History Main / ScryVsScry

The [[TropeNamer name of this trope]] is [[PunnyTropeNames a pun]] on Magazine/{{MAD}}'s ''ComicStrip/SpyVsSpy''.

The [[TropeNamer name of this trope]] is [[JustForPun a pun]] on Magazine/{{MAD}}'s ''ComicStrip/SpyVsSpy''.

The [[TropeNamer name of this trope]] is [[JustForPun a pun]] on Magazine/{{MAD}}'s ''Spy vs. Spy''.

* Ultraman Lugeno and [[spoiler:Mater Mundaram]] eventually get into a scry vs scry situation towards the second half of ''Ultraman Moedari.'' Both can see the future and travel time, and try to manipulate it to their goals. [[spoiler: Neither gets what they want.]]

* There are some suggestions that the movie ''Film/{{Next}}'' may be one of these, given that [[spoiler:half the movie turns out to be the main character's precognitive vision]] and [[spoiler:the bad guys have been specifically ordered to stop him before he hooks up with his PowerUp[=/=]LoveInterest.]]

* Much of ''Manga/{{X1999}}'' is conflict led by ''Yumemi'' or dreamseers on opposite sides.

* ''Anime/VisionOfEscaflowne'' is concerned with a battle of Scry Vs Scry between BigBad Emperor Dornkirk, who foretells and manipulates fate through technological means, and protagonist Hitomi, who [[spoiler:due to her ancestry]] has the talent naturally ([[spoiler:including [[RealityWarper the manipulation part]], though she doesn't realize this until late]]).

* In the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' saga, Alice can see the future and Edward can read minds. When they play chess, this results in a repeating cycle that ends with Alice knocking over her own king without either ever moving a piece.

* ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' has two rival factions of {{time travel}}ers, with Mikuru and "Sneering Bastard" as representatives. The latter frequently expresses annoyance at the {{Stable Time Loop}}s he [[YouCantFightFate has to follow]], but he's here for ''something''.

* In ''LightNovel/MushokuTenseiJoblessReincarnation'' [[spoiler:Hitogami]] has foresight while [[spoiler:Orsted]] can predict the future based on the experience from his [[GroundhogDayLoop curse]]. The former is limited because once a change is initiated by either of them he cannot accurately see the future; the latter is limited by incomplete knowledge and his other curses. Rudeus ends up a pawn for both of them because he lies outside [[spoiler:Orsted]]'s knowledge.

* The ClockKing and Rose Wilson both have the power to see about 4 seconds into the future. Their fights tend to be evenly matched.
* Batman and Captain America's battle during ''ComicBook/JLAAvengers'': they exchanged a few blows to test each other, then decided that neither would win, at least for a very long time, and chose to talk things out instead.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'': In the season seven episode "Styx Feet Under", the charmed ones can predict who is going to die next (due to having Death's list), but their opponent has access to a fortuneteller.
* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' parody show ''The Curse of Fatal Death'' had the Doctor and the Master in a standoff of sorts where they compete to change the past so that the present would work to their current advantage. Obviously the person who was able to go back the ''furthest'' into the past and anticipate the changes that the other would make would come out on top of the situation. (The standoff ended with the Master accidentally falling into a sewer that took him 300 years to climb out of. He somehow managed to do this ''three times''.)

* The Psychic vs. Psychic episode of ''Series/{{Psych}}'' is even titled "Psy vs. Psy". However, it's subverted in that both the main character and his new competition are {{Phony Psychic}}s simply trying to out SherlockScan each other and [[spoiler:that in said competition gets a leg up because she was involved with the counterfeiter they were trying to track down]].

* Series/{{Lost}}. [[spoiler: The whole show ultimately boils down to one of these. Two powerful brothers, Jacob and the Man in Black, have spent 2,000 years using their precognition to "guide" people on a twisty-turney, time-looping odyssey to kill each other.]]

[[folder:Tabletop RPG]]
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'', [[SpaceElves Eldar]] Farseers, Chaos worshipers of [[TheChessmaster Tzeentch]], and some human psykers are all capable of foresight. With the setting what it is, any competition between them results in catastrophic body counts. What makes the whole thing even more confusing is that Tzeentch is such a obsessive [[TheChessmaster chessmaster]] that sometimes the person he's going up against is himself. As the god of change the only thing that matters is playing the game, since winning would lead to a form of stagnation.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** In the sequel ''Literature/{{Ward}}'', [[spoiler:when Contessa turns into Titan Fortuna and her already broken power is turned UpToEleven, the Simurgh immediately flies up to her and the two of them just sit there staring at each other for hours and hours. Eventually we see what's happening from Fortuna's point of view: she's trying to calculate millions of different paths to various different "victories", but the Simurgh is blocking her at every turn, sabotaging her future sight and causing all of her paths to lead to the Simurgh winning.]]

* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', the fact that this trope is in effect for every precognitive in existence is the only reason that humanity stands a chance against [[HumanoidAbomination the Simurgh]]. [[spoiler: It is later revealed that Simurgh does not in fact suffer that weakness - she merely lets people believe she does.]]
** However, [[spoiler:Contessa]] [[OneHeroHoldTheWeaksauce does not have this limitation]], which makes her [[StoryBreakerPower incredibly overpowered]].

* In ''Franchise/{{Mistborn}}'', Allomancers can see a few seconds into the future--not enough to generally be useful, but enough to give them a massive tactical advantage in battle--by using the fictional metal [[AppliedPhlebotinum atium]]. When two atium-using Allomancers get in a fight, the result is a very... compressed version of this trope.

* In ''LightNovel/MushokuTensei'' [[spoiler:Hitogami]] has foresight while [[spoiler:Orsted]] can predict the future based on the experience from his [[GroundhogDayLoop curse]]. The former is limited because once a change is initiated by either of them he cannot accurately see the future; the latter is limited by incomplete knowledge and his other curses. Rudeus ends up a pawn for both of them because he lies outside [[spoiler:Orsted]]'s knowledge.

** And then in one of his later ''Xeelee'' novels (''The Ring'' I believe) you find out that the Xeelee were really mainly fighting another entity entirely. One with the intent of essentially destroying every star in existence so as to let themselves live longer and easier. Humanity was only ever a distraction that the Xeelee put up with until we got too annoying then they put us in our place. Oh and those pesky [[spoiler: photino birds? They win, the Xeelee loses. The known universe is abandoned.]] As this was the first novel in the sequence I read it was a rather disturbing first impression of the Xeelee.

* The two Watchers in ''Film/{{Push}}'', as per the quote at the top of the page. While they both have the power to see the future, it manifests in different ways: Cassie's visions come in the form of snatches of imagery, while Pop-girl is said to be able to divine ''intentions'', not just sights. This leads to a complicated GambitRoulette where the protagonist hands out sealed instructions to his allies, reasoning that Pop-girl won't be able to predict their actions if they have no idea what it is they're going to do until they do it - and then [[MemoryGambit he has his own memories of creating the envelopes erased]] to seal the deal. [[spoiler:It works without a hitch, but then it's implied that the entire events of the movie have been planned out in advance by an even more powerful Watcher.]]

* A variation of this in ''FanFic/ChildOfTheStorm,'' between the time-traveller and {{Seer}} [[MagnificentBastard Dr. Strange]] and [[spoiler: Sinister]], who is actually not a precognitive or a time traveller, but is somehow immune to the former's foresight (it's implied that he had outside assistance). Strange, who's usually TheChessmaster and ''the'' MagnificentBastard of the series who manipulates everyone, has to scramble to keep on top of things, nearly killing himself and driving himself halfway mad to set it right, and actually messes things up for the first time in the story. However, he does still come out on top. And finds a way around [[spoiler: Sinister's]] immunity. This does not end well for [[spoiler: Sinister]]. At all.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'', [[OurElvesAreBetter Eldar]] Farseers, Chaos worshipers of [[TheChessmaster Tzeentch]], and some human psykers are all capable of foresight. With the setting what it is, any competition between them results in catastrophic body counts.
** Then throw in the Cabal from ''Legion'' and watch as everything goes straight to hell on the GambitPileup Express.
** Whats makes the whole thing even more confusing is that Tzeentch is such a obsessive [[TheChessmaster chessmaster]] that sometimes the person he's going up against is himself. As the god of change the only thing that matters is playing the game, since winning would lead to a form of stagnation.

* The final confrontation between Holmes and Moriarty in ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'' becomes this since both are capable of [[SherlockScan fully predicting fights]]. The first vision is narrated by Holmes and shows how he'd win. Moriarty then interrupts and narrates counters that he will be using. Holmes comes to realize through their mental debate that Moriarty will win because Holmes is injured but Moriarty is well-rested. When the fight takes place for real, Holmes [[spoiler:TakesAThirdOption and [[TakingYouWithMe drags them both]] [[HeroicSacrifice off the balcony edge]] to plummet down a ravine.]]

* This appears to be the case in ''Literature/NightWatch'' between Gesar and Zabulon, two Great Others[[note]]which means they are "above categories" -- power of each is so close to the physical limit, no Other can get significantly stronger -- and possess vast experience and the appropriate mindset; most Great Ones are many centuries old[[/note]]. Any Other can visualize fate lines and predict outcomes, sometimes decades in advance, both sides employ seers and prophets, but Great Ones take into account and cover many more paths. Supposedly this is what distinguishes Great Ones from merely "above categories". Some characters attempt to do the unexpected, only to realize this was all part of the plan.

* ''Manga/BungoStrayDogs'' has a direct version. Two characters with the same Ability end up clashing as one of them is the leader of an organization wishing to overthrow the mafia, of which the other is a member of. In-universe, there is speculated to be something called 'The Oddity of Abilities' that happens when two Ability-users with the same gift meet eachother. In this case, it is multiple overlapping futures playing out in front of both of them. This forces them to rely on old brutal violence.