There's a site called TV Tropes (you've probably already heard of it) that attempts to catalog common themes, cliches, plot devices, references, ideas, and other similarities in various forms of fiction. It would seem that even The RAU Gallery has elements that fit some of the tropes that the site has catalogued. However, I cannot edit TV Tropes myself because (#1) I doubt they would allow anything from here since there is no category for general websites and The RAU Gallery is not technically a webcomic, and (#2), I would be concerned that editing my own stuff into the site would open myself up to speculation that I'm only including "tropes" in my sketches in order to be able to "spam" the site with links to my own. So, I'll just catalog any submissions here instead. Strawberry Eggs was the inspiration for this article as she's the one who originally brought this site to my attention and made a post pointing out how certain tropes relate to various RAU characters and situations. Therefore, almost all of these are hers, except a few where I added more information and one I found completely on my own because it was in my site tracker for another section. Ascended Extra Raymond O' Malley only made an appearance in one episode in the preliminary comics. Years later, he would appear in The RAU Gallery more often with more of a personality. Cartoonish Supervillainy Honen was, at first, a parody of 80s cartoon villains, always being thwarted by the protagonists. Cloudcuckoolander Christopher Paladin: While he likes to be the class clown, he does spout non-sequiturs and lets his mind wander. The Ditz Chester Hallet is a mild version of this trope, with some Cloudcuckoolander tendencies thrown in for good measure. Duck! FO's Note: I found this one in my site tracker because it links to my Oddities article on the "Graveyard Duck" in Castlevania II: Simon's Quest. While I understand why that fits the article, I actually think that the argument in The Great Forum War Part 4 sketch between Nucleo McRaven and Image Arcane over what the picture of the optical illusion really is, and Aurora's reaction to it, definitely fits the trope, too, if not even better. Eldritch Abomination ErniePants, the Omni-Wonder of the Universe from the "Great Forum War" skits. Perhaps each of the Elemental Spirits/Gods can count as well (though some more than others, like Cynoss, Spirit of Chaos). Elemental Embodiment The many Elemental Spirits/Gods. Evolutionary Levels The Phainein races are described as having been "evolved" from humans and animals. Justifed in that they were evolved, or mutated through magic, by the Elemental Gods. Extreme Omnivore Kiini has to eat random objects in order to power himself. Nucleo is also one to a lesser extent. Fantastic Racism Most Phainein species are mistrustful of races other than their own. Foreign Cuss Word Honen does this quite often. Half-Human Hybrid Robin Calypson is half human and half Earth-Demon. Instant Awesome, Just Add Ninja Jack fancies himself a ninja. Interspecies Romance Nucelo and Image, Preston and Aurora (one-sided), and Honen and Deuce. Also possibly true of Cirrus's parents. Word of God says that the Phainein species are more like difference races than different species. Last of His Kind Jack Sheen is said to be the last of the Waterlily-Dragons. Lost Technology There's a fair bit of it left over from the world before the great catacylsm. Mega Neko Calico King, Felis/Catpeople, and the Great Spirits of Time and Space, Harken and Kin-Liu. No Fourth Wall Rare is the character who isn't aware that he/she is in a cartoon/internet sketch comedy. Apparently, some characters aren't as good at breaking the fourth wall as others, like Deuce Koma. FO's Notes: To expand on this one a little bit, it's no longer a secret that RAU characters have varying degrees of being able to break the fourth wall, with the most extreme example on the "can break it" end being Christopher Paladin, who "wrote" the Technicolor Baguette sketch, and the most extreme example on the "can't break it" end being Jaeger Dunlin III, who flat-out doesn't believe he's in a cartoon. Nonhuman Humanoid Hybrid Cory McRaven, who is half Mountaindevil and half Demon-Elf. Oh My Gods! Some characters swear by the name of Skiva, the Spirit/God of Balance. Preston has sworn by Leohtiss, the Spirit of Light, from time to time. Nucleo has been known to swear by Skiva, Leohtiss, and Aira. Our Dragons Are Different Some of the Elemental Gods/Sprits are dragons, or at least dragon-like. Some can turn members of their respective races into dragons. Waterlily-Dragons are man-sized, feathered, dragon-like beings. Our Elves Are Better Desert-Elves and Demon-Elves: Some of the latter likely believe they are better than other races. Sickeningly Sweethearts Nucleo and Image are quite guilty of this. The Unintelligible Calico King: Only Nucleo and Cory are able to understand him. Verbal Tic Chester often punctuates his sentences with the word "dude". Hey, it's enough to power the Dudeacopter quite well! What the Hell is That Accent Honen Calzoun, whose accent is something of a mixture of German, Russian, French, and who knows what else. He says he picked it up from various people he met around the world. FO's Note: This is something I've been holding back on for a long time, but Honen is not a native English speaker. Onis have their own language, but he hasn't used it in years. Winged Humanoid Mountaindevils and Waterlily-Dragons.