Cut the Juice: Difference between revisions

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[[File:cit_hayate_the_combat_butler_-_shameless_hinagiku_plug.jpg|link=Hayate the Combat Butler (Manga)|right]]

Considering how much our society relies on computers and machinery, it makes sense that we have often considered the possible effects of [[Science Is Bad|such things being used against us]]. Thus, we have many stories where [[Instant AI Just Add Water|a computer runs rampant]] or [[Time Bomb|a bomb is set to explode]], or [[Mad Scientist|someone]] just built your average everyday doomsday machine.

Considering how much our society relies on computers and machinery, it makes sense that we have often considered the possible effects of [[Science Is Bad|such things being used against us]]. Thus, we have many stories where [[Instant AI, Just Add Water|a computer runs rampant]] or [[Time Bomb|a bomb is set to explode]], or [[Mad Scientist|someone]] just built your average everyday doomsday machine.

But there's hope yet. Machines simply don't work unless they have a power supply. Thus, when in such a dangerous situation, even if there's no [[Big Red Button]] available for the hero's pushing pleasure, it is still possible for the hero to escape the predicament without a scratch.

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Scenes in which characters Cut the Juice usually fall into one of three categories:

# Played straight. The plug is being guarded, and it is only through struggling or with the help of a scientific expert that the device can finally be shut down.

# Used as an anticlimax. After trying everything to stop the device, everyone is about to give in when the device suddenly shuts down. Cut to someone (often a [[Non Action Guy]]) holding the plug (or, if he/she's a [[Deadpan Snarker]], twirling the plug from the end of the cable, pocket-watch style, with one hand on his/her hip). In this form, a version of [[Cutting the Knot]] as well as the juice.

# Used as an anticlimax. After trying everything to stop the device, everyone is about to give in when the device suddenly shuts down. Cut to someone (often a [[Non-Action Guy]]) holding the plug (or, if he/she's a [[Deadpan Snarker]], twirling the plug from the end of the cable, pocket-watch style, with one hand on his/her hip). In this form, a version of [[Cutting the Knot]] as well as the juice.

# [[It Won't Turn Off|Dramatically ignored]]. You can tell that this one is coming when unplugging the device is one of the first options considered ([[Failsafe Failure|especially if it has been introduced before as a "failsafe"]]). Simply put, the machine's power supply cannot be compromised so easily, especially if its inventors (or the AI itself) manages to reroute power or relocate its source. Incidentally, if you are not a hero and you are ever in this situation, ''run''.

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 [[File:cit_hayate_the_combat_butler_-_shameless_hinagiku_plug.jpg|link=Hayate the Combat Butler (Manga)|right]]
-Considering how much our society relies on computers and machinery, it makes sense that we have often considered the possible effects of [[Science Is Bad|such things being used against us]]. Thus, we have many stories where [[Instant AI Just Add Water|a computer runs rampant]] or [[Time Bomb|a bomb is set to explode]], or [[Mad Scientist|someone]] just built your average everyday doomsday machine.
+Considering how much our society relies on computers and machinery, it makes sense that we have often considered the possible effects of [[Science Is Bad|such things being used against us]]. Thus, we have many stories where [[Instant AI, Just Add Water|a computer runs rampant]] or [[Time Bomb|a bomb is set to explode]], or [[Mad Scientist|someone]] just built your average everyday doomsday machine.
 But there's hope yet. Machines simply don't work unless they have a power supply. Thus, when in such a dangerous situation, even if there's no [[Big Red Button]] available for the hero's pushing pleasure, it is still possible for the hero to escape the predicament without a scratch.
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 Scenes in which characters Cut the Juice usually fall into one of three categories:
 # Played straight. The plug is being guarded, and it is only through struggling or with the help of a scientific expert that the device can finally be shut down.
-# Used as an anticlimax. After trying everything to stop the device, everyone is about to give in when the device suddenly shuts down. Cut to someone (often a [[Non Action Guy]]) holding the plug (or, if he/she's a [[Deadpan Snarker]], twirling the plug from the end of the cable, pocket-watch style, with one hand on his/her hip). In this form, a version of [[Cutting the Knot]] as well as the juice.
+# Used as an anticlimax. After trying everything to stop the device, everyone is about to give in when the device suddenly shuts down. Cut to someone (often a [[Non-Action Guy]]) holding the plug (or, if he/she's a [[Deadpan Snarker]], twirling the plug from the end of the cable, pocket-watch style, with one hand on his/her hip). In this form, a version of [[Cutting the Knot]] as well as the juice.
 # [[It Won't Turn Off|Dramatically ignored]]. You can tell that this one is coming when unplugging the device is one of the first options considered ([[Failsafe Failure|especially if it has been introduced before as a "failsafe"]]). Simply put, the machine's power supply cannot be compromised so easily, especially if its inventors (or the AI itself) manages to reroute power or relocate its source. Incidentally, if you are not a hero and you are ever in this situation, ''run''.
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 See also [[Have You Tried Rebooting]].
-{{examples|Examples}}
+{{examples}}
 === Played Straight ===
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 == Literature ==
-* The 1997 version of the [[Dean Koontz]] novel ''Demon Seed'' plays with this. {{spoiler|In this version, the story is told from the point-of-view of the evil AI. The story abruptly [[Killed Mid Sentence|ends in midsentence when it is powered down]].}}
+* The 1997 version of the [[Dean Koontz]] novel ''Demon Seed'' plays with this. {{spoiler|In this version, the story is told from the point-of-view of the evil AI. The story abruptly [[Killed Mid-Sentence|ends in midsentence when it is powered down]].}}
 * In ''[[The Ghost Brigades]]'' by [[John Scalzi]], {{spoiler|1=Steve Seaborg shuts down the Obin BrainPal jammer by blowing up the power generator -- and himself}}.
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 ** Played straight in the 2003 ''[[TMNT 2003|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' cartoon, where Serling stops a toy robot from killing the Turtles by removing its batteries.
 ** Inverted in ''[[Turtles Forever]]'', where cutting the juice {{spoiler|almost results in the multiverse getting wiped out}}.
-* One episode of ''[[Batman the Animated Series]]'' has Harley Quinn sending Catwoman down a [[Conveyor Belt O Doom]]. When Batman turns up, Harley claims that he doesn't have enough time to beat her and save Catwoman. Cue the camera panning out slightly to show Batman standing right next to the master switch, which he promptly flips.
+* One episode of ''[[Batman the Animated Series]]'' has Harley Quinn sending Catwoman down a [[Conveyor Belt O' Doom]]. When Batman turns up, Harley claims that he doesn't have enough time to beat her and save Catwoman. Cue the camera panning out slightly to show Batman standing right next to the master switch, which he promptly flips.
 {{quote| '''Harley Quinn:''' Oh.}}
 * Used in ''[[Xiaolin Showdown (Animation)|Xiaolin Showdown]]'', with one episode having Jack Spicer attack the heroes with a massive robot made of junk in a landfill site type area, except he had the thing plugged into the mains via an extension cord, so before a proper battle got underway, the thing just moved slightly forward, the plug came out and it immediately lost all power.