History Main / CerebusCallBack

* In ''WesternAnimation/SausageParty'', the film is rather bright and cheery, with the foods believing that once they're chosen that they will be going to heaven. Of course, some of the foods end up expiring and are sent straight to the trash can by Darren the Dark Lord... but that's about it, and it's likely most of the foods are going to be chosen anyway. However, it eventually becomes apparent what the [[CruelAndUnusualDeath Great Beyond]] actually is, and the film suddenly takes a much darker turn.

** When Mr. Wolf first introduces himself to the audience, he refers to himself as the BigBadWolf, "the villain in every story", followed by a shot of a dozen children's books where the wolf is the antagonist. While he does this to brag about how villainous he is, his later conversation with Diane reveals how those kinds of stories left a bigger emotional scar than he's willing to admit.

** Happens in ''ComicBook/SpiderManReign'' as well.

* Early in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', the PluckyComicRelief Sasha steals meat from her supervisor. Years later, in a ShooOutTheClowns death, she dreams about meat as she passes.

* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'':

** Happens in ''Comicbook/SpiderManReign'' as well.
** Way back in the 80s, the Venom symbiote broke out of the ComicBook/FantasticFour's Four Freedoms Plaza and hijacked a passing tourist on its way back to Peter, giving him brief amnesia. ''ComicBook/AbsoluteCarnage: Symbiote Spider-Man'' revealed that that day changed his life forever, costing him his son, his freedom and ultimately his life.

* ''WesternAnimation/VillainousCartoonNetwork'': [[spoiler: Dr. Flug hatred towards [[ArchEnemy Goldheart]]. It's [[PlayedForLaughs Played For Laughs]] until episode 6 where it's become important for a plot: Miss Heed fell in love with Goldheart when she was studying in [[AcademyOfEvil Black Hat's Academy]] and wanted his attention so she stole a part of Flug's thesis about [[{{Brainwash}} controling emotions]] and became a [[BitchInSheepsClothing "heroine"]] and broke Dr.Flug's heart. When she does it in the present and Flug remembered this and realized that she's using him for Goldheart again he freed from [[MindControl Mind Control]] and [[NoSell became immune to it]]. Also Goldheart becomes [[GreaterScopeVillain A Greater-Scope Antagonist]] of the series.]]

* In the horror film ''Film/TheInnocents'', we first Flora's pet tortoise, Rupert, in a number of lighthearted scenes early in the film. He appears for the last time towards the end, when an arguably possessed Miles [[spoiler: throws him through a greenhouse wall in a fit of blind fury, presumably killing him]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'':
** "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS1E15UnderstandingWillow Understanding Willow]]": Or, "Call Forward", as it were. When [[Characters/TheOwlHouseAmityBlight Amity Blight]] posse question if she used to be friends with Willow, Amity turns it down by stating how "Blights are only friends with the select few". Later, when it's revealed her parents actually threatened Amity to break her friendship with Willow, they tell her she's not allowed to be her friend because "Blights only associate with the strongest of witchlings." This paints a picture how just how much they controlled their reluctant daughter to break off her friendship.
** Gus being fooled by the Glandus High students was played off in "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS2E5ThroughTheLookingGlassRuins Through the Looking Glass Ruins]]", with Gus being distracted by trying to scare them away from the Graveyard. "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS2E18LabyrinthRunners Labyrinth Runners]]" reveals that Gus has self-doubt and anxiety issues, and in the climax one of the illusions he's conjuring has the trio dancing around him in a circle, as Gus beats himself up over having been fooled by them.
** "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS2E21KingsTide King's Tide]]": Dairus told Raine in "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS2E19OTitanWhereArtThou O Titan, Where Art Thou]]" that they're a terrible actor. Funny at the time, but unfortunately for the [=CATs'=] plan, [[SpannerInTheWorks Terra Snapdragon]] thought the same thing.
** A lot of characteristics of [[Characters/TheOwlHouseLuzNoceda Luz Noceda]] take a whole new meaning in later seasons.
*** "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS2E6HuntingPalismen Hunting Palismen]]": Back in [[{{Recap/TheOwlHouseS1E13TheFirstDay}} "The First Day"]], Luz wanting to study all the tracks was presented as a good bit of rebellion against the repressive coven system. Here it's presented as a character flaw, because just wanting to study magic in general isn't a strong enough conviction to attract a Palisman, especially when she can't even answer what she'd even ''do'' once she learns all she wants to learn. By contrast, Viney from the same episode manages to attract a Palisman with her desire to open a veterinary clinic one day.
*** In the first episode "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS1E1ALyingWitchAndAWarden A Lying Witch and a Warden]]" it was established that Luz Noceda loves the ''Good Witch Azura'' books. And because of Luz's eccentric book report that unintentionally caused harm, her mother and principal decided to send her to Reality Check Camp so she could learn to separate fantasy from reality. "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS3E1ThanksToThem Thanks to Them]]" puts all those things into a darker light.
*** Luz's love for the ''Good Witch Azura'' books was presented mostly as an endearing character quirk, and was often PlayedForLaughs. This episode throws her fixation on the series into a new light, as it's revealed her father gave her the first book right before he died, and she got really into the series when she read the book after his death. In that context, it's very likely that a lot of Luz's devotion to the series, along with just liking fantasy in general, stemmed from the connection to her late father, and the books and the fandom surrounding them providing her with a means to cope with her grief.
*** Luz's eccentric book report whose consequences the series kicked off with turns out to have been an attempt to try and prove to her mother that her weirdness can be academically useful in order to cheer her up after her father's funeral.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse''

* ''ComicBook/AstroCity'': The character of Jack-In-The-Box is a SpiderManSendUp. In one storyline, he is recorded on TV busting up a crime ring while quoting WesternAnimation/BugsBunny saying: "Of course you realize, ThisMeansWar" Later in that storyline, he is confronted by three possible versions of his KidFromTheFuture. One of them is known as "The Box" who, following the death of his father, took that Bugs Bunny quote ''entirely literally'' and transformed himself into a KnightTemplar cyborg killer waging a [[ComicBook/ThePunisher Punisher-style]] war on crime.

* In ''WesternAnimation/SausageParty'', the film is rather bright and cheery, with the foods believing that once they're chosen that they will be going to heaven. Of course, some of the foods end up expiring and are sent straight to the trash can by Darren the Dark Lord...but that's about it, and it's likely most of the foods are going to be chosen anyway. However, it eventually becomes apparent what the [[CruelAndUnusualDeath Great Beyond]] actually is, and the film suddenly takes a much darker turn.

* ''Film/AKnightsTale'' has a scene where William first arrives in London, he imagines that a young boy cheering him on is himself as a child. Later on [[spoiler: as he sits in the stocks]] the same boy runs up to him and slaps him in the face.

* In ''{{Literature/Animorphs}}'', Rachel is initially simply more short-tempered than the others, causing Marco to refer to her as "Xena: Warrior Princess." However, as the book series goes on, she starts becoming more and more violent, culminating with her [[spoiler:going on a suicide mission that involves a lot of bloodshed.]]

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'':
** Harry's snarky remarks in the earlier novels about how [[HumansAreMorons human stupidity]] and SelectiveObliviousness are all that's needed to preserve TheMasquerade come across as laughably naïve as not only does TheMasquerade grow increasingly thin as the series goes on ([[spoiler:what with the Wild Hunt and Kemmlerites both making a mess of Chicago in ''Dead Beat'', the extinction of the '''entire''' Red Court of Vampires in ''Changes'', the rise of the Fomor in ''Ghost Story'', and the ''entire'' Battle of Chicago in ''Battle Ground'']]), but ''Battle Ground'' reveals that [[spoiler:the US federal government secretly has a ruthlessly competent CreatureHunterOrganization called the "Special Collections Division" under the Library of Congress' purview, and they're tasked with both researching the supernatural and upholding TheMasquerade]].
** In ''Literature/DeathMasks'', when Harry asks [[GooGooGodlike the Archive]] ("Ivy") [[BodyguardingABadass why she would need an adult bodyguard]] like [[ProfessionalKiller Kincaid]], her response is to give him an irritated look and note "[[AskAStupidQuestion My feet can't reach the pedals]]" (as in, the brake and gas pedals for a car). This is PlayedForLaughs at the time as Harry just not thinking everything through while showing Ivy is actually a LittleMissSnarker... but the phrase gets reused many years later in a far more heartbreaking context in the microfiction "Goodbye", wherein [[spoiler:Ivy is outraged at learning Kincaid has accepted Harry's request for a {{Mercy Kill}}. As Kincaid goes to do the deed (and enough CharacterDevelopment has passed over the books to make it clear that Kincaid has actually been serving as Ivy's ParentalSubstitute), Ivy coldly informs Kincaid that "My feet can reach the pedals, now" and fires him, showing that she no longer needs him and [[ThisIsUnforgivable she will never forgive him]] for killing one of her {{Only Friend}}s]].
** Notably inverted in ''Literature/BriefCases''. Back in ''Literature/{{Changes}}'', Harry said [[spoiler:"I will make Maggie safe. If the world burns because of that, then so be it. Me and the kid will roast some marshmallows,"]] and it was one of the signs of him becoming TheUnfettered. Here, in the short story "Zoo Day", [[spoiler:Maggie asks, "What if I set something on fire?", and Harry replies "Maybe we’ll roast some marshmallows", but this time it's a lighthearted joke meant to reassure Maggie that he is with her and nothing bad is going to happen]].

* The ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' episode "Vaya Con Leos" opens with a humorous scene of Leo trying to persuade Piper to buy an old van. At the end of the episode when [[spoiler: he has to be taken away to save his life]] Piper is seen in the garage tearfully looking at the van.

* All of Sherlock's hectic behavior in ''Series/{{Elementary}}'' becomes less amusing after he's [[spoiler:diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome]] in part due to his recklessness.
* ''Series/TheGeorgeLopezShow'': In the Season 3 premiere "Dubya, Dad and Dating", Benny makes an off-hand mention of a crime she committed 30 years ago in El Paso. At the beginning of Season 6, this funny joke becomes a full-blown story arc when Benny is arrested and put on trial for her crime.

[[folder:Visual Novel]]
* Apollo Justice's "I'm fine!" catchphrase in the ''VisualNovel/AceAttorney'' series gets its fair share of these, the first being the FlashbackToCatchphrase in "Dual Destinies" which reveals that Apollo and his childhood friend used to say it to convince themselves they were okay after their parents died, and again in "Spirit of Justice" where Trucy tries adopting it after her murder accusation but is very clearly being a StepfordSmiler.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

[[folder:Web Original]]

* In ''WebVideo/EverymanHYBRID'', A Day In The Life was a BreatherEpisode of sorts, until hidden clips in future videos paint a more sinister tone on the whole day.

* ''WebVideo/PhilosophyTube'''s video "[[https://youtu.be/eQNw2FBdpyE Suic!de and Ment@l He@lth]]" consists of Abigail holding a very academically focused monologue about what classifies suicidality, and to what degree it's linked with mental illness, interspersed with little snippets of a conversation between a therapist and a Russian Cosmonaut, both played by Abigail. Then, the conversation suddenly shifts, with Abigail delivering a heartbreaking account of [[spoiler: her own two suicide attempts and history of self-harm, and how she uses the image of the Cosmonaut as a metaphor for how she feels in the moments where she wants to kill herself.]]

* In ''WebVideo/SuburbanKnights'', WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic gives Ma-Ti the "important mission" of getting him a coffee to keep him out of the way. [[spoiler:In the end, after Ma-Ti sacrifices his life to defeat Malachite, the Critic goes back home to find Ma-Ti got him the coffee after all.]] Cue tears.

* ''Podcast/WelcomeToNightVale'': An early episode has the throw-away line, "As my mother always told me, ''One day someone is going to kill you, Cecil. And it will involve a mirror''." Objectively a disturbing statement, but (like most things on the show) funny because of the delivery. And then a few episodes later we get to hear recordings he apparently made when he was a teenager (but now has no memory of), and the tape seems to end with 15-year-old Cecil being killed by some supernatural entity that came out of his mirror. Present-day Cecil is understandably freaked out and destroys the tape.
** There's an even bigger, scarier call back to this moment in a later episode, when Cecil experiences the same moment again, only this time [[spoiler: he *is* the entity emerging from the mirror, frightening his teenage self]].

* In the season one finale of ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'', "[[Recap/StarVsTheForcesOfEvilS1E24StormTheCastle Storm the Castle]]", [[Characters/StarVsTheForcesOfEvilStarButterfly Star Butterfly]] gets rid of BigBadWannabe Ludo by throwing him through a random portal with nothing but the clothes on his back, and it's played for laughs. Then in the season 2 episode "[[Recap/StarVsTheForcesOfEvilS2E2LudoInTheWild Ludo in the Wild]]" we find Ludo was driven half-mad by starvation and isolation after getting stranded in an inter-dimensional void, and then subsequently got stranded in a snowy wilderness. Ludo not only comes out of this experience [[TookALevelInBadass tougher and meaner]], but [[spoiler: in the process finds the other half of Star's wand, which had been "cleaved" in the season one finale.]]
* The ''[[SamuraiJack/TropesSeason5 fifth season]]'' of ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' introduces the Daughters of Aku, seven assassins trained from birth to believe Aku is a benevolent being and Jack is a menace that must be disposed of. This calls back to the first season's "Aku's Fairy Tales", where Aku himself tries to brainwash children into thinking the same thing, but fails. Here we see the successful results of that, and it's not pretty.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros''

* "WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty": The deaths of Lady Katana, Diablo Verde, and Calypso are put in a darker light in "WesternAnimation/Vindicators2". While they were offhandedly claimed to have died in the fight against Doom-Nomitron in "[[Recap/RickAndMortyS3E4Vindicators3TheReturnOfWorldEnder Vindicators 3: The Return of World Ender]]", we're shown in "Girls Night" how they actually died. [[spoiler: They were all murdered by Supernova while she was blackout drunk, with the remaining team members using their "victory" over Doom-Nomitron (actually Rick's) to cover it up. Also, Doom-Nomitron wasn't even ''near'' Dorian 5. The planet exploded because Supernova miscarried her baby there, which caused her to create an explosion that destroyed the planet]].

* In ''Manga/HeavenlyDelusion'', Kiruko once made a deal with Maru that if he accomplished a dangerous task he would get to grope her breasts [[ThePowerOfLust (which he set forth to accomplish immediately upon hearing this)]]. But when it came time for him to collect, she panicked and tried to dissuade him with multiple reasons, including trying to convince him that [[spoiler: because she had Haruki Takehaya’s brain due to a BrainTransplant in the past, she considered herself a guy, therefore Maru would be feeling up a man instead of a woman]]. This didn’t work [[spoiler: because Haruki’s brain was inside Kiriko Takehaya’s body (Haruki’s sister), which was clearly that of a beautiful and well-endowed woman]], although she managed to escape because she screamed out loud by accident and caught the innkeeper’s attention of the hotel they were in, who promptly dragged Maru out of the room.\\
Later, [[spoiler: Kiruko]] ends up a similar situation, but this time around it’s ''not'' played for comedy. [[spoiler: After [[BrokenPedestal Robin]] handcuffed Kiruko in an abandoned room when they were alone, he began to [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil rape]] her. She tried getting Robin to stop by telling him that she was “Haruki,” like she had done with Maru in the past, but Robin didn’t believe this either. In order to get her to stop resisting him, all the while knowing she was very conscious about her identity, he began to [[{{Gaslighting}} gaslight]] her by stating that even if she had Haruki Takehaya’s brain and memories it didn’t mean she was “Haruki.” After all, she also had Kiriko’s body, which meant it was possible her mind was that of “Kiriko” the entire time who only believed herself to be “Haruki” since she could tap into his memories. This revelation [[LossOfIdentity broke down Kiruko]], who realized [[JerkassHasAPoint she couldn’t disprove Robin’s claim]], turning her into a [[HeroicBSOD traumatized sex slave]] who could only beg for Maru to save her [[BigDamnHeroes (which he eventually does after punching Robin’s lights out)]]]].

* ''ComicBook/MightyAvengers2013:'' The events of ''ComicBook/{{Nextwave}}'' are retconned as being MindRape inflicted on Monica Rambeau and the others by bored reality warpers, with Monica in particular being traumatised because absolutely no-one believed the team when they mentioned what happened.

* ''Franchise/SpiderMan''

* ComicBook/AstroCity: the character of Jack-In-The-Box is a SpiderManSendUp. In one storyline, he is recorded on TV busting up a crime ring while quoting WesternAnimation/BugsBunny saying: "Of course you realize, ThisMeansWar" Later in that storyline, he is confronted by three possible versions of his KidFromTheFuture. One of them is known as "The Box" who, following the death of his father, took that Bugs Bunny quote ''entirely literally'' and transformed himself into a KnightTemplar cyborg killer waging a [[ComicBook/ThePunisher Punisher-style]] war on crime.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheBadGuys''

* During the number "A Guy Like You" in ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}'' the gargoyles give Quasimodo the Ace of Hearts card while they're trying to convince him that Esmeralda would love him. Shortly after this when he sees Esmeralda kissing Phoebus, he pulls out the card and rips it up.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': All throughout Season 1 and the beginning of Season 2, humorous things happen to ''[[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderZuko Zuko]]'' that foil his attempts at catching Aang. At the end of "Bitter Work" (after being unable to create lightning), he's screaming into a storm about how cruel the universe has always been to him and finally breaks down. Suddenly, all those silly things go from the universe poking fun at an IneffectualSympatheticVillain to the turmoils of a young man desperate to go home and be loved by his father.

** "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS1E15UnderstandingWillow Understanding Willow]]": Or, "Call Forward", as it were. When her posse question if she used to be friends with Willow, Amity turns it down by stating how "Blights are only friends with the select few". Later, when it's revealed her parents actually threatened Amity to break her friendship with Willow, they tell her she's not allowed to be her friend because "Blights only associate with the strongest of witchlings." This paints a picture how just how much they controlled their reluctant daughter to break off her friendship.

** "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS2E6HuntingPalismen Hunting Palismen]]": Back in [[{{Recap/TheOwlHouseS1E13TheFirstDay}} "The First Day"]], Luz wanting to study all the tracks was presented as a good bit of rebellion against the repressive coven system. Here it's presented as a character flaw, because just wanting to study magic in general isn't a strong enough conviction to attract a Palisman, especially when she can't even answer what she'd even ''do'' once she learns all she wants to learn. By contrast, Viney from the same episode manages to attract a Palisman with her desire to open a veterinary clinic one day.
** In the first episode "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS1E1ALyingWitchAndAWarden A Lying Witch and a Warden]]" it was established that Luz Noceda loves the ''Good Witch Azura'' books. And because of Luz's eccentric book report that unintentionally caused harm, her mother and principal decided to send her to Reality Check Camp so she could learn to separate fantasy from reality. "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS3E1ThanksToThem Thanks to Them]]" puts all those things into a darker light.
** Luz's love for the ''Good Witch Azura'' books was presented mostly as an endearing character quirk, and was often PlayedForLaughs. This episode throws her fixation on the series into a new light, as it's revealed her father gave her the first book right before he died, and she got really into the series when she read the book after his death. In that context, it's very likely that a lot of Luz's devotion to the series, along with just liking fantasy in general, stemmed from the connection to her late father, and the books and the fandom surrounding them providing her with a means to cope with her grief.
** Luz's eccentric book report whose consequences the series kicked off with turns out to have been an attempt to try and prove to her mother that her weirdness can be academically useful in order to cheer her up after her father's funeral.

* On ''Series/ThirtyRock'', Liz dreads attending her high school reunion and is shown in flashbacks being aggressively approached by the popular kids and mumbling and fleeing in fear while others laugh at her. Then, at the reunion it's revealed that Liz was ''actually'' considered to be the school bully and that what she remembers as awkwardly mumbled excuses were actually devastating put downs that hurt people who were reaching out in genuine friendship.

%%Image removed per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16713083430.30452300
%%See thread to discuss a replacement.

----
!!Examples

* ''CerebusCallBack/WhatIsAPersonWorth''
[[AC:Western Animation]]
* ''CerebusCallBack/DuckTales2017''
* ''CerebusCallBack/TheOwlHouse''

[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/HonkaiImpact3rd https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/honkai_callback.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:First time: RescueRomance\\
Second time: OhCrap]]

* ''CerebusCallBack/TheOwlHouse''.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': In the first episode "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS1E1ALyingWitchAndAWarden A Lying Witch and a Warden]]" it was established that [[Characters/TheOwlHouseLuzNoceda Luz Noceda]] loves the ''Good Witch Azura'' books. And because of Luz's eccentric book report that unintentionally caused harm, her mother and principal decided to send her to Reality Check Camp so she could learn to separate fantasy from reality. "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS3E1ThanksToThem Thanks to Them]]" puts all those things into a darker light.
** Luz's love for the ''Good Witch Azura'' books was presented mostly as an endearing character quirk, and was often PlayedForLaughs. This episode throws her fixation on the series into a new light, as it's revealed her father gave her the first book right before he died, and she got really into the series when she read the book after his death. In that context, it's very likely that a lot of Luz's devotion to the series, along with just liking fantasy in general, stemmed from the connection to her late father, and the books and the fandom surrounding them providing her with a means to cope with her grief.
** Luz's eccentric book report whose consequences the series kicked off with turns out to have been an attempt to try and prove to her mother that her weirdness can be academically useful in order to cheer her up after her father's funeral.

* In the first novel of ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'', Haruyuki, facing his friend Takumu in a duel, declares that even if [[BrokenAce Taku]] is better than him at most things, Haru can't be defeated at video games. Despite being at a disadvantage against Taku, since they're respectively Level 1 and Level 4, Haru awakens his unique Flight ability and has Taku at his mercy, but allows the duel to end in a draw so that Taku doesn't lose all his points. Ten volumes later, Haru, now Level 5, goes up against Wolfram Cerberus, a Level 1, and ends up losing badly, in large part due to Cerberus' Physical Immunity move. Haru, realizing that the tables have been turned, and he's the higher level player who loses to a newcomer with a strong ability, feels awful about saying such a thing to Taku, but Taku doesn't hold it against him.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': In the first episode "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS1E1ALyingWitchAndAWarden A Lying Witch and a Warden]]" it was established that [[Characters/TheOwlHouseLuzNoceda Luz Noceda]] loves the Good Witch Azura books. And because of Luz's eccentric book report that unintentionally caused harm, her mother and principal decided to send her to Reality Check Camp so she could learn to separate fantasy from reality. "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS3E1ThanksToThem Thanks to Them]]" puts all those things into a darker light.