Line #83 Main/InvokedTrope


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3	%% The examples have been alphabetized. Please put any new example in its proper place in the folder rather than at the end.
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6	->'''Jigsaw:''' ''Drop the gun, Mr. Luger!''\
7	'''Luger:''' I don't have one.\
8	'''Jigsaw:''' You're not carrying a weapon?\
9	'''Luger:''' I don't believe in them.\
10	''[Jigsaw kicks over a pistol]''\
11	'''Jigsaw:''' Pick up the gun.\
12	''[Luger picks up the gun]''\
13	'''Jigsaw:''' ''Drop the gun, Mr. Luger!''
14	-->-- ''Film/LoadedWeapon1''
15
16	The writer brings a narrative {{trope}} into play by having a character consciously set it up.
17
18	Some methods:
19	* A {{Sitcom}} character tries to stage a MeetCute between two characters.
20	* TheHeart pulls a WoundedGazelleWarcry in order to set off a hero's UnstoppableRage.
21	* A princess gets herself kidnapped in the hope of a RescueRomance.
22	* A villain relies on [[HeroBall how heroes act]] for his BatmanGambit.
23
24	GenreSavvy and WrongGenreSavvy characters may demonstrate their familiarity with narrative conventions by invoking a trope.
25
26	Compare ExploitedTrope (not making the {{trope}} happen, just taking advantage of one happening), and compare[=/=]contrast EnforcedTrope (the writers themselves shoehorn a trope into a story by necessity). Contrast DefiedTrope, DiscussedTrope.
27
28	''' This is not the same as an IntendedAudienceReaction. Only a character can invoke a trope; an author ''per se'' cannot.'''
29
30	[-TECHNICAL NOTE: On the wiki, typing the word "invoked" anywhere within an example will disable the automatic YMMV, Trivia, or Flame Bait flagging (denoted by a petrol/gas pump, question mark, or flame respectively) for that example. However, this is not a feature but an [[TheArtifact artifact]] of hasty programming - ''InUniverse'' examples of YMMV are permitted on main work pages, but not Invoked YMMV.-]
31	----
32	!!Examples
33
34	[[foldercontrol]]
35
36	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
37	* Kagura from ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' has Sakaki invoke her RunningGag of [[AnimalsHateHim cats biting her]] in order to meet a wild mountain cat on a school trip. [[spoiler:Partially subverted when the cat comes and ''doesn't'' bite her.]]
38	* In ''Anime/CardcaptorSakura'', Tomoyo supplies Sakura with an UnlimitedWardrobe, with the reasoning that "when you are doing special things, you must wear special clothes!"
39	* ''Anime/CodeGeass''. It's simple enough. If you beg someone, anyone, to [[spoiler: save your defenceless, ''TokenMiniMoe'' Empress,]] then there's a good chance that your [[spoiler: ''LargeHam'', sort-of-enemy will pull out a shiny new [[MiniMecha mecha]]]] and do so.
40	* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Gotenks attempts to invoke HeroicSecondWind by "letting" himself get beat so he can have a last-minute comeback and inevitable victory, with a... predicable result. In short, all his friends get killed one by one, and later the villain [[EarthShatteringKaboom blows up the planet]].
41	* ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'':
42	** The LockedRoomMystery {{trope}} is invoked in the episode "Remote Island Syndrome" [[spoiler:by Koizumi, who wanted to keep Haruhi occupied.]]
43	** There are a couple of other examples, such as the intentional creation of an AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil to give Haruhi something of an enemy.
44	* Ayano's father tries to invoke BodyguardCrush to pair her up with the immensely powerful Kazuma in ''Literature/KazeNoStigma''. Unfortunately for him and his wallet, Kazuma cheerfully milks him for all he's worth. [[spoiler:Likely double subverted as it turns out he does care about her a great deal more than he usually lets on.]]
45	* In ''Manga/MarchComesInLikeALion'', Nikaidou specifically asks Shimada to turn his shogi match against Rei into a CurbStompBattle in an effort to have Rei develop as a player.
46	* ''Manga/MariaNoDanzai'': [[SchoolNurse Maria]] deliberately invokes CoolTeacher and FriendToAllChildren so that [[BeneathSuspicion no one will suspect her]] when she [[BullyHunter murders Okaya's gang]]. And it works: by the time she finally gets started, practically every student in the school ''adores'' her.
47	* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' has Kotaro invoking IdiotHero, claiming that Negi would be a better fighter if he acted more like an idiot. It actually makes some sense, as Negi's greatest weakness is that he tends to overthink everything.
48	* In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeedDestiny'', Meyrin Hawke helps Athrun escape from soldiers searching for him by invoking DistractedByTheSexy via ModestyTowel. Two invoked {{trope}}s for the price of one! Extra points: she wasn't actually naked underneath the towel, she just got her hair wet and then wrapped the towel around her clothes to make it ''look'' like she'd just gotten out of the shower.
49	* In ''Anime/SailorMoon'', Rei attempts a CrashIntoHello in order to meet Mamoru. It doesn't go as planned but still works.
50	* Every few episodes of ''Manga/SgtFrog'', Momoka will try to stage a RescueRomance in order to get closer to Fuyuki. For one reason or another, it ''never'' seems to work. For the most part, this is because she's trying to be rescued by ''[[NonActionGuy Fuyuki]]''.
51	* In an episode of ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'', Ryoko and Ayeka engineer CrashIntoHello-type meetings in order to get closer to Tenchi... even though they've known him for ''months''. Sasami showed them some shoujo manga and tricked them into thinking that this was a traditional part of Earth romances. Thus clarifying something very important. Sasami is an evil, evil woman.
52	* Kamina of ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' fame absolutely ''refused'' to [[CombiningMecha combine mechas]] with Simon until he performed a TransformationSequence with him, even while in the middle of combat.
53	* ''Manga/ToLoveRu'' does this for harem comedy. [[LovableSexManiac Momo]] knows that the FirstGirlWins and if Rito is forced to choose one girl out of his harem it probably isn't going to be her. Her solution, naturally, [[MarryThemAll is to make sure Rito doesn't need to choose only one girl]].
54	* ''Manga/YourLieInApril'' has Kaori invoking ManicPixieDreamGirl to get Kousei out of his funk so he can play piano again [[spoiler:since it was always her dream to play violin with Kousei accompanying her]].
55	* In ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'''s Dark Tournament arc, Kuwabara deliberately invokes Yusuke's UnstoppableRage by allowing Toguro to kill him, [[spoiler:or so he thinks -- Toguro doesn't actually kill him, but letting Yusuke think he had has the same effect]]. Since Toguro ''wanted'' to fight Yusuke at max power, he probably counts as invoking it too.
56	[[/folder]]
57
58	[[folder:Audio Plays]]
59	* The AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho audio drama ''The Doomwood Curse'' is based entirely around this: Some space nanites are making a fictional book true, and through careful manipulation of the tropes the Doctor is able to reverse the effect: The only way to get the solution to the carrier (a highwayman) in time is to make it a valuable item that "Must get there before sunrise!".
60	[[/folder]]
61
62	[[folder:Comic Books]]
63	* In ''[[ComicBook/DungeonTheEarlyYears Dungeon Zenith]]'', the keepers of the dungeon create a rumor about a kidnapped princess. But they unwillingly use the name of an existing princess. Then she walks to the dungeon with her secret lover, to make her father believe he saved her.
64	* ''ComicBook/NickFury'' invokes JerkWithAHeartOfJerk. He claimed this for himself in back in the '70s ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' comic. After he'd spent a whole issue getting ComicBook/TheFalcon pardoned for his criminal past, Cap remarked, "Fury, under that rough, unshaven exterior..." Fury interrupted, "There's an even rougher, unshaven interior!" Of course, in this case, it's very blustering; while later writers did make Fury genuinely amoral, around this time he was still a pretty straightforward bleeding-heart hero.
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
68	* ''ComicStrip/{{Cathy}}'' has tried, at least once, to invoke YouWereTryingTooHard, declaring that she was ''not'' looking for a boyfriend, and therefore a suitable one should pop up any minute now. It didn't work.
69	[[/folder]]
70
71	[[folder:Fan Works]]
72	* ''Fanfic/AllAssortedAnimorphsAUs'': Aftran invokes VoicesAreMental in "What if Tom was infested by a member of the Yeerk Peace Movement?"; she decides to speak in a higher-pitched voice than Tom when she takes control of his vocal chords.
73	* ''Fanfic/TheBankCalledYourRealityCheckBounced'' deliberately invokes as many tropes as possible as a ShoutOut to Website/TVTropes; some, like CornerOfWoe and PortmanteauCoupleName, are even {{Name Drop}}ped.
74	* In ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfTheAtom'', Narg tries to invoke character development by attempting diplomatic relations with some raiders, [[{{OneManArmy}} as opposed to just crushing them all]]. [[{{TooDumbToLive}} They continue to shoot at him through]] power armor, despite it doing nothing. He kills them all. It's hilarious.
75	* ''Fanfic/CourtneysCrusadeForRedemption'' invoked ShownTheirWork. Courtney, covering her knowledge of the season's events by telling everyone that she had seen and analyzed the reruns of past seasons, justifies her GenreSavvy moments.
76	* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1442274/1/Emotions-Running-High Emotions Running High]]'', when Draco regrets having told Harry he'd date him when pigs fly, he uses an obscure spell to invoke CueTheFlyingPigs and then remarks that it looks like he'll have to keep his word.
77	* In ''Fanfic/TiberiumWars'', Kane invokes EvilIsNotWellLit because watching his minions stumble around in the dark [[ItAmusedMe is funny]].
78	* ''Fanfic/WanderOverFostersAUOneshot'' (''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'', ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends''): Invoked MysteriousPast. At Foster's, imaginary friend's pasts aren't often dwelled on. It's considered rude to question someone on why they're at Foster's.
79	[[/folder]]
80
81	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
82	* ''WesternAnimation/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians'': Pongo and Perdita catch each other's eyes before their human owners do, so they use DogWalksYou to arrange a MeetCute.
83	* In ''WesternAnimation/MeetTheRobinsons,'' [[ChildProdigy Lewis]], a former DoorstopBaby, wants to track down his birth mother by creating a machine that will invoke NoInfantileAmnesia and allow him to remember her.
84	* ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'' invokes MondegreenGag. The background music for one of the official trailers is Music/{{NSYNC}}'s "It's Gonna Be Me", which is intended to be heard as "It's gonna be Mei" (i.e. the main character). This is especially true for the line edited from "You might been hurt, babe" to "You might been hurt, Mei".
85	[[/folder]]
86
87	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
88	* Natasha Romanoff does this ''twice'' in ''Film/{{The Avengers\|2012}}'', setting herself up as [[TheHeart a vulnerable girl in over her head]] so that people will spill intel that she needs. Both times it works.
89	* ''Film/TheCabinInTheWoods'' is basically ''Invoked Trope: TheMovie''. Practically every horror movie cliche, from [[ArtifactOfDoom Artifacts of Doom]] lying around where anyone can find them, to creepy old guys giving ominous warnings, to teenagers having sex in monster-infested woods, are all set up (at great effort and expense) by a massive conspiracy.
90	* In ''Film/{{Greedy}}'', Danny's act of CallingTheOldManOut turns out to be this: [[spoiler: he hired an ''actor'' to play his father in order to have a staged argument in front of his rich uncle, who had been estranged from his brother, in order to win his uncle's favor.]]
91	* The BuddyCopShow parody ''Film/{{Loaded Weapon 1}}'' has this a few times, as in the page quote.
92	* The SpaghettiWestern AffectionateParody ''Film/MyNameIsNobody'' has the title character doing this endlessly, to set up another character as an old west hero.
93	* At the end of the indie movie ''Film/SexEd'', when fired sexual-education teacher Cole confronts the father of one of his students, [[MoralGuardians a preacher that successfully lobbied for the school district to ban sex-ed,]] Cole invokes the fact that TheInternetIsForPorn. Specifically, he mentions that if parents are too embarrassed to have TheTalk with their kids, and if it's illegal to teach sex-ed in schools, then kids will go on the internet, where boys will learn that girls are meant to be used as sex objects, and girls will learn that it's okay to be treated like that. [[spoiler: Cole's RousingSpeech works, since he is not only re-hired, but is used to train other sex-ed teachers.]] Obviously, the more heavily invoked trope is TheTalk, since the main character, an unemployed high-school math teacher, took it upon himself to teach a course on [[TitleDrop sexual education]] in the middle school that hired him.
94	[[/folder]]
95
96	[[folder:Literature]]
97	* The Cineverse trilogy by Craig Shaw Gardner is a giant exercise of invoking a trope, with lots of little [[LampshadeHanging lampshades hanging]] within it. The main characters (particularly the GuardianOfTheMultiverse and the MultiversalConqueror) are GenreSavvy and therefore frequently [[DiscussedTrope talk about]] how best to [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality exploit]] the current world's laws.
98	* The TheoryOfNarrativeCausality is a measurable law on Literature/{{Discworld}}, so there are many invocations of {{trope}}s throughout, some more successful than others.
99	** In ''Literature/GuardsGuards!,'' the main characters invoke the MillionToOneChance during a critical arrow shot - they deliberately make it ''harder to aim'' (using blindfolds and standing on one leg), in order to get the odds of a direct hit down to ''exactly'' a [[MillionToOneChance million to one]]. [[spoiler:They don't succeed, mind, but when the dragon blows up the building they're standing on, the narration continues, "Fortunately, the odds of anyone surviving the ensuing explosion were exactly a million to one." [[FemaleMonsterSurprise A later discovery]] suggests that their chance of [[GroinAttack hitting the dragon's "voonerables"]] may have been 0% all along.]]
100	** When the BigBad (or TheDragon to a dragon, depending how you look at it) calls guards to arrest Captain Vimes, the guards are reluctant to try to arrest him as he is clearly unarmed and outnumbered.
101	** The Silver Horde find themselves in a comparable predicament in ''Literature/TheLastHero'', when they realize that Carrot's status as TheHero -- a lone man standing against several, convinced he's saving the world -- likely out-classes their own. And when they learn that Carrot ''doesn't even expect to receive any reward'' for doing so, but is merely fulfilling his duty, they '''know''' they don't stand a chance.
102	** In ''Literature/WitchesAbroad'', Lady Lilith draws much of her power from fairy tales, to the point where the laws of Genua under the rule of her PuppetKing the Duc demand that people conform to fairy tale stereotypes. [[ChubbyChef Cooks should be fat]] [[BigFun and jolly]], toymakers should whistle while they work, and so on. Anyone who can't or won't confirm to their role is punished severely.
103	** In ''Literature/MenAtArms'', Vetinari orders Vimes to hand in his badge, specifically to invoke TurnInYourBadge and the inevitable determined solving of the crime afterward. Subverted in that Vetinari realizes too late that he's triggered a HeroicBSOD in Vimes instead.
104	** The ''TabletopGame/DiscworldRolePlayingGame'' actually has rules for this, including magic that lets you manipulate and even draw power from narrative {{trope}}s, as well as a caution that just because you set yourself up as the Hero Who Saves the Town From the Evil Troll doesn't mean you're not actually One of the Dozen Hapless Characters Who Get Killed by the Troll Before the Hero Shows Up or, if the story is being told from a troll perspective, The Human That Gets Smooshed by the Troll. (Troll fairy stories aren't very subtle.)
105	* ''Literature/EnchantedForestChronicles'': In book 1 (''Dealing With Dragons''), it's mentioned that Princess Alianora's parents invited an evil fairy to her christening in hopes that she'd curse her, presumably with the intended result that she be rescued by a handsome prince. Instead the fairy, possibly thrilled by the novelty of being ''invited'', had a wonderful time and went home without cursing anyone.
106	* ''Literature/GhostRoads'': In the second book, Rose is brought back to life through an UnwantedRevival, so she and her allies devise a plan to invoke and then subvert RescuedFromTheUnderworld. Rose will descend to the Greek underworld with a companion, ask Persephone and Hades to let her leave, and then have her companion deliberately look back at the last moment, returning her to her ghostly existence.
107	* Attempted in ''Literature/GoodOmens'', where Anathema Device, after trying all other methods to find her book, dramatically pretends to give up, flop down, and let her gaze [[LuckBasedSearchTechnique casually fall on a patch of dirt]].
108	* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': Lord Voldemort has a hang for knowing how to manipulate Harry.
109	** In ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Order of the Phoenix]]'', he learns to what extent he can share things with him and uses that knowledge to give Harry what appears to be a prophetic dream, showing Voldemort holding Sirius Black prisoner in the Department of Mystery. As he expected, Harry rushes to the Ministry immediately. And all so that Harry would finally pick up the Prophecy concerning the two of them, and Voldemort could learn its full contents.
110	** ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince Half-Blood Prince]]'' has Harry actually mention this as [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies his reason for breaking up]] with Ginny. He mentions that Voldemort already took her as a hostage in ''the Chamber of Secrets'' to get Harry to save her, and that was back when she was simply his best friend's sister. He wants to [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies keep her safe by cutting off a romantic bond that would make her a greater target than before]].
111	** Finally, ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows'' has Lucius Malfoy ask Voldemort to call off the battle at Hogwarts. Voldemort denies it, knowing exactly how much it would torture Harry to know that people are dying because of him, and how he ''will'' [[HeroicSacrifice give himself up to Voldemort]] before the battle is over. And he's right, as Harry heads off to face Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest.
112	* The villain in ''Literature/TheJenniferMorgue'' by Creator/CharlesStross casts a reality-warping spell which forces his life into the structure of a ''Film/JamesBond'' movie, with him as the villain. He plans on stopping the spell after he captures the person playing the Bond role; that way, the pawn goes from being a super-suave man of action to a simple civil servant out of his depth, and it'll be too late for anyone else to step in. [[spoiler: He thinks it's the hero; it turns out that the hero is actually the Bond ''girl'', and his girlfriend is Bond.]]
113	* In ''Literature/JohnDiesAtTheEnd'', John and Dave try to lure out a ghost by splitting up, with John taking a shower and Dave taking a nap, while loudly announcing their plan and their fervent hope that they will '''not''' be attacked by a ghost under these circumstances.
114	* The short story "The Cat From Hell", from the anthology ''Literature/JustAfterSunset'', has a cat kill a hitman by an OrificeInvasion. To make this possible, the cat [[GroinAttack claws at the hitman's groin]], and the screams this causes means the hitman's mouth is wide open, and the cat [[AttackTheMouth leaps right into that mouth]].
115	* Several characters in Creator/MercedesLackey's ''Literature/TalesOfTheFiveHundredKingdoms'' series deliberately invoke tropes when it will help them or harm their enemies. They have force due to the presence of an ambient, powerful magic in the land called the Tradition, which causes events to follow the fairytale they most resemble.
116	* ''Literature/TheTenantOfWildfellHall'': When Gilbert Markham hears a rumor that Helen has been widowed and is getting remarried, he instantly packs up and leaves town, walking the final six miles when he can't find any transportation, intending to [[SpeakNowOrForeverHoldYourPeace burst into the Church and interrupt the ceremony]] if he has to.
117	* Literature/TomSawyer runs his life this way. It helps that ''Mark Twain'' runs Tom Sawyer's life this way. (It helps that ''Samuel Clemens'' ran Mark Twain's life this way.) Of course, [[MediumAwareness Tom probably knows that]]. On the other hand, when Literature/HuckleberryFinn attempts the same, it ends in disaster.
118	[[/folder]]
119
120	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
121	* The Jump Street Program on ''Series/TwentyOneJumpStreet'' invokes DawsonCasting by training "youthful-looking" adult cops to go undercover as high school and college students.
122	* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''.
123	** In "Enemies", Faith uses TheseHandsHaveKilled, LastSecondChance and CooldownHug in an attempt to seduce Angel. In the ''Series/{{Angel}}'' episode "Sanctuary" when Buffy finds her using these tropes for real, she naturally thinks Faith is playing Angel again.
124	** On her 18th birthday, Buffy must undergo the Cruciamentum Test in which a Slayer's powers are secretly removed, and she's locked in a house with a vampire that she must defeat through her own cunning and determination. Basically DamselInDistress + AloneWithThePsycho = FinalGirl.
125	* In ''[[Series/HoratioHornblower Hornblower]]'' episode "The Examination for Lieutenant" (also known as "The Fire Ships"), Captain Pellew invokes TactfulTranslation. Upon learning that the Spanish intend to break their alliance with the British, Pellew is too [[{{Angrish}} flustered]] to formulate a reply, and simply tells Hornblower (acting as a translator/interpretor, [[CommonTongue speaking French with the Spaniard]]) to tell the Spanish officer the [[HarpoDoesSomethingFunny sort of thing Pellew would say]], leaving Hornblower to figure out an appropriate reply on the spot while Pellew grits his teeth. The Spanish guy ends up impressed, never realizing that Pellew was seething.
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
129	* ''TabletopGame/ChroniclesOfDarkness'':
130	** ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'' features the art of Talecrafting, wherein you can manipulate the nature of fate by noticing how the tropes of a story are going to play out (e.g., two attempts have failed, so you can invoke ThirdTimesTheCharm). On the other hand, it comes with a story-appropriate penalty (such as AllThatGlitters) unless you do ''really'' well. Oh, and ''[[JustForFun/TVTropesWillRuinYourLife they link to this website in the book]]''.
131	** ''TabletopGame/DemonTheDescent'' puts you in the position of one of the fallen engineers of the divine mechanism, meaning there are times when you can invoke common misunderstandings for power. For instance, the Combustion Embed exploits the fact that [[EveryCarIsAPinto everyone knows a car will explode if you shoot it]].
132	* ''TabletopGame/D20Modern'' sourcebook ''Cyberscape''
133	** You can get an implant called Organ Remapping. "Organ remapping is an extensive set of minor cybernetic devices that relocate a recipient's internal organs and add safety valves, cutoffs, back-ups, and alternatives to many of the more critical and fragile organic systems." So any character can invoke OrganDodge.
134	** CombatClairvoyance. Psionic characters can use a power called Combat Clairvoyance, and any character in a campaign with Cyberscape can use Kata Calculators/Computers, which are chips implanted into the brain comparing the battle to millions of battle sequences stored, and calculating the most probable next move from the opponent, giving advance warning to the user.
135	[[/folder]]
136
137	[[folder:Theme Parks]]
138	* ''Ride/JourneyIntoImagination'': In the opening scene of the original version of the ride, Dreamfinder invokes DelightfulDragon by adding "a dash of childish delight" to finish creating Figment.
139	[[/folder]]
140
141	[[folder:Video Games]]
142	* The Daycare Attendant from ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysSecurityBreach'' invokes OneTimeDungeon by kicking [[TheProtagonist Gregory]] out of Superstar Daycare, locking the door behind him, and [[GetOut blocking him from going back down the slide into the daycare's ball pit]] (seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fimnjqEufPM here]]). This is in response to Gregory breaking the rules of the daycare by turning off the lights, thereby triggering the Attendant's JekyllAndHyde NighttimeTransformation.
143	* Desann, BigBad of ''[[VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga Jedi Outcast]]'', invokes ShootingSuperman and then (this is the part he [[GenreBlindness hasn't really thought through]]) ItsPersonal as part of a BatmanGambit to manipulate Kyle Katarn. Kyle has given up his Jedi abilities and connection to the Force deliberately, but Desann makes him really wish he had them by forcing him to fight him, a powerful Dark Jedi, with normal weapons -- and inevitably lose, failing to save his girlfriend. This leads to [[spoiler: Kyle returning to the Valley of the Jedi to reconnect with the Force for purposes of revenge, showing Desann the way there.]]
144	* In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', it is ambiguous if Jolee Bindo is acting like a GrumpyOldMan because it is expected of someone his age and he finds humor in fulfilling the sterotype or if he actually is a GrumpyOldMan but GenreSavvy about it ([[TakeAThirdOption or some of both]]). Check out his [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Quote:Jolee_Bindo Wookieepedia quote]] [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Wookieepedia:Quote_of_the_Day/Archive#Jolee_Bindo pages]] and judge for yourself.
145	* The ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' move Grass Knot invokes BrokenHeel. It uses grass to trip the opponent. The amount of damage depends on the opponent's weight.
146	* From ''VideoGame/Portal2''[='s=] co-op campaign:
147	-->'''[=GLaDOS=]:''' This is the Computer Intelligence Training and Enrichment Center Human Test Subject Research Center, or [=CInTECH=]. But why don't we all just agree to call it [[HubLevel the hub]]?
148	* The fighters of ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' [[MagicallyIneptFighter reject learning magic]] in order to focus exclusively on honing their physical abilities.
149	[[/folder]]
150
151	[[folder:Web Animation]]
152	* Although ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' usually at least ''tries'' to portray each episode's fight as being somewhat even, the episode "Deadpool VS The Mask" was intentionally chosen by Wiz and Boomstick to be the worst CurbStompBattle the show had ever seen, all in an effort to get rid of Deadpool and his annoying [[BreakingTheFourthWall fourth-wall-breaking antics]]. The Mask is a PhysicalGod who dwarfs his opponent in literally every category, leaving Deadpool with absolutely no hope of possibly coming out on top. Wiz and Boomstick both even ended up [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone ashamed of setting up such a stomp]].
153	[[/folder]]
154
155	[[folder:Web Comics]]
156	* In ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'', Frans Rayner quite flagrantly invokes the [[spoiler: ConservationOfNinjutsu]] trope to try to defeat the titular ninja. He prepares an [[spoiler: army of clones made from the doctor, so they'll all attack him at once]]. The doctor responds by [[spoiler: switching sides]] so he can invoke some other tropes to gain the upper hand. "[[spoiler: Dammit, Frans. You don't have to be a lone wolf any more! That attitude will get you killed!]]"
157	* In ''Webcomic/{{Blip}}'', when the subject of a nasty falling-out between K and Mary comes up, Liz announces that "It's intervention time! RashomonStyle!" Hester recounts the tail end of the argument, as that was the only part she saw, then Liz gives a deliberately exaggerated version of what she saw, prompting Mary to set the record straight for both of them. Of course, forcing Mary to examine these memories in detail was Liz's goal in the first place.
158	* In ''Webcomic/FindersKeepers2008'', Cailyn proposes LetsSplitUpGang. Cardinal points out that would be tempting fate. Cailyn replies that they're ''trying'' to find Fate.
159	* In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', Kat very loudly and deliberately [[TemptingFate tempts fate]], aiming to get kidnapped as the first step in a BatmanGambit: "Oh boy! I sure hope nothing happens to me now that I'm here all alone!" It works, partly: She does get kidnapped, but not by the hunky Mr Eglamore like she was hoping.
160	* In ''Webcomic/ALoonaticsTale'', Jasper Zinc is a genius, there's no denying that. And he's fully aware that he's a genius. But he hasn't got a particularly high opinion of anyone else's intellect, so he deliberately [[TVGenius avoids contractions]] and [[SesquipedalianLoquaciousness uses unnecessarily large words]] in order to make sure that the lowest common denominator is ''also'' aware that he's a genius.
161	* ''Webcomic/MSFHigh'': Examples include Runners, girls who run through the school with eyes closed and bookbags unzipped, looking for a cute guy who they will crash into, and subsequently date. One of them would be [[http://www.msfhigh.com/?date=2009-04-01 this girl]]. She MAY have gone a little too fast...
162	* Elan in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' is fond of these, often pointing out that they're obligatory. All the characters are reasonably [[GenreSavvy Genre]] (and Rule, for that matter) Savvy, but Elan's a bard and seems to feel that invoking tropes is part of his job.
163	** For example, in ''[[Recap/TheOrderOfTheStickOnTheOriginOfPCs On the Origin of PCs]]'', when Roy is recruiting members for an adventuring party, Elan gets Roy to sit in a corner, looking mysterious, to invoke YouAllMeetInAnInn.
164	** Elan is also not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, and will do things like insisting on [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0119.html waiting for the fireball to catch up]] -- despite having reached the escape in plenty of time -- so as to do an impressive [[OutrunTheFireball jump to safety]].
165	--->'''Elan:''' Wow! Just like a Vin Diesel movie!
166	** In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0556.html "Nuthin' but Net"]], Elan insists that the party allow themselves to be captured because a net has fallen on them. When the other two party members simply lift up the net (it is made for catching game, not humanoids) and try to escape, they're beaten up by orcs and then captured anyway. Cue smug Bard, and audience realization that a man who actually ''does'' live in a world of narrative tropes probably has [[OnlySaneMan some method]] [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} to his madness.]]
167	--->'''Elan:''' ''Fight, fight, fight, fight the urge to say "I told you so!"''
168	** Subverted in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0663.html a later comic,]] when Elan insists that another character's poor choice of words are inevitably going to lead to his immediate death. By this point, everyone around him is so used to successfully invoked tropes that they look around, waiting for a trope that never comes.
169	--->'''O-Chul:''' I'll be honest. I did not actually expect to live through this.\
170	'''Elan:''' Don't say that! Whenever someone says that after surviving something dangerous, something totally random pops out and kills them!\
171	''[all look around; nothing happens]''\
172	'''Elan:''' Well, most of the time, at least. Just don't announce that [[{{Retirony}} you're going to retire tomorrow]], OK?
173	** Also, when Elan TookALevelInBadass, his teacher starts out by staging a TrainingMontage rather than actually training him.
174	** Roy has actually taken advantage of this tendency of Elan's, as Haley points out:
175	--->'''Haley:''' Elan, don't you see? Roy let you loose in the desert thinking that you would trip over the main plot!\
176	'''Elan:''' So?\
177	'''Haley:''' ''You DID!''
178	* The ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' crew is fond of this. The most notable occasion is during the Bug Squisher Quest: when they find the book of Güd, Torg makes Zoë wait until he could exclaim that [[NothingCanSaveUsNow nothing could save them now]], noting that saying that made sure that something would in fact save them. It doesn't work. However, when Torg explains what he was doing, Zoë responds "You mean like [when someone says] '[[RockBottom It can't get any worse?]]'" This time, it works.
179	[[/folder]]
180
181	[[folder:Web Videos]]
182	* In ''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd'' "Porn Games" episode, the Nerd attempts to use his tendency to get ambushed by the characters he discusses in his game reviews [[RetroactiveWish to his advantage]] while reviewing the game ''Gigolo''.
183	-->'''Angry Video Game Nerd:''' You know, that's really weird. Could you imagine if you're just sittin' around, minding your own business, when all of a sudden, some naked chick breaks in and starts humpin' the crap outta you? ''[looks at door, excited... nothing happens, he shakes his head]'' You know, that's really not fair. I get Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger, and Spider-Man... Bugs Bunny... but no naked chick. ''[shakes his head]'' Fuck this shit.
184	* ''WebVideo/BedtimeStoriesYoutubeChannel'' invokes AlternateCharacterInterpretation. One of the most common recurring themes in this series is whether or not the various phenomena, incidents, or examples shown are supernatural or have a scientific/rational explanation. Among many examples listed here include:
185	** Michael Taylor: A man genuinely falling to the corruption of some 40 demons or driven insane by joining a religious group purportedly known for using brainwashing techniques?
186	** The SS ''Ourang Medan'': Supernatural phenomenon responsible for the deaths of her crew and subsequent sinking, or the result of poor handling of DeadlyGas dating from UsefulNotes/WorldWarII? Or completely made up, since no record of such a ship exists?
187	** Elisa Lam: Was she killed by malevolent spirits residing in her hotel? Or was it a SerialKiller checked in there at the time of her disappearance? Or was it the result of her mental illness?
188	** TheMenInBlack: Are they Government agents? Aliens? Some sort of GovernmentConspiracy involving both alien and human agents? Supernatural entities? Or just characters in [[OlderThanTheyThink very old]] scary stories?
189	** The "Bones" on Mars: Are they actual evidence of alien life that possibly once existed on the Red Planet, AncientAstronauts, or just the result of an optical illusion?
190	** Flight 19: Pilot and navigation error or AlienAbduction? Unlike the previous cases, the creators themselves emphasize that the probability is more on the former.
191	** The Lead Masks of Vintem Hill: AlienAbduction? Or the more rational explanation of being mugged and killed by a crime syndicate?
192	** The Grinning Man: HumanoidAbomination? HumanoidAlien? Part of TheMenInBlack? Or some fabricated hoax?
193	** Cindy James: Did she really have a stalker? Was she stalking herself, wittingly or otherwise? Or is the truth something else entirely?
194	** The Manchester Pusher: Is a rash of drownings in Manchester the result of one or more people committing murder, or just a series of unconnected tragic accidents? Or is it [[TakeAThirdOption a combination of the two]]?
195	** Kenny Veach: Did he die on the way to the cave? Was he murdered for witnessing something he shouldn't have? Or did he deliberately find a spot where nobody can find him so he can end his own life? The narrators believe Kenny had killed himself due to evidence of him suffering from depression and planning his own suicide, Kenny's girlfriend also believes this to be true as well.
196	** Christopher Case: Was his death a result of a curse? Or was his death a result of mental health issues and myocarditis due to his excessive use of suppliments.
197	* The Website/TVTropes webseries ''WebVideo/EchoChamber'' is fond of invoking tropes.
198	** In Episode 4, Tom tries to invoke DumbassHasAPoint on himself, claiming [[DeadpanSnarker Dana]] is discounting his opinions without considering them. [[HypocriticalHumor He then goes on to discount Zack's opinion without considering it.]] The episode does have a [[DumbassHasAPoint Dumbass with a Point]], but it's not Tom. [[spoiler:It's Zack.]]
199	** In Episode 7, Tom invokes WalkAndTalk, and Dana is displeased with his attempt at EnforcedMethodActing.
200	* Kato in ''WebVideo/GantzAbridged'' invokes the RuleOfCool in the final battle. [[spoiler:And the final boss invokes the HeroicSacrifice]]. Yes, it's a ShoutOut to Website/TVTropes.
201	[[/folder]]
202
203	[[folder:Western Animation]]
204	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'' has the title secret agent going off on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge when he finds out the chemo drugs he's supposed to be receiving are just Zima and sugar pills. As a pop culture-obsessed secret agent, however, he has his colleague film the whole thing and includes many, ''many'' references to things like ''Film/ManOnFire'' and ''Series/MagnumPI''.
205	-->'''Lana:''' Is that really necessary?\
206	'''Archer:''' Of ''course'' it is, Lana, it's a ''rampage''!
207	* In the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE25TheClockKing The Clock King]]", the eponymous villain wants to get revenge on Mayor Hill for an AdviceBackfire, so he wants to make Hill Gotham's ButtMonkey. ClockKing mess with downton Gotham's traffic lights precisely when Mayor Hill is on his way to his reelection fundraising. Later he produces Hill's MalevolentMugshot with MustacheVandalism and the legend "[[TakeThat Time for a change]]". Everyone in the street laughs.
208	-->'''Angry driver:''' There's the foul-up. Mayor Over-the-Hill. Nothing works right in this city no more.
209	* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'':
210	** Vandal Savage invokes GodwinsLawOfTimeTravel by specifically sending data on superweapons (or modern technologies that would look like superweapons in context) and Allied tactics and strategy to his past self so that he could usurp the title of Fuhrer from Hitler and conquer the world using the Axis' military might. It is up to the Justice League to stop him.
211	** In the same series, one episode starts with Superman at the mercy of Lex Luthor thanks to the latter using a good chunk of Kryptonite. Knowing about Lex's ego, Superman gets him to do some EvilGloating at how perfect his plan was, who he bribed to get it to succeed... And then gets up and punches him, revealing he is actually the Martian Manhunter, a known ShapeShifter, and that the Justice League just pulled an epic-level sting operation, thereby also [[ExploitedTrope exploiting]] and [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructing]] the EvilGloating.
212	* In ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', the men in Lucky's family have a tradition of invoking their own {{Engagement Challenge}}s in order to prove they're worthy of the women they love. Lucky fails, as has apparently every one of his relatives, and invokes the one loophole: a ShotgunWedding. Luanne is already pregnant at this point, but Lucky insists that he can't propose unless an exasperated Hank points a rifle at him.
213	-->'''Lucky:''' Is that gun cocked? It's gotta be cocked.\
214	'''Hank:''' I'm not gonna cock it...\
215	'''Lucky:''' Alright. I'm in ''no'' position to make demands.
216	* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': Gabriel Agreste invokes TantrumThrowing in "[[Recap/MiraculousLadybugS02E01TheCollector The Collector]]". He does trash his office, throwing down paintings and sculptures around, but if he ''is'' furious toward Adrien for stealing his spellbook, the real reason is [[spoiler:to make it look more believable to Ladybug and Cat Noir that he was overrun by negative emotions and thus akumatized]].
217	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
218	** In "A Dog and Pony Show", Rarity invokes PityTheKidnapper when she is captured by Diamond Dogs in order to make them willing to let her go. It ends up working so well, they let her leave ''with all the jewels they made her find''.
219	** Pinkie Pie invokes a SpitTake in "Magical Mystery Cure" [[spoiler:after Princess Celestia reveals that Twilight is now an alicorn princess.]]
220	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
221	** In "Lemon of Troy", Bart assigns his friends the roles of a FiveManBand while preparing to investigate Shelbyville.
222	--->'''Bart:''' Okay, I'll be {{the leader}}, Milhouse is [[TheLancer my sidekick]], Nelson is [[TheBigGuy the tough guy]], Martin is {{the smart guy}}, and [[TheHeart Todd]], you're [[TheQuietOne the quiet]] [[TokenReligiousTeammate religious guy]] [[FaithHeelTurn who ends up going crazy]].
223	** After Apu and Manjula have difficulty conceiving in "Eight Misbehavin'", Homer helps out by [[LawOfInverseFertility having them simulate a drunken teenage one-night-stand]].
224	* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'':
225	** In "I'm A Little Bit Country", Cartman attempts to invoke a {{Flashback}} to colonial times so he doesn't have to learn about the Constitutional Convention by reading. This being ''South Park'', after a couple of false starts it eventually works.
226	** In "Put It Down", Craig takes advantage of the fact that Tweek's favourite ride is the Ferris wheel to try to invoke a FerrisWheelDateMoment to distract Tweek from his worries about North Korea. Unfortunately, it doesn't work.
227	* In the ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' episode "Onion Trade", a MatterReplicator is used to flood the entire town in cheap plastic toys. When they get it back, Garnet destroys it to invoke NoOntologicalInertia.
228	-->"I'm not cleaning up this mess."
229	* ''WesternAnimation/TheTick'', due to his "Drama Power", will often let villains kick his butt, so that his [[MyNameIsInigoMontoya heroic comeback]] will be [[DesperationAttack more]] [[LimitBreak powerful]].
230	[[/folder]]

Context Main / InvokedTrope