History Main / TacticalReminiscence

* In ''Film/IronMan2'' when Tony and Rhodey fight each other in their respectable suits, and at the end, Tony goads Rhodey into taking the shot nearly destroying Tony's house in the process. Tony reminds Rhodey in the film's climax: 'You want to be a hero?' while the Big Bad has them both pinned down using this tactic to defeat him.

* At the start of ''[[Literature/XWingSeries Iron Fist]]'', the squad are being led away from a BarBrawl by a group of Republic military police. [[TheFace "Face" Loran]] starts talking to the lead MP and mentions that his name is Corellian, and the MP confirms that he's from Corellia. "Just like the welcoming party on M2398", he replies, referring to [[ContinuityNod an incident in the previous book]] where the Wraiths were LuredIntoATrap -- because [[SherlockScan he knows from the man's body lanuage]] that [[SpotTheImposter he isn't from Corellia]].

* In ''Series/CriminalMinds'' when an unsub shows up in his wife's home, Hotchner tells his son to "help Daddy work" because that is what he had once said he was doing when he hid in Hotchner's office.

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Tactical Reminiscence is where characters remind each other of their shared history to communicate and co-ordinate, giving additional meaning to references to the past only clear to those in the know. There are several ways the tactic can be used:

* Sharing a plan the characters have used before by referring to it by name or "Like that time in Berlin in '93". Can be used as a quick way to refer to a plan when there is no-time to go into detail, a secretive way to share a plan when you need the element of surprise or if insinuated into the conversation, a way to share the plan without anyone overhearing knowing you have a plan at all.

* It justifies the ability to enact and co-ordinate complex plans quickly, or even instantly; after all, this isn't the first time they've done this.
* It can be used as a teaser for back-story the audience will find more out about later.

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--> '''Phantom Phreak''': You know, that place we put that thing that time?
::Cereal Killer knew what he was talking about and dug up a floppy stuck with a wad of gum to the back of a locker.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', at the start of "Death Race to Oblivion", Batman tells Green Arrow he'll beat him in the race "Just like he beat him at Monte Carlo". At the end it's revealed that they didn't race at Monte Carlo, but they did use a similar plan to defeat The Clock King there.

* In ''Film/CaptainMarvel'', Fury suspects that [[spoiler:his boss]] has been replaced with a shape-shifter, so uses this to BluffTheImpostor, describing a plan as "Just like in Havana", in reference to a fictional previous plan. [[spoiler:He's right, but then that same shapeshifter co-opts the phrase later on as a way to reveal his identity to Fury, effectively playing the trope straight.]]

* In ''Film/CaptainMarvel'', Fury suspects that [[spoiler:his boss]] has been replaced with a shape-shifter, so uses this to BluffTheImpostor, describing a plan as "Just like in Havana", in reference to a fictional previous plan. [[spoiler:He's right, but then that same shapeshifter co-opts the phrase as a way to reveal his identity to Fury, effectively playing the trope straight.]]

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-->'''Chance:''' Oh an Aunt Linda.
-->'''Winston:''' Uh uh, calling in the cavalry is an Uncle Dan.
-->'''Chance:''' No, calling in the cavalry is an Aunt Linda; I don't even know who Uncle Dan is.

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* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', at the start of "Death Race to Oblivion", Batman tells Green Arrow he'll beat him in the race "Just like he beat him at Monte Carlo". At the end it's revealed that they didn't race at Monte Carlo, but they did use a similar plan to defeat The Clock King there.

* In ''{{Naruto}}'', Sasuke and Itachi pull this off while fighting Kabuto. Itachi asks Sasuke if he remembers the time they had to fight off a giant boar. Sasuke remembers. Suffice to say that it is ''not'' a good thing to have both Uchiha brothers as enemies when they aren't trying to kill each other.

!Examples

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* Happens a lot in ''Film/GalaxyQuest''. "Go for the eyes, like in episode 22!" "You're starting to act like you did in episode 17, you scene-stealing hack!"

-->Bob: Remember how we used to sit and read War and Peace together... Alice: [Thinking] We never read together, Bob must be trying to tell me where he hid the diamonds. Of course, he must have hollowed out his copy of War and Peace and hidden them inside!

"Now," growled Carlo, his gun pressed against Bob's temple. "Call Alice and have her bring the diamonds here. She must not suspect, if you try to warn her, I'll blow your head off!"

Bob thought desperately as he dialed. "Hi Alice, its me. I've found a great place to sell the diamonds on 3rd and Main, near that Italian place we ate at last week."

"Italian?" thought Alice. "We didn't eat at any... of course, it's a warning, those Mafia goons must have caught up with him!"

"Alright," she said, trying to sound calm. "Afterwards we can go celebrate our anniversary. Oh and Bob, your Aunt Sally called." Alice hung up.

"Bugger," thought Bob, "I hate doing the Aunt Sally plan!"

Before too long, an explosion of gunfire erupts in the street outside. As Carlo and the Mafia goons take cover, Bob uses the distraction to hurl himself out of the back window... falling right on the crash-mat in the back of the waiting truck below. Bob knew Alice wouldn't let him down, just like that time in Berlin when they last pulled an "Aunt Sally".

But now the Mafia goons were after them both. Not to worry, once they lose their tails, they could meet up later. Their anniversary wasn't for months, but they were the only two people who knew the secret spot where Bob had proposed.

Compare OutOfCharacterAlert or SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay.

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TacticalReminiscence is where characters take advantage of their shared history to communicate and co-ordinate, giving additional meaning to references to the past only clear to those in the know. There are several ways the tactic can be used:

* It emphasizes that the characters have a long and colorful history together that might not have been seen on screen, or acts as a fun call-back if its referring to something that was seen earlier.

* RogueSquadron once pulled this in ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy'', when they couldn't exchange jump coordinates without the Imperials intercepting their transmission. Wedge reminded his squad of the battle of Xyquine, which they correctly interpreted as a suggestion to use a disinformation technique called [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Cracken_Twist the Cracken Twist]].

* From [[BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey]]: "Melvin? Melvin" (cue groin attack).

* In one scene in ''Film/{{Sahara}}'', in order to get out of a really tight situation involving guys with automatic weapons shooting up their boat, Dirk Pitt suggests "doing a Panama," an obvious reference to some crazy maneuver that he and Al did in the region so named. [[spoiler:Except they weren't in Panama. And it didn't work.]]