Quick answer: Godot 4 node with Process Mode = Inherit ticking despite parent paused? Inherit reads the topmost non-Inherit ancestor - check the chain end, not the immediate parent.
Set parent's process_mode to PAUSED. Expected children to also pause. Some children still tick because their grandparent forces ALWAYS.
Walk the inheritance chain
Inherit isn't 'use parent'. It's 'walk up until you find a non-Inherit setting'. Audit the chain when behavior is unexpected.
Set explicitly per scene root
For UI roots, set Process Mode explicitly. Don't inherit; you'll regret it during pause logic.
Debug with print at runtime
print(node._get_effective_process_mode())Shows the resolved value at any tree position.
“Inherit is sticky. Implicit inheritance is implicit complexity.”
Replace Inherit with explicit values on container nodes. Implicitness saves keystrokes; debugging costs hours.