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[[File:
The ''Inheritance Cycle'', [[Trilogy Creep|formerly known as]] the ''Inheritance Trilogy'' is a series of [[High Fantasy]] novels written by [[
* ''Eragon'' (2003)
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* ''Eragon's Guide to Alagaësia'' (2009) (canon, but not part of the Cycle)
An officially endorsed guidebook, ''The Inheritance Almanac'', was released in October
The novels tell the tale of Eragon, a farmboy who discovers a dragon egg in the mountains and is amazed when it hatches for him. He raises the dragon, Saphira, and becomes bonded with her as a Dragon Rider. Unfortunately, the evil Galbatorix, the ruler of The Empire who betrayed and destroyed the Dragon Riders long ago, finds out, and sends his impenetrably cowled Ra'zac servants to capture Eragon and Saphira. They escape, but the Ra'zac burn down Eragon's home and kill his uncle. Our heroes set out for revenge, joined by the village's old storyteller, Brom, who, as it turns out, is a former Dragon Rider himself. On their quest, Eragon and Saphira meet up with a [[Badass]] [[Anti-Hero]] with a [[Mysterious Past]], rescue an elf princess, join the Varden ([[La Résistance]]), learn the truth about Eragon's past and his missing father, and face down foes far more powerful than themselves—eventually culminating in a final battle against Galbatorix himself.
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{{tropelist}}
* [[Absurdly Sharp Blade]]: Tinkledeath.
* [[The Ace]]: Arya and Angela are both good at magic, physical combat, and related skills, but Angela is a [[Plucky Comic Relief]] character most of the time.
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* [[Aloof Big Brother]]: {{spoiler|Murtagh}} is the older, [[Stronger Sibling|stronger]], [[Good Is Dumb|smarter]], [[Ensemble Darkhorse|more popular]] (among fangirls), [[Anti-Hero|more realistic]], [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|more cynical]], more experienced {{spoiler|half-}}brother of {{spoiler|Eragon.}}
* [[Altar the Speed]]: {{spoiler|Roran and Katrina}} in Brisingr.
* [[Always Chaotic Evil]]: The Ra'zac.▼
* [[Amplifier Artifact]]: By storing energy in gems, they can be turned into power-sources that will up the magical abilities of anyone using them.
* [[Anti-Hero]]: Murtagh all the way. Elva also seems to be leaning in this direction after {{spoiler|her curse was broken and she was able to use her empathetic powers without direct cost to herself.}}
* [[Attack! Attack! Attack!]]: Battle strategy of the Urgals.
* [[Ambadassador]]: Arya
* [[And This Is For]]: Roran does this in ''Brisingr''.
* [[Applied Phlebotinum]], in the form of [[Functional Magic]].
* [[Asskicking Equals Authority]]: The Urgals' entire society is based on this trope.
* [[Atop a Mountain of Corpses]]: A scene in the second book has Roran standing triumphantly atop a pile of 193 slaughtered [[
* [[Author Appeal]]: Arguably the elves, particularly Arya (whose beauty is oft-mentioned in the narration, and leaves Eragon in awe). However, [[Word of God|Paolini says]] his favourite race is the dwarves (he often speaks a bit in Dwarvish when he goes to IRL events).
* [[Authority Equals Asskicking]]: Galbatorix, {{spoiler|Murtagh}}.
* [[Automaton Horses]]: Lampshaded with the elves' horses. Both played straight and lampshaded elsewhere, such as in the first book where they ride through a desert for almost a week, although Eragon does use magic to raise water from the ground.
* [[Author Avatar]]: According to some, Eragon is [[
* [[Badass]]: Murtagh.
* [[Badass Normal]]: Roran.
* [[Bald Black Leader Guy]]: Ajihad, who has a beard but [[Bald of Awesome|no hair]].
* [[Bald of Evil]]: The Twins.
* [[BFS]]: The teenaged protagonist hilariously wields a five-foot blade in earlier publications of the book. This was later [[Retcon|retconned]] to three and a half feet.▼
* [[Beard of Evil]]: Galbatorix
* [[Beard of Sorrow]]: Roran grows one after {{spoiler|Katrina is kidnapped by the Ra'zac.}}
* [[Beauty Equals Goodness]]: Save for one (minor) character all of the "good guys" could easily nab a career as a model.
* [[Beauty Is Never Tarnished]]: Courtesy of [[Healing Hands|magical healing powers]].
* [[The Berserker]]: In ''Brisingr'', Imperial berserkers who have had their ability to feel pain magically removed are introduced.▼
* [[Big Bad]]: Galbatorix.
* [[The Big Guy]]: Nar Garzhvog.
* [[Bittersweet Ending]]: Yeah, {{spoiler|Galby is dead,}} but half the surviving {{spoiler|Eldunarya are insane, Arya and Eragon and Firnen and Saphira have to be separated, Nasuada has a whole lot on her plate, and Murtagh and Thorn are outcast. Eragon has to leave Alagaesia for ever too.}}
* [[Black Blood]]: Applied rather literally to the [[Our Orcs Are Different|Urgals]].
▲* [[
* [[Blessed
▲* [[The Berserker]]: In ''Brisingr'', Imperial berserkers who have had their ability to feel pain magically removed are introduced.
* [[Body Horror]]: The bewitched soldiers in the third book feel no pain, and thus fight through dismemberment that by all rights should have killed them. Most Varden lose their nerve while fighting these guys, because fighting someone with half his face hanging off his bare
* [[Bond Creatures]]: Dragons.
* [[A Boy and His X]]: X being dragon. Eragon and Saphira, and also {{spoiler|Murtagh and Thorn}}.
* [[Cain and Abel]]: {{spoiler|Eragon and Murtagh}}. Who is who depends on your [[Alternate Character Interpretation|personal interpretation]].
* [[The Call Knows Where You Live]]: Carvahall receives a lot of trouble from this trope even after Eragon leaves.
* [[Can't Argue
* [[Cast
* [[The Chains of Commanding]]: Trianna says it's wise Eragon doesn't want to be king, because a king is simply a man imprisoned by his duties.
* [[Chekhov's Gun]]: {{spoiler|When Glaedr tells Saphira to "keep her heart safe" before she and Eragon leave to go help the Varden fight the Empire's army in Eldest. Later revealed that he was referring to a special magic stone every dragon has called an Eldunari which is basically their source of magical power and where their souls go if the Eldunari is removed from their bodies, they're also the source of Galbatorix's power, so that's quite a big gun.}}
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* [[Cloudcuckoolander]]: Angela, who comes out with random nonsequiturs frequently. In her spare time, she tries to [[Frogs and Toads|prove that toads don't exist]].
* [[Cool Boat]]: The Dragon Wing.
* [[Covered in Mud]]: In ''Eldest'', Eragon has a seizure caused by a cursed injury to his back. He's feeling terrible already because of the seizure and because it was in front of his teacher, but then he becomes especially embarrassed when he realizes that rolling around on the ground caused him to get his clothes (which were new and a gift from the elves) covered in dirt/mud.
* [[Creation Myth]]: According to the dwarven calender in the deluxe edition of ''Eldest'', [[Constructed World|the world]] was created 8000 years ago by several [[Physical God|gods]], after they vanquished the [[Our Giants Are Bigger|giants]].
* [[Creepy Child]]: Elva.
* [[Cursed
* [[Dark Magical Girl]]: Elva.
* [[
* [[Deus Ex Machina]]: Frequently, especially the Blood Oath Ceremony, which magically {{spoiler|transforms Eragon in a super-attractive half-elf and heals his crippling back scar}}. Also Saphira who says she can {{spoiler|change reality in some unspecified way, although not at will. Although this is not unique to her, all the dragons can.}}
▲* [[Distressed Damsel]]: Arya, and later {{spoiler|Katrina}}.
* [[Doorstopper]]: Each successive book is about 150-200 pages longer than the previous instalment, with ''Brisingr'' topping out at 748 pages. This is the reason for [[Trilogy Creep|Book Four]]; "Book Three" was pushing 900 pages and not even halfway finished. A reprinting of ''Eragon'' and ''Eldest'' in a single volume dubbed the "Inheritance Omnibus" is 1216 pages long and large enough to crush a small dog if dropped from sufficient height. The Japanese translation of ''Eldest'' is so large that it is split into two books.
* [[Downer Ending]]: {{spoiler|Eragon leaves Alagaesia forever, Arya is stuck with a job she doesn't want, Orrin doesn't get the kingdom and his country becomes an appendage to the Empire, Nasuada has a whole lot on her plate, and Saphira has to leave Firnen.}}
* [[Dragon Rider]]: Eragon, naturally. Also, {{spoiler|Oromis, Murtagh}} and Galbatorix count. Brom, Orik, and Arya have also ridden Saphira at various points, {{spoiler|Brom was also a Rider before his dragon was killed}}.▼
* [[The Dragon]]: {{spoiler|Murtagh}} and his [[Our Dragons Are Different|literal dragon]], who are the dragons for his evil ''King'', and ''his'' dragon. Prior to him joining up with Galbatorix, the role of the Dragon was Durza the Shade, and in the backstory before Durza, Morzan the [[Dragon Rider]].
▲* [[Dragon Rider]]: Eragon, naturally. Also, {{spoiler|Oromis, Murtagh}} and Galbatorix count. Brom, Orik, and Arya have also ridden Saphira at various points, {{spoiler|Brom was also a Rider before his dragon was killed}}.
* [[Dropped a Bridge
* [[Dude, She's Like, in
* [[Egg
* [[Elaborate Underground Base]]: The dwarven capital, Tronjheim, is a city built like a small mountain inside the crater of a much larger extinct volcano so tall the top is inaccessible, even to dragons, making it only accessible by underground tunnels.
* [[Elves
* [[The Empath]]: Elva.
* [[Enemy to All Living Things]]: Eragon learns how to draw power from all life around him to boost his own magic, draining nearby things of their [[Life Energy]]. The result is plants and small animals dying around him when he needs extra power, if he isn't careful.▼
* [[The Empire]]
▲* [[Enemy to All Living Things]]: Eragon learns how to draw power from all life around him to boost his own magic, draining nearby things of their [[Life Energy]]. The result is plants and small animals dying around him when he needs extra power, if he isn't careful.
* [[Expy]]: The series has gotten a lot of accusations for this, with critics claiming that the series is [[Star Wars]] in a fantasy setting and/or ripping off scenes or entire plots from [[The Wheel of Time|other series]].
* [[Evil Redhead]]: Shades. In fact, being transformed into a Shade gives the victim crimson hair.
* [[Evil Tower of Ominousness]]: Helgrind. Also, from the little description given, Uru'baen sounds like one, or at least Galbatorix's stronghold there.
* [[Face Heel Turn]]: {{spoiler|Murtagh, the Twins, and Sloan}}.
* [[Farm Boy]]: Eragon.
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* [[Healing Hands]]
* [[Here There Were Dragons]]: 100 years ago, [[Evil Overlord]] Galbatorix threw down the Dragon Riders and forced every magic user to swear loyalty to himself and swear the Empire, resulting in magic becoming much rarer, dragons nearly going extinct, and the power of the elves to begin to fade away. However, {{spoiler|Galbatorix regrets his past actions and is now actively working to resurrect the dragons under his command.}}
* [[Hero Insurance]]: Eragon, being the poster boy for the Varden, has a license to kill, maim, and destroy as much as he pleases. Possible [[Subverted Trope|Subversion]] in ''Brisingr'' when Eragon finds a man that he had previously stolen from and pays him far over the original price with gold, while he says he really didn't mind, considering how Eragon used them and that {{spoiler|he destroyed the rest before leaving Carvahall anyway}}.▼
* [[Heroic Resolve]]: Roran uses a lot of this to survive {{spoiler|being given 50 freaking lashes!}}
▲* [[Hero Insurance]]: Eragon, being the poster boy for the Varden, has a license to kill, maim, and destroy as much as he pleases. Possible [[Subversion]] in ''Brisingr'' when Eragon finds a man that he had previously stolen from and pays him far over the original price with gold, while he says he really didn't mind, considering how Eragon used them and that {{spoiler|he destroyed the rest before leaving Carvahall anyway}}.
* [[Hidden Elf Village]]: Ellesméra
* [[Hollywood Tactics]]: Everyone sucks at battle-planning, doing things no sane person who has at least played a ''[[Total War]]'' game would do, like having archers and siege weapons shoot into a melee, abandoning a perfectly good defensive position to meet a smaller enemy force in the open field, and having heavy infantry charge a great distance.
* [[I Am Who?]]: Eragon's identity is a closely kept secret until ''Brisingr'' wherein it's revealed that he is {{spoiler|the son of Brom.}}
* [[Idiot Ball]]: Neither the heroes nor villains are safe from this.▼
* [[Idiot Hero]]: Eragon.▼
* [[Idiosyncratic Cover Art]]: Each novel in the series introduces a new, differently-colored dragon as a character. This dragon gets his/her picture on the cover of the book, and the book is the same color as his/her hide.▼
* [[I Know Your True Name]]: Used in conjunction with [[Words Can Break My Bones]].
* [[I'm Having Soul Pains]]: Eragon thoughout most of ''Eldest''.
▲* [[Idiosyncratic Cover Art]]: Each novel in the series introduces a new, differently-colored dragon as a character. This dragon gets his/her picture on the cover of the book, and the book is the same color as his/her hide.
* [[Immortality]]: Dragon Riders, elves, dragons, and possibly Shades are all immortal unless killed violently.▼
▲* [[Idiot Ball]]: Neither the heroes nor villains are safe from this.
▲* [[Idiot Hero]]: Eragon.
* [[Immortal Procreation Clause]]: Dwarves, who live much longer than humans, are repeatedly stated to reproduce at a slower rate. This is even more extreme with the immortal-unless-killed [[Our Elves Are Better|elves]], who are even less prolific than the dwarves. At the beginning of the cycle, it's been over a decade since the last elf children(twins) were born.
▲* [[Immortality]]: Dragon Riders, elves, dragons, and possibly Shades are all immortal unless killed violently.
* [[In the End You Are
* [[Instant Expert]]: Eragon learns magic faster than any of the other characters, despite him being [[Just a Kid]].
▲* [[In the End You Are On Your Own]]: In the first book, {{spoiler|subverted by Arya and Saphira at the critical moment, in a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]]}}. Eragon is told that this is likely to happen with Galbatorix, since he's the only member of the Varden powerful enough to stand a chance.
* [[Kick Them While They Are Down]]: Murtagh does this to a slaver named Torkenbrand, killing him.
* [[Killed Off for Real]]: {{spoiler|Brom, Ajihad, Hrothgar, and Oromis. Glaedr just happens to have survived by giving away his 'heart of hearts'}}.
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* [[Knight Templar Parent]]: ''Sloan''.
* [[Lady of War]]: Nasuada, Arya.
* [[The Lancer]]: Roran.▼
* [[Language of Magic]]: The Ancient Language
* [[Language of Truth]]: The same as the language of magic. Doesn't apply when written though, only spoken or when in someone's mind. Any oath sworn in the Ancient Language is also binding, making it impossible to break unless you are released from it.
▲* [[The Lancer]]: Roran.
* [[Left Field Description]]: All the time.
* [[Left
* [[Letting Her Hair Down]]: After she arrives in Ellesmera, Arya stops wearing a leather band in her hair to show how relaxed she is.
* [[Life Energy]]: Used to fuel magic.
* [[Lightning Bruiser]]: [[Our Elves Are Better|Elves]], [[Dragon Rider
* [[Limited Special Collectors' Ultimate Edition]]: Each book has received a "Deluxe Edition" reprinting which usually includes some goodies like drawings from cover artist John Jude Palancar and/or [[
* [[Little Miss Snarker]]: Elva.
* [[The Load]]: Eragon himself in the first two books, as he always has to either become unconscious or be saved by someone in order to get anything done.
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* [[Magic A Is Magic A]]: Actually quite consistent and elaborate rules of magic govern the use of the Ancient Language.
* [[Magic Knight]]: Shades, Elves, and Dragonriders tend to train in both combat and magic.
* [[Manipulative Bastard]]: Elva, being an [[The Empath|empathic]] [[Anti-Hero|antiheroine]], uses her power to discern a person's weaknesses and vulnerabilities, then say exactly the thing that she knows will give them the most comfort or the most pain. At one point, [[
* [[Mayfly-December Romance]]: Eragon and Arya. (Interestingly, Arya once indirectly described such a relationship to be viewed by the elves as similar to paedophilia on the elves' part. And it's implied that the perfect elves may not be right about ''everything'' after all.)
* [[Meaningful Name]]: "Eragon" is "dragon" with one letter changed, but then Paolini retconned this into "era gone by".
* [[Mighty Glacier]]: Dwarves. Dragons lean towards this as they get older, growing gradually bigger but losing mobility.
* [[Million
* [[Mind Probe]]: The main psychic power. Unfortunately, this particular ability can be used for [[Mind Rape]].
* [[Mind Rape]]: Often used by the [[Big Bad]]. Also done by the Twins on
* [[Mismatched Eyes]]: Morzan, described in ''Brisingr'': one of his eyes is blue, the other is black.
* [[Monster Fun Facts]]: The Urgals.
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* [[Names to Run Away From Really Fast]]: You only name your child Galbatorix if you ''want'' him to grow up to be evil.
* [[Nephewism]]: Eragon is raised by his aunt and uncle, without ever knowing his parents.
* [[New Powers
* [[Nose Tapping]]: A traveling trapper does this when sharing rumors about there being a Rider in Alagaësia.
* [[Not Quite Dead]]: {{spoiler|Murtagh and the Twins}}.
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* [[The Obi-Wan]]: Brom.
* [[Offstage Villainy]]: One of the most common complaints about the The Inheritance Cycle is that the reader is never actually shown Evil Overlord Galbatorix doing anything particularly evil to the people of Alagaësia other than raising taxes. Brisingr may count, though, given how its stated that he enslaved the souls of the dragons he killed. Just the fact that he successfully overthrew the Dragon Riders seems to be enough justification for the war waged by the Varden, the elves, and the dwarves in the series.
* [[Orcus
▲* [[Old Master]]: Oromis.
▲* [[Orcus On His Throne]]: Galbatorix, while strong enough to wipe out the Varden by himself, decides to spend his time in the capital city, Uru'baen. [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] when Nasuada thinks about how Galbatorix's pride is the only thing keeping the Varden from being destroyed.
* [[Our Dragons Are Different]]
* [[Our Dwarves Are All the Same]]
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* [[Our Orcs Are Different]]: They're called Urgals.
* [[Patchwork Map]]: On the inside covers of the books.
* [[Pay Evil Unto Evil]]: Eragon's philosophy is this. Possibly [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] when four different characters, {{spoiler|Murtagh, Sloan, Elva, and a soldier in Feinster}}, [[What the Hell, Hero?|call him out on this.]]
* [[Phlebotinum Overload]]: Dragon Riders got to be careful, because if they overuse their magic abilities with casting an insane yet powerful spell, the [[Cast from Hit Points|power and might will drain]] and kill them.
** In the film, {{Spoiler|this danger was removed and Eragon was able to heal a badly injured Saphira.}}
* [[Plot Leveling]]: In Brisingr, Eragon suddenly starts encountering enemies immune to his new story-breaking powers. However, most of them have been encountered by Roran and the [[Redshirt Army|Varden]].
* [[Plot
** {{spoiler|Elva}} in ''Eldest'' ([[A Wizard Did It]]).
** {{spoiler|Also there's Thorn, born close to a year after Saphira yet is nearly as large as she is when he's first confronted at the end of ''Eldest'', although this is only because Galbatorix did it, Thorn is still mentally only a few months old despite having the body of a grown dragon.}}.
* [[Poke in
* [[Posthumous Character]]: Morzan, Eragon the first Rider, and {{spoiler|Brom}} after the first book.
* [[A Protagonist Shall Lead Them]]: Eragon with [[La Résistance]], {{spoiler|Roran with his village}}.
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* [[Rage Against the Mentor]]: [[Farm Boy|Eragon]] constantly complains about [[The Obi-Wan|Brom]] keeping secrets from him.
* [[Rebellious Princess]]: Arya, to some extent.
* [[
* [[La Résistance]]: The Varden.
* [[Retcon]]: A couple of details (see [[
* [[The Revolution Will Not Be Vilified]]: The Varden (rebellion) is good, while [[The Empire]] is evil.
* [[Rival Turned Evil]]: {{spoiler|Murtagh, after his capture and [[Mind Rape]]}}.
* [[Royally Screwed
* [[Rule of Cool]]: Possible [[Lampshade Hanging]] when the elven blacksmith chastises Eragon for specifying a design for purely aesthetic reasons, as well as by Angela in the battle at Feinster.
* [[Sand in My Eyes]]: Every emotional scene is punctuated with "a single shining tear". This leads to the unfortunate implication that many of the characters never cared much for their loved ones, as more tears have been shed for other, lesser things.
* [[Screening the Call]]: Eragon's uncle Garrow tries to sell Saphira's egg before it can hatch and make Eragon a Rider.
* [[Screw You, Elves]]: {{spoiler|Murtagh}} makes a speech about this at the end of ''Eldest'', basically saying that they're a bunch of cowards who oppress humans.
* [[Shout
** In ''Brisingr'', Arya doodles something about a lonely god in the sand in reference to ''[[
{{quote|
'''Arya:''' "I don't know." }}
** In ''Inheritance''
** Morn (who is himself a [[Shout
** Some people and places are named after people he knows, for example, Angela (his sister), and Palancar Valley (named after the artist who does the cover art).
** [[The Treasure of the Sierra Madre|"Barges? We don't want no
* [[Single Tear]]: As many anti-fans have pointed out.
* [[Sorcerous Overlord]]: Galbatorix, naturally.
* [[Soul Jar]]: The Eldunari.
▲* [[Snake Talk]]: The Ra'zac have a hissing accent.
* [[Straw Character]]: An argument is presented between representatives of the religious Dwarves and atheist Elves. The Dwarf is as wasteful and ranting, the Elf is calm and wise.
* [[Super Soldier]]: the soldiers Galbatorix deleted the capacity to feel pain from.
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* [[Super Strength]]: As above.
* [[Tempting Fate]]: Eragon trying to summon the true form of his sword.
* [[The Tetris Effect]]: Happens to Eragon when he's learning to
* [[Think Nothing of It]]: In ''Brisingr'', Angela the herbalist tells Roran this after he thanks her for healing the injuries on his back from whipping. She then changes her mind and says "Or rather, thank something of it, but do not consider it overly important. Besides, it amuses me to have tended injuries on both your back and Eragon's."
* [[Title Drop]]: In each book. ''Eragon'' is obvious. The climax of ''Eldest'' drops both the book's title and the title of the series, when {{spoiler|Murtagh takes Za'roc from Eragon as his '''inheritance''' from their father. After all, he ''is'' the '''eldest''' brother}}.
* [[Tonight Someone Dies]]: Prior to the release of ''Brisingr'', Christopher Paolini announced that a major character would die at the end of the book. That character was {{spoiler|Oromis, the [[
* [[To the Pain]]: Eragon's threat to a soldier early in the first book.▼
* [[Too Awesome to Use]]: {{spoiler|Brom's ring.}}
* [[Took a Level
▲* [[To the Pain]]: Eragon's threat to a soldier early in the first book.
* [[Trilogy Creep]]: What was once a "Trilogy" is now a "Cycle."
* [[Turned Against Their Masters]]: Spirits, which can be summoned by sorcerers to accomplish magical feats, will do this at the first opportunity if the sorcerer isn't capable, to create shades.
* [[Twist Ending]]: Eldest.
* [[Unresolved Sexual Tension]]:
** Arya and Eragon at the end of Book IV.
** Murtagh/Nasuada
* [[Unspoken Plan]]: As a general rule, none of the heroes' brilliant plans are explained onscreen beforehand.
* [[Unusual Euphemism]]: Sloan's [[Shut Up, Kirk|tirade]] about Eragon features a veritable barrage.
{{quote|
* [[Vanity Publishing]]:
* [[Veganopia]]: Elven society. Justified somewhat in that it's difficult to eat something when you can hear its thoughts and empathize with it.
* [[We Are
* [[We Have Reserves]]: Galbatorix uses the Urgals in the first book to weaken the Varden and the dwarves.
* [[Weirdness Magnet]]: Eragon. Lampshaded by Saphira:
{{quote|
* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: Four examples: Firstly, {{spoiler|Murtagh heavily criticizes Eragon's (and the Varden's) moral stance and allegiance at the end of ''Eldest'', going so far as to say that Galbatorix isn't bad enough to earn what Eragon's doing to the Empire}}. Secondly, Sloan gives Eragon a massive tongue lashing in ''Brisingr'' when he encounters him, complete with lots of [[Unusual Euphemism|fantasy swear words]]. Thirdly, after Eragon {{spoiler|attempts to heal Elva of her [[Blessed
* [[Who Wants to Live Forever?]]: A source of [[Wangst]] for Eragon.
▲* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: Four examples: Firstly, {{spoiler|Murtagh heavily criticizes Eragon's (and the Varden's) moral stance and allegiance at the end of ''Eldest'', going so far as to say that Galbatorix isn't bad enough to earn what Eragon's doing to the Empire}}. Secondly, Sloan gives Eragon a massive tongue lashing in ''Brisingr'' when he encounters him, complete with lots of [[Unusual Euphemism|fantasy swear words]]. Thirdly, after Eragon {{spoiler|attempts to heal Elva of her [[Blessed With Suck|curse]], he makes a mistake and only succeeds in making it painless, leaving Elva still empowered but no longer shackled down with a desire to help others, turning her into an [[Anti-Hero]]. Shortly after, he decides that she isn't mature enough to handle such power and tries to take it from her, whereupon she puts him down and tells him he's behaving as Galbatorix would.}} And fourthly, a {{spoiler|soldier in Feinster}} complains about Eragon "taking glory for himself" by disrupting the peace and slaughtering even those who have been forced to serve the Empire. YMMV, but some people consider such moments a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]].
* [[A Wizard Did It]]: The {{spoiler|ancient language}}.
* [[Words Can Break My Bones]]: The Ancient Language, being the language used for magic, is perfectly capable of killing you. If mishandled, it can also kill its unwary user.
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* [[Ye Goode Olde Days]]: Everybody is always rambling about how awesome the days before Galbatorix were.
* [[Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe]]: The archaisms in the books are often used incorrectly. An example would be Orik saying "mine King, Hrothgar." "Mine" is only used before vowels. Characters also use "thou" and "you" within the same sentence. This may be a stylistic decision on Paolini's part, though some (especially those who know a bit about old English) feel that it breaks the [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief]].
* [[Youngest Child Wins]]: Eragon has had a much nicer life than his analogue.▼
* [[Your Approval Fills Me With Shame]]: Elva, being the emotional manipulator that she is, ''purposefully uses this tactic against Eragon'', telling him that Galbatorix would approve of his actions. This leaves him badly shaken and questioning his morals. Why he didn't come to this revelation right after what he did to Sloan is anyone's guess.▼
* [[You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry]]: Angela claims in the first book that Eragon doesn’t want to see her "''irritated''".
▲* [[Youngest Child Wins]]: Eragon has had a much nicer life than his analogue.
▲* [[Your Approval Fills Me
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Fantasy Literature]]
[[Category:Young Adult Literature]]
[[Category:Inheritance Cycle]]▼
[[Category:Literature]]
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