh, no you won't! \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' Oh, yes I will! \\
'''Wily:''' Excellent! I'll hold you to that. \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' HEY! What kind of torture is this?!!
* EasyAmnesia: Dr. Light made 'Sandwiches of Forgetfulness' to induce this.
* EnemyMine: Sigma and Dr. Light team up to fix the situation in the second arc.
* EveryManHasHisPrice: [=Megatug=]'s is ten bucks, apparently.
* EvilLaugh: Dr. Light tries and fails to do one of these. It apparently sounded really bad, given Sigma's reaction. Wily gives an earnest one in the ending.
* EvilMakeover: Done to a ''building'' when [[spoiler: Neon Tiger takes over and decides to redecorate their base to make it more menacing]], complete with so-called 'blood red' curtains.
* TheExitIsThatWay: Proto Man dramatically sets off to rescue his brothers, complete with a narration caption that is then abruptly interrupted when he turns around to go the right direction.
* FairWeatherFriend: Mega Man and 'Tug abandon Proto Man the first chance they get, and likewise, Proto Man does the same for Bass.
* [[FakeUltimateHero Fake Ultimate Villain]]: Heathcliff turns out to be quite the [[JustForPun scaredy-cat]] after several comics' worth of building him up as [=Megatug=]'s final test of heroism. Which isn't to say he's not tough for [=Megatug=] to defeat, however.
* FillerStrips: Has quite a few, usually for the holidays. The February 4th comic for instance, was nothing but the title of '[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI Final Fantasy III]]' and [=Megatug=] freaking out about why the comic was stalling so hard. [[HilariousInHindsight Ironically enough]], characters from Final Fantasy would end up appearing in the comic later on, but from VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV instead.
* FinaglesLaw: Of ''course'' Proto Man's flare would happen to be fired at exactly the right time to murder Melvin, the robot bird that was carrying [=Megatug=].
* FiringDay: The others make [=Megatug=] believe he will be fired from the comic, [[SecretTestOfCharacter to motivate him to be a better hero]].
* FiveAcesCheater: [=Megatug=] tells Heathcliff to exit the house onstensibly to check if Proto Man is gone, only to then scream "YES! Safety!" because Heathcliff neglected to pause the game and he kept playing.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: The March 2 comic has an opening narration that quickly devolves into a Final Fantasy reference, foreshadowing that characters from that franchise will make an appearance during that arc.
* ForgottenFallenFriend:
** Mega Man {{invoke|dTrope}}s this when Proto Man is shot down, telling Mega Tug they need to forget about him so the plot can move along. [=Megatug=] quickly acquiesces, saying "Oh, I get it. MY BROTHER IS DEAD!"
** Mega then plays it straight when he proclaims he will avenge his brother ([=Megatug=]) whose name he's already forgotten.
* FreakyFridayFlip: [[spoiler: Dr. Light and Dr. Wily]] switch bodies in the beginning of the second arc.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: Wily wasn't exactly nobody, but he was hardly a threating villain, until [[spoiler: he became a DeityOfHumanOrigin]].
* FunetikAksent: The one time a Wilding Girl talks, they use this. "Meester [=Megatug=], where haf joo gone tooooo?"
* TheFunInFuneral: [[spoiler: Wily's minions]] organize a funeral for him. It quickly devolves into their typical nonsense. Heat Man gets into an argument about Neon Tiger's sentience while the rest are discussing Pizza.
* GallowsHumor: The way [=Megatug=] and Proto Man's headless bodies are constantly being injured, broken, or getting other heads shoved into them is funny in a rather macabre way.
* GaveUpTooSoon: In one guest comic, the panel of Mega Man ordering 'Tug to shoot Wily is repeated three times, before it cuts to Bass and Proto Man to reveal it's because he's been pressing the Reset Button and not seeing a reaction.
--> '''Bass:''' Okay. We've flipped this switch a dozen times and nothing happened. I give up.
* GeniusDitz: {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d when Neon Tiger is having a philosophical discussion with Heat Man.
--> '''Heat Man:''' Is it just me, or are you switching back and forth between smart and stupid? \\
'''Neon Tiger:''' It's a glitch.
* GenreSavvy: [[spoiler: Wily after gaining omniscience in his Demigod form.]]
--> '''[[spoiler: Wily]]:''' So does this mean you'll join me? [[WeCanRuleTogether Rule at my side as queen]]? \\
'''Roll:''' Aw, why not? But I have one condition: Give me demigod powers, too. \\
'''[[spoiler: Wily]]:''' So you can betray me, start the countdown and reset [[spoiler: my]] strip? Not likely. \\
'''Roll:''' I had to try.
* GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul: PlayedForLaughs when Mega Man tells Proto Man how he'll remain happy the entire trip because Dr. Light gave him a good attitude about it ([[LiteralMetaphor by pressing buttons on his chest]]).
* GilliganCut:
** Flame Mammoth thinks Wily must be giving [=Megatug=] some EvilGloating. Cut back to Wily, and he's in the middle of a SeinfeldianConversation with 'Tug.
** Dr. Light's BigDamnHeroes moment and declaration that Wily's minions are no match for him is immediately interrupted by a panel of him in Wily's dungeon.
* {{God}}: Mega Man hears a voice which he believes to be the voice of God. Said voice neither confirms nor denies it.
* GoKartingWithBowser:
** Wily has a truce with the heroes during the holiday comics, citing "[[EvenEvilHasStandards the constraints of decency]]" as the reason why he doesn't blast them all to smithereens.
** [=Megatug=] and Heathcliff have a match of electronic football at one point, though it's less a friendly break from their rivalry and more an extension of it.
** Dr. Light goes to lunch with Neon Tiger, since their fight simply wasn't going to happen. [[spoiler: [[WatsonianVersusDoylist The more likely reason]] is that Flame Mammoth just doesn't have any good fighting sprites, due to his fighting style largely consisting of jumping.]]
* GoneHorriblyRight: A bird steals [=Megatug=]'s body, so he uses his blaster to shoot it dead. It works, but he also hits his own body as well.
* GoodLuckCharm: Mega Man's "Lucky Hat".
* GoryDiscretionShot: What happens to [[spoiler: Heathcliff]] is not shown on-panel. Neither is what happens to [[spoiler: Edward]] and [[spoiler: Break Man]].
* GoshDangItToHeck: A strange minced oath from Dr. Light early in the comic: "Oh, my dear..."
* GrandTheftMe: [[spoiler: Wily]] takes Sigma's body after his resurrection.
* GuestComic: Had one during the author's {{hiatus}} in May 24th 2001, for a [[TheMerch t-shirt]] idea contest. There were several from December 26th 2001 up to the 31st, and a few more later on.
* GuestStarPartyMember: [=BreakMan=], a green Proto Man recolor, appears for a while, though has no effect on the plot, since [[MeaningfulName he's on a break]].
* HandWave: The explanation for how Proto Man and Bass got out of Mega Man's head: they fell out through his ear. ([[FridgeLogic and then grew back to normal size?]]) Keep in mind their presence inside Mega Man's head [[WidgetSeries was never explained to begin with]].
* HeroismMotiveSpeech: Dr. Light's speech about why he's going after Mega Man, Mega Tug and Proto Man:
--> '''Dr. Light:''' Listen - [=Megatug=] went to Dr. Wily's lair because he believed something that wasn't true. \\
'''Roll:''' What do you mean? \\
'''Light:''' He thought the Author sent him on this stupid quest, but [[TricksterMentor it was me]]. [[SecretTestOfCharacter I rigged the whole thing]]. \\
'''Roll:''' So you're going after him? \\
'''Light:''' I'm going after him because I believe in something, too. \\
'''Roll:''' And what is that? \\
'''Light:''' [[BigDamnHeroes I believe I can bring them back]].
* HistoryRepeats: Despite the heroes' best efforts... [[spoiler: Mega Man ''still'' blows a hole in Dr. Wily's chest, just much, much later]]. The only reason the heroes don't realize this is that they believe he shot [[spoiler: Dr. Light]] instead.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Flame Mammoth [[spoiler: eating Dr. Light allows the latter to control him like a {{People Puppet|s}}]].
* HolidayEpisode: Used as justification for filler comics. The most frequent is the Fourth of July, but there was even one for Groundhog Day at one point.
* HoneyTrap: When they're not beating you up, the Wilding Girls engage in this, as [=Megatug=] discovered when one of them stole his clothes.
* HypocriticalHeartwarming:
** Happens when Mega Man claims he'll avenge [=Megatug=] while also admitting to having forgotten his name, and when [=Megatug=] defiantly declares to Wily that [[EveryManHasHisPrice as long as he doesn't have ten bucks to give him]], he shall ''never'' betray his friends!
** The two megas thank [=BreakMan=] for dying in their stead.
* IAmNotShazam: InUniverse, [=Megatug=] thinks Dr. Light must be Dr. Wily, due to the title of the comic.
* IdiotHero: Mega Man, [=Megatug=], Dr. Light, and to a lesser extent, Proto Man.
* ImagineSpot:
** Roll briefly imagines Dr. Light being burned alive by Heat Man after Light insists he can take care of himself.
** Mega Man imagines himself roasting weenies over [[GallowsHumor Wood Man]]'s corpse, but is taken out of the fantasy when the real Wood Man asks what he is doing.
** Bass hallucinates that he's escaped from prison.
* ImmediateSelfContradiction:
** Wily's order to Grenade Man:
---> '''Wily:''' I must destroy him, along with all his little robot pals. And when I say 'I', that means 'you'.
** Cecil states that Edward will not run away in battle... unless the monster attacks them.
** Dr. Light says he trust the boys to come through as they always do, and then admits Roll's gonna have to save them.
* IncrediblyLamePun:
** [[VideoGame/MegaMan7 Cloud Man]] makes a pretty bad one about a "facili-tater". Wily gives an AsideGlance in response. This becomes a mild RunningGag.
** [=Megatug=] is "one step a-head" of Proto Man. [[DontExplainTheJoke They were both headless at the time]].
** Dr. Wily [[spoiler: closes out the comic]] with one of these. [[spoiler: "Let's just call him Dr. Light [[KilledOffForReal at the end of the tunnel, eh?]] [[EvilLaugh Mwaahahahahahahaha!!]]]]
* InMediasRes: The August 1st 2001 strip is set later than the two strips following it.
* InstantlyProvenWrong: Dr Light reassures Roll that his robots are resourceful, and to always expect the unexpected from them. Right then, Mega Man pops in looking for his retainer, having apparently made the entire trip back just to get it. Well, he ''was'' [[RightForTheWrongReasons right about that last part]]...
* IronicEcho: [=Megatug=] and Mega Man arrogantly declare that Roll is probably heading home already and leaving the fight to the 'professionals'. She flings that word back in their face [[spoiler: after taking the Doctor Man armor]].
* ItsQuietTooQuiet: Proto Man name drops the trope name despite immediately preceding it with a "Do you hear that?"
* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: This is the villains' primary interrogation method. Most notably, the reused sprite from ''VideoGame/RiverCityRansom'' does this while ''pretending'' to ask [=Megatug=] some questions. He actually [[{{Sadist}} doesn't have any]].
* JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind: Proto Man and Bass find themselves inside Mega Man's head after their bus comes back. How they got there is never explained.
* JumpScare: Not really; the 2001 Halloween strip is a gif that eventually [[spoiler: shows the word "[[CatScareBoo]]!"]].
* KilledOffForReal:
** Auto's boots were used to make [=Megatug=]. He's not coming back.
** Likewise for [[spoiler: Heathcliff and Prince Edward]], the latter of which isn't even seen onscreen before his gruesome death. [[GoryDiscretionShot Or during it, for that matter]].
** This is also what happens to the guest character, [=BreakMan=], who also gets his head ripped off out of panel.
* KillerRabbit:
** Heathcliff is portrayed as this; the reality is [[FakeUltimateHero somewhat different]].
** The Wilding Girls are a band of cute chibi girls, but are very dangerous.
* LamePunReaction: Wily gives an aside glance at hearing "facilitater" for the first time. Even more dramatic is Proto Man's reaction to hearing the headless [=Megatug=] say "I'm way ahead of you" and then proceed to [[DontExplainTheJoke explain the joke]].
--> '''Proto Man:''' Oh, Lord! [[SuckinessIsPainful Smite me with the thunders of Thy mighty hand]]!
* LaserGuidedKarma: Discussed when [=Megatug=], sans head, is sitting with the likewise headless Proto Man, who had earlier tried to play soccer with 'Tug's head before losing his own. Then 'Tug reveals he can still control his body, leading Proto Man to remark that if he does anything to his head, he will ''end'' him. 'Tug gives him a large grin in response as his body gets up from the floor.
* LastStand: Proto Man inadvertently causes this for himself and Bass, not knowing just how numerous the Wilding Girls are.
* LeftHanging: The comic was cancelled in the middle of its final arc.
* LemonyNarrator: The narrator frequently gets interrupted by the team's antics, and sometimes even by outside sources.
* LesCollaborateurs: Dr. Light tries to do this so Flame Mammoth will spare him. Mammoth isn't really interested.
* LetMeGetThisStraight: The august 30th comic, "[[LampshadeHanging Summarizing Foolishness]]", has Mega Man recapping the events that just happened with this line.
* LetsYouAndHimFight: Cecil and Rydia think Proto Man might be the Antlion, or know where it is, so they capture him.
* LiteralMetaphor: Proto Man assumes that Dr. Light told Mega Man some encouraging thing when the latter tells him that Light gave him a good attitude about the journey. What he actually did was activate his 'Feel Good Matrix'.
* LiteralMinded: Shade Man serves Dr. Light a Jack and Coke on the rocks. It's a drink filled with tiny Mega Men. [[DontExplainTheJoke Because his original name is Rock]], see.
* LosingYourHead:
** [[spoiler: Edward]] somehow manages to grab his head and place it back on his body and is seemingly no worse for wear... [[GallowsHumor until it uncerimoniously falls off]], that is.
** [=Megatug=], being a robot, can survive with only his head, and even control the rest of his body remotely.
* LotusEaterMachine: Mega and Tug get trapped in an 8-bit one.
* MacGuffin: The very literal ResetButton.
* ManipulativeBastard: Dr. Light has shades of being a good version of this. Such as sending [=Megatug=] on the quest to kill Wily by lying to him and pretending to be the author, or telling Mega Man to eat the sandwiches of forgetfulness he made.
* MediumAwareness: Damn near everyone has this, aside from the FF characters, [[HypocriticalHumor who express skepticism at the idea of video game characters existing]].
* MilestoneCelebration: Started with the 50th comic celebration, then the 100th, and continued every hundred comics, aside from the 200th, which only had the title expressing surprise at getting that far.
* MindOverMatter: [=Megatug=] appears to try this against Heat Man's flames. It doesn't work; as he puts it, the fire is still "PIPIN' HOT!!"
* MinionWithAnFInEvil: Every single one of Wily's minions is incompetent, aside from Guts Man and Grenade Man. Even the otherwise capable Slash Man-ER, Neon Tiger has to stop after some EvilGloating to ask the others if he sounded evil enough.
* TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf: An {{inver|tedTROPE}}sion; when Dr. Light looks at the mirror after [[spoiler: switching bodies with Dr. Wily]], he realizes what happened. It's actually his regular sprite that shows the readers his true self.
* MiseryPoker: After the reset, Flame Mammoth and Sigma talk about how glad they are to have avoided their {{Bad Future}}s. Mammoth says he's glad to not have an [[spoiler: old man]] inside of him anymore. Sigma retorts with "Yeah? I had [[spoiler: Dr. Wily]] inside my dead husk, gallavanting around with Megaman's sister".
--> '''Flame Mammoth:''' Touché, my friend. Touché.
* MixAndMatchCritters: Proto Man puts [=Megatug=]'s head in a bird body, making him look like a Cuccoo from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess''.
* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome: When Proto Man kicks [=Megatug=]'s head as a distraction and blasts Cut Man in the head, fulfilling an earlier BrickJoke and ending the ArcVillain's life.
* MurderByCremation: What very well could have happened to Wily had [[spoiler: Neon Tiger's plan to cremate him succeeded]].
* MusicSoothesTheSavageBeast: Mega plots to sing Guts Man a lullaby to lull him to sleep.
* MythologyGag: The entire fight between [[spoiler: Roll wearing the DoctorMan armor and Demigod Wily]] is a big one for the VideoGame/MegaManX series.
* {{Narm}}: [[invoked]] InUniverse, Roll is too distracted by [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] squishing his two halves together to feel the terror he expected her to feel. Later on, she mocks his attempts to be imposing in his bright purple suit.
* NarratingThePresent: Some of the characters do this in certain strips. Usually what's actually happening [[UnreliableNarrator is not nearly as dramatic as they make it sound]].
* NewSeasonNewName: The strips after May 5th 2003 are titled "Life of Wily: Endgame" for a reason.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero:
** Auto ends up blowing Mega Man sky-high (literally) while trying to repair him.
** Dr. Light winds up [[spoiler: shot dead at the hands of the heroes]] while they believe him to be Dr. Wily doing a GrandTheftMe on the good doctor. [[spoiler: And they were ''right'', up until Wily switched back.]]
* NonIndicativeName: The comic itself doesn't really focus on Wily's life. He's just the antagonist.
* NoodleImplements: Proto Man opens up [=Megatug=]'s head and discovers a badger living inside. [=Megatug=] appears to not know why it's there.
* NoodleIncident: Dr. Light apparently tried to convince Sigma he wasn't Dr. Wily by dropping his pants. What this was supposed to accomplish is anyone's guess.
* NoSell: A thug in the 8-Bit Realm no-sells [=Megatug=]'s blaster shot with his ''fist''.
--> '''[=Megatug=]:''' Curse this 8-Bit Hell!
* NotMeThisTime: Neon Tiger denies Dr. Light's idea that he trapped Mega Man in the 8-Bit Realm on purpose, saying that whatever he did, he did it himself.
* OccamsRazor: Flame Mammoth applies this during the second arc, thinking that if the man in front of him resembles Dr. Wily, he must be Dr. Wily, rather than seeing his odd behaviour and words that clearly indicate otherwise.
* OfficialFanSubmittedContent: The various guest comics. The entire second arc itself was submitted by a fan (Chris Williams).
* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: Bass ''claims'' to have had one of these with Flash Man and Bomb Man when Proto Man arrives at their hidey-hole. Proto Man thinks otherwise.
* OffWithHisHead: The antlion rips [[spoiler: Edward]]'s head and shoves it on a pike.
* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] transforms from a 16-bit sprite to a 32-bit one to highlight a higher level of power. [[spoiler: More specifically, from X1 Sigma to X5 Sigma.]]
* OnlyMostlyDead: Mega Man wasn't destroyed by the explosion in the beginning of the comic, only blown clear.
* [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Woman]]: Roll very quickly grows into this role the moment she enters Wily's castle.
--> '''Roll:''' You're [[IronicEcho professionals]], so act like it!
* OutOfCharacterAlert: Dr. Light and Dr. Wily both start acting unlike themselves in the second arc, causing their allies to become suspicious of them. Well, [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter some of their allies]].
* PeoplePuppets: Dr. Light manages to do this to [[spoiler: Flame Mammoth]], and uses him as armor afterwards.
* PleaseIWillDoAnything: Dr. Light is reduced to trying to buy his freedom at any cost when being interrogated by Flame Mammoth.
* PlotHole: How did Roll manage to regenerate her arm? Simple: "[[TakeOurWordForIt In an amazing sequence you can only wish you'd seen]]!"
* PoliteVillainsRudeHeroes: Outside of Dr. Light, all the heroes are quite rude, while the villains are very polite and [[AffablyEvil easy-going]].
* PokeThePoodle: Mega Man's plan to beat Guts Man? Sing him a lullaby.
* ThePollyanna: Dr. Light turns Mega Man into this with a feel-good matrix. Otherwise, he tends to be a bit cranky.
* PoweredArmor: Dr. Light's "[=DoctorMan=]" suit, which resembles Zero from VideoGame/MegaManX.
* PowerCreep: Deliberately {{inverted|trope}} by Dr. Light, who removes [=Megatug=]'s wings after Mega Man comes back, so they can be on the same level.
* PromotedFanboy: Chris Williams won the contest for the second arc idea. All the comics for the GrandTheftMe arc have a 'story by Chris Williams' credit.
* PullingThemselvesTogether: This is one of [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]]'s many powers, which he demonstrates to Roll.
* {{Pun}}: The title of the February 15th, 2002 strip [[Creator/JRRTolkien Tolkien]] it one step too far.
* PutOnABus: Proto Man left for a while to hide in fear from the Wilding Girls inside a cave, alongside Bass. However, TheBusCameBack as of the January 30th 2002 strip.
* RaceAgainstTheClock: The timer for the Reset Button results in this for the villains.
* RageAgainstTheAuthor: A milder example than most occurs when [=Megatug=] gets angry at an unnecessary {{Filler Strip|s}}.
* RandomEventsPlot: The earlier strips have a lot of this. [=Megatug=]'s training in particular largely consists of a lot of trolling.
* RayOfHopeEnding: This is one way to interpret the ending of [[spoiler: the comic itself]]. Wily has succeeded only in [[spoiler: murdering Dr. Light]]. Mega Man and the others are still alive and well, and there's every likelihood they'll stop him, even if they were unable to this time.
* RealityEnsues: Proto Man tries to use [=Megatug=]'s head for soccer. He fails because it's way too heavy for that. Then when Proto Man puts his head inside a robot bird body, 'Tug can't fly, because his head is ''still'' too heavy.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot:
** The Thanksgiving comic for 2001 is one example, as it became a wall of text explaining what happened because the author's computer crashed while he was hard at work on the actual comic that was supposed to be posted that day.
** If you know your sprite comics, you can see a few subtle examples of this at work, such as the reason why Flame Mammoth and Neon Tiger never actually fought (Mammoth doesn't have sprites ideal for a close-quarters battle) or why [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] reverted to his classic [[spoiler: Sigma]] sprite when facing 8-bit mega (because likewise, his 32-bit sprite his exactly one alternate pose, and that's extending his hand).
* ReferenceOverdosed: The comic's references range from [[ShoutOut shout-outs]], to getting meta about shout-outs, to [[UpToEleven getting meta about how meta the shout-out gags are getting]].
* ResetButton: The Reset Button that is a MacGuffin in the penultimate arc exists for this purpose. [[spoiler: Mega Man succeeds in activating it.]]
* RoboticPsychopath: Neon Tiger is the most clear example. Sigma is also, though he's quite mellow about it.
* RunningGagged: Dr. Wily presents Cut Man to [=Megatug=] and calls him a "facilitator of mankind's ultimate doom". [=Megatug=] then says "Hehehe...facilitater".
--> '''Wily:''' Oh, come off it! That's not even a funny joke!
* SanitySlippage: Proto Man goes through this after having too much of 'Tug's stupidity, and starts talking like Gollum.
* SarcasmBlind: [=Megatug=] briefly becomes this when Proto Man quips that all he has left is his 'Furious Flutter' attack, which he'd previously been rather unimpressed by. [=Megatug=] replies with "See?! And you doubted!" Granted, it might just be SelectiveObliviousness on his part.
* SelfDeprecation: The comic is rather harshly critical of itself. However, of all the characters, Mega Man is the one who seems to despise it the most.
* SelfProclaimedLiar: A variation: When they decide to do an EnemyMine together, Dr. Light asks Sigma if he can trust him. Sigma says "no". It takes Dr. Light [[WontTakeYesForAnAnswer a second to realize that's what he said]].
* SeriousBusiness:
** The flight velocity of an unladen swallow, which [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] defines as 15 to 45 mph. When he explains why, Roll falls to her knees and exclaims that [[AGodYouAre he IS a god]].
** For Dr. Light, Series/MacGyver. His GoKartingWithBowser moment falls apart when Neon Tiger says the show didn't hold up.
* ShoutOut: Has [[ShoutOut/LifeOfWily its own page]].
* SinkOrSwimMentor: Proto Man, if he isn't a DirtyCoward.
* SkewedPriorities:
** Mega Man interrupts the all-important quest to defeat Dr. Wily to get his retainer.
** Neon Tiger AND Flame Mammoth are very preoccupied with pizza.
** Dr. Light would rather play with the pedals inside [[spoiler: Flame Mammoth]] than help the heroes. At least until the countdown starts.
** Mega Man's [[spoiler: virtual underling]] allows the Robot Masters he controls to beat Mega up because he "[[SoreLoser doesn't like losing]]".
* TheSociopath: Neon Tiger, as exemplied by his lack of regard for his own creator.
* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: Inverted: Dr. Light proves his true identity to Sigma by doing a ''very'' poor attempt at an EvilLaugh.
* SpeakIllOfTheDead: Dr. Wily, not seconds after telling Sigma that [[spoiler: Dr. Light is dead]], makes an IncrediblyLamePun about it.
* SpoofAesop: A PublicServiceAnnouncement for stopping robot violence plays at [[spoiler: Wily's funeral]].
* SpotlightStealingSquad: Mega Man {{defie|dTrope}}s this with the FFIV characters, telling them to go away because [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX this is his story, not theirs]]. They are promptly PutOnABus and forgotten.
* StartXToStopX: Wily wants to stop the heroes from getting to his evil lair. How will he do this? By capturing them and then bringing them to his evil lair.
* {{Sting}}: {{Parodied|Trope}} when Mega Man manages to cause a yellow "DUN, DUN, DUN!!" speech bubble to appear on command by saying the words "or someone".
* StrangeMindsThinkAlike:
** Mega Man also tells the "facili-tater" joke to a Wilding Girl, much like Cloud Man did to Wily. It must be a famous joke in their universe.
** When [=Megatug=] explains to Dr. Light how Mega Man is going to push the Reset Button to solve everything, Dr. Light asks "how far back does it go?" Cut to Mega Man pushing the button further and further away from its original location, but never actually pressing it.
** Proto Man puts [=Megatug=]'s head in a headless bird robot's body, while Wily places a bird robot in [=Megatug=]'s headless body.
* SuddenDownerEnding: Did you really expect such a zany and random webcomic to end [[spoiler: with a major character's death while the main bad guy is now in a position to destroy our heroes from the inside with impunity]]?
* SuperGullible: It is very easy to trick [=Megatug=] and Bass into thinking you have their best interests in mind.
* SupervillainLair: Wily has one of these, which the narration [[LampshadeHanging outright calls]] an "evil lair".
* SureLetsGoWithThat: When Flame Mammoth tells Dr. Light to get on with their plan to [[spoiler: kill Dr. Light]], he responds with a casual "sure, why not?"
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: [=Megatug=] is simply an EagerRookie version of Mega Man, down to looking almost exactly like him. He was this at first, but then Mega Man was revealed to be alive.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Cut Man didn't cut off [[MixAndMatchCritters Pummeltug]]'s head because he was going to reveal Wily's plan, no sir! (Surprisingly, [[GenreSavvy the heroes don't buy it this time]].)
* TacticalWithdrawal: {{Parodied|Trope}}: Bass makes him and Proto Man do this against the Wilding Girls, planning to hide in terror afterward. "It always works", he says.
* TakeOurWordForIt:
** Because of a [[RealLifeWritesThePlot hard drive crash]], the author is forced to write a wall of text explaining what would happened in the 2001 Thanksgiving comic (Dr. Light gorging himself on the food and vomiting into a river).
** InUniverse, the virtual thug is defeated by [=Megatug=] claiming to have unleashed such a devastating attack that he'll never recover from it.
** The epilogue for the first arc tells us that Mega Man and co. had many adventures afterwards, "to which the legends of yore stand ill in comparison. But there is not time enough to tell those stories here. [[AndNowForSomethingCompletelyDifferent Instead, we bring you this]]."
---> '''[=Megatug=]:''' You bring back my Hot Pocket before I blast your face into sweet endless oblivion!
* ThouShaltNotKill: Soundly {{averted|Trope}}, no matter what [[AdaptationalPersonalityChange the games]] have to say about it. [=Megatug=] and Mega Man are perfectly willing to murder Dr. Wily, [[spoiler: and in the former's case, actually go through with it]].
* TooDumbToLive: [=Megatug=] asks for a demonstration of Cut Man's ability to separate heads from their bodies. Walked right into that one, he did...
--> '''[=Megatug=]:''' Will it hurt? \\
'''Cut Man:''' [[ExactWords Only for a moment]].
* TooMuchInformation: Dr. Light happens to eavesdrop on [[spoiler: Roll and Wily talking about [[DatingCatwoman their relationship]]]]. He can't handle it.
* TakeThat: Cecil is portrayed as irritatingly mumbling to himself about his Dark Knightness, much like he did in his game. Rydia is sick of it.
* TemptingFate:
---> '''Proto Man:''' What, you'd rather have more enemies face, jumping around and shouting "Prepare to meet your doom"? \\
'''Guts Man:''' PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM!
** [=Megatug=] declares that ''something'' dramatic needs to happen while inside a LotusEaterMachine. The floor then vanishes.
** [=Megatug=] {{invert|edTrope}}s it when he's left alone in said machine, saying [[SarcasmMode it can't get any better than this]]. It immediately does get 'better' - a sprite from ''VideoGame/RiverCityRansom'' shows up to beat him up. Apparently, this trope is cognizant of sarcasm.
* ThankingTheViewer: The 100th strip has a message from the author thanking the readers for stopping by and reading the comic.
* TheRant: There's only the one, a long message to the side memorializing the comic's day in the sun.
* TimeBomb: Both literal and figurative: [[spoiler: The Reset Button]] gives both the heroes and villain exactly one minute to either ensure or prevent its activation, respectively.
* TomTheDarkLord: ComicStrip/{{Heathcliff}} of all people is treated like a terror beyond reckoning by Proto Man.
* TriggerPhrase: Wily added two for Mega Man, one to deactivate him and one to reactivate him, both of them being references to ''Anime/OutlawStar''. The reactivation was apparently also supposed to make him BrainwashedAndCrazy, but Mega seems none the wiser.
--> "Did I hear something about breakfast?"
* TrollingCreator: The author claimed to skip [=BreakMan=]'s death to get the plot moving, but then spent two strips showing it happening.
* UnknownRival: Implied to be the case with Wood Man's monologue about taking his revenge on Mega Man.
* UnreliableNarrator: Not the actual narrator, but when the characters themselves do it, it's usually this. Case in point, Bass narrates how he kept himself and Proto Man entertained while in prison, when he's in fact only narrating that he is, while Proto Man has already escaped.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom:
** Bass is tricked by Dr. Wily into trying to kill Mega Man and Roll. That's not the 'instigating doom' part. That comes when [[spoiler: he jumps over a blaster shot from Mega Man which hits Dr. Wily... just as Dr. Light is transferring his own consciousness back into that body. [[DownerEnding So now Dr. Light is dead, the world thinks that he died as a villain and traitor, and Wily is still at large with the heroes none the wiser]]]]. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Nice Job Breaking It, Heroes!]]
** Dr. Light, with Sigma's help, makes a mental transporter in order to put himself back in his normal body. [[spoiler: He dies, and]] Dr. Wily is able to replicate the plans, raising the possibility he could pull multiple GrandTheftMe's on the heroes without them ever finding out.
* VaguenessIsComing: [=MegaTug=] of all people sees 'a vision of blood and burning death' that he warns Mega and Roll about, but refuses to get into specifics. [[spoiler: Turns out it was about the emergence of Demigod Wily.]]
* VolleyingInsults: Heathcliff and [=Megatug=] engage in a bout of this while engaged in a bout of VideoGame/MaddenNFL.
--> '''Heathcliff:''' And that's called RESET. It was going to be called BOOT TO THE HEAD, but I'm not wearing shoes. \\
'''[=Megatug=]:''' Heh... so you lost your wittle shoesies, kitty-cat? \\
'''Heathcliff:''' Yeah. I left them at the foot of YourMom's bed.
* WarriorPoet: Neon Tiger can ContemplateOurNavels like no one else. [[spoiler: Demigod Wily]] as well, as shown when he dissects the the concept of the existence of the '[[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail unladen swallow]]'.
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: Proto Man and [=Megatug=] are reduced to this after their mutual decapitations, bickering together in ways worthy of Heathcliff.
* WeCanRuleTogether: Wily extends this proposition to roll, but she interprets it as a [[DirtyOldMan marriage proposal]].
* WhatDoesThisButtonDo: Surprisingly, it's not Mega Man or 'Tug who engage in this sort of behaviour, but rather Proto Man and Bass. Proto Man [[AchievementsInIgnorance managed to save the day]] by pressing the Reset Button with this mentality. And conversely, [[spoiler: He screws it up by pressing another button later]].
* WholePlotReference: Twelve strips leading up to Christmas 2001 do this with ''The Night Before Christmas''.
* WilliamTelling: Cut Man sets this up with [=Megatug=], but it's [[ExploitedTrope really only a ruse]] to slice off his head.
* WontTakeYesForAnAnswer: Inverted with Dr. Light and Sigma. Dr. Light barrels through Sigma's statement that he cannot be trusted, and has to ask him to repeat.
--> '''Dr. Light:''' I don't know...can I trust you, Sigma? \\
'''Sigma:''' No. \\
'''Light:''' Excellent. Well, first we need to engineer a... Wait. Did you just say "no"? \\
'''Sigma:''' No. \\
'''Light:''' [[SuperGullible Okay. Good]].
* XanatosRoulette: How did Wily know Proto Man [[spoiler: Would be so eager to press the button on his GrandTheftMe device]]? Simple: He didn't. There was no possible way he could have known that would happen.
* YankTheDogsChain:
** [=Megatug=] gets a new friend named Melvin for all of two comics before he's abruptly shot down and vaporized by Proto Man by complete accident.
** [=Megatug=] is gladdened by the deactivation of Mega Man's feel-good matrix, but Dr. Light quickly turns it back on.
* YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe:
** Dr. Light's reaction when Neon Tiger wonders why the readers don't believe [[spoiler: Wily is dead]] is a "you're kidding me, right?"
** Mega Man's reaction to the reason why Dr. Light isn't coming to help them: [[SkewedPriorities He's playing with pedals]].
* YourMom: Delivered by Heathcliff to [=Megatug=], and by Proto Man to Guts Man.
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