Basic Trope: A character is about to explain something but another character beats them to it, much to their frustration.
- Straight:
- Bob is about to explain something to Carol, but Alice interrupts him and explains it to her first, which frustrates Bob.
- Bob is about to explain something to Carol, but Carol correctly guess what's going on, and the only thing Bob can do is just confirm her guess, much to his annoyance.
- Exaggerated:
- Bob is about to explain something to Carol, but Alice shoves him aside and explains everything, including things Bob didn't even know about, and he's mad that she took over for him and pushing him and surprised to learn somethings new.
- Bob is about to explain something to Carol, but Carol Finger Muzzle him and not only does she correctly guess what's going on, but she correctly guess things that Bob never intended to tell her. While Bob is miffed that she guessed correctly and he's also impressed.
- Downplayed:
- Alice or Carol interrupts Bob just to say the final word.
- Bob is only a little annoyed that he got interrupted.
- Justified:
- Bob did a lot of research on the topic, only for it to go to waste when Alice takes over or Carol figures it out.
- Bob's explanation is too long and complicated so Alice takes over to give a short and simple version.
- Bob is used to being Mr. Exposition and doesn't like it when someone else does his job, or Alice or Carol is also Mr. Exposition so they can't help it.
- Alice knows that Bob's information is inaccurate so she takes over before he misinforms Carol.
- Everyone already knows the information so Alice or Carol tells him to stop.
- Bob is Saying Too Much so Alice steps in to stop him from revealing too much to Carol.
- Carol observed her surroundings and figures out what's going on.
- Carol was questioning Alice, not Bob.
- Alice better understands how Carol understands things and thus can give a more fitting for Carol explanation.
- Inverted: ???
- Subverted:
- When Alice is about to take over for Bob, he stops her before she can do it.
- Alice is about to take over for Bob, but she forgets what she was going to say, so Bob resumes.
- When Carol tries to guess what's going on, she's incorrect and Bob resumes his explanation.
- Bob isn't mad or annoyed that Alice took over or Carol figured it out already.
- Double Subverted:
- Despite stopping her, Alice still takes over for Bob regardless.
- When Bob is about to resume his explanation, Alice suddenly remembers and cuts Bob off.
- Carol makes another guess and this time she's correct.
- Bob is mad or annoyed when Alice or Carol keeps doing it again.
- Parodied: Alice interrupts Bob to explain something in an elaborate musical number that comes out of nowhere.
- Zig Zagged: Bob is about to explain something, but Alice interrupts him and takes over for him. But then Bob interrupts Alice and takes over for her. They're basically fighting over who gets to do the explaining.
- Averted: Bob has no interruption when he's explaining something to Carol.
- Enforced: ???
- Lampshaded: "Hey! I'm the one who's telling the story here! Don't take over!"
- Invoked: ???
- Exploited: ???
- Defied:
- Despite Alice taking over or Carol guessing correctly, Bob ignores them and resumes his explanation despite Alice or Carol repeatedly telling him they got it.
- "Let's pool our knowledge just in case one of us missed something, okay?"
- Discussed: ???
- Conversed: ???
- Deconstructed: Bob knew something that Alice didn't, and Alice's insistence that she knows what's going on leaves Alice without vital information that Bob assumes she already knows.
- Reconstructed: ???
Back to Exposition Already Covered
