History Webcomic / TerminalLance

* EnsignNewbie: 2nd Lieutenants are considered to be little more than Boots with a rank. There's even an old joke thrown in that the only difference between a boot and a "butterbar" is that the boot has been promoted once.

* EnsignNewbie: 2nd Lieutenants are considered to be little more than Boots with a rank. There's even an old joke thrown in that the only difference between a boot and a "butterbar" is that the boot has only been promoted once.

** Also in [[https://terminallance.com/2015/03/17/terminal-lance-370-stealing-the-valor/ "Stealing The Valor"]], where the guy is an obvious parody of an [[https://youtu.be/sOj07ClhEi8 infamous phony veteran]], except he claims that his MOS is a shitty job that ''nobody'' would brag about doing.

* PhonyVeteran: Parodied [[http://terminallance.com/2013/10/31/terminal-lance-halloween-2013/ in this strip]], where a Marine screams at a child for dressing up as a Marine for Halloween.

* NegativeContinuity: Lampshaded in [[https://terminallance.com/2015/01/06/terminal-lance-5th-year-anniversary/ "5th Year Anniversary"]] where Abe mentions that after five years, he and Garcia should have reached their EAS by now. Garcia, on the other hand, somehow manages to RankUp from Lance Corporal to Staff Sergeant between the first and second panels.

* NegativeContinuity: As discussed [[https://terminallance.com/2014/06/10/terminal-lance-327-bursting-bomb/ in this]] [[TheRant rant]]:
-->'''Uriarte''': Continuity really has no place in this comic strip, so if you’re expecting it you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

* [[JoinTheArmyTheySaid "Join the Marines," They Said]]:
** [[http://terminallance.com/2010/04/09/terminal-lance-28-false-advertising/ #28: "False Advertising"]]. First panel: Marine grunt in combat. Second panel: Three Marines in dress uniform with ceremonial rifles, with the "The Few. The Proud." recruiting slogan across it. Third panel: Guy in fatigues standing in front of a recruiting poster with a mop. TheRant even says that "making fun of the cheesy recruiting commercials is one of the favorite pass times ''[sic]'' of Marines."
--> '''Mop guy:''' Well anything seems cool if you say it like that...
** Max [[https://terminallance.com/2017/09/08/terminal-lance-491-honor-courage-lots-commitment/ repeatedly]] [[https://terminallance.com/2018/02/09/terminal-lance-504-recruiting-duty/ revisits]] his hatred of recruiters, with [[https://terminallance.com/2018/04/24/terminal-lance-512-half-truths-iii/ one]] comic declaring them "Agents of the Green Weenie" and explicitly comparing the recruitment office to the CastingCouch.

* RecruitersAlwaysLie/[[JoinTheArmyTheySaid Join the Marines, They Said]]: Several strips deal with the fact that the advertisements always paint a much rosier picture of service than the reality.

* YouKeepUsingThatWord: Invoked by Garcia [[https://terminallance.com/2013/08/30/terminal-lance-290-the-difference-terminology/ when he hears others describe themselves as "Grunts of X"]].

* ArtEvolution: Compare, say, [[http://terminallance.com/2010/01/08/terminal-lance-2-snco-syndrome/ an early strip drawn while Uriarte was still on active duty]] to [[http://terminallance.com/2014/06/10/terminal-lance-327-bursting-bomb/ a strip made after he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts]] involving the same three characters (Abe, glasses guy, and [[BaldBlackLeaderGuy the Master Gunnery Sergeant]]). The characters appear much more lifelike with implied motion and depth in the second strip.

* PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad: One strip had the Staff Sergeant inform the troops that [[https://terminallance.com/2016/01/08/terminal-lance-new-corps/ Assaultmen and Mortarmen were going gender-neutral]] as "people". Cue one grunt saying they identify as a "gender-fluid, non-binary, pansexual horsekin" and objecting to Assault as being needlessly violent. The final panel is the Staff Sgt. sitting in a dark room [[INeedAFreakingDrink nursing a beer]].

** They're also the ones [[https://terminallance.com/2016/03/04/terminal-lance-415-safety-stand-down-ii/ who spur the various Safety Talks]] due to some stupid bullshit they pulled.

* ClusterFBomb: [[http://terminallance.com/2010/09/27/terminal-lance-68-fuckin-what/ Shown here]]. Very TruthInTelevision among the Marines, as TheRant accompanying the comic attests.

* YourCheatingHeart: One Marine is ecstatic [[https://terminallance.com/2012/04/27/terminal-lance-196-special-delivery/ when he learns his wife is two months pregnant]] - once he leaves, the others note they've been on deployment for ''five'' months.

---> After the Capital Hill riot in 2021, Uriarte posted a strip that found some dark humor in the situation and accompanied it with a commentary preemptively calling out members of his audience who might sympthize with the rioters.

* TakeThatAudience: A photo of [[http://terminallance.com/2013/05/17/terminal-lance-presidential-service/ a boot corporal holding an umbrella for the President while he gave a speech]] was met with derision and declarations to tell him to hold his own umbrella...from TalkingHeads to other servicefolk[[note]](for the uninitiated, the POTUS is the commander-in-chief of the US armed forces, and is ''everyone's'' commanding officer.[[/note]] The strip has the corporal complain, whereupon the President about tears his head off.
-->'''Uriarte''': “I would have told him to fuck off and hold his own umbrella.” [[DefiedTrope No you wouldn’t. Shut up]]. We’re Marines, if '''''the President of the fucking United States''''' asks you to hold a fucking umbrella, '''''you hold a fucking umbrella.''''' [...] He’s the President, he rates an umbrella. Get over it.

** A 2020 strip [[https://terminallance.com/2020/06/12/terminal-lance-dear-john/ has him get an inversion]] - his girlfriend had meant to text ''John'' telling him she couldn't keep cheating on him.