History Main / DidYouJustScamCthulhu

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': What power level the Other - a time-traveling BodySnatcher - is at can be ambiguous, but they/she/it is evidently ''way'' past normal human level. Which makes it surprising when Zola ([[spoiler:the Other's niece]]) managed to [[spoiler:[[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100709 trick the Other]] into trying to possess Zola, when Zola was actually ImmuneToMindControl, and thus had the Other's ''memories'' downloaded instead]].

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': What power level the Other - a time-traveling BodySnatcher - is at can be ambiguous, but they/she/it is evidently ''way'' past normal human level. Which makes it surprising when Zola ([[spoiler:the Other's niece]]) managed to [[spoiler:[[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100709 trick the Other]] into trying to possess Zola, when Zola was actually ImmuneToMindControl, and thus just ended up gaining their ''memories'' instead]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012'', Spidey manages to trick ''LOKI'' by playing to his ego, saying that unless he defeats Thor while the Thunder God is in his normal form, no one will respect him for it. As Loki undoes his BalefulPolymorph, Peter lampshades how he can't believe Loki fell for that!

* In ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', Black Widow pretends that Loki's taunting is affecting her more than it actually is (she even pretends to cry). In his arrogance, he makes a comment that allows her to figure out his scheme, and she thanks him. The look on the God of Lies' face when he realizes he's been tricked is priceless.
* In the climax of ''Film/DoctorStrange2016'', [[spoiler:the good Doctor manages to beat [[EldritchAbomination Dormammu, inhabitant of the Dark Dimension,]] by entering it as he magically creates a loop of repeating time. The Dark Dimension normally lacks any aspect of time so, although Dormammu can effortlessly kill Strange - [[TheManyDeathsOfYou and does so, repeatedly]] - Strange dying keeps resetting the loop until Dormammu is ''begging'' him to make the time-loop stop, and agrees to retreat from the Earth and never bother it again so Strange will release the loop. When Dormammu tells Strange that the latter cannot win their confrontation, Strange replies: "No. But I can lose. Again and again and again and again, forever. And that makes you my prisoner."]]
* In ''[[Film/BillAndTed Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey]]'', the boys first attempt to escape death by giving the Grim Reaper a wedgie and running. When they get cast into Hell, they win their souls back and continue on their quest to stop the BigBad by challenging the Reaper to games like Battleship and electronic football (which he doesn't play, unlike [[ChessWithDeath chess]]) that they're experts at.
* In ''Film/{{Constantine}}'', the film version of ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'', the titular character manages to defeat the film's BigBad by attempting suicide, knowing that Satan will personally come to collect his soul, at which point Satan will realize what's going on and stop the BigBad, whose attempt to start the apocalypse early would screw up Satan's plans. Satan shows his gratitude by offering Constantine a favor, and he asks that a wrongfully damned soul go to Heaven. Satan then realizes too late that Constantine had just performed a HeroicSacrifice, which allowed him to go to Heaven as well despite committing suicide. Satan instead resurrects Constantine and cures him of his lung cancer in hopes that he will sin again.

* In the ''Film/TheDevilsAdvocate'', Kevin Lomax ''succeeds'' in his suicide attempt, undoing [[{{Satan}} The Devil's]] entire scheme. [[spoiler: But The Devil is not so easily denied.]]

* Davy Jones gets this in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest'', although who it is that actually scammed him is up for debate. It took the combined conflicting efforts of possibly the three smartest/wittiest/cleverest Brits in the Caribbean to [[spoiler: steal his heart, though James Norrington walks away with the heart and documents at the end of the film.]]
* V'Ger of ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'' effortlessly destroys anything that affronts it--including a Klingon task force of three battlecruisers--on its way to Earth. Depending on the cut of the film you're watching, the energy field that V'Ger creates around itself has a diameter either [[ScifiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale greater than that of the solar system]], or just greater than Earth's orbit around the sun. When it arrives at Earth, the machine casually prepares to obliterate the planet's biosphere. None of that stops [[TheCaptain Jim Kirk]] from playing chicken with V'Ger, and winning; making the leviathan stand down by threatening to not reveal who its creator is if it doesn't. It should be noted that at this point in the film, Kirk had no idea who V'Ger's creator was.

*** In Azura's Daedric quest, she tasks you with recovering and cleansing Azura's Star, her artifact which doubles as a rechargeable Grand Soul Gem. However, you can choose to take it to a mage who can corrupt it into the Black Star, a reusable [[YourSoulIsMine Black Soul Gem]] capable of trapping sapient souls (which are the most powerful). [[EvilPaysBetter Better yet]], the Black Star can hold ''all'' types of soul, making it the all around better option.
*** Several questlines and actions have you, essentially, pledging your soul to a Daedric Prince or another deity. Completing the [[MurderInc Dark]] [[ReligionOfEvil Brotherhood]] questline means that [[GodOfEvil Sithis]] has a claim on your soul. Completing the ThievesGuild questline means making a deal with [[TheSacredDarkness Nocturnal]] to spend your afterlife guarding her temple. Becoming a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolf]] means [[EgomaniacHunter Hircine]] has a claim on your soul. Becoming a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] means [[TheCorrupter Molag Bal]] has a claim on your soul. Completing the ''Dragonborn'' DLC questline means that [[EldritchAbomination Hermaeus]] [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow Mora]] has a claim on your soul. You can do all of these things without issue. It's also possible that your soul isn't even yours to give in the first place, since you are a Dragonborn, a mortal imbued with the [[DragonsAreDivine divine soul of a dragon]] by the Aedric TopGod, Akatosh.

* In ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', it's impossible for people to tell if [[PlayerCharacter The Nameless One]] is lying- something about him prevents them from detecting his falsehoods if he's charismatic enough. Doesn't matter if it's a lowly harlot in the Hive or the telepathic HiveMind of Cranium Rats, you can put the blinds on them without fail every time. Yes, [[UpToEleven you can successfully lie to beings who are actively reading your mind at the time]]. It's easily possible to bluff your way through deals with beings of PhysicalGod status.

** Similarly to the ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}'' example below, SCP-738 [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-738 is an office chair and desk set]] that features a DealWithTheDevil. After a few {{Red Shirt}}s get tossed in, they send in [[EvilLawyerJoke a lawyer]] with the single instruction to write up a contract that results in a net gain for the Foundation. ''[[UpToEleven Forty-one hours later]]'', the lawyer collapsed from exhaustion, [[MyRuleFuIsStrongerThanYours with no deal struck]], despite ''900 pages'' of a legal document being written. A note was found in the lawyer's pocket that read [[WorthyOpponent "Please come back any time. I haven't had this much fun in years."]]

** In [[https://imgur.com/s2WBqK3 this story]], a party of adventurers get to each challenge Death to a [[ChessWithDeath game of their choosing.]] After his three party members try and fail to beat Death (the Cleric technically wins his challenge, but Death was one step ahead), the Binder picks a game of hide and seek. Death will hide anywhere across the planes, and the Binder has a week to find him. If he does, Death will allow the entire party to go. Death scoots of to hide, and the Binder turns around... And immediately gets himself killed fighting a horde of enemies. When death comes to claim his soul, the Binder simply says "Found you."

* [[ProfessionalGambler Stan Pines]] in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13259895/1/A-Strange-Engagement A Strange Engagement]]'' managed to come out on top in a game of [[AbsurdlyHighStakesGame High Stakes Poker]] involving [[WesternAnimation/GravityFalls Bill Cipher]], [[WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls Him]], [[WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack Aku]], WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom, [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Morrigan]], [[WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy Grim]], and [[LightNovel/HighSchoolDxd Sirzechs Lucifer]]. It probably helps that he was new to the game and all of the other players were too busy trying to screw each other over to notice him.

* In ''Film/{{Constantine}}'', the film version of ''Comicbook/{{Hellblazer}}'', the titular character manages to defeat the film's BigBad by attempting suicide, knowing that Satan will personally come to collect his soul, at which point Satan will realize what's going on and stop the BigBad, whose attempt to start the apocalypse early would screw up Satan's plans. Satan shows his gratitude by offering Constantine a favor, and he asks that a wrongfully damned soul go to Heaven. Satan then realizes too late that Constantine had just performed a HeroicSacrifice, which allowed him to go to Heaven as well despite committing suicide. Satan instead resurrects Constantine and cures him of his lung cancer in hopes that he will sin again.

* The main character in VideoGame/CardShark plays [[ChessWithDeath a game of cards with Death]] if he dies in order to return to life. And, the game being what it is, you can cheat at it.

* In ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan'', Spidey manages to trick ''LOKI'' by playing to his ego, saying that unless he defeats Thor while the Thunder God is in his normal form, no one will respect him for it. As Loki undoes his BalefulPolymorph, Peter lampshades how he can't believe Loki fell for that!

* ''VideoGame/EldenRing'': It is entirely possible, if difficult and spoilery, to pull one over [[SatnicArchetype the Frenzied Flame]] in order to save your companion Melina. First, you have to complete Millicent's quest, then defeat [[{{Superboss}} Malenia, Blade of Miqualla]], in order to get the item that lets you do it; then, you have to go find the Frenzied Flame, agree to inherit it, use it for the purpose Melina would otherwise sacrifice herself for, and then use the key item in the boss arena of Dragonlord Placidusax, which will purge the Frenzied Flame from you and allow you to complete the game as normal. Though Melina will be horrified by what you've done and leave you for good.

* [[Series/TheColbertReport Stephen Colbert]] had a recurring segment called "Cheating Death with Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, DFA." The graphic shows Stephen in a lab coat playing chess with Death. He cheats. In his final installment in the GrandFinale, Death, instead of giving a "Seriously?" gesture, starts strangling Stephen, who shoots Death with Sweetness.

* In the UsefulNotes/{{Hindu|ism}} story of the lovers Savitri and Satyavan, Savitri tricks Yama, the lord of death, into reviving her dead husband. When she followed him to the end of the world to plead for Satyavan's soul, he was impressed by her bravery and agreed to grant her a wish for anything except Satyavan's life. She wished for seven children of her own, then after being granted her wish she pointed out that she couldn't logically have had children without her husband. Yama graciously conceded defeat.

[[quoteright:350:[[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/CreedvTzeentch.png]]]]

* ComicBook/TheTransformers:

** In ''Literature/SmallFavor'', an [[TheArchmage archmage]] of the [[TheFairFolk Summer Court]] is sent to kill Harry, as part of a power play between the courts. In the end he's obligated to follow through even though the matter has been resolved, so long as both he and Harry are still on the "field of battle." Harry has been awarded a favor by the Summer Court, but is specifically told that he can't call it in to have the mage, Eldest Gruff, spare his life. He instead asks Elder Gruff for [[spoiler:a fresh-baked Chicago donut. With sprinkles. And no magically appearing donuts! It has to be real, from a bakery. Elder Gruff notes that, since they're miles away from any bakery, that request will probably take some time. Harry says that's fine, there's no rush--since of course Harry plans to be long gone from the battlefield before the donut is delivered. Eldest Gruff, his task to kill Harry now impossible, finds this a hilariously appropriate way to bend the rules and leaves. Later books note that the ''entire'' Summer Court was laughing for days about it.]]

** This is the only way for a human to kill an otherwise-immortal {{Shinigami}}. Shinigami will die if they kill a human to prolong another human's life, since (as gods of death) they aren't meant to save lives. Light, world champion of the GambitRoulette, manages to manipulate [[spoiler:Rem, a Shinigami, into killing L and Watari in order to save Misa, and she dies cursing him as she crumbles to dust. MagnificentBastard, indeed - although Ryuk is not so easily manipulated.]]

* ''TabletopGame/PrincessTheHopefull'': Several [[BewareTheSillyOnes Princesses of Spades]] managed to trick the True Fae into promises that they'd never return to the human world.

* ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'': Linkara pulled this one off in a big way against "The Entity" in his [[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/linkara/at4w/33054-pokemon-the-electric-tale-of-pikachu Electric Tale of Pikachu review]].

** In addition to stealing fire from the gods to give to humanity, Prometheus also tricked Zeus when the god asked humanity to divide their food and sacrifice parts of it. Prometheus hid the meat in entrails and hid the bones in fat. Zeus picked the pile of bones because it looked more appealing, and from that day on, humans burned the fat and bones and ate the meat. When Zeus found out, that was the last straw and he had Prometheus chained to a rock with an eagle eating his regenerating liver every day. Prometheus still had the last laugh when Hercules eventually freed him...[[AndIMustScream a few centuries to millennia later]], that is.
*** There was also a certain amount of LoopholeAbuse involved. Hercules decided this situation wouldn't stand, but had already had a taste of divine punishment. So he rips the chains out of the cliff, leaving some stone on the end. This lets Zeus keep saying that his enemy is chained to the cliff. [[Literature/TheLastHero No word on what Prometheus did to the eagle.]]

** When Alcmene was giving birth to Hercules, Hera ordered Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, not to let it happen, so she sat down, clasped her hands, and crossed her legs, preventing the child from being born. Alcmene was about to go mad and die from the pain, but her servant Galanthis figured out what was happening. She found Eileithyia and told her the baby was already born, which shocked her so much she jumped up, allowing the baby to be born. Afterwards, as punishment for her trick, Galanthis was turned into a weasel.
** Hercules tricked Atlas (the Titan who held up the sky) in order to get the golden apples of the Hesperides (Atlas's daughters). The catch was, the Hesperides probably wouldn't have let Herc take the apples. So Herc made a deal with Atlas. If Atlas would collect the apples (he could pick them because he was the father of the Hesperides), Herc would hold up the sky while Atlas was fulfilling his part of the deal. Atlas agreed, but after collecting the apples, he refused to take the sky back. Herc basically said, "Okay, but just take the sky back for a bit so I can make my lion-skin cloak into a pad for my shoulders." Atlas took the sky back, and Herc walked away. This story is particularly notable because it was just about the only time Herc won using his wits alone rather than his strength or both together (several labors needed some forethought, planning, and lateral thinking, but also relied heavily on Heracles' prodigious strength).

->''"Even [[ComicBook/{{Mephisto}} devils]] should beware when bargaining with Thanos of Titan."''
-->-- '''ComicBook/{{Thanos}}''', ''ComicBook/TheInfinityCrusade''

* In ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', Terezi [[spoiler: pulls this on the supernatural Doc Scratch in order to bait him into enacting her revenge on Vriska]]. Yes, Terezi managed to manipulate ''an omniscient being''. [[RunningGag She is simply the best there is.]]

** In ''Literature/SmallFavor'', an [[TheArchmage archmage]] of the [[TheFairFolk Summer Court]] is sent to kill Harry before sunrise, for a slight in an earlier book. Harry has been awarded a favor by the Summer Court, but is specifically told that he can't call it in to prevent this battle. He instead asks Elder Gruff for [[spoiler:a fresh-baked Chicago donut. With sprinkles. And no magically appearing donuts! It has to be real, from a bakery. Elder Gruff notes that, because it's the middle of the night and they're nowhere near a Chicago bakery, that request will probably take some time. Harry says that's fine, there's no rush. Elder Gruff, his task to kill Harry now impossible, finds this hilarious and leaves. Later books note that the ''entire'' Summer Court was laughing for days about it.]]
** In ''Literature/{{Changes}}'', Harry seizes on a sarcastic remark to save his life: [[spoiler: When he accidentally ends up in the home of the king of the wild hunt (who really, really wants to kill Harry), who sarcastically greets him, Harry instead interprets the greeting literally, invoking SacredHospitality to prevent anyone present from harming him. The King finds this hilarious.]][[note]]The Erlking may have also allowed it as a form of PolitenessJudo; "You're 'trapped' in my hall, how are you going to try to escape before I try to hunt in ''earnest''?" The fact that Harry used his '''brain''' to latch onto something he said and attempt to use ExactWords intrigued the Erlking enough to let it play out.[[/note]]

* In the climax of ''Film/DoctorStrange2016'', [[spoiler:the good Doctor manages to beat [[EldritchAbomination Dormammu, the Dark Dimension,]] by entering it as he magically creates a loop of repeating time. Dormammu, the Dark Dimension, normally lacks any time so, although Dormammu can effortlessly kill Strange - [[TheManyDeathsOfYou and does so, repeatedly]] - Strange dying keeps resetting the loop until Dormammu is ''begging'' him to make the time-loop stop, and agrees to retreat so Strange will let it leave. As the Sorcerer Supreme himself tells the Dark Dimension: "I can lose. Again and again and again and again, forever. And that makes you my prisoner."]]

[[folder: Web Animation]]
* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', BigBad Salem has such an [[DeconstructedTrope event]] in her backstory. [[spoiler: When the God of Light refused to revive her lover, Salem sought out his much-feared younger brother and pretended that he had been her first choice. The lonely God of Darkness was so delighted to ''finally'' receive worship from a human, he granted her request without a second thought. This brought the God of Light to his realm, and the brothers nearly came to blows over the perceived violation of their agreement. The Brothers were furious when they realized a mere human had LIED to them, and cursed Salem with CompleteImmortality. Unable to die, Salem tricked others into joining her in a war with the Gods. It ended as one might expect, with the Gods wiping humanity out and abandoning Salem alone as the last sentient being on the planet. She ''still'' didn't learn her lesson, and continues to seek ways to spite the Gods]].
[[/folder]]