How much can a Man, destined to become the Personification of War, endure before he becomes a Monster himself?
Tales of Taskforce Sol
is a series about SunTzu, an ace pilot who is destined to become War, and his adventures with the Sailor Scouts in a galaxy far, far away. "I Became War For You" is the main story, and the rest of the series are spinoffs.
This story contains examples of:
- Ace Pilot: SunTzu is one, able to take on several fighter ships with ease. As the story progresses, he even defeats whole fleets on his own.
- Alpha Strike: In Chapter 125, Tuxedo Mask and the Sailor Scouts unleash a combined barrage to open the fight against the Yuuzhan Vong forces.
- Always Someone Better: SunTzu might be tough, but he is often outshined by the Sailor Scouts, and struggles a lot against the Yuuzhan Vong.
- Anti-Hero: Taskforce Sol. They steal, attack and blow up buildings, and they have a high kill count, but they only do so to bad guys and protect many innocents with their actions. They also care a lot about each other.
- SunTzu himself, who is meant to personify war and whose susceptibility to the Dark Side is in the very description of the main story, fits the bill even more than the Scouts. He will use violence where they won't against evil, but is careful to protect his friends and innocent bystanders at all costs. Also, he Really Gets Around, but not only does he actually care about his partners, he tries to settle after his tendencies backfire.
- Ascended Extra: Moff Tavira was a very minor Star Wars character, mostly defined in terms of how she used her relationships to grab power. Here she is a minor Arc Villain.
- Badass Normal: Owen, despite being a relatively new recruit in the Taskforce and having no powers, can still help out significantly in a team full of Force users and the Sailor Scouts, who are all superhumans who can use their powers properly.
- Bad Boss: A lot of villains. For example, Moff Tavira has a communications lieutenant shot dead because she couldn't believe the reports he was sending her. The Herald of Chaos is even worse, as he hides information from his subordinates and personally executes Anniten for her failures, despite her also having successes in her belt.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Princess Anniten might start as a very sweet love interest to SunTzu, but she turns out to be a cowardly, sadistic psycho who works for the main villain.
- Birds of a Feather: SunTzu and Setsuna become a couple because they are both protective and responsible. They also share the same powerset.
- Cerebus Knight: Abeloth. She is the first enemy neither SunTzu, nor Rei can beat, and things become far darker and more serious ever since she appears.
- Combination Attack: In Chapter 200, SunTzu uses his own Force abilities, alongside Makoto's lightning and Rei's fire, and speedblitzes a group of clones.
- Curb-Stomp Cushion: In Chapter 186, SunTzu stands no chance against Abeloth, but he does stun her for a bit with a flashbang in close range.
- A Day in the Limelight: Glee Anshem is basically Mercury's arc, where she has to save her boyfriend from Mapeden, the first formidable foe in the story. It's she who personally saves the day from Mapeden's warship.
- Darkest Hour: SunTzu, after he temporarily cuts ties with the Taskforce and gets increasingly Darker, is betrayed and captured by Anniten, who brutally tortures him while threatening to blow up the Milky Way Galaxy. He escapes and blows up her galaxy, which results in him being put on trial and awaiting execution. Things only get better once he is declared innocent.
- Defector from Decadence: Balalaika defects from the Russian Fededration due to their cruelty and imperialism.
- Doorstopper: The story is way over a hundred chapters and still ongoing.
- Elite Mooks: The Yuuzhan Vong. Unlike most of the Taskforce's early foes, who fall easily or get lucky, they are consistently dangerous. The Daimons also qualify for the same reasons.
- Evil Counterpart: The Herald of Chaos is this to SunTzu. He is literally an alternate SunTzu that's even more cruel and has aligned himself with Chaos and Abeloth. Also, as seen with Anniten, Phyncx and Tavira, he doesn't treat his allies as well as his good counterpart does. In fact, it's implied one of the few reasons female commanders have any loyalty to the Herald is that he sleeps with them. Speaking of which, both of them get around, but SunTzu genuinely cares about his mates and tries to settle after he pays the price with Anniten, while the Herald uses sex as yet another manipulation tactic.
- Gut Punch: The first half of the series is very lighthearted, and most foes are mostly easy to beat except Mapeden. But then the main couple has to escape Abeloth, and the real punch comes in Rago, which is a complete defeat of the heroes against the Yuuzhan Vong, which results in many deaths of innocents, sends SunTzu deeper in the Dark Side and stains his relationship with Rei for the first time. Things don't get better for several chapters.
- Hate Sink: Shinnosuke hasn't learned from his childhood, in fact he has become even worse. He kidnaps women to take their organs and sell them, while he still acts perverted towards minors as well while no longer being one. He almost pushes Sailor Moon to kill him with his crimes.
- Heel–Face Turn: Vader is a good guy in this story, or at least an ally of the heroic Taskforce. His Imperials are also with the good guys.
- Ironic Echo:
- In Chapter 140, SunTzu and Yuichiro start antagonistic, and the latter has a drink "to Rei's choice", taunting the former. In the end of the same chapter, they get closer and both share a drink to Rei, finally becoming friends.
- At his first low point, SunTzu, willing to do anything to win the war, tells Rei "I became war for you!", but Rei has none of it and their relationship deteriorates. But, many chapters later, SunTzu narrowly avoids a second such point and also manages to solve a hard conflict with diplomacy. He thinks "You truly make me better, Setsuna. Solving this without violence was for you…" as their relationship gets better.
- Lady of War: All Sailor Scouts. Each one of them is feminine to various degrees, and all of them can wreck armies while wearing skirts, something Moff Tavira, a minor antagonist, lampshades.
- Obstructive Bureaucrat: With the exceptions of Leia and Rei Hino, every other Senator is useless.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Alask offhandedly mentions he shot down two TIE Defenders in the same battle when asked about his skills.
- Pay Evil unto Evil: Taskforce Sol is not above robbing and killing criminals.
- Playing with Fire: Rei Hino can use fire, saving the team in many situations.
- Ramming Always Works: AICA can ram bigger ships and deal considerable damage when her shields are enhanced with the Force and glow golden.
- Shipper on Deck: Hotaru really ships SunTzu and Setsuna.
- Spared by the Adaptation: Vader is still alive after the Original Trilogy, and he also leads the Imperials and is on the Taskforce's side.
- Took a Level in Badass:
- SunTzu starts off being very weak with the Force and struggling with ordinary criminals on Earth. He eventually gets a lightsaber and starts fighting back against even Yuuzhan Vong.
- Mauve Shirt Private Gapgis starts a battle as too scared to fight and ends the battle by personally defeating the final active adversary despite getting shot, forcing the commander to surrender.
- Tsundere: Rei Hino is shown and told to be such about SunTzu until they get close and she becomes sweeter, and then until the breakup. And then Setsuna takes over the role.
- The Un-Reveal: The Taskforce knows the real name of SunTzu and Rei is about to reveal it... but she doesn't, because he chooses to go with his nickname.
- Unstoppable Rage: A few times, SunTzu gets really mad. May the Force help whoever stands in his way.
- Violently Protective Girlfriend: Arc Villain Tavira tries to seduce SunTzu and Setsuna breaks her nose in response.
- War Is Hell: The story, in its more serious chapters, doesn't shy away from the horrors of war. It's clear it has a negative impact on the protagonist.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: SunTzu is willing to become War itself, being very ruthless in combat and making it his top priority, so he can end the war and protect his loved ones. Which is something he explicitly tells Rei.
- What You Are in the Dark: After General Phyncx gives the Taskforce a lot of trouble, SunTzu finally awakens his true potential and defeats him. He is given the option to revive him and kill him over and over, tempted by the Herald of Chaos, but refuses to do so.