User blog:FateAlbane/Jack of All Tropes - Big Iron 5

'There's always room for one's life to get worse... But there's not always room in their minds to keep caring.'

This will cover all tropes found in the 5th session of Big Iron.

'[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1drLuCWsnh4 To the brave and the petrified, we all fall down. To the slave and the civilized, we all fall down. To the lovers we left behind... The bad days, the good nights... In the Great Shipwreck of Life, we all fall down!]'

Naturally, a massive WIP.

Session 5 - Fall cometh.
Out of Focus - Billy has been pretty much retconned by now as a result of his perpetual case of this.

In-Universe Catharsis - Magnum goes through some of this after being done with the Rouge Spirits who attacked the party.

"Magnum stands up and heads to the wagon. "Aaaa, that was equally exhausting and satisfying...""

- ...As she sits in the wagon.

Clothing Damage - Downplayed and subverted. Elly restores the damage that her dress suffered almost immediately after the battle ends.

Break The Cutie - Ino subverts the trope so far (although he too is seen losing sense of hope at certain points in the story, he's been managing to recover). Elly plays it straight, finally goes through Phase 3 and gets pushed  past the Despair Event Horizon by the end of this. What results of it is not quite as cute.

Angst - An abundance of it to be seen, this time around.

Cope by Creating - Ino has been seen carving a wooden memento ever since the party went through the start of their darker times and has been doing it even as a number of members are lost.

Too Soon - Elly avoids raising any talk about Rick's words in light of what just happened to Dufresne.

Downer Beginning - If you consider the session by itself, considering how Jill appears almost immediately in sequence with the battle in session 4 and proceeds to show the party's efforts amount to nothing in her presence once again. Lampshaded/Invoked by Hob and Elly.

Due to the Dead - Ino takes Duf's gun and belongings as a memento/to keep protecting the party even after he's gone, while Elly initially leaves but then makes a prayer for him, hoping for him to find peace in the afterlife if there's any waiting for him.

Ahem - Magnum sort of does this right before reminding the party that it's best for them to get back in the wagon, and the road.

Death Glare - As one would expect, there can't be a session where Jill appears without this trope being present. Especially when throwing glares is the most anyone can do to her.

Being Watched - Once in the wagon, the party feels something - in this case, Jill - is watching them before she actually reveals herself.

The Dreaded - Ino's (very much justified) reaction to Jill qualifies her for this. The narrative also labeled her the party's worst nightmare at some point. Correctly, anyways.

Hope Crusher - Jill needs no explanation on the why for this anymore.

Immune to Bullets - Once again for Jill, as Magnum's shot proves about as efficient as Marty's bullets had been the other day. If anything, the bullet is what's flattened against the target.

Dead to begin With - Lampshaded (sorta, for laughs) in meta when Jill says Magnum has a temper considering how she killed a Rogue Spirit in cold blood but then it's pointed that those are dead to begin with, to which it's said that they died anyways since they don't exist anymore now.

Sir Swears-A-Lot - As tropes in the previous blogs and sessions might make one think, this trope becomes one of Magnum's "main weapons", whenever enemies are around or fighting is happening. Granted she still invokes it every now and then out of these situations but it's to a far lesser extent.

Force Choke - Magnum gets this treatment from Jill almost immediately since this time around she wasn't in the mood to take any of the aforementioned temper. Doubles up with The Paralyzer later and some more shout-outs with "Sith-Lightning" to experience the FULL POWAH of the Dark Side.

Sadist  - Other than pretty much everything else she does, Jill gets a smile characteristic of this while the aforementioned situation happens at Magnum's expense.

Healing Hands - While technically the whole party has this, Ino is the one who is seen doing it to others the most. This time around, he did it to Magnum twice. The first one being after she was attacked by Jill. Later, he does it again in battle when she is almost killed by one of the "Circus of Evil" performers. Ahuatzi gets this done to him by Elly as well, when Jill drains him to the point of falling over.

Can't kill you, still need You - Lampshaded by Jill herself when she doesn't actually kill Magnum and stops the shock and awe before anything happens to the wagon and the others. As she is questioned by Marty, she reiterates they "need the transport if they are to be chased down".

You have outlived your Usefulness - ...The natural result of the above trope being subverted in Ahuatzi's case. And if his death was by any chance the final phase of a despair gambit, let it be known that it worked very well, the main target is well aware and doesn't quite give a damn about it.

Your approval fills me with Shame - Averted. Elly is well aware that sides to her behaviour are akin to Jill's. When she approves of the sight and lampshades it, Elly replies that "It tends to take a monster to kill another" as opposed to being bothered in any manner. She also tries shocking Jill all the same, with end results getting her nothing but a second dose of villainous face hold.

Evil Counterpart - After going through one too many Not so Different moments, Jill finally invokes this trope in no uncertain terms for Elly.

"I am you, so I will know you."

Terms of Endangerment - Invoked by both Elly and Jill, with the former cynically calling her a "senpai"/veteran and telling her not to get attached, while the latter answers in kind with her own (<<< keyword here) way.

Tarnishing their Own Beauty - What Marty does in response to Jill trying to pull the same kind of sadistic choice she did in session 3. Played for drama but not permanent since that trope is also in effect.

Tranquil Fury - Hob has reached this state towards Jill by now. As opposed to his berserker tendencies in battle, he remains cool sounding as he speaks to her and does not seem even angry by her presence or words as opposed to the battle before.

"Hob: I can't do anything but congratulate you how hard you're attempting at targeting a bunch of no-ones. Congratulations. I'm not angry. I'm not on fury. I'm disappointed a person like you is wasting its time to just do that, and I'm going to keep so till the moment you die."

- Hob clenches his fist, but still has a calm expression.

Baddie Flattery - Jill has taken a liking to this trope, albeit a good part of it is done sarcastically. Like in the case of her would be combat compliment towards Hob:

"Jill:.... Right, I'll get to you later..."

- ...Vlad the prospector.

Finger Muzzle - An uncommon case where Jill follows the intention of the trope properly, but places the finger on her own lips as opposed to Marty's (justified, given the state he was in at the time...).

We will meet Again - Elly invokes a rare heroic version this... Though the connotation she uses when saying it and her choice of words "One day, it will be you." give a different and oddly inverted atmosphere to the trope.

Angrish - Magnum's speech is reduced to angrily screaming profanities and nothing else when Jill leaves, having given the party their daily dose of humiliation.

Cathartic Exhalation - Elly's reaction when Jill leaves and she manages to heal Ahuatzi from the Touch of Death.

Precious Photo - Marty carries one of these, of him as a child and his father.

Unwitting Pawn - Lampshaded to be the whole party's situation when Ahuatzi mentions how he is like a hostage constantly used against the group and Elly asks him not to finish the sentence, as everyone is being used in varying ways... And the only way is to keep going until a chance to turn the tables happens. Not that it looks like it ever will, though (see "Super Losers," Underdogs (Alwa---I mean,) never Lose" and "Yank the Dog's chain").

Achilles in his Tent - Marty in his Wagon. Persistently pushing the party away is also what pushes the team into the near state of separation and eventually into the point where Jill reappears *again* and says what may be summarized into a "Yeah, no", killing Ahuatzi in the process, partially reinforcing what happens if they don't play by her rules. So, nice job breaking it, hero.

Please kill me if it satisfies you - Deconstructed. Marty tries this towards Elly while they argue - it's not done out of any sense of regret or apology, though. It's done as an answer to him getting an armor-piercing slap moments before. She does not like the idea and implications in the slightest, actually deciding to end the discussion when even Ahuatzi of all people lampshades it enough to punch Marty.

""Every time. Every time. Every time the smallest thing happens. You snap at us, you pull away from us. You talk down to us... Marty""

Friendship Denial - Not with the exact words, but Marty did enough of this at this point to put Dufresne's own declaration to shame, given how he legitimately wanted the party to leave on top of the previous problems they had, amidst all of them still being threatened by Jill and trying to stick/fight together for their lives.

You never did that for Me - More like a "You never did that for Us", uttered by Elly. When Ahuatzi finally gets enough of it and punches Marty, she puts her hand in his shoulder and reminds him of the words she had been taught by him.

"- These words are for enemies, not friends. Isn't that what you said...? Elly throws the gun away."

- ...Then again, guess we never were that for him.

Breaking the Fellowship - What was about to happen as a result of the party deciding to go their separate ways from Marty. But then Jill happened, again. Either way, as Ahuatzi best puts it...

""You have no right to say another word to talk down to us. We will leave, as you don't want us here. You can deal with everything without us.""

- "...Better to do it without people who use you, yes?"

Revenge - Pretty much the main driving force of most of the remaining party members.

Just for Fun - According to herself, Magnum's original reason for joining is that the journey looked and sounded like it would be fun.

It's all about Me - Lampshaded by Elly towards Marty, all while also accusing her past self of this in heroic self-deprecation.

"- ...I thought I used to have an ego."

- But God forbid, yours makes me sound like a saint.

You make me sick - Comes in as a part of Elly's "The Reason you Suck" speech when she gets bothered/tired enough to get it all out of her system. Up to eleven as she says said way of living sickens her even more than Jill. In Rick fashion, a mention of the misery poker the entire party went through also comes along. Though surprisingly, there wasn't any sarcasm about it.

Backhanded Apology - Given the things that the whole party has endured, and some of them because of his behaviour to begin with... "Oh my God, poor little Marty he's had it soooooooo rough." is the answer he gets when complaining about the party and how he's stuck with them.

Heartwarming Moments - Though quite rare on this session, Ino comforting Magnum as she is on the verge of crying remembering Scarlet's death qualifies for this.

Like an Old Married Couple - Played straight by Magnum (generates some laughs in meta, while in-verse her remark is fully ignored by both sides of the discussion).

""FOR GODS SAKE THERE IS AN INSANE SH-- F--- TRYING TO KILL US ALL AND YOU TWO KEEP FIGHTING LIKE A GOD DAMN MARRIED COUPLE GAAAAAAA!""

- She screams out in frustration.

Cassandra Truth - According to Marty, telling of his actual past gets this reaction from others.

Like Father, like Son - Marty has been getting a lot of this trope implied from others... Sometimes for better, other times for worse.

Shooting lessons from your parents - In Marty's own words, his father taught him everything he knows, including how to fight/shoot. That is, until he eventually got killed, himself. This comes off as a part of some light being she on his own dark and troubled past.

"Marty: He taught me all he could. How to shoot. How to talk to people. And when he died... That's all I could do. Shoot and talk."

- But I guess I didn't get here because I was good at that.

Skyward Scream - Done by Magnum once Jill finally departs for the first time, and later done again by Hob upon witnessing Ahuatzi's death as he was not strong enough to prevent it either (despite arriving barely in time for the battle that was taking place).

The only One - Marty defies this trope when he says that as long as there are others in his line of work, it doesn't matter if he dies. Elly denies it by saying how, despite there being others out there, he was still the only one at that day - and also the only person whose name those townsfolk were speaking of.

"When you gave me that gun just then, you told me a few words I don't quite agree with. "If I die, anyone else in this line of work can do it." But, where were they, then, while you rushed on your own, with a whip aimed at your back and me telling you all those things? As far as I could see, it was you there."

- With that being said... I guess I understand a few more things now. For telling us so, I should thank you.

Heavy Sleeper - As a result of Story and Gameplay segregation (aka, Hope's player didn't arrive until then), Hope slept through the whole of the above situation. Including Jill's attack, the arguing and Marty's past being told.

You are too Late - Hob's subverted Big Damn Heroes moment. As said above, he does arrive before the battle comes to an end but too late to stop what had already began... And ultimately, he only succeeds in witnessing Ahuatzi's death like every other party member.

The Strongman - Jill's next King Mook.

I want them Alive - Elly is immediately locked out of the ensuing fight and unable to do anything about itbut watch as the worst comes to pass. On the other hand, Jill tells her Mook to leave her be - in contrast to doing whatever he damn wants to the others.

Badass Mustache - As a circus performer, the aforementioned boss sports one of these. To ascertain that he was indeed a powerful foe in his own right, he took the party on single-handedly and provided a great challenge in his own right, whereas the other attackers from the circus had to strike as a team against an already worn-out party.

Repulsive Ringmaster - After the Strongman is defeated, Jill calls forth for a bunch of other enemies from the circus to join the fray. Among them is the circus ringmaster, complete with a monocle and armed with a whip.

Attack Animal /Beast of Battle - Among the group of circus attackers, there was a Lion with powers and abilities comparable to an Ether scarred.

Now, that's using your teeth! - Now that I mention it, said Lion actually caught one of Hope's bullets with its teeth, too!

Doomed Moral Victor - Ahuatzi to the very end does keep fighting and maintains his way of living. However, said beliefs are used for the opposite end result, with his resistance raping naught but his own death and a massive sense of loss to the party. To make it worse, his final words actually make his end hurt more to the ones involved. Worse still, it was an accidental case of friendly fire that ultimately destroyed his soul. He did maintain the title of being the character with an undoubtedly pure spirit in the plot but... Given what came from his death, this trope is zigzagged at best, subverted at worst.

Incorruptible Pure Pureness - Ahuatzi, to the very bitter end.

Too Good for this Sinful Earth - Foreshadowed since session 3 for Ahuatzi, comes to pass on this one.

Spotlight Stealing Squad - Elly is accused of this after the session, which leads to the narrative and her player (that would be me) agreeing to leave her out of focus for the most part in the next session. There is some irony here in that the "focus" she gets is definitely not the kind she would be happy about... And even then, in session 5, she spent a large chunk of it doing and saying nothing by virtue of being immediately pinned to the ground and left to watch while the other party members fought.

Creator Backlash  - Though a fair amount of time was invested on Elly's character, she gets this from her creator to some extent by virtue of her getting more views and general attention than anything I created for my own stories which I dedicated much more effort in structuring, giving me more "mixed feelings" than any firm sense of accomplishment.

Super Loser - We have a whole party of those, in one way or another. Not seeing rainbows when adding it either but the Failure Hero and that Yank the Dog's Chain down there don't lie. Other than being the closest to the base of the verse's "food chain" when it comes to power, the team is consistently unable to solve anything themselves (to illustrate this, they were at some point overwhelmed and made to run even by people with no kind of power whatsoever by virtue of being tired), never seems to solve anything on their own (even in this session, it took Marty sacrificing a chunk of his soul to solve the deal with Jill's Mooks) and generally speaking tend to be weaker sounding than pretty much everything else in the setting - sans normal humans (without numbers and guns, that is). And their collective best also doesn't amount to anything worth mentioning by the end of the day in comparison to what the story throws at them. They also tend to be the designated target of that one trope where they try their collective best and someone dies anyway. Not to mention that one other thing. And there are still two more tropes expanding on the whys for this - see Failure hero and Yank the Dog's Chain below. To quote the wise words of a certain Golden Witch, this is what the narrative has summarized the main team to be.

All for Nothing - Ahuatzi's efforts to unite the team as a whole. Worse than that, they were used against him and the party and weaponized to produce the opposite effect by Jill. Not to mention that the circumstances of his death are the last straw that sends Elly (whom he had helped the most) plummeting through the Despair Event Horizon. The party's efforts to defeat Jill's mooks also end up as this, with them being simply overwhelmed by their numbers and being worn-out, Ahuatzi dying and Marty sacrificing a part of his soul but obliterating Ahuatzi's as well.

Go out with a Smile - Despite everything, Ahuatzi still ends like this.

Obi-Wan Moment - Before the conclusion with the aforementioned smile, Ahuatzi takes a good moment to direct his last words to the party and tell the others of his past (and how his time with the party during the last few weeks has been the best experience of his life). And of course...

""I want you all to know something... These few weeks of this journey... have been the best of my life... All my life I have been talked down to and called worthless by my father for failing to protect my sister. I lived my life trying to fix that mistake but it was never meant to be. All of you are my friends... and I thank you all for that... And Elly! You have always reminded me of my sister... and my last words to you... is to tell you that... I love you. Goodbye.""

- Ahuatzi's spirit fades into the sky.

Evil Stole my Faith - As it can be seen here and there in previous sessions, Elly is seen praying on occasion even amidst the journey. She also prays this time around, in the hopes that Dufresne is welcomed for a good afterlife. ...After the events on this one and crying Ahuatzi's death, however, her death speech changes entirely. As per meta confirmation, by now she believes that a representative of Divine will and/or Fate does exist, but also that said being is a Jerk or simply does not care at all. Considering what the powers that be are all about, it's tragicomic how she is kind of right. And yes, Venom, this song does apply to her now.

"- Let it burn. Let it all... Burn."

- Are the only words to escape her lips in a somber whisper, as she passes by the group, not giving anyone a single look.

You should have died instead - Elly's definitive reaction towards a (now with confused memories) Marty, since on top of all that led to this point, it was his attack that destroyed Ahuatzi's soul as well - regardless of his intentions when firing it. Triggered by him actually trying to comfort her with a hug, which only makes it worse in her eyes given their story thus far and how the situation was partly to blame on him trying to shove the party away, as Jill herself lampshades.

Broken Aesop - In this setting, things such as fighting for the good of others, the world and such makes one develop magic faster... Now read all the other tropes around, look at the party's circumstances, Ahuatzi's end and take a moment to question if the actual narrative is concerned with conveying this kind of message at all as opposed to breaking it to pieces whenever someone tries to even consider evoking it.

Underdogs Never Lose - *literally falls in the floor laughing* ...Averted and deconstructed so hard, it might reality warp this trope's name into "Underdogs always lose". And don't expect to see any Champions on the Inside kind of thing going on either. Every next loss is more crushing, humiliating or heart rending for the party members than the former and attempts to say otherwise in-verse are cut short all the same. Not convinced? Read the two tropes below.

Failure Hero - What the party is amounting to by now. And saying in advance, but it still carries over to session 6 where Elly finally lampshades it quite obviously. (On a personal note, this trope's near Omnipresence is the cause behind what is now something akin to Darkness-Induced Audience Apathy in my head.) See below.

Yank the Dog's Chain - Pretty much everything the party does amounts to this by the end of the day. Barely defeated the Chungus? Run away for their lives otherwise the ungrateful townsfolk riddle them with bullets. Getting closer to each other? Jill murders Scarlet and ruins them psychologically. Try to fight back? Doesn't work, the cavalry is fully responsible for getting them out of the way. And they also arrived late as hell, considering a chunk of the worst had already come to pass. Defeated the enemies that are threatening their lives? Doesn't matter, it's well within Jill's plans and they are also now implied to be "just as evil" by the narrative. Also, Jill appears and shows once again that they amount to nothing in face of her. Defeated the Strongman boss? Another whole set of mooks attacks the worn-out party immediately. Have this one party member who happens to be an "Emotional Crutch"/The Heart to the party? Wait and watch as he dies via another aversion of Mook Chivalry without you being able to do anything about it. Marty finally ends up being the one to end said enemies? He's also had to tear out a chunk of his soul for it, his thoughts/memories are confused and now you're set up for even more failure on session 6, in advance. Figuring out why the party doubtlessly has the Failure Hero label complete with a medal and honorable mention, yet?

Screw this, I'm outta here - A meta-example is being more invoked and lampshaded as time passes, as a result of the two tropes above. Guess by who.