History Main / StealthPun

** Copper dragons have a combination of this and VisualPun, they are described as witty and acerbic, and have an [[AcidAttack acid based]] BreathWeapon. Additionally, in earlier editions, they had [[BinomiumRidiculus a scientific name, like most dragons]]--in their case, "Draco comes stabuli." "Comes stabuli" is the Latin word that evolved into "constable." Another term for a constable? A ''copper.''

** Copper dragons have a combination of this and VisualPun, they are described as witty and acerbic, and have an [[AcidAttack acid based]] BreathWeapon.

* Most ActorAllusion FanArt of characters ImageLinks/{{cosplay|FanArt}}ing as other characters with the same seiyuu for both characters is never said out loud unless someone actually asks. Like all those [[Creator/RieKugimiya Shana, Louise, Nagi and Taiga]] FanArt.

# The pun is a form of {{Foreshadowing}}, and the audience won't get the joke until later. (It's probably also a spoiler, quite often)

'''Also, as this page is about puns that are intentionally obscured in-work, it is one of the few times when it is good form to [[DontExplainTheJoke explain the joke.]] Use your judgment to avoid far-reaching examples; almost anything can be turned into a pun with enough thought. We want the ones that were likely intended by the creators.'''

The writers put in a joke (almost always a pun), but never make or put in a PunchLine or explicit statement, [[OrphanedSetup hiding it in the set up of the joke]]. Some percentage of the audience will "get" the joke, but the rest will know it was there and be going, "What? Why didn't you say it?" There can be several reasons.

shadow..."

* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'': One of the Kryptonian criminals working for General Zod to fight and defeat Superman and ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} in ''ComicBook/TheGirlWithTheXRayMind'', ''ComicBook/ThePhantomZone'' and other stories, is one who -in addition to being their first cousin once removed-, had the misfortune of being named Kru-el, so he was sadly doomed by his parents to be suited for villainy.

-->-- '''Wade Schin''' (on ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'''s Sniper's [[http://teamfortress.com/post.php?id=2974 mode of transportation]], a camper van.)

* Doesn't seem to be on Website/YouTube anymore, but there's a UK advert that features a lonely man fantasizing about a random, if beautiful woman on the same train as him. The advert, fittingly, is for [[spoiler:Virgin Trains.]]

* In ''Literature/AccelWorld'', Haruyuki's normal neural linker avatar is a pig. Silver Crow's main power is flight. Therefore, pigs are flying.
* [[DubNameChange Hog Honcho/Director Ton]] from ''Anime/AggressiveRetsuko'' is a pig who believes women should StayInTheKitchen and not have office jobs. [[spoiler: He's a ''male chauvinist pig''.]]
** Also from the series is Retsuko's friend [[DubNameChange Eaglette/Washimi]], a secretarybird who's also [[spoiler: the company's president's ''secretary''.]]

* Shinobu, a major character in the light novel and anime series ''Literature/{{Bakemonogatari}}'' has a stealth pun in the kanji for her name.[[spoiler: Before the start of the series, her original name is Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade. Early in the series she is given the name Shinobu by another character. The kanji for Shinobu is written as 忍, making her new name still literally heart (心) under blade (刀).]]

* The fourth arc of ''Literature/HumanityHasDeclined'' involves bananas that cause time slips.

* ''Anime/MetalFightBeybladeZeroG'' has two characters, Shinobu Hiryuin and Eight Unabara, whose Beyblades -- Shinobi Saramanda and Pirates Orojya, respectively -- can be Synchromed (as in combined) with the Beyblades of the two main characters (Zyro Kurogane and Kite Unabara), making the two indirect rivals of sorts. As for the Beyblades themselves... [[spoiler:Pirates vs Ninjas?]]

** Because of their MakeMeWannaShout[=/=]MagicMusic powers, those operating the Dolems (sort of living mecha) are termed instrumentalists. Although the series involves an EndOfTheWorldSpecial rather than an AssimilationPlot, there's probably a deliberate allusion to "Instrumentality", given that ''[=RahXephon=]'' is sort of a LighterAndSofter ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''.

** Boa Hancock considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world has the ability to turn any man who lusts after her to stone. [[spoiler: She literally makes them rock hard.]]

* In ''FanFic/ThreeMessengers'', one of the fortune-tellers is Old Woman Riley -- in Japanese, this would be [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_O%27Riley Riley-obaba]]. The author is a fan of The Who.

* The fanfic ''Azuvengers'' gives the ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' girls the powers of different Marvel Comics characters - Sakaki is the Sentry, Yomi is the [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]], and so forth. [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Osaka]] learns magic, gets a flying umbrella, and communicates clairaudibly with a man named Steve. [[spoiler:She's Dr. Strange.]]
* In the Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya[=/=]Website/TVTropes crossover ''FanFic/KyonBigDamnHero'', Chapter ''Eleven'''s name is ''Yeah, It Went There''. It's saying this chapter will get up to eleven.

* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' fanfic ''[[FanFic/TheJoyOfBattle The Joy of Battle: Historical Espionage Action]]'' is full of stealth puns, especially in the chapter titles. The second chapter is called "Schadenfreude" which includes the word "joy" (freude in German), also the main character's name. The most bizarre is probably the chapter "Stained Glass" in which there is a moment near the end where a grassy lawn is stained with blood. Stained grass... incredibly lame and probably entirely on purpose.
* [[http://eternalsaturn.deviantart.com/gallery/386102#/d2yu9ea This]] Franchise/{{Pokemon}} fan comic has a StealthPun that doubles as a ShoutOut. The pun in question is the species of the Pokemon, Quagsire... [[spoiler: which is based off the word Quagmire, which also happens to be the name of a legendarily perverted character from ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy.'']]
* In the Literature/{{Sherlock|Holmes}}ian fic ''Fanfic/TheGhostMap'', [[BigBad Colonel Moran]] has a SideKick[=/=][[TheDragon Dragon]] named ''Yorick''. In the SequelHook at the end of the story, guess who bites the dust? That's right. [[WorldOfPun Alas, poor Yorick!]]
* In the ''Fanfic/DeliverUsFromEvilSeries'', the youngest of the Baker Street Irregulars, Kelly, has green eyes.
* ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'' has a character (actually, [[InexplicablyIdenticalIndividuals several]]) named Klein. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Klein Calvin & Klein]], [[FridgeBrilliance anyone?]]
* Evangelion: ''Fanfic/NobodyDies'' casts [[CanonImmigrant Mana]] from the first official Evangelion spin off game as a cyborg who has had a lot of her body replaced. This would make her a [[TitleDrop Girlfriend of Steel]].

* Like the show, the author of [[FanFic/EquestriaAHistoryRevealed Equestria: A History Revealed]] seems to love any kind of pun, ranging from horse related puns, to any kind of pun that can be mustered. If there's a word that can be substituted for a horse pun, you can bet it'll be used. Not even the bibliography is exempt from this. The sources are chockfilled with bad puns too.
--> "Ravished by civil wars up the ass (no pun intended, the deciding battle was fought on Donkey Doodle Peak), and ''saddled'' with the responsibility of repairing the broken nation, the new griffon government desperately needed supplies and help."
* ''FanFic/JewelOfDarkness'': During the FinalBattle of the Jump City Arc, Beast Boy turns into a bat just before the Titans' [[spoiler: literal]] BatmanGambit against Midnight.
* ''FanFic/QueenOfShadows'': The Kamikiri (Mantis Khan) are the priests of the Shadowkhan. Yes, they're praying mantises.
* The second chapter title of [[http://archiveofourown.org/works/980776/chapters/1931119 this]] ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'' fanfic is called "The Start of a Series of Lame Jokes". On the surface, it sounds like SelfDeprecation, but it actually has a double meaning; most of the humor is [[KafkaKomedy made at the expense]] of [[WheelchairWoobie Tavros]]. In addition to jokes about [[EpicFail being lame]].
* In the Homestuck fan adventure ''Webcomic/AlabasterTheDoomedSession'', there are a lot of hidden jokes about various stories, such as "Beros-Keros" for a giant doghouse, in reference to Keros-Beros from ''Manga/CardCaptorSakura''. However, most of the jokes are Homestuck-focused. [[http://mspfanventures.com/?s=236&p=1030 The [LE] arc]] is nothing but a giant pileup of Homestuck stealth puns, down to its title.

* The ''Comicbook/LeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' fic ''The Black Dossier Vol 2'' [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10295381/15/The-Black-Dossier-Volume-II details]] the [[Literature/WinnieThePooh Hundred Acre Wood]] Artillery Crisis, in which the British government threatens the {{Civilised Animal}}s of the wood and Literature/AnimalFarm moves to defend its comrades. This is the Cuban Missile Crisis with London as the US, the Wood as Cuba, and the Farm (of course) as the USSR. The stealth pun is on the Bay of ''Pigs''.
* In the Fanfic/{{Dangerverse}}, a prophecy at the start of the series states that after Voldemort is defeated "Then has the age of hope begun/And peace comes to the man who won". Sounds like it just means that life would be peaceful...except that at the end of the story, [[spoiler: babies Nadia and Irina are conceived]] and their names mean 'hope' and 'peace'.
* Creator/AAPessimal's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' continuum is ''full'' of them. Music/BlueOysterCult LP's, song titles, and band personnel crop up more often than is humanely feasible. The story ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9998634/1/Hear-them-chatter-on-the-tide Hear Them Chatter on the Tide]]'' actually ''introduces'' a religious sect who venerate shellfish of a cerulean colour, for instance, as well as making liberal use of the song ''[=SubHuman=]''. In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8774066/1/There-s-nothing-like-a-fresh-pair-of-eyes-is-there Fresh Pair Of Eyes]]'', the song ''Harvester of Eyes'' becomes part of the Order of Service in the Temple of the Great God Blind Io. Who is intimately associated with eyeballs. (InUniverse, the sung liturgy is attributed to the Reverend Bloom and the Reverend Roeser). It isn't just [=BOC=] lyrics. Barely-there canonical character Miss Smith-Rhodes is fleshed out as an Assassin from "Southern Africa" because in our universe, a man called Cecil Rhodes founded a country called Rhodesia; a man called Iain Smith was its last white leader before Robert Mugabe took over. The name "Smith-Rhodes" could only be associated with [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra the general concept of "South Africa"]]. And there are many, many, more.
* In Chapter 16 of ''FanFic/ThisBites'', after Luffy plows through a dozen or so buildings to get to a restaurant, sending Smoker and Ace flying in the process:
-->'''Cross''': ''(referring to Luffy)'' Are you a human, a monster, or some freak force of nature!?\\
'''Soundbite''': ''D:'' '''all of the above!'''\\
'''Cross:''' ...That makes ''way'' too much sense.
** The [=MI4=] leaders and Cross all have code names based on the western zodiac. Smoker's? [[IronicNickname Cancer]].
* ''FanFic/PokemonMysteryDungeonWhatCameAfter'': Why are three Klefki the ones who rob Ferrothorn Bank? One reason is that they're themed after keys, which open locks, and another is that they're ''Steel''-type.
* The second book of ''FanFic/ChildOfTheStorm'' has Harry and his friends looking at museum exhibitions showing the Avenger's most infamous enemies. In other words, it's a literal RoguesGallery.
* In ''Fanfic/TheresSomethingAboutMarinette'', Heart Baker is a villain who eats pastries symbolizing the love her victims feel for her, and she cannot get enough to satisfy her. She is literally love hungry. She also plays the seductive role for her victims before attacking, making her a man-eater.
* ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainSeekerOfCrocus'': After Specter's original trip on the Infinity Train went horribly, ''horribly'' wrong -- necessitating a memory wipe for one thing -- one of the signs that something is wrong with him is freaking out at his reflection and mirrors. A fear of mirrors is usually called ''spectro''phobia.
** After Easter gets slammed into the sand by one of Ai's monsters, there are fireflies circling their head. Another term for fireflies is lightning bugs.
* ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainVoyageOfWisteria'': Warbler is a mouse-like music note denizen who can't speak. So this makes her as quiet as a mouse.
* ''Fanfic/PokemonCrossing'': Holly, the main character, is a transgender girl and anthropomorphic chicken. Because when an egg hatches, a chick comes out!
* The ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14231949/1/Operation-WAR Operation WAR]]'' contains Numbuh 417, an alien dragon-like creature who has a machine gun mounted to the end of her tail, meaning she's a literal tail gunner.
* ''Fanfic/ACertainDrollHivemind'': Misaka-11111 is forced to come up with a name to interact with society. Her psychiatrist denies her initial ideas of "11111" or "Mikoto-1," so she goes with "Misaka Yui." The psychiatrist misses the pun; "Misaka Yui" can be read as "Just Misaka."
-->Hee. They had vetoed my first and second choices of personal name. 11111 and Mikoto-1 would have been perfectly acceptable personal names. I do not see why they objected to them. They would have uniquely identified me. They did not see a problem with my third choice.\\
The Network was greatly amused.
* ''Fanfic/MiraculousCity'': The story has Tomoe Tsurugi taking the role of TheDragon to Gabriel Agreste. Her own Miraculous Power is the Dragon, like her daughter Kagami.

** So, what is George Takei describing? He's describing [[spoiler: adding YELLOW to the RAINBOW]]. Now, the reason why the pun in question needed to be made seems to lie in Takei's fondness for all kinds of stupid puns, as evidenced by his facebook wall. It might be hard to understand for many a good folks, but it's a sneaky one regardless.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajSVMGxdqq8 This Falcon Beer commercial]] is about Fishermen arguing on whose beard is the thickest. The person with the thinnest beard has the thinnest accent, while the person with the Thickest beard has the thickest accent.

* In Advertising/{{Geico}}'s "Pig In a Blanket" Ad, the blanket being worn is an actual tartan. Cunningham, to be precise.

* ''Fanfic/SpiderNinja'': When [[GenderFlip Petra]] [[ComicBook/SpiderMan Parker]] is adopted by Master Splinter, Mikey nicknames her "Pet". In other words, it's her '''pet''' name.

** It's strongly hinted that Miles Edgeworth is asexual, making him, well... [[{{Pun}} an ace attorney.]]

# The pun is a form of {{Foreshadowing}}, and the audience won't get the joke until later. (It's probably also a spoiler.)

* Less subtle than the others, but Catholic University of America uses "Cardinals" as a mascot. Cardinal as in the bird, but cardinal as in the highest level of Catholic clergy has always been the obvious secondary connotation. Not only that, but the nickname literally makes CUA a "college of Cardinals".

* The African American History Museum in Washington DC has a section dedicated to segregation that includes a train car that people can enter to see how the races were segregated on the car. This of course is on the lowest level of the museum. That's right it's an UndergroundRailroad.

* The University of Tampere, a Finnish university, has three major buildings, which have meaningful names. The main building is named "Päätalo", Finnish for "main building". A castle-like building nearby is named "Linna" (castle). The faculty of sciences, located near a stream is named "Virta" (current). They sound like IncrediblyLamePun, but they have actually been named of three Tampere cultural icons: writer Kalle Päätalo, writer Väinö Linna and musician Olavi Virta.

** The spell ''detect thoughts'' requires a material component: a copper piece. That is to say, [[spoiler:a penny for your thoughts]].
** The ''solid fog'' spell requires powdered peas and an animal hoof. You're literally creating [[spoiler:pea soup fog]].
** Meanwhile, the spell ''minor illusion'' requires you to have a bit of fleece as its material component. Since the most common purpose of the spell is a visual deception, you are [[spoiler:pulling the wool over their eyes]].
** Similarly, the material components for ''fireball'' are bat guano, brimstone, and charcoal -- that is to say, the ingredients of primitive gunpowder. Many of the material components of ''D&D'' spells are less magic and more primitive chemistry and physics of the type that would be far advanced for a pseudo-medieval setting. The whole thing is a stealth pun of the Arthur C Clarke concept that [[ClarkesThirdLaw any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic]].

** The material component for the ''feeblemind'' spell is "a handful of clay, crystal, or mineral spheres." [[spoiler:So basically marbles, while the spell causes the subject to "lose" theirs.]]

** Similarly, the material components for ''fireball'' are bat guano, brimstone, and charcoal -- that is to say, the ingredients of primitive gunpowder. Many of the material components of ''D&D'' spells are less magic and more primitive chemistry and physics of the type that would be far advanced for a pseudo-medieval setting. The whole thing is a stealth pun of the Arthur C Clarke concept that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

* ''Fanfic/{{Spider-Ninja}}'': When [[GenderFlip Petra]] [[ComicBook/SpiderMan Parker]] is adopted by Master Splinter, Mikey nicknames her "Pet". In other words, it's her '''pet''' name.