Character-specific tropes from the webcomic Shaderunners.
The Shaderunners
Domigo Valdes
- Big Ol' Eyebrows: He definitely has the most formidable eyebrows of the cast.
- Blessed with Suck: Domigo's accidental green eye might look really cool, but it's going to make them look awfully suspicious, so he has to wear a patch over it whenever he goes out.
- Crush Blush: The first time he meets Avrain, he gets one of these.
- Easily Impressed: Doesn't take much to blow Dom's socks off—he's so enthusiastic about everything.
- Delicate Is Beautiful: Dom typically seems to fall for more feminine folks (regardless of gender) with soft features and a gentle bearing.
- Determinator: Refuses to be kept out of the Shaderunners on account of his age, and goes out of his way to win over Ezra, even before his little crush appears.
- Garden of Love: Hangs out in the garden with Avrain. They share a moment where Dom gives Avrain a flower.
- Dom and Ezra also meet up in that same garden, and this trope could've hinted at the future developments of Dom's feelings.
- Good Samaritan: When Dom is dropped into one of the Shaderunners' heists by Easton, he insists on helping Ezra get to safety and have his gunshot wound cared for, even though he has no stakes in any of them at this point.
- The Heart: Sweet, romantic, and optimistic, Domigo is unquestionably the youthful heart of the Shaderunners.
- Held Gaze: Does this a few times with Ezra, particularly during and after the heist at the laboratory, when Ezra is trying to comfort him.
- Hollywood Kiss: Gives one of these to Ezra—at least until Ezra pushes him off.
- Hopeless Suitor: Things sure seem this way regarding his pursuit of Ezra who appears masochistically in love with someone else, and rejects Domigo's kiss in Act II, ch. 2.
- The Idealist: Dom wants to believe the best about everyone and everything and that everything will work out alright in the end. It seems to particularly charm Ezra, who tends to work himself up.
- Language of Love: His flirtation with Avrain appears to be this, as Dom's cover story is that he doesn't speak the local language.
- Launcher of a Thousand Ships: Domigo has canonically had feelings for at least 3 recurring or main characters, and is paired in fanon with at least 1 more. Given the relatively small size of the cast, that amounts to a fair portion of the plot-relevant characters.
- Love at First Sight: With Avrain.
- Love Interests: So far:
- Jarin, the flower-seller
- Giviny, the bakery girl
- Avrain, the serving boy
- Ezra, nominal leader of the Shaderunners
- Mistaken for Gay: When Domigo first meets Easton and mentions he's going on a date, Easton assumes the date is male.
- Naïve Newcomer: Newest member of the gang and previously totally ignorant about what was going on among the "gilts" in regards to color. He's also new to the city of Ironwell, and comes from a very different part of the world, so in explaining Ironwell culture and history to Dom, the cast can also explain it to the reader.
- Nice Guys Finish Last: Inverted. Domigo is arguably the nicest person in the cast, and has great success in romantic pursuits.
- Romantic Hyperbole: Neither god nor man's ever loved as I have!
- Official Kiss: Dom and Avrain, after Dom's panic attack in the cellar.
- Serial Romeo: Oh yeah.
- Ship Tease: With Ezra in the closet during the laboratory break-in. Ezra calms Domigo down from a PTSD episode and Dom tells him, while caressing his face, that there couldn't be a finer man.
- Sigh of Love: Giviny playfully accuses him of doing this over Jarin.
- Silly Rabbit, Cynicism Is for Losers!: Domigo's pretty even-tempered, but Easton wears on him at times, and he has called him out on his cynical attitude and lax interpretation of morality.
- Single Woman Seeks Good Man : Dom always seems to fall for the sweetest, most well-intentioned folks possible, from Giviny to Ezra.
- Sleeping with the Boss: Well, he wishes this was the case.
- Storyboard Body: Consistent with Tourmish culture, Dom's tattoos represent important life events. Viewers get a scene of him explaining this to Giviny as he gets his ink "updated" to reflect his experiences since arriving in Ironwell.
- Thinks Like a Romance Novel: Definitely qualifies as a hopeless romantic.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Dom has a light version of this after the first time he steals.Domigo: I can't believe I—stole something!Ivo: Burn low kid. It's nothing she can't replace easy.
Easton Lynch
- All Take and No Give: Easton's general view of his relationship with Ezra is that he's always right, and Ezra should just do as he says. He'll accept favors from Ezra, but offers nothing in return.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Ezra, whom he constantly picks on and criticizes, but has definitely been seen making out with.
- The Cynic: Consistently the bitterest and most cynical member of the cast, though he seems to amuse himself with it at times.
- Deadpan Snarker: Always ready with a biting quip, no matter how unhelpful it might be at the time.
- Destructive Romance: Arguably with Ezra—Easton rarely has a kind thing to say to him, and delights in riling Ezra up and making him uncomfortable. In fact, he seems pathologically incapable of leaving Ezra be.Easton: Since you were what—12? We been burning each other down...
- Gayngster: Gay or otherwise MLM and part of a gang.
- The Gentleman or the Scoundrel: Ezra's two current love interests, with Easton the scoundrel and Domigo the terminally well-intentioned Nice Guy.
- Good Is Not Nice: Easton may be on the side of the "good guys", but that doesn't stop him from being nasty.
- Half-Truth: All the time—no, technically what they're doing isn't illegal, but only because there are no laws about colors on the books yet. It's still likely to get them jailed if they get caught.
- Hobo Gloves: As with most of the Shaderunners, Easton's pretty poor, and he was sporting a pair of fingerless gloves the first time he met Domigo.
- Interrupted Intimacy: He and Ezra are in the middle of pretty involved making out in the bathroom when Domigo enters headquarters, forcing them to stop. To Domigo's consternation, he can see the imprint of Easton's color-stained hand on Ezra's hip.
- Pay Evil unto Evil: Perfectly willing to rob the gilts because they don't show enough care for the poor.
- However, that relationship may be more complicated, as there are indications Easton envies the gilts.
'Pamina: I ain't sending you into the jewel-box just so you can teach yourself to glitter likewise.'Easton: 'cause dirt's so noble? - Pet the Dog: Once or twice he makes an effort to get Ezra to stop stressing out about literally everything.
- Jerkass: Easton is...well, the rest of the team tolerates him. Most of the time. Even to Ezra, with whom he shares some kind of romantic relationship—his reaction to seeing Ezra stagger through the door with a bullet wound was to grin and say "You look awful."
- He lied to Domigo in order to get him to do Easton's job for him, which led to Dom getting involved with the Shaderunners in the first place
- Implied he'd hurt Giviny if Domigo went to the cops about what he'd seen
- Jerkass Has a Point: During a snippy conversation with Pamnia, Easton rightly points out that to run their ultimate goal of a color museum open to the public, they will need funding.
- He was also the one to suggest to her that their scheme could rightly have a bigger goal.
- Manly Gay: Easton's never shown an interest in women and typically works physical jobs. His gruff attitude and broad physique help make him this.
- Relationship Reveal: Over two years into the comic it was finally confirmed that Easton and Ezra have/had a thing.
- Relationship Revolving Door: May have this with Ezra—on his first meeting with Domigo, he tells him that Ezra is an old flame, but a few chapters later, they're macking in Ezra's office. Of course, it could just be Sex with the Ex…
- Working with the Ex: If they did actually break up for good, then they're this.
- Rich Suitor, Poor Suitor: Assumes Ezra's relationship with Lord Hareton to be romantic, thus making him the poor suitor to Hareton's rich suitor.
- Satisfied Street Rat: Easton was born in the gutter, grew up cynical, and doesn't think much of the ruling class. He's far less troubled than Ezra about the legality and/or morality of the Shaderunners' actions.Easton, to Ezra: Morality's a matter of option. Thinking otherwise is one of your most unattractive qualities.
- The Unapologetic: Never been shown apologizing for anything, despite his many lies and insults to Domigo and Ezra, or difficult behavior with the rest of the team.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: With Ezra—Easton is the manly one.
- Wall Pin of Love: Does things like this quite frequently to Ezra, who seems very annoyed.
- What Does He See In Him: Dom's view on Ezra's relationship with Easton.Domigo: You never were in love with somebody like Mr. Lynch, were you? You're so sweet and he's—
- Why Would Anyone Take Him Back?: Easton's verbal harassment and physical man-handling of Ezra never end, and most often, Ezra seems genuinely put out by it. Nevertheless, he appears to be willing to put it aside to make out with Easton, and maybe more.
Ezra Kelly
- Apologizes a Lot: Everything bad that's ever happened is Ezra's fault, he's sure of it. It gets to the point where even easygoing Domigo gets annoyed it.Domigo: I'm not [working] with Marable's anymore.Ezra: Not because of us, I hope? ...I'm so riotously sorry, I knew this was a bad idea...Domigo: Actually Mr. Kelly, palpitatin' over me is the last thing you oughta be doing.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Easton, who is always on his back, and for whom Ezra seems to have a healthy amount of disdain, but whom he has also been seen getting felt up by.
- Childhood Friends: Appears to have an old and close relationship with Pamina ("Pammy"), and Word of God confirms they knew each other when they were young. They seem to know what the other one is thinking without speaking.
- Possibly also with Easton, who suggested they have known each other since youth.
- Destructive Romance: Arguably with Easton. He's constantly picked on and riled up by Easton, and seems almost perpetually agitated in the man's presence, unless they're making out.
- Dirty Business: Ezra doesn't approve of the Shaderunners stealing color, but believes their end goal is worth the crime.
- Gayngster: Gay or otherwise MLM and part of a gang.
- Geek Physiques: Definitely the nerdiest member of the gang (he's seen lending Easton poetry books in one scene), and also the boniest. Tall and lanky, Ezra's physique is reminiscent of a pencil.
- Gold Digger: In a very rare male instance of the trope, Ezra has an arrangement with a nobleman named Lord Hareton who serves as a Meal Ticket. It's through this relationship that Ezra makes most of his living expenses and the gang is able to afford supplies for their heists. Easton gives Ezra a lot of guff for this.
- Guilt Complex: As the presumed leader of the Shaderunners, Ezra considers the rest of the team his responsibility. This does not help his Word of God described "endless capacity for guilt".
- Inconvenient Attraction: With Easton, if his facial expressions are anything to go off of.
- Interrupted Intimacy: He and Easton are in the middle of pretty involved making out in the bathroom when Domigo enters headquarters, forcing them to stop. To Domigo's consternation, he can see the imprint of Easton's color-stained hand on Ezra's hip.
- Just Friends: Appears to be Ezra's attitude towards Domigo.
- Nervous Wreck: Perpetually anxious, Ezra always seems one inconvenience away from a total breakdown. The other characters often make jokes about his "palpitatin'" over small issues.
- Oblivious to Love: Seems to have been totally unaware that Domigo has fallen for him—going off his shock when the latter kisses him during a discussion of romantic theater.
- Oh, Crap!: After they break into a secure facility and Dom gets nailed in the eye with a bit of color that turns his eye green.
- Only Has Same-Sex Admirers: Only shown to attract the attention of other men.
- The Philosopher: Ezra loves to concern himself with broad, universal concepts about culture and human nature, particularly as they pertain (in his view) to the Shaderunners' goals. Most of the rest of The Team is less concerned.
- Platonic Life-Partners: Seems to have this with Pamina. Word of God confirms they are Childhood Friends and jokes that they are "team mom" and "team dad", but there is no hint of romance between them. They grew up together, they're working an illegal hustle together, and they barely need to speak to understand each other. Pamina seems to be the only person Ezra is wholly comfortable opening up to.Ezra: But he's a—I know, but it shouldn't—and that's exactly why I can't just—Pamina: It's different. You know—No, but it's how it is.Easton: HEY. You two want to translate for the rest of us?
- Rejected Apology: When Ezra tries to apologize for Dom losing his job after ditching work to accompany them on a heist, Dom has none of it. He tells Ezra not to worry and then lies and says he already has a new job. He promptly runs out the door to go secure his fake job.
- Relationship Reveal: Over two years into the comic it was finally confirmed that Easton and Ezra have/had a thing.
- Relationship Revolving Door: May have this with Easton, who implied to Domigo that he and Ezra were through, but a few chapters later, they're macking in Ezra's office. Of course, it could just be Sex with the Ex…
- Working with the Ex: If they did actually break up for good, then they're this.
- The Reveal: Turns out Ezra IS Hareton Peacourt.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: With Easton—Ezra, of course, is the sensitive one.
Ivo Keys
- Anchored Ship: Remains to be seen if he and Satinder will stay together and be endgame. They're constantly flirting but rarely seem to get beyond that.
- Attractive Bent-Gender: A form—Ivo is attractive whether presenting as male or female.
- Attention Whore: Ivo prefers to be the center of attention at all times—and can get a little cranky when she's not.Ivo, concerning a famous gilt: She's not that pretty!
- Commitment Issues: There are a few hints throughout the comic that while Satinder may want to upgrade their relationship, Ivo is resistant, preferring to dedicate herself to her career before anchoring into a relationship.Satinder: I just got the notion that maybe you thought I wasn't serious, so I figured I'd say outright that I could be. Serious. About you.Ivo: I think on you. But listen—There's a bright spot in my future I haven't reached yet...I don't know if I'm prepared to devote myself to anything else until I reach that glow.
- Costume Porn: Ivo definitely gets the best outfits among the gang, particularly the ones she wears while infiltrating the Otrion.
- Cultural Rebel: Wants nothing in particular to do with his home culture or traditions, preferring instead to try to make it big onstage in Ironwell. Ivo describes himself as "culturally indifferent" to Oroline tradition.
- Crocodile Tears: Whips these out to gain entry to Otrion, the house of unranked Paravinian nobles in Ironwell.
- The Fashionista: Ivo is always dressed stylishly, whether presenting as male or female that day.
- Femme Fatale: Ivo is the Shaderunners' in to a home for unranked gilts, where her job is to steal a bit of color.
- He also uses this trick to distract a man so Domigo and steal a letter.
- High-Class Gloves: Wears a pair of these to the snazzy exhibition put on by the gilt families.
- Meaningful Name: Her name is "Ivo (Ivory) Keys" which plays on not only her complexion but her love of music and stage theater.
- Official Couple: With Satinder.
- Outlaw Couple: Together with Satinder; they're both part of a gang of thieves.
- Parental Issues: Has yet to tell his family he has no plans to associate with the clan.
- Prayer Is a Last Resort: Only at a very low point after failing a critical audition does Ivo resort to offering a prayer up at the temple when he stops by to visit Satinder. He admits he's not very religious, but that it "might be time to admit he's not doing so well flying solo" and asks if the goddess could send a bit of luck his way.
- Pretty Boy: When presenting as male.
- Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: He's got 'em both.
- Shed the Family Name: Ivo will not become an initiate of her family clan, the Kingfishers, because she doesn't want the obligations that come with it.
- The single ear clamp he wears is symbolic of his lack of initiation. Full initiates wear an ear clamp on each side.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: With Satinder, when presenting as female.
Pamina Fortenbright
- Badass Native: Pamina is implied to be Native American inspired (as in, she would be if this were not a fantasy world), and she is the real leader of the Shaderunners.Ezra: I shouldn't be the leader. It needs to be you.Pamina: A king is just a beacon, Ezra...He shines bright so that his knight may act in shadow.
- Chessmaster: Puppetmaster maybe? Ezra might be the nominal leader of the Shaderunners, but Pamina is the one pulling the strings, and even Ezra acknowledges this is her show.
- Childhood Friends: Appears to have an old and close relationship with Ezra, and Word of God confirms they knew each other when they were young. They seem to know what the other one is thinking without speaking at all.
- Death Glare: Pamina's definitely got one of these, and Easton has been on the receiving end on several occasions. He usually buckles.
- Only Sane Man: Pamina can sometimes play this, between Easton's irresponsibility, Ivo's attention-mongering, Ezra's anxiety, and Domigo's hopeless romanticism. Someone has to keep the gang focused!
- Platonic Life-Partners: Seems to have this with Ezra. Word of God confirms they are Childhood Friends and jokes that they are "team mom" and "team dad", but there is no hint of romance. They grew up together, they're working an illegal hustle together, and they barely need to speak to understand each other. Pamina seems to be the only person Ezra is wholly comfortable opening up to.Ezra: But he's a—I know, but it shouldn't—and that's exactly why I can't just—Pamina: It's different. You know—No, but it's how it is.Easton: HEY. You two want to translate for the rest of us?
- The Quiet One: Tends to speak less than the other characters, and seems very introverted, to the point that there is a distance between her and the rest of The Team. Ezra is the only one with whom she has a notable personal relationship—he's the only one who gets to call her Pammy. Sober, anyway...
Satinder Hali
- Action Girl: A soldier in the army, Satinder loves excitement and thrills. She never shies from the Shaderunners' more dangerous missions.
- Anchored Ship: Remains to be seen if she and Ivo will stay together and be endgame. They're constantly flirting, but Ivo seems to have trouble moving beyond that.
- Butch Lesbian: Satinder's exact sexuality isn't specified, but when she's dressed in uniform and paired with a female-presenting Ivo, she looks like this.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: With Ivo, when he's presenting as male.
- Official Couple: With Ivo.
- Outlaw Couple: Together with Ivo; they're both part of a gang of thieves.
Supporting cast
Lord Hareton Peacourt
- Mysterious Stranger: Who is Lord Hareton? What's his connection to Ezra? What does he know about the Shaderunners? Anything? Is he even real? Tune in at some indeterminate point in the future to hopefully get some dang answers.
Giviny Clairet
- Appeal to Flattery: One of the first things Givny says to Dom is about how he's "one of those romantic Tourmish boys".
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Totally inverted. On one occasion, when Dom has to part from her in a rush, Giviny asks if he's got another sweetheart to see, and follows it up with telling him she's perfectly okay with it if that's the case.Giviny: I'm not looking to get married.
