History Main / CrypticBackgroundReference

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': The series is full cryptic background references to various events (the tragedy at Summerhall, the Tower of Joy, "The Rains of Castamere", the Blackfyre rebellion, the Ninepenny Kings, the Doom of Valyria, etc). As the series moves on, some of them have been at least partially explained. The map is a large example too:Creator/GeorgeRRMartin has stated that not all locations on the map of will be visited in the story. Consider the fact that no viewpoint character has yet visited (during the story, that is) the Lannisters' home Casterly Rock, or the Basilisk Isles that show up on the map of (part of) the Eastern Continent.

* A {{mook|s}} in ''Film/{{Ronin}}'' asks Creator/JeanReno's former spy "Don't I recognize you?" He replies "Vienna" and shoots him. It's not relevant to the plot at all.

* The song "Red Barchetta," from the Music/{{Rush}} album ''Music/MovingPictures'', takes place in an unspecified {{dystopia}}n future and relies heavily on this trope to paint an impression of the setting in the song's limited timeframe. An example:

* From the first ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry1'' game, searching around and interacting with specific objects in Mallet Island will reveal [[StoryBreadcrumbs small details]] regarding the abandoned island's long dead inhabitants and their cultish worship of BigBad Mundus. None of it ever amounts to anything significant in terms of gameplay, and some fans believe it to be a holdover from the game's early development history as a ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil'' title. Dante himself will occasionally, humorously [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] that none of the island's history has any bearing on his quest.

* Searching around Malet Island in the original ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry1'' will reveal small details of the abandoned island's long dead inhabitants and their cultish worship of BigBad Mundus. None of it ever amounts to anything, and some believe it to be a holdover from the game's time as a ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil'' title. Dante himself will occasionally humorously lampshade that none of the island's history has any bearing on his quest.

** In ''Anime/PokemonJourneysTheSeries'' Goh asks if being a Master means becoming the strongest Trainer with Mewtwo's comments in ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie'' seemingly supporting this theory, but Ash states not even that is enough. In fact, Champions Wallace & Cynthia are recognized as the [[TheAce strongest Trainers in the world and undefeated Champions]] (until the former [[OffscreenMomentOfAwesome lost to Steven]]), but they're only "Champion Masters".

* ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls,'' the ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' series, and ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' are almost entirely bereft of traditional exposition, and the story of each game must largely be pieced together and inferred from item descriptions, level design, and the like. There are occasional characters better informed than the PlayerCharacter who will provide some precious information, but they generally prove untrustworthy.
** [[WordOfGod Hidetaka Miyazaki]] claims the inspiration for this style of storytelling came from him attempting to read Western fantasy novels as a teen despite having a limited grasp of English: he could only understand certain passages, many of which referred to objects or events described in passages he couldn't read, thus turning explained plot points into this trope.

* Historical references abound in ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'', some of which can come off as cryptic background references. An interesting one, however, takes place in the ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'' downloadable-content side-story "The Tyranny of King Washington." In the regular story, the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 version of the game included extra missions in which Connor tries to stop Benedict Arnold from betraying West Point to the British, which were omitted from the others. In the DLC, which is set in an alternate timeline but with Connor aware of the events of the main story, he remarks that he finally got Arnold back for West Point when [[spoiler: he kills him at the end of the first chapter]]. Arnold says that he has no idea what Connor is talking about, since in this timeline he never turned coat and thus never betrayed West Point. To Xbox and PC players who didn't get those missions, it comes off as a cryptic background reference, merely something that happened off-screen.

** Anything to do with the First Civilization will have tons of this.

** ''Literature/FoundationSeries'': The Fifth Seldon Crisis [[ConflictKiller gets disrupted by the Mule]] during the events of "Literature/TheMule", while the Sixth and Seventh Seldon Crisis are never mentioned in Dr Asimov's works. ''Literature/FoundationsEdge'' opens during the successful resolution of the ''Eighth'' Crisis (with [[PosthumousCharacter Hari Seldon]] appearing during FoundingDay to announce [[AllAccordingToPlan exactly why they made the right decision]]), making it clear that all three happened, but no detail about their nature or resolution is given.

* ''Literature/TheColdMoons'' throws around references to the badger's AnimalReligion but doesn't explain the mythology in through. Some things are namedropped in passing but all that's clearly known is that: Their {{God}} is named "Logos", while their {{Satan}}/devil is "Ahriman". Their {{heaven}} is "Asgard" and it's stated that all species live in harmony in Asgard. "Sheol" is referenced but it seems to be a {{hell}} equivalent instead of [[TheNothingAfterDeath a Jewish-style Sheol]]. Some badgers aren't prayed for upon dying and thus they become eternally BarredFromTheAfterlife in a place above the clouds called "Gehenna". "Elysia" is the pastures of heaven and is also used as a short-hand for an otherworldly paradise. Badgers have a group of ancient laws called "[[TheCommandments the Adamus]]" (which is only mentioned by name, in passing, in the final chapter).

* Gary Seven is references events and races in ''Literature/StarTrekTheEugenicsWars'' when Roberta asks him to justify whatever their mission is - some of which the audience has heard of, some of which were just made up. [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] when Roberta complains that she's never heard of these events or races and can hardly check up on them.

** The The former again has some references in additional media, such as VideoGame/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheLegendOfJackSparrow we see such examples as Jack sacking Nassau port (actually by seizing control by taking advantage of an existing crisis.) However, Jack is lampshaded as an UnreliableNarrator, so matters may not be as they seem.

** In ''Anime/PokemonJourneysTheSeries'' Goh asks if being a Master means becoming the strongest Trainer with Mewtwo's comments in ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie'' seemingly supporting this theory, but Ash states not even that is enough. In fact, Champions Wallace & Cynthia are recognized as the [[TheAce strongest Trainers in the world and undefeated Champions]], but they're only "Champion Masters".

*** The ''Literature/HorusHeresy'' series of novels and audiobooks have touched on the subject obliquely, ranging from intimations of an accident at the gestation stage, to something so shameful and terrible that the Imperium refuses to acknowledge them, even when [[EldritchAbomination daemon]]-[[ReligionOfEvil worshiping]], [[KickTheDog civilian]] [[OmnicidalManiac massacring]], [[FaceHeelTurn backstabbing]] [[AxCrazy psychopathic unrepentant]] [[ChaoticEvil bastards]] are still listed in the records (admittedly, usually with the note "Explode planet on rumour of presence", but still). The exact details have never been revealed and are unlikely to be either, this is lampshaded by characters telling each other not to even ''think'' about discussing the details.

* Searching around Malet Island in the original ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' will reveal small details of the abandoned island's long dead inhabitants and their cultish worship of BigBad Mundus. None of it ever amounts to anything, and some believe it to be a holdover from the game's time as a ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil'' title. Dante himself will occasionally humorously lampshade that none of the island's history has any bearing on his quest.

** "The Five", the mysterious race responsible for hunting the Venber to extinction. Ax doesn't know where they came from or why they called themselves that, but they have since also vanished, possibly due to the Andalites of old giving them a taste of their own medicine.

** Crayak, the closest thing the series has to Satan, was evicted from his galaxy of origin by an even ''more'' powerful being.

** In "A [[Creator/TheHistoryChannel History Channel]] {{Thanksgiving|Episode}}" it is revealed that Plymouth Rock was the site of a wormhole [[spoiler:(More accurate it is the site that allows a wormhole to be opened from Creator/NataliePortman's vagina)]] that connects to the planets [[CowboysAndIndians Plymouth, Indi]] and a fourth one nobody cares about (Franchise/GreenLantern Homeworld).

** Due to comments made by Lance in ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'' the initial assumption was that becoming the Champion of a region makes one a Master, however, Ash explicitly states later on that it's merely a prerequisite and considers himself to be a long way off even after becoming the Champion of Alola.

** In ''Anime/PokemonJourneysTheSeries'' Goh asks if being a Master means becoming the strongest Trainer with Mewtwo's comments in ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie'' seemingly supporting this theory, but Ash states not even that is enough. In fact, Champions Wallace & Cynthia are recognized as the strongest Trainers in the world and undefeated Champions, but they're only "Champion Masters".

** There is a very, incredibly obscure ad for Pokémon battle pencils from 1997 that the fandom somehow found. It shows "baby Nidoran" that look so distinctive from Nidoran (especially the male) they appear to be a pre-evo. Nidoran already has a three-stage line, with it already serving as the "baby" of the line, so this is particularly weird, and probably isn't canon anymore if it ever was to begin with.

* ''Literature/EncryptionStraffe'': Most details in the history or status of New Illyrica, [=CyberSyn=], and Overmind could only be inferred through insider dialogue, although crucial to the plot.

Compare to the closely-related NoodleIncident, CanonFodder, NarrativeFiligree, WhatHappenedToTheMouse and MysteriousPast. UnknownCharacter, GreatOffscreenWar and CataclysmBackstory are commonly played as sub-tropes of this, as is FamousFamousFictional. See HufflepuffHouse for organizations with this treatment more referred to than seen. If the reference in question is actually explained later on, it becomes {{Foreshadowing}}, ChekhovsGun, or BrickJoke. If not, it becomes a NoodleIncident. When played for laughs or for horror, it overlaps with NothingIsFunnier (and sometimes FunnyBackgroundEvent) or NothingIsScarier. Interestingly, if you start following a long-running series from the middle (rather than [[ArchiveBinge from the start]]), every ContinuityNod in it effectively becomes a Cryptic Background Reference for you, so it's all just a matter of perspective, really.

* ''TabletopGame/PsionicsTheNextStageInHumanEvolution'': Rose Klein (AKA Mama Bear) gets one in ''Tomorrow’s Starlight''. It’s never explained what the “Albuquerque Incident” was, but it was apparently enough to get her a maximum threat rating from The Shop.

** This anime features the characters spouting a lot of {{Engrish}} phrases that won't mean anything until a good twenty episodes later. It gets pretty confusing when half of the spoken terms have no meaning to the viewer.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' occasionally referenced things that happened in the setting's distant past, particularly those before the advent of Celestia and Luna as princesses (and that in itself lasted for a very long time before Luna's banishment [[ThousandYearReign 1000 years before the show begins]]), and then only in a roundabout way that suggests a loose series of events but no timeline.

** At the beginning, it's revealed that Professor Oak made the world a better place 40 years before Ash awakened in the Reset timeline. The details at first are mostly unknown, save for the fact that thanks to his efforts, Pokémon are for the most part less agressive and more tolerant of humans. The story also drops an early hint that he and Professor Hastings from the Ranger Nations are friends and often work together in secret, despite their nations being in a state of cold war with each other. [[spoiler: The Oak & Hastings Gaiden reveals that they worked together using technology behind Hastings's Capture Styler to develop a machine capable of pacifying aggressive Pokémon. However, they agreed to keep the bigger specifics a secret and have Oak tell full credit for it.]]

* In ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh'', when Ishtar, Goddess of Love, asks Gilgamesh to be her new mortal boy toy, he angrily rejects her, listing a number of her past flings whose stories ended in disaster when she tired of them. Some of his examples seem pretty self-explanatory, but a few are ''very'' weird and unexplained (apparently one of exes include [[BestialityIsDepraved a lion and a horse]]). Presumably, most of these references were pretty clear to the original Sumerian audience, who would be well-acquainted with these other stories, but no records of them are known to exist today, creating an extreme form of TheWeirdAlEffect.

* ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls,'' the ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' series, and ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'', like Valve's games described above, almost entirely bereft of traditional exposition, and the story of each game must largely be pieced together and inferred from item descriptions, level design, and the like. There are occasional characters better informed than the PlayerCharacter who will provide some precious information, but they generally prove untrustworthy.

** Privateers will sometimes say "At least I'm not on that island with the dinosaurs." NB: in January 2015, Ubisoft said that a Jurassic Park type island with dinosaurs was one of the possible locations for ''Far Cry 5.'' This might yet turn into {{Foreshadowing}}.
* Historical references abound in ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'', some of which can come off as cryptic background references. An interesting one, however, takes place in the ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'' downloadable-content side-story "The Tyranny of King Washington." In the regular story, the UsefulNotes/PlayStation version of the game included extra missions in which Connor tries to stop Benedict Arnold from betraying West Point to the British, which were omitted from the others. In the DLC, which is set in an alternate timeline but with Connor aware of the events of the main story, he remarks that he finally got Arnold back for West Point when [[spoiler: he kills him at the end of the first chapter]]. Arnold says that he has no idea what Connor is talking about, since in this timeline he never turned coat and thus never betrayed West Point. To Xbox and PC players who didn't get those missions, it comes off as a cryptic background reference, merely something that happened off-screen.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' like VIII above also does this alot. As it is an MMO, some of these references became fodder for patches and the ''Heavenward'' expansion, which focuses on the Dragonsong War, a war between Ishgard's theocratic society and Dravania's dragon and brings more of these with [[spoiler: The Warrior of Darkness and bits and pieces found in the Dusk Vigil and Azys Lla's museum]], the fallen [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas Allagin Empire]] also stated out as such only to get some explanations with the Bonding Coil of Bahamut and Crystal Tower dungeons as well as the area of Azys Lla which explains how it became a SoiledCityOnAHill and how its actions up to that point resulted in the Calamity much much later. In addition there are 7 Astral Eras and 7 Umbral Eras, the latter being caused by the end of a Golden Age. But only the events leading to the 4rd, 5th and 7th Umbral Eras (the latter being a transaction to and the time frame of the initial plot to A Realm Reborn) are known to the players, being the aforementioned fall of the Alagin Empire, the War of the Magi and the Calamity.

** One of the most well-known examples is the original dragon that was split into the Tao Trio. We don't know what it looked like, as it's not possible to restore it.
** The Legendary Beast trio were brought back to life by Ho-Oh. We don't know what they were originally before being resurrected. The only hint we've been given is silhouettes that looks more like normal, real-world dogs than any existing Pokémon.
** Shellder has an alternative evolution that can clearly be seen on Slowbro's tail and Slowking's head, but is not capturable by the player by itself. [[note]]: It may even come in two different forms because there are visible differences between the one on Slowbro's tail and the one on Slowking's head; the former has eyes, and the latter a gem. [[/note]] A leaked demo revealed it was originally programed in as an attainable Pokémon separate from the Slowpoke line, but was removed for a unknown reason.
** [[PunnyName Cara Liss]] restores some fossil Pokémon for the player. However, she does it by frankensteining the front half and back half of separate species, the result depending on what exactly you give her. (This is a reference/joke on how in real-life early paleontologists mismatched bones, especially in Britain where this region is based, incidentally she's wearing mismatched shoes and has mud on her face to futher emphasize how careless she is). For some reason, the game does not allow you to obtain these Pokémon in their correct, original complete state, although there is plenty of speculative fanon and fanart.[[note]]: One is believed to be based on a raptor, another a plesiosaur, one a stegosaurus, and the last is a fish (coelacanth?) [[/note]]