Mediation Backfire: Difference between revisions

Can'''Mediation Backfire''' can cross over with [[Truth-Telling Session]]. The [[Ass in Ambassador]] often invokes this trope, albeit unintentionally.

Subtrope of [[No Good Deed Goes Unpunished]], and related to [[Stop Helping Me!]]. Inversion of [[Apple of Discord]], when a third party makes two allies ''start'' arguing - this is about making two arguers temporarily join forces against the intruder. Compare/contrast [[Enemy Mine]], when two mortal enemies join forces to defeat a mutual threat., and [[Ignored Enemy]], when two allies start fighting with each other and ignore their mutual enemy, who tries to get them to focus on him again.

{{quote| '''Revy and Roberta:''' (''simultaneously'') STAY THE FUCK OUT OF THIS!}}

* ''[[Ranma One Half|Ranma 1/2½]]'': When Gosunkugi gets ahold of paper dolls capable of controlling anyone he wishes, he tries to use this opportunity to win Akane's heart. Unfortunately, after he test-drives a few of his dolls on Ranma to see if they actually work, Ranma's suspicions are raised to the point where he openly confronts him about it. Akane immediately rushes to Gosunkugi's defence and our two opposing sides begin to bicker.

{{quote| '''Ranma:''' How come you're bein' so stupid, stupid?!<br />

'''Akane:''' Speaking of stupid, look in a mirror!<br />

'''Gosunkugi:''' Um, Akane? Ranma? Please calm down. I haven't put the doll on, so can you not fight until I-<br />

''*both Ranma and Akane send him airborne*'' <br />

'''Ranma:''' You stay outta this!<br />

* In the ''[[Azumanga Daioh (Manga)|Azumanga Daioh]]'' comic strip, [[Kindhearted Cat Lover|Sakaki]] once sees two cats about to fight. She instantly rushes in to stop them, but since [[Animals Hate Him|the affection is pretty much one-sided]] [[The Woobie|on Sakaki's part]], they both settle for chomping her hands instead.

* This is a pretty common fate for anyone who steps in between [[Tenchi Muyo|Ryoko and Ayeka in any version of ''[[Tenchi Muyo!]].'' The biggest one comes towards ''Tsunami'', who finds her explanation about herself and Sasami interrupted because the two are more worried that [[She Is's All Grown Up|Tsunami is gonna be Sasami in the future]] and when she tries to get their attention, they both tell her to shut up!

* Very deliberately [[Invoked Trope]] by [[Saki (Creatorauthor)|Saki]] in "Excepting Mrs. Pentherby".

* Discussed and defied by the Feegles in ''[[Discworld (Literature)/I Shall Wear Midnight|I Shall Wear Midnight]]'' - "Any man who interferes with the arguin' of women is gonnae find himself with both of them jumpin' up and doon on him in a matter of seconds".

{{quote| '''[[Butt Monkey|JD]]:''' And just like that all the hatred they had for each other was instantly directed at me.}}

* Played with on ''[[Frasier (TV)|Frasier]]''; Frasier sits Roz and Julia down in the cafe to try to get them to make nice, and when they find common ground insulting him, he graciously leaves them to it. The moment he's gone, though, they both get up to leave, and are bickering again before they reach the door.

{{quote| Diplomat butts into hot disputes, presuming that the combatants will welcome and appreciate his even-handed and eminently reasonable mediation. Frankly, he gets what he deserves.}}

* On ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' when Marge went after Itchy and Scratchy, the series staff did an episode where a squirrel character based on Marge tries to stop a fight, but the duo decides to knock her head off instead. Given that the only other time they've worked together against someone else was an old wartime special where they beat up Hitler...