History Series / TheTick2016

** In Season 2, [[spoiler:his former company now offers a new flavor advertised as urine free. They also offer an [[{{Squick}} original flavored drink.]]

-->'''The Tick:''' Choosy choosers choose destiny.[note]]Referencing old Jif peanut butter ads[[/note]]

** Superian is World Weight, at one poing seeming convinced that he could ''exterminate all life on Earth'' effectively at will.

** Superian shouts out to the various Donner ''Film/{{Superman}}'' films: showing E. Morgan Pearl what it's like to fly in a recreation of Superman's first flight with Lois in the first movie (resulting in Pearl, not consulted beforehand and thinking [[BewareTheSuperman Superian has gone berserk]], shrieking in terror the whole way); suggesting throwing all of Earth's nuclear weapons into the son (which actually happened in ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace''; and finally [[spoiler:deciding to see if he can reverse time by flying around the Earth so fast that he reverses its orbit -- fully aware that, if he gets it even ''slightly'' wrong, every living creature on the planet will be sent hurtling into the void of space]].

On 16 May, 2019, the show was announces as canceled by Amazon.

[[folder: General]]

** Arthur's suit is a far more impressive piece of hardware. Not only is it bulletproof with a slew of other features, [[spoiler: it was designed to help kill Superian.]] Keep in mind that in the cartoon, he could be put out of action if his wings got wet.

** Despite a bare few seconds of screentime, [[spoiler: Thrakkorzog]] appears far more impressive than his comic and cartoon counterpart. Though the original was large and physically strong, here they've been upgraded to a a full-on [[spoiler: EldritchAbomination]] with the mysterious powers that come with it.

* PrecisionFStrike: The word "fuck" is used no more than two times per episode.

[[folder: Season One]]

** In Season 2, [[spoiler: his former company now offers a new flavor advertised as urine free. They also offer an [[Squick original flavored drink.]]

[[folder: Season Two]]

[[spoiler:'''Superian, actually scared and surprised:''']] [[spoiler:Oh, shit.]]

* WhamShot: In the season two finale, with [[spoiler: a giant alien spaceship appearing over Superian on the moon just before he is about to attempt time travel.]]

--> [[spoiler:'''Superian:''']] [[spoiler:Oh, shit.]]

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Superian reenacts the love scene from ''Film/{{Superman}}'' with him (while [[ShoutOut reciting the words from]] Maureen [=McGovern's=] "Can You Read My Mind?" ("Just a friend from another star...") in his inner monologue. RealityEnsues when Pearl is ''terrified'' of being dragged through the air at breakneck speeds.
* EldritchAbomination: [[spoiler: Rathbone has one under the hatch on his chest. Thrakkorzog to be exact.]]

* FantasticSlur: A low level one with superhumans being called Categories. Most don't even consider it a slur on either side of it.

* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: Miss Lint/Joan of Arc. Although there are hints it may stick after joining the new Flag Five.

* SequelHook: In the season two finale [[spoiler: though Rathbone is alive again, there is the matter of the 'thing' that appeared out of his black hole heart. Also, the end of the episode just before Superian decides to turn back time a gigantic alien spaceship appears over him stopping him from doing so.]]

** Superian shouts out to the various Donner ''Film/{{Superman}}'' films: showing E. Morgan Pearl what it's like to fly in a recreation of Superman's first flight with Lois in the first movie, suggesting throwing all of Earth's nuclear weapons into the son (which actually happened in ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace'', and finally [[spoiler:deciding to see if he can reverse time by flying around the Earth so fast that he reverses its orbit -- fully aware that, if he gets it even ''slightly'' wrong, every living creature on the planet will be sent hurtling into the void of space]].

** The Terror revels in stealing ice cream.

--> '''Dangerboat:''' ''[translating]'' "Now you are proud to sacrifice with haircuts, skeleton Urmania..."
--> '''Overkill:''' Dangerboat, what the Hell?
--> '''Dangerboat:''' It's the best Urmanian-to-English program I could find on the Net!

* TheCameo: Creator/WhoopiGoldberg appears as herself talking to Superian in her (fictional) talk show.

* DifferentlyPoweredIndividuals: [=AEGIS=] has a category system to rank superheroes, therefore everyone uses the term "category" to refer to superhumans.

* JimmyHartVersion: Subverted with the AEGIS anthem, which is just "Scotland the Brave" without any changes. Except maybe played worse.

* VastBureaucracy: The AEGIS agency set up to register and keep track of superheroes is constantly derided as an ineffectual nightmare of red tape by anyone who's had any dealings with them.

--> I'm [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers more than meets the eye]].
--> Choosy choosers choose destiny. [referencing old Jif peanut butter ads]

* DenserAndWackier: While "The Tick" as a series does not shy away from absurdity, season 2 escalates it, bringing in more superheroes with varying powers, more Superian highjinks, [[spoiler:Atlantean lobster people, and a brief appearance of EldritchAbomination Thrakkorzog]].

--> [[spoiler:'''Voice from ship:''']] [[spoiler:Fugitive 11-X. Assume the position.]]
--> [[spoiler:'''Superian, actually scared and surprised:''']] [[spoiler:Oh, shit.]]

* ShoutOut: The Tick does one for a lobster-themed supervillain, calling him a "[[Literature/TheDarkTower Lobstrocity]]".
* SpiritualAdaptation: This is ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' to Season One's ''Film/TheDarkKnight''.
* TheHeart: Arthur comes to embody this over the course of the season due to his empathic nature and lack of natural superpowers. It has positives and negatives:
** Positive: His empathy allows him to connect with Lobstercules and [[spoiler:convince her to prove she is sentient. It also wins over Rathbone as he views Arthur the brains to the Tick's brawn.]]
** Negative: Superian begins seeing Arthur for therapy. [[spoiler:Arthur's advice keeps on backfiring because of Superian's ego, leading Superian to nearly risk time travel and hurling the planet into space.]]
* VastBureaucracy: The AEGIS agency set up to register and keep track of superheroes is constantly derided as an ineffectual nightmare of red tape by anyone who's had any dealings with them.

* CrapsackWorld: The City is an awful, awful place, especially compared to prior adaptations.

** One of Superion’s bad ideas to get people to like him again is to [[Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace throw all the world’s nukes into the sun]].

** A more serious one happens with Superion as the majority of the Earth slowly turns against him both because of his failure with the Terror (that mostly just causes some minor criticism) and then completely due to his mismanaged attempts to win back their love.

* ItsAllAboutMe: Superion has this attitude regarding the controversy regarding him. He's less concerned about any criticism of his actions being justified than it's happening at all.
* NotHelpingYourCase: Superion's problems with his image would have probably gotten better on their own if not for the attempts to "fix" them that just make them much worse, like carving an homage to himself in a mountain.

* ShaggyDogStory: Saving Superion from the Terror in the first season. [[spoiler: As he makes a FaceHeelTurn at the end.]]

** The Terror is a regular person, albeit one with a large organization including a loyal dragon (Ms. Lint), access to technology and the funds for his operations. He is also extremely hammy and loves evil for the sake of evil.
*** The Duke operates with a similar large organization, access to technology and has the funds to continue their operations. [[spoiler:The Duke, aka Hobbes, differs with his motivation and personality. While the Terror is evil, Hobbes views himself as a WellIntentionedExtremist mixed with FantasticRacism toward categories. He doesn't believe AEGIS does enough to protect the world and is willing to mind control people to serve him and protect the world as he views it for the greater good. He does not have a loyal dragon and instead relies on mind control, on Lobstercules, and appealing to their baser natures, with offering Ms. Lint technology and fame. Much like the Terror, Hobbes is a regular person but while the Terror had backup plans in case things failed, Hobbes does not, allowing Arthur to knock him out easily after his mind control scheme fall through. Also, Hobbes is a very unassuming, quirky person and is the opposite of hammy, allowing him to continue his operations in secret with no one assuming otherwise. While the Terror loves the spotlight, Hobbes prefers operating from behind the scenes.]]

*** The Duke has similar large organization, access to technology and has the funds to continue their operations. [[spoiler:The Duke, aka Hobbes, differs with his motivation and personality. While the Terror is evil, Hobbes views himself as a WellIntentionedExtremist mixed with FantasticRacism toward categories. He doesn't believe AEGIS does enough to protect the world and is willing to mind control people to serve him. He does not have a loyal dragon and instead relies on mind control, on Lobstercules, and appealing to their baser natures, with offering Ms. Lint technology and fame. Much like the Terror, Hobbes is a regular person but while the Terror had a means of escape, Hobbes does not, allowing Arthur to knock him out easily. Also, Hobbes is a very unassuming, quirky person and is the opposite of hammy, allowing him to continue his operations in secret with no one assuming otherwise. While the Terror loves the spotlight, Hobbes prefers operating from behind the scenes.]]

* ContrastingSequelAntagonist: The Terror is this compared with the Duke. Both are villains previously believed to have been killed (the Terror with Superian and the Duke with Overkill) and have been operating in secret for years. ** The Terror is a regular person, albeit one with a large organization including a loyal dragon (Ms. Lint), access to technology and the funds for his operations. He is also extremely hammy and loves evil for the sake of evil.
** The Duke has similar large organization, access to technology and has the funds to continue their operations. [[spoiler:The Duke, aka Hobbes, differs with his motivation and personality. While the Terror is evil, Hobbes views himself as a WellIntentionedExtremist mixed with FantasticRacism toward categories. He doesn't believe AEGIS does enough to protect the world and is willing to mind control people to serve him. He does not have a loyal dragon and instead relies on mind control, on Lobstercules, and appealing to their baser natures, with offering Ms. Lint technology and fame. Much like the Terror, Hobbes is a regular person but while the Terror had a means of escape, Hobbes does not, allowing Arthur to knock him out easily. Also, Hobbes is a very unassuming, quirky person and is the opposite of hammy, allowing him to continue his operations in secret with no one assuming otherwise. While the Terror loves the spotlight, Hobbes prefers operating from behind the scenes.]]

--> [[spoiler:'''Superian, actually scared and suprised:''']] [[spoiler:Oh, shit.]]

* AbortedArc: The Tick possibly being all in Arthur's head lasts for two episodes before he's confirmed to be very real, and starts being openly acknowledged by other characters.

* AerithAndBob: Among the Pyramid Gang's members are Frank, Dennis, Imhotep and Khufu.

* AnswerCut: Played with. Overkill, who has hinted at a past relationship with Lint, tells Dot that he has issues with physical contact. Dot wonders aloud who could have caused that. Cut to Lint.

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: "What are you going to do about it?" Arthur is asked this twice. Once by his sister, and a second time by a dream version of the Tick.
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The Terror creates a virus that blinds a group of heroes, has his goons murder said heroes in front of a very young Arthur, then [[EnemyEatsYourLunch slurps down the rest of Arthur's ice cream]].
* AsLongAsItSoundsForeign: The Urmanian language, seen in Arthur's moth suit, and in the Urmanian deli, and elsewhere, includes Latin and Cyrillic characters, some randomly [[TheBackwardsR reversed Latin characters]], and even a few Thai characters for good measure.
** When the Urmanian SecretPolice arrive at the deli, Dr. Karamazov's associate shouts out "Urmanian Apoletiti” which one can assume (with at least some confidence) is the pseudo-Cyrillic-indo European—with-slice-of-Latin-and-Thai-letters word for “police”
* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: PlayedForLaughs with the subplot involving the Very Large Man, a gardener exposed to radioactive chemicals. While being a threat to the surrounding environment enough to warrant military intervention, he appears stark naked and mostly confused, even as Superian tries to talk him down.
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: From the first seconds of the pilot, the Tick's easily distractable nature is on full display, his grandiose narration stopping dead in its tracks as the Big Bismuth meteor soars into view over Earth, en route to its fateful landing on the Tunguska River.
* BlindIdiotTranslation: Dangerboat's first attempt at translating the instructional video contained in Arthur's suit is confusing and inaccurate; he explains that it was the best Urmanian translation module he could find.
--> '''Dangerboat:''' ''[translating]'' "Now you are proud to sacrifice with haircuts, skeleton Urmania..."
--> '''Overkill:''' Dangerboat, what the Hell?
--> '''Dangerboat:''' It's the best Urmanian-to-English program I could find on the Net!
* BrickJoke: The Very Large Man mentioned in the third episode makes his startling on-screen debut in the fourth. Naked.
** A news report mentions that honeybees are dying off. Later, [[spoiler:The Terror]] mentions offhand that killing the bees is a side project of his.
* BusFullOfInnocents: When shooting Tick with a grenade launcher [[NoSell only manages to annoy him,]] Ramses then takes takes aim at an oncoming city bus. While Tick and Arthur rescue the passengers from the bus as it teeters on the edge of an overpass, Ramses and his men use this time to escape.
* TheCameo: Creator/WhoopiGoldberg appears as herself talking to Superian in her (fictional) talk show.
* CerebusCallback: Of the MythologyGag variety. [[spoiler: Arthur meekly murmurs 'not in the face' as the Terror pressed a gun to his forehead.]]

* CliffHanger: Episode [[spoiler:six]] ends with [[spoiler:Arthur being kidnapped by the Terror, who yells "Cliffhanger!" as the screen goes dark.]]

* DestinationDefenestration: At the end of the third episode, The Tick is thrown out a window by [[spoiler:Overkill]]. Despite the height of the fall, he's completely okay after hitting the ground.
** In the second episode, the Tick throws Arthur out of his apartment window so he can escape with the wing suit. Arthur fails to activate the wings in time and winds up falling on top of a car.
* DifferentlyPoweredIndividuals: [=AEGIS=] has a category system to rank superheroes, therefore everyone uses the term "category" to refer to superhumans.
* DirtyCommunists: The Urmanian government plots to get rid of Superian because his perennial observation of their science program prevents them from doing any really bad stuff.
* {{Dissimile}}: The Tick tells Arthur at one point "You're alive as a daisy!" While daisies are indeed alive in the biological sense, it's not the analogy most would go for.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The pilot is far bleaker than the rest of the season, emphasising just how crime-ridden The City is, and how hopelessly damaged Arthur is after losing his father. The Tick not only has a different (less polished) costume, but is repeatedly implied not to be real at all. Interestingly, all of these elements are at least addressed: the villains are still vicious, Arthur lampshades the costume change, and Tick being real is treated a minor plot twist.
* EldritchAbomination: [[spoiler: Rathbone has one under the hatch on his chest. Thrakkorzog to be exact.]]
* EvilFeelsGood: The Terror. With great huge slabs of ham.
-->'''The Terror:''' Ya don't kill people because they call ya names! Ya kill people because it's ''fun!''
* EvilIsPetty: The Terror takes time out of superhero-slaughtering to mock Arthur's hate and fear, and [[EnemyEatsYourLunch eat Arthur's ice cream]].
* EvilStoleMyFaith: Midnight,[[note]]fka Onward[[/note]] after losing his superhero companions -- including the aptly-named Christian Soldier -- at the hands of the Terror, had a CrisisOfFaith and decided that ThereIsNoGod... "only ''dog.''"
* FacelessMooks: The Terror's goons wear skintight black and red costumes, complete with masks and goggles.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: During the scene where Arthur spies on shifty crooks loading suspicious gear, one of the bigger goons mocks a bulletproof suit, thinking it "looks like a goddamn bunny suit". Longtime Tick fans would know [[spoiler:this becomes Arthur's signature moth suit.]]
* ForeignQueasine: Face meat, an Urmanian delicacy. Beef face, pork face, even owl face.
* ForTheEvulz: The Terror. Oh so much. Killing innocents, torturing scientists, [[spoiler: peeing in cola]], devising a plan to get rid of superheroes, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking stealing ice cream]], the Terror does it all and all because it amuses him.
* FunWithAcronyms: The VLM.
** Subverted with Superian, who chides a general for using the term instead of the VLM's real name.
* HandsOnApproach: Subverted when Dot and Overkill are practicing firing guns. Overkill is standing behind her and lists the different ways to improve her accuracy. Dot gives consent to Overkill to physically correct her form. Overkill doesn't understand the directive and confesses he has issues.

* IronicEcho: Once Arthur and the Tick have finally defeated the Terror's plans and have him cornered, Arthur tells him he's "got nothing", just as the Terror said the same to him on the day he killed Arthur's father.
* KickTheDog: You have to expect The Terror would be a JerkAss, but just to really show off how unbelievably evil he is, after he killed the Flag Five, and after their ship crushed Arthur's father after the Terror crashed it, the Terror calmly walked towards young Arthur and stole his ice cream, then laughed in his face about the whole thing.
* KnightKnaveAndSquire: Once they finally team-up The Tick, Overkill, and Arthur respectively take up this dynamic. The Tick believes that destiny is telling Arthur they need to go bring the Terror to justice, Overkill wants Arthur to go with him on a suicide mission to kill him. Arthur himself wants to just take the information to [=AEGIS=].
* KryptoniteFactor: [[spoiler:Superian and Big Bismuth]].
* LampshadeHanging:
** The Tick's costume inexplicably and dramatically gets redesigned from the [[https://static1.squarespace.com/static/51b3dc8ee4b051b96ceb10de/t/58c4191203596e9dc41f5b46/1489246523061/new-costume-design-revealed-for-the-tick-amazon-series2?format=750w first episode]] to [[http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2017/03/thetick-720x960.jpg the second]] even though there's only a few seconds' time skip between the two. Arthur makes a note of it.
** While Jergen is ranting about how he thinks the Very Large Man is a hoax, he mentions that the lungs of a 200-foot-tall adult male shouldn't be able to take in enough oxygen to keep him alive.

* NeverFoundTheBody: Everyone except Arthur is convinced that The Terror died at the hands of Superian after all that was found of The Terror was his teeth. [[spoiler:Guess who's returned and replaced his teeth?]]

* PetTheDog: When Miss Lint returns to her lair, covered with the dust contained in the vacuum from Arthur's parents' house, Derrick starts cracking jokes about how she's making a mess, and should put some newspapers like he was housebreaking a puppy. When she threatens him to stop joking her voice cracks in anger, to which he politely replies if she needs a towel to clean herself, she responds, "yes," she would like a towel.

* RoboticReveal: PlayedForLaughs. Superficial similarities to another robot briefly convince Tick that he is a more advanced model, and he's ''delighted'' at the idea.
* {{Ruritania}}: Urmania, which is repeatedly portrayed as a FakeRussian CommieLand (although clarified to ''not'' be Russia, but bordering it, which still suggests a former Soviet bloc country). The "Urmanian neighborhood" and deli has a distinct Eastern European feel.
* SecretIngredient: The Terror secretly owns a cola company, which he has been adding a "secret ingredient" to. Seeing as the plot towards the end involves the powerful chemical Big Bismuth which is poisonous to his arch-nemesis Superian, it's set up that the cola is laced with it. [[spoiler: It's not. He reveals his secret ingredient is that he's been peeing in it.]]
* SecretPolice: The Urmanian one is sicced on Karamazov.
* SequelHook: In the first season's finale, [[spoiler:although The Terror is beaten, Dot points out that [[CardboardPrison he's likely to break out of detention at some point]]. He also claims that his goal isn't to TakeOverTheWorld, but to take the world ''back'' before Superian freezes him. Lastly, Midnight cautions Arthur that his heroic actions mean that "Big Brother is watching" now, and ends with him being observed by an AEGIS drone.]]
** In the season two finale [[spoiler: though Rathbone is alive again, there is the matter of the 'thing' that appeared out of his black hole heart. Also, the end of the episode just before Superian decides to turn back time a gigantic alien spaceship appears over him stopping him from doing so.]]
--> [[spoiler:'''Voice from ship:''']] [[spoiler:Fugitive 11-X. Assume the position.]]
--> [[spoiler:'''Superian, actually scared and suprised:''']] [[spoiler:Oh, shit.]]

* VastBureaucracy: The AEGIS agency set up to register and keep track of superheroes is constantly derided as an ineffectual nightmare of red tape by anyone who's had any dealings with them.

* WhamShot: In the season two finale, with [[spoiler: a giant alien spaceship appearing over Superian on the moon just before he is about to attempt time travel.]]
--> [[spoiler:'''Voice from ship:''']] [[spoiler:Fugitive 11-X. Assume the position.]]
--> [[spoiler:'''Superian:''']] [[spoiler:Oh, shit.]]

* [[spoiler: EldritchAbomination:]] [[spoiler: Rathbone has one under the hatch on his chest. Thrakkorzog to be exact.]]