History Literature / DarkHeavens

* BrilliantButLazy: A humorous {{reconstruction}} in the form of Bai Hu. The White Tiger is probably the best ''leader'' in the Heavens, having built a far finer support infrastructure than Xuan Wu's Northern Heavens and delegated everything to his lieutenants with supreme skill. Why? Because it means more time for him to eat and screw.

* CelestialBureaucracy: The series is based on a mish-mash of Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese folk religion.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: ''Dark Serpent'' reveals that [[spoiler: the western gods did this repeatedly, until in the end they just gave up.]]

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Even other demons are surprised at Simon Wong's complete lack of anything resembling honour or morals.

* WouldNotShootACivilian: Very early on, this seems to be a rule for demons - they won't attack mortals who aren't trained in Celestial martial arts, because there's no honor to be gained by killing them. The rule protects Emma until she and Leo first show off their skills in public, but the rule, like the rest of the "rules" for the conflict between angels and demons, goes the way of the dinosaur once the demons start playing for keeps.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Kwan Yin is the Lady of Mercy. Accordingly, she often ends up protecting demons knowing full well that they're going to turn around and go right back to hurting people. It's what she is. She also can't help Heaven when the Demon King declares war, because a Buddha doesn't get involved in wars.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: [[spoiler: Near the beginning of ''Black Jade'', Judge Pao ditches his ObstructiveBureaucrat attitude, closes the Courts of Hell, and issues blanket release orders for anyone who comes up for judgment; Immortals are automatically cleared to Heaven, mortals to [[{{Reincarnation}} the Wheel]], and nobody is getting Raised to Immortality because that would just put them at risk of eternal torment.]]

* BunnyEarsLawyer: Bai Hu is a BoisterousBruiser who's constantly chasing skirt and sleeping around, and is often cooling his heels in Hell because he can't keep his mouth shut, but he's Emperor of the West and Xuan Wu's chief lieutenant ''for a reason''. He's probably the second-most-capable warrior in the Celestial hierarchy, he's Heaven's weapons researcher, and his subordinates are often more capable than Xuan Wu and Emma's staff - because unlike them, he delegates everything with superb skill so that he has more time to debauch himself.

* GenderBender: Just about every Celestial can assume either gender, [[spoiler: as can the Demon King]]. Xuan Wu is ''exceptionally'' flexible in this regard, normally being a male Turtle and a female Serpent - but either Turtle or Serpent can be either gender. The Phoenix is also traditionally male (as the Greater Yang), but chooses to be female. And the extremely male Bai Hu [[GirlOnGirlIsHot enjoys lesbian sex]], if [[PowerPerversionPotential his attempt to join Emma and Female!John]] is any indication.

* JerkassFacade: [[spoiler: Qing Long.]]

* BunnyEarsLawyer: Bai Hu is a BoisterousBruiser who's constantly chasing skirt and sleeping around, and is often cooling his heels in Hell because he can't keep his mouth shut, but he's Emperor of the West and Xuan Wu's chief lieutenant ''for a reason''. He's probably the second-most-capable Celestial warrior, he's Heaven's weapons researcher, and his subordinates are often more capable than Xuan Wu and Emma's staff - because unlike them, he delegates everything with superb skill so that he has more time to debauch himself.

* [[spoiler: SheIsTheKing: The Demon King was female during her human lifetime.]]

* {{Immortality}}: A major plot element is the question of humans attaining Immortality, either by following the Tao and cultivating themselves, or by drinking the Elixir of Immortality, which is usually gotten by marrying a deity with sufficient rank to order them Raised. [[spoiler: Leo and Michael are both Raised by attaining the Tao upon their deaths.]] In ''Demon Child'', [[spoiler: Emma Raises Simone through the Elixir as Simone is mortally wounded, and upon her own death, attains the Tao and is raised by Xuan Wu.]]

* {{Immortality}}: A major plot element is the question of humans attaining Immortality, either by following the Tao and cultivating themselves, or by drinking the Elixir of Immortality, which is usually gotten by marrying a deity with sufficient rank to order them Raised. [[spoiler: Leo and Michael are both Raised by attaining the Tao upon their deaths.]] In ''Demon Child'', [[spoiler: Emma Raises Simone through the Elixir as Simone is mortally wounded, and upon her own death, attains Immortality and is raised by Xuan Wu.]]

** ''Demon Child'' sets up the board for the grand finale. [[spoiler: Emma and Simone die and attain Immortality...and at the very end, the Celestial Wudang Mountain falls into demon hands.]]

* GirlOnGirlIsHot: After [[spoiler: John returns to Emma in female form]], Bai Hu takes about one minute to figure out that they've been having sex. His first thought is to [[GenderBender gender-bend]] and try to get in on it, and his second thought is to get a video camera.

* PluckyGirl: Emma does not know the meaning of fear. When the lives of the ones she loves are on the line, she won't even blink at laying down her life, and when she's in danger, she keeps a cool head and will damned well get out of it. [[spoiler: Also a DeconstructedTrope. She's got such superheroic characteristics because they were programmed into her by the BigBad, to the point of being a DeathSeeker, because this causes trouble for John and those around him.]]

* Really700YearsOld: a large part of the cast are Taoist Immortals, with John Chen himself being over four thousand (Emma comments once that The Golden Boy, a mere 500-something stone, is 'far too young for her')

* AmazonianBeauty: When trying on swimsuits, Emma is complimented on how good she looks, with someone asking her if she's an aerobics instructor, and then a bodyguard. Emma's own narration exposits on how she's lost a lot of weight and become rather muscular after a year of martial arts training.

* AmazonianBeauty: When trying on swimsuits, Emma is complimented on how good she looks, with someone asking her if she's an aerobics instructor, and then a bodyguard. Emma's own narration exposits on how she's lost a lot of weight and become rather muscular.

* WhamEpisode: All the shit hits all the fans in ''Heaven to Wudang''. [[spoiler: John regains his human form, for keeps this time. Emma's true nature and destiny are finally explained. And the Demon King reveals ''his'' game to magnificent success, capturing the Dark Serpent and forcing Heaven into a war for survival while its greatest warrior is only half present.]]

* IfItsYouItsOkay: [[spoiler: Emma is heterosexual and in love with John, who is also Xuan Wu. Xuan Wu is [[GenderBender capable of assuming either gender]], though John had been "firmly male" for the past thirty years before meeting Emma, and he identifies as male. However, [[ItMakesSenseInContext because of circumstances]], in ''Heaven to Wudang'' John is stuck in a female ModeLock upon reuniting with Emma. Emma promptly has sex with her, and when John asks if Emma would be interested in occasionally sleeping with Female!John, she's okay with the idea.]]

* TheMasquerade: Subverted. Pretty much everyone has heard of Pak Tai, God of the Water... they just don't expect him to own a high-rise in Happy Valley.