Double Edged Answer: Difference between revisions

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[[File:doubleedgedanswer 8266.jpg|frame|It's just a simple question. Give a simple answer! Not always that easy...]]

Sometimes situations aren't simple. That's where the '''Double Edged Answer''' comes into play. Alice asks Bob what she expects is a simple question with a binary yes or no answer. The problem is that the answer to her question can be yes and no at the same time without either answer being factually inaccurate. Rather than just give her the simple and incomplete answer, Bob prefaces a longer explanation with some variation on "yes and no" to let her know his response has to deal with the nuances of the situation at hand.

There are multiple situations in which this trope can be played.

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'''Ming:''' Yes, and no. After the earthquakes and tidal waves, they won't be the same human beings. They'll be more tractable. Easier for you to rule, in the name of Ming. }}

* From ''[[Iron Man (film)|Iron Man]]'':

{{quote|'''Soldier:''' Is it true that you went [[The Casanova|twelve-for-twelve with last year's Maxim cover models?]]

'''Tony Stark:''' That is an excellent question. [[Off on a Technicality|Yes and no.]] March and I had a scheduling conflict but fortunately the Christmas cover was [[Twin Threesome Fantasy|twins.]] }}

* From both the book and film version of ''[[Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone]]'' about the Mirror of Erised.

{{quote|'''Harry:''' It shows us what we want... whatever we want.

'''Dumbledore:''' Yes... And no. It shows us nothing more or less, than the deepest and most desperate desire of our hearts. }}

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'''Sean:''' You sure it's nothing, Lucy?

'''Lucy:''' No. Yes. No. }}

* ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'':

{{quote|Gildor was silent for a moment. "I do not like this news," he said at last. "That Gandalf should be late does not bode well. But it is said: ''Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.'' The choice is yours: to go or wait."

"And it is also said," answered Frodo: "''Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes.''"

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* ''[[Kick Buttowski]]'' has "Kickin' Genes" in which Honey Buttowski is asked by her son if the daredevil jumpsuit he found belongs to her. She says "No. Yes! No!" before finally admitting she used to be speedboating daredevil Honey Splash, but hadn't done a stunt since an injury years ago.

* ''[[Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness|Kung Fu Panda Legends of Awesomeness]]'': "Ghost of Oogway" - Shifu stumbles into a Yes/No answer when Po asks whether Shifu wonders that Oogway would speak to someone like Po. Clearly Shifu still harbors a bit of his dubiosity about Po from the original film, despite his master's choice to name Po Dragon Warrior.

* ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'', "Hurricane Neddy". When Ned Flanders asks Reverend Lovejoy if God is testing him, Lovejoy answers, "Short answer, yes with an if; long answer, no with a but."

* ''[[Thundercats 2011]]'': "Into The Astral Plane", the answer to the location of the [[MacGuffin]] generates one:

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== [[Web Comics]] ==

* [http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2005-07-10 This] strip of ''[[Schlock Mercenary]].''

* In ''[[Sequential Art (webcomic)|Sequential Art]]'', a [[AI Is a Crapshoot|psychotic AI]] gasses all personnel in a government facility. As Art, Pip, and Scarlet are sneaking in, [http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=478 Pip uses a small mirror to see around a corner.]

* In ''[[Sequential Art (webcomic)|Sequential Art]]'', a [[A.I. Is a Crapshoot|psychotic AI]] gasses all personnel in a government facility. As Art, Pip, and Scarlet are sneaking in, [http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=478 Pip uses a small mirror to see around a corner.]

{{quote|'''Art:''' Well? Any security guards?

'''Pip:''' Uh, [[Everybody's Dead, Dave|yes and no.]] }}

* In [http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2067 this] ''[[Questionable Content]]'' page, Faye gives one because she's flustered and has issues about getting close to people.

== [[Real Life]] ==