History Main / ItSeemedTrivial

* Something of a mutual example in the finale of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': After Zuko attacks Aang for taking a break from training and they each explain their sides, it turns out both had a key piece of information the other lacked. The Gaang had decided to push back their timeline (waiting until after Sozin's comet had passed to depose the Fire Lord) because they didn't think that a one-day power-up would do much to change the status quo of the hundred year long war they were looking to end. Zuko didn't tell them that the Fire Lord planned to use the power-up to commit genocide on the Earth Kingdom because he didn't think they needed the added motivation to do what (he thought) they were already planning on doing anyway. Had either side spoken up earlier, they all would have been more prepared for the final battle.

* In ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/13689612/chapters/31443330 Gotham Banksy]]'', the apparition of Batman-hate graffiti garners mere amusement from Oracle and Batgirl, while the police doesn't even bother with pursuing the vandal -- because when you live in [[WretchedHive Gotham]] capital of murdering crazies, a bit of spray-painting on the wall is positively a charming note. Which let Jason Todd fly under the radar for quite a moment until the Batclan realizes there's more to the paintings than expected.

Compare and contrast YouDidntAsk, which is where the person who knows the clue also knows its importance, but simply wasn't asked to divulge.

!!Examples

[[folder:Film - Live-Action]]

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E4TheSontaranStratagem "The Sontaran Stratagem"]] has a villainous example: Luke Rattigan gets a phone call from UNIT telling him that "the doctor" is coming to see him. He's (rather understandably) misunderstood the message -- he didn't realize "Doctor" should be capitalized. So, when General Staal asks him who the Doctor is, during a confrontation, Luke responds with "He didn't give his name", thus preventing Staal from realizing exactly who he just met until after the Doctor and UNIT private Ross have fled the scene, and they're trying to track them down.

'''Staal:''' ... You said you didn't know his name.\\

* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'', Judith knew the truth about the blastia and how they were affecting the planet. Did she share any of this information? No. And when Rita and the others asks, "why didn't you say anything?" Judith's response (as seen during one of the private scenes between her and Rita) amounts to, "it didn't seem important at the time."
* This trope is pulled in spades in the ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' series, infuriating the player character to no end. Witnesses will sometimes not bother to tell the player a vital piece of information or give some important evidence that could help clear their name or solve the case because they feel the item/information has no bearings on the current situation.
** A particularly notable example is when Miles Edgeworth [[NotSoStoic completely loses his composure]] in ''[[OOCIsSeriousBusiness the middle of court]]'' over a playing card that Adrian Andrews has been absentmindedly toying with. She is genuinely confused when he demands to know where she got it and why she didn't tell anyone about it. [[spoiler:Turns out it's the calling card of an infamous assassin, which dramatically changes the case]].
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', Jade deduced almost immediately that [[spoiler:the "Luke" he was traveling with was actually a replica of the real Luke.]] Jade didn't tell because doing so would have resulted in [[spoiler:massive amounts of existential angst on replica!Luke's part]] with no apparent beneficial trade-off. In hindsight, that wasn't the best decision. Revealing the truth would have stopped the BigBad's manipulations, even if Jade wasn't aware of them.
** Luke does this later on in the last third of the game when he neglects to tell the rest of the party [[spoiler: the local Deity had contacted him, warning him that the BigBad had captured it]]. This one can be chalked up to simple ignorance, as Luke had no idea what the message meant.

->''"This information would have been useful'' '''''a few years ago!'''"''\\
''"You never tell me '''anything''', so how the '''hell''' should I know what might be important?"''
-->-- '''Sticks and Michael''', ''Webcomic/{{SSDD}}''

* In ''Webcomic/{{SSDD}}'', Michael is the only member of a group trying to prevent [[AIIsACrapshoot The Oracle]] from gaining control who is not from the BadFuture in which it has done so. He is also the only one knows that British Intelligence created something called the Echelon Plug-in (he was given a copy of it). Two problems. First, he's the group's ButtMonkey, so nobody else tells him anything, [[http://www.poisonedminds.com/d/20110411.html which means he has no idea what the Oracle is]], never mind that it exists. Second, he's the group's ButtMonkey, so nobody listens to him, which means the others have no idea what The Echelon Plug-in is, never mind that it exists. [[spoiler:When they ''finally'' tell Michael about Oracle, Michael makes an offhanded comparison of the two programs and the others realize that the Oracle and Echelon Plug-in are ''one and the same''. In other words, the Oracle already exists in Michael's time, which explains a ''lot''.]] [[http://www.poisonedminds.com/d/20110418.html The page quote comes from this.]]

* In ''Webcomic/{{SSDD}}'', Michael is the only member of a group trying to prevent [[AIIsACrapshoot The Oracle]] from gaining control who is not from the BadFuture in which it has done so. He is also the only one knows that British Intelligence created something called the Echelon Plug-in (he was given a copy of it). Two problems. First, he's the group's ButtMonkey, so nobody else tells him anything, which means he has no idea what the Oracle is, never mind that it exists. Second, he's the group's ButtMonkey, so nobody listens to him, which means the others have no idea what The Echelon Plug-in is, never mind that it exists. [[spoiler:When they ''finally'' tell Michael about Oracle, Michael makes an offhanded comparison of the two programs and the others realize that the Oracle and Echelon Plug-in are ''one and the same''. In other words, the Oracle already exists in Michael's time, which explains a ''lot''.]] The page quote comes from this.

* In ''Webcomic/{{SSDD}}'', Michael is the only member of a group trying to prevent [[AIIsACrapshoot The Oracle]] from gaining control who is not from the BadFuture in which it has done so. He also knows that British Intelligence created something called the Echelon Plug-in (he was given a copy of it). Two problems. First, he's the group's ButtMonkey, so nobody else tells him anything, which means he has no idea what the Oracle is, never mind that it exists. Second, he's the group's ButtMonkey, so nobody listens to him, which means the others have no idea what The Echelon Plug-in is, never mind that it exists. [[spoiler:When they ''finally'' tell Michael about Oracle, Michael makes a comparison of the two programs and the others realize that the Oracle and Echelon Plug-in are ''one and the same''. In other words, the Oracle already exists in Michael's time, which explains a ''lot''.]] The page quote comes from this.

->''"This information would have been useful'' '''''a few years ago!'''''
->''"You never tell me '''anything''', so how the '''hell''' should I know what might be important?"''

[[folder: Fanfiction]]

[[folder: Film - Live-Action]]

'''Staal:''' . . . You said you didn't know his name.\\

* In the ''Series/GilligansIsland'' episode "V is for Vitamins", the Professor is concerned about the lack of vitamin C in the castaways' diets and they try to grow oranges, even though the island has the wrong climate. It turns out that the island is ripe with grapefruit and lemons, which Gilligan knew about but didn't say anything because he didn't know that those fruit had vitamin C in them.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E4TheSontaranStratagem "The Sontaran Stratagem"]] has a villainous example: Luke Rattigan gets a phone call from UNIT telling him that "the doctor" is coming to see him. He's (rather understandably) misunderstood the message -- he didn't realize "Doctor" should be capitalized. So, when General Staal asks him who the Doctor is, during a confrontation, Luke responds with "He didn't give his name", thus preventing Staal from realizing just exactly who he just met until after the Doctor and UNIT private Ross have fled the scene.

'''Inigo:''' There is but one working castle gate, and... and it is guarded by 60 men.\\

* In ''Film/LegallyBlonde'', the defense team in the Brooke Windham case is so focused on Chutney Windham's actions immediately before the events of her father's murder that they don't bother to ask what she was doing earlier on the fatal day. [[spoiler: When Elle finally brings it up during a cross-examination, Chutney casually mentions that she had gotten a perm that morning--which invalidates her alibi of being in the shower at the time of the murder, and eventually leads her to confess to the crime on the stand]].

* [[Literature/{{Discworld}} Vimes]] has a moment or two of this in every book he stars in, but ''Discworld/FeetOfClay'' and ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'' probably have the most.

* Inverted in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix''. Sirius considered the fact that he and Harry are close to be trivial--or, perhaps, didn't have the patience to deal with his irritating House Elf Kreacher knowing the information. When he yells "GET OUT!" to Kreacher at one point, the House Elf obeys him--by [[ExactWords "getting out" of the house and going to Bellatrix Lestrange]] with news about Sirius and Harry's bond. Bellatrix in turn tells Voldemort, who uses the relationship to set up a dangerous trap.

* The ''Series/{{Columbo}}'' episode called "Lady In Waiting" has a wealthy woman kill her brother and make it look like she accidentally mistook him for a burglar after he tripped the alarm system. Her fiancé came to the house unexpectedly as her setup was unfolding. Only later did he realize (with Columbo's help) that [[spoiler:he heard the three fatal shots first, '''then''' heard the alarm sound]].
* In the season one episode of ''Series/{{Farscape}}'', "I, E.T.", the crew is desperately searching for an anesthesia to use on Moya located somewhere on an alien planet, only to find out, at the eleventh hour, from a befriended local that it's a common spice they used in their food.

* In ''Webcomic/{{SSDD}}'', Michael is the only member of a group trying to prevent [[AIIsACrapshoot The Oracle]] from gaining control who is not from the BadFuture in which it has done so. He also knows that British Intelligence created something called the Echelon Plug-in (he was given a copy of it). Two problems. First, he's the group's ButtMonkey, so nobody else tells him anything, which means he has no idea what the Oracle is, never mind that it exists. Second, he's the group's ButtMonkey, so nobody listens to him, which means the others have no idea what The Echelon Plug-in is, never mind that it exists. [[spoiler:When they ''finally'' tell Michael about Oracle, Michael makes a comparison of the two programs and the others realize that the Oracle and Echelon Plug-in are ''one and the same''. In other words, the Oracle already exists in Michael's time, which explains a ''lot''.]] The page quote comes from this.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Galaxion}}'' Patty gets bitten by an alien bug. The team worries a bit, but soon lets it go in favour of more pressing concerns, but the fever she develops after a while is actually plot-important. (And how!)

** This was true of Literature/MissMarple mysteries as well, though Christie would usually [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] and [[JustifiedTrope justify]] the trope. For example, in ''The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side'', the vital information turned out to be [[spoiler: the initial victim's having German measles when she met the killer on a previous occasion]]. Nearly everyone who relayed the story [[spoiler: either didn't bother paying attention to the exact diagnosis or, in the killer's husband's case, lied to cover it up]]. It isn't until Miss Marple herself gets the complete story that she's able to piece together the puzzle.

* Inverted in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix''. Sirius considered the fact that he and Harry are close to be trivial which is why he never told Kreacher to keep his trap shut about it. [[spoiler: Which is why Kreacher could tell Bellatrix about it and in turn how Voldemort was able to use it to lay trap on Harry.]]

[[AC: Fanfiction]]

[[AC: Film - Live-Action]]

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]

[[AC:Video Games]]

[[AC:Webcomics]]

[[AC:Western Animation]]
* Something of a mutual example in the finale of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': After Zuko attacks Aang for taking a break from training and they each explain their sides, it turns out both had a key piece of information the other lacked. The Gaang had decided to push back their timeline (waiting until after Sozin's comet had passed to depose the Fire Lord) because they didn't think that a one-day power-up would do much to change the status quo of the hundred year long war they were looking to end. Zuko didn't tell them that the Fire Lord planned to use the power-up to commit genocide on the Earth Kingdom because he didn't think they needed the added motivation to do what (he thought) they were already planning on doing anyway. Had either side spoken up earlier, they all would have been more prepared for the final battle.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Galaxion}}'' Patty gets bitten by an alien bug. The team worries a bit, but soon lets it go in favour of more pressing concerns, but the fever she develops after a while is actually plot-important. (And how!)

** In Act III, Rason confesses that the [[RestrainingBolt Holy Lock]] was never actually made with the express intent to keep a ghoul in check, let alone one as powerful as Tsukune's, but he doesn't actually make this known to the group until ''after'' Tsukune has broken ''six'' links on the lock. To be fair, the other angels had repeatedly ensured him that the lock was indestructible either way, but still.

* ''[[FanFic/KingdomHearts3FinalStand Radiant Garden Renegades]]'': From the minute Xehanort arrives on Radiant Garden in chapter 4, Kaname, able to sense his darkness and noticing that Kairi is terrified of him, along with Xehanort's StalkerWithACrush behavior toward Rimi, is naturally suspicious of him, but as he doesn't know what to make of it, he doesn't say a word about it to Ansem the Wise until after Ansem reveals that Xehanort has been conducting experiments with Heartless behind his back and writing reports under Ansem's name; he admits that he most likely should have said something before them, but by that point, it's too late.

* In ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', Inigo Montoya can be forgiven for not realising that a wheelbarrow might turn out to be of significance:

* ''VideoGame/Persona4'': Yukiko's knowledge that [[spoiler:Adachi]] was at the inn spending a lot of time with Ms. Yamano just before she died is the first non-circumstantial piece of evidence the group has towards finding out his identity as the true Killer, but she doesn't make this known unless the player casts suspicion on [[spoiler:Adachi]] in the first place... ''at the very end of the game''. To be fair, however, none of them had actually thought to suspect [[spoiler:Adachi]] of being the killer in the first place.

** In Act IV, Apoch and Astreal were well aware that Apoch's LaserBlade could penetrate Jovian and Jacqueline's force fields, but don't think to mention it to the rest of the gang until the very minute they've split up to save Moka from Hokuto as well as take on Jovian and Jacqueline, and Apoch isn't with either group that's actually fighting Jovian and Jacqueline. While Apoch has the excuse of having been explicitly told by Dark ''not'' to say another word about Jovian and Jacqueline's attack, and obediently doing so because she's Dark's YesMan, Astreal just offhandedly mentions it while the others are bemoaning the fact that nothing they do can break said force fields.

* ''VideoGame/Persona4'': Yukiko's knowledge that [[spoiler:Adachi]] was at the inn spending a lot of time with Ms. Yamano just before she died is the first non-circumstantial piece of evidence the group has towards finding out his identity as the true Killer, but she doesn't make this known unless the player casts suspicion on [[spoiler:Adachi]] in the first place... ''at the very end of the game''.

* The crucial clue that HerculePoirot needs to solve the mystery is usually something like this. It's [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in TheABCMurders, when he summons the families of all of the victims precisely for the purpose of talking about the trivial things surrounding the murders, in hopes that there will be some small detail that connects all of them. [[spoiler: There is, but it turns out to be a RedHerring.]]

* In ''Webcomic/{{Galaxion}}'' Patty gets bitten by an alien bug. The team worries a bit, but soon lets it go in favour of more pressing concerns, but the fever she develops after a while is actually plot-important. (And how!)

* In ''Webcomic/{{SSDD}}'', Michael is the only member of a group trying to prevent [[AIIsACrapshoot The Oracle]] from gaining control who is not from the BadFuture in which it has done so. He also knows that British Intelligence created something called the Echelon Plug-in (he was given a copy of it). Two problems. First, he's the group's ButtMonkey, so nobody else tells him anything, which means he has no idea what the Oracle is, never mind that it exists. Second, he's the group's ButtMonkey, so nobody listens to him, nobody else knows what The Echelon Plug-in is, never mind that it exists. [[spoiler:When they ''finally'' tell Michael about Oracle, Michael makes a comparison of the two programs and the others realize that the Oracle and Echelon Plug-in are ''one and the same''. In other words, the Oracle already exists in Michael's time, which explains a ''lot''.]]