Falling Skies: Difference between revisions

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* [[After the End]]
* [[After the End]]
* [[Action Girl]]: Margaret.
* [[Action Girl]]: Margaret.
* [[Achilles Heel]]: The Skitters have no bone separating the soft palette in their mouths from their brains, which means that a blow to that area can cripple or kill them. Averted though, in that it's pointed out that if you're close enough to take advantage of this weakness, you're close enough to kill them regardless. Later it becomes actually useful as a means to make a stealth kill.
* [[Achilles' Heel]]: The Skitters have no bone separating the soft palette in their mouths from their brains, which means that a blow to that area can cripple or kill them. Averted though, in that it's pointed out that if you're close enough to take advantage of this weakness, you're close enough to kill them regardless. Later it becomes actually useful as a means to make a stealth kill.
* [[Alien Arts Are Appreciated]]: Averted in the Webcomic prequel. The characters note that the aliens have booby-trapped all the gun shops and grocery stores, but not the art stores, and muse that the aliens may not have art in their world. [[Fridge Logic|For some reason]], none of them mention the more obvious possibility that the art stores are untouched because there's no point in booby-trapping locations of no strategic importance - the aliens may have art, but pretty pictures are not exactly a vital resource in war, so there's no reason to spend effort denying them to the enemy.
* [[Alien Arts Are Appreciated]]: Averted in the Webcomic prequel. The characters note that the aliens have booby-trapped all the gun shops and grocery stores, but not the art stores, and muse that the aliens may not have art in their world. [[Fridge Logic|For some reason]], none of them mention the more obvious possibility that the art stores are untouched because there's no point in booby-trapping locations of no strategic importance - the aliens may have art, but pretty pictures are not exactly a vital resource in war, so there's no reason to spend effort denying them to the enemy.
* [[Alien Invasion]]
* [[Alien Invasion]]
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* [[Brainwash Residue]]: After removal of his harness, Ben is shown compulsively exercising to an extreme degree - hundreds of pushups, hours of jumping rope. Other characters find it particularly worrisome, noting that he was far from athletic before.
* [[Brainwash Residue]]: After removal of his harness, Ben is shown compulsively exercising to an extreme degree - hundreds of pushups, hours of jumping rope. Other characters find it particularly worrisome, noting that he was far from athletic before.
** The spikes left behind after the harnesses are removed are a literal example of this trope.
** The spikes left behind after the harnesses are removed are a literal example of this trope.
* [[Broken Bird]]: Pretty much everyone, but especially Margaret. She had cancer when she was 16, and given a 50/50 chance to live. After the world ended and she was captured by Pope's gang, she was raped by at least two (maybe all) of them. Notable in that it made her the Action Girl.
* [[Broken Bird]]: Pretty much everyone, but especially Margaret. She had cancer when she was 16, and given a 50/50 chance to live. After the world ended and she was captured by Pope's gang, she was raped by at least two (maybe all) of them. Notable in that it made her the Action Girl.
* [[Blessed with Suck]]: Ben can {{spoiler|figure out the Skitters' communication frequencies... at the price of being incapacitated himself.}}
* [[Blessed with Suck]]: Ben can {{spoiler|figure out the Skitters' communication frequencies... at the price of being incapacitated himself.}}
* [[Creepy Child]]: The harnessed children.
* [[Creepy Child]]: The harnessed children.
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** Pope even mentions at one point that its like the Army using depleted uranium.
** Pope even mentions at one point that its like the Army using depleted uranium.
* [[Downer Beginning]]: With a small child describing how most of mankind was wiped out.
* [[Downer Beginning]]: With a small child describing how most of mankind was wiped out.
* [[Earth Is a Battlefield]]
* [[Earth Is a Battlefield]]
* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: Pope may be a total bastard, but even he's disgusted by Clayton handing kids over to the Skitters.
* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: Pope may be a total bastard, but even he's disgusted by Clayton handing kids over to the Skitters.
* [[Everything's Better with Motorcycles]]: The main way the 2nd Mass scouts get around the countryside. Especially after finding an abandoned motorcycle dealership.
* [[Everything's Better with Motorcycles]]: The main way the 2nd Mass scouts get around the countryside. Especially after finding an abandoned motorcycle dealership.
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* [[Eureka Moment]]: Matt seems to be the catalyst for a number these, including the discovery that the skitters communicate by radio waves and Pope's realization that the metal used in mech armor could be used to make armor-piercing bullets.
* [[Eureka Moment]]: Matt seems to be the catalyst for a number these, including the discovery that the skitters communicate by radio waves and Pope's realization that the metal used in mech armor could be used to make armor-piercing bullets.
* [[Fate Worse Than Death]]: What some of the adults think of harnessed children.
* [[Fate Worse Than Death]]: What some of the adults think of harnessed children.
* [[Final Solution]]: The aliens have already done a pretty good job at it as the pilot episode begins.
* [[Final Solution]]: The aliens have already done a pretty good job at it as the pilot episode begins.
* [[Fridge Logic]]: In-universe, the characters wonder why the mechs are bi-pedal when the aliens aren't.
* [[Fridge Logic]]: In-universe, the characters wonder why the mechs are bi-pedal when the aliens aren't.
** They also openly wonder why an obviously technologically superior force is busy collecting scrap metal.
** They also openly wonder why an obviously technologically superior force is busy collecting scrap metal.
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** And why isn't anyone keeping a watch on Rick, who clearly showing signs of being a rather obvious [[The Mole|mole]]?
** And why isn't anyone keeping a watch on Rick, who clearly showing signs of being a rather obvious [[The Mole|mole]]?
** And despite the fact that Weaver likes his new soldier with a military background, he doesn't seem to mind putting him on 24-hour guard duty when he puts Tom Mason in the boiler room, despite having a large attack to plan for.
** And despite the fact that Weaver likes his new soldier with a military background, he doesn't seem to mind putting him on 24-hour guard duty when he puts Tom Mason in the boiler room, despite having a large attack to plan for.
* [[Hannibal Lecture]]: Pope really likes to talk.
* [[Hannibal Lecture]]: Pope really likes to talk.
* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]: Mike holds off the 7th Mass long enough for Hal to help the kids escape, but is killed by Clayton in the process.
* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]: Mike holds off the 7th Mass long enough for Hal to help the kids escape, but is killed by Clayton in the process.
** {{spoiler|Tom gives himself up to the aliens so they won't take his son again.}}
** {{spoiler|Tom gives himself up to the aliens so they won't take his son again.}}
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{{quote|'''[[The Quisling|Clayton]]''': It's not about winning or losing anymore. It's about surviving.}}
{{quote|'''[[The Quisling|Clayton]]''': It's not about winning or losing anymore. It's about surviving.}}
* [[Humanoid Abomination]]: The new aliens (dubbed by one reviewer, "Skinnies"): tall, slender, green, and apparently with tentacles for hands.
* [[Humanoid Abomination]]: The new aliens (dubbed by one reviewer, "Skinnies"): tall, slender, green, and apparently with tentacles for hands.
* [[Idiot Ball]]: After making it massively clear that they don't trust Pope and are keeping a very close eye on him as he guides Tom's team to the motorcycle dealership, they send him into a back room with only Dai, who eventually turns his back on Pope while working on something.
* [[Idiot Ball]]: After making it massively clear that they don't trust Pope and are keeping a very close eye on him as he guides Tom's team to the motorcycle dealership, they send him into a back room with only Dai, who eventually turns his back on Pope while working on something.
** No guards are posted in the medical room, despite only having one doctor and all the medications being in unlocked cabinets.
** No guards are posted in the medical room, despite only having one doctor and all the medications being in unlocked cabinets.
* [[Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy]]: The harnessed kids used in an attack. The mechs miss nearly every time to the long period between the targeting laser showing up on the target's head and actually firing.
* [[Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy]]: The harnessed kids used in an attack. The mechs miss nearly every time to the long period between the targeting laser showing up on the target's head and actually firing.
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* [[Papa Wolf]]: Mike is definitely this.
* [[Papa Wolf]]: Mike is definitely this.
* [[Pet the Dog]]: The Skitters seem to behave this way to the harnessed children when they bed down at night with them.
* [[Pet the Dog]]: The Skitters seem to behave this way to the harnessed children when they bed down at night with them.
* [[Poor Communication Kills]]: The entire episode of "Mutiny" is based on this.
* [[Poor Communication Kills]]: The entire episode of "Mutiny" is based on this.
* [[Puppeteer Parasite]]: The alien harnesses used on children to enslave them.
* [[Puppeteer Parasite]]: The alien harnesses used on children to enslave them.
* [[The Quisling]]: Terry Clayton.
* [[The Quisling]]: Terry Clayton.
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* [[Throw-Away Guns]]: When Jimmy fights a Skitter one on one, he runs out of bullets and in desperation throws his gun at the Skitter. Just before the gun hits, Weaver shoots the Skitter with a shotgun.
* [[Throw-Away Guns]]: When Jimmy fights a Skitter one on one, he runs out of bullets and in desperation throws his gun at the Skitter. Just before the gun hits, Weaver shoots the Skitter with a shotgun.
* [[Title-Only Opening]]
* [[Title-Only Opening]]
* [[Too Dumb to Live]]: Mike, who {{spoiler|screws up the kid retrieval mission by acting like a panicky idiot, leading to the capture of a squadmate, and the slaying of a bunch of children}} and then tries to make an alien speak ''by sticking a gun in it's mouth''.
* [[Too Dumb to Live]]: Mike, who {{spoiler|screws up the kid retrieval mission by acting like a panicky idiot, leading to the capture of a squadmate, and the slaying of a bunch of children}} and then tries to make an alien speak ''by sticking a gun in it's mouth''.
** Harris gets within reach of the Skitter he's been taunting ever since it was captured.
** Harris gets within reach of the Skitter he's been taunting ever since it was captured.
** Hal infiltrates a group of only six harnessed children (which are guarded/led by a single skitter) to save his brother. Maybe humans all look the same to the skitters, but you would at least expect them to be able to count.
** Hal infiltrates a group of only six harnessed children (which are guarded/led by a single skitter) to save his brother. Maybe humans all look the same to the skitters, but you would at least expect them to be able to count.
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* [[What Happened to the Mouse?]] / [[Angst? What Angst?]] : Hal's love interest Karen has been kidnapped and harnessed, and Hal.....is sad for about five minutes then completely forgets about her.
* [[What Happened to the Mouse?]] / [[Angst? What Angst?]] : Hal's love interest Karen has been kidnapped and harnessed, and Hal.....is sad for about five minutes then completely forgets about her.
** ...Until she shows up at that old woman's door and he nearly goes berserk trying to get to her.
** ...Until she shows up at that old woman's door and he nearly goes berserk trying to get to her.
* [[Who's Watching the Store?]]: The fighters of the 2nd Mass attack the sanctuary with enough of a force to win, albeit one wonders if anyone is watching all the civilians back at the school.
* [[Who's Watching the Store?]]: The fighters of the 2nd Mass attack the sanctuary with enough of a force to win, albeit one wonders if anyone is watching all the civilians back at the school.
** To be fair they may have enlisted a few of those civilians for temporary guard duty because the children were at stake, but it is still not touched on.
** To be fair they may have enlisted a few of those civilians for temporary guard duty because the children were at stake, but it is still not touched on.
** The 7th Mass was down to maybe a dozen fighters. They didn't really need to send that many people to ambush them.
** The 7th Mass was down to maybe a dozen fighters. They didn't really need to send that many people to ambush them.