Confusion Fu: Difference between revisions

'''Kyouraku''': "It's not good to keep forcing this characteristic thing, Espada-san. And, if you're going to talk about characteristic, not having a characteristic behaviour is characteristic of me." }}

* [[Deadpool]], from Marvel Comics. To the extent that he once defeated ''[[Awesomeness By Analysis|the freakin' Taskmaster]]'' by sheer unpredictability—Tasky thought that Deadpool was about to get angry and sloppy, but he ''really'' just [[Crazy Awesome|started on a dance number]]. True, Confusion Fu has already been proven to be an effective strategy against Taskmaster (for example, [[Daredevil]] used a similar trick to goad Taskmaster into jumping in front of a moving car), but Deadpool beat the Taskmaster by ''being Deadpool''.

* In ''[[Watchmen]]'', Dan says that Rorschach was a good fighter because he was unpredictable. Probably related to the fact that he's [[Crazy Awesome|not quite sane]].

* During a [[Secret Six]] / [[Suicide Squad]] crossover, Catman explains that he is able to hold up in his fight against Bronze Tiger because Bronze Tiger has "a defense for every style...and styles are for $%#@ing idiots." He then proceeds to [[Man Bites Man|take a big bite out if Bronze Tiger's jugular]].

* The entire point of the Chaos Army in ''[[Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality]]''. Lacking Draco Mafloy's experience in the wizarding world or his ability to [[Manipulative Bastard|understand other people]] or Hermione Granger's ability to learn quickly or [[Power of Friendship|understand other people]], Methods!Harry actively courts and confusion among all three sides of the fight, as he and his army suffers the least from such confusion compared to Hermione's lesser ability to plan for the unexpected and Draco's knowledge that [[Gambit Pileup|running such ridiculously complex plots is suicidal]].

== Films -- Live Action ==

* In ''[[Quantum of Solace]]'', this is what lets the physically unthreatening villain stay alive (temporarily - not a spoiler, it's a ''Bond Film''). He flails about so wildly that [[James Bond (film)|Bond]] can't really fight him effectively - that is, until the ''downside'' of wild flailing is illustrated, when the villain performs an inadvertent axe-foot interface that is excruciating to watch.

* In ''[[Push]]'', this is how the good guys hide their plan from the precognitive Pop Girl. Nick writes the individual steps of the plan down and seals them in envelopes, which are marked as to when and where they are to be opened. He then has his memory wiped so even ''he'' won't know what the group's going to do until he opens the envelopes he carries.

== Literature ==

* The ''[[Belisarius Series]]'' portrays the title character as a master of this. There's a comment that if Belisarius comes to a fork in the road, where other generals would see only a choice between marching right or left, Belisarius will also [[Take a Third Option|consider the possibilities of digging a tunnel or climbing into the trees]]. One fellow says, "The general told me once that he considered the chaos of war to be his best friend." Another agrees, "He will do everything in his power to create chaos, and then take advantage of it.... He not only ''could'' be anywhere, he will be doing everything he can to make it seem as if he were one place while he is going somewhere else."

* In ''[[Engine Sentai Go-onger]],'' Hiramekimedes, master of [[Awesomeness By Analysis]], kept losing to Hiroto, who was even better at it... {{spoiler|1=so he went [[One-Winged Angel]] and adopted a ''nonsense-based'' style, calling himself Detaramedes (''detarame'' = nonsense), fighting crazily and yelling things like "1+1=300!" He was winning until Sousuke, who has the usual [[Hot-Blooded]] hero's style of "charge in mindlessly and win via plot convenience," stepped in. ''Throwing his sword and riding it like a surfboard,'' he managed to finalize Detaramedes singlehandedly.}}

** ''[[Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger]]'' has Gokai Green, "Doc" Don Dogoier. His teammates are all talented sword- and/or gunfighters, but he isn't; instead he (kind of) makes up for it by doing all sorts of wacky things like using a trapeze, [[Wrestler in All of Us|wrestling moves]], [[Improvised Weapon]]s like tree branches and buckets, and even tripping and pratfalling. In effect, Don has '''weaponized''' being the [[Comic Relief]] [[Butt Monkey]]. This gets a lampshade in one episode where his teammate Joe asks why he doesn't ditch that "zany fighting style" and get more serious.

*** Because Glee is [[Bellisario's Maxim|deeply grounded in realism]], obviously.

== Tabletop Games ==

* In ''[[Magic: The Gathering|Magic the Gathering]]'', the flavor text for Spiraling Duelist alludes to this: "I never move the same way twice. The rotters can't grasp chaos."

* In the game ''Flash Duel'' Most characters have abilities that strengthen or debuff their opponents in a fantasy style sparing match. Lum's abilities plays a different game all together. One ability allows the player to take an extra turn for having a Poker Straight, or his other ability (out of three) gives your opponent a chance to forfeit the round to avoid losing the game!

== Video Games ==

*** Some of the characters, while otherwise predictable, have one or two moves that can mess with people's heads. Mario's cape attack flips the directions his enemies are facing, which can confuse new players that don't know why they suddenly attack attacking backwards. King Dedede's projectile normally is just a Waddle De, but has a small chance being a Waddle Do, a Spike ball, or an Item.

** One of the reasons Meta Knight is the only one in S class in the tier list is that almost all of his special attacks can be used as recovery moves (on top of his five jumps) so it is impossible to predict how he will get back on the stage. Also his down B teleport move can really mess with people's heads.

** And Lucario has insanely weird hitboxes.

** Olimar uses Pikmin in all of his attacks. Each color of Pikmin has different properties, and when Olimar creates them, they spawn randomly. When Olimar performs an attack, the line cycles, so his next attack will use the next Pikmin in line. This means that different strategies open up depending on what order your Pikmin are in. Fun times for both players.

* [[Crazy Awesome]] Jade Sinclair (Generator) of the [[Whateley Universe]] seems to live this trope. Up against a mercenary in power armor? She beat him by first stabbing herself on his blade. Up against an unbeatable holographic simulation? She invented the Radioactive Condor Girl attack.

** Although plenty of Team Kimba characters have tried this move at least once. Fey, opposing The Necromancer and a host of prepared spells his minion Nightgaunt was firing at her back, opted for an uncontrolled release of wild magic that manifested as hundred of hobgoblins she had no control over.

== Western Animation ==

* The episode of ''[[South Park]]'' where Cartman thinks he died plays with this, in that Cartman actually intended to use his ghostly spookyness as the tactic. However, being that Cartman was entirely visible, what the criminals saw definitely qualifies as this trope.

* In the ''[[Thundercats 2011|ThunderCats (2011)]]'' episode "The Duelist and the Drifter" [[Rascally Rabbit]] and [[Trickster Mentor]] the Drifter befuddles opponents with his [[Dance Battler]] brand of [[Not Quite Flight]] [[Nonchalant Dodge|Nonchalant Dodging]] that involves drifting on currents of wind like a leaf, and also employs [[Brandishment Bluff]]s, heavily exploiting the reflexive movements of those who attack him.

== Real Life ==