One of the Seven Signs of the Apocalypse
Something of a Stock Phrase, this is a common humorous hyperbole used to emphasize how unlikely a given event or action is in the current context. Alternately, it can be used to suggest that something is so awful that it must be a sign of the impending end of the world, usually with a knowing wink at the exaggeration.
In use it takes either a declarative form ("X is One of the Seven Signs of the Apocalypse.") or an interrogative ("Isn't X One of the Seven Signs of the Apocalypse?").
The Trope Namer (but not an example), of course, is The Bible, and references the Seven seals which are opened in Chapters 5-8 of the Book of Revelation; as each is opened a judgment is released or an apocalyptic event occurs, which are the actual signs.
Note that this trope is not about the serious use or identification of current or historical events as literal signs of an (or the) Apocalypse, or speculation on the same. It is only about amusing hyperbole.
This trope does include any other phrase with similar meaning which is used in the same manner, such as "<trivial event> -- the end times are clearly here".
Not to be confused with The End Is Nigh.
Literature
- In Zombie Zero: The First Zombie by J.K. Norry, there is the following passage:
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"Well, hell," Tod hooted. "Allen disagrees with you, Maya. Isn't that one of the seven signs of the apocalypse?" |
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- The Dangerous Animals Club by Stephan Tobolowsky has this comment at the beginning of its 22nd chapter:
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While most people look toward a nuclear Iran or melting ice caps to get a heads-up on the end of the world, I train my eye on the programming of the Hallmark Channel. The more modern the time frame and the more cynical the casting, the closer we are to the end of the world. For example, if you see a Hallmark movie entitled The Search for Mrs. Santa starring Liza Minnelli and Simon Cowell, consider it one of the seven signs of the Apocalypse. |
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- In Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper:
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"Did Mama just hand me a cup of human blood and then make a joke about a horror movie?" I asked Jenny, who nodded, all astonishment. "Doesn't the Bible list that as one of the seven signs of the Apocalypse?" |
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Live-Action Television
- In episode 10 of the 2005 FOX series Point Pleasant, there was this line of dialogue:
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Judy: [to Christina] Hey, you're falling in love, it's not one of the seven signs of the apocalypse... Is it? |
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Web Comics
- From Out There, this moment when even Motor Mouth Miriam has nothing to say:
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Chuck: Does this seem like a particularly awkward silence? |
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Web Original
- A 2007 essay at Humorpress.com explicitly proclaims The Bachelor one of the seven signs.
- Mad Magazine's website has a page about a 2012 rumor that Snooki from Jersey Shore was pregnant. It introduces a parody of a Vanity Fair cover with
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Rumor has it that Jersey Shore's Snooki is preggers. Since this is clearly one of the seven signs of the Apocalypse, we’ll keep this short. How long before we see this magazine cover? |
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- A 2010 article about a fashion show at thecut.com, a spinoff of NYMag.com, ends with
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If the show had started any later, [Vogue editor Anna Wintour] might have started posing with people and delivering phone-cam shout-outs to their mothers. We believe that’s one of the seven signs of the apocalypse, so keep an eye out for it. The world can’t end before Fashion Week does. |
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- And Maxim's website actually uses the phrase in the headline for an article:
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Taco Bell Is Making a Taco Shell Out of Fried Chicken |
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Web Video
- In episode 3 of Bad Obsession Motorsport's Project Binky, narrator Richard says, "I'm sure that Nik not using a grinder when the opportunity presents itself is one of the seven signs of the Apocalypse."