History Webcomic / Wonderlab

* ThoseTwoGuys: After Suho integrates into the Department Heads, they become a duo of these with Beebi.

* AliceAllusion: The entire comic has no shortage of references to {{Literature/Alice in Wonderland}}. Several Abnormalities are based around some of the characters encountered in the story, the word "wonderland" is mentioned a couple of times (even the name of the comic is based around the term). Also, the branch number, 5681, is a reversal of the number 1865 (i.e, the year in which Alice in Wonderland was originally published).

** A Party Everlasting [[spoiler: the form that Catt takes upon Distorting,]] has many physical traits associated with the typical pop culture representation of the titular Alice. Its head and neck area resemble that of a girl's that are covered with long blonde hair and topped with a black ribbon tied into a bow, and its legs possess knee-length white socks with black Mary Jane shoes. Its body, resembling a chipped upside-down teacup, is also the color blue, which is a color commonly associated with Alice's dress. It is also accompanied by a small creature that resembles a rabbit [[spoiler:(the representation of Catt's heart removed from the rest of their body)]] which is obviously meant to be a reference to the White Rabbit that Alice pursues throughout the story.

* SuicideBySea: [[spoiler:During their breakdown in episode 22, Catt attempts to invoke a variation of this by activating the latent abilities of the Bottle of Tears. Eating the cake off the top in order to flood the Containment Unit so that they can quietly drown themself in the rising water. Though as Catt was too strong to be killed by the Abnormality at that point, it wound up a BungledSuicide instead.]]
* SuperDeformed: When shown on the monitors in the Manager's office, the characters will all be depicted in a chibi-esque style and given snow-white pale skin regardless of their actual skin tone. Like in the original game, this is the work of the "Cognition Filter", a mechanism installed into the facility's cameras so the Manager won't go insane from constantly watching employees be brutally murdered by various Abnormalities.

* SymbolicSereneSubmersion: A dark version of this trope comes into play in the Bottle of Tears episode when, [[spoiler:in a flashback, Catt scarfs down a handful of cake from the stopper of the Abnormality in an attempt to end their own life, causing the bottle shatter and flood the room with water. This causes Catt of the past to float about the Containment Unit, unsettlingly serene and smiling as the water lifts them off their feet and renders them helpless in the water. Symbolizing the beginning of Catt's attempts to let go of their own heart and let any feelings they may have wash away from them.]]

* SuperDeformed: When shown on the monitors in the Manager's office, the characters will all be depicted in a chibi-esque style and given snow-white pale skin. Like in the original game, this is the work of the "Cognition Filter", a mechanism installed into the facility's cameras so the Manager won't go insane from constantly watching employees be brutally murdered by various Abnormalities.

* AliceAllusion: The entire comic has no shortage of references to {{Literature/Alice in Wonderland}}. Several Abnormalities are based around some of the characters encountered in the story, the word "wonderland" is mentioned a couple of times (even the name of the comic is based around the term), and [[spoiler:Catt's appearance as a Distortion]] is based around the title character. Also, the branch number, 5681, is a reversal of the number 1865 (i.e, the year in which Alice in Wonderland was originally published).

** In Episode 14, when speaking with Catt, the Road Home says that the two of them are of the same kind (or, in the Road's words, "dancing the same dance"). One episode afterward, the Road describes Catt as "the friend who leaves for the wonderland". [[spoiler:In Episode 49, Catt ends up distorting into an entity resembling a [[Literature/AliceInWonderland certain blonde girl who did indeed leave for Wonderland]].]]
** In the same vein, when Catt has their EurekaMoment in Episode 22, it shows the legs/lower halves of several Abnormalities [[labelnote:*]](from left to right) White Lake, the Penitent Girl, Hookah Caterpillar, Scaredy Cat, the Road Home, Piscine Mermaid[[/labelnote]] above a panel depicting four human legs. [[spoiler:The same amount of legs as A Party Everlasting (i.e Catt's Distortion form)]]

* WingdingEyes: Various examples occur throughout the comic, such as in Episode 14, where the Road Home gains spiral pupils ([[CirclingBirdies accompanied by stars circling around her head]]) after becoming dizzy from spinning in the air.

* LoafingInFullCostume: [[spoiler:When the Bloom Office is visited by Finn and Ella, Taii can be seen entering the room in full E.G.O. while carrying two paper bags full of food. Implying that they run regular errands like grocery shopping while wearing it.]]

* DivingSave: In Episode 20, Catt just barely manages to save Rose from dying to the Hookah Caterpillar's smoke by tackling them out of the way, managing to get the both of them into another room (an empty Containment Unit, to be exact) where they can shut the door for safety.

** Reddened Buddy's blood appears to be purple in color when [[spoiler:Rose cuts it open to save an Agent it swallowed.]] (The Blue Smocked Shepherd has red blood smeared on their bandages, but it's unclear if this is meant to be their own blood or blood from their victims. [[spoiler:As the Shepherd doesnt bleed when defeated by Taii,]] there is no confirmation on the matter.)

* AndYourRewardIsClothes: Mostly made use of with Taii, Rose, and Catt. In early series encounters with Abnormalities, those who had some of the biggest contributions in their defeat usually received their E.G.O. gear as a result.

** Daisy, Joe, and Shasha make up a background Power Trio, as the three have known one another since Daisy joined the Corporation after Joe and Shasha, and remain a closely functional unit. Especially when time comes for them to battle together.

* NoodleIncident: When Suho is introduced in Episode 8, Beebi claims to recognize them from a previous encounter. Beebi starts to ask if Suho remembers "that work", but is ignored as Suho gets down to business. No explanation of the "work" they were referring to is ever given after.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: As it turns out, being swallowed alive by a massive beast like Reddened Buddy doesn't leave one unharmed in the aftermath. As Rose explains, the acid inside of the Abnormality's stomach still caused them some harm. Meaning they end up in the infirmary afterwards to treat the resulting burns.

* SuicideByCop: Attempted in Episode 21. Suffering from a great amount of emotional distress after causing Hookah Caterpillar to breach, Rose attempts to goad Catt into killing them with their E.G.O weapon by punching the latter in the back. Catt doesn't go through with this, however, instead choosing the punch Rose in the torso before walking away.

* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Played with. While several characters do appear to have facial scarring due to Abnormalities, any wounds obtained through the course of the comic are always healed by the start of the next arc.

* SuicideByCop: Attempted on Rose's part. Suffering from a great amount of emotional distress after causing Hookah Caterpillar to breach, Rose attempts to goad Catt into killing them with their E.G.O weapon by punching the latter in the back. Catt doesn't go through with this, however, instead choosing the punch Rose in the torso before walking away.

* DestructiveSavior: Though extremely effective at subduing Abnormalities, the Rabbit Team are shown to be prone to collateral damage, as they don't care what or even who is in the way when they open fire on their target. To mitigate this, Shasha ordered an evacuation and waited til the very last minute to call them in. Even then, the Rabbit Team still got a near miss on Finn, Ella, and Taii.

* LikeCannotCutLike: During the Hookah Caterpillar breach, Ella notes that their E.G.O. weapon, which deals PALE damage, isn't effective against the Abnormality, which deals damage of the same type.

* SuicideByCop: Attempted. After the Hookah Caterpillar breach, Rose attempts to goad Catt into killing them by punching them in the back of the head due to still suffering emotional distress brought on by the Abnormality. Hoping that Catt's attempt to suppress Rose's "panic" with a BLACK damage weapon will kill them. Instead, when Catt realizes that Rose ''wants'' to die, they simply incapacitate them by punching them in the chest.

* ForkFencing: Catt's weapon of choice throughout the series is a giant golden spoon. Justified in-story as said spoon is an E.G.O. weapon made from the Bottle Of Tears Abnormality.

* MainliningTheMonster: Branch O-5681, like other branches of Lobotomy Corporation, is tasked with harvesting Enkephalin from the Abnormalities they contain and turning it into energy.

** This mistake is at least partially justified in that the new recruits were informed that all the members of the Disciplinary Team had died in the last breach. And apparently no one had clarified that Catt, a Team Captain, was still very much alive and around.

** Gone With A Simple Smile, [[spoiler:the pseudo Abnormality meant to represent Catt's lingering humanity,]] is referential to the Cheshire Catt. As it appears only looking like the floating purple face of a cat, until it fades out into only a disembodies grin, before disappearing altogether.

* OnlyOneName: No character in Wonderlab is indicated as having a family name. Anytime someone is addressed by name, it's always with their given name.

* EleventhHourSuperpower: [[spoiler:In the final arc, Taii uses the E.G.O. of Staining Rose, known as "Blooming", to go toe-to-toe with a Distorted Catt. Can also be counted as an EleventhHourCostumeChange.]]

** Taii, before battling with [[spoiler:Distorted Catt]] in Episode 53:

** In the same vein, when Catt has their EurekaMoment in Episode 22, it shows the legs/lower halves of several Abnormalities [[labelnote:*]](from left to right) White Lake, the Penitent Girl, Hookah Caterpillar, Scaredy Cat, the Road Home, Piscine Mermaid[[/labelnote]] above a panel depicting four human legs. [[spoiler:The same four legs from the Distorted Catt's body.]]

* FromZeroToHero: Taii begins the story as a lowly clerk/counselor from the Training Team. In the game proper, their position would be little more than a background character and potential canon fodder. But after showing their mettle defending themself from an Abnormality and making it onto the Disciplinary Team, they firm their resolve and grow in both power and determination until they're one of the strongest members of Disciplinary. By the time the Corporation has met its end, they've become the one person able to face off against [[spoiler:the Distorted Catt.]]

* IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight: Taii engages in one with [[spoiler: Distorted Catt]] in Episode 53, using the Staining Rose E.G.O set that Shasha had given them.

** From the same arc, the hearts on [[spoiler:Distorted Catt's]] teacup body are drawn upside-down in it's first proper appearance in Episode 49. In subsequent appearances, however, the hearts are drawn right-side up.

* BeyondRedemption: [[spoiler:Catt ultimately ReDistorts because they believe this to be the case for themself. They're unable to forgive themself for what they'd done, and feel they're unable to lean on others for help.]]