Why did the chicken cross the road?
Because the plot demands it.
Because the plot demands it.
Video Games
"I know this question.
And I know the answer to it.
You'll just keep saying 'but thou must!'
no matter how many times I say no, right?
So the answer is "yes"!
I am going to the Lunar Capital!"
And I know the answer to it.
You'll just keep saying 'but thou must!'
no matter how many times I say no, right?
So the answer is "yes"!
I am going to the Lunar Capital!"
"Let us erase this pointless world, and move on to the next."
Erase
>Do not
>Do not
"No...?
Hmm...
How curious.
You must have misunderstood.
SINCE WHEN WERE YOU THE ONE IN CONTROL?"
Hmm...
How curious.
You must have misunderstood.
SINCE WHEN WERE YOU THE ONE IN CONTROL?"
— Chara, the Fallen Child, Undertale
Don't bother answering. If you haven't gotten it by now... Your choices don't matter.
—Susie, Deltarune
"WILL YOU TAKE THE FINAL DEAL!? REMEMBER... THIS IS UP TO YOU! I WOn'T FORCE YOU."
YES DEAL
♥ NO DEAL
"WRONG"
— Spamton boss fight, Deltarune
"Rather than offer you the illusion of free choice, I will take the liberty of choosing for you..."
— G-Man, Half-Life 2
"You know you haven't got a choice, Shanoa. Let's not play games."
— Albus, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
"I'll just keep asking until you say yes!"
— Buck, Pokémon Platinum
Zelda: But this time, when all of this is over, will you come to wake me up?
Of course!
I promise.
I will.
I promise.
I will.
"I want to entrust you with this Pokédex
Will you use it to record data on all the Pokémon in Sinnoh for me?"
Will you use it to record data on all the Pokémon in Sinnoh for me?"
Yes
>No
>No
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
"I can stand here without speaking for hours. I'm a very patient man.
Let me ask you again..."
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
"I can stand here without speaking for hours. I'm a very patient man.
Let me ask you again..."
—Professor Rowan, Pokémon Platinum
Ford Cruller: You have to be my field agent, Razputin. Are you ready?
Razputin: No. Not yet.
Ford: [slaps Raz] ...How 'bout now?
Razputin: No. Not yet.
Ford: [slaps Raz] ...How 'bout now?
Rief: How did we arrive in this situation, exactly?
Tyrell: Matthew can be talked into anything—that's how.
Tyrell: Matthew can be talked into anything—that's how.
Tom Nook: Isn't your current house just a tad cramped? We could build you a larger home. It could hold much more furniture, yes? So? What do you say?
You: Smaller is cozier!
Tom Nook: Oh, [player name]! Always the joker, hm? I know a young up-and-comer like you, [player name]... You couldn't possibly be satisfied with a house that small. Not likely! So, the roof on your newer, bigger house... What color should it be, hm?
You: Smaller is cozier!
Tom Nook: Oh, [player name]! Always the joker, hm? I know a young up-and-comer like you, [player name]... You couldn't possibly be satisfied with a house that small. Not likely! So, the roof on your newer, bigger house... What color should it be, hm?
Shepard: Enjoy it, Joker. If we're stuck here, we might as well let them pamper us.
Joker: Does it breach uniform regs if I get that on a crew shirt? Because this is my favorite "you have no choice" choice ever.
Joker: Does it breach uniform regs if I get that on a crew shirt? Because this is my favorite "you have no choice" choice ever.
"And you have no choice. You must release the energy of the Crucible to end the cycle. The path is open. There is only one way ahead."
— The Catalyst if your EMS is so low that only one ending is unlocked, Mass Effect 3
"DON'T BE A WIMP!"
— Audience, You Don't Know Jack
Clementine: Do I have a choice?
Kenny: Of course.
Clementine: Really?
Kenny: No. Not really.
Kenny: Of course.
Clementine: Really?
Kenny: No. Not really.
"Even if you're wrong, eventually you'll figure it out, right? Till then, you're just goin' in circles! So no matter what you pick, you get the right answer! Pretty innovative, don't ya think?"
— The Mastermind, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
"I understand how you feel... Even if you select the "No", you eventually have to select the "Yes", so it ends up the same eventually anyways..."
— Chimecho, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers
"... This is another one of those moments where it really doesn't matter what I have to say, isn't it?"
—The Warrior of Light, Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers, "Word about Komra"
Anogg: You are coming along, right? Oh, who am I kidding─I know you wouldn't miss it!
What will you say?
* Oh, I'm sure I won't be given the choice to miss it.
* How charming that you continue to pretend to care about my opinion.
What will you say?
* Oh, I'm sure I won't be given the choice to miss it.
* How charming that you continue to pretend to care about my opinion.
— Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers, "On the Threshold"
Wrong answer. Right answer. It matters not. Your replies are all paper thin.
— Origami Princess Peach, Paper Mario: The Origami King
The Detective: These options seem awfully fascist or communist — what if I don't wanna say them?
Rhetoric: Say one of these fascist or communist things or fuck off.
Rhetoric: Say one of these fascist or communist things or fuck off.
Do you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon?
>Here you go...
>This is mine!
>This is mine!
(Koraidon/Miraidon pouts)
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
>Here you go...
>This is mine!
>This is mine!
(Koraidon/Miraidon pouts)
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
>Here you go...
>This is mine!
>This is mine!
(Koraidon/Miraidon pouts)
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
>Here you go...
>This is mine!
>This is mine!
(Koraidon/Miraidon pouts)
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
>Here you go...
>This is mine!
>This is mine!
(Koraidon/Miraidon pouts)
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
>Here you go...
>This is mine!
>This is mine!
(Koraidon/Miraidon pouts)
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
(the cycle repeats until the player chooses "Here you go...")
Maybe you want to give your sandwich to Koraidon/Miraidon after all?
(the cycle repeats until the player chooses "Here you go...")
Mitsuru: [Player]... I'd like to speak to you for a moment. It's been 10 days since you first entered Tartarus, and you haven't done a thing. Who do you think you are? At first, I thought you had a plan, but now I can see that you've just been slacking off. If you recall, I told you that you would have a difficult time later if you don't adequately train. Was it a mistake to appoint you the leader? We are going to Tartarus tonight. Understood? Don't disappoint me.
Male Protagonist: Hold on. / Female Protagonist: Wait a second.
Mitsuru: I don't want to hear any excuses. You've had plenty of time. We're going tonight, whether you like it or not. ...Now, go get ready.
[player attempts to leave Tartarus without exploring]
Mitsuru: Stop. I'm not letting you go today.
Male Protagonist: Hold on. / Female Protagonist: Wait a second.
Mitsuru: I don't want to hear any excuses. You've had plenty of time. We're going tonight, whether you like it or not. ...Now, go get ready.
[player attempts to leave Tartarus without exploring]
Mitsuru: Stop. I'm not letting you go today.
— Persona 3 Portable
Allied Osean helicopter: We can see AA weapons at the drop point. Air units, sweep up the area around the facility for us!
(the player chooses "No")
Allied Osean helicopter: You've got to do it. Otherwise we'll just be target practice.
(the player chooses "No")
Allied Osean helicopter: You've got to do it. Otherwise we'll just be target practice.
—Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War, "ACES"
"All I ask is for you to start a Cult in my name. Do we have a deal?"
>Yes.
>Absolutely.
>Yes.
>Absolutely.
—The One Who Waits, Cult of the Lamb
Other
Anime & Manga
"For the request that I will ask you now please reply with 'Yes' or 'Okay'."
— Anzelotte, Night Wizard
Film — Animated
"Rule number 1: Gate closes, you race!"
— Roscoe, Cars 3
Film — Live-Action
Weird Barbie: [displaying a pink high-heel shoe] You can go back to your regular life, [showing a brown Birkenstock sandal on her other hand] or you can know the truth about the universe. The choice is now yours.
Stereotypical Barbie: [not even hesitating] The first one.
Weird Barbie: You have to want to know, okay? Do it again.
Stereotypical Barbie: [not even hesitating] The first one.
Weird Barbie: You have to want to know, okay? Do it again.
Web Original
"Sometimes video games ask you interactive yes or no questions. Don't be tricked by having two options. They're only teasing you with one of them. For example, you often get asked things like, 'Will you help the king?' If you answer NO, it'll say, 'Oh, but you must!' If you answer NO again, it will say, 'Oh, but you must!' This will go on until someone or something destroys the power lines outside your house. And don't think you can just kill the King to get him to shut up, there's no button for that."
— Seanbaby
"I am not allowed to make choo-choo noises when the DM tries to force the plot."
Web Video
Lysanderoth: And now it's time to finish the job. Goodbye, Archibald.
Dennis: Why are you doing this?
Lysanderoth: Because my master told me to. King Dragon sends his regards. (shoots Archibald)
Player: Oh fuck this. Fuck this. (resets game)
Dennis: Let's negotiate.
Lysanderoth: No thanks. King Dragon sends—
(another reset)
Dennis: Where is Prince Horace?!
Lysanderoth: Hmmmmm.... (shrugs) I dunno. King Dragon—
(yet another reset)
Dennis: (knocks gun out of Lysanderoth's hand)
Lysanderoth (Beat) It's a good thing I always carry two guns! (pulls out another gun)
Player: (softly, defeated) Ok.
Dennis: Why are you doing this?
Lysanderoth: Because my master told me to. King Dragon sends his regards. (shoots Archibald)
Player: Oh fuck this. Fuck this. (resets game)
Dennis: Let's negotiate.
Lysanderoth: No thanks. King Dragon sends—
(another reset)
Dennis: Where is Prince Horace?!
Lysanderoth: Hmmmmm.... (shrugs) I dunno. King Dragon—
(yet another reset)
Dennis: (knocks gun out of Lysanderoth's hand)
Lysanderoth (Beat) It's a good thing I always carry two guns! (pulls out another gun)
Player: (softly, defeated) Ok.
Steve: I'm the fucking Avatar. I've handled that rune twice, both times to do something a lot more fucking important than any stupid shit you've ever done. I fucking found that thing. I dug it out of a furnace while it was turned on. You're going to tell me, with a straight face, that you can't let me have the rune until I do some idiotic thing for you?
Selganor: That's right.
Steve: Fine. But the only reason I'm not killing you with a cannon right now is that I have a grudging respect for your enormous balls.
Selganor: That's right.
Steve: Fine. But the only reason I'm not killing you with a cannon right now is that I have a grudging respect for your enormous balls.
"Please try this religion," he said. "No," said everybody. "Tryyyy iiiit", he said. "No," said everybody again, quieter this time. And so the religion was put into place, and all the rules that came with it.
Ein: Time out. What exactly makes you think I'm obligated to do any of this? You nerf the crap out of me, you reformat my brain, you dump me in a strange village with some hippy chick and a loli, and now you show up out of nowhere and expect me to do your bidding? Something isn't right with this picture. Maybe you should just have been upfront rather than dicking me around like this. It's not my job to save you people. It's my job to activate the Retribution and save Asgard. It's going to screw you all over, and that sucks, but that's how it has to be. Too bad. No. I'm not helping you.
Didja Redo: ...is the kind of response you might have hoped to get by saying no. However, this is a JRPG, and as we all know, that is not how they work. Here's what actually happens.
Ein: Sorry, but I can't.
Didja Redo: All together now...
Ursula, Fia, Lina, and Serene: BUT THOU MUST!
Ein: Oh fine.
Didja Redo: ...is the kind of response you might have hoped to get by saying no. However, this is a JRPG, and as we all know, that is not how they work. Here's what actually happens.
Ein: Sorry, but I can't.
Didja Redo: All together now...
Ursula, Fia, Lina, and Serene: BUT THOU MUST!
Ein: Oh fine.
— Didja Redo's LP
of Riviera: The Promised Land
of Riviera: The Promised Land"But, you have a choice: 'I'm not afraid of death,' or, 'I feel better in prison.' [...] 'But it's up to you. The game doesn't start until you say YES.' Well, what's the point of having an option, then? I'm saying leave me the fuck in prison, but then again I might as well not even put the game in if I'm gonna say no. That's like in the movie, if he [Col. Trautman] would've said, 'John, the movie can't continue till you say yes.'"
Faba: (Being voiced by Shib) Will you come join me?
[Shen selects "no"]
Faba: Hmm. Yes. That is what you said, right? You said yes? You didn't say no? I'm pretty sure you said no, but I will say that you said yes.
[Shen selects "no"]
Faba: Hmm. Yes. That is what you said, right? You said yes? You didn't say no? I'm pretty sure you said no, but I will say that you said yes.
