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Film
And then suddenly one day, he asked to leave. It was over a woman, of course. So I made a deal with him. I gave him an impossible task. A job no one could have pulled off. (takes a swig of his vodka) The bodies he buried that day laid the foundation of what we are now.
Colonel Benson: Mr President, my men are doing everything possible!
President: I don't want the possible, I want the impossible!
President: I don't want the possible, I want the impossible!
— Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (1966)
Literature
Once, in winter, when everything was frozen as hard as a stone, and hill and vale lay covered with snow, the woman made a frock of paper, called her step-daughter, and said, "Here, put on this dress and go out into the wood, and fetch me a little basketful of strawberries, — I have a fancy for some." "Good heavens!" said the girl, "no strawberries grow in winter! The ground is frozen, and besides the snow has covered everything. And why am I to go in this paper frock? It is so cold outside that one's very breath freezes! The wind will blow through the frock, and the thorns will tear it off my body." "Wilt thou contradict me again?" said the stepmother, "See that thou goest, and do not show thy face again until thou hast the basketful of strawberries!"
— "The Three Little Men In the Wood"
Then the Baron took off his gold ring and threw it into the sea, saying: "Never let me see your face till you can show me that ring"; and he let her go.
— "The Fish and the Ring"
"If you can slay the thorny Boar of Borythorn, she is yours," grinned a traveler. "But there is no thorny Boar of Borythorn, which makes it hard."
Dust-wife: Do you know why you set someone an impossible task?
Marra: To see if they can do it? To see if they are heroes?
Dust-wife: Heroes. [snorts] The gods save us all from heroes. But perhaps that's the fate in store for you after all. No, child, you give someone an impossible task so that they won't be able to do it.
Marra: But I did it. Twice.
Dust-wife: I had noticed. And quite likely you will do the third task and then I will be obligated to help you kill your prince.
Marra: To see if they can do it? To see if they are heroes?
Dust-wife: Heroes. [snorts] The gods save us all from heroes. But perhaps that's the fate in store for you after all. No, child, you give someone an impossible task so that they won't be able to do it.
Marra: But I did it. Twice.
Dust-wife: I had noticed. And quite likely you will do the third task and then I will be obligated to help you kill your prince.
Live-Action TV
King Otto: Before I can give my permission, young man, I must set you a task, which, if you succeed, will prove you worthy of my daughter's hand.
Prince Charming: Yes, sir, I accept.
King Otto: Good. At nine o'clock tomorrow morning, armed only with your sword, you must go to the highest tower in the castle, and jump out of the window.
Narrator: And so, early the next morning, the young Prince Charming, dressed in a beautiful white robe, and gripping his magic sword, plummetted to a painful death.
Prince Charming: Yes, sir, I accept.
King Otto: Good. At nine o'clock tomorrow morning, armed only with your sword, you must go to the highest tower in the castle, and jump out of the window.
Narrator: And so, early the next morning, the young Prince Charming, dressed in a beautiful white robe, and gripping his magic sword, plummetted to a painful death.
— Monty Python's Flying Circus, "A Fairy Tale"
Tabletop Games
Only in the Space Marines of the Legiones Astartes are courage and expertise perfectly blended. In other troops they are present in varying degrees and proportions, and many scholars have debated their relative merits.
For my own part, I come down on the side of courage. For courage makes a virtue of inexperience. I myself have commanded Imperial Guard troops whose probitor units have achieved great things, because their courage was infinite and because they were too inexperienced to realize that their goal was impossible.
For my own part, I come down on the side of courage. For courage makes a virtue of inexperience. I myself have commanded Imperial Guard troops whose probitor units have achieved great things, because their courage was infinite and because they were too inexperienced to realize that their goal was impossible.
— Leman Russ, Warhammer 40,000
Video Games
"Trebonius gave you some duties? Last year he asked me to dig a tunnel to the mainland so the Telvanni couldn't interfere with Imperial trade. I just tell him it's progressing according to schedule."
— Malven Romori, Mages Guild Wizard, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
BAD READ. TRY AGAIN
— Among Us
Web Original
Marneus Calgar: Congratulations. You once more managed to succeed on an impossible mission... WHERE YOU SHOULD'VE DIED! You went straight through a literal hellscape, containing legions upon legions of eldritch abominations, and some of the most elite Chaos Space Marines the enemy would have to offer, that even the greatest of warriors would perish to. BUT NO! You succeeded because you were trained by the BOOK! The holy codex of our OH SO WONDERFUL I COULD SHIT MY POWER PANTS SPIRITUAL LIEGE!
Ultramarine: Yes indeed, my lord! We did it.
Ultramarine: Yes indeed, my lord! We did it.
Western Animation
