History PlayingWith / CerebusCallBack

* '''Conversed''': ???

'''Basic Trope:''' A previously humorous element in a work is called back to in a very serious situation.

* '''Exaggerated''': Alice’s torture and long painful death at the hands of is a parade of [[RunningGag fan-favorite running gags]] and callbacks to her wedding with Bob.

* '''Subverted'''L Instead of calling back to good times, Alice starts berating Bob about every time he let her down.

* '''Justified''': Alice is trying to distract Ben and remind him of happier times.

* '''Straight:''' [[PluckyComicRelief Alex]] hums the song she made about [[FriendshipSong how cool friendship is]] as she dies in [[TheHero Ben’s]] arms.
* '''Exaggerated:''' Alex’s torture and long painful death at the hands of [[BigBad Mr.Nightmare]] is a parade of [[RunningGag fan favorite running gags]] and call backs to her wedding with Ben.
* '''Downplayed:''' A BlackComedy joke about the mafia breaking both of Alex’s legs is recalled after she breaks a leg in a fall.
* '''Justified''': Alex is trying to distract Ben and remind him of happier times.
* '''Inverted''': In a shocking and pivotal scene Alex is killed. Ben humorously calls back to the event while playing poker.
* '''Subverted:''' Instead of calling back to good times, Alex starts berating Ben about everytime he let her down.
* '''Double Subverted:''' ???

* '''Parodied''': [[DiedInYourArmsTonight Dying in Bob’s arms]], Alex recalls all the good times she’s had: [[AFamilyAffair sleeping with Bob’s brother]], winning a pie eating contest, sleeping with Bob’s dad, winning another pie eating contest, sleeping with the pie eating contest judge.
* '''Averted:''' In serious situations no one ever calls back to happier times.
* '''Enforced''': Fans had a really strong positive reaction to Alex’s friendship song. Knowing this, the creators choose to incorporate it into her death scene for maximum emotional impact.
* '''Lampshaded''': “You’re not going to die! Cool it with the heartfelt call backs to a happier time!”

* '''Discussed''': “If I ever get cornered by Mr.Nightmare’s minions I’ll just grimly look to the sky, say my favorite relevant wacky catchphrase, and then die with my back against the wall.”

Back to [Trope]

* '''Basic Trope:''' A previously humorous element in a work is intentionally made harsher and more serious by later events.
* '''Straight:''' Alex cringes hearing BDSM and ''"Daddy!"'' RightThroughTheWall, but later it's revealed that she was physically and [[RapeAsBackstory sexually abused as a child]] [[ParentalIncest by her father.]]
* '''Exaggerated:''' Every RunningGag that the series had previously is harsher because they all {{foreshadowed}} the ParentalIncest Alex had to go through.
* '''Downplayed:''' A BlackComedy joke about Alex breaking her leg is cringe inducing due to the fact that she did indeed break it later.
* '''Subverted:''' Alex was only [[BlackComedyRape joking]] about being abused by her father.
* '''DoubleSubverted:''' ...but her boyfriend made her call him Daddy whenever he assaulted her. And hit her a bunch.
* '''Averted:''' No joke made earlier is given a FunnyAneurysm.

* '''Straight:''' Alex cringes hearing BDSM and ''"Daddy!"'' RightThroughTheWall, but later it's revealed that she was [[RapeAsBackstory sexually abused as a child]] [[ParentalIncest by her father.]]

* '''Subverted:''' Alex was only [[BlackComedyRape joking]] about the childhood abuse backstory.
* '''DoubleSubverted:''' ...but her boyfriend made her call him Daddy whenever he assaulted her.