Skip to content
Ph4nt0m_of_2007

Canonical Tropes - Used Throughout the Show

Being a Nickelodeon show from the mid 2000s, Danny Phantom uses many common tropes from similar media of the time. It even uses certain tropes from the horror genre, though sparringly and quite watered down. I might eventually go over episode-specific tropes, but for now we are just discussing ones used throughout the show.

List Of Tropes

  • List
  • List
  • List
  • List

Fanwork Tropes - Used in Fanart and Fanfiction

Tropes commonly used in fanworks such as fanfiction, AUs, and fanart.

List Of Tropes

  • Band Of Brothers
    • Fanworks commonly explore the main trio's friendship much more than the show ever did. If you've ever heard of the term "trauma-bonding," you can probably see pretty easily what I mean.
  • Came Back Wrong
    • Not supported by canon, but instead a "what if?" scenario. While more commonly explored by fanfiction, there are a fair number of artists who have used this trope visually. It is more commonly used in horror-themed AUs, but it can be seen in many other works if you squint hard enough.
  • Conspiracy Theorist
    • Not used in canon at all. However, this and related tropes are commonly used for works containing the fandom's collective OC, Wes.
  • Dying Alone
    • Not used in canon, and used exclusively in No One Knows AUs. Some people who create such AUs use this trope as a point for angst.
  • Earn Your Happy Ending
    • While common for fanfiction in general, this trope is used pretty often in slightly longer angst-centered works in the fandom. Especially in certain AUs.
  • Electromagnetic Ghosts
    • While it comes up in the show once or twice, the fandom usually either discards it completely or takes it to the level of the actual trope. In a similar vein, many fans consider ectoplasm radioactive.
  • Ghastly Ghost
    • Could be argued to be based in canon. Many fanfics make ghosts more dangerous, creepier, or just inhuman. It's also extremely common for artists to give Danny claws, fangs, different pupils, and/or blue-ish skin.
  • Ghostly Chill
    • This one is referenced in canon, but never actually used. Debatably most fanworks don't give ghosts any body heat, and many give Danny a lower body tempature in human form as well.
  • Ghostly Glide
    • Used in canon, but a little inconsistent. The grand majority of fanworks incorporate this. Many fanworks also take it a step further, making it difficult for any ghost (including Danny) to not float.
  • Ghostly Goals
    • Arguably canon, though it's never addressed. Ghost Obsessions, in the fandom, are very similar to how most ghost-centered media handles the same problem; why did the ghost form? Obsessions work as both a reason a ghost is still around and why they go to the human realm. Danny is often given a protection obsession, though some works give him an obsession with space.
  • High-Voltage Death
    • Technically canon. I put this here because it is never explained in the show if the electrocution or ectoplasm exposure is what kills Danny, especially given Vlad's death.
  • Horrifying Hero
    • It could be argued that this is somewhat mentioned in canon, but in my opinion it's really not. Though, many fanworks (especially artworks) explore the more ghostly aspects of Danny's character. These are usually part of more horror-themed AUs, but a fair amount of artists give Danny physical and/or mental nonhuman traits.
  • Identity Breakdown
    • Mostly used in fanfiction. This specific trope is more angsty, though some great works have come out of its usage. It does tie directly to another trope listed here, called Internalized Categorism.
  • Internalized Categorism
    • Suggested by canon, but never outright mentioned. The fandom generally agrees that since Danny was raised to hate ghosts, he would struggle with being half ghost.
  • Psychological Horror
    • Somewhat inspired by canon. There are a lot of horror-themed AUs out there, and many of them use body horror as well. However, psychological horror is more common outside of these AUs, given the premise of the show.
  • Reformed Bully
    • Not supported by canon, instead used mainly in "what if?" scenarios and AUs. Some fanworks explore the idea of Dash (and/or the other A-listers) becoming better people. Often used as a trope in works centered around a romance between Danny and Dash, but it is used just as often outside of that.
  • Survivor's Guilt
    • Debatably based in canon. Fanworks often give Sam (and very occasionally, Tucker) a feeling of guilt over Danny's portal accident. Especially given that Sam was the one to convince Danny to go in the portal in the first place, and what happened in the episode Memory Blank.