History Main / BattleDiscretionShot

** In a more specific example, During ''Asterix in Britain", when Obelix is imprisoned in the "Tower of Londinium", we see him leave his cell [[OpenSaysMe in the fashion you'd expect]] of [[DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength Obelix]], then we cut to outside the Tower, hearing the sounds of Obelix knocking the guards about (and occasionally one flying out the window) as he goes down. Once he's down, however, Asterix goes in the front, thinking Obelix is still in there, and it happens again, only this time, going up. They both then realise where the other is, and it happens ''[[RuleOfthree again]]'' until they meet in the middle. The whole thing pretty much qualifies for a [[CMOF]].

--> '''Pinkie Pie:''' ''(enters cave with balloons, flippers, and other random silly stuff)'' Sharing a laugh is a surefire way to get someone on your side. \\

'''Pinkie Pie:''' ''(exits cave with popped balloons, broken flippers, and other busted silly stuff)'' Apparently, he doesn't like laughing. \\

* ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' has [[CloudCockoolander Pinkie Pie's]] attempt to persuade the dragon in "Dragonshy".
--> '''Pinkie Pie:''' ''(enters cave while wearing balloons, flippers, and other random silly stuff)'' Sharing a laugh is a surefire way to get someone on your side. \\

(cue sounds of offscreen beating) \\
'''Pinkie Pie:''' ''(exits cave while wearing popped balloons, missing flippers, and other busted silly stuff)'' Apparently, he doesn't like laughing. \\

* Done repeatedly in ''{{Rome}}''. The series includes several major battles of the early Roman Empire, but only once actually showed huge groups of soldiers fighting each other. Nevertheless, one of the show's more effective devices is showing the immediate aftermath of a battle and people's reactions to it. For example, one of the last episodes begins with Mark Antony and a few others in a lifeboat just after the Battle of Actium, with burning remains of ships in the background.

It's finally arrived; the climactic moment where good meets evil, where right fights wrong, where...someone will get their ass kicked! But then, suddenly, the camera decides not to focus on the great battle, but rather on something a little more insignificant, like the pool or some other innocent area, with only the sound of the battle heard (perhaps somewhat muffled). [[ReactionShot Focusing on the faces of observing characters]] gives a good gauge of the brutality of the fight without showing the fight itself; [[DistantReactionShot zooming out farther]] without reducing the battle noise is a less common variant, but still not too rare in comedies. It stays this way for the entire fight, only showing the aftermath.

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<<|DiscretionShot|>>
<<|FightScene|>>

There are a variety of reasons for this. The first is money: the producers might not have had enough money to ''actually'' film an epic battle. This might lead to MissedMomentOfAwesome. On the other hand, if they care enough, they could combine this with the second reason: artistic quality. A big fight scene might not be that interesting or original - but deliberately ''not'' showing the fight, instead focusing on something mundane, that could be considered [[TrueArt art]]. But beware: this could lead to WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic? There's also a third reason: perhaps the director did want a really violent and/or bloody battle, but the MoralGuardians objected too much. Or, if it's a cartoon, it could be due to the RuleOfFunny. Often, these are shown either through a [[SmokeShield smoke cloud]] (with random limbs occasionally popping out) or zooming outside a building and showing it bounce and tumble around from the force of the battle.

There are a variety of reasons for this. The first is money: the producers might not have had enough money to ''actually'' film an epic battle. This might lead to MissedMomentOfAwesome. On the other hand, if they care enough, they could combine this with the second reason: artistic quality. A big fight scene might not be that interesting or original - but deliberately ''not'' showing the fight, instead focusing on something mundane, that could be considered [[TrueArt art]]. But beware: this could lead to WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic? There's also a third reason: perhaps the director did want a really violent and/or bloody battle, but the MoralGuardians objected too much. Or, if it's a cartoon, it could be due to the RuleOfFunny.

* In ''{{Twilight}}'', Bella faints right when the [[BigDamnHeroes Big Damnn Cullens]] arrive and misses them killing James.

-> ''Man, I love a good [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] fight sequence! You can be as violent as you want, so long as nobody sees what you're doing!''
-> '''Joey Wheeler''', ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series}}''

* In ''NabariNoOu'', the [[spoiler: Raimei/Raikou vs. Kouichi/Shijima]] fight is mostly off-panel for a practical reason: the fight lasts for several hours. On top of that, [[spoiler: Kouichi and Shijima]] are [[{{Immortality}} immortal]], so it's a ForegoneConclusion that [[spoiler: Raimei and Raikou]] [[HonorBeforeReason are going to lose]].

* Used for humorous effect in ''ExcelSaga'' when Excel is killing [[spoiler:the creator of the original manga, Koshi Rikdo]], [[RelaxOVision random shots of flowers and butterflies are seen in place of the supposedly gory action]].

* In ''OnePiece'', chapter "0", [[spoiler: the fight between Admiral Sengoku and Vice-Admiral Garp versus Gold Lion Shiki that ended with the latters defeat and half of Marineford in ruins. [[NoodleIncident Somehow]], a ''full-sized ship'' got lodged into it.]]

* [[MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch]] managed to have one minor example, being an anime that focuses on [[MagicalGirl magical girls]] who fight their opponents by singing. In one scene, Rina encounters a group of boys who want to give her a ride and seem to be thinking naughty thoughts. The scene then switches to a calm scene on the beach. Cut back to the car scene to see the boys knocked out with Rina dusting off her hands.

* FightClub - The fight between the narrator and blondie. According to the director's commentary, the original version was more directly graphic, but the censors boohooed it. The result that made it into the cinematic version fit this trope. The change, arguably, led to a scene more horrible because it used this trope.
* ''The Warriors'' - Near the end of the movie, Swan and Luther engage in a duel, which simply ends with Luther being stabbed in the hand with Swan's knife, dropping the gun. Then the Riffs show up, tell the Warriors they're off the hook, and surround Luther and The Rogues. An intense asskicking ensues, but the audience is not allowed to see it, as the camera instead pans to The Warriors walking along the beach...

* C.S. Lewis was fond of this. The climactic battle in ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,'' which the filmmakers took as an excuse to do the epic thing, is recounted second hand in the book: and the duel between Caspian and Miraz is told by being described by a spectator to a short-sighted companion.

* [[SouthPark "My god! This battle is epic! This is even more epic than the final battle in the Lord Of The Rings movie, this is like ten times more epic than that battle!"]]
* Ironically, in the Rankin-Bass ''animated ReturnOfTheKing,'' even during epic battles, all violence is hidden. E.g., a human will fall out-of-frame to the left, and then an orc will enter the frame, and swing his axe in the direction of the (hidden) human.
* {{Freakazoid}} went a step or two further with RelaxOVision. Can't have the kiddies see you beating up Ben Stein? RelaxOVision!
* Used in {{RoadRovers}} whenever Muzzle is unleashed on the villains we cut to the others reactions to the violence since Muzzle is said to be so brutal none of his attacks can be shown onscreen.
* LooneyTunes: Happens near the climatic end of the Bugs Bunny short "Knights Must Fall".

* The ''TeamFortress 2'' video ''Meet the Sandvich'' takes place entirely inside a refrigerator with the camera pointing at the eponymous Sandvich. The beauty is in the sounds of the battle - first the Heavy chows down on his sandvich with an almost-adorable "OM NOM NOM" noise, then come some sickening cracks and the Scout's screams of "MY BLOOD! HE PUNCHED OUT ''ALL'' MY BLOOD!" {{Hilarity ensue|s}}d.

* The ''TeamFortress 2'' video ''Meet the Sandvich'' takes place entirely inside a refrigerator with the camera pointing at the titular Sandvich. The beauty is in the sounds of the battle - first the Heavy chows down on his sandvich with an almost-adorable "OM NOM NOM" noise, then come some sickening cracks and the Scout's screams of "MY BLOOD! HE PUNCHED OUT ''ALL'' MY BLOOD!" [[HilarityEnsues Hilarity ensued.]]

Related to GoryDiscretionShot. Compare and contrast with MissedMomentOfAwesome, RelaxOVision. Most of the time, the viewer will have to TakeOurWordForIt.

* Um hello? {{Twilight}}? Bella fainted right when the [[BigDamnHeroes Big Damnn Cullens]] arrived and missed them killing James.

* Used for humorous effect in ''ExcelSaga'' when Excel is killing [[spoiler:the creator of the original manga, Koshi Rikdo]], random shots of flowers and butterflies are seen in place of the supposedly gory action.

[[TeamFortress2 http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sandvichdiscretion_.jpg]]
[[caption-width:350:You don't want to know what's happening on the other side of that refrigerator door.]]

--> ''Man, I love a good [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] fight sequence! You can be as violent as you want, so long as nobody sees what you're doing!''
--> '''Joey Wheeler''', ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series}}''

--> ''There's no violence like implied violence.''
--> ''TheAdventuresOfDoctorMcninja''

** Don't forget the Soldier: "YOU CALL THAT BREAKING MY SPINE?! YOU RED TEAM LADIES WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO BREAK A SPINE IF--[[GilliganCut AUGH! MY SPIIINE]]!"

* [[The Warriors]] - Near the end of the movie, Swan and Luther engage in a duel, which simply ends with Luther being stabbed in the hand with Swan's knife, dropping the gun. Then the Riffs show up, tell the Warriors they're off the hook, and surround Luther and The Rogues. An intense asskicking ensues, but the audience is not allowed to see it, as the camera instead pans to The Warriors walking along the beach...

* ''The Warriors'' - Near the end of the movie, Swan and Luther engage in a duel, which simply ends with Luther being stabbed in the hand with Swan's knife, dropping the gun. Then the Riffs show up, tell the Warriors they're off the hook, and surround Luther and The Rogues. An intense asskicking ensues, but the audience is not allowed to see it, as the camera instead pans to The Warriors walking along the beach...