Rhetorical Question Blunders in Fan Works.
Crossovers
- Adopted Displaced: During The Sparkle in his Eye, Clank jokingly suggests that Twilight could give the RYNO Bottomless Magazines by allowing it to absorb ambient energy. Twilight doesn't just take his joke seriously but starts brainstorming out how to do it. This eventually turns into a Brick Joke during the "Tools" arc, when she announces that she's finished the ammo regenerator.
- Beyond the Outer Gate Lies...: When Azazel asks if he's ever done anything to warrant Harry being so distrustful and snarky towards him, Harry promptly reminds him of a certain incident...Azazel: Now, now, "Fire and Ice"! No reason to get touchy. I mean, have I ever really done anything bad enough to deserve an attitude like that?
Harry: Three. Hundred. Ises.
Azazel: Now, now. It all worked out in the end. Why linger on things which ended up fine anyway?
Harry: Three. Hundred. Ises. Not just three hundred Ise, but three hundred Ises with ramped-up libidos. Think about that. Reflect on your sins. - Code: Pony Evolution combines this with Breaking the Fourth Wall when Pinkie Pie answers a rhetorical question made by THE NARRATOR.
- The Infinite Loops: Silver Spoon is angry with the Crusaders for stealing away her friend, unaware they're in a time loop and she's not. So when they come up to talk to her she's not very happy...Silver Spoon: What do you all want?
Scootaloo: Well, I personally want to revolutionize the field of aeronautics and join the Wonderbolts. I'm pretty sure Sweetie here wants to become a pop star, and Apple Bloom wants to build an army of robots to do her bidding.
Apple Bloom: Not an army. Ah'd be fine with a small squad o' twelve, Ah'm not greedy.
Silver Spoon: ...what? - A New World, A New Way: Seen when Seth complains about the company he's keeping:Seth: I am surrounded by horny perverts. What did I do to deserve this?
Abby: Invite us? - In Promises of a Wandering Hero, Naru tries to warn Kitsune about how her snooping might get her into trouble someday.Kitsune: What would life be without a little risk?
Naru: Longer. - When Monet first joins the Foxhound Pirates in Shinobi of the High Seas, she takes a look at the heavily injured Soren and asks if they just threw him on a bed and called it a day. Yes. Yes, they did.
- In chapter 15 of Sonic Generations: Friendship is Timeless, Rainbow Dash asks a rhetorical question. She then notices Pinkie Pie is about to answer said question and quickly states she wasn't looking for an answer.
- While teaching Supergirl swordsmanship in Trolling the League
, Naruto tells her to deflect instead of block when facing a stronger opponent, causing her to irritably ask what the odds are of her coming across a swordsman stronger than her. Since Naruto's been knocking her around the entire time, he snarks that they clearly aren't zero.
- School Watches Assassination Classroom: From Chapter 10:Fuwa: Sir, what part of your character type is a Japanese schoolgirl?
Mimura: Please don't answer that.
Koro-sensei: Well, I do have a certain feminine sense—
Everyone: NO, YOU DON'T!
- A Protector's Pride: While arguing over Isshin keeping his son Locked Out of the Loop, Isshin defends his retience by asking "How do you just come out and say, 'Hey Ichigo, do you wanna hear how your Mom and I first met?'" Ichigo counters "Exactly like that."
- In Code Geass: Redo of the Rebellion Cornelia responds to Zero chiding her for being so rude to him by asking how he'd react to the man that killed his brother. Zero quips that he'd buy the man a beer and share a laugh.
- Dauntless (Allora Gale): When Kallen asks Edith whether she thinks Lelouch would find an ace pilot or a secretary more valuable, Edith calmly replies that she already knows that Lelouch considers her to be more important than Kallen. After all, she's not just a Hyper-Competent Sidekick; Edith is also one of the only people Lelouch trusts. Kallen, by contrast, is just one of several skilled pilots he knows.
- In Danganronpa: Last Hurrah, the second killer, having undergone a Heel Realization after a "The Reason You Suck" Speech from the protagonist, asks, "What kind of trash am I?" While this question wasn't asking for an answer, Monokuma gives one anyway.Monokuma: Hey, you, you were asking what kind of trash you are? I have an answer for you! You are trash that is about to be executed! Hahahahahaha!
- Monster (A Death Note AU): When L comments on Misa's enthusiasm for killing criminals, Light asks:Light: Is it a crime that someone else is as committed to cleansing the world as I am?
L: Yes, actually, it is. That's called mass murder.
- Dragon Ball Z Abridged:
- Freeza has one of these during his initial banter with Goku before he realizes who he's dealing with.(Freeza explaining why he Would Hurt a Child)
Freeza: Really, killing them is a kindness. I can retract that kindness if you wish, but then who's the villain?
Goku: (confused) Y-...you.
Freeza: No, that was a rhetorical question.
Goku: And I gave you a rhetorical answer.
Freeza: Good lord, I traded Vegeta for this. - And there's another instance later when Piccolo is fighting Dr. Gero:(After Piccolo has just torn Gero's right hand off)
Gero: You lime-coloured son of a bitch! It's going to take me at least TWO! HOURS! To program a new hand! No, wait! I'm right-handed! THREE HOURS! You miserable reprobates! What have I ever done to you?!
Piccolo: Pretty sure you vaporized half a city.
Gero: I meant RECENTLY!
Piccolo: That was an hour ago!
Gero: SEMANTICS!
- Freeza has one of these during his initial banter with Goku before he realizes who he's dealing with.
- A nonverbal one in The Keening Blade. When trying to curb the heroine's kleptomaniac tendencies, Loghain points out that stealing from her allies is troublesome and also wrong. After all, she didn't go stealing things when she was seeing the king of the dwarves...(beat)
Loghain: You did, didn't you? You absolutely did. You totally looted the palace of the dwarven king!
- The DA Missions: Agent Furry Fury:Dumbledore: Why is it that DA members keep lowering themselves to Mr. Potter's level of maturity? And none of them seem to have the inverse effect on Harry himself?
Tonks: Because he's a born leader?
Fred: Because he's brilliant?
George: Because he's a lean, mean, Dark Lord vanquishing machine?
Snape: Haven't you ever heard a rhetorical question, you imbeciles?
Fred: Absolutely.
George: Many times.
Tonks: I don't know. What do they sound like? - In Dragons Speak Parseltongue Too, You Know, Hermione complains about the lack of a search aid for the Hogwarts library.Harry: Accio!note That's what we've been missing- that's how we can locate things.
Hermione: Of course, how could we have been so oblivious?
Luna: Well, you see Hermione, we've all been very preoccupied and-
Hermione: That was a rhetorical question, Luna.
Luna: So?
Hermione: That means you aren't supposed to answer.
Luna: Well, that's very silly. Why ask a question if you don't want an answer? - In For Love of Magic, Tonks has trouble coping with the idea of not just being in a four-way relationship but Harry potentially sleeping with random women on the side as well. When she asks if Harry would be fine with her sleeping with another man, Harry says that not only is he fine with it but if he was bisexual, he'd be suggesting she bring the man into their bed to share.
- In Harry Potter and the New Chance Tonks brings Sirius to see her parents after Veritaserum questioning by Madame Bones reveals his innocence and they react with shock and hostility.Tonks: Do you think I'd bring a dangerous criminal home for supper? On second thought, scratch that.
- Syngenesophobia: While out jogging, Lynn taunts Ronnie Ann about how the other girl wasn't able to keep up with her. When Ronnie sarcastically asks if she looks like a track star, Lynn points out that she's currently wearing gym clothes and sweatbands, so yes, she actually does.
- Dodged a Beetle:
- During their first fight together, Chat Noir asks Bella Stella if she's got a plan, to which she replies "Aren't you capable of thinking of something on your own?" Chat Noir promptly goes for the first thing he can think of: charging in headlong, to Bella's complete horror.
- When Bella sarcastically responds to Chloe's critiquing her performance by asking if she'd like to put on the suit herself, Chloe enthusiastically agrees that's a great idea, then asks if it comes in yellow.
- I See What You Do Behind Closed Doors: After realizing that she was Loving a Shadow with Adrien, Marinette asks Tikki when her crush on him became an obsession. Tikki observes that she likely doesn't actually want an exact date, noting "That was one of you humans' 'rhetorical' things, right?"
- Scarlet Lady: Chloé just keeps running into this, and keeps asking who asked them when she gets an answer.
- In "Horrificator", when Ivan tells her she sucks, she acts offended and asks who else thinks the same. Pretty much everyone else raises their hands.
- In "Riposte", she demands to know why people aren't signing up for her "BFF Tryouts". Everyone around promptly gives legitimate reasons why they hate her.
- "Reverser" gives somebody else the chance to put their foot in their mouth. After Chloé makes a big scene in the Art Room, trying to insult several of the students gathered there before storming off in a huff, the art teacher tries chiding Alix for not letting her show off the "masterpiece" she'd brought. Alix bluntly counters his question with a series of armor-piercing ones:Art Teacher: Well, Alix, if Chloé really did have an art project, it's too bad we didn't give her a chance to tell us about it, isn't it?
Alix: Uh, no? Why would I want her here? So she can come insult everyone, take over the Art Room, and try to steal ideas from us?
Art Teacher: ...
Alix: Yeah, that's what I thought.
- Deku? I think he's some pro...:
- Aizawa demands one good reason why he shouldn't expel Bakugou after he knowingly used an attack on him which could have proven fatal during the Heroes vs. Villains exercise. To his irritation, Izuku gives one in that Bakugou's behavior has always been allowed and sometimes outright encouraged, meaning he hasn't learned how unacceptable it is.
- After Nighteye chews him out for wasting his three hours on petty criminals, All-Might asks what was he supposed to do, only for Nighteye to respond that he's supposed to understand his own limits.
- Green Tea Rescue: Ochako does this to herself while trying to figure out how she accidentally fell in love with Izuku, as she winds up answering her own question:Ochako: He's my best friend for crying out loud. How'd I fall for my best friend? Besides him being kind, gentle, brave, compassionate, cute and having a body that puts the Statue of David to shame... oh, so that's how.
- Mastermind: Strategist for Hire: Played for Laughs when the League of Villains vows to help Izuku destroy the Meta Liberation Army. He asks what he ever did to deserve friends like them, and Dabi bluntly replies "You helped us kill people."
- In those hardest to love need it most: After learning how Izuku was mistreated for being Quirkless, Aizawa realizes how his nickname for Midoriya, "Problem Child", could sound to someone who has been dismissed and belittled by teachers and asks Izuku if he thinks he calls him that because he hates him. As the narration says, the silence was answer enough.
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
- About Last Night: When Applejack wonders "What kinda sick, deprived weirdo would force two ponies to be together?", Twilight answers "Your sister?", thinking about the Hearts and Hooves Day incident.
- Always the Quiet Ones: After hearing that Fluttershy once imitated Rainbow's personality while roleplaying, Pinkie jokingly asks if they were acting out a Screw Yourself scenario. Fluttershy's silence seems to imply that she guessed correctly.
- Cultural Artifacts: After listing out all of the Big Guy's accomplishments in Equestria, Princess Celestia asks "Shouldn't I be concerned about such a creature?" Rarity bluntly replies "No."
- Rainbooms and Royalty: In Storm on the Prairie, Rainbow Dash observes that their haybale stack may be unsteady. Applejack sarcastically asks "Since when were you an architect?" Dash points out that she designed and built her own cloud home.
- Sharing the Night: When discussing the palace that is being built in the center of Ponyville, a huge thing of black crystal, glass, and moonstone, Twilight, who is more than a little uncomfortable with the situation, jokingly suggests that it looks like something Luna might have designed when she was Nightmare Moon. Luna replies that yes, this is in fact precisely the case.
- After the Bijuu are given human forms in Eroninja, Kukaku (the Yonbi) goes out of her way to mock Urd (the new Hachibi born from its severed tentacle), whom she doesn't think is a real bijuu. At one point, Kukaku asks Naruto whether he'd rather have "one of the bijuu created by the Rikudo Sennin himself or a second-rate knockoff" like Urd. Naruto responds that given their respective personalities, he likes Urd much more than Kukaku.
- In an omake for Nothing But Trouble, when Naruto/Kyuubi motorboats Tsunade and his apprentice demands to go next, Tsunade irritably asks, "Anyone else?" Everyone else present forms a line, including the Mizukage.
- Comes up in the NSFW fic Home/Bodies when Misato is worried Asuka and Shinji are jumping into sex too fast.Misato: Shinji, don't you think you're going a little too fast?
Shinji: If she likes me, I guess it's okay.
Misato: I like you Shinji. Are you going to fuck me now?
Shinji: Do you want me to?
- Crossed Lines: During their confrontation at Loguetown, Alvida asks who the most beautiful woman on the sea is, clearly expecting to hear that it's her. Luffy instead names Robin, while Yamato thinks Hancock is the most beautiful.
- This Bites!:
- When the Straw Hats first visit Skypiea, Usopp is about to dive in the White Sea, as par canon. Cross convinces Usopp to tie himself to the Going Merry in case of strong currents, but doesn't warn him that the White Sea's "bottom" is the air, and if he reaches it, he'll fall. When the crew pulls Usopp back up to the Merry, Usopp starts to ask Cross if he would like it if someone pulled that prank on him...only to belatedly realize that he probably would.
- Cross wonders during an SBS broadcast who came up with the Davy Back Fight, only for someone to call and tell him: Whitebeard.
- In the Holiday Special 2019 of Pokémon Reset Bloodlines, a young Flint is trying to come up with a plan to cheer up Volkner. When he gets an idea, his Chimchar gives him a look, leading to this exchange:Flint: Oh, don't give me that look. How many times did my plans fail?
Chimchar: (starts counting with his fingers)
Flint: Very funny.
- Later, Traitor: After Frazie discovers Coach Oleander's plans, she refuses his attempt to convince her that the Villain Has a Point this way:Frazie: What do I think? I think you're completely out of your freaking mind!
Oleander: Am I, Frazie? Or am I the only one here with the vision and drive to get things done?
Frazie: No, you're really just absolutely insane.
- A Rabbit Among Wolves: After Jaune mistakes her for a stripper, Cinder Fall furiously demands if he really thinks her name suggests that. Much to her frustration, he and half the Fang agents present promptly answer that yes. Yes, they do.
- Service with a Smile:
- After joking about hiring somebody who's clearly Roman Torchwick to handle security for the Vytal Festival, Ozpin playfully asks Ironwood if he looks like an idiot. Ironwood replies that out of respect for their friendship, he won't answer that question.
- After she accidentally (and "accidentally") steps on Mercury's feet several times while dancing with him, Ruby asks if his feet are made of steel. Mercury reveals with a grin that they actually are, tapping one foot against the other to prove it.
- White Sheep:
- At one point, Cinder complains about how Jaune shouldn't feel guilty about anything or let that impact his decisions. When she wonders where she went wrong in raising him, Jaune points out that she was the one using that very fact to guilt-trip him into compliance.
- She then gets back to the matter of introducing him to Adam, triggering the following exchange:
Jaune: He's evil, isn't he?
Cinder: Evil is a subjective term, Jaune.
Jaune: Cinder...
Cinder: Would you call me evil?
Jaune: Cinder... - Jacques offers to let Jaune marry his daughter. When Jaune points out that he's already engaged, Jacque retorts that it's normal for kings to have multiple wives and/or concubines. When Jaune asks where on Remnant such a practice would be considered normal, "Menagerie." is Jacques' immediate response.
- At one point, Cinder complains about how Jaune shouldn't feel guilty about anything or let that impact his decisions. When she wonders where she went wrong in raising him, Jaune points out that she was the one using that very fact to guilt-trip him into compliance.
- Little Hands, Big Attitude:
- Rouge sarcastically asks Shadow to go talk to a human and see what happens, and is stunned when Shadow proceeds to actually do so. Shadow has amnesia and grew up in a spacec station filled with humans, he doesn't really have a concept of having to hide from them.
- When Shadow calls Rouge "Baton Rouge" after she annoyed him a few times too many, she asks if he even knows what that is. He instantly replies that it's the capital city of Louisiana, located on the shore of the Mississippi river. Rouge is so stunned that he knows something like that on top of his head that she forgets her annoyance at the nickname.
- Bait and Switch: In chapter nine Admiral Amnell Kree finishes a mission briefing and asks if there are any questions. Eleya snidely wonders aloud where they got an operational codename like "Blue Friday".Kree: Random number generator. Any pertinent questions?
- In this parody, Blue Diamond points out that she asked Defense Zircon's exact same question literally two minutes ago.Rhetorical questions don’t work on Diamonds, Zircon.
- An Investigation into the Primarch Sigmar's Homeworld: When trying to keep a Great Unclean One occupied while his side's wizards prepare a counterattack, an Imperial Captain mockingly asks him whether his pappy hit him with an ugly stick when he made, seeing as he's so ugly. As it turns out, Nurgle does indeed keep an ugly stick in his shed for the purpose of giving newly-made Great Unclean Ones a few good whacks, and the daemon is flattered that the mortal noticed.
- Distance Learning for Fun and Profit...: Alexandria attempts to justify her growing obsession with Gravtec by listing off several "oddities" she's noticed, such as the city's infrastructure being repaired, the gangs keeping quiet, villains leaving, and a higher government presence. She then demands to know why Legend doesn't believe that any of this is worth investigating. Legend retorts that all of this boils down to the military being heavily invested in Gravtec and doing all that they can to ensure things run smoothly.
