Arbitrary Skepticism: Difference between revisions

* ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]''

** In the first game, Snake is extremely skeptical of [[Depraved Bisexual|Vamp's]] abilities, fervently reaching for every possibly logical explanation for the wall climbing (later proven to be tech-based), his regen ability (again, tech-based), and then Vamp's ability to paralyze people by pinning their shadow (actually a form of hypnosis). What's funny is that Snake has seen a man that could command [[Ravens and Crows|ravens]], a very powerful psychic that can brainwash people, and is himself a clone.

** In ''Metal Gear Solid 2'', Ocelot says near the end of the game that there's no such thing as the supernatural. Never mind that he's previously ''been on the same team'' as the aforementioned raven guy and psychic, {{spoiler|his father}} could communicate with ghosts, create rainstorms at will, and is now a ghost himself who continues to do these things, and he himself spends half the game being ''possessed by a ghost''.

** This also applies to Snake's comments regarding Fortune. Even though he's faced far stranger people than her, he maintains there's "no such thing as a witch".

{{quote|"I don't believe in angels. Now if you want to talk about aliens, those are totally real. But angels? Nah."}}

* ''[[Beyond the Canopy]]'': When Glenn tells his friends about getting attacked by [[Dem Bones|ambulatory skeletons]] and accidentally acquiring a stick with magic powers, they naturally think he has an overactive imagination. What pushes it into Arbitrary Skepticism is that, even after his friends eventually accept that the stick has magic powers, they continue to insist that walking skeletons can't be real.

* Discussed in the notes for one of the Ravenholm strips in ''[[Concerned]]'':

{{quote|''"... and others wondered how exactly he could be a zombie and not be a mindless undead creature like the rest of the zombies. It just didn't make sense to some people (oddly, no one has yet questioned how he is able to not only write letters to Dr. Breen, but also have them promptly delivered)."''}}

** Also, how can anyone in the ''South Park'' universe possibly be an atheist, considering the fact that Jesus, God, and Satan -- just for starters -- have all visited the town countless times?

** There was also the episode "Dead Celebrities" in which Stan and Kyle are skeptical of ghosts existing, despite the fact that they have encountered wizards, gnomes, zombies, dragons, aliens, and demons before.

* In a [[Crowning Moment of Funny]] on ''[[Veggie Tales]]'', Laura Carrot and Junior Asparagus are at first suspicious of the talking Rumor Weed, like any schoolkids would be; the Rumor Weed points out, though, that "I'm a talking weed, you're a talking carrot..."

* Diana in ''[[Martin Mystery]]'' refuses to believe that any event The Center investigates is result of paranormal activity, claiming that there would be some logical explanation. Yet she works for an organization that employs aliens and cavemen, and it is a [[Monster of the Week]] show, so the fact that she brought this up so often really messes with the [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief]]. She has some reason to be skeptical of Martin -- although a supernatural explanation always proves to be true, it's rarely the first one he provides. Or the second. Or the third. He always gets it right ''eventually'', but only after numerous downright absurd guesses that have no bearing on what's actually happening. The fact that she doesn't conclude that it's definitely supernatural, but Martin is wrong about ''how'' until evidence suggests otherwise is a bit problematic, though.

:: It's all but directly stated that he doesn't even really disbelieve, and is just pretending to to be a [[Jerkass]] and goad them into going through with it.

* ''[[The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes|Avengers Earths Mightiest Heroes]]''

** Played straight with Thor in that despite all the other odd things they've seen, [[Iron Man]] and [[Hawkeye]] think the Thunder God just delusional about being '''[[A God Am I|The]]''' Thor.

* ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]''