Picspam: Tropes
For picspammy's current challenge:
There are, predictably, a zillion tropes in Stargate: Atlantis. I whittled it down to eight.
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Cool Gate
The Stargate
First you're here. Walk through this here gate-possibly only when the moon is gibbous, or you have yellow violets in your left hand, possibly only with the Applied Phlebotinum and Techno Babble of quantum mechanics or folding space-time-and then you are there.
Cool, ain't it?
Dr. McKay: C'mon, how often do you get to travel to an alien planet?
Dr. Beckett: I was already on an alien planet!
---
Colonel Badass
Colonel John Sheppard
Imagine The Captain without a Cool Ship. Still the most kickass guy around, powerful leader, outranks everyone else in The Squad, you know the type.
Dr. Beckett: The dots don't tell us much about who's who. How do we know which one's the Major?
Lt. Ford: He'll be the dot getting rid of all the other dots.
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Reasonable Authority Figure
Dr. Elizabeth Weir
Fully aware that Machiavelli Was Wrong, he'll listen to those "crazy kids" when they say there's a fugitive nearby, and actually logically consider their arguments and not discard them out of hand. However, their openness to the heroes' ideas doesn't mean they'll follow Agent Mulder's crazy ideas blindly. Often, they'll ask for proof and facts rather than follow baseless accusations, but even then, they'll usually humor the heroes and go check out their theories; whether it pans out or turns into a dead end depends on how far along the story is.
Usually Lawful Good. Generally the person characters must Bring News Back to. And the chain of command that goes past the basic Command Roster. The Rebellious Rebel is motivated by loyalty to him.
Maj. Sheppard: But we have something they need and they have something we need, and I thought that's what negotiating was all about.
Dr. Weir: Oh, well, it is. Personally, I stop short of offering nuclear weapons.
Lt. Ford: They were building 'em anyways.
Dr. Weir: Oh, well if they were building them anyway, why didn't you just say so. You do realize that I originally sent you out for food?
Maj. Sheppard: I think we can still get that.
Lt Ford: I don't see why not.
Dr. Weir: So, recommendations?
Dr. Beckett: Other than panic?
Dr. Weir: Other than panic, yes.
---
Insufferable Genius
Dr. Rodney McKay
At first glance, the Insufferable Genius appears to be exactly the type who's doomed to learn An Aesop: he's very talented, knows he's very talented, and doesn't mind telling you repeatedly what a talented person he is. But the difference between him and your standard loudmouth is that he really is that good, and when placed in a difficult situation he can actually work his way out of it - so maybe he does have a right to brag.
Dr. McKay: I'm not sure I can fix this.
Dr. Grodin: You can fix anything.
Dr. McKay: Who told you that?
Dr. Grodin: You did. On several occasions.
---
Proud Warrior Race Guy
Ronon Dex
A specific subtrope of Blood Knight, the Proud Warrior Race Guy seeks battle and bloodshed because his culture teaches that doing so is the greatest source of personal honor and glory.
Ronon: Sheppard's on the list; McKay is on the list. Why aren't Teyla and me?
Dr. Weir: What, you're feeling left out?
Ronon: I just wanna know who thinks I'm not a threat and give 'em a chance to change their mind.
---
Action Girl
Teyla Emmagen
The Action Girl is, essentially, Badassitude molded into a sleek female frame: a female character who is spunky, agile, and can take you down with an array of kicks, punches, or diverse Weapons Of Choice.
She is not a Distressed Damsel. She doesn't sit around waiting to be rescued. She doesn't only plan how to rescue herself.
Dr. Beckett: I ran every test I could on all of you from the get-go. Physiologically, you and your people are the same as we are. I have no explanation for any of your special super-powers.
Teyla: I only have one power.
Dr. Beckett: I've seen you fight, my dear.
---
I'm a Doctor Not a Placeholder
Dr. Carson Beckett
Often, when a character has run into something they don't have the skill or knowledge for, they remind the viewers of that in a stock phrase that is almost always worded as: I'm an X not a Y. With X being their profession, and Y being whoever would be better able to do the job that they are having difficulty with.
Dr. Beckett: I can barely make it to the main land and back without crashing. For the last time, I'm a medical doctor, not a bloody fighter pilot!
Dr. Beckett: I'm a bloody medical doctor, not a magician!
---
Hero of Another Story
Major Evan Lorne
Such a character will come in handy to establish that the folks back at base are actually doing something when our heroes get captured. Though they will rarely actually succeed in rescuing the captured heroes, they may end up leading The Cavalry to sweep up after the Blast Out. In general, the Hero Of Another Story will be a competent professional, but will lack whatever special gift or drive makes our hero so special.
Dr. Weir: Colonel Sheppard's team, three hours overdue.
Maj. Lorne: Wouldn't be the first time. Any radio contact?
Dr. Weir: None since they left.
Dr. Weir: Well, you know those guys.
Dr. Weir: What do I know about those guys?
Maj. Lorne: Just that they tend to get all caught up in whatever it is they're doing, and sometimes they don't check in. They forget how much you worry... That *we* worry - collectively, I mean.
Dr. Weir: Yes, we do.
Maj. Lorne: Yeah. We do. Okay, you guys, it looks like we're headin' back out.
Dr. Weir: Thank you, Major.
Maj. Lorne: You're welcome.
---
Resources: caps + quotes + tropes
There are, predictably, a zillion tropes in Stargate: Atlantis. I whittled it down to eight.
---
Cool Gate
The Stargate
First you're here. Walk through this here gate-possibly only when the moon is gibbous, or you have yellow violets in your left hand, possibly only with the Applied Phlebotinum and Techno Babble of quantum mechanics or folding space-time-and then you are there.
Cool, ain't it?
Dr. McKay: C'mon, how often do you get to travel to an alien planet?
Dr. Beckett: I was already on an alien planet!
---
Colonel Badass
Colonel John Sheppard
Imagine The Captain without a Cool Ship. Still the most kickass guy around, powerful leader, outranks everyone else in The Squad, you know the type.
Dr. Beckett: The dots don't tell us much about who's who. How do we know which one's the Major?
Lt. Ford: He'll be the dot getting rid of all the other dots.
---
Reasonable Authority Figure
Dr. Elizabeth Weir
Fully aware that Machiavelli Was Wrong, he'll listen to those "crazy kids" when they say there's a fugitive nearby, and actually logically consider their arguments and not discard them out of hand. However, their openness to the heroes' ideas doesn't mean they'll follow Agent Mulder's crazy ideas blindly. Often, they'll ask for proof and facts rather than follow baseless accusations, but even then, they'll usually humor the heroes and go check out their theories; whether it pans out or turns into a dead end depends on how far along the story is.
Usually Lawful Good. Generally the person characters must Bring News Back to. And the chain of command that goes past the basic Command Roster. The Rebellious Rebel is motivated by loyalty to him.
Maj. Sheppard: But we have something they need and they have something we need, and I thought that's what negotiating was all about.
Dr. Weir: Oh, well, it is. Personally, I stop short of offering nuclear weapons.
Lt. Ford: They were building 'em anyways.
Dr. Weir: Oh, well if they were building them anyway, why didn't you just say so. You do realize that I originally sent you out for food?
Maj. Sheppard: I think we can still get that.
Lt Ford: I don't see why not.
Dr. Weir: So, recommendations?
Dr. Beckett: Other than panic?
Dr. Weir: Other than panic, yes.
---
Insufferable Genius
Dr. Rodney McKay
At first glance, the Insufferable Genius appears to be exactly the type who's doomed to learn An Aesop: he's very talented, knows he's very talented, and doesn't mind telling you repeatedly what a talented person he is. But the difference between him and your standard loudmouth is that he really is that good, and when placed in a difficult situation he can actually work his way out of it - so maybe he does have a right to brag.
Dr. McKay: I'm not sure I can fix this.
Dr. Grodin: You can fix anything.
Dr. McKay: Who told you that?
Dr. Grodin: You did. On several occasions.
---
Proud Warrior Race Guy
Ronon Dex
A specific subtrope of Blood Knight, the Proud Warrior Race Guy seeks battle and bloodshed because his culture teaches that doing so is the greatest source of personal honor and glory.
Ronon: Sheppard's on the list; McKay is on the list. Why aren't Teyla and me?
Dr. Weir: What, you're feeling left out?
Ronon: I just wanna know who thinks I'm not a threat and give 'em a chance to change their mind.
---
Action Girl
Teyla Emmagen
The Action Girl is, essentially, Badassitude molded into a sleek female frame: a female character who is spunky, agile, and can take you down with an array of kicks, punches, or diverse Weapons Of Choice.
She is not a Distressed Damsel. She doesn't sit around waiting to be rescued. She doesn't only plan how to rescue herself.
Dr. Beckett: I ran every test I could on all of you from the get-go. Physiologically, you and your people are the same as we are. I have no explanation for any of your special super-powers.
Teyla: I only have one power.
Dr. Beckett: I've seen you fight, my dear.
---
I'm a Doctor Not a Placeholder
Dr. Carson Beckett
Often, when a character has run into something they don't have the skill or knowledge for, they remind the viewers of that in a stock phrase that is almost always worded as: I'm an X not a Y. With X being their profession, and Y being whoever would be better able to do the job that they are having difficulty with.
Dr. Beckett: I can barely make it to the main land and back without crashing. For the last time, I'm a medical doctor, not a bloody fighter pilot!
Dr. Beckett: I'm a bloody medical doctor, not a magician!
---
Hero of Another Story
Major Evan Lorne
Such a character will come in handy to establish that the folks back at base are actually doing something when our heroes get captured. Though they will rarely actually succeed in rescuing the captured heroes, they may end up leading The Cavalry to sweep up after the Blast Out. In general, the Hero Of Another Story will be a competent professional, but will lack whatever special gift or drive makes our hero so special.
Dr. Weir: Colonel Sheppard's team, three hours overdue.
Maj. Lorne: Wouldn't be the first time. Any radio contact?
Dr. Weir: None since they left.
Dr. Weir: Well, you know those guys.
Dr. Weir: What do I know about those guys?
Maj. Lorne: Just that they tend to get all caught up in whatever it is they're doing, and sometimes they don't check in. They forget how much you worry... That *we* worry - collectively, I mean.
Dr. Weir: Yes, we do.
Maj. Lorne: Yeah. We do. Okay, you guys, it looks like we're headin' back out.
Dr. Weir: Thank you, Major.
Maj. Lorne: You're welcome.
---
Resources: caps + quotes + tropes