This trope covers two very different thing - a badass certain "No." and a meek Oh Crap-like "no.". Maybe we should divide the examples it two parts for this distinction?
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Three things, even - a badass certain "No" (V for Vendetta), an Oh Crap trying-to-be-badass no (Agent Smith), and a heartbreaking, broken no (Captain Kirk).
I'm not sure how to categorize, say, Isildur's "no". It is defiant, but it's more "I have decided to be a dick" than badass and certain. I guess that's a fair villainous equivalent.
(Replied instead of creating a new discussion by accident, blanked.)
Edited by Cronosonic
Got an example of the fanfic variety. The Ao 3 fic "Shells in the Foam (a Hermit!Tommy fanfic)" by Cedarwhisp 21 had this in chapter 43.
The context: A group of Hermits are discussing ways to help Tommy with his trauma, when Scar mentions the possibility of using magic to make Tommy forget his trauma. Blue, a ghost that's been following Tommy around, heavily objects to this.
[Transcript]
“Then what can we do?” Scar asks. “Because at this point, I’m thinking a selective memory spell might be kinder. Let him remember the good about his past, but not… whatever happened to make him like this.”
The others stare at Scar.
“It’s an actual treatment for extreme cases of PTSD-” Scar starts to explain, before anyone can say anything, when Joe shouts in surprise.
The temperature in the room suddenly drops. Above the table, a flickering figure appears, and a quiet, but /powerful/, whisper echoes around the suddenly silent room.
/“NO.”/
Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, the phantom vanishes, and it’s like everyone can breathe again.
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This trope description seems to be missing the type of Little "No" where the speaker is confronted by a deep, horrifying or terrible truth. There are examples on the page for this type but the type itself isn't in the description. I'm not really sure how to write it in.
Edited by Tableau Hide / Show Replies
If we wanted to give laconic versions of each type, they might be "defiant no", "desperate no", and "broken no". You're suggesting a "horrified no". I may reorganize the description along these lines.
Ooh ooh, I got another one: The Osh Kosh B'Gosh example is a "uncaring no"! They're everywhere. Perhaps the distinguishing feature of this trope is not any particular type of usage, but rather the simple and direct way it conveys an emotion? But in that case, why not just make the trope "Little [Any Word]"?
I guess the key is that all these examples are rejecting something. Sometimes it's a direct question - typical for the "defiant" and "uncaring" no. Other times it's just a situation - almost universal in the "broken" and "desperate" no (the later of which I should have called the "freaked out no", perhaps).
I just want to thank whoever added the Greece example. I didn't know that, and it is awesome.
Does the sheepish Blatant Lies variation where the speaker is clearly trying to lie and failing miserably count? Usually that falls within the usual volume range for this trope.