Seeking Truth: Difference between revisions

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** Theorized by Dr. Cairo [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cfLxIhRypY here] that Fisk may be the one running the show from [http://openthedoorandyouwillfindme.blogspot.com/ Status Report] on and that the real Zeke Strahm is either insane, dead, or locked up.
** Theorized by Dr. Cairo [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cfLxIhRypY here] that Fisk may be the one running the show from [http://openthedoorandyouwillfindme.blogspot.com/ Status Report] on and that the real Zeke Strahm is either insane, dead, or locked up.
* [[Apocalyptic Log]]: Subverted. While in the vein and format of other Slenderblogs in that it employs this trope, {{spoiler|Zeke [[Wild Mass Guessing|seemingly]] avoids much of the same breakdown other blog protagonists go through and is <s>strongly implied</s> undeniably confirmed to be alive and kicking after the events of ''Status Report''. He's been posting comments on other blogs; they vary between eerily cryptic and fairly coherent, so he might have a screw or two loose.}}
* [[Apocalyptic Log]]: Subverted. While in the vein and format of other Slenderblogs in that it employs this trope, {{spoiler|Zeke [[Wild Mass Guessing|seemingly]] avoids much of the same breakdown other blog protagonists go through and is <s>strongly implied</s> undeniably confirmed to be alive and kicking after the events of ''Status Report''. He's been posting comments on other blogs; they vary between eerily cryptic and fairly coherent, so he might have a screw or two loose.}}
* [[As the Good Book Says]]: Quite a bit of it. A few characters taunt Zeke by bringing up text from the "Ezekiel" section.
* [[As the Good Book Says...]]: Quite a bit of it. A few characters taunt Zeke by bringing up text from the "Ezekiel" section.
* [[Badass]]: Zeke Strahm, all over.
* [[Badass]]: Zeke Strahm, all over.
* [[Badass Normal]]: See above. The unique feature of this blog is that the protagonist takes it upon himself to try and {{spoiler|''kill'' a horrifically powerful extradimensional entity/spirit/tulpa/god, as opposed to going batshit and letting him get you.}}
* [[Badass Normal]]: See above. The unique feature of this blog is that the protagonist takes it upon himself to try and {{spoiler|''kill'' a horrifically powerful extradimensional entity/spirit/tulpa/god, as opposed to going batshit and letting him get you.}}
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* [[Determinator]]: Zeke is ''definitely'' one, emotionally and psychologically if not having the chance to prove himself phyiscally. {{spoiler|Your suspect is a [[Corrupt Corporate Executive]] who's escaped punishment for every crime he's commited so far by bending the legal system with the weight of his wallet? Zeke says, ''so fucking what?'' One of your only friends/acquaintances is kidnapped by Slender Man? ''Try and rescue him!'' Slender Man kills your girlfriend? ''Try and kill him!''}} Are we seeing a pattern here? Zeke is the sort of character who just headbutts your insurmountable odds.
* [[Determinator]]: Zeke is ''definitely'' one, emotionally and psychologically if not having the chance to prove himself phyiscally. {{spoiler|Your suspect is a [[Corrupt Corporate Executive]] who's escaped punishment for every crime he's commited so far by bending the legal system with the weight of his wallet? Zeke says, ''so fucking what?'' One of your only friends/acquaintances is kidnapped by Slender Man? ''Try and rescue him!'' Slender Man kills your girlfriend? ''Try and kill him!''}} Are we seeing a pattern here? Zeke is the sort of character who just headbutts your insurmountable odds.
* [[Do Not Go Gentle]]: ''Evening The Score''.
* [[Do Not Go Gentle]]: ''Evening The Score''.
* [[Embarrassing First Name]]: Zeke's full name is [[As the Good Book Says|Ezekiel]] Strahm. He got bullied in school for it, despite insisting that everyone should call him Zeke.
* [[Embarrassing First Name]]: Zeke's full name is [[As the Good Book Says...|Ezekiel]] Strahm. He got bullied in school for it, despite insisting that everyone should call him Zeke.
* [[Evil-Detecting Dog]]: Zeke mentions one at the beginning of his second blog post.
* [[Evil-Detecting Dog]]: Zeke mentions one at the beginning of his second blog post.
* [[Fan Nickname]]: In-universe example; Zeke refers to the Slender Man by a lot of synonyms.
* [[Fan Nickname]]: In-universe example; Zeke refers to the Slender Man by a lot of synonyms.
* [[Fan Preferred Couple]]: Since {{spoiler|Zeke's return in The Mystic}}, he's shown a particular correspondence with Celeste McLachlan of Make It Count. Zeke/Celeste has become something between a real ship and a running joke since she [http://countingitup.blogspot.com/2011/02/trouble-on-home-front.html put a lampshade on it] in her blog. The authors have claimed it to be [[Shrug of God|open to interpretation]].
* [[Fan-Preferred Couple]]: Since {{spoiler|Zeke's return in The Mystic}}, he's shown a particular correspondence with Celeste McLachlan of Make It Count. Zeke/Celeste has become something between a real ship and a running joke since she [http://countingitup.blogspot.com/2011/02/trouble-on-home-front.html put a lampshade on it] in her blog. The authors have claimed it to be [[Shrug of God|open to interpretation]].
** On the other hand, the authors ARE seeing each other in [[Real Life]]. Make of that as you will.
** On the other hand, the authors ARE seeing each other in [[Real Life]]. Make of that as you will.
* [[Friends With Benefits]]: Zeke and Lizzie, natch.
* [[Friends With Benefits]]: Zeke and Lizzie, natch.
* [[Genre Savvy]]: Zeke's seen [[Marble Hornets]], he's read [[Just Another Fool]]. He's sure that Slender Man's just a story. [[It Got Worse|And how wrong he is.]]
* [[Genre Savvy]]: Zeke's seen [[Marble Hornets]], he's read [[Just Another Fool]]. He's sure that Slender Man's just a story. [[It Got Worse|And how wrong he is.]]
** Fortunately, when he realizes the error of his ways, he has his readers provide links to ''every single Slender Man-related blog they can find'' just to invoke this trope to the greatest possible extent.
** Fortunately, when he realizes the error of his ways, he has his readers provide links to ''every single Slender Man-related blog they can find'' just to invoke this trope to the greatest possible extent.
* [[Good Cop Bad Cop]]: Lizzie, a friendly, intelligent, level-headed woman in her early thirties, is partnered with the antisocial, temperamental and violent Zeke.
* [[Good Cop, Bad Cop]]: Lizzie, a friendly, intelligent, level-headed woman in her early thirties, is partnered with the antisocial, temperamental and violent Zeke.
* [[Hero With Bad Publicity]]: [[Alternate Character Interpretation]] from ''Status Report'' (definitely the one favoured by the blog-commenting fandom) {{spoiler|pushes Zeke into this territory.}} See also [[Villain With Good Publicity]], below - it's [[Mind Screw|really vague.]]
* [[Hero With Bad Publicity]]: [[Alternate Character Interpretation]] from ''Status Report'' (definitely the one favoured by the blog-commenting fandom) {{spoiler|pushes Zeke into this territory.}} See also [[Villain With Good Publicity]], below - it's [[Mind Screw|really vague.]]
* [[Implacable Man]]: Slender Man. He's implied to take a shotgun shot to the chest and it doesn't even slow him down. Earlier, Zeke shoots at him with a handgun; this also does nothing.
* [[Implacable Man]]: Slender Man. He's implied to take a shotgun shot to the chest and it doesn't even slow him down. Earlier, Zeke shoots at him with a handgun; this also does nothing.
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* [[Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique]]: Frustrated with the lack of progress, Zeke eventually breaks open a can of this on Conaghan during his interrogation.
* [[Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique]]: Frustrated with the lack of progress, Zeke eventually breaks open a can of this on Conaghan during his interrogation.
* [[Lampshade Hanging]]: Done extensively to the whole [[The Slender Man Mythos|mythos]]; one of the reasons it's liked so much in the fandom.
* [[Lampshade Hanging]]: Done extensively to the whole [[The Slender Man Mythos|mythos]]; one of the reasons it's liked so much in the fandom.
* [[The Law of Conservation of Detail]]: Messed with: sometimes, completely random things (e.g. Zeke's lifestyle) are given [[Wall of Text|long blog posts]]; invoked by the fans when Zeke mentions a door which he can't open in [[Wham Episode|Inside the Labyrinth]], everyone began yelling at him to go back and break the door down. Why? Just look at the blog's URL; "Open the Door and You Will Find Me" indeed!
* [[The Law of Conservation of Detail]]: Messed with: sometimes, completely random things (e.g. Zeke's lifestyle) are given [[Wall of Text|long blog posts]]; invoked by the fans when Zeke mentions a door which he can't open in [[Wham! Episode|Inside the Labyrinth]], everyone began yelling at him to go back and break the door down. Why? Just look at the blog's URL; "Open the Door and You Will Find Me" indeed!
* [[Lovecraft Country]]
* [[Lovecraft Country]]
* [[Man of Wealth and Taste]]: Conaghan has been doing evil in a fancy suit since before he became devoted to Slendy.
* [[Man of Wealth and Taste]]: Conaghan has been doing evil in a fancy suit since before he became devoted to Slendy.
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** [[Unreliable Narrator|Maybe]], [[Wild Mass Guessing|maybe]]...
** [[Unreliable Narrator|Maybe]], [[Wild Mass Guessing|maybe]]...
* [[Morality Pet]]: Zeke is a self-confessed asshole to everyone except his partner, Lizzie, who encourages him to be more open about himself. It's in his interactions with her that some of the blog's more touching moments are found, and his level of care for her is our tenuous proof that Zeke is a good person.
* [[Morality Pet]]: Zeke is a self-confessed asshole to everyone except his partner, Lizzie, who encourages him to be more open about himself. It's in his interactions with her that some of the blog's more touching moments are found, and his level of care for her is our tenuous proof that Zeke is a good person.
* [[No Holds Barred Beatdown]]: Zeke issues one of these to both Conaghan and Lizzie's dad, both of whom are reprehensible, vile people and are much older and less physically capable than him. One of whom seems completely unwilling to defend himself, too.
* [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]]: Zeke issues one of these to both Conaghan and Lizzie's dad, both of whom are reprehensible, vile people and are much older and less physically capable than him. One of whom seems completely unwilling to defend himself, too.
* [[Off the Wagon]]: Played with. In one post, Zeke gets totally smashed after encountering Slendy and makes a drunken blog post... but he even [[Painting the Fourth Wall|types drunk]]. Not with typos like one would expect, but actually slurring "s"s into "sh"s and the like as if he were speaking aloud.
* [[Off the Wagon]]: Played with. In one post, Zeke gets totally smashed after encountering Slendy and makes a drunken blog post... but he even [[Painting the Fourth Wall|types drunk]]. Not with typos like one would expect, but actually slurring "s"s into "sh"s and the like as if he were speaking aloud.
* [[Oh Crap]]: When Zeke comes face-to-face with the Slender Man. {{spoiler|"Oh, ''fuck'' me."}}
* [[Oh Crap]]: When Zeke comes face-to-face with the Slender Man. {{spoiler|"Oh, ''fuck'' me."}}
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* [[Room Full of Crazy]]: The room of the first victim is covered in drawings of Slendy. {{spoiler|Lizzie starts doing likewise as she looks into the urban legends}}.
* [[Room Full of Crazy]]: The room of the first victim is covered in drawings of Slendy. {{spoiler|Lizzie starts doing likewise as she looks into the urban legends}}.
* [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism]]: Zeke lives ''firmly'' on the cynical end of this scale, and the blog is very dark in tone through his perspective. However, it does turn out to be one of the more idealistic Slenderblogs, considering it's the one that raises the possibility that {{spoiler|Slendy could be killed for good.}}
* [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism]]: Zeke lives ''firmly'' on the cynical end of this scale, and the blog is very dark in tone through his perspective. However, it does turn out to be one of the more idealistic Slenderblogs, considering it's the one that raises the possibility that {{spoiler|Slendy could be killed for good.}}
* [[Shout Out]]: Zeke acknowledges the existence of various other facets of the Slender Man Mythos in his blogs.
* [[Shout-Out]]: Zeke acknowledges the existence of various other facets of the Slender Man Mythos in his blogs.
** Also, Zeke's surname, Strahm, and the blog's URL, are very likely references to a ''[[Saw]]'' movie, in which a Special Agent Strahm is involved and the URL is quoted word-for-word. He even references the film series in one blog entry.
** Also, Zeke's surname, Strahm, and the blog's URL, are very likely references to a ''[[Saw]]'' movie, in which a Special Agent Strahm is involved and the URL is quoted word-for-word. He even references the film series in one blog entry.
** Possible one to TV Tropes in the second blog post. He refers to some of the more spider-like Slendy drawings as [[Demonic Spiders]], with both words capitalized just like that.
** Possible one to TV Tropes in the second blog post. He refers to some of the more spider-like Slendy drawings as [[Demonic Spiders]], with both words capitalized just like that.
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* [[Villain With Good Publicity]]: Via [[Alternative Character Interpretation]] created by ''Status Report'', {{spoiler|Zeke, even out-of-universe. Look at all the viewers who are on his side, when he may have killed ''at least one'' innocent man, using the Slender Man as an excuse to do so.}}
* [[Villain With Good Publicity]]: Via [[Alternative Character Interpretation]] created by ''Status Report'', {{spoiler|Zeke, even out-of-universe. Look at all the viewers who are on his side, when he may have killed ''at least one'' innocent man, using the Slender Man as an excuse to do so.}}
* [[What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic]]: Lampshaded. [[The Dragon|Conaghan]] keeps calling Slendy "[[The Bible|The Angel of Death]]"; Zeke points out that people will attach symbolism to ''anything''.
* [[What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic]]: Lampshaded. [[The Dragon|Conaghan]] keeps calling Slendy "[[The Bible|The Angel of Death]]"; Zeke points out that people will attach symbolism to ''anything''.
* [[Wham Episode]]: ''[http://openthedoorandyouwillfindme.blogspot.com/2010/06/inside-labryinth.html Inside the Labyrinth]''.
* [[Wham! Episode]]: ''[http://openthedoorandyouwillfindme.blogspot.com/2010/06/inside-labryinth.html Inside the Labyrinth]''.
** ''[http://openthedoorandyouwillfindme.blogspot.com/2010/07/status-report.html Status Report]''.
** ''[http://openthedoorandyouwillfindme.blogspot.com/2010/07/status-report.html Status Report]''.
** ''{{spoiler|1=[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0NkKoXB-PA The Mystic is Dead]}}''.
** ''{{spoiler|1=[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0NkKoXB-PA The Mystic is Dead]}}''.
* [[Wife Basher Basher]]: Zeke toward both Lizzie's dad and Conaghan.
* [[Wife-Basher Basher]]: Zeke toward both Lizzie's dad and Conaghan.
* [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief]]: The {{spoiler|first part of the}} blog is based around a police detective dumping sensitive case information onto the internet for all to see. C'mon.
* [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief]]: The {{spoiler|first part of the}} blog is based around a police detective dumping sensitive case information onto the internet for all to see. C'mon.
* [[Wrong Genre Savvy]]: As noted under [[Genre Savvy]], Zeke does not believe in Slendy due to exposure to [[Just Another Fool]] and [[Marble Hornets]]. He gets better at it, though.
* [[Wrong Genre Savvy]]: As noted under [[Genre Savvy]], Zeke does not believe in Slendy due to exposure to [[Just Another Fool]] and [[Marble Hornets]]. He gets better at it, though.
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