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1''The Elysium Project'' is a web-based AudioPlay series created by Creator/NatalieVanSistine ([=AKA DragonKnightTara=]). The Elysium Project follows a mysterious drug known as the Elysium formula that grants those exposed to it the power to manipulate reality in accordance with their desires. The story kicks off when the creator of the formula sells it to a man with less than honorable intentions and a small group of test subjects who have been exposed to the formula manage to escape from the facility where they're being held captive and go on the run. Meanwhile, the sheltered daughter of the formula's creator finds herself sucked into the seedy underworld of her father's research after she is targeted by people looking to get to her dad.
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3The series can be found at [[http://www.elysiumprojectaudio.com ElysiumProjectAudio.com]].
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5!!''The Elysium Project'' provides examples of:
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7* AppliedPhlebotinum: The Elysium formula is derived from a naturally occurring substance that transforms thoughts and emotions into reality. The inexplicable, impossible nature of Elysium is used to explain how scientists managed to develop a SuperSerum that gives kids reality-warping powers.
8* ArtificialLimbs: Kate has a prosthetic arm that her powers allow her to use as though it were a real one.
9* BalconyEscape: In episode 2, Emma attempts to sneak out of her hospital room to check on Nick by going out through the fire escape, but she only manages to get herself stuck and has to be helped down by Ben.
10* BreakfastClub: The escapees are a pretty dysfunctional bunch, but they bond through their awful circumstances.
11* BunnyEarsLawyer: Mirage is extremely unstable, unreliable, and unpredictable and everyone knows it, but Bastios keeps him around because he's too useful to keep locked up.
12* DisproportionateRetribution: James pulls one over on Bastios after Bastios failed to live up to his end of a bargain. His reaction is to [[spoiler:have James' daughter injected with an unstable, experimental drug that will prevent her from ever living a normal life]].
13* EarlyBirdCameo
14** The Eastern Coalition is heavily involved with the plot from the beginning, in contrast to [[DiabolusExMachina their role in the original series]].
15** Susan Danvers and Gabriel also appear regularly early on, despite originally not being introduced until ''The Highmore Conspiracy.''
16* EscapedFromTheLab: The escaped test subjects.
17* FriendlessBackground: Due to having to move constantly thanks to her dad's work, as well as never being allowed to go out without strict supervision, Emma has never had many friends.
18* HelicopterParents: James doesn't even let Emma leave the apartment without an escort. Though this is somewhat warranted, considering his work involves dealing with dangerous people and [[spoiler:the one time she sneaks out, she is immediately targeted by Bastios because James pissed him off.]]
19* IJustWantToBeNormal: The escapees don't want their powers and they want nothing to do with the Elysium Project. Unfortunately, that's not an option for them.
20* ImmunityDisability: Kate is partially immune to the Elysium formula, meaning unlike the other test subjects, her powers start to weaken and eventually disappear over time unless she continues injecting herself with more of the formula. This is inconvenient as she's on the run from people who want to kill or capture her and without her powers she doesn't even have two functional arms.
21%%* TheLeader: Kate serves this role among the escapees.
22* MasterOfDisguise: Mirage's specialty is using his ability to disguise himself as other people.
23* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: James' reaction to Emma getting caught up in the consequences of his actions.
24* OnlyFriend: Melissa is the only person who Emma considers to be a friend before meeting Nick.
25* OutOfCharacterAlert: Ian figures out that Jessica is really Mirage because "she" gives away that she doesn't know about the rendezvous point that they had arranged with the other escapees.
26* PhlebotinumRebel: Emma and the escapees would cause serious problems for the villains if they were left to their own devices.
27* PlayingWithSyringes: The eponymous Elysium Project. James wanted to make a SuperSerum for [[ForScience science]] and [[OnlyInItForTheMoney profit]] and Bastios wanted to buy it off of him for nefarious purposes. The test subjects were lied to, abused, and experimented on with no mind paid to ethics.
28* PowerIncontinence: The Elysium formula gives people the power to manipulate reality itself, but with the small catch that their powers give them what they want, not what they ask for, and there's no off switch.
29* PowerLimiter: A suppressant that neutralizes the Elysium formula is used to keep the superpowered test subjects in line.
30* PsychoPrototype: With the exception of Kate, Mirage is the only remaining subject of the original Alpha phase of testing, which ended very poorly for most involved. This is the reason why Mirage is more powerful than the members of the Beta group. It's also implied to be at least part of the reason why he's completely insane. He was deemed unstable and dangerous enough that James planned to have him locked up until Bastios took him off his hands.
31* PsychoSerum: The original Alpha version of the formula may have been this. It was apparently more powerful than the current Beta version, but much less stable. The only known survivors of the original Alpha group are Kate and Mirage. While Kate, due to her partial immunity, was never visibly affected by the Alpha version of the formula, Mirage seems to have suffered dramatically in the mental health and stability department.
32* RealityWarper: The Elysium formula turns people into this.
33* RealityWarpingIsNotAToy: It's not as cool as it sounds.
34* SecretProjectRefugeeFamily: After the escapees manage to get away from the academy, they stick together because they have nowhere else to go.
35* SuperSerum: The Elysium formula
36* TestedOnHumans: The villains test the extremely unpredictable Elysium formula by injecting it into a bunch of semi-willing teenagers.
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38[[folder: Tropes found in the original series]]
39* ActionPrologue: The first episode begins with Ian and Jessica fleeing for their lives before cutting away to Emma.
40%%* ActionSurvivor: Emma Grayson
41* AnArmAndALeg: Kate lost an arm in the car accident that killed both of her parents.
42* AnyoneCanDie: Not so much early on, but in The Highmore Conspiracy (particularly the latter half) major characters start dropping like flies.
43* TheAtoner: James turns into this after his actions cause him to [[spoiler:lose Emma]].
44* BewareTheNiceOnes: Ian is introduced as one of the nicest characters in the series. Even his companion just seems like a slightly cockier and blunter version of him. Then "Other Ian" is revealed to be a full-blown SuperpoweredEvilSide and we see firsthand how dangerous Ian is when pushed into a corner. By the end of episode 2 [[spoiler:he has one of the higher body counts in the cast]].
45* BigBad: Initially Bastios, [[spoiler:but his client Gabriel is revealed to be TheManBehindTheMan]].
46* ChildHater: Susan hates kids. [[CatchPhrase And she likes to remind people fairly often]].
47* DiabolusExMachina: The Eastern Coalition is introduced very suddenly in the finale of episode 2, and they immediately [[spoiler:declare war on the United States and begin bombing major population centers.]] The only foreshadowing they received prior to their introduction was in the form of [[spoiler:the unanswered question of who exactly Gabriel was working for and what his plans ultimately entailed.]]
48* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Alex and Rachel]] are unceremoniously killed off-screen in Chapter 15.
49* EnemyMine: [[spoiler:Mirage]] joins up with Emma and Ian in episode 2 after [[spoiler:his employers turn on him and try to kill him.]]
50%%* EvilBrit: Gabriel
51* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Kate]] after going to work for Gabriel.
52* GuardianEntity: The companions, a side effect of the Elysium formula, are essentially alternate personalities given form by the reality-warping powers of the formula, existing solely to act out the thoughts and desires of the subjects.
53* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Mirage]] pulls one towards the end of The Highmore Conspiracy after [[spoiler:his former employers try to have him killed to tie up loose ends]].
54* HeroicBSOD: Emma has such a big one after she [[spoiler:kills Susan Danvers]] that she [[spoiler:puts herself in a coma]].
55* MiseryBuildsCharacter: This is Ben's reasoning behind [[spoiler:telling Mirage to blame Emma for selling the group out]], as he believes that taking everything away from her will give her strength.
56* TheMole: Everyone believes Emma to be this after [[spoiler:they're sold out and captured in the finale of episode 1.]] It turns out that [[spoiler:it was actually Kate]].
57%%* MoralityPet: Shay ends up being this for Mirage.
58* OddFriendship: Mirage, the psychotic hitman, and Shay, the innocent, idealistic young girl.
59%%* OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent: Emma
60* ParentsAsPeople: James clearly tries to be a good father to Emma. He just isn't very good at it.
61* PapaWolf: James may seem cold and distant towards Emma, but he shows his PapaWolf colors when he [[spoiler:threatens the life of her cheating ex-boyfriend]].
62* PetTheDog: Mirage and Shay's whole relationship is this for Mirage, but especially when he [[spoiler:[[TakingTheBullet Takes the Lightning Blast]] for her]] in Chapter 15.
63* PsychoSupporter: Ben to Emma. He exists solely to protect her and give her what she wants most, no matter what she has to say about it.
64* SacrificialLion: [[spoiler:Jessica's]] death is the first major character death of many and officially kicks off the AnyoneCanDie tone of episode 2.
65* ServileSnarker: Ben may exist for Emma, but that doesn't mean he has to like it.
66* SuperpoweredEvilSide: Ian's companion, "Other Ian."
67* SuperSoldier: The ultimate goal of the Elysium Project is to create these.
68* TakingTheBullet: [[spoiler:Mirage]] jumps in the way when [[spoiler:Susan is about to kill Shay]].
69* TraumaCongaLine: Pretty much Emma's entire life from the moment she's injected with the formula, finally culminating in a massive HeroicBSOD at the end of episode 2.
70* TrueCompanions: Subverted with the group of escapees. When they're initially introduced, they're portrayed this way, but the group dynamic starts to break down after [[spoiler:they're betrayed and captured]] at the end of episode 1, and ultimately, [[spoiler:one of them turns and starts working with the villains and several of them end up trying to kill each other, in one case succeeding.]]
71* WhatTheHellHero: Ben calls Ian out on [[spoiler:sealing him away inside of Emma's mind and nearly getting her killed]].
72* WhamEpisode: The finale of episode 2 [[spoiler:leaves several main characters dead, several others on the run, cities being bombed, and introduces the possibility of there being a cure for the formula]].
73* WeHaveReserves: Gabriel's justification for [[spoiler:ordering the killing of the entire first batch of test subjects]] in Chapter 15 was that they could always get more test subjects if they needed to.
74* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Attempted on [[spoiler:Mirage]], who is left for dead [[spoiler:in the soon to be burned down Highmore Academy]].
75[[/folder]]

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