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If This Goes On—
- 190 statements
- 36 feature instances
- 14 referencing feature instances
| If This Goes On— | type |
TVTItem | |
| If This Goes On— | label |
If This Goes On— | |
| If This Goes On— | page |
IfThisGoesOn | |
| If This Goes On— | comment |
"If This Goes On—" is a science fiction novella by Robert A. Heinlein, in which 21st-century America is in the grip of a theocratic dictatorship led by First Prophet Nehemiah Scudder. The protagonist, John Lyle, begins as a loyal member of the regime and ends as a key player in the resistance movement that overthrows it.The novella was first published in Astounding Science Fiction in 1940; a revised and expanded version was published along with related material in the 1953 book Revolt in 2100. It is part of Heinlein's "Future History" 'verse. | |
| If This Goes On— | fetched |
2023-10-06T20:44:52Z | |
| If This Goes On— | parsed |
2023-10-06T20:44:52Z | |
| If This Goes On— | processingComment |
Dropped link to BigBrotherIsWatchingYou: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN | |
| If This Goes On— | processingUnknown |
BigBrotherIsWatchingYou | |
| If This Goes On— | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| If This Goes On— / int_1d515cb4 | type |
One-Wheeled Wonder | |
| If This Goes On— / int_1d515cb4 | comment |
One-Wheeled Wonder: Lyle (at that point on the run from the police) casually claims to have ridden "a unicycle" on a very steep mountain road. The person he tells this to clearly doesn't believe him, but from the context it's clear that the story is the equivalent to claiming to have ridden on a steep mountain road on a bicycle—it isn't the unicycle part that's unbelievable or even particularly unusual in the story's setting. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_1d515cb4 | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— / int_1d515cb4 | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_1d515cb4 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_1e05d069 | type |
Saved by the Coffin | |
| If This Goes On— / int_1e05d069 | comment |
Saved by the Coffin: A member of La Résistance mentions to the protagonist that he was hypnotised into a comatose state, then smuggled across the country in a coffin. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_1e05d069 | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_1e05d069 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_20860a0e | type |
Punch-Clock Villain | |
| If This Goes On— / int_20860a0e | comment |
Punch-Clock Villain: John Lyle is captured by the evil government. He notices that the several torturers for the government show no pleasure in their job, they are strictly business. It is implied that anyone who likes to inflict pain is not permitted in that job, as they are supposed to get information, not necessarily hurt people (although that is always an option if they think it will help). | |
| If This Goes On— / int_20860a0e | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_20860a0e | |
| If This Goes On— / int_2991089a | type |
Oppressive States of America | |
| If This Goes On— / int_2991089a | comment |
Oppressive States of America: The U.S. has become a theocratic police state. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_2991089a | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— / int_2991089a | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_2991089a | |
| If This Goes On— / int_2c3ec06e | type |
Better as Friends | |
| If This Goes On— / int_2c3ec06e | comment |
Better as Friends: Zeb and Maggie. John Lyle sort of wants to pursue a relationship with her but doesn't want to get in the way, at which point he's told laughingly that by now they're great friends but that their personalities are far too aggressive to ever be stable together. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_2c3ec06e | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_2c3ec06e | |
| If This Goes On— / int_30bea418 | type |
We Will All Fly in the Future | |
| If This Goes On— / int_30bea418 | comment |
We Will All Fly in the Future: While on the run from the authorities, Johnny steals someone's "Ford family skycar". He describes this vehicle as "a jalopy, old, not properly kept up, a bad valve knock in the engine, and a vibration in the rotor I didn't like at all. But she would run..." | |
| If This Goes On— / int_30bea418 | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_30bea418 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_3e458451 | type |
Water Wake-up | |
| If This Goes On— / int_3e458451 | comment |
Water Wake Up: When Lyle is taken before "The Question", he spares the reader the most gruesome details, but does note that "I must have passed out repeatedly, for my clearest memory is of catching a bucket of ice water in the face not once but over and over again". | |
| If This Goes On— / int_3e458451 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_3e458451 | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_3e458451 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_424c9a9b | type |
Cold-Blooded Torture | |
| If This Goes On— / int_424c9a9b | comment |
Cold-Blooded Torture: John is captured and tortured by the authorities of the Corrupt Church. Later, when he is offered a position as assassin (to ensure he knows how serious his commitment must be), they point out that he has at least one useful qualification for it — they know that if the enemy catches him and puts him to the Question, he won't crack. Later in the novella, we learn that La Résistance has a ready source of suicide agents: men whose wives have been tortured by the secret police. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_424c9a9b | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— / int_424c9a9b | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_424c9a9b | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4482e1ef | type |
Divided States of America | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4482e1ef | comment |
Divided States of America: An oppressive theocracy is one part of a divided U.S. The theocracy ruled pretty much the whole U.S., with the exception of Hawaii (mentioned as an independent republic). | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4482e1ef | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— / int_4482e1ef | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_4482e1ef | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4593fcda | type |
Big Brother Is Employing You | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4593fcda | comment |
Big Brother Is Employing You: John Lyle is one of the guards at the HQ of the Corrupt Church that rules a dystopian future America. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4593fcda | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— / int_4593fcda | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_4593fcda | |
| If This Goes On— / int_487c525d | type |
Brainwashing for the Greater Good | |
| If This Goes On— / int_487c525d | comment |
Brainwashing for the Greater Good: In the first published version of "If This Goes On—", the revolutionaries, after overthrowing the Corrupt Church, decide to use Subliminal Seduction to "condition" the people to accept the restoration of democracy. Heinlein later thought better of it, and revised the story to have them reject the psych experts' proposal after an old man who "looked like Mark Twain" makes an impassioned speech on how "free men aren't 'conditioned'." | |
| If This Goes On— / int_487c525d | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— / int_487c525d | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_487c525d | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4c554daf | type |
President Evil | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4c554daf | comment |
President Evil: President Nehemiah Scudder proclaimed himself "First Prophet" and imposed a Christian theocratic dictatorship at some point between 2013 and 2016. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4c554daf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4c554daf | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_4c554daf | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4e3f6d57 | type |
What Would X Do? | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4e3f6d57 | comment |
What Would X Do?: Despite being religious Lyle doesn't ask What Would Jesus Do? but what would his more pragmatic friend Zeb do. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_4e3f6d57 | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_4e3f6d57 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_600571df | type |
Royal Harem | |
| If This Goes On— / int_600571df | comment |
Royal Harem: The Virgins who attend the personal chamber of the Prophet are this in all but (literally) name. Sister Judith gets into trouble because she really is a devout virgin and freaks out on realising she's expected to have sex with a Dirty Old Man. Of course, there's a religious justification for this: as God commanded Man to be fruitful, it falls on the First Prophet to debase himself by being more fruitful than anyone else. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_600571df | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_600571df | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_600571df | |
| If This Goes On— / int_6afefa62 | type |
My Girl Is a Slut | |
| If This Goes On— / int_6afefa62 | comment |
My Girl Is a Slut: Maggie breaks down in tears when Lyle proposes to her, convinced he'd never accept a woman who's had so many partners as she has, having basically been passed down the line from the First Prophet. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_6afefa62 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_6afefa62 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_6afefa62 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_6f546e9f | type |
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death! | |
| If This Goes On— / int_6f546e9f | comment |
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!: | |
| If This Goes On— / int_6f546e9f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_6f546e9f | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_6f546e9f | |
| If This Goes On— / int_746569a5 | type |
Embarrassing Cover-Up | |
| If This Goes On— / int_746569a5 | comment |
Embarrassing Cover Up: Lyle is advised to conceal resistance secrets by using a code that makes them look like notes for an illicit gambling system. Thus, if the notes are discovered, there will be a credible explanation for why they were hidden and he will draw only minor punishment. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_746569a5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_746569a5 | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_746569a5 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_755ecb56 | type |
Infraction Distraction | |
| If This Goes On— / int_755ecb56 | comment |
Infraction Distraction: Zeb covers up Johnny's obviously guilty reaction to receiving a note from the Resistance by replacing it with one about gambling, because they won't believe innocence but will believe this. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_755ecb56 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_755ecb56 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_755ecb56 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_8344209e | type |
BFG | |
| If This Goes On— / int_8344209e | comment |
BFG: The land cruiser that Lyle is in for the final battle has a main gun apparently based on the Nazi V3 design, with multiple firing chambers along the length of the barrel to increase the velocity of the shell. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_8344209e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_8344209e | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_8344209e | |
| If This Goes On— / int_96cc4848 | type |
"Dear John" Letter | |
| If This Goes On— / int_96cc4848 | comment |
"Dear John" Letter: John Lyle gets one. It's briefly depressing before he realizes that he can't remember her that well anyway. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_96cc4848 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_96cc4848 | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_96cc4848 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_aa0b5ae8 | type |
Covert Distress Code | |
| If This Goes On— / int_aa0b5ae8 | comment |
Covert Distress Code: John arranges one with a sweater left on a bed when he is arrested. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_aa0b5ae8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_aa0b5ae8 | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_aa0b5ae8 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_addc723c | type |
Neuro-Vault | |
| If This Goes On— / int_addc723c | comment |
Neuro-Vault: Lyle is told he has been given critical information that he has to get to La Résistance. When he gets there he is put under anesthesia to extract the information. He later asks one of the Resistance scientists what was the nature of the "really important" message. He is disappointed when he is told that it was just lots of routine information. The scientist realizes he made a mistake, the man did have very important information. He also had his resistance credentials: "If they hadn't checked out, you would never have woken up." | |
| If This Goes On— / int_addc723c | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— / int_addc723c | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_addc723c | |
| If This Goes On— / int_b9f472b | type |
Storming the Castle | |
| If This Goes On— / int_b9f472b | comment |
Storming the Castle: La Résistance succeed in taking the entire country except for the Palace at New Jerusalem. Realising there's nothing to stop the Prophet from using their own methods to launch a counter-revolution, they launch an all-out attack by land and air (there are no atomic weapons available to either side). | |
| If This Goes On— / int_b9f472b | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_b9f472b | |
| If This Goes On— / int_bd6834a3 | type |
Vibroweapon | |
| If This Goes On— / int_bd6834a3 | comment |
Vibroweapon: Vibroblades appear. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_bd6834a3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_bd6834a3 | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_bd6834a3 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_c6538cc6 | type |
The Dulcinea Effect | |
| If This Goes On— / int_c6538cc6 | comment |
The Dulcinea Effect: John Lyle gets involved in the revolution against the Theocracy for the sake of a girl he barely knows. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_c6538cc6 | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— / int_c6538cc6 | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_c6538cc6 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_cd809603 | type |
Tank Goodness | |
| If This Goes On— / int_cd809603 | comment |
Tank Goodness: They are sort of "landships". To get an idea of the "landships", think of a WW2 battleship that goes overland like a tank. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_cd809603 | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_cd809603 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_cdaa029f | type |
Nuclear Weapons Taboo | |
| If This Goes On— / int_cdaa029f | comment |
Nuclear Weapons Taboo: With the Prophet holed up in his palace, the Resistance can't use a fission bomb on it because few foreign governments have recognised them as a legitimate successor government, and no-one's going to lend someone a nuke to settle a Civil War. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_cdaa029f | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_cdaa029f | |
| If This Goes On— / int_d2e4289b | type |
Calling Me a Logarithm | |
| If This Goes On— / int_d2e4289b | comment |
Calling Me a Logarithm: Zeb does this deliberately, demonstrating that language can be weaponized. Unfortunately, the exact words aren't given, but John's reaction is: | |
| If This Goes On— / int_d2e4289b | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_d2e4289b | |
| If This Goes On— / int_d397657d | type |
Hoist by His Own Petard | |
| If This Goes On— / int_d397657d | comment |
Hoist by His Own Petard: La Résistance take over the transmission station where the Miracle of Incarnation is being broadcast, a ceremony in which God gives his yearly approval of the First Prophet Scudder as his agent on Earth, and replace it with one where God urges the populace to overthrow him. This causes enough chaos that the Resistance is able to take the entire country except New Jerusalem. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_d397657d | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_d397657d | |
| If This Goes On— / int_db38d6ca | type |
Torture Technician | |
| If This Goes On— / int_db38d6ca | comment |
Torture Technician: John Lyle is captured by the evil government. However, they aren't sadists, just doing their jobs, and it's said only people that don't take pleasure in torture will be hired, as sometimes inflicting pain is unnecessary, so they don't want it done otherwise. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_db38d6ca | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_db38d6ca | |
| If This Goes On— / int_e2138f91 | type |
Military Mashup Machine | |
| If This Goes On— / int_e2138f91 | comment |
Military Mashup Machine: The major land force of the USA is Land Cruisers. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_e2138f91 | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— / int_e2138f91 | featureConfidence |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_e2138f91 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_e99b48c5 | type |
Space Travel Veto | |
| If This Goes On— / int_e99b48c5 | comment |
Space Travel Veto: John Lyle refers to the First Prophet as having forbidden space travel as "a sin against the omnipotence of God" (although he notes the real reason space travel was abandoned was simply that it was losing money and the Prophet's government didn't want to subsidize it). It's also only the United States of America which has totally abandoned space travel; the "infidels" in other countries at least send out the occasional research ship, and John is thrilled to learn that there are even still human beings on Mars and Venus. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_e99b48c5 | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_e99b48c5 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_ed2bbf8a | type |
You Are in Command Now | |
| If This Goes On— / int_ed2bbf8a | comment |
You Are in Command Now: John Lyle, a junior officer in the rebel forces attacking the Prophet's capital of New Jerusalem, is thrust into the position of commanding the whole force, when his commanding officer is wounded and his tank-analogue seems to be the only one in effective communication with all the others. Lyle isn't technically next in the chain of command (he's a staff officer/aide de camp for the commander, doubling up as tank commander). However, he doesn't trust the next in line to handle the situation (too cautious) so he continues to issue orders in the commander's name, even though the commander is out of contact. Once things reach a "safe" state, he tells the real next-in-line "you are in command now". | |
| If This Goes On— / int_ed2bbf8a | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_ed2bbf8a | |
| If This Goes On— / int_fb3576b2 | type |
The Dog Bites Back | |
| If This Goes On— / int_fb3576b2 | comment |
The Dog Bites Back: The Prophet dies in the gap between when the women at his headquarters realize he will lose and the actual arrival of the rebel forces. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_fb3576b2 | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_fb3576b2 | |
| If This Goes On— / int_fde807fe | type |
Torn Apart by the Mob | |
| If This Goes On— / int_fde807fe | comment |
Torn Apart by the Mob: The Prophet ruling theocratic America is torn to pieces by his own Sex Slaves just before the rebels breach his fortress. | |
| If This Goes On— / int_fde807fe | featureApplicability |
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| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
If This Goes On— / int_fde807fe | |
| If This Goes On— / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
| If This Goes On— / int_name | comment |
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If This Goes On— / int_name | |
| If This Goes On— / int_name | itemName |
If This Goes On— |
The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
Cold-Blooded Torture / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
Cyanide Pill / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
Eat the Evidence / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
Epic Hail / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
Infraction Distraction / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
Neuro-Vault / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
Royal Harem / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
Saved by the Coffin / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
Tagline / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
Tank Goodness / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
Torture Technician / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
We Will Not Use Photoshop in the Future / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
What Would X Do? / int_29085bdd | |
| If This Goes On— | hasFeature |
You Are in Command Now / int_29085bdd |
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Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.