"A friendly desert community, where the sun is still hot, the moon still beautiful, and mysterious lights still pass overhead while we all pretend to sleep. Welcome to Night Vale."
Night Vale's one year anniversary episode: It's been a year since Carlos first came to town, and Cecil wants to commemorate the occasion.
Tropes present in One Year Later include:
- All Love Is Unrequited: Finally subverted for Cecil.
- Book Ends: If you consider this the end of the show's first 'season', many of its lines are plot points that directly mirror that of the first episode.
- Captain Obvious: "Scientists, and science in general, would like to remind you that some things exist and some things do not. Usually, you can apply the simple test of seeing if it is there. If it is there, it exists. If not, it probably doesn't, but it might just be currently existing somewhere else."
- Depth Deception: The massive city deep underground turns out to be a tiny city a few feet down.
- Good All Along: It's suggested Carlos has realized this about Cecil:"Sometimes things seem so strange, or malevolent, and then you find that, underneath, it was something else altogether. Something pure, and innocent."
- Heroic Sacrifice: The Apache tracker dies saving Carlos' life.
- Implausible Deniability: "Also, angels aren't real. 'I really get tired of having to say this', the City Council member said to a group of disgruntled angels. 'They just aren't.'"
- Love Epiphany: Previously Oblivious to Love Carlos seems to have had one. Whether it's from almost dying, or hearing Cecil's reaction, we don't know.
- Relationship Upgrade: After a full year, Carlos returns Cecil's affections, and the two share a tender moment watching the night sky.
"Today's proverb: Fun game: say “toy boat” over and over. Do it for the rest of your life. Retreat from society, and live on alms. Whisper “toy boat” as you die."
