I Know You Know I Know: Difference between revisions

 

Not to be confused with [[Tegan and Sara|"I Know I Know I Know"]].

 

== Anime & Manga ==

** This exact scenario, with whatever permutations, has gone on in in the mind of every person who has played the game in real life, at least once.

* ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' is based around this trope SO MUCH. [[Manipulative Bastard|Gendo Ikari's]] relation with [[The Omniscient Council of Vagueness|SEELE]] IS this. They each know that the other is planning to betray them, so both work with that, but both know that the other knows. They just keep on trying to get one step ahead using their unimportant pawns, such as Shinji, Rei, Asuka, Toji, Kaworu etc etc. Both are surprised when {{spoiler|one of their pawns (Rei) decides to end the world rather spectacularily in favor of another pawn. So all the planning failed. Suckers.}}

* This makes up about a third of ''[[Kaiji]]'', the other two-thirds being basic game theory and heroic determination. In particular, the defeat of {{spoiler|Tonegawa}} in the first season is based on Kaiji's realization of when {{spoiler|Tonegawa}} will ''stop'' knowing he knows. {{spoiler|Tonegawa's observant enough to notice that two of Kaiji's cards are bloodstained on the back, and clever enough to realize that Kaiji has to know the cards are bloodstained. From there, Tonegawa assumes that Kaiji set a simple trap, bloodstaining cards other than the ones Tonegawa thought he had out, so as to trick him into playing the wrong card and losing. But because Tonegawa thinks he's better and smarter than lower-class gamblers like Kaiji, it doesn't occur to him that Kaiji would realize that Tonegawa would realize this, and that the cards are exactly the ones he initially thought they were.}}

* Appears in ''[[Ghost in The Shell Stand Alone Complex]]'', strangely not as a part of an [[Evil Plan]], but in a sniper duel. In fact, the whole episode revolves around knowing and predicting enemy tactics. The story is told by one character during a poker game to illustrate to the other players why he is so good at bluffing.

* Played with in ''[[My Immortal]]''. When <s> Ebony</s> Enoby travels back in time, she knows that <s>Snape</s> Snoop possessed <s>James</s> Samaro and made him kill <s>Lucious</s> Lucian. She, however, did not "want them to know [she] knew." Whether or not Tom knew she knew is not made clear, but it is likely, as {{spoiler|he is Volxemort and commanded Snop.}} "Suddenly it's a [[Sit Com]]," the dramatic reading snarked at this bit.

** Tom knew she knew that he knew that Snoop worked for Volxemort and possessed Samaro and... it kind of melts from there.

 

{{quote| {{spoiler|So, basically, Theron knew that Raonar and Alim knew some things they didn't, and he also knew that Raonar knew that he knew this, but did not bother pointing it out or taking measures to prevent the tattooed elf, in the future, from coming to know of everything else Alim came to know, as long as said mage did not come to know of the hunter's knowing of what he thought everyone else did not know, meaning that Theron did not have to bother getting into the habit of finding lounging spots any way farther, since Raonar either did not have anything specifically against it or knew he was not going to inform the others of his knowing that Alim, who did not know that he knew of his knowing of things that only Raonar knew more about, knew more than what he thought he knew the others did.}}}}

* Relied on by Shawn in ''[[Psych]]'', as it is unclear whether/how much most of the main cast believes his [[Phony Psychic|psychic stint.]] Lampshaded in the theme song, in fact, it's (almost) the name of the theme song.

** It's also unclear who the "you" addressed in the lyrics "I know you know that I'm not telling the truth/I know you know you just don't have any proof" is. Lassiter? Vick? Jules? Henry? The audience?

* Played with in ''[[NCIS]]'' when Gibbs asks for Ziva's weapon. And her backup weapon (revolver in ankle holster). And her backup backup weapon (a knife). He then hands the knife back to her, and points out that he wanted her to know he knew.

* Recently used in ''[[Chuck]]'', after the staff of the buy more is told to behave Morgan goes through this to try and work out whether or not they should misbehave due to the person telling them knowing they'd know he knows they know he knows how they'd act.

'''Boyd''': Of ''course'' you're going to the book depository! }}

* [[Frozen Synapse]] requires players to think like this constantly.

** Tthe opponent is in the exact same situation because you could [[Take a Third Option]]: switch out ''yourself'' into say a Grass-type that could handle either Water or Ground (and other options exist, so unless all of the opponent's Pokemon have already been revealed, you never know what may be brought out next).

* [[Platform Game]]: Any type of this game can have this trope come into play with various types of trap like the [[Pressure Plate]] trap or [[Kaizo Trap]]. One example is in [[Limbo]], which has one a [[Pressure Plate]] trap, and then another right after. This leads to the [[I Know You Know I Know]] because any semi-competent [[Genre Savvy]] gamer is going to go "Well, it's obvious that the 2nd trap is an inverted version of the first... but wait.. if the designer knows that, he'll make the trap the opposite of the inversion, so I should do the same thing I did on the first trap.. but he knows that I know that.." this loops around until the player simply chooses one at random, and likely dies anyway.

 

== Web Comics ==

** Often happens to Red Mage. [http://www.nuklearpower.com/2008/02/21/episode-958-3pt-hallucination-flaw/ This panel] shows a prime example.

** [http://www.nuklearpower.com/2003/04/12/episode-272-mind-games/ This panel] is another great example.

** Red Mage parodies this trope in [http://www.nuklearpower.com/2008/02/01/episode-950-stop-drop-and-roll-is-for-morons/ this comic] to reach the conclusion that [[Blatant Lies|he actually knows]] how to cast Life 3, [[Insane Troll Logic|despite stating in the same sentence]] the fact that he knows that he can't. Red Mage used [[Right for The Wrong Reasons]], except he should be wrong. But somehow [[Clap Your Hands If You Believe|it works]].

* ''Mr. Square'' Has a prime example, wherein Mr. Square says, verbatim "I know that you know that I know what you know about knowing that I know, but you don't know that my knowledge of you knowing is not secret, I WANT you to know that I know so you don't know what I don't....you know?" [http://revfitz.com/msi243.html in this comic]

{{quote| '''Quantum Cop:''' This '''Quantum Vector Collector''' will tell us exactly where Quantum Crook is.<br />

'''Quantum Crook:''' This Quantum Vector Collector '''Inspector''' will tell us when my opposite tries to find us.<br />

 

== Western Animation ==

* Done in ''[[Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends]]'', where Bloo is setting up a humiliating surprise party for Mac, and all his efforts play right into Bloo's hands, even when he thinks he's doing the opposite of what Bloo thought he'd do.

* Taken to extremes in the ''[[Danger Mouse]]'' episode "The Statue of Liberty Caper", where Danger Mouse and Baron Greenback both try to outwit each other with regards to the location of a trapdoor in the floor, leading Danger Mouse to say "I guessed that you'd guess I guessed you guessed I'd guessed you'd guessed and out-guessed your guess, I guess".

[[Category:The Plan]]

[[Category:I Know You Know I Know]]