Deepgate Codex: Difference between revisions

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* [[Bad End]]: We're allowed to see one.

* [[Beautiful All Along]]: Dill and Rachel make a habit of noticing {{spoiler|Carnival's}} inner and outer beauty at seemingly random times throughout ''Scar Night''.

* [[Berserk Button]]: Carnival once hunted a man's descendants ''for [[Disproportionate Retribution|five hundred years]]'' {{spoiler|because he raped a girl; she was [[Driven to Suicide]], and Carnival found her body (and diary)}}. This is a bit excessive [[Hair Trigger Temper|even for her]]... {{spoiler|but then again, [[Rape As Backstory|it probably hit a nerve]]}}.

* [[Berserk Button]]: Carnival once hunted a man's descendants ''for [[Disproportionate Retribution|five hundred years]]'' {{spoiler|because he raped a girl; she was [[Driven to Suicide]], and Carnival found her body (and diary)}}. This is a bit excessive [[Hair-Trigger Temper|even for her]]... {{spoiler|but then again, [[Rape As Backstory|it probably hit a nerve]]}}.

* [[Berserker Tears]]: Carnival, in the tower fight at the end of ''Lye Street''/beginning of ''Scar Night''.

* [[Blood Magic]]: {{spoiler|Angelwine}} is made from the blood of 13 people. (Blood is commonly referred to as 'soul' in the book; bodies drained of blood do not get to join Ulcis's army. This is what drives the B plot in ''Scar Night''.) An injection of it is sufficient to bring {{spoiler|Dill}} ''back to life''. Though granted it does seem to work a bit differently for angels and humans. Humans it makes functionally immortal. {{spoiler|Poor Carnival}} needs it, but has to get her fix by draining someone's blood once a month. Her body is covered in scars {{spoiler|gouged into her body as repentance after each kill.}}

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* [[Break the Cutie]]: ''Everyone''--but especially poor, ''poor'' Dill.

* [[Bullying a Dragon]]: Carnival just can't catch a break. Granted, the people of Deepgate have a reason to hate her, but they go out of their way to blame every little thing on her and exaggerate the bad things she ''actually'' does.

* [[Chained Heat]]: Towards the end of ''Scar Night'', Rachel and Carnival are chained together by the ankle. Half of the time, the vitriolic situation gives [[Character Development]] to them both and their relationship. The other half, this leads to [[Back to Back Badasses]]. But whenever their priorities diverge, things get a little messy.

* [[Chained Heat]]: Towards the end of ''Scar Night'', Rachel and Carnival are chained together by the ankle. Half of the time, the vitriolic situation gives [[Character Development]] to them both and their relationship. The other half, this leads to [[Back-to-Back Badasses]]. But whenever their priorities diverge, things get a little messy.

* [[The Chessmaster]]: Sabor and Mina.

* [[Cluster F Bomb]]: Most of the cast, although Carnival is particularly notorious for it.

* [[Cluster F-Bomb]]: Most of the cast, although Carnival is particularly notorious for it.

* [[Comic Relief]]: The Soft Men.

* [[Common Eye Colors]]: At first appearing to subvert characters' natures, but actually hinting at hidden traits--[[Green Eyes|Rachel]] is jaded and world-weary but shows a whimsical side when affectionately teasing Dill, and [[Brown Eyes|Mina]] is a flighty schemer but also very dependable, for instance.

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* [[Crazy Awesome]]: Carnival, Mina, Hasp--just about everyone of the [[True Companions]], actually. Some quite often.

* [[Creepy Child]]: Ilsa.

* [[Crouching Moron Hidden Badass]]: John Anchor. It's a bit obvious he's dangerous as he's a big hulking brute hauling an ''airship'' around, but just how dangerous he is comes as a bit of a shock.

* [[Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass]]: John Anchor. It's a bit obvious he's dangerous as he's a big hulking brute hauling an ''airship'' around, but just how dangerous he is comes as a bit of a shock.

* [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]]: Carnival is a walking, snarking [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|CMOA]].

* [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming]]: Usually there's at least one per book, and some of them (like this one) overlap with "Crowning Moment of Heart''breaking.''"

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* [[Empathic Weapon]]: The Shiftblades, particularly poor Maybe John. {{spoiler|But hey, he gets a run as ''Carnival's [[Sidekick]]''--if that ain't compensation, we don't know what is!}}

* [[Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas]]: {{spoiler|Menoa}}.

* [[Everyone Calls Him Barkeep]]: As you may guess, ''Anchor'' is not actually John's last name.

* [[Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"]]: As you may guess, ''Anchor'' is not actually John's last name.

* [[Evil Uncle]]: Carnival has ''four''.

* [[Extreme Doormat]]: Cospinol, from what we've seen of him.

* [[Fire Forged Friends]]: Rachel and Carnival.

* [[Fire-Forged Friends]]: Rachel and Carnival.

* [[Future Me Scares Me]]: {{spoiler|Rachel}}, when time paradoxes trip over each other.

* [[Gentle Giant]]: Subverted with John Anchor.

* {{spoiler|[[God Is Evil]]}}: Ulcis.

* [[Good Old Fisticuffs]]: Since losing her knife in ''Lye Street'', Carnival alternately relies on this and some [[Improbable Weapon User|strange makeshift weapons]] to fight. ''It works.''

* [[Good Scars Evil Scars]]: Carnival is covered in scars; they're eventually revealed to be {{spoiler|from self-injury due to remorse}}, with one notable exception.

* [[Good Scars, Evil Scars]]: Carnival is covered in scars; they're eventually revealed to be {{spoiler|from self-injury due to remorse}}, with one notable exception.

* [[Grand Theft Me]]: {{spoiler|Sillister Trench does this to Dill at the beginning of ''Iron Angel''.}}

* [[Hair Trigger Temper]]: Carnival's temper is ''legendary.''

* [[Hair-Trigger Temper]]: Carnival's temper is ''legendary.''

* [[Hannibal Lecture]]: {{spoiler|Ulcis gives Carnival a very ugly one towards the end of ''Scar Night'', vicious enough to reduce her to tears and put her in a [[Heroic BSOD]]. Her [[Shut UP Hannibal]], while somewhat delayed, is made all the sweeter because of it.}}

* [[Hannibal Lecture]]: {{spoiler|Ulcis gives Carnival a very ugly one towards the end of ''Scar Night'', vicious enough to reduce her to tears and put her in a [[Heroic BSOD]]. Her [[Shut UP, Hannibal]], while somewhat delayed, is made all the sweeter because of it.}}

* [[Heroic Bastard]]: {{spoiler|Carnival}}, who was the product of her mother's rape.

* [[Heroic BSOD]]: Dill starts off ''Iron Angel'' in a state of deep trauma. {{spoiler|Well, he did just get yanked out of Hell...}}

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* [[Heroic Sociopath]]: Carnival.

* [[Holy Shit Quotient]]: This series has got it in ''spades''--some of it is from [[Squee]] (usually over Carnival), and more comes from the [[Wham Episode|Wham Chapters]].

* [[Huge Guy Tiny Girl]]: Rachel is a little on the short side, and Carnival is only about average height, which makes them seem ''very'' small next to the giant bruisers of the cast (Mr. Nettle, John Anchor, Hasp)--even Dill, who's just plain lanky, is almost a foot taller than Rachel.

* [[Huge Guy, Tiny Girl]]: Rachel is a little on the short side, and Carnival is only about average height, which makes them seem ''very'' small next to the giant bruisers of the cast (Mr. Nettle, John Anchor, Hasp)--even Dill, who's just plain lanky, is almost a foot taller than Rachel.

* [[Humongous Mecha]]: Arconites.

* [[I Have Your Wife|I Have Your Husband]]: How {{spoiler|Menoa blackmails Alice into serving him}} in ''Iron Angel.''

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* [[Improbable Weapon User]]: Carnival and her goddamn '''gardening fork''', natch.

* [[It Got Worse]]: '''''All the goddamn time.''''' {{spoiler|Eventually, though, things [[Earn Your Happy Ending|get better]].}}

* [[Jade Colored Glasses]]: Rachel.

* [[Jade-Colored Glasses]]: Rachel.

* [[Jerkass Facade]]: Carnival tries to keep this up after ''Scar Night''... but no one is really fooled for long, if at all.

* [[Jerk With a Heart of Gold]]: Carnival. Rachel also fits the trope at first.

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* [[Kick the Dog]]: Ruby in ''Lye Street.''

* [[Knife Nut]]: Carnival, at least in ''Lye Street''...

* [[Laser Guided Amnesia]]: Carnival. And it's ''progressive'' amnesia, too. {{spoiler|At the end of the first book, it's implied that Ulcis was the one who prevented her from fully remembering her childhood (and much of anything else traumatic).}}

* [[Laser-Guided Amnesia]]: Carnival. And it's ''progressive'' amnesia, too. {{spoiler|At the end of the first book, it's implied that Ulcis was the one who prevented her from fully remembering her childhood (and much of anything else traumatic).}}

* [[Les Yay]]: Rachel and Carnival... eventually.

* [[Let's Get Dangerous]]: Most often John Anchor, but sometimes Mina too.

* [[Long Bus Trip]]: {{spoiler|Mr. Nettle}}, who is never seen again after the end of ''Scar Night'' though he survived it.

* [[Long Lost Relative]]: {{spoiler|John Anchor and the slave boy Maybe John}}.

* [[Long-Lost Relative]]: {{spoiler|John Anchor and the slave boy Maybe John}}.

* [[Love Makes You Crazy]]: Devon and Mr. Nettle

* [[Luke I Am Your Father]]: {{spoiler|Ulcis is the father of Carnival}}.

* [[Luke, I Am Your Father]]: {{spoiler|Ulcis is the father of Carnival}}.

* [[Magic a Is Magic A]]: Thaumaturgy.

* [[Magic A Is Magic A]]: Thaumaturgy.

* [[Meaningful Name]]: Carnival. {{spoiler|And it's more like a meaningful ''nickname''.}}

** John ''[[Exactly What It Says On the Tin|Anchor]]''.

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* [[Moral Event Horizon]]: {{spoiler|Ulcis}} in the first book; {{spoiler|Menoa}} in the second.

* [[Never Mess With Granny]]: {{spoiler|Ayen}}.

* [[Nice Job Breaking It Hero]]: We're looking at ''YOU,'' Rys.

* [[Nice Job Breaking It, Hero]]: We're looking at ''YOU,'' Rys.

** There's also {{spoiler|Carnival, who kills Ulcis and leaves a portal to Hell completely unguarded, thus dooming Deepgate and the entire continent it's on to the attentions of the Mesmerist armies}}.

* [[Non Action Guy]]: Dill, until he receives some shiny [[Took a Level In Badass|levels in Badass]] halfway through ''Iron Angel''. The poor thing still tries, though.

* [[Non-Action Guy]]: Dill, until he receives some shiny [[Took a Level In Badass|levels in Badass]] halfway through ''Iron Angel''. The poor thing still tries, though.

* [[Not a Morning Person]]: In a macabre variant, right after Carnival refreshes her life by draining someone's blood, she can usually be found staggering around in a daze, not really comprehending what's going on around her and unable to remember very much. She's ''very'' much Not A Rebirth Person.

* [[The Obi Wan]]: Hasp.

* [[The Obi-Wan]]: Hasp.

* [[One Man Army|One Girl Army]]: Carnival again.

* [[One-Man Army|One Girl Army]]: Carnival again.

* [[Our Angels Are Different]]: Are they ever. {{spoiler|They don't even have ''souls of their own.''}}

* [[Our Souls Are Different]]

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** John Anchor has this as his [[Running Gag]], either due to his [[Juggernaut]] nature or because [[Exactly What It Says On the Tin|He's lugging around a god's skyship via rope.]]

* [[Plucky Girl]]: Mina and Carnival.

* [[Precision F Strike]]: Inverted with Carnival, who swears so much that any sentence that isn't punctuated with curses tends to grab the attention of anyone nearby.

* [[Precision F-Strike]]: Inverted with Carnival, who swears so much that any sentence that isn't punctuated with curses tends to grab the attention of anyone nearby.

** Dill plays it straight hilariously in the beginning of ''Scar Night'', though:

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* [[That Man Is Dead]]: ''"My name is '''Carnival'''!"''

* [[Time Travel]]: Dominates the plot of ''God of Clocks''.

* [[Timey Wimey Ball]]: Having the God of Clocks around can ''really'' mess time up.

* [[Timey-Wimey Ball]]: Having the God of Clocks around can ''really'' mess time up.

* [[Tomato Surprise]]: {{spoiler|Carnival is no ordinary angel--she's a demi-god, which partially explains her insane strength.}}

* [[Too Dumb to Live]]: The doctor who opens his door for a suspicious woman on Scar Night.

* [[Took a Level In Badass]]: Dill becomes much more powerful (and useful) in ''Iron Angel'' after being taught swordsmanship by [[The Obi Wan|Hasp]].

* [[Took a Level In Badass]]: Dill becomes much more powerful (and useful) in ''Iron Angel'' after being taught swordsmanship by [[The Obi-Wan|Hasp]].

** [[Shaggy Dog Story|... and then he proceeds to essentially ''die'' in his very next fight.]]

* [[Triang Relations]]: Rachel, Carnival, and Dill seem to be at point 8. {{spoiler|There's never an [[Official Couple]], and all the ships have at least one big obstruction by the end of ''God of Clocks''.}}

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* [[Unstoppable Rage]]: Carnival is a fan of this. [[Serial Esalation]] kicks in{{spoiler|halfway through ''God of Clocks'', when she escapes Cospinol's pot}}--from that moment to the end of the book is one long [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] for her.

** And this from the woman the fans describe as pure, distilled CMOA on her own. ''It's just that glorious.''

* [[What an Idiot]]: Take better care of that, dammit, Trench! ''It doesn't belong to you!''

* [[What an Idiot!]]: Take better care of that, dammit, Trench! ''It doesn't belong to you!''

* [[With Friends Like These]]

* [[The Woobie]]: {{spoiler|Carnival.}} Alice is introduced as one in ''Iron Angel'', too, and by the end of the book {{spoiler|Dill}} is also worthy of the title.

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* [[Viewers Are Geniuses]]: Most of the plot can be understood at face value, but a lot of important worldbuilding details are subtextual, especially {{spoiler|all angels having their mothers' souls}}. Of course, the main plot sometimes gets so convoluted that the ''characters themselves'' complain that they don't get what's going on anymore.

* [[Villain Decay]]: {{spoiler|Devon}} in ''God of Clocks''. Granted, he's making a return as a ''minor'' antagonist...

* [[You Are Not Alone]]: Rachel combines this with slight [[Get a Hold of Yourself Man]] (without the slap) in her attempt to {{spoiler|break Carnival out of her [[Heroic BSOD]]}} towards the end of ''Scar Night''. It's largely held to be her [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming]], and it's shown in ''Iron Angel'' that {{spoiler|Carnival took this to heart}} in [[Tear Jerker|an incredibly Tear Jerking manner]].

* [[You Are Not Alone]]: Rachel combines this with slight [[Get a Hold of Yourself, Man!]] (without the slap) in her attempt to {{spoiler|break Carnival out of her [[Heroic BSOD]]}} towards the end of ''Scar Night''. It's largely held to be her [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming]], and it's shown in ''Iron Angel'' that {{spoiler|Carnival took this to heart}} in [[Tear Jerker|an incredibly Tear Jerking manner]].