APPLES DO NOT FALL UP
—The FAQ, I Wanna Be the Guy note
"Everybody falls the first time."
—Cypher, The Matrix
W. E. Coyote's Law of Cartoon Inertia: Objects in motion tend to stay at the same altitude until gravity is noticed.
— Vaarsuvius, The Order of the Stick
"I know this defies the law of gravity, but, eh... You see, I never studied law."
Oh! Gravity works!
—Batty Koda, FernGully: The Last Rainforest
Gravity plays favorites, I know it 'cause I saw / Honest to God, officer, it's awful
—The Dresden Dolls, Gravity
You win again, Gravity!
—Zapp Brannigan, Futurama
My actions have consequences and Gravity Is a Harsh Mistress.
—Pintsize, Questionable Content, Comic 965
Gravity's one mean mother, huh?
—Jacob Taylor, Mass Effect 2
Ah-ha! I'll bounce off that broad, flat surface and be in a lot of pain!
—The Tick, moments before he becomes the Trope Namer
It was then that young Stephanie realized that gravity would forever be her enemy.
—Stephanie Brown, Batgirl.
The Lobe: Freakazoid!, why is it taking us so long to fall?
Freakazoid!: 'Cause it's funny!
The Lobe: No it's not, it's just stupid! It's almost as dumb as that Handman episode!
Freakazoid!: 'Cause it's funny!
The Lobe: No it's not, it's just stupid! It's almost as dumb as that Handman episode!
Then gravity, that smug jerk, tapped me on the shoulder and asked me how I was going to stay up. I didn't have an answer to that. I fell.
—Jim, Mog World
Aw, come on gravity... You used to be cool.
—Homer Simpson, The Simpsons
This wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for gravity.
—Goofy, Goof Troop, "All the Goof That's Fit to Print"
Sonic: (having escaped a force field and ends up hanging in space) Did it! But how am I gonna get down? (realizes) Oh, yeah... I'LL FALL!!!!
—Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, "Over The Hill Hero"
Ah, gravity; thou art a heartless bitch.
—Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory
First Law of Cartoon Physics: "Gravity doesn't work until you look down."
—An image on the internet◊ talking about this very trope.
◊ talking about this very trope.As I ran at full speed, with my nose up in the atmosphere, and intent only upon the purloiner of my propertynote , I suddenly perceived that my feet rested no longer upon terra-firma; the fact is, I had thrown myself over a precipice, and should inevitably have been dashed to pieces but for my good fortune in grasping the end of a long guide-rope, which depended from a passing balloon.
—Edgar Allan Poe, The Angel of the Odd
(Gasp) I can levitate!
—Queen Delightful, The 7D "Bedknobs and Gloomsticks"
Gravity is the only important scientific principle that can really hurt your backside.
—Alan "Brain" Powers, Arthur, "And Now Let's Talk to Some Kids"
"Good Lord," he breathed. He looked below him. Nothing there. Like a Warner Brothers' cartoon character, standing on nothing without harm. Better not visualize that too much, because they always started to fall when they figured out where they were.
"A mysterious force bears down on us from above, pushing us downwards. If you spend too long in the air, the force will crush you against the ground and destroy you. Beware!"
— Zote the Mighty, Hollow Knight
Kate Stewart: Where are my staff? The beam had a pilot, and the armourer and the ground staff. Where are they?
The Toymaker: I think they’re still falling.
(A faint thud is heard in the background)
