diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
deleted file mode 100644
index d056f05..0000000
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-[submodule "bin/base/themes"]
-	path = bin/base/themes
-	url = https://github.com/AttorneyOnline/AO2-Themes.git
diff --git a/bin/base/misc/default/chatbox.png b/bin/base/misc/default/chatbox.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 0c3bae1..0000000
Binary files a/bin/base/misc/default/chatbox.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/bin/base/misc/default/holdit.opus b/bin/base/misc/default/holdit.opus
deleted file mode 100644
index a454be8..0000000
Binary files a/bin/base/misc/default/holdit.opus and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/bin/base/misc/default/holdit_bubble.gif b/bin/base/misc/default/holdit_bubble.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index 536f8cd..0000000
Binary files a/bin/base/misc/default/holdit_bubble.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/bin/base/misc/default/objection.opus b/bin/base/misc/default/objection.opus
deleted file mode 100644
index 7e15d05..0000000
Binary files a/bin/base/misc/default/objection.opus and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/bin/base/misc/default/objection_bubble.gif b/bin/base/misc/default/objection_bubble.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index 22c2169..0000000
Binary files a/bin/base/misc/default/objection_bubble.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/bin/base/misc/default/takethat.opus b/bin/base/misc/default/takethat.opus
deleted file mode 100644
index 2f143e1..0000000
Binary files a/bin/base/misc/default/takethat.opus and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/bin/base/misc/default/takethat_bubble.gif b/bin/base/misc/default/takethat_bubble.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index 795552a..0000000
Binary files a/bin/base/misc/default/takethat_bubble.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/bin/base/themes b/bin/base/themes
deleted file mode 160000
index 32a130d..0000000
--- a/bin/base/themes
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 32a130d1a35220b27deecf22f59c83e92cac1fee
diff --git a/src/animationlayer.cpp b/src/animationlayer.cpp
index a21e20c..708aef2 100644
--- a/src/animationlayer.cpp
+++ b/src/animationlayer.cpp
@@ -143,6 +143,11 @@ void AnimationLayer::jumpToFrame(int number)
   }
 }
 
+bool AnimationLayer::isPlayOnce()
+{
+  return m_play_once;
+}
+
 void AnimationLayer::setPlayOnce(bool enabled)
 {
   m_play_once = enabled;
@@ -324,6 +329,7 @@ void AnimationLayer::frameTicker()
       return;
     }
 
+    stopPlayback();
     return;
   }
 
@@ -595,11 +601,20 @@ void BackgroundAnimationLayer::loadAndPlayAnimation(QString fileName)
   }
 #endif
 
-  setFileName(file_path);
+  bool is_different_file = file_path != this->fileName();
+  if (is_different_file)
+  {
+    setFileName(file_path);
+  }
+
   VPath design_path = ao_app->get_background_path("design.ini");
   setTransformationMode(ao_app->get_scaling(ao_app->read_design_ini("scaling", design_path)));
   setStretchToFit(ao_app->read_design_ini("stretch", design_path).startsWith("true"));
-  startPlayback();
+
+  if (is_different_file)
+  {
+    startPlayback();
+  }
 }
 
 SplashAnimationLayer::SplashAnimationLayer(AOApplication *ao_app, QWidget *parent)
@@ -640,7 +655,7 @@ void EffectAnimationLayer::setHideWhenStopped(bool enabled)
 
 void EffectAnimationLayer::maybeHide()
 {
-  if (m_hide_when_stopped)
+  if (m_hide_when_stopped && isPlayOnce())
   {
     hide();
   }
diff --git a/src/animationlayer.h b/src/animationlayer.h
index c67f702..820703d 100644
--- a/src/animationlayer.h
+++ b/src/animationlayer.h
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ public:
   int currentFrameNumber();
   void jumpToFrame(int number);
 
+  bool isPlayOnce();
+
   void setPlayOnce(bool enabled);
   void setStretchToFit(bool enabled);
   void setResetCacheWhenStopped(bool enabled);
diff --git a/src/courtroom.cpp b/src/courtroom.cpp
index 1346797..4540c27 100644
--- a/src/courtroom.cpp
+++ b/src/courtroom.cpp
@@ -3157,6 +3157,8 @@ void Courtroom::do_effect(QString fx_path, QString fx_sound, QString p_char, QSt
   QString effect = ao_app->get_effect(fx_path, p_char, p_folder);
   if (effect == "")
   {
+    ui_vp_effect->stopPlayback();
+    ui_vp_effect->hide();
     return;
   }
 
@@ -3173,8 +3175,6 @@ void Courtroom::do_effect(QString fx_path, QString fx_sound, QString p_char, QSt
   ui_vp_effect->setTransformationMode(ao_app->get_scaling(ao_app->get_effect_property(fx_path, p_char, p_folder, "scaling")));
   ui_vp_effect->setStretchToFit(ao_app->get_effect_property(fx_path, p_char, p_folder, "stretch").startsWith("true"));
   ui_vp_effect->setFlipped(ao_app->get_effect_property(fx_path, p_char, p_folder, "respect_flip").startsWith("true") && m_chatmessage[FLIP].toInt() == 1);
-  ui_vp_effect->setPlayOnce(false); // The effects themselves dictate whether or not they're looping.
-                                    // Static effects will linger.
 
   bool looping = ao_app->get_effect_property(fx_path, p_char, p_folder, "loop").startsWith("true");