History Fanfic / TheCliff

* BloodBrothers: Like in canon, Siegfried and Gunther take a vow of brotherhood. [[spoiler:Unlike in canon, it doesn't end in tragedy]].

* HypocriticalHeartwarming: Brünnhilde calls Mime all sorts of insults all the time and occasionally fights with him physically. When Waltraute tries to insult him, all that she manages is "this disgusting, repulsive, vile Nibfffff..." before Brünnhilde gives her an ArmorPiercingSlap.

* BefriendingTheEnemy: Brünnhilde starts trying it with the antagonists, after realizing how the PowerOfLove has changed Mime and being prompted by the Rhinemaidens. She manages to do it with [[spoiler:Hagen]], who is still a GrumpyBear by the end but at least [[spoiler:genuinely loves his family and friends]], and [[spoiler:Fafner]], who is pretty much broken by [[spoiler:all that he has done after getting the ring]] but still tries to recover and make amends. Even [[spoiler:Alberich]]’s temper slightly improves, though it’s more due to [[spoiler:Hagen’s influence]] than to [[spoiler:Brünnhilde’s]].

* SlutShaming: Erda and the Norns take it UpToEleven. They think it's a horrible degradation for Brünnhilde when they learn she is no longer a maiden. Never mind that she only ever sleeps with her husband, the sheer fact that she does it makes Erda and the Norns react as if she is DefiledForever.

* LethalChef: In the beginning, Brünnhilde's attempt at bread turns to coals, and her attempt at cereal turns to a heap of slightly roasted grain with, for some reason, a pike underneath. According to Brünnhilde, Mime's cooking is only marginally better and his soups tastes like rainwater at best.

* FreeRangeChildren: Before Brünnhilde comes along, Siegfried runs around in the woods by himself from dawn till dusk. Brünnhilde makes sure he spends at least some time at home, and then, after he makes friends with the Gibichungs, he prefers spending time them to walking alone in the forest.

** Just like Mime, Regin is cautious, careful, and absolutely loves smithery. He also gets his Nibelung looks (from Br&umml;nnhilde, he only inherits her black eyes and human height).

* SlutShaming: Erda and the Norns take it UpToEleven. They think it's a horrible degradation for Brünnhilde when they learn she is no longer a maiden. Never mind that she only ever sleeps with her husband, Erda and the Norns still react as if Brünnhilde is DefiledForever.

* ShrinkingViolet: [[spoiler:Gunther's wife]] is terribly shy for the first couple of years, before [[TookALevelInCheerfulness taking a level in cheerfulness]].

* LeaveTheTwoLovebirdsAlone: After making sure [[spoiler:Brünnhilde wasn’t seriously wounded in the battle]], everyone, including Siegfried, leaves the hut for Gibich’s castle to give Mime and Brünnhilde some privacy. After more than ten years of CannotSpitItOut, the two finally confess their love (and, [[ConfessionTriggersConsummation well]]... conceive Regin).

* ContentWarning: The English version has one. "Not recommended for Wotan's fans, the Gibichungs' haters and/or Wagnerian purists".

** Gutrune, OneOfTheBoys during childhood, becomes more gentle and feminine in her teens.

* SpeaksFluentAnimal: Wotan can understand the forest bird. He [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech isn't pleased by what he hears from her]].

* WorthlessYellowRocks: The characters are so tired of all the fuss going on around the dragon’s treasure hoard that they stop really caring about it. [[spoiler:When the gold is scattered around the forest, it’s gathered by its rightful owners the residents of Nibelheim]].

* ContentWarnings: The fic has a joking one, warning those who don’t want to see fun made of Wagner operas, as well as those who love Siegfried and hate Mime, to tread carefully.

* ShipperOnDeck: Like the forest bird, Amalrica and her daughters see through Mime and Brünnhilde's [[SlapSlapKiss stormy]] interactions at once.
* SpeaksFluentAnimal: It's revealed Erda can understand the forest birds and reply in their language.
* UpliftedAnimal: Erda explains that the forest birds' family has become sapient due to the high level of magic present in the forest.
* WorthlessYellowRocks: Cristobal Junta has zero interest in using magic to make gold, preferring the more philosophical pursuits.

* SiblingYinYang:
** Half-siblings Hagen and the Gibichungs. Hagen is gloomy, silent and constantly angry. Gunther and Gutrune are friendly, cheerful and sociable.
** Downplayed with Siegfried and Regin, who are technically cousins through Brünnhilde but are brothers by adoption. Siegfried is a fearless, energetic, charismatic fighter but not too keen on studies or smithing. Regin is a timid NonActionGuy who makes quick progress with his studies and spends all his free time in the smithy.

** Gunther jokingly says that if Mime wasn't so skilled with a hammer, he would have married Brünnhilde, which is what he does in ''The Twilight of the Gods''.

* ParentalAbandonment: Revealed by Mime to be the norm in Nibelung culture. Children are left to be RaisedByTheCommunity soon after being weaned.

* CowardlyLion: Mime is easily frightened of practically everything. But if Brünnhilde insists on going on a dangerous mission, he accompanies her to make sure her bravery won’t get her killed, and woe betide you if you actually try to harm Brünnhilde, Siegfried or [[VitriolicBestBuds the forest bird]].