I Like Those Odds: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

Sometimes in [[Sarcasm Mode]], other times a [[Badass Boast]]. This is when the chances of survival, or the level of opposition, are presented to a character and he is apparently at a disadvantage. He responds that he wouldn't have it any other way or that it is actually in his favor. Often, they'll remark that they've beaten worse odds without breaking a sweat. For an added bonus, he might boast about giving himself [[Willfully Weak|a handicap just for fun]].

 

Compare [[Never Tell Me the Odds]], [[Million-to-One Chance]].

{{examples}}

 

== Anime and Manga ==

* As part of the big flashback in ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'', The [[Redheaded Hero]] is saving the princess; meanwhile, the rest of [[Badass Crew|Ala Rubra]] has to hold off the forces overseeing the execution, leading to this exchange:

'''[[World's Strongest Man|Jack Rakan]]:''' Like I said. Are you seriously telling me you think that's gonna be enough?! }}

* The very first sequence of ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]''.

{{quote|'''Marines''': Hey, Straw Hat Luffy... how many dozens of your cohorts did you bring? Ha ha ha. There are 10,000 soldiers on Enies Lobby!

'''Luffy''': Yeah... I'm by myself. Get out of my way! }}

{{quote|'''Usopp''': This weather is the worst!!

'''Brook''': Yohoho!! There's a thunderstorm in the skies!!

'''Zoro''': Looks like the entrance to Hell.

'''Luffy''': PERFECT!!! }}

* Kumagawa of ''[[Medaka Box]]'' lives and breathes this trope. [[Born Unlucky]], he feels uncomfortable when the odds ''aren't'' stacked against him.

{{quote|'''Kumagawa''': This is perfect. I have always fought with cards like these. I have never been blessed by luck or coincidence; I have fought without relying on miracles or fate. You say I've lost the moment I was dealt? That's just the same as always.}}

 

== Comic Books ==

'''Guy #2:''' "For Pete's sake, there's ''two dozen'' of us!"

'''Guy #1:''' "You're ''right!'' Smitty, go round up another ten men!" }}

 

 

* A strange blend of ''[[Kim Possible]]'' and ''[[Conan the Barbarian]]'' fic called Ron Man the Barbarian has this trope as his default [[Badass Boast]]. Also the boast of his people, the [[Proud Warrior Race|Actuarians (bonus to those who know what the name means IRL)]] who are NOT kidding when they say this.

 

 

== Film ==

** Considering the abuse the Persians took when they outnumbered the Greeks hundreds or even thousands-to-one for the bulk of the movie, without the contex of differing tactics, it would be surprising to the viewer that they didn't just kill their commanders and ''run''.

* This happens in ''[[Star Trek Generations]]'', which is certainly a common attitude Kirk has since he enjoys bluffing his way out of the unwinnable scenarios.

'''Picard:''' You could say that.

'''Kirk:''' If Spock were here he would call me an illogical, irrational human being for taking on a mission like that... Sounds like fun. }}

{{quote|'''Cadet:''' There's four of us and one of you.

'''Kirk:''' Well, get some extra guys and then it'll be a fair fight. }}

* The entire House of the Dzur in the ''[[Dragaera]]'' novels. Tazendra gets most of them on the page, but that's just because she's the most prominent Dzur character.

** [[Light Bulb Joke|How many Dzur does it take to sharpen a sword? Four. One to sharpen the sword, three to put up enough of a fight to make it worthwhile.]]

{{quote|'''Liartes:''' That's pretty uneven odds, isn't it?

'''Hrun:''' Yah. I outnumber you one to two. }}

* In ''[[The Three Musketeers (novel)|The Vicomte De Bragelonne]]'', d'Artagnan proposes to raise his own army of forty men and restore Charles II to the English throne (for profit!). Planchet, who is putting up half the money, protests: "Forty against forty thousand! That is not enough. I know very well that you, M. d'Artagnan, alone, are equal to a thousand men; but where are we to find thirty-nine men equal to you?"

* In ''[[X Wing Series|Starfighters of Adumar]]'':

* In ''[[The Wheel of Time|Towers of Midnight]]'' Birgitte tells Mat that the odds of getting back from the Tower of Ghenjei are one in a thousand. Mat responds by taking out "two dozen" coins and predicting that when he throws them every single one will land heads up (1/16777216 chance if there were exactly 24). They do, and Mat remarks that "One in a thousand is good odds, for me."

 

* Done twice in ''[[Angel]]'', the second time in the finale.

{{quote|'''Gunn:''' I'll take the 20,000 on the left....}}

'''Cyberman:''' What is that?

'''Dalek:''' YOU ARE BET-TER AT ''DY''ING. }}

{{quote|'''Rose:''' Five million Cybermen, easy. One Doctor? ''Now'' you're scared.}}

* In ''[[Friends]]'', in the chapter where the guys buy many lottery tickets as there is a lot of money on the jackpot, Ross says he won't join, because it is "42 times more likely" that they will be struck by lightning. Chandler answers that, as they are six, it would be only 7 times more likely. Joey says the trope verbatim.

* ''[[Farscape]]'': While John isn't exactly happy about it, he does believe they can beat the bad odds since they have before.

{{quote|'''Crichton''':This Eidelon education program... What are the odds it'll work?

'''Aeryn''': Not good.

'''Crichton''': "Not good" is the best odds we ever get. }}

 

== Tabletop Games ==

* The quote for the Killer archetype in ''[[Feng Shui]]'': "Forty of them, one of me. Looks like the odds are about even." Of course, ''Feng Shui'' was the first RPG to incorporate rules for [[Mooks]]...

 

== Toys ==

* ''[[Bionicle]]'':

{{quote|'''Kongu''':Five of us, 5000 of them. I like your idea of fair odds, Hahli.}}

 

== Video Games ==

* Play a video game. It's one 'you' against a million enemies or so. You take the job and you invariably win.

{{quote|'''Havoc:''' Don't seem fair, does it? Maybe I'll shoot with my left hand.}}

{{quote|That was left handed.}}

* ''[[Mass Effect 2]]'', during Grunt's recruitment mission:

* ''[[Guild Wars]]: Nightfall'' has this in the first mission, when you get a good look at the opposing forces:

{{quote|'''[[Player Character]]:''' There sure are a lot of them.

* In ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]'', Leon and Cloud do this during their [[Back-to-Back Badasses]] moment while surrounded and vastly outnumbered by Heartless.

{{quote|'''Leon:''' Think you can handle this many?

{{quote|'''[[Boisterous Bruiser|Murray:]]''' Outnumbered...fighting impossible odds...it's perfect!}}

* In ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2]]'', you arrive at an inn just as a fight is about to break out between Khelgar, a lone dwarf, and four thugs. When you point out that four against one isn't fair odds, Khelgar agrees... and asks the thugs if they've got any friends who might like to join in.

 

* ''[[Homestuck]]'':

{{quote|''"Upon reflection, Redglare showed the foresight of a true seer in thieving my arm before the trial. [http://mspaintadventures.com/?s{{=}}6&p{{=}}005653 It permitted a fair fight.]"''}}

'''Lancelot''': '''Only''' three-to-one?

'''Cador''': Don't they '''learn'''? }}

{{quote|

'''General Goomblast''': Feh. Diz hardly seems ''fair''.

'''General Goomblast''': (disarms the soldier and flicks his poisoned dirk into another's chest) Hy dun mean for ''me''. }}

 

== Western Animation ==

'''Kowalski:''' More precisely, it's 2.7% foolproof. There's a 97.3% chance that this will backfire and result in a horrific abomination that will be an affront to the most elemental laws of nature and the universe.

'''Skipper:''' I like those odds. }}

{{quote|'''Kowalski:''' I have an idea, but I'm not sure how safe it is.

'''Skipper:''' I like it already! }}

* In the ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]'' episode "How Long Is Forever?", Starfire tells Nightwing that the time travelling thief they are up against believes in [[You Already Changed the Past]] and that history cannot be changed.

{{quote|'''Nightwing:''' So it's impossible? ... Good our records show we've done the impossible before.}}

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Stock Phrases]]