History Main / ThereIsNoTry

* ''TheKarateKid'':

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'': Examines the trope when Kanan tells Ezra "Do or do not, ThereIsNoTry!" and Ezra retorts that it makes no sense: "How can I ''do'' something if I don't ''try'' to do it?" Kanan admits he always had trouble with that one, too, but "Master Yoda sure used to say it a lot!" Later they come back to the mental hang-up explanation for the advice.

* Yoda's force training of Luke in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack". Oddly, this subverts the very trope it names, as Luke fails to rise to the occasion of using the Force to move his sunken X-wing out of a lake. This highlights the problem; Luke doesn't believe he can do it, and because he doesn't, he can't. He gives up until Yoda demonstrates how {{Badass}} he is by raising the X-wing out of the water.

Often accompanied by a reminder of what the Hero is fighting for, usually (but not always) framed in a way that insults either the Hero or the person/thing he is trying to save. This is done to get the Hero angry enough that he'll temporarily forget whatever mental hang-up is preventing him from getting this trick right.

-->[[AC:Miyagi]]: Now, ready?
-->[[AC:Daniel]]: Yeah, I guess so.
-->[[AC:Miyagi]]: Daniel-san, must talk. Walk on road, hm? Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later, ''(makes squish gesture)'' get squish just like grape. Here, karate, same thing. Either you karate do "yes", or karate do "no". You karate do "guess so", ''(makes squish gesture)'' just like grape. Understand?

* Yoda's force training of Luke in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack". Oddly, this subverts the very trope it names, as Luke fails to rise to the occasion of using the Force to move his sunken X-wing out of a lake. He gives up until Yoda demonstrates how {{Badass}} he is by raising the X-wing out of the water.
-->Luke: ...I don't believe it!
-->Yoda: And that is why you fail.
** The TropeNamer example highlights the problem; Luke doesn't believe he can do it, and because he doesn't, he can't.

* Richard of the SwordOfTruth is restricted to this to prevent him from being a total GameBreaker.

** An expected subversion in a ''ComicStrip/FarSide'' cartoon, with The Little Engine looking the worse for wear, leaning against a building with a beggar's hat in front of him, and a sign reading "I thought I could, I thought I could..."

** Yuthura Ban of VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic mentioned something that sounded like the dark side version of this; just another illustration of how Jedi and Sith are NotSoDifferent.

** Kevin Sorbo's line from the first season finale of Andromeda 'All that matters in life is that you try, promise me you'll try' was an homage to this scene as it was preceded by a 'why we fight' speech.

[[folder:Film]]

* Used by Master Shifu in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' when he finally figures out how to train Po. Makes sense, really, since he - at times - seems just a [[strike:gallon]] [[IncrediblyLamePun half-pint]] of green dye short of being Yoda.

* ''Disney/{{Mulan}}'' has the titular character taking her father's place in the army, and failing miserably in training. After Shang essentially tells her she's too weak to make it, she becomes determined enough to do what no one else could. Retrieving the arrow atop a pole while wearing heavy weights around her wrists, from there her abilities are shown to be better than everyone else in the army. This also seems to inspire the rest of the trainees into TakingALevelInBadass.

* Yoda's force training of Luke in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack. Oddly, this subverts the very trope it names, as Luke fails to rise to the occasion of using the Force to move his sunken X-wing out of a lake. He gives up until Yoda demonstrates how {{Badass}} he is by raising the X-wing out of the water.

* Yoda's force training of Luke in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikeBack. Oddly, this subverts the very trope it names, as Luke fails to rise to the occasion of using the Force to move his sunken X-wing out of a lake. He gives up until Yoda demonstrates how {{Badass}} he is by raising the X-wing out of the water.

** An expected subversion in a ''FarSide'' cartoon, with The Little Engine looking the worse for wear, leaning against a building with a beggar's hat in front of him, and a sign reading "I thought I could, I thought I could..."

* Yoda's force training of Luke in ''[[StarWars The Empire Strikes Back]]''. Oddly, this subverts the very trope it names, as Luke fails to rise to the occasion of using the Force to move his sunken X-wing out of a lake. He gives up until Yoda demonstrates how {{badass}} he is by raising the X-wing out of the water.

** Yuthura Ban of KnightsOfTheOldRepublic mentioned something that sounded like the dark side version of this; just another illustration of how Jedi and Sith are NotSoDifferent.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Toph's attitude to Aang whilst learning Earthbending is a definite "There is no try" attitude: "If you're not tough enough to stop the rock, then you could at least give it the pleasure of smooshing you instead of jumping out of the way like a jelly-boned wimp!!" This is because each of the bending discplines requires a particular quality in the bender, in this case stubborn, willful hard-headedness.

* ''Disney/{{Mulan}}'' has the titular character taking her father's place in the army, and failing miserably in training. After Shang essentially tells her she's too weak to make it, she becomes determined enough to do what no one else could. Retrieving the arrow atop a pole while wearing heavy weights around her wrists, from there her abilities are shown to be better than everyone else in the army. This also seems to inspire the rest of the trainee's into TakingALevelInBadass

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'': Examines the trope when Kanan tells Ezra "Do or do not, ThereIsNoTry!" and Ezra retorts that it makes no sense, how can he do something if he doesn't try it first? Kanan admits he always had trouble with that one, too, but "Master Yoda sure used to say it a lot!" Later they come back to the mental hang-up explanation for the advice.

->''Nonsensical lines like that one make Yoda the Yogi Berra of the galaxy. He seems to have picked up an incorrect definition of the word "try" at whatever community college he attended. You cannot do without trying first. It is impossible. If he'd said "get drunk, or do not, there is no drinking" it would have made as much sense.''
-->-- [[http://www.cracked.com/article_18443_6-famous-movie-wisemen-who-were-totally-full-shit.html David Myers of cracked.com]]

-->"Nonsensical lines like that one make Yoda the Yogi Berra of the galaxy. He seems to have picked up an incorrect definition of the word "try" at whatever community college he attended. You cannot do without trying first. It is impossible. If he'd said "get drunk, or do not, there is no drinking" it would have made as much sense."

[[quoteright:203:[[ComicBook/XWingSeries http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Do_better.jpg]]

[[quoteright:203:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Do_better.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:203:Yes sir, [[XWingSeries Captain Fel]], sir. And when I defect to the New Republic, sir, and become one of its [[AcePilot best pilots]], I'll remember that.]]

-->-- '''Yoda''', ''StarWars: TheEmpireStrikesBack''

** The TropeNamer example highlights the problem; Luke doesn't believe he can do it, and because he can't, he can't.

* From the ''{{WesternAnimation/Animaniacs}}'' episode "Taming of the Screwy

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Toph's attitude to Aang whilst learning Earthbending is a definite "There is no try" attitude: "If you're not tough enough to stop the rock, then you could at least give it the pleasure of smooshing you instead of jumping out of the way like a jelly-boned wimp!!"
** Justified in this case because Earthbending is stated to require the bender to have a will stronger than the element itself. The sentiment has to be "I am going to move this rock" not "I am going to TRY to move this rock". There's a reason Earthbenders are known for being stubborn, willful hardheads.

* In HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban, Harry repeatedly tries and fails to summon a corporeal Patronus. He only gains the ability to do so [[spoiler:due to a StableTimeLoop; the first time around, he witnesses what he believes to be his father protecting him from Dementors with a corporeal Patronus. When he re-experiences the moment, he realizes his father isn't going to show up to save him, but realizes he was/is there and therefore ''can''. Dumbledore points out that he has thus discovered an element of his father inside himself. And having done it once, he can do it ''whenever he wants'' - For the rest of the series, he thus has access to an ability that usually qualifies one as an ''Auror''.]]