Kitty Norville: Difference between revisions

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* [[Ancient Conspiracy]]: the Long Game

* [[Anticlimax Boss]]: {{spoiler|Lawrence Wilson}} from ''Kitty Takes a Holiday''.

* [[Anti-Villain]]: {{spoiler|Alice}}, Arturo, and the ifrit, which is under the control of the vampire priestess and so is not truly attacking Kitty and her pack out of malice. [[Sympathy for ~~The~~ Devil|Maybe]].

* [[Anti-Villain]]: {{spoiler|Alice}}, Arturo, and the ifrit, which is under the control of the vampire priestess and so is not truly attacking Kitty and her pack out of malice. [[Sympathy for the Devil|Maybe]].

* [[Anyone Can Die]]: And how. Book 7 especially exploits this.

* [[Ascend to A Higher Plane of Existence]]: {{spoiler|Anastasia departing "into the West" with Xiwangmu.}} It is played reminiscently of Enoch "walking with God".

* [[Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence]]: {{spoiler|Anastasia departing "into the West" with Xiwangmu.}} It is played reminiscently of Enoch "walking with God".

* [[Badass Army|Badass Squad]]: In ''Kitty Goes to War'', Captain Gordon and his pack of Special Forces werewolves are these, achieving results far beyond their expectations, but {{spoiler|the pack completely fall apart after Gordon, the alpha, dies.}}

* [[Balance Between Good and Evil]]/[[Order Versus Chaos]]: It's not clear which way the series is going to fall on these tropes; Roman and his ilk definitely seem to hew toward the "[[Take Over the World|evil and darkness taking over the world]]" end, while the conflict between Grant and the Band of Tiamat is explicitly described as one fought "over the nature of the universe". In Book 7, Kitty calls such dualities false, to which Grant says "You're learning," but whatever it is they're fighting and why, it seems clear that by the end of the series there will be a big battle, and at stake will be such things as [[Harmony Versus Discipline|peace and harmony]], [[The Evils of Free Will|free will]], and of course [[The End of the World As We Know It|the fate of the supernatural world]].

* [[Balance Between Good and Evil]]/[[Order Versus Chaos]]: It's not clear which way the series is going to fall on these tropes; Roman and his ilk definitely seem to hew toward the "[[Take Over the World|evil and darkness taking over the world]]" end, while the conflict between Grant and the Band of Tiamat is explicitly described as one fought "over the nature of the universe". In Book 7, Kitty calls such dualities false, to which Grant says "You're learning," but whatever it is they're fighting and why, it seems clear that by the end of the series there will be a big battle, and at stake will be such things as [[Harmony Versus Discipline|peace and harmony]], [[The Evils of Free Will|free will]], and of course [[The End of the World as We Know It|the fate of the supernatural world]].

* [[Beethoven Was an Alien Spy]]: ''Kitty's Big Trouble'' starts off with Kitty investigating rumors concerning {{spoiler|General Sherman and Wyatt Earp.}} They turn out to be true.

* [[Beware the Nice Ones]]: the curse from Book Three is actually being cast by {{spoiler|Alice, the sweet store-owner lady}}

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* [[Corrupt Hick]]: Sheriff Marks

* [[Cosmic Horror]]: {{spoiler|Found within/beyond Grant's cabinet.}}

* [[Cursed ~~With~~ Awesome]]: Vampires are immortal, powerful, dominate the minds of other people, and can recover from all but the most destructive attacks. Werewolves almost never get sick, have impressive senses, heal from nearly anything, and move faster than humans can. Kitty still treats the conditions are a chronic disease... although there are downsides made clear.

* [[Cursed with Awesome]]: Vampires are immortal, powerful, dominate the minds of other people, and can recover from all but the most destructive attacks. Werewolves almost never get sick, have impressive senses, heal from nearly anything, and move faster than humans can. Kitty still treats the conditions are a chronic disease... although there are downsides made clear.

** Vampires need blood (not necessarily to kill people, just to drink blood, but even that is a fairly big downside) and burst into flame in sunlight. They have other weaknesses as well, but sunlight is the big one. Werewolves shapeshift involuntarily once a month and have to work to suppress it whenever they simply get frightened or stressed. When they do shift, they take on the mentality of their alternate form, which is inconvenient at best and sometimes dangerous to themselves or others. They are also severely allergic to silver. We see plenty of characters who don't think of the conditions as diseases, but Kitty's attitude is both a way to help maintain her self-control and a sign that she's clinging to normalcy.

*** Werewolves also have to put up with their animal instinct even in human form. Kitty is shown to have taken subtle "wolf" clues from non-were(wolf)s and misinterpret them, and is also shown to have made the same mistake in reverse to non-weres.

* [[Dark Is Not Evil]]: A repeated theme within the series, especially during the radio show segments. While vampires and werewolves are described as sufferers of a chronic disease that no one should go looking to get, there are both heroic and monstrous examples of both.

* [[Disappearing Box]]: Grant uses his to hide Kitty, it seems to take her to another world/dimension.

* [[Distracted By the Sexy]]: This is the plan Kitty and the military cook up in ''Kitty Goes to War'' to catch the renegade wolf-soldiers, using herself and Becky as bait. {{spoiler|It doesn't work...or [[Mars Needs Women|perhaps it does]], [[Rape As Drama|only too well]].}}

* [[Distracted by the Sexy]]: This is the plan Kitty and the military cook up in ''Kitty Goes to War'' to catch the renegade wolf-soldiers, using herself and Becky as bait. {{spoiler|It doesn't work...or [[Mars Needs Women|perhaps it does]], [[Rape as Drama|only too well]].}}

* [[Domino Revelation]]: We meet werewolves, vampires, and various other members of the supernatural by the second and third books.

* [[Emergency Transformation]]: offered as a solution to Kitty's cancer-stricken mother; declined.

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* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]: A couple. {{spoiler|TJ, as well as Walters. [[Tear Jerker|Damn it.]]}}

* [[The High Queen]]: Alette

* [[Hijacked By Ganon]]: with the appearance of [[Big Bad]] {{spoiler|Roman}}, combined with comments made by Leo and Mercedes, it's a very strong possibility that he's responsible for almost every threat Kitty has so far faced down.

* [[Hijacked by Ganon]]: with the appearance of [[Big Bad]] {{spoiler|Roman}}, combined with comments made by Leo and Mercedes, it's a very strong possibility that he's responsible for almost every threat Kitty has so far faced down.

* [[Hilarity Sues]] (subverted)

* [[Hitman ~~With~~ a Heart]]: Cormac, the quasi-friendly werewolf hunter. He usually only goes after werewolves or vampires that went out of control, but is introduced when he's trying to take down Kitty. After that, he sticks with just werewolves or vampires that went out of control. Has a lot of mental issues, a lotta firearms, and a good lawyer. {{spoiler|That happened to be his cousin.}} A bit of a [[Death Seeker]].

* [[Hitman with a Heart]]: Cormac, the quasi-friendly werewolf hunter. He usually only goes after werewolves or vampires that went out of control, but is introduced when he's trying to take down Kitty. After that, he sticks with just werewolves or vampires that went out of control. Has a lot of mental issues, a lotta firearms, and a good lawyer. {{spoiler|That happened to be his cousin.}} A bit of a [[Death Seeker]].

* [[The Hunter]]: Cormac! {{spoiler|And Ben, sort of.}}

* [[I Hate You, Vampire Dad]]: The motivation of one minor villain. I Hate You Werewolf Alpha is (justly) one of Kitty's major motivations up til the end of the fourth book.

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* [[The Man Behind the Man]]: almost every book, but especially books 4 through 6 (complete with an inversion from book 5 revealed in book 6)

* [[Manipulative Bitch]]: Mercedes Cook.

* <s>[[Mars Needs Women]]</s> [[Mars Needs Women|Pack Needs Bitches]]: How Kitty's plan to capture the renegade wolves in book eight, via [[Distracted By the Sexy]], almost goes horribly wrong. Filled with all kinds of [[Unfortunate Implications]], which are [[Lampshade Hanging|acknowledged]] by both Ben and Kitty.

* <s>[[Mars Needs Women]]</s> [[Mars Needs Women|Pack Needs Bitches]]: How Kitty's plan to capture the renegade wolves in book eight, via [[Distracted by the Sexy]], almost goes horribly wrong. Filled with all kinds of [[Unfortunate Implications]], which are [[Lampshade Hanging|acknowledged]] by both Ben and Kitty.

* [[Mauve Shirt]]: A large majority of the characters in {{spoiler|''Kitty's House of Horrors'' are this. Dorian, Jerome Macy, Ariel, Lee, Gemma, and Jeffrey Miles all die after the reader has become attached to them. Although Conrad Garrett [[Tempting Fate|tempts fate]] by mentioning his wife and kids, he survives. (Maybe because [[Fatal Family Photo|he didn't start showing Kitty family photos]] till afterward in the hospital and through e-mails to keep in touch.)}}

** Henry in book 9. {{spoiler|Despite the fact he is sent along just to spy and "help", gets put under [[Mind Control]] fairly quickly, and is constantly in danger of dying, he makes it out all right in the end.}}

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* [[Part-Time Hero]]: Kitty herself is a borderline version; while she does hero work and it interferes with her real life, her job is pretty willing to put up with it. {{spoiler|Ben}} is a better example, {{spoiler|lawyer}} by day, werewolf and vampire hunter when necessary. And werewolf, too. He doesn't get enough sleep.

** As of book 7, despite her protests of [[I Just Want to Be Normal]] and [[Refusal of the Call]], she may have to become a fulltime hero and even a leader, just to protect the world, both her allies and innocent humans, from the forces of darkness and chaos. As of book 9, she has actually been given the call directly, and seems to be ready to accept it. See [[Passing the Torch]].

* [[Passing the Torch]]: In book six ( {{spoiler|five, technically, but it's not apparent until later}}) Kitty meets Dux Bellorum ( {{spoiler|a.k.a. Roman, a.k.a. Gaius Albinus, but Dux Bellorum is a name given after it's clear he's a villain, so that will do for the unspoilered version}}), who seems to be a [[Big Bad]] [[Hidden Agenda Villain]]. In book seven, she meets someone who seems to be a [[Big Good]]. Kitty was [[Refusal of the Call|refusing the call]] even before she had someone to refuse it to explicitly, but she's been [[Character Development|gradually growing into responsibility]] all along. By the time the [[Big Good]] [[Ascend to A Higher Plane of Existence|rides off into the sunset]] in book 9, Kitty almost seems eager to take over.

* [[Passing the Torch]]: In book six ( {{spoiler|five, technically, but it's not apparent until later}}) Kitty meets Dux Bellorum ( {{spoiler|a.k.a. Roman, a.k.a. Gaius Albinus, but Dux Bellorum is a name given after it's clear he's a villain, so that will do for the unspoilered version}}), who seems to be a [[Big Bad]] [[Hidden Agenda Villain]]. In book seven, she meets someone who seems to be a [[Big Good]]. Kitty was [[Refusal of the Call|refusing the call]] even before she had someone to refuse it to explicitly, but she's been [[Character Development|gradually growing into responsibility]] all along. By the time the [[Big Good]] [[Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence|rides off into the sunset]] in book 9, Kitty almost seems eager to take over.

* [[Physical God]]: {{spoiler|The Monkey King and the Queen Mother of the West.}}

* [[Plot Coupon]]: The Dragon's Pearl.

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* [[Pyrrhic Victory]] (lampshaded): {{spoiler|Of all the men in Gordon's platoon, every one but Tyler ends up dead, whether having killed each other or been brought down with silver bullets [[A Friend in Need|by Tyler himself]]. He does get rehabilitated and in a pack of his own, but still...}}

** Despite all getting out alive, getting the Dragon's Pearl away from Roman, and {{spoiler|Anastasia finally getting to have some peace as a handmaiden of Xiwangmu}}, Cormac has to wonder at the end of book 9 if they won. Considering [[Final Battle|what lies ahead]] of Kitty and her allies if she accepts Anastasia's charge, he may be right to worry.

* [[Rape As Backstory]]: [[Date Rape]] in the backstory.

* [[Rape as Backstory]]: [[Date Rape]] in the backstory.

** In addition, it's implied or threatened several other times. Kitty fears rape from {{spoiler|both Leo and Balthasar in their respective books}}. After she is forced to change on TV, she compares the experience - getting kidnapped, watching an acquaintance get killed, thrown in a cell with walls painted silver, and watched as she transforms - to being raped. And like in many settings, vampiric feeding and being converted to a vampire has sexual connotations, so this basically happens to {{spoiler|Alette's descendant and maid}}.

* [[Red Herring]]: A lot, but most notably Arturo, the Master Vampire of Denver, despite a genuinely moving scene trying to save one of his people from Elijah Smith, is made out to be the [[Big Bad]] in book 4. In actuality, he's just a patsy, victim of someone else's [[Plan]].

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{{spoiler|And in the end, despite losing all of the soldiers but one, and him coming ''this'' close to being [[Driven to Suicide]], ''she is right, and idealism wins.''}} }}

* [[Smug Snake]]: Harold Franklin.

* [[Strawman Political]]: Senator Duke is essentially [[Acceptable Political Targets|McCarthy]] [[This Is Your Premise On Drugs|on crack]].

* [[Strawman Political]]: Senator Duke is essentially [[Acceptable Political Targets|McCarthy]] [[This Is Your Premise on Drugs|on crack]].

* [[Super-Powered Evil Side]]

* [[Take That]]: In book 7, ''Kitty's House of Horrors'', Kitty takes a phone call from an arrogant, self-absorbed bounty hunter in Kansas City who's almost certainly supposed to be [[Anita Blake]].

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** The hunters in book 7 take this theme to its logical and sickening conclusion, literally turning the supernaturals [[Hunting the Most Dangerous Game|into the prey in a real life hunt]].

* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: Kitty calls ''herself'' out, briefly, near the end of ''Kitty Raises Hell'' when she learns that the ifrit's final message to her had been a plea for mercy for the sake of his wife and children, and that he had only been terrorizing her because the vampire priestess made him do it. [[Fate Worse Than Death|And she had helped consign him to the world]] of an [[Eldritch Abomination]]. [[You Keep Telling Yourself That|She immediately tries to convince herself and the Paradox PI team]] that it was only a play for sympathy, that he had still killed people, and the ifrit's fury, malice, and insulting words to her did seem a little too genuine to be a compelled act. Still, [[Protagonist-Centered Morality|the reader can't be sure she was right]]...

* [[Who Wants to Live Forever?]]: The view of some vampires. Or as Rick puts it, "[[The End of the World As We Know It|The end of the world is all some vampires have to look forward to]]."

* [[Who Wants to Live Forever?]]: The view of some vampires. Or as Rick puts it, "[[The End of the World as We Know It|The end of the world is all some vampires have to look forward to]]."

** [[Living Forever Is Awesome|the rest of them on the other hand....]]

* [[Wizard Duel]]: Between [[Elemental Powers|Harold]] [[An Ice Person|Franklin]] and {{spoiler|possessed}} [[Took a Level In Badass|Cormac]]. Thanks to Franklin making the mistake of [[These Are Things Man Was Not Meant to Know|meddling with powers he did not comprehend]], and assuming he could simply [[What an Idiot!|call on all the deities of thunder and storms simultaneously]] (because after all [[Did Not Do the Research|they're all the same, right?]] And [[Bigger Is Better|more is better?]]), the fight is short but oh so sweet.