Line #53 Main/IdiotBall


1	%% Image moved to Phlebotinum-Induced Stupidity per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1478281249084715500
2	%%
3	%% Due to the nature of this trope, finding a proper image will be very tricky.
4	%% Thus, do not add an image without going through Image Pickin' first.
5
6	->'''Obi-Wan:''' ''[trapped in ray shields]'' Wait a minute. How did this happen? We're smarter than this.\
7	'''Anakin:''' Apparently not.
8	-->-- ''Franchise/StarWars Episode III: Film/RevengeOfTheSith''
9
10	%% One quote is sufficient. Please place additional entries on the quotes tab.
11
12	A moment when a normally competent character suddenly becomes incompetent -- knowingly or otherwise -- which fuels an episode, a plot line, or any number of smaller threads.
13
14	[[TropeNamers Coined]] by Creator/HankAzaria on ''Series/HermansHead'': Azaria would ask the writing staff, "Who's carrying the idiot ball this week?" [[CaptainObvious This is generally not a compliment]]. Frequently, the person carrying the idiot ball is acting {{Out of Character\|Moment}}, [[YouKnowWhatYouDid misunderstanding something]] that could be cleared up by asking a [[PoorCommunicationKills single reasonable question]], or [[JustEatGilligan not performing a simple action]] that would solve everything. It's almost as if the character holding the ball is being willfully stupid or obtuse (or impulsive) far beyond what has been established as "natural" for them. Frequently, it's only because the story (and by extension, the writers) ''need'' them to act this way, or else the chosen plot/conflict for the episode won't happen.
15
16	Unsurprisingly, this provokes a "DarthWiki/WhatAnIdiot" response from the audience. However, sometimes, the purpose is to ''help'' the audience. Sometimes, the holder of the idiot ball [[TheWatson asks the dumb question]] to allow a certain amount of exposition to occur, that wouldn't naturally be talked about, but needs to be stated for the audience.
17
18	On the other hand, Administrivia/TropesAreTools -- making stupid mistakes can be the hallmark of CharacterDevelopment if the person recognizes it in the end. Seeing someone discarding the idiot ball can be a rewarding moment when they are TaughtByExperience. Likewise, Idiot Balls can also deflect a boring InvincibleHero, which is positive for an audience reaction. There is nothing like a "Why on earth did he do that?" to get the fans talking about the show after it's over. In any relatively [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism Idealistic setting]], the villains will typically ''always'' firmly hold onto the Idiot Ball; instead of [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just shooting the heroes]], expect to see plenty of EvilGloating because... well, the show would be over otherwise. It's also worth noting that an idiot ball can be in the hands of someone whose personality would likely leave them holding it (the hotheaded type shooting their mouth off at a crucial moment when silence and discretion were necessary, for example).
19
20	This trope can be seen as TruthInTelevision, as everyone makes stupid mistakes every once in a while, frequently without meaning to and/or knowing it.
21
22	Temporary (or permanent) GenreBlindness is often a cause of this trope. When multiple characters in the story have to grab the Idiot Ball to keep the plot going, you have an IdiotPlot.
23
24	Compare with PingPongNaivete where a character goes back and forth between grabbing and not grabbing a particular Idiot Ball, ForgotAboutHisPowers where a character advances the plot by ''not'' doing something expected rather than doing something unexpected, LethallyStupid if a character remains alive but their actions are disastrous and put others at risk, or TooDumbToLive where an Idiot Ball kills them (or at least almost kills them).
25
26	See also HanlonsRazor. For the {{opposite\|Tropes}}, see SmartBall. Peruse the BallIndex for similar forms of {{Out Of Character Moment}}s.
27
28	Note that this trope only applies if the person is acting incompetent '''beyond''' what we have normally seen of them. If they are continuously that dumb, they're more likely TheDitz or TheFool. Similarly, generally doesn't count if the holder is DrivenToMadness or under a HeroicBSOD. FearInducedIdiocy and LoveMakesYouDumb are subtropes.
29
30	[[SelfDemonstratingArticle Now if you excuse me, I'll be spending my vacation in]] [[UsefulNotes/{{Chernobyl}} Chernobyl]] [[SelfDemonstratingArticle while all of you tropers look at the many examples of this trope.]]
31
32	'''Subtropes include:'''
33	[[index]]
34	* AlcoholInducedIdiocy
35	* CutsceneIncompetence
36	* DeerInTheHeadlights
37	* DistressBall
38	* ExhaustionInducedIdiocy
39	* ForgotAboutHisPowers
40	* FuryFueledFoolishness
41	* GreedMakesYouDumb
42	* HeroBall
43	* JustEatGilligan
44	* LoveMakesYouDumb
45	* LustMakesYouDumb
46	* PhlebotinumInducedStupidity
47	* PoorCommunicationKills (when used improperly)
48	* SeriousBusiness
49	* StupidityIsTheOnlyOption
50	* ThinksOfSomethingSmartSaysSomethingStupid
51	* ThirdActStupidity
52	* TheTroublemaker
53	* VillainBall
54	[[/index]]
55
56	----
57
58	!!Example subpages:
59	[[index]]
60	* IdiotBall/{{Advertising}}
61	* IdiotBall/AnimeAndManga
62	* IdiotBall/ComicBooks
63	* IdiotBall/FanWorks
64	* [[IdiotBall/AnimatedFilms Films — Animated]]
65	* [[IdiotBall/LiveActionFilms Films — Live-Action]]
66	* IdiotBall/{{Literature}}
67	* IdiotBall/LiveActionTV
68	** ''IdiotBall/KamenRiderZeroOne''
69	* IdiotBall/MythsAndReligion
70	* IdiotBall/ProfessionalWrestling
71	* IdiotBall/TabletopGames
72	* IdiotBall/{{Theatre}}
73	* IdiotBall/VideoGames
74	* IdiotBall/WebAnimation
75	* IdiotBall/{{Webcomics}}
76	* IdiotBall/WebOriginal
77	* IdiotBall/WesternAnimation
78	[[/index]]

Context Main / IdiotBall