Captain Obvious: Difference between revisions

 
(36 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1:
{{trope}}
<!-- You're editing an All The Tropes page. -->
{{quote|''[[Memetic Mutation|"People die if they are killed..."]]''|'''Shirou Emiya''', ''[[Fate/stay night|Fate Stay Night]]'' [[Fan Sub]]}}
|'''Shirou Emiya''', ''[[Fate/stay night]]'' [[Fan Sub]]}}
 
[[File:captainobvious02 778 7124.png|frame|[[Self-Demonstrating Article|Above is a picture demonstrating the trope. You are currently reading a self-demonstrating caption for said picture. Both help you understand the trope.]]]]
Line 21 ⟶ 22:
Being one is often the cause of this reaction: [[You Can Talk]] Obviously.
 
{{examples|Examples: (The folderssections below contain examples of this trope.)}}
{{quote|:Protip: The examples can be read by scrolling down to the sections below!}}
== Advertising (this foldersection is about Advertising) ==
{{quote|:All examples found in advertising campaigns are here!}}
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mgzUSNxVeE&feature=PlayList&p=2B24D77C0160960D&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=32 In the flesh, with a catchy jingle to boot.]
* One of Bud Light's "Real Men of Genius" ads is dedicated to athletes-turned-commentators and mentions their giving such critical information as "The team that scores the most points will win the game". Followed by the rock singer intoning ''"I did not know that!"'', and '''not''' sounding like he's in [[Sarcasm Mode]].
Line 34 ⟶ 35:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgWeFCzsKF4 A Marvel Comics promotion from 1996]: After a busload of heroes take a bus to McEDs, [[The Fantastic Four| the Invisible Woman]] strolls by, while invisible, carrying a takeout order, causing [[Spider-Man]] to remark, "Huh, didn't see ''her'' on the bus."
 
== Anime and Manga (this foldersection is about Anime and Manga) ==
{{quote|:All examples found in Japanese manga and animation are here!}}
* One example that occurs in multiple anime and manga is the translation of the phrase ''abunai'' (危ない), which is both an adjective meaning "dangerous" and an interjection meaning "Look out!" Often translators will mix up the two, having a character shout "This is dangerous!" while something dangerous is about to happen to one of their friends.
** This seems to be a staple in many dubs and translations...
Line 42 ⟶ 43:
** He's just carrying on the tradition set in ''[[Tsukihime]]'', of course.
{{quote|'''Shiki''': ''Dead people can't be alive!''}}
*:* Of course, the implication lost in all this, more so in Shirou's example than Rin's, is pointing out what ''should'' happen, but didn't. They're pointing out the obvious because the obvious didn't happen.
* ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]'': Try and count all the times someone says "He's no ordinary swordsman!" (or something similar) every time Kenshin disappears because he's moving so fast or knocking down six enemies at a time.
* The narrator and characters suffered badly from this in the early parts of ''[[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure]]'', making the whole thing read like a [[Silver Age]] comic book at times. One example that has undergone [[Memetic Mutation]] is [[Department of Redundancy Department|a panel of Speedwagon looking afraid and shouting "GAAAAH!" while Jonathan, providing narration says "Even Speedwagon is afraid!"]]
Line 56 ⟶ 57:
{{quote|'''Téa:''' Now we're at the museum!
'''Yami:''' I ''know''. }}
*:* Or:
{{quote|'''Tristan:''' In a few hours the sun will rise!
[Once Yugi loses some cards from his children's' card game.]
Line 62 ⟶ 63:
[Later, as the sun rises.]
'''Tristan:''' See, I was right about the sun! }}
**::* That's ''actually what he said'' in the anime. Well, the first part anyway.
*:* And, from the movie:
{{quote|'''Anubis:''' Shut up! You're going to die! And then you'll be dead! Because I killed you!}}
*:* And [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MBVgxdiA-w this]!
{{quote|"What?! My attack's not working!"
"Huh?"
Line 88 ⟶ 89:
'''Kamina:''' Is stating the obvious the best you got, dumbass? }}
* ''[[Mazinger Z]]'': Episode 27. [[Humongous Mecha|Aphrodite]] [[FemBot|A]] steps on one trap and starts sinking in the floor.
** ->{{quote|'''[[Tsundere|Sayaka]] [[Action Girl|Yumi]]:''' "What is happening? I am sinking!" [[Sarcasm Mode|Wow, seriously?]]}}
* ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam 00]]'' also does this:
{{quote|'''Setsuna F. Seiei:''' (Upon seeing the Masurao for the first time) That Mobile Suit is... NO FLAG?}}
*:* A bit earlier, when Setsuna and Saji meets for the first time:
{{quote|'''Saji:''' Oh. You must be our new neighbor. What's your name?
'''Setsuna:''' Setsuna F. Seiei.
'''Saji:''' Setsuna F. Seiei? That's a strange name. }}
**::* All things considered, the only strange thing about the name is Setsuna having an 'F' as his middle name. Nobody knows what it means (but some fans believe it stands for Setsuna "Effing Overkill" Seiei, considering many of his kills being slightly excessive). It's also worth noting that his name is written with 3 different sets of characters, the only Gundam character ever to have that trait. Setsuna is written with the Kanji for the word. F. is written in Romaji, AKA Roman letters, and Seiei is written in Katakana.
*:* Setsuna gives us, "In war, people die." This from a former [[Child Soldier]] now [[Hypocrite|fighting a war to eradicate war]].
* ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam Wing]]''
** "Lieutenant Colonel Lady Une! Gundam still attacking on the ship!"
Line 108 ⟶ 109:
{{quote|'''Mook Disguised as Old Man:''' I have transformed these ordinary woodland creatures into astral-side demons! Cool, huh?
'''Gourry:''' This isn't a regular old guy, Lina! }}
*:* Gourry is the Captain Obvious of ''[[Slayers]]''. His role as such as repeatedly lampshaded and he constantly gets smacked by Lina for this (sometimes ''before'' he's even said anything). Given that he thought the fact that {{spoiler|Xellos is a mazoku/demon}} ''was'' obvious, it seems safe to say that Gourry's conception of what is and is ''not'' obvious is...not the same as everybody else's.
*** Given that he thought the fact that {{spoiler|Xellos is a mazoku/demon}} ''was'' obvious, it seems safe to say that Gourry's conception of what is and is ''not'' obvious is...not the same as everybody else's.
* ''[[Naruto]]''
** So, there's a scene where Might Guy has brilliant lines such as "You surely are... someone I met before". {{spoiler|Ironically, the latter is actually a subversion, as the villain is using a body duplication technique that's based on another body, and that one's rhythms are slightly different from the villain's own... so while Guy can see the bad guy, his instincts tell him that it's someone else.}} And he's right.
Line 126:
* [http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/silvercrescent17/shapedlikeitself.jpg This] example from ''[[Shakugan no Shana]]'':
{{quote|'''Kazumi:''' It's called a school festival. It's a festival organized by the school.}}
*:* Blame the translator—The Japanese have a word for "festival", a word for "school", and a different-sounding word for "school festival" (Though written as "school" and "festival". That's how the language works). The person she's explaining it to is a foreigner who possibly wouldn't know all the words.
* Some days, it seems like the only reason Luna is around anymore in ''[[Sailor Moon]]'':
{{quote|''[monster creates sea pillars and attacks Sailor Moon with them]''
'''Luna:''' Careful, Sailor Moon! That monster can attack with water! }}
*:* Ami, to some extent. The dub rolls with this and makes her so redundant that it's a wonder they don't just tape her mouth shut until they need her to look up something specific.
{{quote|[[Dub Name Change|Amy]]: " This is a portal inside a warped space......that leads to.....'''yet another space!!'''"}}
*:* [[Sailor Moon]] Abridged makes this Amy's defining trait, after being a whispering [[The Voiceless|Voiceless]]. Mina is such a ditz, she moves into this territory as well.
* ''[[Pokémon: The First Movie]]'' should have a medal for the number of times the words "Mewtwo is a clone of Mew!", or something to that affect, are repeated.
** Hell, the later dubbed seasons of the ''[[Pokémon (anime)|Pokémon]]'' anime are full of this. Characters frequently point out things that anybody watching the show can see.
Line 152:
* ''[[Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan]]'':
{{quote|'''Sakura''': If you forcibly impale me with something, I will die.}}
*:* Dokuro really does need reminding every now and then. Not that it will do any good.
* [http://www.mangafox.com/manga/mirai_nikki/v11/c054/17.html Mirai Nikki]: Yukki, have you ''honestly just figured that out'' '''NOW!?'''
* Most lines of the narrator from ''[[Ookami San to Shichinin no Nakamatachi]]'' come down to "what is just happening on the screen", although the way she says them (taking such obvious pleasure in pointing out the salacious side of story events) is what makes having a narrator worthwhile.
Line 160:
'''Misato:''' It's true, Shinji Ikari.
'''Asuka:''' Has it taken you this long to realize that?! What an idiot! }}
*:* ''End of Evangelion'' has a much simpler example when a dying Misato is confronting a depressed Shinji: "You hate yourself, don't you?" Like, seriously, did you just realize that Misato?? [[Memetic Mutation|Congratulations!]]
* ''[[D.Gray-man]]'': "What is this?" "It's a sword. You've just been stabbed."
* In the Japanese live-action version of ''[[Hana Yori Dango]]'', Makino and Tsukasa are waiting to cross the street when the light turns from red to green. He remarks, "The light's green", as if no one else could see it.
Line 167:
* ''[[Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo]]'' Late in the series, {{spoiler|Ureshiko Asaba}} is judged to be ''erased'', whereupon {{spoiler|Kagura Tatsumi}} immediately clarifies, "That means you'll die!" Being wiped from existence is pretty much the same as dying, if not worse.
* When [[Hayate the Combat Butler|Hayate]] '''finally''' realizes that Segawa Izumi has been [[Demonic Possession|possessed by a cat spirit]], the Narrator [[Deadpan Snarker|comments]] "Captain Obvious strikes again." Hayate goes on to understand that this possession is why she's been meowing a lot -- he '''doesn't''' mention that she [[Little Bit Beastly|suddenly had cat ears and a cat tail]]. The Narrator wonders, "What '''''ELSE''''' did he think it was?"
* ''[[One Piece]]''; during the Egghead Arc, Kizaru shouts at Luffy to leave, stating that he won't be able to continue his mission if their fight continued. Well duh, Kizaru, why do you ''think'' Luffy is putting so much effort into fighting you?
 
== Comic Books (this section is about Comic Books) ==
 
:All examples found in comic books are here!
== Comics (this folder is about Comics) ==
{{quote|All examples found in comic books are here!}}
* Several issues of ''[[The Mighty Thor]]'' back in the 60's had an advanced alien race send a "recorder" android along with him to an unknown galaxy to observe information. He said almost ''everything'' that was going on in the panel. Granted he was a ''recording'' android and everything, and he was probably making notes to himself, but still...
{{quote|[Thor and the android get sent into a vortex of "biochemical molecules"].
'''Recorder:''' Observation: We have been plunged into a vortex of rapidly regrouping bio-versal molecules! }}
*:* There's also this gem, when masses upon masses foes made of said molecules attack Thor and the Recorder:
{{quote|'''Thor:''' Begone, things of evil! Not all thy masses shall topple mighty Thor!
'''Recorder:''' Observation: it shall take more than platitudes to stem this mighty tide! }}
* Every [[Silver Age]] comic book character from every writer and every publisher, everywhere. Even the random bystanders. (See [[Luckily, My Powers Will Protect Me]].)
** For an example, see [httphttps://wwwweb.archive.org/web/20131007100759/http://superdickery.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1265:here-let-me-describe-in-great-detail-the-building-about-to-collapse-on-us&catid=29:confounding-comic-covers-index&Itemid=32 this cover]..
** Mocked by [http://scottthong.wordpress.com/2009/05/08/jay-pinkerton-unnecessary-exposition-comics/ Jay Pinkerton].
* When the protagonist of [[Cross Gen]]'s ''Mystic'' finally caught on that her [[Obviously Evil|very obvious]] beau was one of the bad guys, he got one back at her:
Line 185:
{{quote|'''Robin:''' The kids... They've turned old! And those other kids are dancing out of control!
'''[[Superboy]]:''' Wow. I can tell '''you''' were trained by the world's greatest detective. }}
*:* This actually became Robin's [[Phrase Catcher]].
* [[Jack Chick]], in one of his "[[So Bad It's Good|works]]" called [http://www.chick.com/reading/comics/0112/albertoindex.asp ''Alberto''], found it necessary to fill the thing with [[Stop Helping Me!|helpful]] definitions of complex words, like "deacon", and "sacraments" and "Dominicans". And [[Viewers are Morons|"deny", "documents", and "intense"]]. And "stone". He seriously found it necessary to tell us all what a stone is. It turns out it's actually brilliantly subverted, however: he fails to [[Critical Research Failure|define]] [[What an Idiot!|stone]] [[Too Dumb to Live|correctly]].
{{quote|[http://www.websnark.com/archives/2005/03/because_im_in_a.html Stone (which apparently means a 'small pebble')]}}
Line 193:
'''Moonstar:''' You're not funny Dr Nemesis. Amara's hurt.
'''Dr Nemesis:''' Double points. My turn. }}
*:* Also, somewhat unexpectedly, by the usually less testy Kurt Wagner in ''X-Men Legacy'' #231 after eight X-Men land on Muir Island:
{{quote|'''Magneto:''' We shouldn't go into the island's interior until we're sure this site is secure.
'''Nightcrawler:''' Thank you, Magneto. It's good to have you on my team. From now on you can be in charge of stating the obvious. }}
Line 208:
{{quote|'''Tails:''' Wow! The Death Egg!
'''Sonic:''' Tails, what is it with you and stating the blatantly obvious? }}
**:* And later on in the same strip:
{{quote|'''Tails:''' Sonic! You're alive!
'''Sonic:''' And ''you're'' still stating the obvious, I see. }}
*:* And in issue #115:
{{quote|'''Tails:''' They... they're joining together!
'''Sonic:''' Tails, you always were an expert at stating the [[Gosh Dang It to Heck|flipping]] obvious! }}
*:* In one of the Summer Specials:
{{quote|'''Tails:''' Sonic! He's attacking us!
'''Sonic:''' Thanks Tails, I had noticed. }}
Line 220:
** ''[[Dark Empire]]'' also contains a [[Not an Example|non-example]]: When Palpatine is about to pass his spirit into a fresh clone body, Luke walks in, revealing his status as a [[Fake Defector]] and his intent to destroy all the clones in the room, preventing Palpatine's perpetuation. Palpatine's response ("Very well... then I must '''die'''.") is not a case of stating the obvious, but rather a challenge for Luke to [[Bring It]]. {{spoiler|He brings it, but it's not enough.}}
 
== Fan Works (this section is about Fan Works) ==
 
:All examples found in fan fiction and other amateur tributes are here!
== Fan Works (this folder is about Fan Works) ==
{{quote|All examples found in fan fiction and other amateur tributes are here!}}
* In the ''[[Psych]]'' fic ''[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4207524/3/Hero Hero]'', there is the following exchange when a man who's taken a high school class hostage reveals he's got a bomb strapped to his chest:
{{quote|'''Billy:''' Hey, that's a bomb!
Line 234 ⟶ 233:
* In one chapter of the [[Harry Potter]]/[[The Princess Bride (novel)|The Princess Bride]] [[Crossover]] ''[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/135041/1/Harry_Potter_and_the_Florinese_Dream Harry Potter and the Florinese Dream]'', Count Rugen calls Prince Humperdinck "Prince Obvious."
 
== Film (this section is about Films) ==
 
:All examples found in cinematic releases are here!
== Film (this folder is about Films) ==
{{quote|All examples found in cinematic releases are here!}}
* In ''[[Anti Trust]]'' Milo righteously exclaims "In the real world, when you kill people, they die--for real!" He's saying it to bring home how far removed the [[Big Bad]] really is from reality and how little he respects human life, but it's pretty silly out of context.
* Sarah in ''[[Team America: World Police]]'': "I sense that I'm going down!", after being shot down by the enemy..
Line 251 ⟶ 249:
** The ''[[Star Wars]]'' parody [http://theforce.net/fanfilms/animation/thatprequelmovie/index.asp That Prequel Movie] gives Ric Olié lines of this type, but sprinkled with extra ridiculous.
{{quote|'''Olié:''' Invading droids can mean only one thing. An invasion... [[Shaped Like Itself|of droids]].}}
**:* ''[[Darths and Droids]]'' has an interesting take on Ric Olié: As voiced by the GM, ''all'' of his lines are completely obvious exposition, but the PC's in the game are so oblivious that they [[Some Anvils Need to Be Dropped|would never notice it otherwise]].
{{quote|'''R2-D2:''' <bip bing poppity>
'''Anakin:''' What was that?
'''Ric Olié:''' [http://www.darthsanddroids.net/episodes/0171.html It sounds like he's beeping in droid language!] }}
*:* C-3PO demonstrates his usefulness:
{{quote|[ground shakes violently]
'''C-3PO''': Sir, it's quite possible this asteroid is not entirely stable.
'''Han''': "Not entirely stable"? Well, I'm glad you're here to tell us these things! Chewie, take ''the Professor'' into the back and [[Unusual Euphemism|plug him into the hyperdrive]]. }}
:* [[Fountain of Memes|It's a trap!]] Ackbar also does this in the ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars]]'' episode "Water Wars". When the Quarren attack, he shouts out "It's an attack!". At that point in time he actually is a captain to boot.
** [[Fountain of Memes|It's a trap!]]
*** Ackbar also does this in the ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars]]'' episode "Water Wars". When the Quarren attack, he shouts out "It's an attack!". At that point in time he actually is a captain to boot.
* Maybe unintentionally in ''Tron Legacy'' where Sam is asked to dscribe the sun, for which he answers, "Big....yellow....bright....warm..." (which is new information for a being who never seen it)
* Legolas in ''[[The Lord of the Rings (film)|The Lord of the Rings]]'' always yells what happens. The most commonly used being that if an orc attacks, he yells "Orcs!".
Line 268 ⟶ 265:
{{quote|Henry Jones Sr: These people are trying to kill us!
Henry Jones Jr: I know, Dad!!! }}
*:* At the end of the movie, a collection of grails are found along with an immortal knight who explains that only one is the Holy Grail and that "for as the true Grail will bring you life, the false grail will take it from you". After drinking from one of the grails, Donovan rapidly ages, becoming a skeleton in the span of about thirty seconds. Just in case Indy and Elsa didn't get the idea, the knight says "he chose... poorly", demonstrating that [[Tropes Are Not Bad]].
* Indy himself gets to be one at the end of ''[[Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull]]'': {{spoiler|"Their treasure was knowledge. ''[[Shaped Like Itself|Knowledge]]'' was their treasure."}}
** That's borderline, also overlapping with [[Department of Redundancy Department]]. Maybe Indy just watched [[Jerry Maguire]] too much.
Line 281 ⟶ 278:
* The movie versions of ''[[X-Men (film)|X-Men]]'' are rather fond of these.
{{quote|'''Storm:''' Do you know what happens to a toad when it's hit by lightning? The same thing that happens to everything else.}}
*:* More annoying is the fact that they missed the perfect joke, as mentioned on the dvd-commentary.
{{quote|'''Storm:''' Do you know what happens to a toad when it's hit by lightning? It ''[[Incredibly Lame Pun|croaks.]]''}}
*:* This was actually supposed to be the payoff to a [[Running Gag]] Joss Whedon added to the script, where Toad was constantly bragging about things a toad can do. For some reason, it was left in as an [[Orphaned Punchline]].
* The [[So Bad It's Good]] ''[[Street Fighter]]'' movie had its moment when it's revealed that Guile came [[Back from the Dead]]... somehow.
{{quote|'''Sagat:''' ''Guile's... alive?''
'''M. Bison:''' '''''OF COURSE!!!''''' }}
*:* Yes, that's the origin of that meme, though it works [[Take Over the World|the other way around]].
* ''[[Evolution]]''—A little-known yet awesome movie about aliens that come to Earth inside a meteor, after which they evolve into a menagerie of outlandish creatures attempting to adapt to Earth's environment and pose a threat to humanity. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-4cy-Qb73M When an aggressive alienoid dragon/bird creature gets barfed out by another dying alienoid dragon's mouth and flies away]:
{{quote|'''Harry''': "It's flying away? Is that a bad thing?"
Line 295 ⟶ 292:
{{quote|"Are you the Keymaster?" "No, I perform circumcisions" "But why do you have keys hanging around you?" "What else would I hang on these hooks?"
"Are you the Keymaster?" "No, I'm the head Valet and I've been swamped lately" }}
*:* "Now there's more than one of him?" "A lot more" "How is that possible?" "Somehow he's found a way to copy himself."
*:* "Is that good for us or bad for us?" "Well, it looks like every floor is wired with explosives." "Bad for us."
* In ''[[Help!]]'', Ringo is trapped in a basement. A tiger comes in, and its presence is noticed by a caption reading "A Tiger".
* Lampooned in Disney's ''[[Aladdin (Disney film)|Aladdin]]'':
{{quote|'''Frightened guard''': "He's got a sword!"
'''Razoul''' "You idiots! We've ''all'' got swords!" }}
*:* Of course, it's kind of justified in this case, since the guards up to this point had been chasing two characters who were unarmed, and now the one who is armed is a ''monkey''.
* In the film adaptation of ''[[Red Sonja]]'', the titular character is weeping over her sister, who's just died. Arnold leans down, touches her lightly on the shoulder and says "She's dead". I suppose it's meant to buck her up, but dear God, show some sensitivity man.
* From ''[[Ghostbusters]]'':
{{quote|'''Ray''': "Hey, where do these stairs go?"
'''Peter''': "They go up." }}
*:* Peter is the only one who has been there before, so naturally his colleagues turn to him for advice. He is also the one who ''never'' admits ignorance.
{{quote|'''Dana''': What's that thing?
'''Peter''': It's... technical. }}
Line 345 ⟶ 342:
''Visits? Well, that would indicate visitors!''
''Future events such as these will affect you in the future.'' }}
* ''[[The Giant Spider Invasion]]'' features a brief exchange between a woman and her cheating husband, who pretends to go into town to listen to a preacher. Their conversation mirrors one had by Calvin Coolidge (see in the [[Real Life]] Foldersection, below).
* In ''[[Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'', when the ''Enterprise'' is trying to contact Regula One, Spock has this insightful comment, "There are two possibilities. They are unable to respond. They are unwilling to respond."
* In ''[[Star Trek: Nemesis]]'', Data had his Captain Obvious moments too, as even the dead-serious ''TNG'' crew couldn't help but notice sometimes...
Line 359 ⟶ 356:
* Charles' ski coaching to Lane in ''[[Better Off Dead]]'', later echoed by Monique:
{{quote|(points downhill) Go that way, very fast. If anything gets in your way, turn.}}
* From ''[[The Apple Dumpling Gang|The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again]]'', when Amos and Theodore are in a saloon and realize that the sheriff who's after them is dozing at a table:
{{quote|'''Amos:''' Where's the back door?!
'''Bartender:''' In the back!}}
* During the now-iconic [[Wax On, Wax Off]] scene in ''[[The Karate Kid]]'':
{{quote|'''Daniel:''' Hey, where'd all these cars come from?
'''Miyagi:''' [[Crowning Moment of Funny|Detroit!]]}}
 
== Literature (this section is about Literature) ==
 
:All examples found in books not of the comic or manga persuasion are here!
== Literature (this folder is about Literature) ==
{{quote|All examples found in books not of the comic or manga persuasion are here!}}
* In ''[[Duumvirate|Billy & Howard]]'', the twins have vastly different ideas of what is and isn't obvious, occasionally leading to this trope being named.
* Car magazine ''AutoWeek'' frequently features quotes stating the painfully obvious accompanied by a picture of a [[Captain America (comics)]] lookalike in their "But Wait, There's More..." section.
Line 371 ⟶ 373:
* The ''[[Harry Potter (novel)|Harry Potter]]'' books have a few (most are lampshaded in-universe however), one being Harry saying "Ghosts are transparent."
{{quote|'''Cedric''': ''The cup is a portkey.''}}
*:* The Chinese translation says that Slughorn is saying Ron's name wrong when we can all tell that from the dialogue.
*:* "You can't break Unbreakable Vows."
*:* "Hermione, Neville's right...you ''are'' a girl..."
* In the second ''Midnighters'' book, Madeleine accuses Dess of being one.
{{quote|'''Dess:''' You're a mindcaster.
Line 385 ⟶ 387:
* In ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'', this is humanity's [[Planet of Hats|hat]].
{{quote|One of the things that Ford Prefect had always found hardest to understand about human beings was their habit of continually stating and restating the very, very obvious. As in: "It's a nice day," or "You're very tall," or "[[Prepare to Die|So this is it. We're going to die.]]"}}
*:* From [[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy/The Restaurant At The End of The Universe|The Restaurant at the End of the Universe]]:
{{quote|'''Zaphod:[speaking into a phone]''' Will you please tell us where you are?
'''Marvin:''' I'm in the car park.
Line 424 ⟶ 426:
'''Jeeves:''' Perhaps Mr. Glossop wishes to play football, sir.
'''Bertie:''' Yes. That may be the solution. }}
*:* And later in the same conversation:
{{quote|'''Bertie:''' What ''is'' an Irish water-spaniel?
'''Jeeves:''' A water-spaniel of a variety bred in Ireland, sir.
Line 431 ⟶ 433:
'''Bertie:''' Well, perhaps you're right. }}
 
== Live-Action TV (this section is about Live-Action Television) ==
 
:All examples found in shows, that aren't animated, displayed on the television are here!
== Live Action TV (this folder is about Live Action Television) ==
{{quote|All examples found in shows, that aren't animated, displayed on the television are here!}}
* Counselor Troi on ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' does this a lot. An alien will appear on the viewscreen and rant, rave, posture and threaten the Enterprise. Troi will lean over to the Captain and murmur, "I sense hostility..."
** Troi was following in the footsteps of Leonard McCoy of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', who spat contemptuously at the medicine of previous eras, and yet, despite the miraculous 23rd-century technology that he possessed, seldom gave a diagnosis more detailed than "[[He's Dead, Jim|He's dead, Jim!]]" This makes her...[[Incredibly Lame Pun|Counselor Obvious]]
*** This makes her...[[Incredibly Lame Pun|Counselor Obvious]]
** Also, in multiple ''Trek'' series, an enemy ship will go to warp, while the ''Enterprise'' (''Voyager, Defiant,'' etc.) is damaged, busy, or just not fast enough to keep up. After watching this happen, someone will ''always'' say "they're gone," even if they've also just reported the enemy ship's departure. Once every third episode, you were liable to see a situation like this:
{{quote|[Zip! Phoom! Villains disappear as everyone watches on insanely big viewscreen.]
'''Paris:''' "They went to Ultrawarp Factor [[Over Nine Thousand|Eleventy-Zillion]], Captain. [Pause] They're gone." }}
*:* Shows up in the ''[[Stargate Verse]]'' lately as well: Someone will always say "they're gone" after another ship departs via [[Subspace or Hyperspace|hyperspace window.]]
*:* ''[[Babylon 5]]'' spoofed Troi's solemn pronouncements with a similar moment where supercharged telepath Lyta Alexander simply commented, "Captain, [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|they're pissed]]."
*:* Spoofed after a fashion in ''[[Galaxy Quest]]'' (is there anything that movie missed?) with Sigourney Weaver repeating ''everything'' the computer tells them, making her every bit as useful as Troi. It's even [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] ("Look, I got one job on this lousy ship -- it's ''stupid'', but I'm gonna ''do it anyway''!!!!"). Then again, the computer would not respond to anyone else, so she still had her uses.
*:* In the original series episode "The Changeling", a space probe called ''Nomad'', convinced that its mission is to destroy all "biological units", mistakes Kirk for its creator. This buys the crew some time until Kirk lets slip that he is a biological unit. ''Nomad'' declares it needs to "re-evaluate" and floats off. Spock's response?
{{quote|'''Spock:''' Captain, it may have been unwise to admit to ''Nomad'' that you are a biological unit.}}
*:* In "The Savage Curtain", Kirk is told "if you and Spock survive, you return to your vessel. If you do not[[Dramatic Pause|...]] [[Shaped Like Itself|your existence is ended]]."
*:* Kirk also has a tendency to [[Parrot Exposition|repeat what was just said]]. From "[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Amok Time]]"
{{quote|'''Kirk:''' By Vulcan biology, do you mean the biology of Vulcans?}}
**::* Justified here in that this was probably the ''only'' way [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|Spock's particular problem]] in this episode could be brought up on [[Think of the Censors|1960s television]].
*:* Here's another:
{{quote|'''Kirk:''' Insufficient data is not sufficient, Mr. Spock.}}
*:* In ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'', a female Q pegs this trope as a trait of the entire Vulcan species.
{{quote|'''Female Q''': The Vulcan talent for stating the obvious never ceases to amaze me.}}
*:* Captain Kathryn "Obvious" Janeway of ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' demonstrated an incredible grasp of temporal physics when Harry Kim was teleported to a whereabouts the crew was unable to ascertain.
{{quote|'''Janeway''': How long until we have to leave?
'''Bridge''': I'd say we're safe for another two hours.
'''Janeway''': That gives us two hours to find Mr. Kim. }}
::*One hour, fifty-nine minutes and fifty-eight seconds now that you've finished stating the obvious.
* Kai, who filled the Spock/Data role in the cast of ''[[Lexx]]'', had Captain Obvious duties.
{{quote|'''Zev:''' "Who is 'Poet Man?'"
Line 475:
{{quote|'''Doctor''': It's not human!
'''Jack''': You ''think''? }}
**:* O'Neill used his snarky, "You ''think''?" quite often in the series to lampshade Captain Obvious moments. It became one of his [[Catch Phrase]]s.
*:* In the season seven episode ''Birthright, Part 1,'' Bra'tac and Teal'c walk through a battlefield filled with dead Jaffa. Teal'c notes that there were two Goa'uld there with their respective armies. Bra'tac replies "This meeting did not go well." Really? Because when I see dead guys, I assume things were going ''great''!
* Parodied in ''[[Fawlty Towers]]'':
{{quote|'''Basil:''' Could we get you on Mastermid, Sybill? Next contestant Sybill Fawlty from Torquay, special subject; the bleedin' obvious!}}
Line 500:
* In ''[[CSI]]'', upon finding a severed head in the trunk of a car, Grissom delivered a particularly [[Pungeon Master|groan-worthy]] [[Quip to Black|one-liner]]:
{{quote|"[...] six to eight hours ago, somebody lost his head. And then... somebody lost his head."}}
*:* In one episode, they find a mutilated corpse. After someone else says "someone wanted her ugly", Grissom one-ups with "Ugly and dead".
* In the ''[[X-Files]]'' episode "The Erlenmeyer Flask," a microbiology expert explains the rudiments of genetics—material taught in any high school's freshman biology class—to Agent Scully, a fully qualified doctor. While some viewers of the show might have needed the refresher course, Scully absolutely should not have, and turning her into [[The Rick]] for this kind of material just does her a disservice. The episode "Humbug" has something similar, with Mulder telling Scully what ichthyosis is.
* Subverted and lampshaded often, severely, and, on occasion, simultaneously on ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', the best example likely being when Spike is nearly tearing his hair out by the unbleached roots telling the Scoobies over and over that the Hell Goddess Glory just turned into Joyce's caregiver Ben. They miss the point every time.
Line 509:
[About a half a minute later]
'''Giles:''' Excellent. Now. Do we suspect there may be some kind of connection between Ben and Glory? }}
*:* It kind of makes you wonder how many times he tried to get them to figure it out if he considered bitch-slapping Xander upside the head worth the pain. He's pretty close to thinking that most of the time anyway.
:* Every so often, Oz dips into this, as part of his [[Deadpan Snarker]] routine.
*** He's pretty close to thinking that most of the time anyway.
** Every so often, Oz dips into this, as part of his [[Deadpan Snarker]] routine.
{{quote|'''Oz''': Our lives are different than other people's.}}
*:* When Xander is split in two: "If Xander kills himself, he'll die!". [[It Makes Sense in Context]].
*:* Anya: "You know what else is un-American? French people."
*:* Faith shoots a guy through the heart with a bow and arrow:
{{quote|'''Vampire minion:''' You killed him!
'''Faith:''' [[Leaning on the Fourth Wall|What are you, the narrator?]] }}
Line 524 ⟶ 523:
'''Jock:''' Are you having me on?
'''The Goose:''' Look, it could have been a mortar shell. The bomb could have been under a manhole cover and the car had nothing to do with it. There are solutions besides the obvious, you know. }}
*:* Jock is so furious he tries to get his superiors to throw The Goose off the case, only to be told that he's the Number One expert in post-bomb analysis in the Southern Hemisphere, so he'd better shut up and listen to him.
* ''[[MythBusters]]'' often has someone reiterating what they've been doing, just in case you missed it. It alternates between individuals.
** Probably because there is a sizable segment of viewers who watch just for the kaboom. They need to be reminded <s>how</s> why it works.
Line 535 ⟶ 534:
{{quote|'''Tritter''': You're rude.
'''House''': Wow. You're, like, a detective or something. }}
*:* House also gave us this gem:
{{quote|'''Chase''': He has a partial HPRT enzyme deficiency. That means he could have Kelley-Seegmiller Syndrome.
'''Cameron''': But it's a partial deficiency. So it doesn't have to be Kelley-Seegmiller.
'''House''': Yeah, those are the two options. It either is or it isn't. }}
*:* House loves this trope...
{{quote|'''Cameron''': That's it. It's gotta be one of those [five diseases].
'''House''': You know what would be even better? Narrowing it all the way down to one. }}
*:* He sure does...
{{quote|'''Student''': You're reading a comic book.
'''House''': And you're drawing attention to your bosom by wearing a low-cut top. Oh, I'm sorry. I thought we were having a state-the-obvious contest. I'm competitive by nature. }}
*:* Another one, though not from House this time:
{{quote|'''Nurse:''' (after House spits on a surgeon to prevent him performing a needless operation) We can't do this operation now!
'''Surgeon:''' Ya think?! }}
Line 552 ⟶ 551:
'''Simon:''' We must be cautious. Too much force could risk killing the child.
'''Cavil:''' Really? You think? Please continue stating the perfectly obvious; it fills me with confidence. }}
*:* Meanwhile, Boomer from [[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|the original ''Battlestar Galactica'']] sometimes loves to state the obvious.
* [[The Thick of It|"If somebody mentions my name, then my name will be mentioned."]] [[Lampshade Hanging|"Well, that's obvious."]]
* On ''[[Family Matters]]'', Harriet gets a call that will tell whether or not she got a job. As the family huddles around the phone, the grandmother walks in and asks what happened. Carl responds, "She either got the job or she didn't." [[Deadpan Snarker|Grandma]] replies, "Those would be the choices."
Line 572 ⟶ 571:
'''Doctor:''' Well, Sergeant? Aren't you going to say that it's [[Bigger on the Inside]] than it is on the outside? Everybody else does.
'''John:''' It's pretty obvious, isn't it? }}
*:* In "The Rebel Flesh", the Doctor deduces that something corrosive is flowing through a pipe that is clearly marked "DANGER: CORROSIVE".
*:* K-9 has his moments as well.
{{quote|'''Mickey Smith''': Okay, no time to explain, we need to get inside the school. Do you have, like, I don't know, a lock picking device?
'''K9''': We are in a car.
Line 582 ⟶ 581:
'''Mickey Smith''': Wait a second. We're in a car.
'''K9''': Affirmative. }}
*:* In "Night Terrors", the resident Muggle has a real insight to add to the conversation.
{{quote|'''The Doctor:''' I'm not just a professsional, I am The Doctor.
'''Alex:''' What is that supposed to mean?
Line 599 ⟶ 598:
'''Christina:'''"No she's right here."
''(pulls up bedsheet covers)'' }}
*:* A particularly dark one when {{spoiler|Dr. Percy is shot.}} Want to guess what he said after that to the people that witnessed it?
{{quote|{{spoiler|'''Percy''': *clutching his gunshot wound* "He shot me- He shot me! I've been shot!"}}}}
* The Nickelodeon show "All That" had a sketch called "Vital Information for your Everyday Life" that was built around this trope, amongst other things. Some kernels of Vital Information include:
Line 615 ⟶ 614:
* On ''[[Parks and Recreation]]'', Chris says that his "secret" to setting people up on dates is finding one person's best qualities, then finding someone else with those same qualities, and putting them together. Also in that same episode, when Ron has to make a speech at the art gallery:
{{quote|'''Ron''': Welcome to "Visions of Nature". This room has several paintings in it, some are big, some are small. People did them and they are here now, I believe that after this is over they'll be hung in government buildings.}}
*:* This is true to all of Ron's speeches. As he had stated, he hates making speeches.
*:* An even better example is Perd Hapley, who simply ''embodies'' this trope.
* Played with on [[Frasier]]. A couple of times someone points out a psychological observation to another psychiatrist and said psychiatrist's response is the equivalent of "Duh".
* From ''[[The Young Ones]]'':
{{quote|'''Maggie''': And now, I'm gonna be looking at what it's like to be a young unemployed adult! Because--more young adults are becoming unemployed on account of they can't find work! Basically, the problem is this: if you haven't got a job, then you outta work! And that means only one thing-- unemployment!}}
 
== Music (this section is about Music) ==
 
:All examples found in songs are here!
== Music (this folder is about Music) ==
{{quote|All examples found in songs are here!}}
* [["Weird Al" Yankovic]]'s "Albuquerque".
{{quote|[[Shaped Like Itself|That snorkel's been just like a snorkel to me!]]
Hey, you got weasels on your face. }}
*:* That's when I knew it was true love!
*:* Likewise, his song "You Don't Love Me Anymore", in which he expresses that he gets the impression his significant other, well, [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|doesn't love him anymore]], citing the reason for such suspicious as being things as poisoning him, holding up a knife, putting piranhas in his bath ''again'', etc.
* [[The Beatles (band)|The Beatles]], in "Come Together", gave us such enlightening information as "He's got feet down below his knees" and "One and one and one is three". You don't say.
** They gained the grand prize for this trope in [[Crowning Music of Awesome|"All You Need Is Love"]], in which everything except the "all you need is love" sentiment is basically saying "anything that humans are able to do, humans can do."
Line 634 ⟶ 632:
* The viral [[YouTube]] video of Rebecca Black's song [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0 "Friday"] withholds any traces of instinct to take the song seriously.
{{quote|Yesterday was Thursday/ Today it is Friday/ Tomorrow is Saturday/ And Sunday comes afterwards...}}
*:* Nobody lampshades it better than [[Memetic Mutation|Hitler]]: ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24yUUHYlJEI&feature=related\ link]).
* Talking Heads' song "Once in a Lifetime" has the lyrics "there is water at the bottom of the ocean." Obvious statement much?
* "So Yesterday" by Hilary Duff states that "If the light is off, then it isn't on" and "You can change your clothes (if you wanna)". [[Sarcasm Mode|No, really?]]
Line 659 ⟶ 657:
* Lee Ann Womack's song "Liars Lie", after catching her lover trying to lie, the narrator sings:
{{quote|"Losers lose, winners win/ Cheaters cheat, sinners sin/ Dreamers dream, criers cry/Fools believe, and Liars Lie"}}
* [[Songs to Wear Pants To]] wrote a [https://web.archive.org/web/20130514112711/http://www.songstowearpantsto.com/songs/captain-obvious-theme/ theme song] for this character: "Captain Obvious to the rescue! / Captain Obvious: he will state the obvious".
* "If I Had $1000000" by the [[Barenaked Ladies]]; most of the song has the [[Narrator]] pondering all he could do if he had so much money, until the last line, where he simply says, "If I had a million dollars... I'd be rich!"
 
== Newspaper Comics (Thisthis foldersection is about Newspaper Caricatures) ==
{{quote|:All examples found in comics in the newspaper are here!}}
* In ''[[Non Sequitur (comic strip)|Non Sequitur]]'' a recurring character has an alter ego named "Obviousman", who swoops in dressed like a superhero, complete with cape and [[Visual Pun|a big red circle and slash over the word "DUH!" on his chest]]. His mission is to point out the (usually snarky) obvious to the oblivious, though given [[What an Idiot!|the intelligence of the people he needs to rescue]], he is rarely thanked for this.
* The narration box often labels items in ''[[Dick Tracy]]'' that don't need to be described. After 90 years it's still informing readers of his watch-phone, and in 2009 it helpfully pointed out that a game of solitaire was indeed solitaire. (The game had nothing to do with the plot, naturally.)
Line 669 ⟶ 667:
* Parodied in [[Rip Haywire]] where a temporary character says such things as "Sharks!" "It blew up!" and "Why do I keep on shouting the Obvious!"
 
== Periodicals (this section is about Periodicals) ==
:All examples found in periodicals are here!
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130823084110/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983116,00.html Apparently there's porn on the internet.]
 
== Professional Wrestling (this foldersection is about Professional Wrestling) ==
{{quote|:All examples found in professional wrestling are here!}}
* [[Professional Wrestling|Professional wrestler]]-turned-[[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]]-commentator Tazz is in the habit of calling his broadcast partners "Captain Obvious", when they sum up something that the viewers just saw fifteen seconds ago.
** The ''really'' bad ones will actually do this to ''themselves'', thanks to [[Department of Redundancy Department]]. ([[Michael Cole]]: "[Name] has been completely embarrassed!....They're humiliated!")
* [[TNA]] commentator Mike Tenay does the same thing whenever the wrestler Rellik is mentioned ("That's 'killer' [[Sdrawkcab Name|spelled backwards]].") Eric Young later started parodying Mike Tenay on this, referring to Rellik as Rellik-that's-killer-spelled-backwards, as if the entire thing was the guy's name.
 
== Radio (this section is about Radio) ==
 
:All examples heard on radio shows are here!
== Radio (this folder is about Radio) ==
{{quote|All examples heard on radio shows are here!}}
* Inverted and parodied in ''The Bob and Tom Show'''s recurring "Mr. Obvious" skits. The premise in them is that Mr. Obvious, a the host of a radio call-in show, attempts to help today's caller with what looks to be a difficult problem until the caller reveals enough facts about his problem to make it clear that [[The Ditz|he has no clue, he can't afford to buy one, and he refuses to rent-to-own]], and that the caller would have solved his problem by himself long ago if he weren't so bloody dense.
** Subverted in the "Sump Pump" episode, where the terrified caller tells Mr. Obvious that there's a bear under his house, and every time it rains he can hear it growling. Mr. Obvious has to explain that this is just the sump pump, pumping water away from the foundation. {{spoiler|So the caller crawls under his house to see ... followed by animal roars and screams of pain ... followed by dial tone. "Um ... well, that's all the time we have for today ..."}}
Line 693:
'''Barry:''' Thank you. }}
 
== Tabletop Games (this section is about Tabletop Games) ==
 
:All examples found in games with physical equipment, played generally on top of a table but occasionally on the floor, are here!
== Tabletop Games (this folder is about Tabletop Games) ==
{{quote|All examples found in games with physical equipment, played generally on top of a table but occasionally on the floor, are here!}}
* The 4th Edition ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' Monster Manual has "[https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Bear_Lore Bear Lore]" - an [[Memetic Mutation|infamously]] [[Narm|hilarious]] example where it requires a DC20 Knowledge (nature) check to learn that bears ''attack with their claws''. [[Memetic Mutation]] has extended similar gems of wisdom to fire (DC15: Fire is hot), water (DC25: When immersed in water, organisms with lungs cannot breathe) and bees (DC15: Bees generally live in hives or trees. DC20: BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES).
** "DC15: Bears generally live in the woods or caves". Well you could get it wrong, and then your characters think bears live in condos in Florida and vacation in Newfoundland.
Line 705 ⟶ 704:
* The card [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=73943 "Duh"] from the ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' joke set ''Unhinged'' invokes this trope. ''(Reminder text is any italicized text in parentheses that explains rules you already know.)''
 
== Theatre (this section is about Theatre) ==
 
:All examples found in plays are here!
== Theatre (this folder is about Theatre) ==
{{quote|All examples found in plays are here!}}
* Shakespeare's characters sometimes don the captain's braid, but often it's because of the limitations of the Elizabethan stage. To paraphrase another page on this wiki, if your actors are in the middle of a sword fight but they're only pretending to be using swords, it's probably helpful if the victim grabs at his chest and cries "O, I am slain!" so the audience knows what happened. Also, if your only set decoration is a big sign that says "Castle of Elsinore", the characters are going to have to provide a description of the castle in their dialogue if you want the audience to visualize it.
** Plus, at the time only the playwrights themselves kept copies of the entire play; the actors were only given their own lines and the cues that came before them. Shakespeare was also rather stingy with stage directions, so the actors themselves needed the lines to know when their characters had died.
Line 727 ⟶ 725:
'''Cyrano:''' Certain
'''The Duenna''' Things. }}
*:* Act II Scene VI: After rejecting to serve as a poet with De Guiche, Cyrano considers the posibility to take his play ''"Agripine"'' to [[Magnificent Bastard|Cardenal]] [[Man Behind the Man|Richelieu]]:
{{quote|'''De Guiche:''' He is a critic skilled:
[[Executive Meddling|He may correct a line or two, at most.]]
Line 739 ⟶ 737:
'''De Guiche:''' [[Pride|You are proud]].
''' Cyrano''' [[Lampshade Hanging|Really? You have noticed that?]] }}
** At Act I Scene VII, just before Cyrano will fight against one hundred men, he combines this trope with a [[Badass Boast]]:
{{quote|'''Cyrano:''' ... And, shortly, you shall see what you shall see!}}
 
== [[Theme Parks]] (this section is about Theme Parks) ==
:All examples found in Theme Parks are here!
* From [[Disney Theme Parks|Disneyland]], the narration for the now-defunct ''Adventures Through Inner Space'' did this several times.
{{quote|(while the car is surrounded by giant snowflakes) "These are snowflakes!"
"And yet this wall of ice only ''seems'' smooth and solid. From this tiny perspective, I can see that nothing is solid, no matter how it appears!"
"Yes... these are ''water'' molecules! H2O... Two hydrogen atoms bonded to a single oxygen atom." }}
 
== Video Games (this foldersection is about Video Games) ==
{{quote|:All examples found in computer and console games are here!}}
* Shirou in ''[[Fate/stay night]]'' and the infamous "People die if they are killed!" (What he's saying is that people ''[[Death Is Cheap|should]]'' die if they're killed; it's taken out of context with the next part, "...that's the way it's supposed to be.") But the real example: this is the guy who also says things like "having sex means getting naked".
* Many characters in the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' series, most notably the [[Exposition Fairy|robot assistant]] from ''[[Sonic Adventure 2|Adventure 2]]'', Omochao.
{{quote|'''Omochao:''' To jump, press the jump button!}}
*:* DAMN! [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id4Y11-CBGs It looks like] all the dialogue in ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog]]'' represents this entire trope....I feel so sorry for it.
*:* Taken to ludicrous levels in ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 video game)||Sonic The Hedgehog (2006)]]'':
{{quote|'''Sonic:''' [[Lethal Lava Land|The whole city is on fire]]!
'''Sonic:''' Lava shoots up from that fiery ground!
'''Sonic:''' That tornado is carrying a car!
'''Silver:''' I can't catch lasers with my telekinesis! }}
*::* It should be noted for that last one that ''[[Good Bad Bugs|you can.]]''
*:* In ''[[Sonic Unleashed]]'' it's surprisingly not [[Ninja Butterfly|Chip]], but [[Clingy Jealous Girl|Amy]] who delivers the most Captain Obvious Lines. It's so bad, she's actually standing around during an important dialogue with the Professor, just to comment afterwards on Sonic's normal day-appearance with something along the lines of "Yes, you ''definitely'' look better like this!". And her great insight, that she could do something by helping the Professor—half a game ''after'' she actually started doing it.
*:* ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'': after a cutscene where the [[Airborne Aircraft Carrier|Egg Carrier]] transforms...
{{quote|'''Tails:''' Wow, the ship just transformed. Did you see that?
'''Sonic:''' [Gives him the Captain Obvious Look] Now how are we gonna get to the bridge...
'''Tails:''' I hate it when he doesn't listen... }}
**::* Then, once you ''find'' the level that leads to the bridge, Sonic/Tails up and announces that you're right in front of it. There's a screen just steps away telling you that the door to the level is open... and it doesn't take a genius to find the level in the first place.
{{quote|'''Sonic:''' This must be the way to the sky deck!}}
*:* Sonic himself: "There's a great big tree over there!" Which doesn't make sense becuase he seems to hate it when people do that, and gigantic trees are not uncommon in the Sonicverse.
*:* The [[Final Boss]] of ''[[Sonic Generations]]'' consists of your teammates [[Stop Helping Me!|constantly]] [[Most Annoying Sound|repeating]] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvhbjjeTWIU "That looks like a homing shot!"]. The only one that actually seems to know what a homing shot is is Shadow, who simply says "That's a homing shot".
* ''[[RuneScape]]'' has quite a few examples.
** There is an "examine" system for most NPC, items and scenery. And they are extremely helpful.
Line 777 ⟶ 781:
*** Sure, happen to have any crowbar ammo?
* Handmaiden/Disciple's response to Atton's sarcastic "At least we know it's not a trap" (on the Exchange boss' meeting request)
* ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'':
* Navi from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'' is considered [http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=42 quite annoying] for [[Stop Helping Me!|repeatedly bugging the player to tell him/her the most obvious things]] (or things she's already recently said.)
** Navi from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'' is considered [http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=42 quite annoying] for [[Stop Helping Me!|repeatedly bugging the player to tell him/her the most obvious things]] (or things she's already recently said.)
** And even things that have /already/ happened. For example, standing on a ghost ship, reaching land, hopping off, and being greeted by "The ship is sinking! We have to abandon ship!"
** [[Suspiciously Similar Substitute|Ciela]] in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass]]'' significantly ups the ante, especially in the cutscenes following the introduction of the first two spirits.
{{quote|'''Leaf:''' I am Leaf, the Spirit of Power. ''Blah blah blah.''
'''Ciela:''' Look, Link! It's the Spirit of Power, Leaf! }}
*:* And how could we forget ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap]]'s'' Ezlo? Run into a closed door, he will tell you that it's closed. ''Every time, even if it was an accident''. Open a Warp-Mark. He will tell you that the explosion always frightens him. ''Every time''. Come near a small tornado, which you obviously have to jump in to. ''He tells you to jump in and remarks what a great idea of his this is.'' God, this guy is ''[[Stop Helping Me!|annoying]]''!
*:* ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess]]''' Midna doesn't do it as often, and makes up for it by [[Ensemble Darkhorse|being awesome]], but she does have the habit of interrupting boss battles to point out [[For Massive Damage|incredibly obvious weak points]]. This may just be because she doesn't think much of Link's intelligence...
*:* And don't forget about ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword]]'s'' Fi, with such "helpful" tips as informing you that a ship is under attack by a monster ''while said monster's tentacles are popping in through the walls and floor all over the place'', and then stopping you again as you're about to exit said ship only to inform you that she detects something outside the ship. And said something is probably the monster. Which you have already been informed of. Not to mention ''warning you about low hearts and low batteries on your Wiimote in spite of the game already having a sound-effect indicating the former and an icon in the corner indicating the latter.''
***::* Fi is easly the worst of the lot. Fi will also happily repeat everything that anyone tells you to do. If a character tells you to go to the woods, Fi will "helpfully" pop out and tell you that there's an 85% chance that you should go to the woods. Then, once you get to the woods, she will tell you that there's an 93% chance that you should now do whatever you came there to do.
* In ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'', while searching for one of the male hostages, the main character, Solid Snake, looks down through an air vent and upon seeing a female exclaims "A woman! Not him...".
** [[Memetic Mutation|A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA?!]]
Line 810 ⟶ 815:
* Description of the Cursed Shield in ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]'':
{{quote|Is cursed.}}
*:* Likewise, while Figaro Castle is burning, the guards can only point out "The castle is on fire!"
* The Soldier in ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'':
{{quote|'''Announcer''': Intruder Alert! Red Spy in the base!
Line 816 ⟶ 821:
'''Announcer''': Protect the briefcase!
'''Soldier''': We need to protect the briefcase! }}
*:* In the context that a Red Spy is loose in their base.
{{quote|'''Blue Spy''': Tell me, did anyone happen to kill a RED Spy on their way here? ''No?'' Then we still have a problem... (lays a Sniper with a knife in his back on the table)
'''Soldier''': And a ''knife''. }}
* In ''[[Devil May Cry]] 3'', [[Big Bad|Jester]] says the following line to Dante:
{{quote|''"You're not going to shoot me, are you? If you do, I'll die, you know."''}}
*:* Much later, Dante and {{spoiler|Vergil}} ''do'' defeat him, but the one who actually kills him is {{spoiler|Lady, his daughter.}} Yes, by shooting him.
* In Microprose's ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' game, each town has a Wise Man who dispenses advice. Occasionally this advice is genuinely useful, other times it's related only to the back story—and sometimes, when another village has given you a quest, he'll say "I see the people of ''[village]'' have asked you to ''[quest]''".
* Lampshaded in ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]: [[Dawn of War]]: Dark Crusade'':
Line 840 ⟶ 845:
Half the world is male.
I'm a male. }}
*:* And of course there's Dojima in ''Persona 4'' when he eventually deduced that the perp behind the Inaba murders is in Inaba.
{{quote|''[[Hiimdaisy|Ace ☆ DETECTIVE]]''}}
* In ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' there is a quest to deliver a message to Arcanist Vandril warning him of a dark presence in [http://www.wowwiki.com/Ghostlands the Ghostlands].
Line 901 ⟶ 906:
* ''[[Ace Combat]] 04'' features [[Mission Control|Sky-Eye]] who constantly repeats obvious information—like actions you've already taken—back to you. He makes sure you know when you've launched a missile. Though, it is sometimes useful in keeping your situational awareness up when things get really intense.
{{quote|'''Sky-Eye:''' "Mobius One, Fox Two."}}
*:* This is repeated through all of the Ace Combat serries since they all have [[Mission Control|AWACS]] of some form or another and they all are exactly the same. Your squadron/wingman on Ace Combat 5 and beyond also do this. Though it does make sense, *real* AWACS would be telling the pilots of aircraft under their control *exactly* what is going on; flying a plane is like the 'pat your head rub your tummy' multitasking exercise up to eleven... and that's *before* bad guys start shooting at you.
:* Also the aircraft's onboard warning system telling you things like 'pull up' over and over again. This is especially annoying on missions where you *have* to fly low (e.g. flying under radar or through canyons to reach a target). Especially funny when it mixes with the aforementioned AWACS/Squadron members and you get something like this:
*** Though it does make sense, *real* AWACS would be telling the pilots of aircraft under their control *exactly* what is going on; flying a plane is like the 'pat your head rub your tummy' multitasking exercise up to eleven... and that's *before* bad guys start shooting at you.
** Also the aircraft's onboard warning system telling you things like 'pull up' over and over again. This is especially annoying on missions where you *have* to fly low (e.g. flying under radar or through canyons to reach a target). Especially funny when it mixes with the aforementioned AWACS/Squadron members and you get something like this:
{{quote|Your flying really low and fast on an attack run:
'''onboard computer:''' "Cation: Pull Up"
Line 915 ⟶ 919:
'''Squadron member:''' "Captain! Missile! Break break!"
Hey don't haven't you guys got your own planes to worry about? No wonder you get no kills... }}
*:* This is even invoked in-universe at one point in ''Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War'' during a [[Pearl Harbor]]-esque level.
{{quote|'''Osean 1''': (the attack already well underway) This is not a drill!
'''Osean 2''': Well thanks for the heads up, you IDIOT! }}
Line 924 ⟶ 928:
* The PC [[Hidden Object Game]] ''Haunted Manor: Queen of Death'' has as its [[Big Bad]] a soul-sucking demon which somewhat resembles a giant bat. Whenever it appears onscreen, it hisses at the player and disappears in a cloud of mist while declaring, "I AM EEEEVIL." Did we mention this is a ''soul-sucking demon''?
 
== Web Animation (this section is about Web Animation) ==
 
:All examples found in cartoons on the internet are here!
== Web Animation (this folder is about Web Animation) ==
{{quote|All examples found in cartoons on the internet are here!}}
* Teeg Dougland from the short-lived Limozeen cartoon in ''[[Homestar Runner]]''.
{{quote|'''Singer:''' You know those guys from that band, Limozeen? Well they turned their tour bus into a space machine! They're still Limozeen...
Line 936 ⟶ 939:
{{quote|'''Griff:''' Sarge! We ''really'' need to get Donut airlifted out of here!
'''Sarge:''' Would you put that in a memo and entitle it "Shit I already know"? }}
*:* Also:
{{quote|'''Tucker''': Hey dude, the jeep blew up!
'''Church''': ''(two feet away from said jeep when it blew up)'' No kidding. Thanks for the update, Tucker. }}
Line 946 ⟶ 949:
'''Blue Unicorn:''' We're on a bridge, Charlie!! }}
 
== Web Comics (this section is about Web Comics) ==
 
:All examples found in comics on the internet are here!
== Web Comics (this folder is about Web Comics) ==
{{quote|All examples found in comics on the internet are here!}}
* [http://www.bmoviecomic.com/?cid=310 These] [http://www.bmoviecomic.com/?cid=311 two] ''[[The B-Movie Comic]]'' strips.
* ''[[Absurd Notions]]'':
{{quote|'''Jay:''' The lights went out!
'''Jag:''' Well said, my dear, but [[Narrating the Obvious|this isn't radio]]. }}
* "''[[Girl Genius|]]'': "It's a talking cat.]]"
* ''[[Cyanide & Happiness]]'' even made a superhero character (or at least a stick figure man) called Captain Obvious.
* Tom Siddell, ''[[Gunnerkrigg Court]]'' author, sometimes writes some hilariously (and intentionally) redundant sentences in [[The Rant]], such as "The background is white".
Line 966 ⟶ 968:
* A slightly less useless incarnation shows up in ''[[Everyday Heroes]]'' [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=178445 here.]
* [[Spinnerette]] constantly refers to her (non-existent) spider sense as telling her something that is patently obvious.
* ''[[Xkcdxkcd]]'': [httphttps://xkcd.com/231/ Cat Proximity]
* Author's comment in the infamous miscarriage arc in ''[[Ctrl+Alt+Del]]'':
{{quote|And I know that it [the miscarriage]'s often much harder on the woman than on the man.}}
Line 981 ⟶ 983:
* An actual character in ''[[Everyday Heroes]]'', he makes sure people don't miss...[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=178445 things.]
* In ''[[No Rest for The Wicked (webcomic)|No Rest for The Wicked]]'', [http://www.forthewicked.net/archive/03-02.html the innkeeper tells Perrault that he's a cat.] Perrault observes that nothing can be hidden from him.
* ''Gamergate life'' [http://www.kukuruyo.com/comic/gamergate-life-42-english/ #42] got Captain Obvious as an actual character.
 
== Web Original (this foldersection is about Web Originals) ==
{{quote|:All examples found in content native to the internet which are not cartoons, comics or comicsvideo are here!}}
* Captain Obvious is an [[Overly Long Gag]] on ''[[Uncyclopedia]]'' saying something [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|obvious]] [[Once an Episode|on every single Article.]] [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|Captain Oblivious]] is probably also there, but he's not sure.
** His (Captain Obvious') biography may be found [https://uncyclopedia.ca/wiki/Captain_Obvious here]. (Click the link to read it).
Line 997 ⟶ 999:
* Nearly everyone that is allied with [[Winnie the Pooh]] in ''Pooh's Adventures''. They often state the obvious of what's going on. One example is in [[SpongeBob SquarePants|Spongebob]] and friends go on a [[Quest for Camelot]], where the knights bring in Lionel's body, one of them thinks that Kayley would be heart broken.
* There's a site named ''[http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/ Has the Large Hadron Collider destroyed the world yet?]'' Go on, check it.
* ''[[The Onion]]'' is fond of using this for humor, as in their article "[https://web.archive.org/web/20090916205214/http://www.theonion.com/content/news/investigators_determine_air_france?utm_source=a-section Investigators Determine Air France Disaster Caused By Plane Crash]".
** [https://web.archive.org/web/20131116210710/http://www.theonion.com/video/study-multiple-stab-wounds-may-be-harmful-to-monke,14150/ "Study: Multiple Stab Wounds May Be Harmful To Monkeys"] combines this with [[For Science!]]
** ''The Onion'' is parodying, in part, the tendency of real news media to keep repeating the same threadbare information again and again as a breaking story develops, since they have nothing substantial to report at the moment, but they have to keep covering the story. For example, one MSNBC expert's analysis of a dark spot in a photograph was "it's definitely... definitely something that's ...there". He was probably trying to say it's not a spot on the lens, but ''still''...
* From the first sentence of [[That Other Wiki]]'s article on the Seville Cathedral: "The Cathedral of Seville...is the cathedral of the city of Seville"
** Any time you see the phrase "this is likely a reference to..." on [[That Other Wiki]], get ready for an eye-rollingly obvious statement.
** Also from [[That Other Wiki]]: "Ion exchange is [[Shaped Like Itself|an exchange of ions]]".
** The section on dizygotic (fraternal) twins in the [[wikipedia:Twin|Twins article]]:
{{quote|Like any other siblings, DZ twins may look similar, particularly given that they are the same age. However, DZ twins may also look very different from each other. They may be of different sexes or the same sex. The same holds true for brothers and sisters from the same parents, meaning that DZ twins are simply brothers and/or sisters who happen to be the same age.}}
:* [[wikipedia:Eight-man football|"The main difference between 11 man and 8 man football is most notably the elimination of three players."]]
:* [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|Water torture is torture using water.]] Gee, [[Sarcasm Mode|I never would have guessed!]]
:* [[Neon Genesis Evangelion|Pen-pen]] has claws on his wingtips, [[Shocking Swerve|which normal birds do not have.]]
:* [[wikipedia:67 (number)|67 (sixty-seven) is the natural number following 66 and preceding 68. It is an odd number.]]
::* Every Wikipedia article about integers is worded in such a way. They mostly exist because of their meanings in fields of science, or symbolism in religion, in media, slang, etc.
* On All The Tropes, tropers will [[Pothole]] a word, phrase, etc. that is considered to be... well... completely obvious, to [[Pothole Magnet|this page]].
* The [[Memetic Mutation|O RLY?]] fad was an infamous snarky comeback to those who state the obvious.
* I think he [https://web.archive.org/web/20140113012036/http://voicetalentproductions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/captain-obvious.jpg is a captain].
 
== [[Web Video]] (this section is about Web Video) ==
:All examples found in video on the Web are here!
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axtfB7QPTiw Thank you, Captain Obvious.]
 
== [[Western Animation]] (this foldersection is about Western Animation) ==
{{quote|:All examples found in cartoons made in America or Europe are here!}}
* From the ''[[Futurama]]'' episode "Thehas Honking":many
** From the episode "The Honking":
{{quote|'''Leela:''' The tracks lead here!
'''Fry:''' Thanks, eagle eye. }}
*:* From the movie ''Bender's Game'':
{{quote|'''Fry:''' So. It is down to this. [[Dungeons & Dragons|A dungeon... and dragons]]!
'''Zoidberg:''' I didn't see it coming. }}
*:* "From the makers of Futurama"
*:* From the first "Tales of Interest" anthology:
{{quote|'''Professor Farnsworth:''' You killed me! You killed me!
'''Leela:''' Oh, what have I done?
'''Professor Farnsworth:''' Didn't I just tell you? You killed me! }}
*:* From "Crimes of the Hot"
{{quote|'''Zoidberg:''' Strange. Why would Nixon, an awkward, uncomfortable man, suddenly throw a party, one of the most social events imaginable! (Snaps claw.) It's a trap, is why! They're going to deactivate all the robots!... I don't hear any gasping.
'''Leela:''' We already figured that out. }}
*:* From "Love's Labours Lost in Space":
{{quote|'''Computer:''' This is Vergon 6.
'''Professor Farnsworth:''' This is Vergon 6.
Line 1,020 ⟶ 1,043:
* In the ''[[Scooby Doo]]'' episode "Spooky Space Kook", the gang enters a building which has a large sign that says "Machine Shop". Upon entering...
{{quote|'''Daphne:''' It looks like a shop!}}
*:* Scooby gave us any number of "no duh" moments.
{{quote|([[Monster of the Week]] comes in, roaring loudly)
''"It's the (name of monster)!"'' }}
{{quote|''"He's chasing us!"''}}
*:* The biggest offender was Velma's line in the green ghost episode:
{{quote|"They went out the door!"}}
* Played straight in ''[[South Park]]'' where he takes on the form of Captain Hindsight.
* Subverted in ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'':
** Subverted here:
{{quote|'''Toph:''' Wait. It's a trap!
'''Katara:''' Really? No kidding. Is that why we're sitting in a wooden cage right now? Gee, how'd you figure out it was a trap?
'''Toph:''' Not for us, Katara. We're the bait. He wants Aang. }}
*:* Played straight with Zuko's completely sincere declaration that:
{{quote|'''Zuko''': Doing nothing is a waste of time!}}
*:* And also
{{quote|'''Katara''': Haru not being able to Earthbend is like me not being able to Waterbend!}}
*:* Plus
{{quote|'''Hakoda''': Everything okay?
'''Katara''': We're fine, dad.
Line 1,042 ⟶ 1,066:
'''Hakoda''': I guess you're right.
'''Aang''': [Shaking Hakoda's hand] Nice to officially meet you, Chief Hakoda. }}
**:* With a worse variation in the film:
{{quote|'''Haru''': Dad! ''(to the Gaang)'' This is my father.
[[Riff Trax|Kevin Murphy: The guy you just called "Dad?" Get out!]] }}
Line 1,051 ⟶ 1,075:
{{quote|'''Ron:''' Okay, that looks suspicious.
'''Kim:''' Thank you, Captain Obvious. }}
*:* Drakken has them too, after Kim and Ron escape from being chained to a wall ''without'' being guarded, he gives this insight:
{{quote|'''Drakken''': ''They've escaped!''
'''Shego''': ''[[Sarcasm Mode|No, really?]]'' }}
Line 1,065 ⟶ 1,089:
'''Alexis,''' [to Rad and Carlos, who are standing right next to her and watching the same fight] Oh, no! You guys, Optimus is ''down!''
'''Rad:''' Oh, no! }}
** And then ''[[Transformers Energon]]'' came along and [[It Got Worse]]. Mostly it was due to an incomplete translation, though. Time would often be filled with Optimus saying to people who ''probably have some idea as to why they came to some dangerous place locked and loaded'', "Remember, our ''mission'' is to ''protect the planet/Energon/injured character.''" Also, the first third or so of the series consists of episodes in which bad guys will steal a cache of Energon that the good guys just discovered. ''Every single time,'' someone (maybe more than one someone) will say "They're ''after'' our ''Energon!''" Similarly, the bad guys would talk about their plan and say "We need more Energon!" as if they'd just come to the conclusion. In fact, ''all'' of the repetitive dialogue that plagues the series is delivered as if it's something that's just dawned on the person who has said it twice already.
* The line from an episode of ''[[South Park]]'', which [[Too Dumb to Live|Randy]] delivered like it was a huge revelation.
{{quote|'''Randy:''' If we're still alive in the morning, then we'll know that we aren't dead.}}
*:* The "Coon and Friends" saga has an actual super hero, Captain Hindsight, who arrives at the scenes of disasters to point out that the accident could have been prevented and then leaves. Usually the rescue workers then pack up and leave as well.
* A line from ''[[American Dad]]'':
{{quote|'''Hayley''': They think you're Kevin Bacon!
'''Roger''': Yes, Hayley, I understand things that happen around me. }}
*:* And in another episode:
{{quote|'''Steve''': It's the last clue!
'''Stan''': DUH! REALLY?! Sorry, it's been a really long night. }}
Line 1,082 ⟶ 1,106:
'''{{spoiler|Father}}:''' What are you -- President of the Obvious Club? }}
* "[[Rejected|I am a BANANA!]]"
* So many on ''[[The Simpsons]]''
* One episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' had Homer attempting to play "Horse Whisperer". His advice? "When the race starts, run real fast!"
** One episode had Homer attempting to play "Horse Whisperer". His advice? "When the race starts, run real fast!"
** And one can't forget, Ralph Wiggum's "My cat's breath smells like cat food."
*** Ralph Wiggum is, naturally, a goldmine of these. This is the man who brought us "[[Memetic Mutation|Fun toys are fun]]!"
Line 1,099 ⟶ 1,124:
'''Homer''': I just thought I'd remind everybody. After all, we did agree to attend this self-help seminar.
'''Bart''': [[Lampshade Hanging|What an odd thing to say...]] }}
*:* In the episode "Treehouse of Horror IX":
{{quote|'''Lisa''': Of course, somehow Snake's hair is controlloing dad and making him-
'''Marge''': [[Lampshade Hanging|Oh Lisa, everybody already figured that out a while ago.]] }}
*:* In "Last Tap Dance in Springfield": Chief Wiggum, caught in a rat trap baited with cheese says "My mistake was grabbing the cheese".
*:* In "Jazzy and the Pussycats" Bart exclaims "My arm! It hurts where the tiger's biting it!"
*:* Combine with [[Idiot Hero]] / [[Captain Oblivious]] and [[Overly Long Gag]]:
{{quote|'''Cult Member''': We're having a free get-acquainted session at our resort this weekend.
'''Homer''': How much is this free resort weekend?
Line 1,147 ⟶ 1,172:
* ''[[Metalocalypse]]'': Dr. Rockzo the Rock n' Roll Clown (he does cocaine) will scream that he does cocaine while snorting cocaine.
* ''[[Mon Suno]]'': Jinja said she didn't want to be one but she felt the need to point out it was a trap.
* In the [[Droopy]] cartoon "The Three Little Pups", after Wolfie (playing the part of [[The Big Bad Wolf]]), fails to blow down Droopy's brick house, he tries to break into it by pulling on the door, then ramming it with his shoulder, then using an axe, and then a sledgehammer; when all of this fails to even scratch it, he [[Breaking the Fourth Wall| turns to the viewer and exclaims]], "Now ''there's'' a well-built doghouse, man!"
** [[If It Was Funny the First Time| This joke was re-used]] in "Blackboard Jumble", with "house" replaced by "door".
* In the ''[[Totally Spies!]]'' episode "It's How you Play the Game", where Coach subjects the captured Clover to his muscle-enhancing nanomachines:
{{quote|'''Coach:''' Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have given you three...
''(Camera pans to Clover, who now has a build worthy of [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]])''
'''Clover:''' Oh, ''you think??''}}
 
== Real Life (this section is about Real Life) ==
 
:All examples observed in real life are here!
== Other (this folder is about everything else) ==
{{quote|All examples that don't belong anywhere else are here!}}
* ''[[The Onion]]'' is fond of using this for humor, as in their article "[https://web.archive.org/web/20090916205214/http://www.theonion.com/content/news/investigators_determine_air_france?utm_source=a-section Investigators Determine Air France Disaster Caused By Plane Crash]".
** [https://web.archive.org/web/20131116210710/http://www.theonion.com/video/study-multiple-stab-wounds-may-be-harmful-to-monke,14150/ "Study: Multiple Stab Wounds May Be Harmful To Monkeys"] combines this with [[For Science!]]
** ''The Onion'' is parodying, in part, the tendency of real news media to keep repeating the same threadbare information again and again as a breaking story develops, since they have nothing substantial to report at the moment, but they have to keep covering the story. For example, one MSNBC expert's analysis of a dark spot in a photograph was "it's definitely... definitely something that's ...there". He was probably trying to say it's not a spot on the lens, but ''still''...
* I think he [https://web.archive.org/web/20140113012036/http://voicetalentproductions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/captain-obvious.jpg is a captain].
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axtfB7QPTiw Thank you, Captain Obvious.]
* Obviously, [http://leohao.ru/browser.php?g=new=67 this guy]{{Dead link}} was hanged by Captain Obvious for his crimes against the obviousness.
* From the first sentence of [[That Other Wiki]]'s article on the Seville Cathedral: "The Cathedral of Seville...is the cathedral of the city of Seville"
** Any time you see the phrase "this is likely a reference to..." on [[That Other Wiki]], get ready for an eye-rollingly obvious statement.
** Also from [[That Other Wiki]]: "Ion exchange is [[Shaped Like Itself|an exchange of ions]]".
** The section on dizygotic (fraternal) twins in the [[wikipedia:Twin|Twins article]]:
{{quote|Like any other siblings, DZ twins may look similar, particularly given that they are the same age. However, DZ twins may also look very different from each other. They may be of different sexes or the same sex. The same holds true for brothers and sisters from the same parents, meaning that DZ twins are simply brothers and/or sisters who happen to be the same age.}}
** [[wikipedia:Eight-man football|"The main difference between 11 man and 8 man football is most notably the elimination of three players."]]
** [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|Water torture is torture using water.]] Gee, [[Sarcasm Mode|I never would have guessed!]]
** [[Neon Genesis Evangelion|Pen-pen]] has claws on his wingtips, [[Shocking Swerve|which normal birds do not have.]]
** [[wikipedia:67 (number)|67 (sixty-seven) is the natural number following 66 and preceding 68. It is an odd number.]]
*** Every Wikipedia article about integers is worded in such a way. They mostly exist because of their meanings in fields of science, or symbolicism in religion, in media, slang, etc.
* Scott Goodyear, a former Indy car driver turned commentator for the Indycar Series for races on ABC. I told my dad he is so obvious and my dad didn't believe me. After some time my dad told me after he though about it he realized that Scott Goodyear is obvious. Needless to say it has become a running joke for us that anytime someone says something obvious we say that "Scott Goodyear has started doing x".
* The [[Memetic Mutation|O RLY?]] fad was an infamous snarky comeback to those who state the obvious.
* From [[Disney Theme Parks]], the narration for the now-defunct ''Adventures Through Inner Space'' did this several times.
{{quote|(while the car is surrounded by giant snowflakes) "These are snowflakes!"
"And yet this wall of ice only ''seems'' smooth and solid. From this tiny perspective, I can see that nothing is solid, no matter how it appears!"
"Yes... these are ''water'' molecules! H2O... Two hydrogen atoms bonded to a single oxygen atom." }}
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983116,00.html Apparently there's porn on the internet.]
* On All The Tropes, tropers will [[Pothole]] a word, phrase, etc. that is considered to be... well... completely obvious, to [[Pothole Magnet|this page]].
 
== Real Life (this folder is about Real Life) ==
{{quote|All examples observed in real life are here!}}
* The actual Captain Obvious is one of New York's self-proclaimed [http://www.reallifesuperheroes.org/2007/06/14/modern-day-superheroes/ real-life superheroes]{{Dead link}}, and goes about shouting the obvious through a megaphone. His bio states that he was thrown out of the [[X-Men]] for being too obvious. He frequently partners with [https://www.youtube.com/user/squeegeemannyc?feature=watch Squeegeeman]
* Los Angeles reporter Ric Romero became a punchline on [[Fark|Fark.com]] after reporting on the [[Old Media Playing Catch Up|"new" phenomenon of blogging]] in October 2005 (almost a year after blogs led the way in the [[wikipedia:Killian documents controversy|media storm that basically ended Dan Rather's broadcast career]]). He's an easy "go to" name whenever someone else in the media reports breathlessly on something "new" that is already [[Common Knowledge]].
Line 1,191 ⟶ 1,194:
'''Reporter:''' "Well, what did he say about it?"
'''Coolidge:''' "He was against it." }}
*::* This anecdote is also told with Mrs. Coolidge asking Mr. Coolidge.
* Clark Kellogg: "Your shooting percentage goes down significantly when your shot is challenged."
* Mercenary commander "Mad Mike" Hoare included a short essay on leadership in his book on the Simba rebellion in the Congo. In it he mentions the importance of reacting immediately when the bullets start flying, even if it's an obvious order like "Take cover!", as it makes the commander sound like he's on top of the situation. Having achieved this of course, the commander's next orders had better be more useful.
Line 1,198 ⟶ 1,201:
* ''[[(The Customer is) Not Always Right]]'' has several stories of the [http://www.notalwaysright.com Captain Obviouses] of the real world
* Brazilian sports narrator Galvão Bueno. "Went to the ground and fell!", "Inverted the ball to the other side!", "There are only three possible results: win, loss or draw"...
* College football commentator Brent Musberger. He has his [https://web.archive.org/web/20140109091821/http://www.fanblogs.com/ncaa/005660.php own drinking game].
* Allergy warnings.
{{quote|'''Can of sardines''': Contains fish.
'''Sainsbury's Peanuts''': May contain nuts. [I should hope so!]|[[Mister Exposition|Ahum.]] Peanuts are legumes (related to peas, beans, etc) so people who are allergic to real nuts aren't necessarily allergic to peanuts. However, peanuts are often packaged using the same machinery used to package other nuts as well. So a package of peanuts [[Justified Trope|may contain (traces of) nuts.]]}}
*:* Wal-Mart brand (Great Value) salmon actually says, on the back of the can, "Allergy Warning: Contains Salmon".
{{quote|'''Jar of peanut butter''': Contains peanuts.
'''Cheddar''': Contains milk products.
Line 1,208 ⟶ 1,211:
'''Bottle of Aspirin''': Do not use if you are allergic to aspirin.
'''British bottle of milk''': May contain milk. [Why do they need to hedge their bets? I'd really like to see the bottle of milk that didn't actually contain milk?] }}
*:* Spoofed in ''[[Dork Tower]]'', with:
{{quote|'''Nutty Nut Nut Cluster Bar. It's NUT-rageously NUT-ritious! Start your day the NUTTY way!''' <small>This product may contain nuts.</small>}}
* A CNN news crawl shortly into the US invasion on Afghanistan: "[some US general] on [[Osama Bin Laden]]: 'He's either alive or dead in some tunnel'". Still impressive in that they ruled out dead outside of a tunnel.
** In a similar vein, Donald Rumsfeld at one point declared that he was either in Afghanistan, in some other country, or dead. So... if he was dead, he must have been in international waters?
*** Well, he is ''now''.
** Rumsfeld made a similar statement when asked where the WMD'sWMDs in Iraq were.
{{quote|"We know where they are. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat"}}
* "Do not attempt to stop blade with hands or genitals" - instructions on a chainsaw in Sweden.
Line 1,235 ⟶ 1,238:
"Look, the ball is an essential part of the game."
"You can't win without the ball." }}
*:* It becomes less absurd if you treat them as tongue-in-cheek arguments against overly defensive play. Which make them even more hilarious.
*:* Along similar lines, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky said: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."
* [[Christopher Nolan]], in [http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=29317 speaking to the press] about [[The Dark Knight Rises|his third Batman film]], attempted to comment on what characters to expect without actually giving away any information. Thus: ''"We'll use many of the same characters as we have all along, and we'll be introducing some new ones."'' No way.
* Any elevator in Brazil will have [https://web.archive.org/web/20121231150317/http://www.dzai.com.br/static/user//18/18971/3124569e49c76e65a6fa31cda299638a.jpg this warning], which translated says "Warning to the users: Before entering the elevator, ensure that it [the elevator car] is on the current floor". This was added because of old elevators, where one could force open the door, but with new elevators which all have sensors and failsafe switches, it became rather obvious.