History Main / SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay

* Conan O'Brien's ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' sketch about [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Molecular_Man Moleculo]] (THE MOLECULAR MAAAN!) has a superhero keep blowing his SecretIdentity this way.

* ''FanFic/AndSoWeFight'' has Impa immediately figuring out Sheik is Zelda through the song she played.

* {{Subverted|Trope}} in ''[[Fanfic/EakinsHardReset Hard Reset]]'': In an early loop while engaged in a BeamOWar with Celestia, Chrysalis (as Celestia) convinces Twilight she's the real one by telling her to attack them both, knowing Twilight would believe this is something only the real Celestia would say.

** In ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'', [[spoiler:When the [[Film/TheAmazingSpiderManSeries Webb-Verse Spider-Man]] arrives at Ned’s house, MJ and Ned are baffled as he introduces himself as [[AlternateSelf Peter Parker, but from another world]]. When MJ asks him to prove he is Peter Parker, he snarkily quips that he doesn’t carry an ID with him as it “kinda defeats the whole anonymous superhero thing”. Moments later, when the [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy Raimi-Verse Peter Parker]] also arrives there, he shows off some Spider powers confirming he too is [[AlternateSelf an alternate version Peter Parker]]. When Ned asks why he didn’t just tell them he was a Spider-Man, he too snarkily quips that he generally doesn’t go around advertising that, because it “kinda defeats the whole anonymous superhero thing”. Cue both MJ and Webb-Verse remarking that that’s exactly what he earlier said.]]

* From ''Film/{{Ghost}}'': the word "ditto", which Creator/PatrickSwayze's character would use to respond to "I love you", to the point where his widow refuses to believe it's him when he tells her those three words through a medium.

* CoolOldGuy Joseph Joestar is forced to rely on this in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' Part 3. After [[spoiler:being killed by [[BigBad Dio Brando]] and having his blood drained by the vampire, he undergoes an emergency blood transfusion to try to bring him back to life]]. Upon awakening and seeing [[spoiler:Dio's corpse]], his first thought is to play a joke on his grandson, Jotaro, and pretend to be possessed by [[spoiler:the vengeful spirit of Dio]]. Jotaro is ready to punch his face in, but Joseph narrowly avoids being killed a second time by answering questions from Jotaro, such as "Who starred in [[Film/TarzanTheApeMan1981 the 1981 remake of Tarzan]]?" (Creator/BoDerek) and "Who sang 'Eat It?'" (Music/WeirdAlYankovic). As Jotaro puts it, "Only you would know such stupid things."
** Earlier in the same arc, Polnareff knows a version of his BackFromTheDead sister Sherry is the real deal when she admits she still feels guilty about an incident from when they were younger (she fed his favorite exotic fish to the cat). [[spoiler:Doesn't mean she didn't ComeBackWrong, though...]]

* In ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'', Samus (and the player) [[spoiler:gets tipped off that the AI she named after her old commanding officer from her army days, Adam Malkovich, really ''[[BrainUploading is]]'' said officer when, after giving her an order, it asks, "Any objections, {{Lady|Of War}}?" - something her commanding officer always said after giving her a briefing.]]
** That line was used again in the trailer for ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' as a cue to the ''audience'' regarding what game Nintendo was announcing, as the scenes depicted up to that point weren't obviously from a ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' game.
** In ''Other M'' itself, Samus recognizes Anthony Higgs when he calls her "Princess" near the start of the game, [[spoiler:and at the end.]]

* Played with in the ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar II: Chaos Rising'' campaign, in which one of six characters performs a FaceHeelTurn depending on their [[KarmaMeter Corruption level]]. If [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBpk8N5Av5k Tarkus is revealed as the traitor]] he spends the mission giving his former Battle Brothers advice and quoting [[BigBookOfWar the Codex Astartes]], which ''infuriates'' them, because no traitor is worthy to do such things.
* Played with in ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'', where the player must determine who the real Merlee is in one chapter thanks to a shapeshifting villain. A game show is hosted, where the player can ask five questions, then choose afterwards. However, the actual way to figure this out is that the real Merlee [[spoiler:has a fly buzzing around her, since she spent half the chapter [[{{Squick}} hiding in a toilet in a public restroom.]]]]
* Swaine in ''VideoGame/NiNoKuni'' has a habit of referring to his group of friends as "You lot"--"Stand back, you lot!" "Let's do this, you lot!" [[spoiler:So when the party travels to the past, and the young Prince Gascon refers to them as "you lot," it [[KingIncognito immediately raises some suspicions...]]]]

Compare YouJustToldMe, IronicEcho, CoverIdentityAnomaly, SoCrazyItMustBeTrue, and BluffTheImpostor. NoOneElseIsThatDumb is a SubTrope. If it's something that anybody from a particular group or with specific knowldge can answer, that's OnlyTheKnowledgableMayPass. Contrast OutOfCharacterAlert where a character wants to remain unidentified but say the identifying phrase out of habit, which at best makes someone just a touch suspicious.

* It's believed that the Japanese custom of answering the phone with "''moshimoshi?''" was to affirm the speaker as ''[[{{Youkai}} human.]]'' Supposedly, {{Kitsune}} would be [[{{Shibboleth}} unable to pronounce that phrase.]]

* On ''Series/NCISLosAngeles'', a hacker is using intricate software to not only perfectly mimic the team's voices but even "deepfake" video likenesses. Nell calls up Kensi and Deeks, asking them to prove their identities by answering "what's Hetty's favorite tea?" As it happens, neither of them has the right answer but their bickering argument about it is enough to prove to Nell it's really them.

--> '''Jack''': "Sound familiar, does it?"

* On ''Series/LawAndOrder'', a supposed heiress is found out when she uses "jughandle" to describe an offramp, exposing her really being from New Jersey.

* In an episode of ''Series/MurdochMysteries'' a female witness uses the word "huckleberry" to describe anyone she does not consider to be an upstanding citizen. When Murchoch later reviews the transcript of an old trial he discovers that the key witness in that trial also used the word "huckleberry" to describe people she did not like. He quickly discovers that the two witnesses were actually the same woman who was paid by an unscrupulous prosecutor to assume fake identities and act as a prosecution witness so the prosecutor could win more cases.

* If you're in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity and don't want to be identified as a tourist, don't pronounce Houston Street like [[{{UsefulNotes/Houston}} the city in Texas]]. Pronounce it like "HOUSE-ten" - the street name is a corruption of William Houstoun, who represented Georgia at both the Continental Congress and the US Constitutional Convention (the street used to be part of his father-in-law's estate).
** Similarly, natives of Austin, Texas can usually tell if someone is new to the city (or a tourist) by how they pronounce Manchaca [[note]]Two syllables - "Man-SHACK"[[/note]] Road.

** A few examples from the Pacific Northwest: Oregon (locals pronounce it "OR-uh-gun", not "OR-uh-gone"), Willamette ("wa-LAM-et"), and Couch Street ("Cooch Street"). Pronouncing any of those wrong is a dead giveaway that you're not a local.

* In ''Podcast/{{Qwerpline}}'' Derek's voice changes and Alex asks him a series of questions (over the phone) to try and confirm his identity. The fact that Derek [[CloudCuckooLander completly fails to answer any of the questions]] convinces Alex that it's actually him.

The polar opposite of a NotHimself or OutOfCharacterAlert; a character in disguise or otherwise hidden reveals himself to friends through saying something ''only'' he or she would say.

* Played with in ''FanFic/BackgroundPony''. Every time Spike has "met" Lyra, he says, "Dig the swell hoodie." Until [[spoiler:Chapter XVI, because it's really Discord in disguise.]] She doesn't realize it until it's too late.

Compare YouJustToldMe, TrustPassword, IronicEcho, CoverIdentityAnomaly, SoCrazyItMustBeTrue, and BluffTheImpostor. NoOneElseIsThatDumb is a SubTrope. If it's something that anybody from a particular group or with specific knowldge can answer, that's OnlyTheKnowledgableMayPass. Contrast OutOfCharacterAlert where a character wants to remain unidentified but say the identifying phrase out of habit, which at best makes someone just a touch suspicious.

** Of course, he doesn't care all that much if he's recognized, since Akumetsu has a policy of dying on the job and [[spoiler:any one of him probably has an alibi, and even if he doesn't who's going to believe that the terrorists are ''a clone army'', even after dissecting dozens of identical bodies? Also, the one who saved her wasn't the one she actually knew, even though they're all bizarrely similar for several dozen identical twins brought up separately, right up to the 'ya know.']]

** During the Chunin Exams arc, Sasuke gives Naruto and Sakura a lengthy passphrase to identify them with, since there are enemies about who might impersonate them, despite Naruto's complaints. Naruto goes off to relieve himself, and upon return identifies himself with the correct phrase. Sasuke promptly beats up the imposter, as the ''real'' Naruto wouldn't be able to remember it and even complained about it beforehand. Predictably, when the real Naruto shows up to help out, he admits that he forgot the passphrase completely.

* In ''[[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman The Return of Superman,]]'' Lois Lane asks one claimant to the name Superman why she should give him the time of day. His answer? "To Kill a Mockingbird," [[spoiler:which Lane recognizes as the real Superman's all-time favorite movie. Later on, to remove any shred of doubt in Lois' mind, he whispers to her, "No matter what happens, I will always love you. Always," [[MeaningfulEcho which was one of the last things he said to her before he died.]]]]

** Later on, he does it again to his father, who- despite having heard his voice on speakerphone- is still slightly disbelieving as to the fact that his son is an Oshawott. This is, of course, until Absent apologizes for failing to "bequeath unto [his father] that boot to the head." It's a MythologyGag-- the real Absent once showed his father a video called "Last Will and Temperament," in which... [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfMcxmOBmpk well, see for yourself.]]

* An unusual variation in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/25204132 Canary's Wrath]]''. Oliver sees Laurel kill Damien Darhk, talks with her, learns she's [[ComicBook/TheSpectre the Spectre]], and even kisses her. Shortly after she leaves, he's informed she also killed Malcolm Merlyn. It takes hearing that, for him to conclude yes, that was definitely her.

** The old man whom Aladdin meets in the dungeon says "prin-''cess''" like Jafar does. Of course, he's revealed to the audience to be Jafar immediately after, so most people don't even notice.

* In ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'', a character ([[spoiler:Mack]]) ''tries'' one of these ([[spoiler:he tells Indy a betrayal is "just like Berlin", where they were ''double-agents'']]), which fails. [[spoiler:Of course, the guy was really a traitor anyway.]]

* In ''Film/TheTenCommandments'', Moses calls Master Builder Baka "Master Butcher" after he's willing to see an old woman killed rather than momentarily pause a construction project. Later on, while disguised as a Hebrew slave, Moses sees Baka [[WhipItGood whipping Joshua]] and attacks him, putting him in a choke-hold while calling him "Master Butcher." Baka has a brief OhCrap moment of realization before he's strangled to death.

* In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', Aragorn quotes to Frodo a bit of poetry that Bilbo wrote about him. Note that Frodo knew the poem not from Bilbo, but because it was in a letter from Gandalf that he (Frodo) was reading right then. Aragorn did not know that the poem was in the letter, although he might have known or suspected that Gandalf would supply Frodo with that line, making it a reasonable thing to drop into the conversation.

* In ''[[Literature/KushielsLegacy Kushiel's Mercy]]'', even though Sidonie's under the influence of FakeMemories wiping out the memory of her boyfriend Imriel, and Imriel himself is a ManchurianAgent, the use of the word "always" when it comes up in conversation always triggers something for them, which they eventually figure out. (Note that "always" is NOT the trigger to unlock Imriel's true personality, but it seems to help the two blend together.)

** In the second Mistborn era book ''Literature/ShadowsOfSelf'' a rogue Kandra is causing havoc throughout the city and attempts to assassinate the Governor. The main characters all set up unique call and response pass-phrases with each other in order to prevent the Kandra from replacing one of them, however [[spoiler:the Kandra had already replaced the Governor at some point before the book started, making the phrases totally useless.]]

** In "Crystal Skull", Daniel Jackson is shifted into another dimension that makes him invisible to everyone but his grandfather, who unfortunately is known to be slightly insane. Daniel instructs his grandfather to repeat some things after him to convince his team that he is standing right there with them. When a skeptical Jack responds in [[DeadpanSnarker the usual way]], Daniel frustratedly mutters "Jack, don't be an ass", which of course grandpa repeats word for word. Jack is taken aback and after a second he replies, "Daniel?"

* The [[GreenRocks ancient communication stones]] used in ''Series/StargateUniverse'' seem to be setting up for a whole swath of this trope. The stones allow faster than light communication through the simple expedient of [[FreakyFridayFlip swapping bodies]] with the host receiver at the other end. It kicked off in episode 9 with one of the crew being allowed to visit her girlfriend/lover back on Earth, but doing so in the guise of a totally different body. Asked if it was really her, the [blue eyed, Anglo] stranger replied in fluent Cantonese "Have you thrown away that ugly red chair yet?", which satisfied her lover as to her identity.

* In one of the most brutal subversions of this, in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', the completely altered Jean-Luc Picard, aka Locutus, addresses the ''Enterprise'' crew after their failed attempt to destroy him. "''Your resistance is hopeless... '''Number One'''.''" The look on Riker's face, and the crew's, was pure [[OhCrap Oh Shit!!]]. To clarify, TheReveal here is that Locutus - and therefore the Borg - had access to all Picard's memories, and therefore knew all the Federation's plans to try and defeat the Borg.

* In ''VideoGame/DigimonWorld2,'' at some point late in the game, a member of the Blood Knights, Commander Damien, disguises himself as a Black Sword cadet. Your character gets suspicious, and in an attempt to draw him out, calls out "Commander Damien, sir!". Damien, of course, responds, but not long before he realizes he just blew his cover.

* The entire concept of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/shibboleth shibboleth]], a way of identifying someone as an ally as described in the [[Literature/TheBible Book of Judges]], where captured Ephraimites are betrayed by the fact that they can't pronunce the "sh" phoneme and would say "sibboleth" instead, is based around this. These days, shibboleths are call-and-response; a belligerent in a war will have a certain phrase and counter-phrase. If an approaching battalion gets the phrase wrong, they're the enemy. If the guard gets the counter-phrase wrong, the outpost is under enemy control. Notable examples include:

* A Finnish shibboleth during the WWII was ''Höyryjyrä'' (literally "steamroller"). The voiced 'h', frontal 'ö' and 'ä' phonems, labial 'y' and rolling 'r' are almost impossible for anyone except native Finns to pronounce.

* ''Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}'': in the first appearance of DD's ex-girlfriend Comicbook/{{Elektra}}, he reveals his identity when he addresses her by his old nickname for her.
* In the original ''ComicBook/{{WITCH}}'' comics, Taranee gets captured and tortured by Elyon and convinced that anything she sees is an illusion. When Will comes to retrieve her, Elyon tries to convince Taranee that rescuing Will is an illusion created by her too. But Will says that she's telling the truth and Taranee can read Will's mind if she wants to verify, and Taranee figures it out because Elyon never knew Taranee could read minds.

** In ''Fanfic/LadyLuckMiraculousLadybug'', this ends up being the reason why there's no MutualMasqurade between Lady Luck and Chat Noir like in the canon series. During her first outing with the Ladybug Miraculous, Chloe ends up tangled up Chat Noir and hears him joke about their situation. She guesses that he's [[ChildhoodFriend Adrien]] from his puns and snarks at him for it, only to see that he's now Chat Noir. Likewise, Chloe's LamePunReaction cues Adrien who she is, meaning both of them know the other's super-hero identity before the glamour could prevent recognition.