Odd Reaction Out

Brian: You're all different.
Crowd: Yes! We are all different!
Lone Man: [dejectedly] I'm not.

— Monty Python's Life of Brian

Groups of people in stories usually aren't just made of random people, instead, they have something to bind them together, especially when doing something as narratively important as appearing in a scene. But the ties that bind them only characterize the group as a whole, instead of the people inside it.

A group member reacting differently from the rest of the group shows that they're different in some way from the generic group member. For example, the Standardized Leader ordering his troops to chase an enemy: "After him, team!"

• The Lancer: Finally, some action!
• The Big Guy: You got it, bossman!
• The Smart Guy: Affirmative, Commander!
• The Heart: I hope this doesn't get too bloody.

And so The Heart is showing that they're likely a Pacifist or Afraid of Blood, unlike the other members of the team, who are mission / combat-focused.

Super-Trope to:

• Only One Finds It Fun: For fun.
• Only One Who Likes Spam: For food.
• Nine out of Ten Doctors Agree: For reviews.

This trope is like Universal Group Reaction, but this is when it's universal for everyone in the group, but one or so. This can react with Group Reacts Individually, if reactions are individual, but a majority can be described along a theme, and one group member doesn't follow it. Conforming OOC Moment is the inversion, where someone who's expected to react differently to other people, actually reacts in conformity with everyone else.

There have to be at least three reactors, because only with two others is there something to be non-conformist to, and since reactions can form a list, this may overlap with tropes on the Index of Lists.

Sometimes, this trope is even plot-important, with a Conspicuous in the Crowd situation, where attention is being drawn to a probably important person acting differently than the rest.

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Examples:

Anime & Manga

• The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: Some of Rentarou's girlfriends have static facial impressions that barely change even when reacting alongside all the other girls during a heartthrob group reaction:
  • Nano is The Stoic, with her reaction showing as a Luminescent Blush.
  • Momiji has a perpetual pout.
  • Ahko is a Frozen Faced Perpetual Smiler who can only convey her emotions through her eyes.
  • Tama constantly sports a realistic-looking cat mouth, meaning she never shows wild facial expressions like the others.
  • Sometimes there are situations where a different girlfriend has a unique reaction: for example, when the baby girlfriends see Rentarou trying to be a mommy in Chapter 167, most of them are either dumbfounded or silently judging, aside from baby Himeka, who's thrilled.
• Asteroid in Love: In Chapter 12/Episode 4, the Earth Sciences Club — formed by the merger of Geology and Astronomy clubs due to both being Club Stubs — visited a JAXA facility as part of their summer camp. At the beginning of the visit, they were treated to a video screening. Afterwards, Milage, one of the formerly Geology members, noticed the two new members (who are astronomy enthusiasts) crying Tears of Awe. She thought they were overreacting, but when she noticed the only other person who doesn't do that is the only other former Geology member, she realizes that are now in the minority.
• One Piece:
  • When the Straw Hat crew enters Thriller Bark territory for the first time, they first meet Brook the skeletal musician playing eerie music. The entire crew screams in fright... except for Robin, who keeps being stone-faced.
  • During Baroque Works' meeting in Rainbase, Crocodile demonstrates his Touch of Death on Mr. 3. All the other agents are visibly horrified — except Mr. 1, who takes it with the usual cold-blooded stoicism.

Comic Books

• X-Men: In Uncanny X-Men #500, a human art collector named Guy DeMondue organizes an art exhibit with mutant-hunting Sentinels. The X-Men are informed of this and react badly to it: Beast and Angel (two of the original X-Men) remark on their lethality to mutants, while Emma Frost says it is in bad taste, for a completely different reason, and Wolverine doesn't offer a specific dislike:
  Angel: Sadie, come on! Twenty-foot-tall death machines—
  Beast: Genocidal robots no more artful than an A-Bomb—
  Emma Frost: Banal, predictable "shock schlock" that was passé in New York ten years ago—
  Wolverine: Hell with this.

Films — Animated

• Beauty and the Beast: When Gaston wins the "spitting match" during his Villain Song, three men hold up "10"s, but one holds up a "9.5".
• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: When Sam reveals on the news that the Giant Food will fall down on Eastern China, everyone in London watching the news is nonchalant... except for one man, ostensibly Chinese, who gasps in terror.
• The LEGO Ninjago Movie: When Master Wu asks the ninjas if they're ready to make the journey to obtain the Ultimate Ultimate Weapon, they all enthusiastically agree except for Jay, who responds with an uncertain "Uh...maybe."
• Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted: During a chase, King Julien falls off a high platform and seemingly to the streets below. Cue everyone looking horrified… except Maurice, who smiles. A few seconds later, Julien climbs back up alive and well, and everyone smiles…. Except, again, Maurice, who looks disappointed.
• Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse: Donald refuses to get into the Christmas spirit after several attempts to cheer him up, causing the audience to frown in disappointment... except Grumpy, who actually smiles.

Films — Live-Action

• Played with in the film D.A.R.Y.L.: When D.A.R.Y.L. is to be decommissioned, all of his data back-ups, each representing a snapshot of his consciousness, are to be erased. As the army general who ordered the decommission is ensuring everything is indeed wiped, all the memory banks confirm they are empty, except the final one.
  I HOPE WE GET AWAY WITH THIS!
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: When Greg and Fregley wrestle, and Fregley wins, the crowd claps for him. When Coach Malone tells them to clap for Greg too to be polite, only Rowley (Greg's bubbly best friend) does.
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: After the rush down the Inevitable Waterfall, everyone is scared, except the beaver, who says, "Ooh, lovely!".
• Monty Python's Life of Brian: The conversation between the multitude and Brian starts with Brian getting a Universal Group Reaction, but then a lone dissenter appears:
  Brian: Look, you've got it all wrong. You don't need to follow me. You don't need to follow anybody! You've got to think for yourselves! You're all individuals!
  The Crowd: Yes! We're all individuals!
  Brian: You're all different!
  The Crowd: Yes! We're all different!
  Man in crowd: I'm not...

Literature

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: When Willy Wonka invites the others to try the edible grass, everyone takes a blade, except for Augustus, who takes a big handful.
• In the first Franny K. Stein book, Lunch Walks Among Us, three children have Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking-type different opinions of what is needed when the Pumpkin-Crab Monster is going on a rampage:
  "We need a fireman", one girl said.
  "We need a superhero", one boy said.
  "We need dry pants", said you-know-who. [a boy at Franny's school who keeps wetting his pants.]
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: When Dumbledore cancels the final exam to reward the students, most of them cheer, but Hermione says, "Oh no!".

Live-Action TV

• Married... with Children: Al is planning a Labor Day barbeque. The secret to Al's delicious burgers is that he never cleans the ashes out of his grill. When Peg knocks over his grill, she tells the kids to replace the ashes. Kelly sneaks into Marcy's place and takes the ashes of Marcy's aunt (who Marcy loved but Steve hated). When Kelly figures out what she had done she spits out her burger in disgust. When she tells Peg and Bud, they react the same way. When they tell Steve, he smiles and takes a triumphant bite.
• Odd Squad: Mobile Unit: In "O for a Day", Orpita shows the Mobile Unit a video of Seattle Mr. O turning into a hideous creature. Oswald, Omar, and Osmerelda all react with fright. Orla, on the other hand, gives a heartfelt "awww!" before she looks around and changes her reaction to fit everyone else's.
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: In "The Arsenal of Freedom", the crew is looking at a devastated planet and wondering what the disaster was. Worf, of a Proud Warrior Race, suggests, "War?", Data suggests, "Disease?", and Geordi, breaks the pattern of different and serious answers, joking, "A dissatisfied customer?".
• Ted Lasso: In "The Strings That Bind Us", during the string training exercise, when Jamie's dick string is accidentally pulled off, everyone stares in fear and shock, worried that Jamie has damaged his penis... except for Roy, who is grinning like it's the happiest day of his life. Reversed a moment later when Jamie and Dani confirm Jamie's penis is okay. Everyone smiles and sighs in relief, except for Roy, who now looks disappointed.

Puppet Shows

• Fraggle Rock: In "The Terrible Tunnel", Mokey is going to see the Storyteller and invites Gobo, Wembley, and Boober to come with her. Everyone reacts with enthusiasm except Boober.
  Mokey: Hey, I am going to see the Storyteller. Does anyone want to come along?
  Gobo: I do!
  Wembley: Oh, I do!
  Boober: I don't.

Video Games

• Assassin's Creed II: When Ezio accidentally activates an Apple of Eden for the first time, everyone present (including the protagonist Ezio himself, the top Italian assassin Mario Auditore, and even Niccolò Machiavelli) is immediately overwhelmed by the terabytes of Precursor data being streamed directly into their brain and recoils in pain. Meanwhile, Leonardo just stands there with a fascinated grin on his face, going "Hmm, interesting".
• In Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, one of the later cutscenes has N. Tropy flirting with his alternate dimension counterpart. Everyone else reacts with appropriate disgust... with the exception of Dingodile, who instead chuckles while elbowing Crash.
• Moshi Monsters: In the song "Sneezing Channels", Shishi dances, and two panda judges smile, but the third yawns and rolls its eyes.
• Operation Youth Club: If you employ a DJ or a band, NPCs are programmed to say either "The DJ/band is rubbish!" or "Love the DJ/this band rocks!". Since everyone's response is randomly generated, occasionally there'll be a whole crowd of people who love the DJ or band and one person who hates them.
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: A staple of Consular companion Felix Iresso. When traveling through a once wealthy village hit hard by a ground quake. then occupied by renegade mercenaries, other companions remark on the horrible damage left by both. Felix? "Now this is living! All we have to do is kick the Regulators around a little, and we're good to go."

Web Animation

• Homestar Runner: "Homestar Runner Goes for the Gold" ends with Strong Sad suddenly overcoming his crippling depression and transforming into Strong Glad, and his elephant-like legs transform into the legs of a sexy woman in tights and heels. Everyone else finds this weird and disturbing... except for Coach Z, who declares "I'm into this!"

Webcomics

• Girl Genius: 20091026: 2 out of 3 Sparks aren't accompanying Agatha and the last one is only because all the good excuses were taken.
• Grrl Power: "What else would you do with two invisible arms?" has mental reactions to a hot woman revealing that Harem is attracted to females, while the other two women in the room aren't.

Western Animation

• Animaniacs: Seeing as the Warner siblings are all straight, a common occurrence is Yakko and Wakko finding a lady very hot, but Dot rolling her eyes at their behaviour.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender: In "The Ember Island Players", the audience's reaction to Player Toph's high-pitched Super-Scream (an Adaptational Superpower Change of the real Toph's tremor sense) is repulsion. Toph herself, on the other hand, is thrilled, since she doesn't take the play as seriously and is just enjoying the fact that her character is portrayed as a huge tough guy.
• Bob the Builder: Lofty is usually the only one not to say, "Yes, [word] can!" in response to the show's many "Can [word] [verb] it?" questions. He will hesitantly say, "I think so" instead.
• Family Guy:
  • In "Life of Brian", Peter gives a eulogy at Brian's funeral that moves the attendees to tears. But Glenn Quagmire, known to hate Brian's guts, is instead watching a ball game on his phone.
  Quagmire: Dammit, Ortiz! Stop swinging at junk!
  • One early episode's Cold Open has the Griffins watching a commercial for Mintos that involves, of all things, John Wilkes Booth trying to assassinate Abraham Lincoln and an "Everybody Laughs" Ending when he fails. The family comments:
    Meg: These commercials are stupid!
    Lois: They certainly don't make me want a Minto.
    Brian: Totally ineffective.
    Peter: (leaving the room in a trance) Must...kill...Lincoln.
  • In "Mr. Saturday Night," Peter joins a renaissance fair and practices with the other employees. When the Black Knight arrives and shows off his incredibly buxom girlfriend, the camera pans down the line of knights, and a "ding" sounds as each man's "equipment" hits the inside of his armor...except for Mort Goldman, who instead hastily says "Ding" to imitate the others.
• Futurama:
  • In "The Problem with Popplers", when it turns out that the Popplers, a new snack, are Omicronian young, Lrr wants to sacrifice everyone who ate them. When he instead decides to only sacrifice Leela, the first person to eat one, instead, everyone cheers except Leela, who boos.
  • When Fry, Kif, and Zap Brannigan are captured by Amazons and sentenced to death by snu-snu. Zap and Fry alternate between horrified and overjoyed, Kif was just horrified.
• Hazbin Hotel:
  • In the pilot "That's Entertainment," after Alastor effortlessly destroys Sir Pentious' ship, Charlie, Vaggie, Husk, and Angel Dust stare at the carnage in Stunned Silence. Niffty instead gives a small smile, hinting at her Ax-Crazy nature in the series proper.
  • In the season one finale, The Show Must Go On, Lucifer arrives to fight Adam and for threatening his daughter Lucifer tells Adam "I'm going to f*ck you!" This causes the entire war to come to an abrupt halt as everybody becomes dumbfounded by what Lucifer said. Everyone except Angel Dust and Valentino who found what he said amusing.
    Valentino: Well this just got interesting.
    • Later all of the core cast are left shocked when Adam is fatally backstabbed by Niffty... Except for the normally Perpetual Frowner Vaggie who has a huge happy grin on her face.
    • Later still, during the final musical number, Alastor pops up to join in. Everyone, who had thought he’d been killed in the fight against Adam, looks overjoyed and pulls him into a Group Hug…. except Lucifer and Husk, who look disgruntled.
• Looney Tunes: In "To Duck or Not to Duck", Elmer Fudd is pitted against Daffy Duck in a boxing match. When Fudd comes on, the audience boos, except for his dog, who says, "Hooray!". When Daffy comes on, the audience cheers, except the dog, who boos. Both times lead to the rest of the audience throwing things at him.
• The Loud House:
  • In "Study Muffin", when Hugh meets the pets, Charles, Cliff, and Walt nuzzle him, but Geo frowns.
  • In "L is for Love", when it's discovered that the person to whom the love letter is addressed has brown hair, the blonde sisters, plus Lincoln (who has white hair) and Lucy (who has black hair) say, "Oh, dang it!", except for Lily, who says, "Ah, poo-poo!" (She was a baby at the time, and "poo-poo" was one of the few words she knew).
  • In "Sofa, So Good", when the Loud siblings are relieved they got most of their furniture back, most of them sigh happily, but Lucy literally says, "Sigh".
• Monkie Kid:
  • In the special "Revenge of the Spider Queen," Red Son asks to steal/borrow the team’s vehicle after his own was destroyed, so he can defeat the Spider Queen and save his father himself. The group yells various negative responses such as "Are you crazy?!" and "No way!"… except for Sandy, who calmly says "He’s pretty convincing."
  • In the season 3 episode "The First Ring," Mei and MK react to the revelation that the Samadhi Fire was created by Red Son himself with shocked gasps and shouts. Sandy, on the other hand, rubs his chin and says "Okay, following…"
• My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic:
  • In "Dragonshy", when the Mane Six are all suiting up to go confront the dragon, the others face the task ahead with enthusiasm, but Fluttershy is incredibly nervous and reluctant. While this looks like her normal shyness, it foreshadows the later reveal that she is terrified of dragons, and would have said no to the whole endeavor if the others had allowed her to get a word in edgewise.
    Rainbow Dash: Let's go!
    [Rainbow, Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack rush offscreen]
    Fluttershy: Uh... let's not? [squeaks in terror]
  • When Discord scoops everyone up for a big bear hug at the end of "Twilight's Kingdom" everyone looks incredibly uncomfortable with the whole situation. And then there's Pinkie Pie who has a huge ecstatic grin on her face.
• Nina Needs to Go!: In "Traffic", Nana tells her family that they're going to visit a camper van that's pink and has its own television and bathroom. The kids and father echo back a word excitedly — Nina, a little girl in a Princess Phase, says, "Pink!?", Frank, a typical young kid, says, "TV?!", and the father, who's a pragmatist, says, "Bathroom!?".
• Numberjacks: In one episode, all the Numberjacks cheer, except Zero, who states flatly, but sincerely, "Hooray."
• The Real Ghostbusters:
  • In "Ghostbuster of the Year", when the Ghostbusters are put in a contest to see who can trap a ghost named Charles Foster Hearse the first, and the winner will be put on the cover of a magazine called Spooks Illustrated, most of them are excited and keen to be "famous". Winston, however, doesn't like the idea of working alone and believes that fame is overrated.
  • In "The Haunting of Heck House", the Ghostbusters and Slimer are offered to stay the night in a Haunted House and win a million dollars just for surviving. Most of them are keen, but Egon is very much not.
  • In "'Til Death Do Us Part", the Ghostbusters and Slimer meet their substitute secretary for when Janine is on vacation, Dixie. Most of them find her extremely attractive, but Egon pays her no heed.
• The Simpsons: In "A Star Is Burns", when Mr. Burns's egotistical biopic, A Burns For All Seasons, is screened at the Springfield Film Festival, everyone boos, but Smithers tries to lie that they were instead chanting Burns's name (pronounced "Boo-urns"). While most of them were saying, "Boo!", Hans Moleman later reveals that he was saying, "Boo-urns".
• SpongeBob SquarePants: In one episode, everyone cheers when Mr. Krabs gets a new patty-making machine, except Patrick Star, who is too distracted by needing to pee.

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