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* It is announced that the preliminary round of the Dark Tournament in ''YuYuHakusho'' will take place on the ferry to the island. When the ship's deck opens to reveal the fighting ring:
to:
* It is announced that the preliminary round of the Dark Tournament in ''YuYuHakusho'' ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' will take place on the ferry to the island. When the ship's deck opens to reveal the fighting ring:
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* On ''MarriedWithChildren'' Peggy's [[TheVoice unseen]] mother is so fat...''(how fat is she?)''...She's so fat that the earth quakes when she walks, making others think an earthquake is happening.
to:
* On ''MarriedWithChildren'' ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' Peggy's [[TheVoice unseen]] mother is so fat...''(how fat is she?)''...She's so fat that the earth quakes when she walks, making others think an earthquake is happening.
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* During the Namek Saga of ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Bulma tries to rationalize the ruckus being created by Vegeta and Frieza as "only an earthquake."
to:
* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'':
** During the NamekSaga of ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Saga, Bulma tries to rationalize the ruckus being created by Vegeta and Frieza as "only an earthquake.""
** In the Saiyaman Saga, Gohan tries to get out of class to go superhero-ing, but his teachers have caught on to his habit of "going to the toilet" and then not returning, so they make him stay. In irritation, he begins tapping his foot... [[SuperStrength which causes enough shaking]] that the class panics and hides under their desks due to the "earthquake". Smiling, Gohan leaves in the confusion.
** During the Namek
** In the Saiyaman Saga, Gohan tries to get out of class to go superhero-ing, but his teachers have caught on to his habit of "going to the toilet" and then not returning, so they make him stay. In irritation, he begins tapping his foot... [[SuperStrength which causes enough shaking]] that the class panics and hides under their desks due to the "earthquake". Smiling, Gohan leaves in the confusion.
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* In ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'', when Sakura triggers the trap in Clow's ruins, the characters think an earthquake has begun. Yukito, the high priest, knows better.
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* At the beginning of ''Film/HowardTheDuck'', Howard's room shakes violently before he's whisked away out of his dimension. As it happens, Howard shouts "Oh no, it's a quake"!.
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* Referenced in ''Literature/TheLastUnicorn'': Schmendrick remarks that people who mistake a unicorn for a horse would also mistake [[NorseMythology the Midgard Serpent]] for an earthquake.
to:
* Referenced in ''Literature/TheLastUnicorn'': Schmendrick remarks that people who mistake a unicorn for a horse would also mistake [[NorseMythology [[Myth/NorseMythology the Midgard Serpent]] for an earthquake.
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* In the comic ''Publisher/{{Marvel}} Premiere'' #28 Los Angeles is disrupted by what people think is an earthquake that causes the pavement to split, buildings to fall down and freeways to topple. When it's subsided it turns out it was caused by an alien making a mountain erupt at Sunset Boulevard.
to:
* In the comic ''Publisher/{{Marvel}} ''Creator/{{Marvel}} Premiere'' #28 Los Angeles is disrupted by what people think is an earthquake that causes the pavement to split, buildings to fall down and freeways to topple. When it's subsided it turns out it was caused by an alien making a mountain erupt at Sunset Boulevard.
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* In the comic ''Publisher/{{Marvel}} Premiere'' #28 Los Angeles is disrupted by what people think is an earthquake that causes the pavement to split, buildings to fall down and freeways to topple. When it's subsided it turns out it was caused by an alien making a mountain erupt at Sunset Boulevard.
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* In the ''{{Goosebumps}}'' books
to:
* In the ''{{Goosebumps}}'' ''Literature/{{Goosebumps}}'' books
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* In the ''{{Inuyasha}}'' episode "Battle Against the Dried-Up Demons at the Cultural Festival", Kagome wonders if the ground shaking is an earthquake, but it's actually a demon catfish flopping around on top of the school.
to:
* In the ''{{Inuyasha}}'' ''Anime/{{Inuyasha}}'' episode "Battle Against the Dried-Up Demons at the Cultural Festival", Kagome wonders if the ground shaking is an earthquake, but it's actually a demon catfish flopping around on top of the school.
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* On ''FreshPrinceOfBelAir'', Will gets a car with a sound system loud enough to shake the Banks' kitchen.
to:
* On ''FreshPrinceOfBelAir'', ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'', Will gets a car with a sound system loud enough to shake the Banks' kitchen.
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Formatting can be a real pain sometimes...
Changed line(s) 42 (click to see context) from:
* Parodied in the Lindsay Lohan and Creator/JamieLeeCurtis version of ''Film/FreakyFriday2003'', where their senile grandfather mistakes his grandson shaking the table for an earthquake.
to:
* Parodied in the Lindsay Lohan and Creator/JamieLeeCurtis version of ''Film/FreakyFriday2003'', ''Film/{{Freaky Friday|2003}}'', where their senile grandfather mistakes his grandson shaking the table for an earthquake.
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* In ''{{Independence Day}}'' when the alien ships arrive at Earth:
to:
* In ''{{Independence Day}}'' ''Film/IndependenceDay'' when the alien ships arrive at Earth:
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* In ''{{Groundhog Day}}'', the old ladies with the flat tire scream that it's an earthquake, when it's actually Phil jacking up their car.
to:
* In ''{{Groundhog Day}}'', ''Film/GroundhogDay'', the old ladies with the flat tire scream that it's an earthquake, when it's actually Phil jacking up their car.
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* Parodied in the Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis version of ''Film/FreakyFriday2003'', where their senile grandfather mistakes his grandson shaking the table for an earthquake.
to:
* Parodied in the Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis Creator/JamieLeeCurtis version of ''Film/FreakyFriday2003'', where their senile grandfather mistakes his grandson shaking the table for an earthquake.
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It was actually my freshman orientation.
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* A rule of thumb among geologists is that a magnitude-four earthquake feels like a truck backing into the building. A story was told (at a freshman orientation) about a geology convention. The participants felt something that resembled a truck backing into the building and all unanimously pronounced it a magnitude-four earthquake. After the meeting, when they went outside, they found that a truck had backed into the building.
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* During the Namek Saga of ''[[DragonBall Dragonball Z]]'', Bulma tries to rationalize the ruckus being created by Vegeta and Frieza as "only an earthquake."
to:
* During the Namek Saga of ''[[DragonBall Dragonball Z]]'', ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Bulma tries to rationalize the ruckus being created by Vegeta and Frieza as "only an earthquake."
Changed line(s) 42 (click to see context) from:
* Parodied in the Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis version of ''FreakyFriday'', where their senile grandfather mistakes his grandson shaking the table for an earthquake.
to:
* Parodied in the Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis version of ''FreakyFriday'', ''Film/FreakyFriday2003'', where their senile grandfather mistakes his grandson shaking the table for an earthquake.
Changed line(s) 57,58 (click to see context) from:
** In "The Angels Take Manhattan", Grayle wonders "Is it an earthquake?", but it's actually the TARDIS breaking through a temporal barrier to land in his foyer.
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E1Battlefield Battlefield]]", Warmsly and Shou Yuing both ask if the time/space distortion caused by Morgaine's arrival is an earthquake.
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E1Battlefield Battlefield]]", Warmsly and Shou Yuing both ask if the time/space distortion caused by Morgaine's arrival is an earthquake.
to:
** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E5TheAngelsTakeManhattan "The Angels Take Manhattan", Manhattan"]], Grayle wonders "Is it an earthquake?", but it's actually the TARDIS breaking through a temporal barrier to land in his foyer.
** In"[[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E1Battlefield Battlefield]]", [[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E1Battlefield "Battlefield"]], Warmsly and Shou Yuing both ask if the time/space distortion caused by Morgaine's arrival is an earthquake.
** In
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!!Examples
to:
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyMicroSeries'': Twilight asks if an earthquake was scheduled for today. It turns out to be Pinkie Pie, who's just had 315 bottles of soda.
[[/folder]]
* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyMicroSeries'': Twilight asks if an earthquake was scheduled for today. It turns out to be Pinkie Pie, who's just had 315 bottles of soda.
[[/folder]]
* When the ground shakes in a Franchise/CthulhuMythos tale, you can bet it's either a Cthonian hive nearby or something ''worse''.
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* People visitng locations near stone quarries are prone to this when a blast takes place. The residents get used to it and know right away what it is. Of course, this clould lead to this trope being inverted...
to:
* People visitng visiting locations near stone quarries are prone to this when a blast takes place. The residents get used to it and know right away what it is. Of course, this clould could lead to this trope being inverted...
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Changed line(s) 20,21 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Kuwabara:''' "Aaaah! Earthquake!"\\
'''Hiei:''' "Fool, there can't be earthquakes on the water!"
'''Hiei:''' "Fool, there can't be earthquakes on the water!"
to:
-->'''Kuwabara:''' "Aaaah! Earthquake!"\\
Aaaah! Earthquake!\\
'''Hiei:'''"Fool, Fool, there can't be earthquakes on the water!"water!
'''Hiei:'''
Changed line(s) 26,27 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Steven:''' "Is it an earthquake?"\\
'''Jasmine:''' "Not even a four-pointer, [[ItsProbablyNothing go back to sleep]]."
'''Jasmine:''' "Not even a four-pointer, [[ItsProbablyNothing go back to sleep]]."
to:
-->'''Steven:''' "Is Is it an earthquake?"\\
earthquake?\\
'''Jasmine:'''"Not Not even a four-pointer, [[ItsProbablyNothing go back to sleep]]."
'''Jasmine:'''
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* People visitng locations near stone quarries are prone to this when a blast takes place. The residents get used to it and know right away what it is. Of course, this clould lead to this trope being inverted...
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* One of the Bionicle movies dealing the Toa Metru has Toa Vakama mistaking a rampaging herd of Kikanalo (big rhinoceros-like Rahi) for a "bio-quake."
to:
* One ''Franchise/{{Bionicle}} 2: Legends of the Bionicle movies dealing the Toa Metru Nui'' has Toa Vakama mistaking a rampaging herd of Kikanalo (big rhinoceros-like Rahi) for a "bio-quake."
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* ''Film/TheHobbit - The Desolation of Smaug'':
-->Was that an earthquake?
-->Was that an earthquake?
to:
* ''Film/TheHobbit - The Desolation of Smaug'':
-->Was''Film/TheHobbitTheDesolationOfSmaug'':
-->'''Dori:''' Was that an earthquake?
-->Was
-->'''Dori:''' Was that an earthquake?
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* Parodied in the Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis version of ''FreakyFriday'', where their senile grandfather mistakes his grandson shaking the table for an earthquake.
Added DiffLines:
* One of the Bionicle movies dealing the Toa Metru has Toa Vakama mistaking a rampaging herd of Kikanalo (big rhinoceros-like Rahi) for a "bio-quake."
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* ''{{Dragnet}}'' had one. Friday and Gannon stay in a hotel posing as orange growers to infiltrate a high-stakes gambling game and the room is right next to the elevator shaft. Friday mistakes the rumbling and shaking for an earthquake the first time it happens.
to:
* ''{{Dragnet}}'' ''Franchise/{{Dragnet}}'' had one. Friday and Gannon stay in a hotel posing as orange growers to infiltrate a high-stakes gambling game and the room is right next to the elevator shaft. Friday mistakes the rumbling and shaking for an earthquake the first time it happens.
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* ''Film/TheHobbit - The Desolation of Smaug'':
-->Was that an earthquake?
-->'''Balin:''' That, my lad, was a dragon.
-->Was that an earthquake?
-->'''Balin:''' That, my lad, was a dragon.
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In short, this trope covers any time a character explicitly wonders or exclaims that there is an earthquake, but in reality the shaking has a non-seismic cause.
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adding information
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* On ''FreshPrinceOfBelAir'', Will gets a car with a sound system loud enough to shake the Banks' kitchen.
-->'''Phillip:''' Oh lord, this must be the big one.
-->'''Geoffrey:''' Not unless it's down with [=OPP=].
-->'''Phillip:''' Oh lord, this must be the big one.
-->'''Geoffrey:''' Not unless it's down with [=OPP=].
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No, wait, this wording\'s even better
Changed line(s) 9 (click to see context) from:
[[IThoughtItMeant If you thought we meant]] ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'', [[JustForPun you would be mistaken]].
to:
[[IThoughtItMeant If you thought we meant]] ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'', Not to be]] [[JustForPun you would be mistaken]].mistaken for]] ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}''.
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[[IThoughtItMeant Nothing to do with]] ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}''.
to:
[[IThoughtItMeant Nothing to do with]] ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}''.If you thought we meant]] ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'', [[JustForPun you would be mistaken]].
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[[IThoughtItMeant Nothing to do with]] ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}''.
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Changed line(s) 41 (click to see context) from:
* In the ''DoctorWho'' episode "The Angels Take Manhattan", Grayle wonders "Is it an earthquake?", but it's actually the TARDIS breaking through a temporal barrier to land in his foyer.
to:
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** Inthe ''DoctorWho'' episode "The Angels Take Manhattan", Grayle wonders "Is it an earthquake?", but it's actually the TARDIS breaking through a temporal barrier to land in his foyer.foyer.
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E1Battlefield Battlefield]]", Warmsly and Shou Yuing both ask if the time/space distortion caused by Morgaine's arrival is an earthquake.
** In
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E1Battlefield Battlefield]]", Warmsly and Shou Yuing both ask if the time/space distortion caused by Morgaine's arrival is an earthquake.
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Page creation
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The [[BadVibrations ground begins to shake]]. People start to panic, and someone inevitably shouts that it must be an earthquake. Which would be bad enough, except...
[[TheReveal Cut outside]]. It's actually being caused by an incoming fleet of [[HumongousMecha Battle Mech]]. Or a descending [[TheMothership alien mothership]]. Or the villain's DeathRay rising out of the ground. Or a SandWorm. Or a [[TheCatfish catfish]]. But most definitely not an earthquake.
Compare BadVibrations, however this trope is only in effect if a character explicitly mistakes the vibrations for an earthquake. It can sometimes manifest as a case of ItsProbablyNothing, however characters will often still panic in response to it, just [[FromBadToWorse not quite enough]].
Note that this trope does ''NOT'' apply if the tremors really are caused by an earthquake. The exception would be the [[InvertedTrope Inversion]]: A character mistakes the tremors as having an outside cause, but it's actually a normal earthquake.
----
!!Examples
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime And Manga]]
* In the ''{{Inuyasha}}'' episode "Battle Against the Dried-Up Demons at the Cultural Festival", Kagome wonders if the ground shaking is an earthquake, but it's actually a demon catfish flopping around on top of the school.
* During the Namek Saga of ''[[DragonBall Dragonball Z]]'', Bulma tries to rationalize the ruckus being created by Vegeta and Frieza as "only an earthquake."
* It is announced that the preliminary round of the Dark Tournament in ''YuYuHakusho'' will take place on the ferry to the island. When the ship's deck opens to reveal the fighting ring:
-->'''Kuwabara:''' "Aaaah! Earthquake!"\\
'''Hiei:''' "Fool, there can't be earthquakes on the water!"
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film]]
* In ''{{Independence Day}}'' when the alien ships arrive at Earth:
-->'''Steven:''' "Is it an earthquake?"\\
'''Jasmine:''' "Not even a four-pointer, [[ItsProbablyNothing go back to sleep]]."
* Inverted in ''Film/LAStory's'' cafe scene, which has the ground begin to shake about halfway into the meal. Sara, just in from the UK, worriedly asks what's going on, and the others tell her it's just an earthquake.
* In ''{{Groundhog Day}}'', the old ladies with the flat tire scream that it's an earthquake, when it's actually Phil jacking up their car.
* The movie ''Film/HoneyIShrunkTheKids'' has what Ron mistakes for an earthquake actually turn out to be a remote-controlled lawn mower. As the kids are a quarter of an inch tall, this means things have gone FromBadToWorse.
* When the aliens attack in ''Film/{{Skyline}}'' some of the character assume it's a minor earthquake.
* In ''Film/ThreeHundred'', the approach of the Persian army makes the earth tremble, and [captain guy] thinks for a moment an earthquake is happening.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* In the ''{{Goosebumps}}'' books
** "Go Eat Worms!": Todd thinks there are earthquakes near the school, when it is actually a giant worm under the ground.
** "The Horror at Camp Jellyjam: The friequent earthquakes are actually King Jellyjam burping underground.
* In ''Literature/SeptimusHeap: Queste'', the loud shaking of the Toll-Man's hut that Jenna first thought was an earthquake turns out to be a pack of Foryx running past the hut.
* In the Soviet novel "Plutonia" a man climbs a small hill in order to take samples. Then he shouts down to his friends "A terrible earthquake!" They are confused at first, since they feel nothing... then it turns out [[ThatsNoMoon that wasn't a hill]], but rather a giant turtle.
* Referenced in ''Literature/TheLastUnicorn'': Schmendrick remarks that people who mistake a unicorn for a horse would also mistake [[NorseMythology the Midgard Serpent]] for an earthquake.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* In the ''DoctorWho'' episode "The Angels Take Manhattan", Grayle wonders "Is it an earthquake?", but it's actually the TARDIS breaking through a temporal barrier to land in his foyer.
* On ''MarriedWithChildren'' Peggy's [[TheVoice unseen]] mother is so fat...''(how fat is she?)''...She's so fat that the earth quakes when she walks, making others think an earthquake is happening.
* ''{{Dragnet}}'' had one. Friday and Gannon stay in a hotel posing as orange growers to infiltrate a high-stakes gambling game and the room is right next to the elevator shaft. Friday mistakes the rumbling and shaking for an earthquake the first time it happens.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tabletop RPG]]
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' module series "Desert of Desolation". While in the desert the {{PC}}s can experience an earthquake as a random encounter. In fact it's caused by the passage of a large number of SandWorm type creatures called "thunderherders".
* ''TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu''
** ''Fragments of Fear'' adventure "The Underground Menace". The inhabitants of Winnemuck, Michigan were terrified by a series of earthquakes. Little did they know that the earth tremors were actually caused by a ghoul priest trying to release a CthulhuMythos monster related to the Great Old One Shudde M'ell!
** ''Terror from the Stars'' adventure "The Temple of the Moon". The earthquakes at the archeological dig site are not natural: they're caused when the bottom of the pool inside the Temple slides back to reveal a long shaft downward.
** ''The Fungi from Yuggoth'' adventure "Mountains of the Moon". The earthquakes near the NWI facility in Peru are actually caused by the nearby mining activity of the Mi-go.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''WebComic/GirlGenius'', when Agatha finally manages to reboot Castle Heterodyne, the invading forces think they're experiencing an earthquake until they discover that it's actually the castle fighting back, seen [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20130114 here]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
*In the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'' Splinter is giving the turtles a lecture when their sewer home begin to shake. Michealangelo wonder if it is an earthquake, but Donatello answers that since they are in New York it's possible but not likely. Then the cause become clear when the MadScientist Baxter Stockmans mouser robots breaks through the wall and attack Splinter and the turtles.
* On ''TheFlintstones'', Fred thinks there's an earthquake. Turns out it was Bamm-Bamm inexplicably destroying an addition to Fred's house.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresFromTheBookOfVirtues'': [[PluckyComicRelief Bobcat Socrates]] mistaking [[MoleMiner Aristotle]]'s [[RunningGag digging]] for an earthquake twice.
** In "Courage":
--->'''Zach:''' ''(to Plato)'' Yeah, well, it sure found ''you'' scared!
--->'''Sock:''' ''(comes up while Zach and Plato are laughing)'' Did somebody say scared? I don't know the meaning of the word. [[MilesGloriosus Nothing, I repeat ]]''[[MilesGloriosus nothing]]''[[MilesGloriosus , scares me.]]
--->''(the ground beneath him rumbles and he jumps as the earth shoots up spiarling toward him)''
--->'''Sock:''' AAAHHHHHH!! EARTHQUAAAAAKE!!
--->'''Ari:''' ''(Sock finally falls over, he emerges)'' What's going on?
--->'''Zach:''' ''(laughing with Plato)'' Sure, nothing scares ''you''!
** In the second episode about moderation:
--->'''Sock:''' It's a miracle he gets in or out without starting an earthquake. ''(yelps in startlement as a crack shows up in the ground then Ari airs, dislodging several things with him)''
--->'''Sock:''' See what I mean?
--->'''Plato:''' Not at the moment.
--->''(Sock and Annie laugh at the handkerchief that landed on his face)''
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Real Life]]
* [[http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120519/NEWS/205190308 "I thought we were having an earthquake"]], but it was actually a car hitting the house.
[[/folder]]
[[TheReveal Cut outside]]. It's actually being caused by an incoming fleet of [[HumongousMecha Battle Mech]]. Or a descending [[TheMothership alien mothership]]. Or the villain's DeathRay rising out of the ground. Or a SandWorm. Or a [[TheCatfish catfish]]. But most definitely not an earthquake.
Compare BadVibrations, however this trope is only in effect if a character explicitly mistakes the vibrations for an earthquake. It can sometimes manifest as a case of ItsProbablyNothing, however characters will often still panic in response to it, just [[FromBadToWorse not quite enough]].
Note that this trope does ''NOT'' apply if the tremors really are caused by an earthquake. The exception would be the [[InvertedTrope Inversion]]: A character mistakes the tremors as having an outside cause, but it's actually a normal earthquake.
----
!!Examples
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime And Manga]]
* In the ''{{Inuyasha}}'' episode "Battle Against the Dried-Up Demons at the Cultural Festival", Kagome wonders if the ground shaking is an earthquake, but it's actually a demon catfish flopping around on top of the school.
* During the Namek Saga of ''[[DragonBall Dragonball Z]]'', Bulma tries to rationalize the ruckus being created by Vegeta and Frieza as "only an earthquake."
* It is announced that the preliminary round of the Dark Tournament in ''YuYuHakusho'' will take place on the ferry to the island. When the ship's deck opens to reveal the fighting ring:
-->'''Kuwabara:''' "Aaaah! Earthquake!"\\
'''Hiei:''' "Fool, there can't be earthquakes on the water!"
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film]]
* In ''{{Independence Day}}'' when the alien ships arrive at Earth:
-->'''Steven:''' "Is it an earthquake?"\\
'''Jasmine:''' "Not even a four-pointer, [[ItsProbablyNothing go back to sleep]]."
* Inverted in ''Film/LAStory's'' cafe scene, which has the ground begin to shake about halfway into the meal. Sara, just in from the UK, worriedly asks what's going on, and the others tell her it's just an earthquake.
* In ''{{Groundhog Day}}'', the old ladies with the flat tire scream that it's an earthquake, when it's actually Phil jacking up their car.
* The movie ''Film/HoneyIShrunkTheKids'' has what Ron mistakes for an earthquake actually turn out to be a remote-controlled lawn mower. As the kids are a quarter of an inch tall, this means things have gone FromBadToWorse.
* When the aliens attack in ''Film/{{Skyline}}'' some of the character assume it's a minor earthquake.
* In ''Film/ThreeHundred'', the approach of the Persian army makes the earth tremble, and [captain guy] thinks for a moment an earthquake is happening.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* In the ''{{Goosebumps}}'' books
** "Go Eat Worms!": Todd thinks there are earthquakes near the school, when it is actually a giant worm under the ground.
** "The Horror at Camp Jellyjam: The friequent earthquakes are actually King Jellyjam burping underground.
* In ''Literature/SeptimusHeap: Queste'', the loud shaking of the Toll-Man's hut that Jenna first thought was an earthquake turns out to be a pack of Foryx running past the hut.
* In the Soviet novel "Plutonia" a man climbs a small hill in order to take samples. Then he shouts down to his friends "A terrible earthquake!" They are confused at first, since they feel nothing... then it turns out [[ThatsNoMoon that wasn't a hill]], but rather a giant turtle.
* Referenced in ''Literature/TheLastUnicorn'': Schmendrick remarks that people who mistake a unicorn for a horse would also mistake [[NorseMythology the Midgard Serpent]] for an earthquake.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* In the ''DoctorWho'' episode "The Angels Take Manhattan", Grayle wonders "Is it an earthquake?", but it's actually the TARDIS breaking through a temporal barrier to land in his foyer.
* On ''MarriedWithChildren'' Peggy's [[TheVoice unseen]] mother is so fat...''(how fat is she?)''...She's so fat that the earth quakes when she walks, making others think an earthquake is happening.
* ''{{Dragnet}}'' had one. Friday and Gannon stay in a hotel posing as orange growers to infiltrate a high-stakes gambling game and the room is right next to the elevator shaft. Friday mistakes the rumbling and shaking for an earthquake the first time it happens.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tabletop RPG]]
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' module series "Desert of Desolation". While in the desert the {{PC}}s can experience an earthquake as a random encounter. In fact it's caused by the passage of a large number of SandWorm type creatures called "thunderherders".
* ''TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu''
** ''Fragments of Fear'' adventure "The Underground Menace". The inhabitants of Winnemuck, Michigan were terrified by a series of earthquakes. Little did they know that the earth tremors were actually caused by a ghoul priest trying to release a CthulhuMythos monster related to the Great Old One Shudde M'ell!
** ''Terror from the Stars'' adventure "The Temple of the Moon". The earthquakes at the archeological dig site are not natural: they're caused when the bottom of the pool inside the Temple slides back to reveal a long shaft downward.
** ''The Fungi from Yuggoth'' adventure "Mountains of the Moon". The earthquakes near the NWI facility in Peru are actually caused by the nearby mining activity of the Mi-go.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''WebComic/GirlGenius'', when Agatha finally manages to reboot Castle Heterodyne, the invading forces think they're experiencing an earthquake until they discover that it's actually the castle fighting back, seen [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20130114 here]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
*In the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'' Splinter is giving the turtles a lecture when their sewer home begin to shake. Michealangelo wonder if it is an earthquake, but Donatello answers that since they are in New York it's possible but not likely. Then the cause become clear when the MadScientist Baxter Stockmans mouser robots breaks through the wall and attack Splinter and the turtles.
* On ''TheFlintstones'', Fred thinks there's an earthquake. Turns out it was Bamm-Bamm inexplicably destroying an addition to Fred's house.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresFromTheBookOfVirtues'': [[PluckyComicRelief Bobcat Socrates]] mistaking [[MoleMiner Aristotle]]'s [[RunningGag digging]] for an earthquake twice.
** In "Courage":
--->'''Zach:''' ''(to Plato)'' Yeah, well, it sure found ''you'' scared!
--->'''Sock:''' ''(comes up while Zach and Plato are laughing)'' Did somebody say scared? I don't know the meaning of the word. [[MilesGloriosus Nothing, I repeat ]]''[[MilesGloriosus nothing]]''[[MilesGloriosus , scares me.]]
--->''(the ground beneath him rumbles and he jumps as the earth shoots up spiarling toward him)''
--->'''Sock:''' AAAHHHHHH!! EARTHQUAAAAAKE!!
--->'''Ari:''' ''(Sock finally falls over, he emerges)'' What's going on?
--->'''Zach:''' ''(laughing with Plato)'' Sure, nothing scares ''you''!
** In the second episode about moderation:
--->'''Sock:''' It's a miracle he gets in or out without starting an earthquake. ''(yelps in startlement as a crack shows up in the ground then Ari airs, dislodging several things with him)''
--->'''Sock:''' See what I mean?
--->'''Plato:''' Not at the moment.
--->''(Sock and Annie laugh at the handkerchief that landed on his face)''
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Real Life]]
* [[http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120519/NEWS/205190308 "I thought we were having an earthquake"]], but it was actually a car hitting the house.
[[/folder]]
