History Main / MortonsFork

* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'': The Reds and Blues force [[spoiler: Felix]] into one during their final confrontation by shooting a sticky grenade at his energy shield then tossing another grenade at his feet. If he drops the heavy shield to get away, the sticky grenade goes off in his face. If he doesn't drop the shield he won't be able to avoid the grenade beside him. He's still trying to think of a way out when the latter scenario kills him.

* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'': The Reds and Blues force [[spoiler: Felix]] into one during their final confrontation by shooting a sticky grenade at his light shield then tossing another grenade at his feet. If he drops the heavy shield to get away, the sticky grenade goes off in his face. If he doesn't drop the shield he won't be able to avoid the grenade beside him. He's still trying to think of a way out when the latter scenario kills him.

A character is presented with two or more options. Either choice results in the same, or similar, unfortunate consequence. The ManyQuestionsFallacy is often a form of this, where a loaded question ("Yes or no, have you stopped beating your wife lately?") precludes a "safe" answer[[note]]unless you're one of the people who [[TakeAThirdOption use the word "mu"]] to mean "this question can only be answered in a way that conflicts with reality"[[/note]] (since, in this case, by denying to answer the question, you are essentially admitting that suspicions about you beating your wife are legitimate).[[note]]You could be tricky and say ''"No, I can't stop if I never started."'', but if they're willing to attack you with loaded questions, they're more than willing to QuoteMine you and pretend you said ''"No, I can't stop..."''.[[/note]]

The name comes from the tax-collecting practices of John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor under King [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfTudor Henry VII]] of UsefulNotes/{{England}}. He reasoned that anyone who was living extravagantly was rich, and so could afford high taxes, whereas anyone who was living frugally had saved a lot, and so could afford high taxes. Bear in mind before you get ''too'' crazy that this was typically used to keep people ''known'' to be well-off from trying to weasel their way out of paying; he wasn't exactly trying to collect from peasants in hovels. Instead, he was trying to get around a then-common excuse for not paying taxes (that is, not having any money to do so) by discounting the proofs used to support the excuse (actual profligacy and feigned poverty).[[note]]The basic rule lives on: if you're going to say that you don't have the money to pay your taxes, you'll have to open your books to the government — simply ''saying'' "I spent it all on junk" or "Look, I'm living on the cheap, clearly I'm poor" won't cut it. Sometimes the [[IntimidatingRevenueService tax authorities]] will settle, but more often they'll just put a lien on what you do have so that if you sell anything, they can collect the proceeds. This is a lot easier today, what with electronic payment systems being common; obviously, it was much harder in Morton's day.[[/note]]

* In ''Comicbook/WhateverHappenedToTheCapedCrusader'', the kid who has been told to keep an eye on the Jokermobile feels he's in one of these. If he runs, the Joker will feel he's broken their agreement, hunt him down and kill him. If he ''stays'', the Joker will probably find something wrong with the car and kill him.

* In ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', the Vogon leader tells his men that if he hears a word out of any of them, he'll shoot them all. Then he asks a question and tells them that if someone doesn't answer... well, guess.

Remember, it's only a Morton's Fork if both choices lead to basically the ''same'' outcome. It isn't enough just to be given a choice between two bad options. If you're offered a choice between a bad option and a worse one, that's probably TheEasyWayOrTheHardWay. If the choice is deceptive — and the option that seems less bad is actually worse — that's TheWindowOrTheStairs. Subtrope of FailureIsTheOnlyOption. Compare PrisonersDilemma.

* Pilotredsun's "Not So Fast" has its viewpoint character and his friend on the run from police for carrying drugs. When the friend asks the viewpoint character to throw out all their quaaludes, he quickly realizes that every direction he'd throw them would alert the (already entering) policemen, so he throws them behind the car where there aren't any cops. Little did he know that a ''police dog'' was waiting for them just below the back seat's line of sight, and gets a face full of drugs knocked into it. It's not as if the boys would have had a chance anyway, since [[DiggingYourselfDeeper the friend asks the viewpoint character while he's talking to the police and they knew they were getting cornered from the start]].

Compare XanatosGambit, where this is weaponized in a specific type of [[ThePlan plan]] and often used by TheChessmaster. See also SadisticChoice, which similarly forces characters to choose between two untenable choices, except that each leads to a different undesirable outcome. Characters often attempt to TakeAThirdOption in response, with varying degrees of success. They may instead pick one to GetItOverWith. If the fork is deliberately placed into a test, this is UnwinnableTrainingSimulation. Can be the outcome of a TrialByOrdeal, especially those involving witchcraft, where some ordeals were made to be deadly for innocents, the survivors, being deemed culprits and ending [[BurnTheWitch burnt on the stake]].

Contrast SweetAndSourGrapes, wherein a good outcome occurs regardless of the choice made. ButThouMust is related, because in that case, all the choices are the same, and lead to the same outcome. Not interchangeable with Catch22Dilemma, where the problem is circular—to achieve one thing you must first do or acquire something else, but to do or acquire ''that'' you must have the first thing.

Remember, it's only a Morton's Fork if both choices lead to basically the ''same'' outcome. It isn't enough just to be given a choice between two bad options. If you're offered a choice between a bad option and a worse one, that's probably TheEasyWayOrTheHardWay. If the choice is deceptive—and the option that seems less bad is actually worse—that's TheWindowOrTheStairs. Subtrope of FailureIsTheOnlyOption. Compare PrisonersDilemma.

* ''Animation/HappyHeroes'': In the second episode, Big M. gives the people of Planet Xing two options in regards to the Jixie Stones. If they don't give him the Stones, he'll take over the planet. If they ''do'' give him the Stones, he'll use them to take over the planet. Miss Peach comments on how neither sounds good.

** In one video of ''Stalker x Stalker'' , the boyfriend of Junko's younger twin sisters is confronted by their father, who says for him to break up with them or else he'll kill him. The next day, the guy goes to the twins to break up with them, which makes them cry... and their father appears behind him, implying he's going to kill him for making his daughters cry.
* Pilotredsun's "Not So Fast" has its viewpoint character and his friend on the run from police for carrying drugs. When the friend asks the viewpoint character to throw out all their quaaludes, he quickly realizes that every direction he'd throw them would alert the (already entering) policemen, so he throws them behind the car where there aren't any cops. Little did he know that a ''police dog'' was waiting for them just below the back seat's line of sight, and gets a face full of drugs knocked into it. It's not as if the boys would have had a chance anyway, since [[TooDumbToLive the friend asks the viewpoint character while he's talking to the police and they new they were getting cornered from the start]].

* Creator/{{Merryweathery}}:

* At the end of this ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttfiq267eKs Minecraft Girls]]'' video by Merryweatherly, Steve is asked by Creeper-chan and Endergirl which of the two he loves the most. He chooses Endergirl, which causes Creeper-chan to explode on him out of anger. He then rewinds to the decision part and chooses Creeper-chan instead, which causes her to explode on him anyway, only out of love. [[spoiler: He rewinds again and decides to make a run for it, seeing as he'll get exploded either way.]]
* In one video of Merryweatherly's ''Stalker x Stalker'' series, the boyfriend of Junko's younger twin sisters is confronted by their father, who says for him to break up with them or else he'll kill him. The next day, the guy goes to the twins to break up with them, which makes them cry... and their father appears behind him, implying he's going to kill him for making his daughters cry.

* Pilotredsun's "Not So Fast" has its viewpoint character and his friend on the run from police for carrying drugs. When the friend asks the viewpoint character to throw out all their quaaludes, he quickly realizes that every direction he'd throw them would alert the (already entering) policemen), so he throws them behind the car where there aren't any cops. Little did he know that a ''police dog'' was waiting for them just below the back seat's line of sight, and gets a face full of drugs knocked into it. It's not as if the boys would have had a chance anyway, since [[TooDumbToLive the friend asks the viewpoint character while he's talking to the police and they new they were getting cornered from the start]].

** Those accused of witchcraft face two choices; confess to being a witch (and be burned as a result) or hang for denial. This is even lampshaded:

* Less maliciously, "Are you in denial?" If yes, then they admit they're in denial about something. If no, they can't come to grips with the AwfulTruth-whatever that may be.

* In ''ComicBook/JudgmentDayMarvelComics'', Destiny and Exodus complain about humans being on Krakoa when the Avengers arrive to help the X-Men defend the island from the Eternals. When the team leaves at Cyclops' request to stop a life-threatening tsunami, they turn around and start complaining that the humans were now ''leaving'' them to face the Eternals by themselves. Nightcrawler calls them out on being UngratefulBastards.

-->-- '''[[PragmaticVillainy Jaime Lannister]]''', calling [[AxCrazy Cersei]] out, ''Series/GameOfThrones''

* ''ComicBook/TopTen'': Irma Geddon tears into android cop Joe Pi, claiming that he didn't care enough to attend the funeral of [[spoiler: Girl One]]. Joe points out that attending would just have been seen as a display of "faking emotion", and that he felt it was more respectful to not try to hijack their moment. Irma, to her credit, realizes there was no "right" thing for Joe to do and apologizes.

* ''Machinima/{{Smashtasm}}'' has the scene where Grant and Gront are reporting to [=Girem6=]. Gront keeps pissing off [=Girem6=], which leads said BigBad to order another mook to inflict pain on Grant. After a few hits, and asking why he's the one being punished, Grant is told that "[[IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure Hitting the partner of the offender encourages discipline.]]" Grant tries to get even by insulting his boss, who orders him to be punished anyway, "Because I blame your friend for that comment."

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'': The Reds and Blues force [[spoiler: Felix]] into one during their final confrontation by shooting a sticky grenade at his light shield then tossing another grenade at his feet. If he drops the heavy shield to get away, the sticky grenade goes off in his face. If he doesn't drop the shield he won't be able to avoid the grenade beside him. He's still trying to think of a way out when the latter scenario kills him.

This is often confused with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobson%27s_choice Hobson's choice]]. Thomas Hobson—who lived about half a century after Morton—leased horses, and, having noticed that, given a real choice, his customers tended to pick the same horses over and over again, leaving them seriously over-used while leaving others almost completely unexercised, he had customers automatically assigned the one nearest the door rather than let them pick, so all the horses would be used and exercised equally. The customer's choice was "Take it (the horse assigned) or leave it (don't get any horse)." A Hobson's choice is a false choice because there's only one real option if you're in need of the thing being offered. A Morton's Fork is a false choice because both options have the same or equally undesirable results.

The name comes from the tax-collecting practices of John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor under [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfTudor Henry VII]]. He reasoned that anyone who was living extravagantly was rich, and so could afford high taxes, whereas anyone who was living frugally had saved a lot, and so could afford high taxes. Bear in mind before you get ''too'' crazy that this was typically used to keep people ''known'' to be well-off from trying to weasel their way out of paying; he wasn't exactly trying to collect from peasants in hovels. Instead, he was trying to get around a then-common excuse for not paying taxes (that is, not having any money to do so) by discounting the proofs used to support the excuse (actual profligacy and feigned poverty).[[note]]The basic rule lives on: if you're going to say that you don't have the money to pay your taxes, you'll have to open your books to the government — simply ''saying'' "I spent it all on junk" or "Look, I'm living on the cheap, clearly I'm poor" won't cut it. Sometimes the [[IntimidatingRevenueService tax authorities]] will settle, but more often they'll just put a lien on what you do have so that if you sell anything, they can collect the proceeds. This is a lot easier today, what with electronic payment systems being common; obviously, it was much harder in Morton's day.[[/note]]

* A sketch on ''Radio/JohnFinnemoresSouvenirProgramme'' involves Creator/{{Voltaire}}, Voltaire's friend who is the greates swordsman in France, and a man who doesn't believe that Voltaire would really fight to the death for someone's right to say something he disagreed with. When the swordsman takes offence on Voltaire's behalf and challenges the man to a duel, Voltaire initially feels obliged to fight in the man's stead, where he will inevitably lose and be killed. When he then decides that this is stupid, the swordsman is outraged to realise that the other man was right after all. So he challenges ''Voltaire'' to a duel... (The sketch ends with Voltaire's funeral, where the priest notes that the "final irony" is [[BeamMeUpScotty that Voltaire never said that in the first place]].)

* A sketch on ''Radio/JohnFinnemoresSouvenirProgramme'' involves Creator/{{Voltaire}}, Voltaire's friend who is the greates swordsman in France, and a man who doesn't believe that Voltaire would really fight to the death for someone's right to say something he disagreed with. When the swordsman takes offence on Voltaire's behalf and challenges the man to a duel, Voltaire initially feels obliged to fight in the man's stead, where he will inevitably lose and be killed. When he then decides that this is stupid, the swordsman is outraged to realise that the other man was right after all. So he challenges ''Voltaire'' to a duel...