History WebAnimation / CharlieTheUnicorn

* CentralTheme: Forcing yourself to be happy and ignore problems vs. the realist value that can be found in cynicism. Over the course of the series, numerous characters keep calling Charlie out over his grumpy nature and tell him to be happy. This is in spite of the fact that [[ButtMonkey Charlie has every right to not be happy after all the misery those same characters keep dragging him into, and the Grand Finale unpeels several systemic flaws that have doomed the world to control by chaotic forces]]. [[spoiler:This comes to head in the GrandFinale where Charlie's cynicism and refusal to act like things are okay is what finally seals away Pink and Blue for good, conplete with a rewritten reprise of a song previously sung to manipulate and shame him for outlook.]]

* SignificantNameOverlap: [[spoiler:Charlie happens to share names with another Charlie the Unicorn, the (former) ruler of the demon dimension. This is why Charlie is the only one capable of entering the dimension without dying like Nyx.]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Charlie the Unicorn:''' ''I think I've found a loophole in my security system...'']]

* CentralTheme: Forcing yourself to be happy. Over the course of the series, numerous characters keep calling Charlie out over his grumpy nature and tell him to be happy. This is in spite of the fact that [[ButtMonkey Charlie has every right to not be happy after all the misery those same characters keep dragging him into]]. [[spoiler:This comes to head in the GrandFinale where Charlie's cynicism -- not his happiness -- is what finally seals away Pink and Blue for good.]]

* MassiveMultiplayerScam: The other unicorns take Charlie on a huge adventure to Candy Mountain. Only to knock him out and take his kidney. The second one takes him on another huge adventure to return the Magical Amulet to the Banana King and they rob him. The third one (Yeah, he's that smart) takes them under the deep blue sea to help them with a snowman and they take his horn. [[BrickJoke But they did give back his kidney]].

* WhamLine: "10,000 years later", revealing that [[spoiler:Nyx's story was not concurrent with Charlie's as framed, but millenniums ago, showing just how long the Chaos Spirits have been ravaging the world]].

* CurbstompBattle: Practically a [[spoiler:curbstomp *apocalypse*. After the Order of Tutelary Weasels unleashes the chaos spirits on Charlie the Unicorn's world, they kill the overwhelming majority of its occupants. We never see any weapons or methods of resistance with a hope of success employed against them. Indeed, City of the Sea actively collaborates with them, giving up useful information in exchange for gold and a promise not to be exterminated for awhile. The only being who shown trying to fight back, Nyx, ends up likely making the situation even worse by releasing *another* chaos spirit because he doesn't know what he's doing. Ghost Norwell's song admits that his civilization put up "barely a fight."]]

* CurbstombBattle: Practically a [[spoiler:curbstomp *apocalypse*. After the Order of Tutelary Weasels unleashes the chaos spirits on Charlie the Unicorn's world, they kill the overwhelming majority of its occupants. We never see any weapons or methods of resistance with a hope of success employed against them. Indeed, City of the Sea actively collaborates with them, giving up useful information in exchange for gold and a promise not to be exterminated for awhile. The only being who shown trying to fight back, Nyx, ends up likely making the situation even worse by releasing *another* chaos spirit because he doesn't know what he's doing. Ghost Norwell's song admits that his civilization put up "barely a fight."]]

* DarkerAndEdgier: The GrandFinale really ups the level of seriousness for the serious. It includes blood, gore and dismemberment, the world and Charlie are in genuine peril here, and the exact nature of the pink and blue unicorns is revealed. It, in Charlie's words, is all "very upsetting".

* CentralTheme: Forcing yourself to be happy. Over the course of the series, numerous characters keep calling out Charlie over his grumpy nature and tell him to be happy. This is in spite of the fact that [[ButtMonkey Charlie has every right to not be happy after all the misery he keeps getting dragged into]]. This comes to head in the GrandFinale where Charlie's cynicism -- not his happiness -- is what finally seals away Pink and Blue for good.

* SpinOff: Kinda? The only real difference between "charlie the unicron" and the main series is that pink and blue act more adult and lose the EldritchAbomination feel. Plus charlie is less of a straight man and more a bystander. Weird things still happen, they just seem more "normal", in the sense that you could believe that's just how the universe works in this world.

* ApocalypseHow: [[spoiler:The GrandFinale reveals that, the whole time, the series was set in a post-apocalyptic world. 10,000 years before Charlie's time, two demons were unleashed upon the world and preceded to kill everyone. Almost every character in the series is simply a meat puppet being controlled by the demons, including Pink and Blue. The only reason they've left a few survivors like Charlie is to torment them. When you think about it, it's a lot like the setting of ''Literature/IHaveNoMouthAndIMustScream'', what with a RealityWarper bringing about the apocalypse and leaving a few survivors out of CruelMercy.]]

* {{Cameo}}: Charlie makes a cameo appearance at the end of the music video for the Weezer song "Pork and Beans".

* TakeThatAudience: Why "charlie teh unicron" was made.

** Magic City: City of Magic appears to be a [[OneNationUnderCopyright barely-disguised corporate-run hellhole]] under Mayor Sluv's thumb. [[spoiler:Until the monster gets there. The it ends up just being a hellhole.]]

* [[spoiler:DetonationMoon]]: The ending of the fourth episode.

'''Pink:''' [[spoiler: Heh, ''no'']].

* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: The three unicorns can breathe underwater, which Charlie decides he's not even going to ask how. In Episode 4, [[spoiler: they actually do go to space]]. Again, no problems with breathing.

** The "charlie teh unicron" vids have [[spoiler: the Grand Slamwich-loving waitress.]]

---> '''Blue:''' ¡El hombre con el sombrero nos envió! (The man with the hat sent us!)\\

* BitchInSheepsClothing: In the course of the series, those two sugary, dimwitted friends of Charlie: knock him out to steal his kidney, his TV, and his horn [[spoiler: just so they can make a snowman]]. That's if you don't count merely ''being near them'' as a horror in itself. The fourth episode reveals that [[spoiler: they really are just trying to kill him, most likely out of boredom, and that they are planning to do this to other people too.]]

** "Oh, look, it's [[spoiler: my kidney]]."

---> '''pink:''' Oh no way!\\

** The waitress from the end of "charlie teh unicron 2" [[spoiler:returns at the end of "charlie teh unicron 3". She's working at a Red Lobster now, but she still suggests that the group orders a basket of Grand Slamwiches, to the dismay of blue and pink]]. Then [[spoiler: she returns as the BigBad of "charlie teh unicron 4". She also appears in the Filmcow short, "The Robber", preventing George from finally getting his eggs by replacing his order with 2 orders of Grand Slamwiches.]]

---> '''Blue:''' You know that thing you're always asking about the meadow?\\

* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler: Starfish returns to save Charlie in episode 4 and plays a major role in the GrandFinale.]]

* EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory: [[invoked]] Charlie [[InUniverse briefly indulges in this line of thought]] in the third episode, when he conjectures that he's already dead and the other two unicorns are his eternal punishment. [[spoiler: Ironically, Charlie is the only one who ''hasn't'' been DeadAllAlong.]]
* EverythingExplodesEnding: All the songs that are sung to Charlie involve the singer exploding. This is how he “defeats” the Millipede.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: The only things that ever seems to truly take Pink and Blue by surprise are [[spoiler: Charlie surviving the fourth episode through Starfish's love and the fact that in Part Four, he crosses through the tower portal without dying, also thanks to Starfish's aid.]]
* ExactWords: In episode 4, the two other unicorns promise Charlie that if he enters the Cavern of the Red Wind on the moon, it will be the last he ever sees of them. [[spoiler: This is because they plan to [[DetonationMoon blow the moon up]], and him with it.]]

--> '''Blue''': If you go into the Cavern [[spoiler: we'll never bother you again.]]
--> '''Charlie''': [[spoiler: Never?]]
--> '''Pink''': We promise! [[spoiler: It'll be the [[ExactWords last you ever see of us]], Charlie.]]

--> '''Blue:''' ¡El hombre con el sombrero nos envió!\\

** "Charlie the Unicorn and the Tomb of Horrors" (often known as "Hot Topic") ends with [[spoiler: Pink and Blue telling Charlie to not speak to "The Weasel" before Blue immediately saying that he was actually the weasel the whole time. [[CaptainObvious Pink then yells out that they are all naked]], abruptly ending the short.]]

* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Starfish]].

* {{Jerkass}}: Charlie.

* ObfuscatingStupidity: The other two unicorns appear to be childish and stupid, but the occasional line of insight [[spoiler: and the fact that all of the episodes are plots to steal things from Charlie]] reveal it's just an act.

* OhCrap: [[spoiler: Pink and Blue's cheerful facades evaporate when Charlie successfully passes through the tower portal unharmed.]]

* PsychopathicManchild: Pink and Blue act very much like a pair of sugar-high kids dragging someone along on a pretend adventure - they speak childishly, often make up monsters and exaggerate fanciful things that are obviously not there, and tend to get distracted along the adventures by playing kids games (like "the floor is lava") and making silly jokes. Only in this case, a great deal of the things they imagine up are hellishly real in some way, much to Charlie's torment - which they are callous towards. This extends all the way to the end of the fourth video [[spoiler: where they attempt to kill Charlie simply because they've gotten bored with the "games" they've been playing with him.]] The finale reveals that [[spoiler: they've been trolling and murdering people for over ''10,000 years'' purely ForTheEvulz]].

* RealityWarper: Pink and Blue, [[spoiler: due to all the magic they've siphoned]]. Lampshaded by Charlie in episode 4.

* SerialKiller: It's implied in episode 4 that [[spoiler: Pink and Blue have killed many people before Charlie out of boredom.]] In part four of the finale [[spoiler: this is confirmed to be very much true, though the true scale of their malicious activities is far more horrific.]]

* ShaggyDogStory: The first three episodes end with [[spoiler:the two crazy unicorns robbing Charlie, the entire insane journey having just been an elaborate plot to steal his kidney, TV, and horn, respectively]].Good news is, [[spoiler: he finds his kidney again in the third episode]]...

* ThrowTheDogABone: Episode 4 is the first time in the entire series where Charlie successfully manages to avoid being screwed over by Pink and Blue. [[spoiler: By the end of the finale, he's rid of them for good]].

--> '''Blue & Pink:''' You did it, Charlie! You defeated the Millipede!
--> '''Charlie:''' It just exploded! ''LIKE EVERYTHING DOES WHEN IT SINGS TO ME!''

--> '''Mayor Sluv:''' [[spoiler:It’s gross, but still electable.]]

In the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsGYh8AacgY first installment]], originally released on Website/{{Newgrounds}} in November of 2005, Charlie is coerced into venturing to the magical Candy Mountain. [[http://www.filmcow.com/charlietheunicorn2.html A sequel]] came out three years later, this time following their quest to return the magical amulet to the Banana King. The following year saw [[http://www.filmcow.com/charlietheunicorn3.html a third episode]] about saving the future. Popular demand led to the creation of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbF9nLhOqLU a fourth installment]] three years later. A GrandFinale was [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1556971210/charlie-the-unicorn-the-grand-finale funded through Kickstarter]] and is set to be released in six installments, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HvyUSZcDk4&t=3s the first]] appearing in October of 2019. The completed Finale was released on October 23, 2021, finally bringing the series to a close.

In the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsGYh8AacgY first installment]], originally released on Website/{{Newgrounds}} in November of 2005, Charlie is coerced into venturing to the magical Candy Mountain. [[http://www.filmcow.com/charlietheunicorn2.html A sequel]] came out three months later, this time following their quest to return the magical amulet to the Banana King. The following year saw [[http://www.filmcow.com/charlietheunicorn3.html a third episode]] about saving the future. Popular demand led to the creation of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbF9nLhOqLU a fourth installment]] three years later. A GrandFinale was [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1556971210/charlie-the-unicorn-the-grand-finale funded through Kickstarter]] and is set to be released in six installments, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HvyUSZcDk4&t=3s the first]] appearing in October of 2019. The completed Finale was released on October 23, 2021, finally bringing the series to a close.

Then there's the spin-off/parody/mindscrew videos, [[http://www.filmcow.com/charlietehunicron.html charlie teh]] [[{{Franchise/Transformers}} unicron]] ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Nz8p3EP7A&list=PL772AD75DE1C94F98 1]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRHrImhFnZY 2]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiIRHtn0-34&list=PL772AD75DE1C94F98 3]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve2axCkztF0&list=PL772AD75DE1C94F98 4]]). Be warned that the only thing that you will learn from watching these is that the Liopleurodon is named Leo. No joke. There's also a dragon at the Poconos, and [[RainbowPuke unicorns puke rainbows]], and they are also pyromaniacs, and they like pancakes. WordOfGod says that they're basically what Charlie the Unicorn would be like if it was written by [=YouTube=] commenters. WordOfGod has also stated that there is going to be one more ''charlie teh unicron'' episode similarly to the GrandFinale.

Then there's the spin-off/parody/mindscrew videos, [[http://www.filmcow.com/charlietehunicron.html charlie teh]] [[{{Franchise/Transformers}} unicron]] ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Nz8p3EP7A&list=PL772AD75DE1C94F98 1]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRHrImhFnZY 2]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiIRHtn0-34&list=PL772AD75DE1C94F98 3]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve2axCkztF0&list=PL772AD75DE1C94F98 4]]). Be warned that the only thing that you will learn from watching these is that the Liopleurodon is named Leo. No joke. There's also a dragon at the Poconos, and unicorns puke rainbows, and they are also pyromaniacs, and they like pancakes. WordOfGod says that they're basically what Charlie the Unicorn would be like if it was written by [=YouTube=] commenters. WordOfGod has also stated that there is going to be one more ''charlie teh unicron'' episode similarly to the GrandFinale.

* NamesTheSame: [[spoiler: Implied to be the reason why the chaotic cubes love to torment Charlie so much, it was a unicorn also named Charlie that tried to enslave them.]]

Then there's the spin-off/parody/mindscrew videos, [[http://www.filmcow.com/charlietehunicron.html charlie teh]] [[{{Franchise/Transformers}} unic]][[NamesTheSame ron]] ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Nz8p3EP7A&list=PL772AD75DE1C94F98 1]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRHrImhFnZY 2]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiIRHtn0-34&list=PL772AD75DE1C94F98 3]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve2axCkztF0&list=PL772AD75DE1C94F98 4]]). Be warned that the only thing that you will learn from watching these is that the Liopleurodon is named Leo. No joke. There's also a dragon at the Poconos, and unicorns puke rainbows, and they are also pyromaniacs, and they like pancakes. WordOfGod says that they're basically what Charlie the Unicorn would be like if it was written by [=YouTube=] commenters. WordOfGod has also stated that there is going to be one more ''charlie teh unicron'' episode similarly to the GrandFinale.

* GrumpyBear: Charlie.
--> '''Charlie''': -you know what I think? I think I died long ago and you two are my eternal punishment.
-->'''Blue''': You're like a constant downer, huh?

** The [[AWildRapperAppears rap breakdown]] from "In the Ocean Blue" is the "[[Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries Pokérap]]," [[RecycledInSpace with fish!]]