| 1 | %% |
| 2 | %% |
| 3 | %% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks! |
| 4 | %% |
| 5 | %% |
| 6 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=mxh4ol74iyvcn34yy4di0zr3 |
| 7 | %% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 8 | %% |
| 9 | [[quoteright:200:[[Webcomic/BobAndGeorge https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lookoverthere_9917.png]]]] |
| 10 | [[caption-width-right:200:You can never be too careful.]] |
| 11 | |
| 12 | ->'''Archer:''' Watch out! Behind you!\ |
| 13 | '''Geralt:''' ''[completely unfazed]'' ... There's nothing behind me. I'm a Witcher, I'd have heard it. Just like I can hear your heart. Which is pounding. Like a liar's. |
| 14 | -->-- ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'' |
| 15 | |
| 16 | Alice is in a tight situation involving Bob. Maybe Bob wants money from her, or has a gun pointed at her head, or is just plain annoying. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | Alice points past Bob's shoulder and yells, "Hey, what's that over there?!?", or "Look! A [insert improbable thing here]!" Bob looks. Alice [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere legs it]]. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | In the subversion, Bob doesn't look, but instead mocks Alice: "You'll think I'll fall for that?" or "That's the oldest trick in the book!" Unfortunately for Bob, deciding not to look [[TemptingFate drastically ramps up the probability]] that the thing Alice described ''is'' there, and it'll be something he's not going to like. |
| 21 | |
| 22 | A variant is for Alice to just look past Bob with a quizzical expression, or to duck herself -- this latter being an almost certain guarantee of Bob mocking Alice and then getting brained by the oncoming [[LowClearance low bridge]]. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | One of TheOldestTricksInTheBook; quite possibly ''the'' oldest, considering RealLife cases are recorded for monkeys. Telling the target their shoelace is untied or their fly is down are similar tricks, and are usually grouped with this one. |
| 25 | |
| 26 | Related to WeNeedADistraction. Also in the process of becoming a DiscreditedTrope (if not an outright DeadHorseTrope). Note, however, that just the two last words ("Behind you") are pure ParanoiaFuel on their own. Compare SnapToTheSide. If the method involved deliberately having them look somewhere just in time to be killed/heavily injured by something, see DeathByLookingUp. See NoPeekingRequest when a characters asks another to turn or not look while they're performing an action. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | Not to be confused with ''Series/LookAroundYou'', RightBehindMe, or what viewers yell at [[NoPeripheralVision blinkered horror movie victims]]. Compare and contrast with ScaredOfWhatsBehindYou. |
| 29 | |
| 30 | ---- |
| 31 | !!Example subpages |
| 32 | |
| 33 | [[index]] |
| 34 | * LookBehindYou/AnimeAndManga |
| 35 | * LookBehindYou/{{Film}} |
| 36 | * LookBehindYou/{{Literature}} |
| 37 | * LookBehindYou/LiveActionTV |
| 38 | * LookBehindYou/VideoGames |
| 39 | * LookBehindYou/WesternAnimation |
| 40 | [[/index]] |
| 41 | |
| 42 | ---- |
| 43 | |
| 44 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 45 | [[folder:Advertising]] |
| 46 | * Bojangles did this twice in one of their commercials where one guy tells the other that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is behind him, but it turns out it's just a cardboard cutout. The second guy claims the same thing, to which the first sarcastically describes the racer ordering a specific meal. Turns out he's the real [[{{Pun}} Dale]] when he corrects the guy: |
| 47 | -->'''Dale Earnhardt Jr.:''' Dirty rice, Tim. It's dirty rice. |
| 48 | %%* Advertising/{{GEICO}} did this as part of their "Did You Know" campaign: "Did you know that there ''is'' an [[TheOldestTricksInTheBook oldest trick in the book]]?" [[https://youtu.be/qnH5BGfrV7o This is that trick.]] (Administrivia/WeblinksAreNotExamples; in what situation is the trick done?) |
| 49 | * John West did this in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP92j-uEnps one of their commercials]] where a man fights a bear for some salmon and is losing until he points up and yells, "Oh, look, an eagle!" The bear falls for it and suffers a GroinAttack as a result. |
| 50 | [[/folder]] |
| 51 | |
| 52 | [[folder:Asian Animation]] |
| 53 | * In the ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf: Joys of Seasons'' episode "Travel Bodyguard", Banana Wolf tries to distract Wolnie by yelling that there's a goat nearby so that he can escape from Wolf Castle. It doesn't work. |
| 54 | [[/folder]] |
| 55 | |
| 56 | [[folder:Comedy]] |
| 57 | * Creator/EddieIzzard: |
| 58 | ** His monologue on beekeeping depicts the process of honey-harvesting as walking into a hive and then saying "Look, there's a Ferrari over there!" so you can steal all the honey. |
| 59 | ** Part of his Supermarket routine. |
| 60 | --->'''Izzard:''' Oh, look over there, there's a badger with a gun-- New queue! |
| 61 | [[/folder]] |
| 62 | |
| 63 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 64 | * In ''ComicBook/{{Bone}}'', when Phoney and Smiley are cornered by a group of Vedu warriors, Smiley yells, "'''Look out! There's a swarm of angry bees behind you!'''" In this case, the bees ''are'' there, but the Vedu think it's this trope; |
| 65 | -->'''Vedu warrior:''' Are you trying to scare us? Nice try. It'll take more than a swarm full of six-legged '''flower suckers''' to scare us.\ |
| 66 | ''[[RightBehindMe (Vedu notice the bees)]]''\ |
| 67 | '''Bee:''' '''Fill your hands with swords!''' We're gonna tear you a new '''stamen an' pistil!''' |
| 68 | * When the cops and S.H.I.E.L.D get the drop on Spider-Man after his first encounter with Doctor Octopus in ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'' and were arguing over who gets to take him away, Spidey gets the brief distraction he needs to dive into the water by pointing and saying "Hey, is that Charlton Heston?" |
| 69 | * Subverted in an ''[[ComicBook/TheInfinityWar Infinity War]]'' issue of ComicBook/FantasticFour. The Puppet Master is being confronted by The Thing. The Puppet Master shockedly tells the Thing that a monstrous massive figure is behind him. Thing doesn't buy it. Thing then gets clobbered by his {{evil twin}}. |
| 70 | * ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': Used during a "inside Bruce Banner's brain" sequence, as the gray Hulk distracts the green Hulk by saying, "Look! [[MythologyGag It's Lou Ferrigno!]]" before locking that aspect of Banner's mind away again. |
| 71 | ** Subverted in another issue of Hulk saw the eponymous hero facing down his arch nemesis [[EvilGenius The Leader]], only for the villain to warn him, "Rock's heading your way." This of course is met with extreme skepticism by the Hulk, who doesn't turn, and is summarily skewered by '''The Rock''', once of the Leader's henchmen wearing a powerful shapeshifting battlesuit. |
| 72 | * ComicBook/{{Jubilee|MarvelComics}}, during the period she was a vampire, uses this trick to sire ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} in the ComicBook/XMen story arc ''ComicBook/CurseOfTheMutants''. |
| 73 | * Used in one of the first ''ComicBook/XWingRogueSquadron'' comics. The agent Winter has found a pair of stranded New Republic pilots and doesn't know if they're who they claim they are, so trains a blaster on them. One of them [[http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/1038/swrstro206.jpg tells her]] that there's a local predator creeping up on her; she asks if they really think she'll fall for that, they set up for StabTheScorpion - and she [[BadassBack fires behind herself without looking]]. "[[http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/1038/swrstro206.jpg I believe you.]]". |
| 74 | * ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics '': In issue 27 of ''Sonic Universe'', Silver the Hedgehog has found himself in yet another alternate Mobius, battling alongside that universe's Freedom Fighters against Enerjak, who has hammered Silver into the ground like a hammer, singlehandedly beat the entire team, and has the leader on the ropes. He's taunting her mercilessly then stops and asks "Why are you smiling?" Cue a psychically powered pillar of energy to erupt behind him and truly [[BewareTheNiceOnes pissed off]] Silver ready and raring to go for next issue's FinalBattle. Later, Honey The Cat uses this trick to defeat Tails in their match during the TournamentArc. |
| 75 | * ''ComicBook/SonicX'': A bad guy distracts Charmy by asking "Hey, what's that over there?" |
| 76 | * ''ComicBook/{{Empowered}}'': Emp is fond of using "look out, it's [[TheDreaded the Maidman!]]" to distract criminals for a sucker punch. And the one time they ''didn't'' fall for it, Maidman was actually there. Maidman, for his part, approves of this tactic, both because he likes Emp being a CombatPragmatist and it enhances his reputation by just a little bit. |
| 77 | * ''ComicBook/MonicasGang'': In one-page story, Bucky (Titi) was standing up with his back turned on a slope. When Jimmy Five (Cebolinha) showed up, he screamed about a Latão (Brazilian-Portuguese for "Big Can") and ran away. Because of Jimmy's ElmuhFuddSyndwome and Bucky's teeth, Bucky assumed Jimmy was calling him a Ratão (Big Rat) and didn't notice a big trash can (Popularly known among Brazilians as "Latão") coming towards him down the slope. |
| 78 | * ''ComicBook/SupergirlAdventuresGirlOfSteel'': Mala, Jax-Ur and Zod are ganging up on ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}, when she suddenly shouts "Superman!". The trio turns around, and Kara exploits their distraction to punch them from behind and flee. |
| 79 | * ''ComicBook/TheSupermanAdventures'': |
| 80 | ** In issue 28, Jimmy Olsen (in ComicBook/{{Superman}}'s body) gets Kalibak to turn around during a fight. |
| 81 | --->'''Jimmy''': Darkseid? You mean that guy standing behind you with a face like he just ate a wasp's nest?\ |
| 82 | '''Kalibak''' ''(turning around)'': Master...\ |
| 83 | '''Jimmy''' ''(tackling him)'': Hah! Made ya look! |
| 84 | ** The 38th issue has Mr. Mxyzptlk distract the Daily Planet staff by asking if he sees Lex Luthor in a dress. |
| 85 | * The second ever issue of ''ComicBook/{{Wildcats|WildStorm}}'' ends with Maul bearing down on a Daemonite baddie. When the bad guy warns Maul that there's something behind him, Maul almost laughs. "Do I look ''that'' stupid?" Turns out that there really is something behind him -- ComicBook/{{Youngblood|ImageComics}}. Badrock opines that, yeah, Maul does kind of look that stupid. |
| 86 | * ''ComicBook/BatmanBlackAndWhite'': In the comedic "Batsman: Swarming Scourge of the Underworld", Batsman's version of Batman's traditional StealthHiBye involves shouting "Look out! The Joker's got a bomb!" and jumping out the window while Commissioner Gordon panics and turns to look. |
| 87 | * ComicBook/ConanTheBarbarian pulled off the subversion when he was fighting a bunch of cultists who had summoned a gorilla-monster-god thing. The ''narration'' even explicitly calls attention to the fact that it's "the oldest trick in the book", but as it turns out, the gorilla-god was actually sneaking up on the cultist Conan was saying it to. Cue GoryDiscretionShot. |
| 88 | * Sometimes used by Paperinik, especially in the non-''ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures'' stories. Most notably, in one occasion a time-travelling Paperinik used his left hand to distract someone from a power jab to the face from his right hand, and he did it ''on his past self''. |
| 89 | * ''ComicBook/ScoobyDooTeamUp'': The villain from The Flintstones segment uses the "look over there" trick, prompting Daphne to comment that she "knew that trick was old, but this is ridiculous". |
| 90 | * ''ComicBook/{{Tintin}}'' villains often fall for this trick. From ''[[Recap/TintinTheBrokenEar The Broken Ear]]'': |
| 91 | -->'''Alonzo''' ''(pressing his rifle into Tintin's stomach)'': Now listen carefully! There's one more round left in this gun. On the count of three if you haven't talked, I swear that bullet's for you! One!...two!...\ |
| 92 | '''Tintin''' ''(pointing off to Alonzo's right)'': Look out! A snake!!!...\ |
| 93 | '''Alonzo''' ''(turning)'': Where?\ |
| 94 | '''Tintin''' ''(uppercutting him)'': Here! |
| 95 | * In the ''M.U.S.H.: Mobile Unit of Super Heroes'' story "On Guard" (featured as backup material in issue three of ''[=TeenAgents=]''), Sheep-Hunk and Kid Geometry mess up guarding a supervillain named Master Blaster during prison transport when their bickering enables Master Blaster to escape. Sheep-Hunk then decides to cover up the mistake by knocking out Kid Geometry and claiming he's Master Blaster, distracting Kid Geometry from the blow by saying "Look--Is that Dr. Isaac Asimov?" |
| 96 | [[/folder]] |
| 97 | |
| 98 | [[folder:Comic Strips]] |
| 99 | * ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'': Calvin pulls this at dinner in one strip. His parents turn to look while Calvin quickly pushes his own dinner off his plate and onto theirs. |
| 100 | -->'''Calvin's Dad:''' What did he see?\ |
| 101 | '''Calvin's Mom:''' An opportunity. |
| 102 | * ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' has Paige invoking this trope on an ice cream vendor at the zoo, claiming that there is an escaped lion, tiger, and bull elephant in that order. By the time he even turns around, he notices that the ice cream cone he prepared for Paige has far too many swirls (about 16, with some drooping over the cone). He also mentions that she did something similar the previous summer. |
| 103 | * ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'': |
| 104 | ** The ''very first time'' Garfield steals Jon's dinner, he uses this trick. And it won't be the first time Jon will fall for it. |
| 105 | ** [[http://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1998/01/28 Garfield stops chasing a mouse when the mouse uses that trick.]] |
| 106 | -->'''Mouse:''' Look, a banana cream pie!\ |
| 107 | '''Garfield:''' He's gone, isn't he? |
| 108 | * ''ComicStrip/HsuAndChan'': |
| 109 | ** Hsu attempts to gain the edge in a swordfight with lifelong rival Akira Yamamoto by resorting to this tactic. However, while Akira is distracted, Hsu laughs at him for falling for the ruse, missing the opportunity to strike and finding himself caught off guard instead. |
| 110 | ** Played straight multiple times when confronted by obese nerds. The brothers commonly point behind the nerd and shout "Look, a gallon of pecan ripple" or "Look, a display of Princess Leia slave girl lingerie." This tactic hasn't failed yet. |
| 111 | %%* In the ''ComicStrip/PoochCafe'' [[https://www.gocomics.com/poochcafe/2011/3/9 comic for March 9, 2011]], Chazz uses, "Look! Halley's Comet!" (Administrivia/WeblinksAreNotExamples; whom does he tell this, and for what reason?) |
| 112 | * In ''Violence Man'', three mob thugs attempt a distraction for Violence Man so that they can escape him. Eventually one shouts "WE HAVE SCRABBLE IN THE CAR!", which surprisingly succeeds in distracting him for a few seconds. |
| 113 | [[/folder]] |
| 114 | |
| 115 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 116 | * ''Fanfic/AllBecauseOfUncleGary'': Greta gets out of having sex with Ed Norwell by claiming to see a flying train somewhere. It doesn't quite work out, as Ed spots her sneaking out of his room and ends up chasing her home in his underwear. |
| 117 | -->'''Greta:''' Hang on a minute, is that a flying train over there?\ |
| 118 | '''Ed:''' A train? Where? Where? |
| 119 | * ''Fanfic/ArcCorp'': Ruby does this in Chapter 25, when Yang is grilling her and Qrow about anomalies. Yang scoffs at the attempt, only to glance over anyway and realize that Ruby is pointing at a disheveled young child who looked like they just got mauled by something. |
| 120 | -->'''Ruby:''' Oh, look, a distraction!\ |
| 121 | Yang: That's not going to-- ''(sees little girl covered in blood)'' Fuck me. Okay, that's a good distraction. |
| 122 | * ''Fanfic/FantasyOfUtterRidiculousness'': Marisa attempts getting out of making a promise to Patchouli and Alice with this method. It doesn't work ''quite'' as well as she would've liked. |
| 123 | -->'''Marisa:''' SOMETHING UNSEEABLE IS IN THE WAY! |
| 124 | * ''Fanfic/FateStarryNight'': While fighting Rin, Ritsuka suddenly tells her to look behind her. She is insulted and asks if he thinks she's stupid, forcing him to blast a mud girl before she can attack Rin. |
| 125 | * ''Fanfic/TheFundamentalEssenceOfVillainy'': Izuku manages to escape Eraserhead at the USJ using, of all things, a "there's something on your shirt" joke. |
| 126 | -->'''Izuku:''' Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Eraserhead! Apologies for sticking my nose in your business, but I was just stamping my ‘good samaritan’ card for the day, and figured you all could use some help!\ |
| 127 | '''Eraserhead:''' ''[activates his quirk]'' You're under arrest.\ |
| 128 | '''Izuku:''' Fine, I guess I had that coming, but before we even get into that, you got some blood on your shirt.\ |
| 129 | '''Eraserhead:''' ''[looks down, before realizing, only to find Izuku gone]'' |
| 130 | %%* ''[[http://jeconais.fanficauthors.net/Happily_Ever_After/Chapter_1/ Happily Ever After]]'': |
| 131 | %%-->'''Harry:''' Look, it's the Goodyear Blimp. (Administrivia/WeblinksAreNotExamples; whom does he tell this, and why?) |
| 132 | * In ''Fanfic/GoldPoisons,'' Nie Huaisang yells that he sees the Yiling Patriarch at one point to distract Jin Zixun. It works. |
| 133 | * In the ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf''/''Franchise/SailorMoon'' crossover ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1036032/2/Hell-Hath-No-Fury Hell Hath No Fury]]'', Minako does this to her fellow scouts so she can go beat up Ranma. Ami knows exactly what's she doing but can't resist looking herself. |
| 134 | * ''FanFic/TheImmortalGame'': At one point, Sir Unimpressive pulls this off on some [[{{Mooks}} Puppets]]. Since the Puppets are mindless, it works. |
| 135 | * In the ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''/''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' crossover "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2685077/1/Kim-Possible-The-Next-Generation Kim Possible: The Next Generation]]", the final confrontation sees Kim and Ron trying to stop Lore using the Pan-Dimensional Vortex Inducer to power a weapon that could destroy Earth. While Lore is literally crushing Kim's legs as she tries to disable the device, Ron attacks Lore from behind, and when Lore turns to look at him, Ron points out that he's just the "funny sidekick" to the "beautiful hero"; Lore turns back around to see that Kim has removed the PDVI and is pointing a phaser at him. |
| 136 | * In ''Fanfic/MakeAWish'', Harry and Ron are dueling each other in Defense Against the Dark Arts. |
| 137 | -->"Hey look," Harry said pointing over Ron's shoulder. "Parkinson's in the nip."\ |
| 138 | "What?" Ron asked as he turned to look.\ |
| 139 | Needless to say, Harry's first and last spell ended the match. |
| 140 | * ''[[http://jeconais.fanficauthors.net/Motivations/Motivations/ Motivations]]'': |
| 141 | -->'''Isabelle Malfoy:''' Father, look, a distraction while I act unladylike. |
| 142 | * In ''Fanfic/NewGamePlus2022'', this is how Izuku gets an opening to land a hit on Mirko during his Provisional License Exam. |
| 143 | --> '''Izuku:''' Oh my God! Is that Hawks up there!?\ |
| 144 | '''Mirko:''' What!? Keigo! What the hell are you-\ |
| 145 | '''Izuku:''' SMASH! |
| 146 | * In ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/10930959/chapters/24339012 Ninja Wizard Book 4]]'' Luna claims to see a dragon during a duel with Suki and wins when Suki turns to look. |
| 147 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10256543/5/Nymphadora-s-Beau Nymphadora's Beau]]'': |
| 148 | -->Arthur dropped the cloak hood, revealing his face. "Oh good it's you Tonks, for a moment I was worried. Why are you back? Did something come up?"\ |
| 149 | "In a way Arthur, hey, what's that?" Nym pointed to his back. Arthur turned quickly... then felt a spell hit him in the back and things went dark. |
| 150 | * In the first chapter of ''Fanfic/OldWest'', Sheriff WesternAnimation/{{Rango}} is held at gunpoint by three mercenaries and this trick is the first thing that comes to his mind. |
| 151 | -->"Look! Hawk!" He shouted as he pointed his finger at the sky.\ |
| 152 | Whether by instinct or luck, all three mercenaries turned in fear to look at the sky, ducking low and covering themselves as if they feared talons would spear them as any moment. When nothing came however, they stood and Tomson quickly spun around, only to see the end of Rango's tail ducking behind an alley. |
| 153 | * In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13163910/1/O-Tempora O Tempora]]'', Snape looks over Harry's shoulder during an awkward conversation and says "Oh look, is that Regulus Black being chased by a merman?" Harry rolls his eyes as he turns around -- only to spot Regulus waving at them from the Black Lake outside the Slytherin common room window. |
| 154 | * ''Fanfic/PonyPOVSeries'': |
| 155 | ** In a flashback, Discord gets into a fight with Celestia's brother Leo, the god of Strength and Gravity. When Leo grabs him, he boasts, "Who's your daddy?" Discord points and shouts, "HIM!" Shocked, Leo lets go and turns around, as Discord's father Havoc is one of the most powerful beings in the universe and TheDreaded for a good reason. Havoc isn't there, then Discord hits him. Leo says he can't believe he fell for that. |
| 156 | ** Makarov goes OneWingedAngel and proclaims himself a god. Shining Armor looks over his shoulder and tells him to look behind him. Makarov misinterprets him and thinks he's saying to look to the past, then boasts that he controls the past, present, and future. Shining says to ''physically'' look behind him. This time, he turns around, and comes face to face with [[ClockRoaches The Blank Wolf]]. |
| 157 | * ''Fanfic/RiseOfTheMinisukas'': Shinji has to resort to this to distract Jet Alone Kai as they are fighting. He just took a blow to the head, so it's forgivable that's the best he can do at the spur of the moment. |
| 158 | %%* ''Fanfic/SashaAndTheFrogs'': Used by Sasha at the convenience store. (Administrivia/ZeroContextExample; whom is she trying to distract, and from what?) |
| 159 | %%-->"Look, a diversion!" |
| 160 | * In the ''Fanfic/ShiningAndSweet'' chapter "Cough Up", Brigit gets [[VideoGame/PunchOut Aran]] to take his medicine by telling him there's a moose in the yard, which makes him come out from under the blanket, giving Disco Kid the chance to shove the spoon in his mouth. |
| 161 | * ''FanFic/ThisBites'': |
| 162 | ** Cross pulls this twice in Little Garden to convince someone from Baroque Works that a T-rex is right behind them. The first time, it's Soundbite using his powers. The second, there really is one. |
| 163 | ** Right before Cross is about to be cuffed, Soundbite begins sounding alarm bells, warning them that something dangerous is coming. Tashigi is skeptical... and then comes the AdvancingWallOfDoom. |
| 164 | * In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7594305/6/Triwizard-Tales Triwizard Tales]]'' Harry points behind Voldemort with a look of terror and yells "What the hell is that?", then takes off when ''everyone'' in the graveyard turns to look. When Fudge and the Tournament officials refuse to believe Harry's (edited) account of having "distracted" Voldemort, he uses the same technique on them. |
| 165 | * In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' fanfic ''[[https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/asoiaf-two-for-the-price-of-one-the-ultimate-eddard-stark-si.387373/ Two For The Price Of One]]'', SelfInsert Eddard Stark, during the Greyjoy's Rebellion, decides to {{Troll}} a Drowned Man by doing this. Much to his shame, ''it works''. |
| 166 | -->'''SI!Eddard:''' ''[points behind the Drowned Man attacking him]'' [=OH, NO, IT'S THE DROWNED GOD!=]\ |
| 167 | ''['''Every Drowned Man in earsight''' proceeds to turn and look. Eddard proceeds to kill the closest Drowned Men.]'' |
| 168 | * At one point in ''FanFic/TheWinxClubLoops'', Stormy manages to escape a pissed-off Darcy and Musa when Icy actually shouts "Look! A distraction!". |
| 169 | * ''Fanfic/TheWorstPrisoner'': There's a RunningGag of someone shouting "Look, is that X in a [[NoodleImplements sequinned tutu]]?" causing someone to actually look and either get captured or allow the heroes to escape. |
| 170 | [[/folder]] |
| 171 | |
| 172 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 173 | * In the song "I Ran Away" by Music/TheArrogantWorms, the DirtyCoward narrator escapes {{Satan}} with this trick. |
| 174 | -->''I'm hopin' that the devil smokes two packs a day\ |
| 175 | 'Cause my day of reckoning is here and I ran away'' |
| 176 | [[/folder]] |
| 177 | |
| 178 | [[folder:Mythology and Religion]] |
| 179 | * ''Myth/CelticMythology'': Cu Chulainn once fought a duel with the warrior woman Aife. She shattered his sword, but when she was about to finish him off, he shouted that her chariot and horses had fallen off a cliff. When she turned around to look, he attacked her from behind and overpowered her. |
| 180 | [[/folder]] |
| 181 | |
| 182 | [[folder:Pinballs]] |
| 183 | * When cheating in ''Pinball/JackBot'', Pin*Bot says something to this extent. |
| 184 | -->"Look over there."\ |
| 185 | "Look, Halley's Comet."\ |
| 186 | [[MythologyGag "Look, there's]] [[Pinball/FunHouse1990 Rudy."]] |
| 187 | [[/folder]] |
| 188 | |
| 189 | [[folder:Pro Wrestling]] |
| 190 | * Wrestling/{{Carlito|Colon}} learned the "Look up at that, now look down at this!" trick in the World Wrestling League from La Parka Jr. Carlito thought it was really clever. |
| 191 | * Sakura Hirota distracted Luscious Latasha at a REINA show by pointing and shouting "[[Usefulnotes/BarackObama OBAMA]]!" |
| 192 | * Wrestling/IvelisseVelez successfully stopped rival PowerStable {{V|illainTeamUp}}AL[=kyrie=] from kidnapping her injured teammate [[Wrestling/BlackRose La Rosa Negra]] at ''SHINE 33'', but had to abandon her healthy teammate Amanda Carolina Rodriguez for a minute to do so, resulting in Las Sicarias [[FriendOrIdolDecision failing to acquire]] the TagTeam Title belts. While [=VALkyrie=] were beating up Wrestling/KimberLee, half of the other Tag Title contenders, later in the night, Las Sicarias decided to rescue her and get revenge, [[WeNeedADistraction starting with]] Negra poking [=VALkyrie=] [[TheBrute muscle]] Andrea in the back before retreating as quickly as she could manage while Velez and ACR picked off more vulnerable members. |
| 193 | [[/folder]] |
| 194 | |
| 195 | [[folder:Puppet Shows]] |
| 196 | * ''Series/TheMuppetShow'': |
| 197 | ** In [[Recap/TheMuppetShowS2E16 the Cleo Laine episode]], Fozzie tells Kermit this when the latter is about to introduce Cleo's first number. Fozzie then pushes Kermit off stage when he looks, so he can introduce Cleo to impress his visiting mother. |
| 198 | ** In the "Just in Time" sketch in [[Recap/TheMuppetShowS2E24 the Cloris Leachman episode]], Cloris shouts "Look! Up there! Quick!" when Sweetums starts threatening her. When he announces that he's not going to fall for that old gag, a coconut from the island's lone palm tree falls on his head. |
| 199 | [[/folder]] |
| 200 | |
| 201 | [[folder:Radio]] |
| 202 | * ''Radio/BleakExpectations'': In the series 1 finale, as Pip Bin and BigBad Mr. Benevolent are fighting in a church, Pip does this. Only he claims there's a penguin flying behind the altar. In ''Victorian London''. Mr. Benevolent falls for it anyway, with a massive dose of LampshadeHanging. |
| 203 | -->'''Mr. Benevolent:''' What? A penguin, ''flying''? But they're supposed to be flightless! Such an ornithological curiosity I have to see, even if it leaves me perilously off-guard for even a second! |
| 204 | [[/folder]] |
| 205 | |
| 206 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 207 | * In ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsFourthEdition'', the bard power "Timely Distraction" is made of this trope. It's even lampshaded in the flavor text: |
| 208 | --> "Look! An [[HybridMonster owlbear]]!" |
| 209 | * In a fluff piece for Lamia vampires in ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasy'', the narrator (a Kislevite garrison commander) finds the woman his soldiers found out in the cold and brought in, surrounded by the bleeding corpses of his friends, and she shouts "It's behind you!". When he turns to face the monster that carried out such massacre, the woman reveals herself to be a vampire by making an IronicEcho of her warning before killing him. |
| 210 | [[/folder]] |
| 211 | |
| 212 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 213 | * In {{Pantomime}}, a standard AudienceParticipation line, "It's behind you!" is often [[LampshadeHanging triggered not by a spoken line]] but by most of the panto audience knowing what's expected of them. |
| 214 | * In ''Theatre/JasperInDeadland'', Gretchen beats Rhadamanthus in an arm wrestle by pointing at something behind him. |
| 215 | * In ''The Complete History of America (abridged)'', Jo Chi Minh tells Spade Diamond to look at a monk [[SelfImmolation setting himself on fire]], SlippingAMickey into Spade's drink while he looks away. |
| 216 | -->'''Spade''': A monk on fire? I don't see a monk on fire.\ |
| 217 | '''Jo''': Oh, he must have gone out. They don't make monks like they used to. |
| 218 | * In ''Theatre/SherlockHolmes'', Holmes uses this trick to handcuff Moriarty after getting him to place his hands within convenient reach. |
| 219 | [[/folder]] |
| 220 | |
| 221 | [[folder:Toys]] |
| 222 | * Played around with in ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'': Krika tells Tahu, who has him cornered, to look behind him. Tahu asks Krika if he really thinks that Tahu is stupid enough to fall for that. Krika tells Tahu that he's ''counting'' on that, since there actually ''is'' something behind him. Tahu chances the look, [[spoiler:and sure enough, four of Krika's allies are charging straight into the battle]]. |
| 223 | [[/folder]] |
| 224 | |
| 225 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 226 | * ''Webcomic/{{Wulffmorgenthaler}}'': {{Subverted}} in [[http://wulffmorgenthaler.com/2010/08/15/ this]] strip, when a [[CivilizedAnimal gazelle caught bluffing at poker]] warns the other players about an incoming lion. |
| 227 | * The first storyline of ''Webcomic/AModestDestiny'' had Maxim pull this from time to time. However, he took it to the next level by substituting an "escape dummy" (a giant stuffed doll of himself on a scarecrow frame) before running off. |
| 228 | * In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', characters distract each other with some variant of "Hey, is that a demonic duck of some sort?" It always is. (except for once there was a picket sign instead, stating that the demonic duck was [[WeirdTradeUnion on strike]]. This caused the distraction to fail.) Occasionally he [[http://egscomics.com/?date=2002-04-22 complains about feeling used]]. |
| 229 | -->'''Demonic Duck:''' [[http://egscomics.com/?date=2002-09-06 Everywhere I go I get used as some sort of distraction]]. |
| 230 | * From ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'', we have this instance: [[ActionSurvivor Von Zinzer]]: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100118 "Uh... hey, check it out."]] - though in this case not only does the target look, but there's actually something to see. |
| 231 | * In ''Webcomic/TheHeroesOfMiddlecenter:'' "Look, a distracting thing!" |
| 232 | * Played with throughout ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'', usually accompanied with the phrase "yoink." Parodied [[http://bobandgeorge.com/Archive/index.php?date=021208 here]]. |
| 233 | ** ''Bob and George'' also loves double-subverting this. Someone would try it. The other person wouldn't fall for it, but the first character would run off anyway. |
| 234 | ** The image on the main page comes from when Proto Man pulled this one on Mynd. Before turning around, Mynd explained, "I know this is probably a trick, but I can't take the chance that it's not." |
| 235 | ** [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/000621c Starting from very early in the strip.]] [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/000703c In the same sequence, again.]] |
| 236 | ** [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/000824c A subtle version: Megaman asks about the bombs, which causes Bomb Man to look away to explain about the pile.]] |
| 237 | * In [[http://comic.nodwick.com/?comic=2004-07-14 this]] ''ComicStrip/{{Nodwick}}'' strip, Nodwick, Yeagar, and Artax have lured a giant demon towards a lake full of holy water that they are standing in front of. Artax yells this warning to him, and the guy says, "Sorry magic boy, you're going to have to come up with something slightly more original. Telling me my shoelace is untied won't work either." Unfortunately for him, Artax isn't bluffing; Piffany, who is piloting an angel-shaped HumongousMecha, does a cannonball into the lake, dousing him and melting him into sludge. |
| 238 | * [[http://venusenvy.comicgenesis.com/d/20050316.html A strip]] in ''Webcomic/VenusEnvy'' uses a literal variant on this that actually works: "Gah! Lookout! A distraction!" |
| 239 | ** That's actually a running gag in Venus envy. It showed up in other webcomics too. |
| 240 | * Used in [[http://www.cad-comic.com/cad/20050912 this]] ''Webcomic/CtrlAltDel'' comic. |
| 241 | * In ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'': [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff300/fv00228.htm "Helix! Look! It's an obvious distraction!"]] "Where?! ... I don't see any obvious distraction." |
| 242 | ** Later, with other robots: [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1300/fv01279.htm "Look! It's Bill Gates!"]] |
| 243 | * ''[[http://www.san.pengguo.com San Three Kingdoms Comic]],'' a ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'' webcomic, has a RunningGag of avoiding discussions by pointing behind and yelling ''"LOOK! BAOZI FAIRY!!"'' then the pointer escape as people try to look for it. It's currently an unused gag, it either fails or must use a variation to pull it off. (Using "Baozi" on Zhang Fei won't work. Use 'Wine', however...) |
| 244 | * A "bait" variant [[http://www.captainsnes.com/2008/10/28/guest-halloween-special-11/ here]]: |
| 245 | -->'''Lucca:''' Could I please be allowed to distract you for just a moment? |
| 246 | ** ''Webcomic/CaptainSNES'' has also used the "three-headed monkey" line a couple of times as a ShoutOut to the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' games. |
| 247 | *** Legendary Frog used it in his Resident Evil flash cartoon, only Brad doesn't even wait to see if they look, he just runs like hell. |
| 248 | ** And let us not forget how [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV Zeromus]] (the representation of Alex's hatred) was tricked into turning around ''three times''. Naturally, the moment he finally catches on and refuses to look, the thing Bob and Alex are talking about (a naked Alanis Morisette, the representation of Alex's cynicism) actually is behind him. |
| 249 | * However, in [[http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=114 this]] ''Webcomic/SequentialArt'' strip, it fails. |
| 250 | * Occurs once in ''Webcomic/{{Jack|DavidHopkins}}'' in [[http://www.pholph.com/index_a.php?Strip=1079 this strip]] |
| 251 | * {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in [[http://www.lfgcomic.com/page/123 this]] ''Webcomic/LookingForGroup'' comic. |
| 252 | -->'''[[OmnicidalManiac Richard]]''': Good evening. This is a diversion. [[KillItWithFire * fwoosh!* ]] |
| 253 | * In ''Tale of the Cave'': [[http://taleotc.com/126 "HEY LOOK, A DISTRACTION!"]] |
| 254 | * There's a DoubleSubversion in [[http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/comics/irreg2167.png this]] ''Webcomic/IrregularWebcomic'' strip. |
| 255 | * ''Webcomic/EmergencyExit'' does this...it works because [[CloudCuckoolander Eddie]] [[http://eecomics.net/?strip_id=891 collects distractions.]] |
| 256 | * [[TheRedMage Red Mage]] tries it against [[RealityWarper Sarda]] in ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'', with [[http://www.nuklearpower.com/2009/06/13/episode-1140-where-the-sun-dont-shine/ amusing results]]. |
| 257 | -->'''Red Mage:''' It's not a plan anyone will like.\ |
| 258 | '''Black Mage:''' Nothing you have said or done has ever been anything anyone has ever liked.\ |
| 259 | '''Red Mage:''' [[ThisIsGonnaSuck You'll like this less]]. But first, uh, Sarda! What is that behind you!\ |
| 260 | '''Sarda:''' [[TheOmniscient Surely you must be kidding]].\ |
| 261 | '''Red Mage:''' ''No! It's right behind you and oh man you better look right now or--ooh!''\ |
| 262 | '''Black Mage:''' This is your idea of a plan.\ |
| 263 | '''Sarda:''' I'm going to turn around and, oh look, there's nothing there. What a "surprise" that is, oh gosh. And then...\ |
| 264 | ''(Sarda turns around, but everyone is gone)''\ |
| 265 | '''Sarda:''' I knew that would happen, but I'm mad about it anyway. |
| 266 | * Brooke Lynn in ''Webcomic/EerieCuties'' found [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/that_does_not_make_sense a distraction for a succubus]] effortlessly. Talk about snake wisdom... |
| 267 | * In ''Webcomic/GeneralProtectionFault'', as Nick and Fooker break into Trent's house for the evidence that he's behind the safe droppings, he finds them and aims a shotgun at them with one hand while holding the evidence with another. They distract him by telling him Steve Forbes is behind him before taking the evidence and escaping. |
| 268 | * {{Inverted|Trope}} in ''WebComic/{{xkcd}}'', [[http://xkcd.com/542/ where this is used to prevent the mark from looking.]] |
| 269 | * ''Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation'': "It's the Kukla!". To explain the joke: [[spoiler: The Kukla is a dragon the size of a mountain range, its appearance would be an apocalyptic event, and the idea that anyone needs to have it pointed out would be patently ridiculous, so the fact that the security team has fallen for it multiple times is just hilarious.]] |
| 270 | * In ''WebComic/MenInHats'', Aram [[http://www.meninhats.com/d/20040123.html loves distracting people]] [[http://www.meninhats.com/d/20040920.html this way]]. |
| 271 | * Joel in ''Webcomic/{{Weregeek}}'' distracts [[CosplayOtakuGirl Abbie]] by "[[http://www.weregeek.com/2012/01/30/ A girl with a Nyan Cat hairband]]". |
| 272 | * ''Webcomic/{{Precocious}}'': [[http://www.precociouscomic.com/archive/comic/2010/08/13 Kaitlyn, watch out!]] ... |
| 273 | * ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': |
| 274 | ** In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0626.html "Good to the Last Drip"]], Vaarsuvius is so busy attempting to Disintegrate Qarr that only the small imp notices an ancient black dragon with a personal vendetta approaching from behind. |
| 275 | ** In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1008.html strip #1008]], Wrecan manages to distract vampire Durkon from delivering a killing blow to Roy. He can't do more to help, as he's bound by the rules of the Godsmoot. |
| 276 | --->'''Wrecan:''' SNEAK ATTACK FROM BEHIND -- is a thing I absolutely cannot do, because it would be against the rules. |
| 277 | * Discussed in ''Webcomic/{{Paranatural}}'': |
| 278 | -->'''Forge:''' SPECTRAL, BEHIND YOU!!\ |
| 279 | '''Spender:''' Aha! I won't fall for THAT a sixth time!\ |
| 280 | '''Forge:''' ...\ |
| 281 | '''Vile Spirit sneaking up on Spender:''' ...\ |
| 282 | '''AltText:''' In Spender's defense, one of those was a "Whatever you do, DON'T look behind you" which is really tricky |
| 283 | * Willa uses it twice in ''Webcomic/LatchkeyKingdom'', in the chapter "Titan". As a very TerseTalker, her specific technique is to dramatically point up and to the right, and wait until the target's gaze follows. |
| 284 | * In ''Webcomic/FindingYourRoots'', Cedar tells Stonecrusher to look out for pirates behind him, right before blasting water at his back to finish him off. |
| 285 | [[/folder]] |
| 286 | |
| 287 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 288 | * WebVideo/FiveSecondFilms: One sketch has Brian distract his table partner by saying, "Hey, is that Elvis?" When he turns around to look, Brian switches their cups. As it turns out, [[spoiler:the table partner saw it coming and switched their seating positions, and so Brian switched the cups back to their original owners.]] |
| 289 | %%* In ''WebVideo/BiteMe'', the owner of the pizzeria assumes that this is what the group is trying to do to escape from him. [[TemptingFate Wrong answer]]. |
| 290 | %%* In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F80qsxgDSY0&feature=relmfu this]] episode of ''WebAnimation/CuteMarioBros'', Mario does this to the teacher, and it works so that Mario can change the time on the clock. |
| 291 | * In ''The Defenestrator'', one of the fan applications to [[WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog the Evil League of Evil]]: |
| 292 | -->'''The Defenestrator:''' Look! Captain Distraction!\ |
| 293 | '''The Whisk:''' ''[drops her fighting stance and turns around]'' Where?\ |
| 294 | ''[The Defenestrator punches the Whisk, causing her to fall over]'' |
| 295 | * Similar to its source material, Goku attempts to warn Freeza from getting hit with his own weapon in ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged''. Unlike the source material, Freeza proves to be WrongGenreSavvy when he ignores ''and'' insults Goku for his warnings and ends up getting split in half. |
| 296 | * The EvilOverlordList has tips on how to counter this. |
| 297 | ** If I have the hero cornered and am about to finish him off and he says "Look out behind you!!" I will not laugh and say "You don't expect me to fall for that old trick, do you?" Instead I will take a step to the side and half turn. That way I can still keep my weapon trained on the hero, I can scan the area behind me, and if anything was heading for me it will now be heading for him. |
| 298 | ** It also deals with the inversion of this trope (no verbal warning for actual danger): |
| 299 | --->If I am fighting with the hero atop a moving platform, have disarmed him, and am about to finish him off and he glances behind me and drops flat, I too will drop flat instead of quizzically turning around to find out what he saw. |
| 300 | * In the ''WebAnimation/FatherTucker'' episode "Rest for the Wicked", Father Tucker shouts, "Look, Johnny, the transfiguration!" to distract Johnny from seeing Father Tucker burn his sleeping bag. |
| 301 | * Neil from ''WebVideo/TheLegendOfNeil'' distracts some moblins by pointing and yelling "I'm distracting you!" [[TooDumbToLive They fall for it]]. |
| 302 | * The Newgrounds animation [[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/280866 Legend Without Zelda BOD1]] involved this, in one part, with Navi tricking Mido into thinking that there is a beetle. |
| 303 | %%* In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_751241&src_vid=WtFymvSx4d4&v=Ey7iE7-Tte4 this]] ''WebAnimation/MarioFables'' episode, Toad does this to Wario two times. |
| 304 | * WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic pulled off the ultimate "Look, a distraction" on Tamara, Malcolm and Jim in his review of ''Film/TheCountryBears'': |
| 305 | -->'''Critic:''' ''(deadpan)'' Look, I'm getting away.\ |
| 306 | '''Tamara:''' STOP HIM! |
| 307 | * ''WebVideo/PiratesSMP'': On Day 1, when Kyle and Sausage are aggressively trying to offer them Chorus Ale, Aimsey tells them there's a Kestrel faction member behind them and runs for it. Thinking one of their crew is in danger, the two fall for it. |
| 308 | * ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'': |
| 309 | ** [[CloudCuckooLander Caboose]] falls for one of the strangest versions of this trope ever: |
| 310 | --->'''Sarge:''' ''[stage whispering]'' Caboose! You hear something behind you!\ |
| 311 | '''Caboose:''' [[TooDumbToLive I do? I wonder what's causing it]]... ''[turns around]'' |
| 312 | ** Tex does this to Tucker later on in order to steal his laser sword. |
| 313 | --->'''Tex:''' Oh my god, Tucker, look! Hot chicks!\ |
| 314 | '''Tucker:''' Nice try, you just want me to turn around so you can knock me out and take the sword.\ |
| 315 | '''Tex:''' Now the hot girls are [[GirlOnGirlIsHot making out~]]!\ |
| 316 | '''Tucker:''' Okay, [[TooDumbToLive that's worth the risk]]. ''[turns around]'' [[OhCrap Aw, crap]]... ''[expected backstabbing ensues]'' |
| 317 | * In the ''WebVideo/ScottTheWoz'' episode "It's Awesome Baby!", Jeb tells the Supreme Leader (which manages to take over the world and makes the video game ''Dick Vitale's "Awesome Baby!" College Hoops'' [[ItMakesSenseInContext the only game on Earth]]) that Dick Vitale is right behind him, after the latter attempts to execute the guys for knowing about ''VideoGame/MaddenNFL''. [[ContractualGenreBlindness The Supreme Leader knows Jeb is lying, but falls for it anyway because he doesn't want to take any chances]]. |
| 318 | * Spoofed in ''Smash Kingdom Melee'', where Mr. Game and Watch and Peach are fighting, and the Ultimate Chimera approaches behind her, and Mr. Game and Watch attempts to warn her, but she doesn't listen, apparently misinterpreting his warnings. Finally, he resorts to holding a big sign that says "Look behind you, Bitch!" And Peach then finally understands what he's trying to say, and turns around, only to end up in the jaws of the Ultimate Chimera. |
| 319 | * Happens in the first episode in ''Sonic Goes to Chaos High School''. Sonic says to Amy, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka7CQW9xqhM&t=2m18s "Look! Super Sonic!"]] Amy falls for it and Sonic escapes. |
| 320 | * ''WebVideo/StampysLovelyWorld'': Stampy invokes this against William in Episode 450, "Fizzylympics", by telling him there was a zombie behind him, in order to distract him for long enough to knock him into the sea for the minigame they were playing. To be fair, there ''[[MetaphoricallyTrue was]]'' a zombie behind him, just not close enough to pose a threat. Stampy lampshades this, naturally. |
| 321 | -->'''Stampy:''' ''(laughs)'' I can't believe the "Look behind you!" trick actually worked. ''(laughs some more)'' |
| 322 | * The web novel ''Literature/ThroughTheMotions'' [[ZigZaggingTrope goes back and forth]] on this: a customer tries to get Deanna to look out the window as he tries to steal some gum. She recognizes it as an obvious trick and keeps an eye on him while the next customer in line, as well as one of her co-workers, takes the bait. It's only ''after'' the would-be thief leaves the store that she turns around and finds out that he wasn't lying: [[spoiler:she sees the customer who left ahead of him using magic to protect herself from a heavy rainstorm]]. |
| 323 | * Some of Wukeywukey's AGK episodes use this, but in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLQw4PVXxPk&feature=related this]] episode, Leopold says, "Oh my goodness! That cactus didn't floss his teeth!" Later on, the dentist says that the cactus Leopold mentioned flosses twice daily. The scene then changes back to the dentist's office, and the cactus is seen flossing his teeth. |
| 324 | [[/folder]] |
| 325 | |
| 326 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 327 | * A real life example would be Operation Fortitude, where the allies fooled the Germans into thinking the real liberation forces landing in Normandy were actually a diversion, so that the Germans would keep the majority of their armed forces where they expected the real liberation force to land. |
| 328 | ** Likewise, earlier they'd convinced the Germans that the coming attack on Sicily was a diversion and the real attack would be a two-pronged assault on Sardinia and Greece. UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill said anyone but a fool would know the target ''must'' be Sicily, but British intelligence made the Germans believe that was what they ''wanted'' them to think. |
| 329 | ** Of course, the irony is D-Day WAS a diversion, but more to give the Eastern front some breathing room. |
| 330 | %% * #6 of UsefulNotes/TheThirtySixStratagems is practically this. |
| 331 | * If anyone says, "Look, an X!" to someone in emoted tones, [[BavarianFireDrill people around them will almost always look around]]. A great way to use this as a joke is simply, "Look, a distraction!" |
| 332 | ** Also good: "Look, a gullible!" |
| 333 | ** A version of this prank that really makes the target look foolish is to point to the ground and say something impossible such as "Hey, look, your head fell off!", or "Hey, look, a [nonexistent denomination] coin/bill!" They'll look down by the time you're saying "Hey, look!" and appear silly when it looks like they really believed X thing happened or Y thing existed. |
| 334 | ** Variants of this line were used when The Texas Seven escaped from the John Connally Unit in Karnes County, Texas. Whenever someone walked into a room they were trying to escape from, they used some form of, "Hey, what's that behind you?" and managed to trick sixteen people this way. |
| 335 | * Another example of this as a prank is to hold up your hand, say "Hey look at this," then when that person looks, slap them with the other hand. |
| 336 | * Almost as cruel is to point and ask: "What's that thing on your shirt?" - and then, once they're looking down, bring up the pointing finger to hit them in the nose. |
| 337 | * A much simpler version is to say: "Look at my thumb" - and then, once the victim is staring at your thumb, remark: "Gee, you're dumb." In ''Film/AnimalHouse'', this gag is coupled with a HeyYouHaymaker. |
| 338 | * Wild Bill Hickok once saved his own life by doing this. A drunken man with a rifle had the drop on him, when Hickok looked past him and yelled, "Don't shoot! He's just drunk!" The man spun to face Hickok's imaginary friends and was shot through the temple. |
| 339 | * A glorious example was recorded in the 17th century 'Schoole of the Noble': |
| 340 | --> "The Master and usher of a school had upon occasion appointed the field, and their weapon was each of them a two-handed sword, and meeting at the place appointed said the Master, 'Thou art not so good as thy word.' The usher asked him why. 'Marry,' said he, 'thou promisest to bring nobody with thee and yet looke yonder what a number of people are coming towards thee.' The usher no sooner looked about, but the Master smote off his head, and afterwards meeting with some of his friends said, 'I have taught my man a new tricke in the field,' said he, 'which he never learned before.' |
| 341 | * At Everfree Northwest 2012 (a fan convention for ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''), some of the guest speakers at a VA panel tried to dodge awkward or spoiler-y questions by saying "Look, there's a moose!" It quickly became a running gag through the panel, and briefly went memetic. |
| 342 | * On being arrested in his apartment by police, LaResistance fighter Max Manus said "Look!" and pointed at a painting, then jumped out the window. [[Film/MaxManus The movie]] apparently felt the [[RealityIsUnrealistic audience wouldn't believe this]], so had him striking a policeman before jumping. |
| 343 | * There is a [[https://books.google.com/books?id=kz4ZWEb9f5wC&pg=PA242 documented case]] of an adolescent baboon using the trope on some adults who intended to punish him for bullying. |
| 344 | [[/folder]] |
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