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| 3 | %% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks! |
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| 7 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1299544902015956600 |
| 8 | %% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 9 | [[quoteright:298:[[Webcomic/{{Buttersafe}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Buttersafe_Tempting_Fate_8090.PNG]]]] |
| 10 | [[caption-width-right:298:[[Literature/{{Struwwelpeter}} Heinrich Hoffmann]] sends his condolences.]] |
| 11 | |
| 12 | |
| 13 | ->''"Fate is like a caged gorilla. It will pelt you with dung if you mock it."'' |
| 14 | -->-- '''Warriv''', ''VideoGame/DiabloII'' |
| 15 | |
| 16 | %% One quote is sufficient. Please place additional entries on the quotes tab. |
| 17 | %% Quote changed per thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1327331003042025100&page=161 |
| 18 | |
| 19 | Some things [[BeCarefulWhatYouSay just shouldn't be said]], even in jest. [[DoNotTauntCthulhu Taunting a monster]] or {{bullying a dragon}} is likely to end badly. (MuggingTheMonster ''definitely'' will.) [[EvilGloating Monologuing]] will invariably give TheHero the time he needs to defeat you. And then there's this trope. |
| 20 | |
| 21 | Tempting Fate is when a character says something that dares the universe into making things miserable for them, and the universe [[FinaglesLaw takes them up on the challenge]]. Oftentimes, the character is commenting on how they've hit RockBottom and how things couldn't possibly get any worse -- right before things ''do'' turn FromBadToWorse. Conversely, they may talk about how things are absolutely perfect, only for their world to come crashing down five seconds later. Also watch out for a GilliganCut. |
| 22 | |
| 23 | And sometimes tempting fate can get downright ''lethal''. For example, that guy in every horror movie who tells his friends "I'll be right back" before wandering off by himself is most assuredly ''not'' going to be back. Or that guy in every war movie who shows [[FatalFamilyPhoto that picture of his family]] to the others and expresses his hope to get through this and make it back home to them, which all but ensures that he ''won't'' make it. Or that veteran cop in every action movie who's just a few days away from {{Retir|ony}}ement, and thus doomed to be gunned down in his final case. This particular variant of Tempting Fate is known as a DeathFlag. |
| 24 | |
| 25 | The fate-tempting words may be followed up by a friend saying "''YouJustHadToSayIt!''" Of course, whether fate really had a hand in it or not depends on the situation. After all, it's not like fate just magically materialized that guard ambushing you from nowhere, right? What matters is that events pre-planned or not conspire to make things terrible the moment such phrases are uttered. |
| 26 | |
| 27 | For the [[SuperTrope super-tropes]] to this, see TropeTelegraphing and BeCarefulWhatYouSay. Compare SchmuckBait, InstantlyProvenWrong, SpeakOfTheDevil, ThreatBackfire, and TooGoodToBeTrue. Contrast the GodzillaThreshold, when things really ''can't'' get any worse, and AlreadyTheCase where fate has acted before the tempting. Continuing to disturb the court after getting a PenultimateOutburst warning is akin to tempting fate in {{Law Procedural}}s. |
| 28 | |
| 29 | And don't forget the EvilOverlordList, either. |
| 30 | ---- |
| 31 | !![[SubTrope Sub-tropes]] and related tropes: |
| 32 | |
| 33 | There's a LongList of tropes and StockPhrases that are specific varieties of Tempting Fate, or are commonly played alongside it, either in the temptation or in the response: |
| 34 | * "I won't make ''that'' mistake again!" -- AesopAmnesia says you sure will. |
| 35 | * "It's going AllAccordingToPlan." -- Three ways this can go: You get OutGambitted, there's a SpannerInTheWorks, or the plan [[GoneHorriblyRight wasn't what you needed]]. |
| 36 | * "There's no such thing" or "It's just a legend." -- AllMythsAreTrue. It's RealAfterAll, it's [[RightBehindMe right behind you]], and it's [[SwallowedWhole probably going to eat you]]. |
| 37 | * "I'm fine. I don't need any help." -- [[AssuranceBackfire No you're not fine, and you definitely need help]]. |
| 38 | * "I wish that ___" -- BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor. If it comes true, you'll wish it hadn't. |
| 39 | * BullyingADragon -- You think you can make fun of someone bigger than you are? Think again. Chances are he'll [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown strike you down]] with [[DoNotTauntCthulhu little to no mercy]]. |
| 40 | * "I can't wait to meet my idol!" -- Cue the BrokenPedestal. |
| 41 | * "I only did this prohibited thing once, so I'll be fine" -- You'll find out that you CantGetAwayWithNuthin. |
| 42 | * "The volcano hasn't erupted for centuries, so this area is safe" -- It's ChekhovsVolcano. |
| 43 | * "At least {{Alice|AndBob}} still likes me." -- ConsolationBackfire. Even Alice doesn't like you anymore. |
| 44 | * "This place is in perfect shape!" -- CueTheFallingObject. |
| 45 | * "It'll happen when pigs fly." -- CueTheFlyingPigs. |
| 46 | * "At least it's not raining." -- CueTheRain, if not [[ExactWords some worse weather]]. |
| 47 | * "Don't do that! That's the DangerousForbiddenTechnique!" -- Someone's going to do it, whether because [[GodzillaThreshold things are already so dangerous that it can't make a difference]] or because they're just a troublemaker. |
| 48 | * "It's DefinitelyJustACold." -- Nope, it's worse. Especially in certain genres, where you might be subject to SoapOperaDisease or VictorianNovelDisease. |
| 49 | * "Nyah! Pick on someone from your own dimension, sucker!" -- DoNotTauntCthulhu, you'll probably be killed. |
| 50 | * "I'm sure my little Alice is just going through a phase" -- Nope! She's exhibiting EarlyPersonalitySigns. |
| 51 | * "Ha, you missed!" -- [[Film/MoonRaker Did I?]] It either hit ExactlyWhatIAimedAt or is a PrecisionGuidedBoomerang that will come back and strike you later. |
| 52 | * "Don't use this item, ever!" -- It's a ForbiddenChekhovsGun and will inevitably be used. |
| 53 | * "Never go into the ForbiddenZone" -- Someone's gonna go there eventually. |
| 54 | * "At least it can't get any worse." -- It can ''always'' go FromBadToWorse. |
| 55 | * "I am not going to do what you just said!" -- You end up contradicting your own words one GilliganCut later. |
| 56 | * "GladHesOnOurSide." -- They'll [[FaceHeelTurn turn to the dark side]] eventually, if they weren't [[EvilAllAlong already there]]. |
| 57 | * "You'll have to GoThroughMe." -- All right. You better hope they do it quickly. |
| 58 | * "We'll be HomeByChristmas." -- No, you'll get home a lot later, if you get home at all. |
| 59 | * "It's a harmless creature!" -- No, it's a KillerRabbit. |
| 60 | * "IfWeGetThroughThis" -- Don't even bother finishing the sentence. At least one of you won't. |
| 61 | * "The one rule you must always follow is..." -- It's an InevitablyBrokenRule. |
| 62 | * "That person was just talking nonsense!" -- Nope, it was InfallibleBabble. |
| 63 | * "IShallReturn." -- Not likely. ''Maybe'' if you're a {{Determinator}}, but even then [[RasputinianDeath it's not a guarantee]]. |
| 64 | * "IsThatTheBestYouCanDo" -- Nope, not by a long shot. |
| 65 | * "ItsProbablyNothing." -- No, it's definitely ''something''. |
| 66 | * "ItsQuietTooQuiet." -- It's about to get a whole lot louder. |
| 67 | * "ItWillNeverCatchOn." -- Yes it will. |
| 68 | * "IWishedYouWereDead." -- BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor, because it's [[RhetoricalQuestionBlunder going to happen]], and you're [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone going to regret it]] since [[PartingWordsRegret it's the last thing you said to them before they died]]. |
| 69 | * "LetsHaveAnotherBaby" -- While this ''might'' be successful, more often than not you'll end up [[LawOfInverseFertility unable to conceive]] or divorced at best and with one of you dead at worst. Even if it is successful, you might soon end up wishing it hadn't been. |
| 70 | * "LetsSeeYouDoBetter" -- Oh, they can do better. And they can prove it. |
| 71 | * "There's a MillionToOneChance it'll happen." -- It's certain to happen now. |
| 72 | * "He's MostDefinitelyNotAVillain, so we can trust him." -- No you can't. |
| 73 | * "{{No man|OfWomanBorn}} can defeat me!" -- "[[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings I am no man]]." Maybe [[SamusIsAGirl I'm a woman]]. Or maybe I'm not human at all. Or maybe I'm simply [[Theatre/{{Macbeth}} a man who wasn't of woman born]]. |
| 74 | * "NoOneCouldSurviveThat" -- Yes they could, and they did. |
| 75 | * "NothingCanSaveUsNow!" -- Cue the BigDamnHeroes (or [[BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork villains]]). |
| 76 | * "NothingCanStopUsNow" -- Yes they can, and they will. |
| 77 | * "NothingExcitingEverHappensHere." -- Give it a minute. |
| 78 | * "Lucky me!" -- Enjoy your luck while it lasts... before [[NotMyLuckyDay you stop being lucky]]. |
| 79 | * "I am invincible!" -- Something's about to prove you're NotSoInvincibleAfterAll. |
| 80 | * "I'm going to retire after OneLastJob." -- {{Retirony}} dictates you won't live that long. If you do, then [[TenMinuteRetirement you won't stay retired]]. |
| 81 | * "What difference does one more make?" -- They're a OneManArmy, and can make a bigger difference than your entire side can ever hope to make. |
| 82 | * "We don't [[SupportPartyMember need]] [[TheHeart you]] and you're not one of us! Goodbye and good riddance!" -- You're RemovingTheCrucialTeammate and are now stuck in DysfunctionJunction. |
| 83 | * "Whatever you do, don't do this." -- ReversePsychology. Of course, if you're trying to {{invoke|dTrope}} it, you'll get a ReversePsychologyBackfire. |
| 84 | * "They'll never find out!" -- They're [[RightBehindMe right behind you]]. Alternatively, they will find out as time flows. |
| 85 | * "SheIsNotMyGirlfriend!" -- No one cares what ''you'' think. You've given the fans [[{{Shipping}} ideas]], and she might very well consider ''herself'' your girlfriend. (And she's [[RightBehindMe right behind you]].) |
| 86 | * "Supernatural creatures? As if!" -- Soon, you'll meet with them face-to-face and be a SkepticNoLonger. You'll probably also [[SkepticismFailure come off as a fool]] and/or [[BreakTheScientist have a breakdown]] too. |
| 87 | * "SmiteMeOMightySmiter" -- Happy to oblige! ''[[UnsoundEffect Smite!]]'' |
| 88 | * "SpeakNowOrForeverHoldYourPeace." -- "That's my cue to crash this wedding." |
| 89 | * "At least Bob isn't here to see this." -- SpeakOfTheDevil, Bob shows up at that moment. |
| 90 | * "StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred" -- While chances are some heroes might not strike you down to avoid sinking as low as you, some won't listen and will instead strike you down anyway. Alternatively, they strike you down anyway... but not with hatred! So much for making the hero sink to your level while you die! |
| 91 | * "I think I can take him!" -- Nope, you're just exhibiting SuicidalOverconfidence. |
| 92 | * "ThisCannotBe" -- It can, and it is. |
| 93 | * "ThisIsGoingToBeHuge" -- Usually not. [[PlayingWithATrope If it is]], it'll probably fall right on top of you. |
| 94 | * "ThisIsNoTimeToPanic!" -- Something's going to give you permission to panic real soon. |
| 95 | * "We'll stay here; it's safe here." -- Nope, it's an UnsafeHaven. |
| 96 | * "I'm not talking, and there isn't anything you can do to make me." -- [[WeHaveWaysOfMakingYouTalk They have at least one way]] to make you spill the beans, and when they use it, you will be talking. |
| 97 | * "WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong" or "How hard/bad could it be?" -- Everything can go wrong, especially what you don't want to go wrong, and you're about to find out how hard or bad it can be. |
| 98 | * "WhatDoesThisButtonDo" -- Nothing you'd actually want it to do. Let's hope someone can interject with "DontTouchItYouIdiot" |
| 99 | * "WhoWouldBeStupidEnough" -- You're about to find out. And the odds are good [[SelfFulfillingProphecy it's you]]. |
| 100 | * "Let an expert handle this." -- Famous last words of TheWorldsExpertOnGettingKilled. |
| 101 | * "YouAndWhatArmy" -- Either [[BigDamnHeroes they'll procure an army at that moment]], or they'll prove [[OneManArmy they don't need one]]. |
| 102 | * "What, was that [[NoSell supposed to hurt me]]?" -- Indeed, and YouAreAlreadyDead. |
| 103 | * "YouHaveNoChanceToSurvive!" -- No, they do -- it's ''you'' who has no chance to survive. |
| 104 | * "YouHaveToBelieveMe" -- They're never going to believe you. You're stuck with a CassandraTruth. And even if they do believe you, [[YouAreTooLate it will already be too late for you to do anything about it.]] |
| 105 | * "YouSaidYouWouldLetThemGo" -- A villain who hears this will do one of three things: declare [[ILied they were lying]], have [[ExactWords someone else do the dirty work]], or ''literally'' let them go [[UnhandThemVillain in a very dangerous spot]]. |
| 106 | * "YouWouldntShootMe." -- Yes they would. Or they might just do something else to you. |
| 107 | |
| 108 | ---- |
| 109 | !!Example subpages: |
| 110 | |
| 111 | [[index]] |
| 112 | * TemptingFate/AnimeAndManga |
| 113 | * TemptingFate/ComicBooks |
| 114 | * TemptingFate/ComicStrips |
| 115 | * TemptingFate/FanWorks |
| 116 | ** ''TemptingFate/ThisBites'' |
| 117 | * [[TemptingFate/AnimatedFilms Films — Animation]] |
| 118 | * [[TemptingFate/LiveActionFilms Films — Live-Action]] |
| 119 | * TemptingFate/{{Literature}} |
| 120 | * TemptingFate/LiveActionTV |
| 121 | * TemptingFate/{{Sports}} |
| 122 | * TemptingFate/{{Theatre}} |
| 123 | * TemptingFate/VideoGames |
| 124 | * TemptingFate/WebAnimation |
| 125 | * TemptingFate/{{Webcomics}} |
| 126 | * TemptingFate/WebVideos |
| 127 | * TemptingFate/WesternAnimation |
| 128 | * TemptingFate/RealLife |
| 129 | [[/index]] |
| 130 | |
| 131 | !!Other examples: |
| 132 | |
| 133 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 134 | |
| 135 | [[folder:Advertising]] |
| 136 | * ''Advertising/{{Never say no to|Panda}}'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X21mJh6j9i4 Panda.]] |
| 137 | * Hyundai's UsefulNotes/SuperBowl commercial. It starts with a young kid playing with a football when it was taken by some older bullies who tell him if he wants it back to get his own team. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvm68nEAU7o Cue montage of the kid rounding up the most badass prepubescent kids around, doing things like wrestling bears or carrying adults out of burning buildings.]] |
| 138 | * "Advertising/AmericanHondaPresentsDCComicsSupergirl": During his second nightmare, Steve refuses to wear his seat belt while driving Ellen through a jungle, claiming it is safer that way. Shortly after they are attacked by a tiger and get a giant boulder dropped on them. Steve manages to dodge both dangers, but he continues to ignore his sister's pleas to buckle up, insisting that they are perfectly safe. Two panels later, his jeep is broadsided by a truck driven by bandits, and Steve goes flying off into some rocks. |
| 139 | * "Advertising/VictoryByComputer": Lex Luthor announces he will escape from his cell within 12 hours, and ComicBook/{{Superman}} himself will break him out. Superman checks his cell, finds out all defensive mechanisms are intact, and states they can relax. Luthor advices them to not relax too much, since Superman of all people should know Luthor does not make promises he cannot keep. |
| 140 | * In the late 1980s, there was a memorable Ad Council public service announcement on teen alcohol abuse and drunk driving. After a night of cruising the boulevard, a group of teenagers is ready to call it an evening and go home ... except the driver complains that the night is young and still wants to party. His passengers -- about four or five of them -- realize he's been drinking and is in no condition to drive ... but the driver insists that he is fine, especially after barely avoiding a collision with an oncoming car. After the others beg him to pull over, the driver plays the trope and says, "I AM INVINCIBLE!!!!" Immediately thereafter, he slams on the brakes ... but cannot avoid a deadly head-on collision. The commercial is best known for its use of Music/MichaelJackson's "Beat It," playing on the teens' car stereo. |
| 141 | * In a Real Life example, Singapore made use of the upcoming 2014 World Cup in an ad to publicize gambling addiction, featuring a young boy sadly telling his friends his father had bet everything they owned on Germany. A heart-breaking scene - made less heart-breaking when ''Germany won''. |
| 142 | * Advertising/ThePizzaHeadShow: In one ad promoting a tie-in for the remastered editions of the original Franchise/StarWars trilogy, Pizza Head finds himself plunged into a space battle with "Darth Steve". Pizza Head [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere eventually gets fed up]], saying "Get that Skywalker guy to do this! I'm going back to Pizza Hut, where it's safe!" The commercial ends with the intergalactic Pizza Hut getting blown up by the Death Star mere seconds after Pizza Head lands. |
| 143 | -->'''Pizza Head:''' I don't think the Force was with me... |
| 144 | * The guy in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfhRQQLStPc this 1985 commercial]] for Oxy Pads, shown at the end where he mouths off to the InteractiveNarrator. |
| 145 | * Dr. Pepper: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP9rzT_ZVDo What's the worst that could happen?]] (And [[RetroactiveRecognition yes, that is in fact]] Creator/JesseEisenberg.) |
| 146 | * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cNRzfY-G7o A banned commercial in Indonesia. (starts at 00:15)]] One guy voiced his disbelief that there's an offer for telephone quota that's very cheap that if he found one, he's going to re-marry with a monkey. An advertisement of such pops up right afterwards. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVutpjyR5Zc There was a sequel]] involving the same guy not learning his lesson that when he heard there's going to be another cheaper telephone quota price, he declared that he'll re-marry with a goat if he saw one. And lo and behold, the guy was then involved in a threesome with a monkey and a goat. |
| 147 | [[/folder]] |
| 148 | |
| 149 | [[folder:Animation]] |
| 150 | * ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'': [=BoBoiBoy=] is anxious about taking care of Tok Aba's stall on his own, to which Tok Aba replies that it isn't as if the customers would be aliens. Not long after, [=BoBoiBoy=] happens upon the series' alien antagonists, as he catches the alien's robot named Probe snatching cocoa from the stall and chases him. |
| 151 | * ''Animation/HappyHeroes'': Big M., after regaining his memory in Season 2 episode 50, is informed by Little M. that someone told Happy S. their shark's weakness - the someone in question being Big M. himself while he was amnesiac, which neither character realizes. Big M. exclaims that the person who gave away the shark's weakness should be hit on the head by a flower pot and attacked by angry dogs... which is exactly what happens to him a second later. |
| 152 | * In ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'', any unfortunate ideas that Jonie comes up with are almost guaranteed to happen immediately after she mentions them. In particular, if she says anything related to [[SpeakOfTheDevil Wolffy appearing]], you'd better watch out for him. |
| 153 | [[/folder]] |
| 154 | |
| 155 | [[folder:Audio Plays]] |
| 156 | * In the ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' drama "The Revolution", after the Doctor has crashed their spaceship and maintained a constant chatter as they slog through the jungle, Benny nearly says "It can't get worse", but then stops herself. When they immediately get attacked by natives anyway, she protests that she didn't say it. "That's against the rules!" |
| 157 | [[/folder]] |
| 158 | |
| 159 | [[folder:Comedy]] |
| 160 | * According to Music/BillBailey, while he was performing at a charity gig sponsored by a Swiss banking firm, the organisers of the gig explicitly asked him not to make any jokes about NaziGold. Never ask a comedian not to make jokes about something; Bill later did some research into the bank in question, and devotes part of his ''Tinselworm'' DVD to making jokes about the bank's ties to the Nazi regime and encourages the audience to protest against them. |
| 161 | * Creator/DaraOBriain also has a routine about how the one thing that you should never do is to tell a comedian not to do material about something; when he was doing a gig where a certain celebrity was present, he was warned not to do any jokes about a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super-injunctions_in_English_law super-injunction]]; a super-injunction is a legal injunction that cannot be publicized, meaning Dara obviously had zero idea about it prior to being warned not to mention it, ''[[StreisandEffect and he promptly started to make light of it]].'' |
| 162 | [[/folder]] |
| 163 | |
| 164 | [[folder:Fairy Tales]] |
| 165 | * "Literature/HeartOfIceAndrewLang": A literal example. King Farda-Kinbras and Queen Birbantine were so happy together they defied fate to ruin their happiness. Fairy Gorgonzola, who was listening, got pissed at their arrogance, and took their daughter's heart away. |
| 166 | [[/folder]] |
| 167 | |
| 168 | [[folder:Folklore]] |
| 169 | * Many professions have superstitions ''designed'' to avert and/or subvert this trope, such as stage performers' traditional well-wish of "Break a leg!" (because telling someone "You'll be fantastic!" is tempting fate), or sailors' reluctance to call "lifeboats" by that name (so Fate won't put its accuracy to the test). |
| 170 | [[/folder]] |
| 171 | |
| 172 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 173 | * In one version of The Clovers' "Love Potion #9", the protagonist isn't deterred by the encounter with the cop, and decides to go back to the gypsy lady and ask for the #10 version. |
| 174 | * Music/{{Hawkwind}}: |
| 175 | ** Robert Calvert's 1974 solo debut, ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyBPXuWzHL0 Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters]]'', has several examples, being a satirical account of [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_F-104_Starfighter#German_service the Luftwaffe's controversial adoption of the]] F-104 Starfighter. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_bribery_scandals Defence Minister Franz Josef Strauss]] [[Music/TheBonzoDogBand (Vivian Stanshall)]] is mad with desire at resurrecting German air superiority, later being enticed by an American ConMan [[Music/{{Traffic|Band}} (Jim Capaldi)]]. The latter sells the titular F-104 Starfighter Plane in bulk, refitting them as the "F-104G" (for Germany, as Strauss squees over). The F-104 was a fighter infamous for its safety record, quickly becoming known as ''Der Witwenmacher (The Widowmaker)'', with at least ''30%'' of the planes having crashed. |
| 176 | ** Similarly, the titular Captain Lockheed (Calvert) is a [[TheStoner drugged-up test pilot]] with a [[ItsAllAboutMe bravado to match]]. Once the press unravels the whole charade, Strauss and the ''entire defence board'' resign. |
| 177 | ** It becomes [[AccidentallyCorrectWriting strangely predictive]], seeing as how the scandals stretched to other friendly governments, including the Netherlands and Japan, as well as how Lockheed had been bailed out in 1971, only to have been revealed to have spent $22 Million in ensuring the use of the Starfighter around the world in 1976. |
| 178 | ** The entire story's also [[LampshadedTrope lampshaded]] by [[Music/ArthurBrown the Gremlin]], an embodiment of aerial disasters and the album's loose GreekChorus. |
| 179 | * Music/MachinaeSupremacy, ''Need for Steve'', opening speech: |
| 180 | -->"We'll give you complete creative control." |
| 181 | * Music/TheNotoriousBIG's albums are infamous for that. His first album and the only one released in his lifetime? ''Music/ReadyToDie''. His second album, the last one on which he had creative input on and his first posthumous release? ''Music/LifeAfterDeath''. His third album, and first posthumous album? ''Born Again''. |
| 182 | * In December 2009, as a campaign to make their song "Killing in the Name" the UK Christmas No.1 rapidly gained traction, Music/RageAgainstTheMachine were booked to perform it live on BBC Radio, and were sternly told beforehand to censor the song's infamous crescendo. You know, the one where Zach de la Rocha yells "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" [[BrokenRecord over and]] [[ClusterFBomb over again]]. Three guesses what de la Rocha did. |
| 183 | * After winning the FA Cup in 1994 and making it to the 1995 Final, Manchester United released a song called "We’re Gonna Do It Again", presumably "it" being winning the FA Cup again. The result in the Final? Everton 1 Manchester United 0. |
| 184 | * Music/CWMcCall: In "Four Wheel Drive", the narrator says repeatedly that "Well, the chase was on, but I had the edge / With a rig that'll never fail". The song ends with him saying his "CJ-5 with a four-wheel drive" is "Settin' out back a' the jail". |
| 185 | [[/folder]] |
| 186 | |
| 187 | [[folder:Music Videos]] |
| 188 | * Part way through the video for Music/CatHairballs, [[WesternAnimation/RenAndStimpy Stimpy]] (who is hwarfing up hairballs for Ren to stamp and send down a conveyor belt) reassures "Don't you fret, I won't run out, I've lots more hair to spare." This is not long before the video focuses on Stimpy running out of body parts to lick and starts desperately slurping and hwarfing, which has begun to take a physical tole on Stimpy. By the end, Stimpy is half dead and licked clean. And after a final failed attempt at hwarfing, passes out on the conveyor belt and [[PainToTheAss gets violently stamped on the ass]] with a painful ''hularf'' sound effect, which leaves a butt brand across Stimpy's butt cheeks. |
| 189 | [[/folder]] |
| 190 | |
| 191 | [[folder:Myths & Religion]] |
| 192 | * Countless instances in Myth/GreekMythology. Proclaiming oneself smarter/mightier/prettier/better than the gods always brings immediate ruin down on the offending mortal (if the gods don't at least choose to be lenient and instead put said mortal to the test), yet [[GenreBlindness mortals do this continuously.]] |
| 193 | ** In the story of the Seven Against Thebes (as re-told in ''Literature/TheThebaid''), one of the leaders, Capaneus, stood just at the wall of the city and shouted that Zeus himself could not stop him from invading it. Zeus promptly killed him with a thunderbolt. |
| 194 | ** In revenge for Diomedes wounding her before Troy, Aphrodite saw to it that he was driven into exile in Italy. Trying to cheer him up, his six companions told him that at least Aphrodite could do no worse to them. She then turned the six companions [[RockBottom into birds.]] |
| 195 | [[/folder]] |
| 196 | |
| 197 | [[folder:Podcasts]] |
| 198 | * ''Podcast/TheAdventureZoneBalance'' had a small bit of audience interaction, in which listeners could submit items for the Fantasy Costco to sell, provided they didn't already exist and weren't too broken to ever use. The only exception to this rule was the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Flaming Poisoning Raging Sword Of Doom]], an insanely powerful item submitted by an eight year-old fan that Griffin included in the game as a shout-out to said fan. Realizing the sword was a GameBreaker unlike any other, he stopped the party from getting their hands on it by pricing it at 60.000 gold, which is more than they'd ever be able to get in the game. However, he severely underestimated [[GuileHero Taako]], who exploited the game mechanics so badly that Garfield ended up giving him the sword for only 900 gold.[[note]]Taako found an item in the store worth 900 gold that didn't do anything, but allowed the owner to trade it with an NPC for their most valuable possession, provided the owner rolled a successful Persuasion-check. He bought that item, along with a book on skill checks that allowed him to gain advantage on one skill once a day. He then read up on Persuasion, went back to Garfield, and traded the item back to him in exchange for the sword.[[/note]] |
| 199 | * In the ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' game of ''Podcast/CoolKidsTable'', as soon as Todd says that "nothing will go wrong" when they fly into the Reaver territory, the lights go out and the screens start flashing. [[CommercialBreakCliffhanger Then they cut to commercial]]. |
| 200 | * As episode seven of ''Podcast/{{Sequinox}}'' begins, Alan and Cassidy realize that they were relatively unscathed after the last episode's fight, unlike Jake. Shannon the GM then writes something down ominously. |
| 201 | -->'''Shannon:''' Sounds to me like you were complaining you didn't get hurt enough! |
| 202 | * The D&D podcast ''The Lucky Die'' has a behind-the-scenes series called Beyond the Eclipse. In episode 4, which came out roughly the same time as episode 150 of the main show, Dungeon Master Volonda complains that, while she is greatly enjoying the game, it's taking much longer than she originally expected and she begs for it to just be done already. Two years, a hundred episodes, and one IRL wedding later, and the show is still going strong. |
| 203 | [[/folder]] |
| 204 | |
| 205 | [[folder:Pro Wrestling]] |
| 206 | * Any time a wrestler says something like "I could beat you with one hand tied behind my back!", you can bet the house that he'll be put in a match with such a stipulation. |
| 207 | * Whenever someone issues an open challenge and says he/she is ready for anyone on the roster, the result is usually being {{squash|Match}}ed by the biggest person in the company. |
| 208 | ** As an example, Jack Swagger [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjBdL664DJM even lampshades how when a wrestler issues a challenge, a monster shows up]], and has a perfect OhCrap face when the gong sounds. |
| 209 | * At the 1988 edition of ''Wrestling/SummerSlam'', Wrestling/HonkyTonkMan, having no one to face for the championship with the recent injury of Wrestling/BrutusBeefcake, demanded an opponent. He was then squashed in half a minute by the Wrestling/UltimateWarrior. |
| 210 | * ''Wrestling/RoyalRumble 1999'' Vince [=McMahon=] said when he drew his number that he'd hoped he'd draw #2. He ended up drawing #30. However, fate repaid the temptation when Shawn Michaels (then-Commissioner of the WWF) announced that Vince [=McMahon=] would be #2 in the Royal Rumble. |
| 211 | * After a [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-h.html WWE Title]] match on Smackdown between Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio|Jr}} and the late Wrestling/EddieGuerrero, heel manager Wrestling/PaulHeyman shows up, and after delivering a bigoted speech to both Eddie and Mysterio in which he expresses his desire to see the two of them and their families deported, he rants on about his "vision" for Smackdown, and ends the speech with "...and there's not a ''man alive'' who's going to stand in my way!" [[Wrestling/TheUndertaker Guess who shows up seconds later]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KfOIr1HGtc to kick Heyman's ass.]] |
| 212 | ** The cocky rant itself was tempting more fate -- the next week he was drafted to Raw and minutes later quit his job. |
| 213 | ** A similar thing happened to Wrestling/WilliamRegal during his phase as Raw's heel GM ''and'' King of the Ring, when he often blacked out the venue during fights and such. Well, with Regal on the verge of dictator, loudmouth Mr. Kennedy interrupts him asking for a fight. Regal responds, "The very next person who interrupts me, whether it be you or anyone else, will be fired on the spot." [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaOIg9kKxyg Guess who is the next person that interrupts Regal.]] And by the way, Regal would later lose his match versus Kennedy [[spoiler:''and'' get '''''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis FIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRREEED!!!]]''''' as a result of Mr. [=McMahon=]'s proposition]]. |
| 214 | ** Regal wasn't the first heel GM of Raw to meet this fate. When Wrestling/EricBischoff was the Raw GM a few years earlier, he opened Raw the night after the Survivor Series pay-per-view in an understandably bad mood as Raw's team had lost to Smackdown's team in a 5-on-5 elimination match the prior night as well as his own loss to Smackdown GM Theodore Long and Wrestling/KurtAngle failing to win the WWE Championship from Wrestling/JohnCena. When nobody responded to his demand for an explanation of why they lost, he threatened to come back to the locker room area and fire whoever he saw on the spot. Cue the entrance music of Vince [=McMahon=], the one person that Bischoff didn't have the authority to fire. |
| 215 | * Wrestling/CMPunk himself managed two in the same promo in Wrestling/RingOfHonor during his feud with Wrestling/{{Raven}}: "Raven, where did being [[{{Wrestling/ECW}} Extreme]] ever get you?", and "That beer you drink has never and will never touch my lips!" - after his dog collar match with Raven, Punk got jumped by Wrestling/TommyDreamer, tied to the ropes, and forced to drink beer. And three years later, he ended up in the revived ECW. |
| 216 | * Because Wrestling/TripleH, the WWE Champion, had been drafted to Smackdown in 2008, Smackdown had two champions and Raw had none. Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}}, the World Heavyweight Champion, came to Raw to insult [[TheWoobie Jim Ross]] and Wrestling/{{Batista}}, who he had beaten the night before. He then proceeded to brag about how Raw had no champion, about how none of the top contenders would ever get a shot at his title, and how he would never come back to Raw. Unfortunately for Edge, he didn't count on Batista beating the tar out of him, or Wrestling/CMPunk (whom he had neglected to mention) [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxQkHcOjQhM cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.]] |
| 217 | ** Edge was essentially HoistByHisOwnPetard, since he had done the exact same thing to Wrestling/JohnCena and Wrestling/TheUndertaker the previous two years. Punk actually commented on this in his first interview after winning the title. |
| 218 | * During an episode of Raw in John Cena's hometown of Boston, Randy Orton pulled Cena's father out of the front row of the crowd and promptly punted him in the head. Cue Orton being on the receiving end of the most brutal beatdown Cena had ever administered to anyone in his career. |
| 219 | * On the April 8, 2013 episode of Raw in the IZOD Center, the crowd is extra wild, chanting for just about everyone during Randy Orton vs. Sheamus, from referee Mike Chioda to Randy Savage. After that, they chanted for JBL and Jerry Lawler on commentary. JBL then states there's no way they'll chant for Michael Cole. Seconds later... |
| 220 | * During the ''Extreme Rules 2012's Pre-Show'', Wrestling/TheBigShow had to defend his Intercontinental Championship against former champion Wrestling/CodyRhodes that was determined to be a Tables Match (where the only way to win is to put your opponent through a table). About 45 minutes into the actual show, Cody kicks Big Show's leg out from under him and he ends up stepping onto (and breaking, technically "going through") the table. |
| 221 | -->'''Big Show''': (laughs) Good luck trying to get me through a table. |
| 222 | * The Raw before Wrestlemania 38, Omos was interviewed and declared that, after his victory against the Viking Raiders, "No mortal man can beat me!" Guess [[Wrestling/BobbyLashley who]] showed up to challenge the giant. |
| 223 | [[/folder]] |
| 224 | |
| 225 | [[folder:Radio]] |
| 226 | * In one episode of ''Radio/{{Dragnet}}'', a man who didn't believe in life insurance won a bet with a life insurance salesman, and didn't take a policy out. Less than an hour later someone murdered him. |
| 227 | * The introduction to the ''Radio/LuxRadioTheatre'' staging of ''The Front Page'' (June 28, 1937), says that Amelia Earhart couldn't make her scheduled appearance, but would be on the show next week after she completed her around-the-world flight. Earhart disappeared forever when her airplane ran out of gas somewhere in the vicinity of Howland Island on July 2, 1937. |
| 228 | [[/folder]] |
| 229 | |
| 230 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 231 | * The ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' supplement ''Draconomicon'' features a quote from a dragon hunter: "Dragons don't see very well in the dark. They don't hear so well, either." This is the lead-in to a section explaining that ''D&D'' [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]] have anything ''but'' poor senses; they tend to have high ranks in perception-related skills, have far better night vision than humans, can see in total darkness at a long distance, and can even use smell and hearing to discern the location of anything within a large radius. Unsurprisingly, the citation describes said dragon hunter as "the late Aylmer Dapynto". |
| 232 | [[/folder]] |
| 233 | |
| 234 | [[folder:Toys]] |
| 235 | * In ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'', after the heroes have awoken Mata Nui and everyone is celebrating, Takanuva writes on [[CharacterBlog his blog]] about his hopes for a new era of peace. Hahli, on the other hand, has her doubts, but joins in the celebrations nonetheless, walking off into the distance, humming a song about hope for tomorrow. [[spoiler: And then the BigBad reveals he's taken over the universe. [[DownerEnding The end.]] At least, for that arc...]] |
| 236 | [[/folder]] |
| 237 | |
| 238 | [[folder:Visual Novels]] |
| 239 | * ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}}'': In the first episode of the first season, Tomoya hopes that Nagisa's father is sane. It took years after Nagisa's Death by Childbirth to find out the complete reason on his actions. |
| 240 | * ''VisualNovel/C14Dating'': Deandre, one of the love interests, is taking the eight-week field class during which the story takes place because he's missing a class worth of credits and mentions several times that he just needs a passing grade in the class to be done with his education and start working in an unrelated field. Only four weeks are required to pass the class, with the extra four being for people who are interested enough in the subject, want the work experience or need to retake the class. Guess how the narrative keeps Deandre around for second half of the game. |
| 241 | * ''VisualNovel/HarvestDecember'': |
| 242 | ** Shiro declaring that she's not afraid of getting hit by a car as it wouldn't hurt her. Cue her immediately getting hit by a car. Fortunately, she was right about it not hurting her despite the narrative of what happens after the impact ''not'' being PlayedForLaughs. |
| 243 | ** Masaki is visiting a girl's room and spots a pair of clean panties that had fallen off of the laundry pile while she's downstairs getting snacks. After several seconds of deliberation and he's decided to fold them and put them back in place, cue her returning just as he's picked them up. |
| 244 | * In ''VisualNovel/HighwayBlossoms'', Amber enjoys listening to her late grandfather's mix tape. At the start of the game, she notes, "I'm worried the deck might eventually eat the tape, but it never happened to him no matter how many times he played the damn thing, so I'm not too scared." No prizes for guessing what happens to the tape [[spoiler:the morning after Amber and Marina have sex.]] |
| 245 | * In ''VisualNovel/IkemenSengoku'''s prologue, Sasuke warns the main character to not fall in love with anyone in the Sengoku period that she accidentally time-traveled to because it could cloud her desire to return to her present time. The main character responds to this by laughing and pointing out that hardly any of the guys she's met have been even nice to her. [[TimeTravelRomance Fast forward three months later...]] |
| 246 | * In ''VisualNovel/SevenKingdomsThePrincessProblem'', the delegates settle down for a long, boring meeting where each of them must officially introduce themselves to the group. The first delegate to talk is Lyon, whose introduction is typically terse; Avalie remarks hopefully that if ''all'' the speeches are like his, the meeting might end at a reasonable hour. [[GilliganCut They aren't.]] |
| 247 | [[/folder]] |
| 248 | |
| 249 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 250 | * Subverted in The ''Literature/BraveNewWorldUniverse's'' ''Old Friends'' opening arc. Moros is invading a secret lab, and at one point remarks to himself that the plan is going very well. He then hits himself for having the thought. Luckily, nothing happens. [[spoiler:Except a survivor who makes it through Moros's zombie hordes...''that'' won't be a problem later....]] |
| 251 | * Often deliberately invoked in {{Website/Cracked}}. Whenever the list asks "What could be worse (scarier, bigger), than that?", the next item invariably ''will''. |
| 252 | * Website/DesuDesBrigade: After learning of the aforementioned Project D being done at a NASA base, Hitch said, "I am so outta here the moment they mention space vampires!" Much later in the review, near the end, when the vampire tells Kuki about their battle with evil aliens across the universe... |
| 253 | -->'''Hitch:''' Done. I am '''not''' doing space vampires! No! Done. Done! Dammit!! |
| 254 | * ''Blog/GaryLandlordOfTheFlies'': |
| 255 | ** The first proper post has Gabe marvel at the low cost of rent, noting that the landlord "seems a little lame, but nice enough." Naturally, the rest of the blog focuses largely on just [[CrankyLandlord how unpleasant]] said landlord really is. |
| 256 | ** [[https://strangerthaneviction.tumblr.com/post/136612080/july-5-a-farewell-to-my-armoire When Gabe comes back with a friend post-eviction to retrieve his desk]], he internally worries that Gary will be more subdued than normal (thus depriving his friend of a chance to witness just how crazy he truly is). As he thinks this, he notices Gary screwing the front door shut right in front of him. |
| 257 | * ''Literature/MommySleepsInTheBasement'': After Paisley has seemingly finished reading her poem to the class, she says she brought a photograph of her mother which includes the last part for extra credit, and begs to be allowed to present it. Mrs June agrees, "''thinking there couldn’t possibly be any details worse than what she already presented.''" Hoo boy, is she mistaken. |
| 258 | * In [[http://notalwaysfriendly.com/trafficking-in-backseat-comments/38433 this]] story on Website/NotAlwaysRight's sister site Not Always Friendly, a bad driver defends his bad driving by saying that's he's never had an accident... right before slamming into another car. |
| 259 | * Occurs all the time in the ''WebOriginal/ProtectorsOfThePlotContinuum''. Whenever an agent says anything along the lines of "At last, a break from badfic." or "Now I can catch some sleep." he/she/other/it get sent to another mission. {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d by references to the "Laws of Narrative Comedy". If a mission is described as appearing "not too bad", it will rapidly get worse. |
| 260 | * ''Blog/TheRaptureLogs'': Web serial novel ''OH GOD THE RAPTURE IS BURNING'' starts the entire epic story with a sentence that sums up everything you need to know about TemptingFate: "Rapture's nothing but bullshit." The title of the story comes from almost the very next sentence, so you can imagine how that turned out. |
| 261 | * Scorchy's [[http://lparchive.org/Knights-of-the-Old-Republic-II/ Let's Play of]] ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic II'': The player, during the fight against Darth Nihilus, ends an update with a vote on whether he should try to fight him normally or [[spoiler:have Visas sacrifice herself to weaken him through their Force bond]]. The very last words in this update are "And [[TakeAThirdOption don't say both]] or I'll murder a puppy. Multiple puppies." The very next update, which goes with the first option but also shows how the second would play out, is titled "The Puppy Holocaust", with video of the second option "brought to you by the flayed corpses of a thousand little adorable puppies". |
| 262 | * Some posters on social media and forums have challenged people to "Name (x) that is more (y) than" the subject of an included picture, such as "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAmGNR_IudM Name a more iconic trio than the Dream team]]." What usually follows is a LongList of examples that easily surpass the one in the picture. |
| 263 | [[/folder]] |
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