History YMMV / Aware

* TrueArtIsAngsty: [[spoiler:Word of Niv has stated that the surprisingly bleak ending was done specifically to show "just how hard and unfair life can be".]]

* MilestoneCelebration: So far there's been:
** A longer page for Page 100
** A drawn shot of Phantom Thief Kiara on Page 150
** A Q&A special for reaching 100 fans
** A drawn panel in Page 200
** A drawn picture for reaching 200 fans
** A longer page for Page 250
** A second Q&A special for passing 300 comics
** A longer page for Page 300
** Art and a slightly longer page for Page 350
** A preview of future worlds for the 3 Year Anniversary Special
** Several drawn panels and a slightly longer page for Page 400
** A third Q&A special for passing 400 comics and introducing everyone on the Important Faces page
** And a RecapEpisode for page 450 (which landed on the day after the 4th anniversary).

* [[EsotericHappyEnding Esoteric Bitterseet Ending]]: [[spoiler:The ending ''tries'' to play itself as a hopeful BitterSweetEnding, but the fact is, Ket failed literally all her objectives, lost everything, died a pathetic UndignifiedDeath, had her entire journey invalidated and rendered pointless, the BigBad succeeded in all her plans and got everything she wanted [[PyrrhicVictory even if she died]], and ''everyone'' is clearly miserable.]]
* FixFic: Perhaps unsurprisingly, at least two have spawned:
** ''[[http://ptc.smackjeeves.com/comics/2863896/thomas-mania-page-1-ket-ara/ Thomasmania]]'', a short sprite comic that details [[spoiler:Comic!Ket returning to get the happy ending she deserves, including reconciling with Blaire, reclaiming her wind powers, and being able to defeat Silvena fairly.]]
** ''[[https://www.deviantart.com/thepuregamer/art/BS-Ex-Machina-Chapter-1-813150164 B.S. Ex Machina]]'', a written fanfic named based on a line made by [[spoiler:RP!Ket]] in the epilogue. [[spoiler:Ket wills herself back to life, albeit in the new body that was formed when Silvena possessed her. She renames herself Svet based on the new "union", and quickly discovers that Silvena is now a ghost in her head, not unlike the dynamic between RP!Ket and Jax. Unlike ''Thomasmania'', Svet does not regain her wind powers.]] This fanfic, due to being connected in part to The Middle Ground (''Aware's'' main hosting site), was actually made "semi-canon" by [[WordOfGod Word of Niv]].

* TheScrappy: By the end of his encounter with Két, people ''really'' hated Blair. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools Niv notes that this was completely intentional.]]

* WordOfGod: Niv often responds to reader comments, meaning she periodically answers questions that readers have. [[TeasingCreator Or she just messes with them.]]

* EndingAversion: Quite a few people see the [[SuddenDownerEnding Sudden Bittersweet Ending]] as this, accusing it of [[spoiler:invalidating Ket as a character and the emotional investment fans put in her and her journey for the sake of an out of nowhere "life is hard and unfair sometimes" moral.]]

* WhatAnIdiot: Despite all of Két's warnings in regards to Blair, Aqua still manages to ignore the fact that he's a threat and turn his back on him to go talk to Két. This results in Blair following him and his StalkerWithACrush tendencies being revealed.
** In the supplemental material that is the [[EveryScarHasAStory Scar Map,]] Niv notes that the scar on Két's left hand is from when she "Caught a stabbing sword. You idiot."

* ArcFatigue: World [3], Twisted Anteria, lasted 30 pages. This gave it more than half of the comic's pages at its time of completion.
** World [6] also suffered from this, if only because Két was in another person's comic at the time, so Niv couldn't progress freely until she returned.

* TheScrappy: By the end of his encounter with Két, people ''really'' hated Blair. [[TropesAreNotBad Niv notes that this was completely intentional.]]

** ''[[http://ptc.smackjeeves.com/comics/2863896/thomas-mania-page-1-ket-ara/ Thosmania]]'', a short sprite comic that details [[spoiler:Comic!Ket returning to get the happy ending she deserves, including reconciling with Blaire, reclaiming her wind powers, and being able to defeat Silvena fairly.]]

* DearNegativeReader: Refreshingly averted. In the weeks since the comic's ending, Niv has shown to be very cordial and understanding to those who criticize the [[SuddenDownerEnding ending]] or other aspects of the story, only asking that the readers not be rude in their critiques.

* BrokenBase: [[spoiler:To say the [[SuddenDownerEnding ending]] has split the fanbase would be a ''massive'' understatement. One side claims that it came out of nowhere, went against the themes of the story, [[ShootTheShaggyDog completely invalidated all the events of the series and Ket's own development]], and was needlessly cynical, depressing and borderline nihilistic. The other side claims that it was a well executed ending and that Ket's fate was thematically fitting, claiming that one of the main themes of the comic has always been her powerlessness and lack of agency over how her story unfolded.]]

* BrokenBase: [[spoiler:To say the [[SuddenDownerEnding ending]] has split the fanbase would be a ''massive'' understatement. One side claims that it came out of nowhere, went against the themes of the story, [[ShootTheShaggyDog completely invalidated all the events of the series and Ket's own development for the sake of cheap tragedy and a pretentious “life sucks” message]], and was needlessly cynical, depressing and borderline nihilistic. The other side claims that it was a well executed ending and that Ket's fate was thematically fitting, claiming that one of the main themes of the comic has always been her powerlessness and lack of agency over how her story unfolded.]]
* [[EsotericHappyEnding Esoteric Bitterseet Ending]]: [[spoiler:The ending ''tries'' to play itself as a hopeful BitterSweetEnding, but the fact is, Ket failed literally all her objectives, lost everything, died a pathetic UndignifiedDeath, had her entire journey invalidated and rendered pointless, the BigBad succeeded in all her plans and got everything she wanted [[PyrrhicVictory even if she died]], and ''everyone'' is clearly miserable. There's nothing positive or anything to be happy about at all.]]