Line #28 PlayingWith/ThatPoorPlant


1	'''Basic Trope''': The effect something has on living beings is demonstrated by its effect on a plant.
2	* '''Straight''':
3	** MadScientist Doctor Phylophobe demonstrates his new supertoxin by dropping a small amount on the leaf of a nearby pot plant, causing it to shrivel up and die on the spot.
4	** Dr. Hazel Roseflower demonstrates her health-boosting nanobots by introducing them to a blotchy, pest-eaten plant, which instantly begins repairing its damage and visibly growing larger, as dead caterpillars drop to the soil around it.
5	* '''Exaggerated''': Phylophobe drips his toxin on a blade of grass in an arboretum—a [[EnemyToAllLivingThings black wave spreads across the ground as every plant in a 100-yard radius dies off]].
6	* '''Downplayed''': Nothing happens, at first. Then the Doctor produces OneIPreparedEarlier, which is blackened and wilted.
7	* '''Justified''': The scientist is developing an Agent Orange-esque fast-acting herbicide. Killing plants is precisely what it's designed to do.
8	* '''Inverted''':
9	** "Is the herbicide ready, doctor? We must drive out the TreetopTown-dwellers!" "[[HerrDoktor It seems to be vorking]] beyond my vildest predictions! It efen effects animal life - observe ze effect on zis hamster..."
10	** Doctor Phylophobe tests a substance for safety on a plant and notices the plant seems unaffected. He touches the substance itself and drops dead instantly.
11	* '''Subverted''':
12	** The toxin does nothing, and the scientist angrily declares his return to the drawing board.
13	** Doctor Phylophobe looks at the nearby potted plant meaningfully... and then puts the toxin into another cup.
14	* '''Double Subverted''':
15	** ...Then a fly lands on the plant, and dissolves.
16	** [[AteTheSpoon The other cup is reduced to a purple splotch.]] Carefully, Doctor Phylophobe picks up some of this goo in an eyedropper, and uses THAT on the plant.
17	* '''Parodied''': The Board of Evil Financiers crowd around the plant on the desk with bated breath as the scientist drips a purple liquid on its leaves. He looks up, puzzled. "Oh, zis? No, zis is just to get rid of ze aphids. I asked you here to see my Death Ray..."
18	* '''Zig Zagged''': Phylophobe tests his concoctions on whatever's nearby, including potted plants.... but also including [[PlantPeople unpotted plants]], small animals, large animals, [[DeathTrap nearby heroes]], distant heroes, other minions, [[BadBoss his own minions,]] and [[ProfessorGuineaPig himself.]]
19	* '''Averted''': Phylophobe starts to go into the gory details of his extensive AnimalTesting experiments, but his boss queasily announces that he'll take his word for its efficacy.
20	* '''Enforced''': We need a visual demonstration of the effects, but we're not going to show AnimalTesting on a Saturday morning cartoon...
21	* '''Lampshaded''': "What do I care what it does to a frickin' rosebush? Does it work on ''people?''"
22	* '''Invoked''': Phylophobe's boss has potted plants in his room specifically for the doctor's benefit.
23	* '''Exploited''': Bob sabotages Phylophobe's efforts at funding by replacing the actual plant with a plastic one.
24	* '''Defied''': "You really think I'm going to test this stuff on a plant? We're trying to kill ''people'', not shrubbery."
25	* '''Discussed''': "Plants make excellent test subjects. [[PlayingWithSyringes They don't scream much, for one.]]"
26	* '''Conversed''': "I used to wonder why they always tested poison on a plant if it's meant to kill people, but then I remembered how most herbicides would still kill YOU if they are drunk."
27	* '''Deconstructed''': The toxin kills the plant instantly... but only gives humans a rash, because its effectiveness was based on how deadly to plants it was.
28	* '''Reconstructed''':
29	** After some further testing, it kills ''everything''.
30	** Defoliation is a useful weapon in it's own right... particularly on enemy crops.
31	----
32	Back to ThatPoorPlant
33	----
34	%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
35	%%
36	%%* '''Implied''': ???
37	%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???
38	%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???

Context PlayingWith / ThatPoorPlant