Bittersweet Candy Bowl: Difference between revisions

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[[File:bittersweetcandybowl-grouppicsmaller.png|frame|The main cast, minus [[The Pollyana|Daisy]] and [[Wouldn't Hit a Girl|Abbey,]] [[Beach Episode|on vacation]].]]

 

Quite possibly the [[Up to Eleven|ultimate]] [[Will They or Won't They?]], ''[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/ Bittersweet Candy Bowl]'' is a webcomic by [http://taeshilh.deviantart.com/ Taeshi]. It follows a group of [[Funny Animal|feline friends]] through middle and high school, focusing primarily on a [[White-Haired Pretty Girl|pretty, white-colored]] [[Tsundere]] called Lucy, and her ongoing crush/rivalry with [[Nice Guy]] Mike. Also featured are [[Love Triangle|Love Triangles]] (actually, a developing [[Love Dodecahedron]]) among the resident [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]] Paulo, [[Moe|cheery]] [[Teen Genius]] Daisy, Token Older Girl Tessa, [[Cloudcuckoolander]] David, and Abbey, Daisy's [[Sickeningly Sweethearts|now boyfriend]] with a [[Dark and Troubled Past|troubled past]]. And now there are three new girls added to the cast. They are Jessica, a strong-willed cheerleader who [[Bi the Way|has a fancy for Lucy]] and hates/dislikes Tess, Rachel, a cheerful girl who's also a cheerleader and also holds a grudge against Tess, and Jasmine, Paulo's [[Third Option Love Interest|new girlfriend]].

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* [[Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder]]: Mike does not appreciate being told this by his friends when they try to get him to {{spoiler|accept Lucy's confession}} despite already being in a [[Long-Distance Relationship]].

* [[All Just a Dream]]: The chapter "[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c50/p1.html Wonderland]". Lucy "wakes up" at the beginning of the chapter and the chapter before it was an April Fool's comic, making it all just a dream as well.

** [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c59/p1.html Chapter 59] was All Just A Daydream. Paulo's. Best. Daydream. '''Ever'''.

** Paulo does daydream about the events of that chapter, yes, but {{spoiler|[[Word of God]] says [http://www.formspring.me/taeshi/q/191619996743395410 they would have happened exactly like they did if Paulo and Lucy had sex that night.]}}

** The incentives "Magic Tricks," "Disaster Dominoes," and "Another Chance" are all based in alternative timelines of varying similarity to the canon one. "Disaster Dominoes" was easily the most different.

** Now according to the new chart, he also adores Augustus.

* [[Anchored Ship]]: One way to see Mike and Lucy ever getting together.

* [[Art Evolution]]: The comic started off on lined paper in a simple grid style to ensure proper panelling with toning and everything.

* {{spoiler|[[Attempted Rape]]: The mugger on Lucy in the Confrontation arc.}}

* [[Ax Crazy]]: Non-canon incentive arc Disaster Dominoes' {{spoiler|Kizuna}} was this.

* [[Barbie Doll Anatomy]]: Half of the cast walk around in the nude!

** ...and then for some reason seem embarrassed by [[Wardrobe Malfunction|Wardrobe Malfunctions]].

* [[Bastard Boyfriend]]: {{spoiler|Abbey}} in Disaster Dominoes. The Conflicted type, based on how things were.

* [[Beach Episode|Beach Arc]]: The summer vacation arc.

** Mike and Lucy are fairly excellent examples of this.

** Paulo and Lucy; Paulo and Tess.

** [[UST]]: Which may well be what happened to certain people's interactions.

* [[Blank White Eyes]]: Everyone has done it at least once. David may as well have it as his default expression.

* [[Blatant Lies]]

'''David''': [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c55/p2.html I'm menstruating.] }}

* [[Break the Cutie]]:

** Jessica got this from a lot of the school and Tess as a freshman.

** The ENTIRE main cast in Confrontation. ...''seriously''.

** David winks at the screen and [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c45/p22.html tries to get Paulo to address the audience].

** Right before the example in [[Moment Killer]], courtesy of Mike.

* [[Brutal Honesty]]:

** [[Deadpan Snarker|Alec]] [[The Snark Knight|McCain]], full stop.

** [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c41/p4.html Lucy] does it, too.

* [[Buffy-Speak]]

** Kizuna is very clumsy. She loves David. David likes sports and forgets her constantly. You see where this is going.

** Tess has minor butt monkey time around Jessica and Rachel, and Rachel has had some in chapter 63.

* [[Call Back]]: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c56/p24.html This] [[Continuity Nod|most definitely shows]] Justin remembers [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c33/p2.html David].

** Liam, a fan-made character, even had an entire intermission chapter dedicated to his relationship with Lucy. It has since been taken down and is only available to BCI members.

** See the example for [[Breaking the Fourth Wall]] above.

** The comic is like this for [[Fan Dumb|some]]. <ref>Particularly a guy called Thanatos, who wants Paulo to die painfully.</ref>

* [[Cannot Spit It Out]]: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c53/p2.html "Maybe I should just dance around the subject and give everyone headaches. There, problem solved, the Lucy way."]

*** However, it is hinted at in "Back and Forth" that he still doesn't want to be seen as a sexual deviant in her eyes, as he immediately notices her and seems worried about her opinion of him when {{spoiler|Tess and Lucy start some drama because of his sleeping around and being a man-whore in general}}.

* [[Can't Hold His Liquor]]: Mike.

** Lucy and Jessica [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p18.html again.]

* [[Catch Phrase]]: Lucy's "jerkface", Mike's "guh!", Yashy's "whore!!", and to a degree Paulo's abuse of the word "AWESOME".

* [[Caught in the Rain]]: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c49/p1.html Lucy and Carter.]

** [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c17/p3.html Mike] ages earlier, though this was a good thing in the end.

** It is safe to say that the comic has essentially fallen into this similar to ''[[Looking for Group]]''. What was once a comedic sitcom has become a drama full of tragedy, despair and trauma, and the only "humor" to be found is solely spouted by the resident [[Cloudcuckoolander|psychopath]].

* [[Character Development]]: One of the comic's central themes.

** Pretty much the entire plot, actually.

** See: [[Fridge Brilliance]].

* [[Characterization Marches On]]: Even if fan opinions don't change, characters will.

* [[Chivalrous Pervert]]: When the well-being of Daisy or Lucy is in danger, Paulo tends to forget his perversion in favor of helping them or, at least, trying to. He also reacted this way when Sue got hurt in Confrontation.

* [[Cleavage Window]]: Katie [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c19/p5.html here]

* [[Cloudcuckoolander]]: David. It's only gotten worse with [[Flanderization]].

* [[Combat Sadomasochist]]: Alejandro took two of Lucy's [[Groin Kick|kicks]], had his teeth smashed into each other hard enough to chip one and draw blood, and was still okay enough to {{spoiler|[[Would Hit a Girl|beat Lucy senseless]] before Mike came back}}, smashing his face into an alley floor and still not stopping him. It took Mike and Lucy together to start the example in [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]]. And he beat Mike before all this happened.

* [[Corrupt the Cutie]]: Tessa to Jessica in the past.

** Augustus' influence on Daisy during Awakening had this effect. {{spoiler|Even now that she's stopped hanging with him, she's still not ''over'' him.}}

* [[Cute Bruiser]]/[[Badass Adorable]]: Lucy can kick a whole lot more ass than is apparent. She's also one of the shortest characters. However, while she is the strongest girl, she still isn't as strong as most of the boys.

* [[Cute Mute]]: Amaya never talks for us. [[Subverted|Apparently, she can talk, though]]. Still cute.

** [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c44/p22.html Sue] was worried.

* [[Dogged Nice Guy]]: Mike. {{spoiler|Arguably, '''''much''''' less so in recent chapters.}}

** The site has a [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/art/graveyard/unfinishedabbeychapter.png canceled chapter] that shows the extent of his abuse. It was canceled because the author couldn't stand to continue writing it. Yes, it's ''that'' horrible.

* [[Dope Slap]]: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p12.html Rachel's] [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p13.html all] [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p14.html over] [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p17.html it] for receiving dope bops to the head. She's even [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p25.html done one.] [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p53.html Daisy got one, too.]

* [[Double Entendre]]: "Shake things up with Sue" as [[Lampshaded]] [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c62/p3.html here.]

McCain: [[Accidental Innuendo|We tried that. Didn't test too well.]] }}

* [[Dream Within a Dream]]: From "[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c49/p1.html In the End]" to "[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c50/p1.html Wonderland]".

* [[Drives Like Crazy]]: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p43.html Sam].

* [[Dumb Blonde]]: Katie

* [[Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"]]: "Final Fantasy Cat" was coined by readers for an initially nameless character.

** [[Word of God]] finally announced his name is Augustus, but still refers to him as Final Fantasy Cat, even within the comic!

** The aforementioned history teacher is consistently referred to as Noodles by fans (and the author), since his real name isn't known.

** Also, the "Flower Girl" that David stalks.

** Abbey doesn't like it when you hit or insult girls.

* [[Face Palm]]: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c14/p3.html Who else but David?]

* [[First Kiss]]: Lucy's {{spoiler|[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p48.html kiss with Mike], though Mike's first kiss [http://taeshilh.deviantart.com/art/First-Kiss-83160857 was with Sandy]}}.

** Daisy's first can be seen in the link for [[Forceful Kiss]].

* [[Fourth Wall Mail Slot]]: [http://askbcb.tumblr.com/ Here.]

* [[Freudian Excuse]]: [[Fridge Logic]] suggests that the reason Tess refuses to get close to Paulo is due to her similar past experiences with older students. She was hurt and doesn't want Paulo to be. The memories of what she went through will keep her avoiding the idea of trying it because she can't help but think she'll just hurt him if she does. Her moments of trying to be close to Paulo may be less likely in the future than we know.

** Paulo's fear of barking and growling came from a somewhat-traumatic childhood experience based on them. His jerk-ish habits came from [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c26/p4.html a jerk teaching him how to be "cool"] as a child.

** Abbey acting [[Wife-Basher Basher|violent]] or particularly angry makes him break down at realizing he's acting like his father. Justified, in that his father was a wife-beater. Also why he took Abbey, rather than Abe, as his nickname. His father went by Abe.

* [[Funny Background Event]]: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p12.html When you see it...] [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c33/p2.html This page as well.]

* [[Stoners Are Funny|Funny Drug User]]: Any time Mike is [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c12/p6.html under] [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c12/p7.html the] [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c60/p16.html influence] of something, he's [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c60/p17.html hilariously random].

* [[Genre Savvy]]: Lucy and Paulo see a fair bit of stuff coming.

* [[The Ghost]]: Mike's sister is mentioned in chapter 2, then never brought up again. She can be seen to the far-right in the link for [[Mismatched Eyes]].

* [[Heroic Albino]]: Lucy, though people who don't know her probably consider her a [[Evil Is Sexy|hot]] [[Evil Albino]].

* [[Heroic Self-Deprecation]]:

Lucy: Please don't. You deserve someone a million times better. }}

* [[Hidden Depths]]: David. No, [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c45/p17.html seriously].

* [[Limited Wardrobe]]:

** Many of the characters don't even wear clothes, further limiting it.

** The About page has a FAQ question related to this.

* [[Little No]]: "[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c62/p9.html N-no way.] '''[[Melodrama|YOU'RE ONE OF THEMMMM!!!!]]'''"

* [[Logical Fallacies]]

'''M''': [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c56/p12.html Isn't the president a dog?] }}

* [[LOLcats]]: Mike: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c18/p8.html "Do not want!"]

* [[Loners Are Freaks]]: Lucy's loner preference comes from how she couldn't find acceptance for who she was.

* [[Long-Distance Relationship]]: Mike and Sandy.

* [[Lovable Sex Maniac]]: Arguably Paulo. The lovable part, not the rest. {{spoiler|Since chapter 55, he's been better.}}

** [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p52.html Rachel].

* [[Noblewoman's Laugh]]: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c8/p4.html Mike], oddly enough.

* [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]]: Confrontation, but especially [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c12/p25.html this page.]

'''Mike and Lucy:''' '''''NO WE'RE NOT!''''' }}

* [[No Name Given]]: The characters' last names are a mystery, except Tessa because she's originally a fan character. Also, Blur. Amnesia does that.

* [[No Sense of Personal Space]] or [[Personal Space Invader]]: David. Dude. [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c44/p13.html Not cool]. When the group [[Casanova]] is disturbed, you should take notice.

* [[Non Sequitur]]: Oh, David!

* [[Nosebleed]]: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c63/p19.html Not a comedic one,] like the other examples were.

* [[No Yay]]: In-Universe. David trying to ship Paulo with Daisy consistently [[Squick|squicked]] him. Probably the [[Incest Subtext]]. Though, as David brought up, they're [[Not Blood Siblings]]. Jasmine [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c62/p18.html agrees] with the ship. At least teasingly.

* [[Properly Paranoid]]: Possibly Justin's reaction to meeting David again.

* [[Psychotic Smirk]]: Who didn't see trouble coming when ''[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c12/p6.html they]'' started smirking?

** [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c56/p10.html Here] and a few less-impressive ones two pages later.

** [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c40/p18.html "Get. Away. From her."]

** [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c64/p1.html "What. The hell. Are you doing?"]

* [[Rousing Speech]]: Abbey gives a [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c62/p11.html big] one.

* [[Rule of Drama]]: Often in effect and a driving force of the comic, along with [[Character Development]].

** BOP. See [[Dope Slap]].

* [[Sanity Slippage]]: {{spoiler|In Disaster Dominoes, Kizuna was losing it. Daisy and Lucy didn't look any better either.}}

* [[Shout-Out]]: ''[[Pokémon]]'', ''[[Di Gi Charat]]'', and ''[[Phoenix Wright]]'' references are scattered all throughout the comic.

** David apparently watches [[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]].

** [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c62/p17.html I'm feeling] a [[Death Note|Light Yagami]] vibe...

* [[Shrinking Violet]]: Lucy, due to her [[Friendless Background]], usually keeps others at arm's-length with a [[Jerkass Facade]].

** If [[I Just Want to Be Normal]] is right, Sandy.

* [[Stereotype Gay]]: Carson.

* [[Stupid Sexy Flanders|Stupid Sexy Paulo]]: Mike's dream during the vacation. He [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c43/p11.html was] less than happy. He also looks really good in clothes.

* [[Technicolor Eyes]]

** [[Eyes of Gold]]: Amaya and Paulo (technically)

** Eyelashes

* [[Third Option Love Interest]]: As [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c55/p29.html Lucy and Tess] struggle over their feelings for Paulo, he finally chooses... the freshman Jasmine, introduced completely out of nowhere!

* [[Through a Face Full of Fur]]: This really helps with attraction hints.

* [[Time Skip]]: In "Another Path", the daydream chapter.

* [[Tomboy]]: So much so that Lucy didn't get along well with girls in elementary school and only wanted to play with cars.

* [[Tomboy and Girly Girl]]: Lucy and Daisy respectively.

** Anyone who still thinks Mike hasn't taken several levels in [[Jerkass]] clearly hasn't read these [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c68/p29.html recent] [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c68/p30.html comics.]

* [[Tsundere]]: Lucy

* [[Turn Out Like His Father]]: Augustus (Final Fantasy Cat) beat Abbey by implying this, but {{spoiler|then lost since he couldn't hope to be close to Daisy afterward.}}

** Disaster Dominoes' Abbey was a less than good boyfriend...

** Trying to post her name on the ''actual'' forums gets it changed to "getting fucked in the ass". Yes, really.

* [[Two-Teacher School]]: There are several "repeat teachers" since high school.

* [[Unlucky Childhood Friend]]: Lucy to some extent, but especially Daisy.

** Based on chapter 59, {{spoiler|Paulo}} has elements of this.

** Lucy in Pillow Talk seems to feel this way more than ever.

* [[Unrequited Love Switcheroo]]: And how!

* {{spoiler|[[Victim Falls For Rapist]]}}: Most likely what Augustus [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c40/p17.html had] in mind.

* [[Vitriolic Best Buds]]: Mike and Lucy. Type 2. {{spoiler|Originally.}}

*** Even then, {{spoiler|Mike is finally reaching the point where he's had it with Paulo's teasing. This can only end badly.}}

* [[The Voiceless]]: Amaya never talks where we see it.

** And yet, she's somehow become the [[Ensemble Darkhorse]]. The author [[Creator Backlash|is not amused.]]

** [[Vomit Indiscretion Shot]]: {{spoiler|Lucy}} again in the three chapters prior {{spoiler|[[Working Through the Cold|"Carry Me"]]}} (Note that unlike above, this scene was [[Played for Laughs]]).

* [[Weaksauce Weakness]]: Lucy's pretty tough, but reasonably deep water or the idea of trying to swim can freak her out easily. Paulo can be reduced to cowering by mean growling and most barking. Both have childhood trauma justifying it.

*** Lucy: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c30/p1.html why] and [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c44/p1.html signs] of it

*** Paulo: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c10/p1.html why] and [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c12/p1.html signs] of it.

** So far, the comic is still in the {{spoiler|2007-2008 school year from the looks of it.}}

* [[Well, Excuse Me, Princess!]]: [http://taeshilh.deviantart.com/art/Attention-Please-107494574 "Attention Please."] ends with it.

* [[Wham! Episode]]: Chapter 51, where {{spoiler|[[Tsundere|Lucy]] finally works up the courage to tell [[Dogged Nice Guy|Mike]] she loves him... only for him to reject her on account of him already having a girlfriend.}} Possibly WORSE is Chapter 52, {{spoiler|where Mike finally gets sick of Lucy's awful behavior towards him, leaving her nearly broken inside. Keep in mind that nearly the entire comic had been built upon Mike's friendship with Lucy, and his willingness to look past her attitude to see who she really was.}} Yeah. WHAM.

** "Pillow Talk" just has to be one of the wham chapters so far. {{spoiler|First, Mike ignores Lucy on her birthday, breaking her more, which then reveals that he's been ignoring her since the debate in "Feline Filibusters". Then, [[The Reveal]] on why Jess hates Tess (see [[Freudian Excuse]]). And then Lucy's flashback to when she had her real first kiss and Mike gave her a chance to have a relationship with him. But then, she pushes away that chance due to them being twelve at the time. When it ended, Lucy then realizes that her chances with Mike now are gone.}} Yeah...

* [[Wham! Line]]: {{spoiler|"What am I supposed to do?!"}}

** {{spoiler|"I HATE YOU."}}

* [[Whole-Episode Flashback]]: "[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c30/p1.html Troubled Waters]", "[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c26/p1.html Misunderstanding and Change]".

* [[Why Did You Make Me Hit You?]]: Alejandro {{spoiler|[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c12/p19.html as he beat and brutalized Lucy]}}.

* [[With Friends Like These...]]: Paulo and Mike don't get along well at all, despite being "friends" since the fifth grade.

** They are both athletes with a lot of the same close friends.

** Mike and Lucy. {{spoiler|Originally.}}

* [[Would Hit a Girl]]: Alejandro.

* [[Xanatos Gambit]]: "'''[[Death Note|Heh...]]''' [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c62/p17.html Just according to plan..."]

** [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c26/p5.html Alejandro]: [http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c12/p10.html "It's been years..."]

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Furry Webcomics]]