History Main / TheseQuestionsThree

RuleOfThree [[XMeetsY meets]] RiddleMeThis. Someone has to answer three riddles or questions for some reason. Or can be solving three puzzles.

* Named for the scene in ''MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', which didn't just parody this, it [[ZigZaggingTrope zig zagged]] it (including in a DeletedScene). Heck, just referencing this would be enough for a trope on its own. For the record: "What is your name?"; "What is your [[{{TheQuest}} quest]]?"; "What is your favourite colour?" (or alternatively "[[UnexpectedlyObscureAnswer What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?]]," OR "What is the capital of Assyria?")

* One of the {{Heart Container}}s in ''TwilightPrincess'' requires solving three block puzzles in a row.

* Named for the scene in ''MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', which didn't just parody this, it [[ZigZaggingTrope zig zagged]] it (including in a DeletedScene). Heck, just referencing this would be enough for a trope on its own. For the record: "What is your name?"; "What is your [[{{TheQuest}} quest]]?"; "What is your favourite colour?" (or alternatively "[[UnexpectedlyObscureAnswer What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?]]")

* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Susan's boss makes her go through this to get her paycheck. The questions, fortunately, are absurdly obvious (i.e, "Why should I give you a paycheck?"; "Because I work here.")

* The "Riddle For You All" song with Beaver and the Gargoyles in the ''{{Franklin}} and the Adventures of the Noble Knights'' stage show

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:Religion And Mythology]]

[[AC:TabletopGames]]

[[AC:{{Theatre}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* In ''QuestForGloryI'', a gargoyle who guards the house of the wizard Erasmus asks the hero three questions similar to these, probably as a reference to ''MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail''. If he gives the wrong answer, he is transported back to the bottom of the mountain. The questions are random and along with the standard "what is your name?" and "what is your quest?" there are also questions either about information you've learned in the game or ones that are {{shout out}}s to other media. For instance, to "what is your quest?" the hero can answer "[[MonkeyIsland I want to be a pirate.]]" Another question asks what the password to the thieves guild is, and the correct response is actually to give the wrong answer to prove that you are not a thief. And the answer to "What's the meaning of life?"... [[HitchHikersGuideToTheGalaxy 42.]]

[[AC:WebComics]]

* In ''ElGoonishShive'', Susan's boss makes her go through this to get her paycheck. The questions, fortunately, are absurdly obvious (i.e, "Why should I give you a paycheck?"; "Because I work here.")

[[AC:WebOriginal]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* In ''TheSimpsons'', episode "Homer and Apu", the titular characters travel all the way to India to meet the benevolent and enlightened president and C.E.O. of Kwik-E-Mart, who allows them to ask three questions. Apu intends to ask him to get his job back. Homer blows it, of course, by asking three entirely asinine questions first.

** The Comic Book Guy uses this a few times on ''TheSimpsons''.

* [[http://www.middlecenter.com/comic/64 Spoofed]] in the amateur-video-turned-webcomic ''HeroesOfMiddlecenter'' (comic only).

* In ''QuestForGloryI'', a gargoyle who guards the house of the wizard Erasmus asks the hero three questions similar to these, probably as a reference to ''MontyPython''. If he gives the wrong answer, he is transported back to the bottom of the mountain. The questions are random and along with the standard "what is your name?" and "what is your quest?" there are also questions either about information you've learned in the game or ones that are {{shout out}}s to other media. For instance, to "what is your quest?" the hero can answer "[[MonkeyIsland I want to be a pirate.]]" Another question asks what the password to the thieves guild is, and the correct response is actually to give the wrong answer to prove that you are not a thief. And the answer to "What's the meaning of life?"... [[HitchHikersGuideToTheGalaxy 42.]]

* In ''{{Knightmare}}'', a common obstacle was the team being asked a set of three questions. The usual scoring logic was that one correct answer allowed the team to continue (usually only to die shortly thereafter due to lack of information), while two would give them a small bit of help (usually a spell or a hint), and three gave the team more helpful information, such as a password, a sequence, or hints on which items to take. Miss all three and... '''''[[GameOver BOOOOOOONNNNNGGG!]]''''' [[GameOver "Ooh... nasty..."]]

* {{Knightmare}} would often use this, although [[NintendoHard not always]].

* In ''{{Knightmare}}'', a common obstacle was the team being asked a set of three questions. The usual scoring logic was that one correct answer allowed the team to continue (usually only to die shortly thereafter due to lack of information), while two would give them a small bit of help (usually a spell or a hint), and three gave the team more helpful information, such as a password, a sequence, or hints on which items to take. Miss all three and... '''''[[GameOver BONNNNNGGGGGGG!]]''''' [[GameOver "Ooh... nasty..."]]

* In ''{{Knightmare}}, a common obstacle was the team being asked a set of three questions. The usual scoring logic was that one correct answer allowed the team to continue (usually only to die shortly thereafter due to lack of information), while two would give them a small bit of help (usually a spell or a hint), and three gave the team more helpful information, such as a password, a sequence, or hints on which items to take. Miss all three and... '''''[[GameOver BONNNNNGGGGGGG!]]''''' [[GameOver "Ooh... nasty..."]]

* In ''{{Knightmare}}, a common obstacle was the team being asked a set of three questions. The usual scoring logic was that one correct answer allowed the team to continue (usually only to die shortly thereafter due to lack of information), while two would give them a small bit of help (usually a spell or a hint), and three gave the team more helpful information, such as a password, a sequence, or hints on which items to take. Miss all three and... [[GameOver '''''BONNNNNGGGGGGG!''''' "Ooh... nasty..."]]

[[AC:ReligionAndMythology]]

[[AC:Unsorted]]

** Spoofed in ''AvatarTheAbridgedSeries''
** Spoofed in ''RoseOfVersaillesAbridged''.
** The Bridgekeeper appears as a special encounter in ''{{Fallout 2}}''.
** Spoofed in ''DragonAge'' with the crazy old man in the forest who will only answer a question if you answer one of his questions first. But he doesn't have any good question at hand right now, so he just goes for "What... is yer name?".
* ''FinalFantasyUnlimited'' had three by three questions in the ocean puzzle.
* {{Knightmare}} would often use this, although [[NintendoHard not always]].
* [[DeadpanSnarker Ferr]] of the FreelanceAstronauts tried to pull this [[RunningGag a few times]] during the LetsPlay of ''SeriousSam''. He never does complete it, as [[TheQuietOne Evek]] interrupts him each time. Usually with bullets.
-->'''Ferr''': Before you can pass through this door, you must answer me [[TheseQuestionsThree these questions]]—[[KilledMidSentence *blam*]].
* Played straight in Islamic doctrine, in which answering three questions correctly with your lifetime and the state of your soul will determine your fate in the hereafter.

** The Comic Book Guy uses this a few times on ''TheSimpsons''.
** Spoofed in ''AvatarTheAbridgedSeries''
** Spoofed in ''RoseOfVersaillesAbridged''.
** In ''QuestForGloryI'', a gargoyle who guards the house of the wizard Erasmus asks the hero three questions similar to these, probably as a reference to ''MontyPython''. If he gives the wrong answer, he is transported back to the bottom of the mountain. The questions are random and along with the standard "what is your name?" and "what is your quest?" there are also questions either about information you've learned in the game or ones that are {{shout out}}s to other media. For instance, to "what is your quest?" the hero can answer "[[MonkeyIsland I want to be a pirate.]]" Another question asks what the password to the thieves guild is, and the correct response is actually to give the wrong answer to prove that you are not a thief. And the answer to "What's the meaning of life?"... [[HitchHikersGuideToTheGalaxy 42.]]
*** And once again for Quest For Glory 5, except with a titanic cloud creature replacing it. However it does this only once, and the questions are "Who are you, what do you want, and who are you here to see." which anybody can answer.
** The Bridgekeeper appears as a special encounter in ''{{Fallout 2}}''.
** Spoofed in DragonAge with the crazy old man in the forest who will only answer a question if you answer one of his questions first. But he doesn't have any good question at hand right now, so he just goes for "What... is yer name?".

* [[http://www.middlecenter.com/comic/64 Spoofed]] in the amateur-video-turned-webcomic ''HeroesOfMiddlecenter'' (comic only).

* ''FinalFantasyUnlimited'' had three by three questions in the ocean puzzle.
* In Susan Cooper's ''TheDarkIsRising'' series novel ''The Grey King'', Bran Davies must answer three questions to prove his worthiness to receive the harp of gold.

--> '''Homer:''' Are you really the head of the Kwik-E-Mart?
--> '''CEO:''' Yes.
--> '''Homer:''' Really?
--> '''CEO:''' Yes.
--> '''Homer:''' You?
--> '''CEO:''' Yes. I hope this has been enlightening.

* In ''ElGoonishShive'', Susan's boss makes her go through this to get her paycheck. The questions, fortunately, are absurdly obvious (i.e, "Why should I give you a paycheck?"; "Because I work here.")
* In ''VideoGame/{{Machinarium}}'', you are given three "complete the pattern" puzzles by a ventilation fan robot. [[spoiler:Subverted by the fact that if you get them right, the robot will simply fall back to sleep. You're actually supposed to get the questions ''wrong'' to make the robot angry enough to eject the fan allowing you to go inside the shaft.]]

--> Ferr: Before you can pass through this door, you must answer me [[TheseQuestionsThree these questions]]—[[KilledMidSentence *blam*]].
* The "Riddle For You All" song with Beaver and the Gargoyles in the "{{Franklin}} and the Adventures of the Noble Knights" stage show

** In the first ''QuestForGlory'' game, a gargoyle who guards the house of the wizard Erasmus asks the hero three questions similar to these, probably as a reference to ''MontyPython''. If he gives the wrong answer, he is transported back to the bottom of the mountain. The questions are random and along with the standard "what is your name?" and "what is your quest?" there are also questions either about information you've learned in the game or ones that are [[ShoutOut shout outs]] to other media. For instance, to "what is your quest?" the hero can answer "[[MonkeyIsland I want to be a pirate.]]" Another question asks what the password to the thieves guild is, and the correct response is actually to give the wrong answer to prove that you are not a thief. And the answer to "What's the meaning of life?".. [[HitchHikersGuideToTheGalaxy 42.]]

** The Bridgekeeper appears as a special encounter in ''{{Fallout}} 2''.

* ''DungeonsAndDragons'' ShoutOuts to the MontyPython example:

* In ''{{Machinarium}}'', you are given three "complete the pattern" puzzles by a ventilation fan robot. [[spoiler:Subverted by the fact that if you get them right, the robot will simply fall back to sleep. You're actually supposed to get the questions ''wrong'' to make the robot angry enough to eject the fan allowing you to go inside the shaft.]]
* [[DeadpanSnarker Ferr]] of the FreelanceAstronauts tried to pull this [[RunningGag a few times]] during the [[LetsPlay Let's Play]] of ''SeriousSam''. He never does complete it, as [[TheQuietOne Evek]] interrupts him each time. Usually with bullets.

----
<<|NarrativeDevices|>>

* Named for the scene in ''MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', which didn't just parody this, it [[ZigZaggingTrope zig zagged]] it (including in a DeletedScene). Heck, just referencing this would be enough for a trope on its own. For the record: "What is your name?"; "What is your [[{{TheQuest}} quest]]?"; "What is your favourite colour?" (or alternatively "What [[BreadEggsMilkSquick is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?]]")

RuleOfThree meets RiddleMeThis. Someone has to answer three riddles or questions for some reason. Or can be solving three puzzles.

* In ''TheSimpsons'', episode "Homer and Apu", the titular characters travel all the way to India to meet the benevolent and enlightened president and C.E.O. of Kwik-E-Mart, who allows them to ask three questions. Apu intends to ask him to get his job back. Homer blows it, of course, by asking three entirely asinine questions first. (Are you really in charge of all the Kwik-E-Marts? Really? You?)

* Named for the scene in ''MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', which didn't just parody this, it [[ZigZaggingTrope zig zagged]] it (including in a DeletedScene). Heck, just referencing this would be enough for a trope on its own. For the record: "What is your name?"; "What is your favourite colour?"; "What [[BreadEggsMilkSquick is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?]]"

* Named for the scene in ''MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', which didn't just parody this, it [[ZigZaggingTrope zig zagged]] it (including in a DeletedScene). Heck, just referencing this would be enough for a trope on its own.

* [[DeadpanSnarker Ferr]] of the FreelanceAstronauts tried to pull this [[RunningGag a few times]] during the [[LetsPlay Let's Play]] of ''SeriousSam." He never does complete it, as [[TheQuietOne Evek]] interrupts him each time. Usually with bullets.