Look Behind You!: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
[[File:
{{quote|''Look, it's the Goodyear Blimp!''|'''Bill''' [[Time Travel|in the late 1800's!]], ''[[Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure]]''}}
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Alice points past Bob's shoulder and yells, "Hey, what's that over there?!?", or "Look! A [insert improbable thing here]!" Bob looks. Alice legs it. In the subversion, Bob doesn't look, but instead mocks Alice: "You'll think I'll fall for that?" or "That's the oldest trick in the book!" Unfortunately for Bob, deciding not to look [[Tempting Fate|drastically ramps up the probability]] that the thing Alice described ''is'' there, and it'll be something he's not going to like.
A variant is for Alice to just look past Bob with a quizzical expression, or to duck
One of [[The Oldest Tricks in The Book]]; quite possibly ''the'' oldest.
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* In ''[[Ranma ½]]'', Genma Saotome would often use this trick to cheat in games of Shogi or Go. The tables are turned on him, though, as Genma can be distracted by someone shouting "Look! A 100 yen coin!" (that's about $1). In fact, Genma has gone as far as to create a "fighting style" based entirely on pointing up, down, to the side, or behind the opponent (all of these are different techniques, even) before moving in with a surprise attack while the opponent is distracted.
** Also used by Ranma to distract Akane when she noticed he had P-Chan with him instead of Ryoga. When Akane looks back P-Chan has been replaced by Ryoga (thanks to a handy thermos of hot water) and Akane wonders where he has gone. [[Selective Obliviousness|Also, all this takes place while the characters]] [[Idiot Ball|are swinging on vines]] [[Rule of Funny|through mid air]].
* In the third episode of the ''[[Ichigo Mashimaro]]'' anime, this trope is subverted when Matsuri tries this, but is not very good at it, failing miserably. Miu, the [[Jerkass]], not fooled by Matsuri's feeble attempt, does a
* Cui, a minor underling of Frieza in ''[[Dragon Ball]] Z'', distracts Vegeta by looking over his shoulder and gasping, "Lord Frieza?!". This later became his Ultimate move in the video game adaption, ''[[Dragon Ball]] Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2''.
** The most amusing thing about this, is that in ''Tenkaichi 2'', ''even Frieza himself falls for it!''
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* In the ''[[GetBackers]]'' manga, Emishi is hiding in a maneki neko figure. He gives a fake meow, which of course doesn't faze [[Speaks Fluent Animal|Shido]], who actually asks if Emishi ''really'' expected that to work. So Emishi points behind him and yells, "Look! It's [[Love Interest|Madoka!]]" Shido spins around, yelling "Where?! ♥"
* Appears in ''[[Yu Yu Hakusho Abridged]].'' Subverted, as Yusuke forgot to run while his opponent was distracted.
** '''Yusuke:''' Aw, [[Sound Effect Bleep|****
* Used recently in ''[[One Piece]]'' to wake [[Big Eater|Luffy]], [[Blood Knight|Zoro]], and [[Handsome Lech|Sanji]] out of a coma that was supposed to last three days, just by Usopp shouting "A BEAUTIFUL LADY SWORDSMAN just brought some MEAT!"
** Franky uses this to trick Nero, a trained assassin. [[Crowning Moment of Funny|He falls for it]]. Franky promptly hits him when he's not looking.
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* Used in ''[[Dogma]]'' where the anti-abortion protesters are distracted, "Holy shit, it's the Pope!".
* In ''[[Finding Nemo]]'', Marlin tells Dory, "Look! A shiny thing!" Somewhat of a subversion in that he wanted her to come with him, but it effectively distracted her from her insistence that they should go through the big scary crevasse instead of through the clear blue water over the top {{spoiler|with all the jellyfish}}.
* [[Total Recall|HAHAHAHA! You think this is the real Quaid? It is! * mows them down*
* Done several times in ''[[Midnight Run]]'' (1988) as a distraction. The last time [[Crying Wolf|it doesn't work]], only there really ''is'' someone behind him.
* ''They Call Me Bruce'' parodies the "Take the stone from my hand" scene in ''[[Kung Fu]]'' with this. Bruce, challenged to do the same trick by his father, replies that there's a large bird hovering over him. His father laughs at the idea that he could fooled by such a simple trick, whereupon said bird promptly poops on his head, enabling Bruce to snatch away the stone.
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* In [[Neal Stephenson]]'s ''[[The Baroque Cycle]]'', "Half-Cocked" Jack Shaftoe resorts to this to outwit his enraged and violent sons, in characteristic Vagabond style:
{{quote|"Powers o' Darkness!" Jack exclaimed, focusing his one eye that hadn't swollen shut on a point in the middle distance. "I do believe that elephant is fookin' that camel up the arse -- or is it t'other way round?"}}
* ''[[Myth Adventures|M.Y.T.H. Inc in Action]]''
* The usual subversion in ''The Silver Pigs'' by Lindsey
* In ''[[Gentleman Bastard|The Lies of Locke Lamora]]'', Locke is getting his ass kicked by {{spoiler|the Grey King}}, and tricks him into thinking that Jean (who is a much better fighter than Locke) is right behind him. While he's distracted, Locke steals the dagger from his enemy's belt and stabs him to death.
* In the ''Time Warp Trio'' book ''Your Mother Was A Neanderthal'', the eponymous group pulls this on a group of cavewomen using the phrase "Woolly mammoth!" The boys are aware that the targets don't understand English, leaving the strength of the ploy in the body language and emotional acting.
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He wheeled, sword ready. Only the empty arch of the entrance met his gaze. Then behind him sounded a quick faint scuffling noise, a half-choked gasp. He whirled. Thalis and Natala had vanished.'' }}
* In ''[[The Bartimaeus Trilogy]]'', Bartimaeus once defeated a group of Djinn by using this trick.
* In the [[Alternate History]] novel ''West of Eden'' by [[Harry Harrison]], [[Lizard Folk|Vainte]] uses the ability of humans to lie by instructing her captive human Kerrick to shout "Look, a ustouzou (human) in the trees!" on a particular signal. She later stabs a rival with a human arrow and gives the
* This is used for a [[Crowning Moment of Funny]] in ''[[The Dresden Files|Turn Coat]]''. A minor villain believes that Harry has been hiding the person he's after.
{{quote|'''Binder:''' I'll give you one last chance to save yourself, Dresden. ''Where is he?''
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== [[Live Action TV]] ==
* Parodied frequently on ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]''
* Would you believe that Maxwell Smart used this ploy in most episodes of ''[[Get Smart]]''?
** [[Running Gag|I find that hard to believe.]]
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** In another episode, Malcolm and Reese are playing the Circle Game (if you see someone's thumb and index finger in a circle below their waist, they get to punch you). Then Stevie joins in, and it turns out he's very easily distracted, as Reese manages to get him with "Hey, look, a snake!" while indoors.
* Larry of ''[[Perfect Strangers]]'' distracts Balki by saying something like "Hey, isn't that Wayne Newton?" This upsets Balki, as Larry [[Serious Business|"took the name of Wayne in vain."]]
* ''[[Space Cases]]'', when Thelma is cornered by the cast of [[Evil Twin
{{quote|'''Thelma''': Look over there.
'''Evil Harlan''': You don't get it. We're ''[[Card-Carrying Villain|evil]]''. We don't do what we're told.<br />
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* Occurs once in ''[[Jack (webcomic)|Jack]]'' in [http://www.pholph.com/index_a.php?Strip=1079 this strip]
* [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] in [http://www.lfgcomic.com/page/123 this] ''[[Looking for Group]]'' comic.
{{quote|'''[[Omnicidal Maniac|Richard]]''': Good evening. This is a diversion. [[Kill It with Fire|* fwoosh!*
* In ''Tale of the Cave'': [http://taleotc.com/126 "HEY LOOK, A DISTRACTION!"]
* There's a [[Double Subversion]] in [http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/comics/irreg2167.png this] [[Irregular Webcomic]] strip.
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