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''--connection reestablished--'' [[Orphaned Punchline|then I said "But you're the second one!!"]] Man, everyone was so ''--connection lost--''
''--connection reestablished--'' but undoubtedly, [[His Name Is--|the most important part is when]] ''--connection lost--''
''--unable to reestablish communication; connection terminated--''
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There are a couple of variations on this trope:
'''Type 1a:''' Some list of important information is being conveyed. Whether because of technical reasons (network failure, radio static, the tape breaks, the computer has experienced a psychotic break from reality, etc) or unintentional stupidity, some of the information is lost. Inevitably it is going to be [[His Name Is--|the most important piece of information]]. It's the one single piece required to complete the task you are being given, or prevent you from being killed while performing the task. The last clear part of the message will invariably be something like "Under no circumstances should you ever..." or "It's vitally important that you..."
'''Type 1b:''' There's a variation of this where it's the audience that's [[Take Our Word for It|left in the dark]], but in-universe everyone is clued in. The ''[[Planet Terror]]'' example below is this type. (Similar to [[Relax-O-Vision]], but where that is obviously intentional, this is made to look purely accidental.)
'''Type 2:''' You have [[Apocalyptic Log|some kind of communication]] or [[Great Big Book of Everything|tome of information]], part of which is missing or has been either intentionally or unintentionally redacted, leaving something much more mysterious, suggestive and/or humorous than the original could possibly have been. What you're left with is an accidental list of [[Noodle Implements]] with no instructions. Or a non-sequitur without the information that would have naturally linked Point A to Point Z and you are left wondering just exactly ''how the heck'' Point A and Point Z could ''possibly'' be connected. The [[
There is no reason not to mix the two in the same instance, as with the article intro.
The keys to identifying this trope and distinguishing it from others are:
* You aren't simply missing necessary information to be discovered as with a puzzle or in context of a mystery.
* It's '''not''' a case of misunderstanding what was said or a translation error.
* The '''most important''' is that the recipient ''knows'' there is another piece and there is no way for them to get it; communication has effectively become a one-way street and they are getting all they are going to get without the chance to ask "Can you please repeat yourself?"
* It's nearly always used for the funny.
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If people involved in a [[Noodle Incident]] reminisce, you can wind up with a Type 2 for outsiders listening in.
Compare: [[Orphaned Punchline]] and [[Noodle Implements]]. [[His Name Is--]] and [[Conveniently Interrupted Document]] are subtropes. Contrast: [[Lost in Translation]] where the information is all there, just interpreted wrongly. See also [[Distress Call]], [[Electronic Speech Impediment]], [[Translation: "Yes"]].
Oh, and when using this trope, ''never, ever''
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{{examples}}
== [[Advertising]] ==
* Future Shop had an advertisement which would start with an employee answering questions, which in this case, was answering how to restore files on a hard drive after a crash, but it would get interrupted by an announcement of a sale at the store.
{{quote|
(cuts to announcement of a recent sale at the store)
Be sure to follow those 4 crucial steps and you'll get your files back. }}
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== [[Comic Books]] ==
* In the tie-in comic for ''[[Terminator (
* ''[[PS238]]'' during the [[Alien Invasion|Invasion Day]].
{{quote|'''Revenant''': I think we're being ''distracted'' from the ''real'' threat, here. Whatever you do, ''don't'' *BZZRT* ...go outside.}}
== [[Film]] ==
* Played straight in ''[[Screamers]]''.
{{quote|
I missed that last part, over... (static) }}
* In ''[[Planet Terror]]'', we get a "Missing Reel" screen. During the missing reel, it's implied, we'd have gotten to see [[Rose McGowan]] totally naked, plus the entire plot surrounding Ray's mysterious origins would have been explained.
** [[Crowning Moment of Funny|Hilariously]], when the film comes back, ''everything is on fire'', and [[Noodle Incident|we'll never know why]].
* This exchange from ''[[
{{quote|
'''Livingston:''' (off screen) Rust, can you come here a sec?
'''Rusty:''' Sure thing. (leaves)
'''Linus:''' ... }}
* ''[[Superhero Movie]]'' plays with this trope when Rick Riker receives a message from Professor X and it keeps buffering so the important info is lost and it sounds like something else.
* Type 1b is used (in the form of [[Plot
* ''[[Star Trek VI]]: The Undiscovered Country''. One of the villains' allies decides to tell Kirk and McCoy the master plan, but they are beamed to safety by Spock before they get to hear a word of it.
{{quote|
'''Chekov:''' You want to go back?
'''McCoy:''' Absolutely not!
'''Kirk:''' (whispering) It's cold. }}
* ''[[Crimson Tide]]''. The main conflict revolves around the differing opinions of the captain and the executive officer after they receive an interrupted emergency message that begins "Nuclear missile laun...". Having previously been ordered to launch their nuclear weapons, the captain feels they must launch immediately while the executive officer wants confirmation first. There's a [[Race Against the Clock]] on both sides to prevent what they both see as an unthinkable outcome.
* In ''[[Shrek]]'', the titular character tries to silence Donkey by covering his mouth, to little avail.
{{quote|
''(mumbling)''
'''Donkey:''' ...and then I ate some rotten berries. Man, I had some strong gasses leaking out of my butt that day! }}
* ''[[Event Horizon]]'' has a horrific Type 1a. The distress signal sent by the titular starship contains the Latin phrase ''liberate me'' ("save me"). It was later realized that the message was actually {{spoiler|'''''liberate''' tute'''me'''t ex inferis'' ("save yourself from Hell")}}.
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* Jarringly subverted in ''The Spanish Prisoner'', where several points of fact, detail, or exposition are obscured by environmental noise or bad camera angles as a deliberate signal to the audience ''of the movie'' that they are Macguffins.
* Shown in ''[[Revenge of the Sith]]''. One of the clone troopers trying to support Anakin and Obi Wan in saving Chancellor Palpatine ends up getting into an ambush with Droid fighters. The clone troopers shout for them to get the fighters off their tails, but then static emerges, implying that he was shot down.
* A rather tragic example is shown in ''[[Captain America:
== [[Literature]] ==
* ''[[House of Leaves]]'' makes use of this occasionally. For example, two of Will Navidson's dreams are recounted, and the third dream is said to be very unsettling and key to understanding his actions. Naturally, [[Literary Agent Hypothesis|Johnny misplaced those pages]].
** There's also the chapter where Navidson sends samples from the {{color|blue|house}} to be scientifically analyzed, which seems like it would have answered a lot...except Johnny accidentally most of those pages.
* Halfway through ''[[Harry Potter and
** Ironically, once the true memory is revealed, it turns out Slughorn mostly confirmed what Voldemort had already learned.
* The entire plot of Ellen Raskin's ''The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel)'' revolves around this trope.
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* Brazilian novel ''O Homem Que Matou Getúlio Vargas'' (released in English as ''Twelve Fingers'') has a [[Truth in Television]] technique of lowering the water level of the prison's toilets so when someone speaks into one toilet, it can be heard in the others. An inmate is listing the ones that we will be sent to a prison ship. He only says the protagonist's name before someone flushes and people are unable to hear the rest.
* In ''[[The Westing Game]]'', this trope occurs when Sam Westing's will is revealed. One character makes a stupid joke during the reading, and none of the heirs realizes that they've missed a crucial clue as a result until much later. {{spoiler|Turns out the trope was ''deliberately'' invoked, as the joker has a hidden agenda and distracted everyone on purpose.}}
* German Writer Heinrich Heine (1797-1856), in his "Ideen", had a whole (single page) chapter where all text is blacked out, as by an official censor. The only text left are the three starting words "Die deutschen Zensoren" (the German censors) and somewhere halfway the word "Dummköpfe" (blockheads, idiots).
* The Book of Mazarbul in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' is read out with all the missing bits included as ellipses. Tolkien also [[Doing It for
{{quote|
* ''[[Monty Python and
{{quote|
'''King Arthur:''' Look, if he was dying [[Lampshade Hanging|he wouldn't bother to carve "aaargh", he'd just say it]].
'''Galahad:''' Perhaps he was dictating.
'''King Arthur:''' Oh shut up! }}
* The Ebenezum trilogy: The oracle is a team of three women, each of whom gives one part of the prophecy. One of them sick and is unable to announce her part. However they order the three, the missing woman's part of the prophecy is the important one.
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* Episode 30 of ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'' had a [[Running Gag]] where periodically the skit would cut to a bizarre set of instructions being read that included the phrase "and paste down the edge of the sailor's uniform, until the word 'Maudling' is almost totally obscured." Near the end of the show, the scene cuts to BBC Newsman Richard Baker at a newsdesk talking and making increasingly strange hand gestures, however there is a voice over preventing us from hearing what he is saying. Finally the voice over ends and the normal audio concludes with Richard saying "... until the word 'Maudling' is almost totally obscured." Bonus points for never knowing what the instructions are supposed to be for to begin with.
** Another ''Python'' gag that uses this trope comes from the ''How to Irritate People'' sketch.
{{quote|
Also: "In the event of an emergency, it is vitally important that you *static..........................* AS THE WARNING BUZZER SOUNDS! }}
* The Australian ''Late Show'', Tony Martin and Mick Molloy were discussing Thai porno movies, and the station kept having "transmission problems" just as they got to the "interesting" parts.
* Type 1a is milked for laughs in the ''[[
* Various types of this occur frequently on ''[[Lost]]''. The Swan Orientation film alone had multiple types: some information lost due to film problems, some due to Radzinsky snipping it out. In season 5, a time flash occurs just as Daniel is trying to get Desmond to help him: "You have to find my mother. Her name is --." Most times the subsequent episodes complete the info.
* Carl and Steve are stuck flying a plane ([[It Makes Sense in Context]]) with no pilot and they ask ground control what to do. They get a pretty good idea and manage to steady the plane until they hear "Now, you need to make sure you *static* or you will die. Is that clear?"
** Which show is this from?
* ''[[
{{quote|
== [[Music]] ==
* The [[Jonathan Coulton]] song "Chiron Beta Prime"
{{quote|
We really hope you'll come and visit us soon
I mean we're literally begging you to visit us
And make it quick before they -MESSAGE REDACTED- }}
* [http://www.ookingdom.com/laughs/billboard This song] is about a billboard that had been pasted over with innumerable new advertisements. The top layers had begun peeling off, leaving words from underneath exposed. When putting the whole thing together, you had a wonderful medley of nonsense made from mixing up phrases from all the various ads.
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== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
* Any properly-run ''[[Paranoia (game)|Paranoia]]'' RPG should be chock full of this kind of stuff.
** "Troubleshooter, congratulations on being assigned to test the experimental Personal Fuel/Air Explosive Knapsack and Lunchbag! You will be held fully accountable for any damage caused to the device or facilities due to misuse of the device, Troubleshooter. The Computer is your friend!" Then the player should realize the instruction book has been almost entirely blacked out with "CLASSIFIED INFORMATION" stamps.
** "Troubleshooter, you have been [[Canned Orders Over Loudspeaker|assigned an urgent mission!]] Please report ''immediately'' to Alpha Complex Sector A-'''squeeeeeeeee'''-Bouncy Bubble Beverage, now available in Soylent Orange flavor! '''squeeeeeeee'''-failure to report on time will be considered treason."
* ''[[Dungeons
** Module S4 ''The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth''. The [[PC
** Module O2 ''Blade of Vengeance''. Two items have missing information: Druinder's letter and the last page of the hermit's book.
* ''[[Silent Hill]]'' RPG. In Alchemilla Hospital the [[PC
{{quote|
* ''[[Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay]]'' [[In-Universe]] materials have both redacted and corrupted lacunae.
** [[Only War]] sourcebook ''Hammer of the Emperor'' has Munitorium identification cards for [[Horse of a Different Color|some creatures used as mounts]]. The one with Aethexe (ill-tempered omnivorous lizard the size of a large bear) has a hole: "Safety Notes: To ensure safety, keep all limbs[…]r more metres clear of Aeth[…]at all times".
== [[Video Games]] ==
* In GlaDOS' opening announcement from ''[[Portal (
{{quote|
** She does it again when explaining the safety instructions for the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, and there is also this pearl:
{{quote|
** And under no circumstances should the portal device be
** ''[[
{{quote|
* Also from the Orange Box, in ''[[
** In the original ''[[
{{quote|
*** Played with in that you've already heard the name of the place (Ravenholm) before, as well has having been told that its unsafe to travel through, and so are easily able to deduce what Eli just said from context. And then you gave to go through Ravenholm anyway because there is no other possible escape route from where you are.
* One more from the Orange Box, Valve's [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=han3AfjH210 "Meet the Demoman"] segment for [[
{{quote|
* Happens in the original ''[[Half Life]]'', in the level where you finally meet the black ops ninjas ("Apprehension").
{{quote|
* In ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' there's an item called "Nat Pagel's Guide to Extreme Anglin'" that's missing every page but the last. What does it say? "... and so that's where you'll find the legendary sword of the Scarlet Highlord, [[Infinity+1 Sword|Ashbringer]]. Ain't it amazin' what you run into in an ordinary day of fishin'?"
* In the GDI campaign of the original ''[[Command
** If you blow up the wrong building, you get to do a follow-up mission where you attack the base with a conventional force, but the enemy has had time to expand their defenses.
** If you count the number of stars representing static in the objective menu you realise that only one structure has that specific amount of letters.
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* In ''[[Rebel Assault]] II'', the first mission [[Cutscene]] has a static - ridden message from a freighter pilot, mentioning "...new weapons..." and generally foreshadowing. Several missions later, you recover the freighter itself and can receive the full message. The static is done so that if you know the full message, you can just tell most of it when reviewing the original.
** Wedge Antilles, during the Assault on Kile II mission in the first ''[[Rogue Squadron]]'' game, ends up having his transmission cut as he ends up shot down by an ambush of TIE interceptors.
* Shows up in some of the [[Apocalyptic Log
* In ''[[Paper Mario:
* ''[[
{{quote|
* ''[[
* One of the Marine logs in ''[[Metroid Prime]] 2 Echoes'' has it abruptly ending in static.
* This is how the events of
* ''[[
== [[Web Comics]] ==
* In the [http://www.arthurkingoftimeandspace.com/0001.htm very first strip] of ''[[Arthur, King of Time and Space]]'', when Merlin is explaining the premise.
* In an early ''[[Emergency Exit]]'' strip, Harvoc, the [[Hook Hand|hook-handed]] mailman, accidentally tears [http://eecomics.net/?strip_id=416 an important part] out of a letter from the villians to the heroes
* [http://xkcd.com/521/ This] ''[[
* ''[[
* Used in ''[[A Miracle of Science]]'' to make the already weird snippets of Martian conversation even more humorously out-of context:
** "...yellow stuff is lemon flavored, but it's really insulation flavored."
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** "...do not... -inate. Those are structural cockroaches."
* The punchline to [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=48352#192344 this] ''[[Skin Horse]]'' guest strip.
* In ''[[Quentyn Quinn, Space Ranger]]'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20120619090004/http://www.rhjunior.com/QQSR/00079.html he is told he must take the assassin alive, but not why.]
* ''[[Bob and George]]'' [http://bobandgeorge.com/archives/030928 here]. "...and die horribly".
* ''[[Schlock Mercenary]]'' has a rather obvious example.
{{quote|'''Haban II''': They've already started to hssssshhh---
'''Breya''': WHAT? STARTED TO WHAT?
'''Kevyn''': Jam our hypernet communications. }}
== [[Web Original]] ==
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR68W56DCBU This] "Ask A Ninja" episode.
* The [[
** SCP document [http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/reddawn "MTF-E5 'Reddawn' Agent Handbook"] - image of Chapter 5 is almost entirely covered by previous page except for endings paragraph which conclude "With that said, you should now have better [obscured] methods for taking care of baby in midst of battle. [...]" and annotated "I hadn't thought of it that way, but this makes sense."
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_W4kBlBH00 Previously on LOST], a parody [[WoW]] Machinima has this at the end.
* ''[[Look to
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* The ''[[Harvey Birdman, Attorney
* An episode of kids' show ''[[Martha Speaks]]'' has the kids and Martha hiding a tape recorder to record the plans of what they think are a couple of criminals getting ready to rob a bank. They retrieve the recorder later and take it to the police. When they play the tape, just as the criminals are starting to discuss details, the tape has been recorded over with Martha singing pop tunes. (No explanation over how she managed to get time to record herself singing between the time they retrieved the tape and arrived at the police station... Even for a kids' show, that always bothered me about this episode.)
* In the first ''[[Futurama]]'' episode to feature the soap opera ''All My Circuits'', Calculon reveals his terrible secret at the exact moment that Bender walks in and his antenna disrupts the broadcast. He leaves the room intending to go and complain, and the picture comes back. Calculon says "To reiterate, my terrible secret is-" and then Bender returns and disrupts the transmission again.
** The chronotons from the episode "Time Keeps On Slippin" start to cause "time skips" where time suddenly lurches forward. One time skip jumps to Fry and Leela's wedding, then another immediately jumps to their divorce, leaving Fry to wonder how he managed to get her to marry him in the first place and then what he did to cause the divorce.
* In an episode of ''[[Sushi Pack]]'', Tako goes with his [[Long-Lost Relative|newly-discovered cousin]] to a family reunion. After he's gone, the rest of the Pack start to worry that this reunion is a trap, and go investigate in their underwater craft. When they spot a couple of octopi, Kani turns on an eavesdropping device, but it cuts out at a crucial moment, making it sound like the family reunion is indeed a trap. It turns out the reunion was actually a surprise party honoring Tako's achievements as an octopus and a member of the Sushi Pack.
* In ''[[The Simpsons]]'', Homer suffers a mental version of this:
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*** D'oh!
** Kent Brockman is also fond of this one:
{{quote|
* In the ''[[Metalocalypse]]'' episode "Mordland", static interrupts band mascot Facebones during several important parts of the Fan Day safety briefing.
* In the ''[[Teen Titans (
== [[Real Life]] ==
* If you've ever seen copies of those documents concerning the military's UFO research, you'd wonder if someone didn't just block out 80% of the text just to screw with you. It's in weird places too. Half a paragraph will be blocked, only to pick up on stuff like "...to which, the witness responded, 'I don't know WHAT they would want with my cattle, that's why I called you.'"
** The [[
* Railway platform announcements, as immortalised by this Usenet signature:
{{quote|
* Bill Cosby mentions something similar in one of his routines; during a conversation with an old wino, the wino mentions that he's the guy who announces the bus schedule.
* The Wikileaks cables get like this sometimes.
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== Other ==
* Used by Rowan Atkinson in a comedy routine:
{{quote|
* This trope can be invoked if you are about to explain something about the [[Candle Jack]] trope, like how it's very important to nev
* This trope accidentally a [[Memetic Mutation]].
* In the radio adaptation of [[The
* [http://i.imgur.com/XI2kp.jpg This] image.
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20170403070753/http://www.esotericbookshop.com.au/new/catalogue/products/product.php/16/337/1141 Ye Anciente Obscure Weirdnesse Spelle]'', a poster which can be found many places besides the linked location, lays out detailed instructions for a ritual one should perform, apparently for personal benefit although the spell is a little ... vague about that. What it ''isn't'' vague on is the danger you will be in if you don't do whatever it is that is obscured by the massive ink blot in its lower right corner.
{{reflist}}
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