No Questions Asked

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

The Stock Phrase No Questions Asked gets used in at least two contexts:

  1. Mercenary types either use it to offer to do missions without asking why their employers want them done, or their employers insist on not explaining themselves. In the latter case, often costs extra.
  2. Also seen on reward posters when someone suspects that a missing item has been stolen; in that case it specifically implies "will pay the reward, and not go to the cops, even if we're pretty sure we're paying the thief".
Examples of No Questions Asked include:

Type 1

Film

Han Solo: I'm captain of the Millennium Falcon. Chewie here tells me you're lookin' for passage to the Alderaan system?
Obi-Wan: Yes indeed, if it's a fast ship.
Han: [snip bragging] What's the cargo?
Obi-Wan: Only passengers. Myself, the boy, two droids... and no questions asked.
Han Solo: What is it? Some kind of local trouble?
Obi-Wan: Let's just say we'd like to avoid any Imperial entanglements.
Han: Well, that's the trick, isn't it? And it's going to cost you something extra. Ten thousand, all in advance.

[Hanover's goons are beating up Pantucci]
Finnegan: We got a contract: 20 hours out and back. You beat my engine man to death, it's gonna take a hell of a lot longer - which is ok by me since overtime'll cost you double rate!
Hanover: He was nosing around in my cargo!
Finnegan: Ok, so he's nosy.
Hanover: Contract was "no questions asked."

  • Carnage on Graves Farm

Farmer Graves: My buyers pay me five thousand dollar per film, no questions asked.

Live Action TV

Hal: [enters room] Who wants to make 5 bucks?
Malcolm: How?
Lois: [outside] Oh my God!
Malcolm: What did you do?
Hal: Yes or no? No questions asked!
Lois: [outside] Oh my GOD!
Malcolm: Make it 10.
Hal: OK. You're a good son.
Lois: [outside] OH MY GOD!
Hal: [grabs Malcolm and opens the door] Don't worry honey. I got him!

  • Cheers episode "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Bar"

Carla: [about getting someone to do some kidnapping and torture work] Leave this to me, Sammy. I happen to know some people who can handle this kind of thing, no questions asked. It might cost us a little, but they do good work. [Dials the telephone] Hi. It's Mommy. Wake up your brothers.

  • Used in the television adaptation of Hogfather.

Lord Downey: No questions asked, I assume?
Auditor: No question answered.

Western Animation

Skipper: (explaining how he got a stuffed bunny with a hidden crossbow) I know a man in Havana. He doesn't ask questions, and neither do I.

Type 2

Literature

  • In Expiration Date by Tim Powers, after Kootie Parganas's parents are killed and he goes on the run, advertisements start appearing that offer a large reward for his whereabouts, no questions asked.

Western Animation

Quagmire: I am offering a $50 reward about James to anyone who knows what happened to him, no questions asked.
Peter Griffin: [taking the money] I killed your cat.

Other

Literature

  • In Artemis Fowl…well, the book called "The Artemis Fowl Files", here's this line. Commander Julius Root delivers this line during Holly Short's initiation into LEP Recon. The test is like a game of paintball, where Root and the initiates 'hunt' one another in a certain area. The initiates would be evaluated by how hard they make it for Root to hunt them as he's obviously much more experienced. And the only way to get in immediately is…

You tag me before I tag you and you're in. No questions asked.

    • After Holly fails her test because of a run-in with Julius's brother Turnball being in the same area, Root gives her one chance to do something to change his mind. She shot three paintballs at him, delivering an Ironic Echo.