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Out-of-Character is Serious Business: Difference between revisions
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* [[Batman Grabs a Gun]]
This is a trope for when a somewhat-[[Out of Character]] action is used to draw extra attention to the scene (similar to a [[Title Drop]]). It isn't [[Hidden Depths]] because it isn't telling us something about the character we didn't already know; it's similar to an [[Out-of-Character Moment]] in that this is specifically the usage of such a moment to draw attention to a scene.
See also [[Who Are You and What Did You Do to X?]], a common response to out-of-character behavior.
[[I Thought It Meant|Not to be confused]] with the way some people react to badly-written [[Fan Fiction]].
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* In ''[[Mai-Otome]]'', Arika's friends take note of how she isn't eating sweets when she's thinking about love, and become worried about her.
* ''[[Squid Girl]]'': Similar to the ''[[Bleach]]'' and ''[[Negima]]'' examples - when Chizuru opens her eyes, you're screwed.
* ''[[Dragon Ball]]''
** There is just ''one'' time in which [[Big Eater|Goku]]
** {{spoiler|King Piccolo}} was the first opponent who completely sapped Goku's [[Determinator|unwavering determination]]. You know things are turning for the worst when Goku starts fearing for his life and felling desperate.
** Any time in ''[[Dragonball Z]]'' (and onward) where Vegeta refers to the protagonist as "Goku" means something is very wrong, Vegeta usually addresses him as "Kakarot", his Saiyan name. Even [[Idiot Hero|Goku himself]] notices such an OOC from him quickly.▼
* In [[Mawaru Penguindrum]], Shouma is a sweet and kind male [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] and kind of [[The Klutz]]. But the few times he does ''not'' attempt to solve problems via words, [[It Gets Worse]]. {{spoiler|Specially the as-of-now last one.}}
** Similarly, {{spoiler|his penguin #2, a [[Big Eater]] [[Extreme Omnivore]], only once decided to share his meal with his "sister" #3. She refused it and left him all dejected - a [[Foreshadowing]] of her and Himari ''leaving the Takakura family home''.}}
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* In ''[[Aquarion Evol]]'', there's one way to make even the seemingly unflappable Zen Fudo [[Oh Crap|go stiff in horror]]: {{spoiler|the sight of Mykage killing off Jin, supposedly his ally, for pulling off a [[Heel Face Turn]]}}.
* In ''[[Katekyo Hitman Reborn]]'', Reborn always pushes Tsuna to succeed in any given situation and never gives him a break because he knows that Tsuna has the potential to pull it off. So it's a huge shock to Tsuna when Reborn tells him that he has ''no'' chance of defeating {{spoiler|the strongest member of the Vindice}}.
▲* Any time in ''[[Dragonball Z]]'' where Vegeta refers to the protagonist as "Goku" means something is very wrong, Vegeta usually addresses him as "Kakarot", his Saiyan name. Even [[Idiot Hero|Goku himself]] notices such an OOC from him quickly.
* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! (anime)|Yu-Gi-Oh!]]''; during the [[Filler Arc|Doma Arc]], this overlaps with [[Spot the Imposter]] when Kaiba confronts Pegasus. He quickly realizes that his opponent's playing style is almost identical to their duel in the earlier Duelist Kingdom, and also realizes that, if there is ''one'' thing Pegasus is ''not'', it's predictable. He is, of course, correct, as "Pegasus" here is actually Amelda in disguise.
* In an episode of ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's]]'', the protagonists discover someone has broken into their workshop and stolen the schematics to the Duel Runner they are working on (along with one of Jack's Cup Ramens, which makes him even angrier). After finding a fingerprint and hacking into Sector Security's database to identify it, they find that the culprit is Lazar, Vice-Director of Sector Security. ''Why'' would a high-ranking city government official resort to being a common burglar? Naturally, they realize ''that'' is something they have to find out...
* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! GX]]'',
** In one episode Jaden thinks it's strange that his roomate Chumley is still in bed, and thinks it even stranger when Syrus tells him it's because Chumley was up all night cramming for finals. Of course, the reason makes sense - Chumley has already flunked the course twice, and ''this'' is going to be his last chance.
** In another episode ("The Duel Giant"), Syrus is suspicious right off the bat when [[Stern Teacher|Professor Crowler]] is "acting nice', even more so when he offers Jaden and Syrus no homework for the rest of the year if Jaden finds and idenitifes the Duel Giant, a mysterious duelist who is making fools of the Obelisk students in ante duels. Chumley is suspicious too, when Jaden says he likes the idea, Chumley tells his, "I love grilled cheese, but sometimes I'm suspicious of the who's serving it." Indeed, Crowler is trying to use Jaden as a patsy here, as should Jaden succeed, he can have both him and the Giant expelled for illegal dueling.
== [[Comic Books]] ==
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*** It's fair to say, though, that many of Spidey's rogues gallery actually are pretty lame and have earned his derision. Many of them are idiots who take Spider-Man lightly because he's relatively small for a superhero, instead of treating him like what he is - one of the worst heroes to ever pick a fight with.
*** Another popular interpretation is that Spidey is making jokes to cover up that he actually is terrified, the bigger danger the lamest jokes. So when he stops it usually means that no matter how terrifying and dangerous you are, he is not buying it anymore. Now all he feels is that he ''really'' wants to beat you unconscious. This theory was put forward by Stan Lee himself.
** A specific Spider-Man example, in ''[[Milestone Celebration| Amazing Spider-Man #500]]'', a trap sprung by the Dread Dormammu threatens to erase all of existence. Spider-Man has been cast into a void outside of time, and the only chance to undo the cataclysm is to reach [[Doctor Strange]] via a spell-created path through history, which requires reliving every battle of his career:
{{quote|'''Spider-Man:''' By the way, where did you end up?
'''Strange:''' I am speaking to you from a billion years in the future.
'''Spider-Man:''' Yeah? What’s it like?
'''Strange:''' Cold, dark, depressing. [[Place Worse Than Death| Much like Newark]].
'''Spider-Man:''' Hey… You made a joke. ''You'' made a joke. You…
''(Screams as Doc’s spell reaches him.)''
'''Strange:''' Yes I did. Unfortunately, that is one of the signs that the end of the world is imminent...}}
* In ''[[The Sandman]]'', there is one scene in which Delirium pulls herself together. Delirium, as her name suggests, is the [[Anthropomorphic Personification]] of ''insanity''. She even comments that it ''hurts'' to be sane.
{{quote|"I ''[[Go Mad from the Revelation|know things]]''."}}
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* Tiffany spends almost all of ''[[Hellbound Hellraiser II]]'' as [[The Voiceless]]. Her only line, when first encountering {{spoiler|Dr. Channard in cenobite form}}, is [[Oh Crap|"Shit!"]].
* In the [[Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen]] movie ''It Takes Two'' (a rip-off of ''[[The Parent Trap (1961 film)|The Parent Trap]]''), the girly girl of the [[Tomboy and Girly Girl]] duo is trying her first sloppy joe. After doing so, she claims it's her favorite, "for a [[Gosh Dang It to Heck|durn]] good reason." After a [[Beat]], the camp counselor turns to the girl and asks "Did you just say 'durn?'" Then quickly checks the girl's temperature, clearly fearing an illness.
* In
** In the fifth movie, when Hermione observes that it's kind of exciting breaking the rules, Ron demands [[Who Are You and What Did You Do to X?|"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?"]]
* In one of the ''[[Dirty Harry]]'' films, the title character is tipped off to a robbery in the coffeeshop that is his usual haunt by the waitress breaking a years-long routine and dumping a large amount of sugar into his coffee.
* Gonzo the Great is such a [[Cloudcuckoolander]] that when he opts out of a barmitzva appearence in [[Muppets from Space]], Kermit is quick to take notice.
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* In ''Roadkill'', the last book of the Cal Leandros series, {{spoiler|Robin Godfellow}}, aka lust incarnate, becomes ''monogamous''. All of his friends instantly assume he must be seriously ill.
* ''[[Discworld]]''
** Rincewind is an inept coward who would much rather run away from most problems rather than face them head-on. In ''[[
** Death almost never ends his sentences with an exclamation mark, so you ''know'' he's pissed off when he shouts at the New Death for setting himself up as a ruler over mortals, in ''[[
** This is also invoked for Death when he speaks emphatically of the Auditors' hatred for humanity in ''[[
** Lets not forget Death's first major role in ''[[
** [[Magnificent Bastard|Vetinari]] takes pride in his ability to play Sam Vimes like a fiddle and get him to do the best job imaginable...all by keeping him suitably pissed off. Vimes even tends to punch the wall outside Vetinari's office as he leaves, sometimes hard enough to require repair. Until one day Vimes departs, and Vetinari doesn't hear the telltale thump, and realizes that he might have gone too far.
** The Librarian ''[[Berserk Button|hates]]'' to be called a monkey (orangutans are apes), and will apply a great deal of physical violence to remind people when they forget this. That's why, when the Senior Wrangler calls him one in [[
*** There's one occasion when someone calls him a monkey, ''and he pats their hand comfortingly.''
** In ''[[
* In the ''[[Gaunt's Ghosts]]'' books, Daur is considered the most straitlaced and disciplined of the lot. In ''Only In Death'', he nearly hits Rawne, which is taken as a sign of the insidious effects of Hinzerhaus. In ''Blood Pact'', when {{spoiler|he is caught helping out in one of Rawne's scams}}, Hark thinks that the regiment's discipline and morale has hit a new low.
** ''Only In Death'' has some more of these. Normally unflappable Mkoll gets spooked, chatty Maggs is unusually silent...
* E.E. Smith's [[Skylark Series]]: The reason Dick Seaton knows the scientific knowledge he needs to save the Earth exists is because of independently-evolved legends from two worlds of a large and complex star cluster, which describe their gods ''stunning'' mortals who attack them. This is despite ''ten thousand years'' of strike-to-kill conditioning in both races. ''Ergo'' the legends must contain a grain of truth to have lasted for that long without "stunned" being changed to "killed", and the "gods" must be the [[Sufficiently Advanced Aliens]] he's looking for. He turns out to be right.
* In [[Larry Niven]]'s short story "Flatlander", our hero
{{quote|'''Beowulf:''' Elephant, have you noticed a tendency in me to use profanity for emphasis?
'''Elephant:''' No, not really.
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* In an episode of ''[[Red Dwarf]]'': When Rimmer seems against filming women in the showers, Holly remarks "Alright, who are you, and what have you done with our Rimmer?"
* In ''[[The A-Team]]'', when Howlin' Mad Murdock drops his psychosis of the week and takes a turn for the serious, you know something big is going down.
== [[Newspaper Comics]] ==
* In ''[[Blondie]]'', Dagwood has the reputation of a slacker who tends to goof off at work, but in one Sunday strip, he starts doing his work efficiently, getting his workload done early and getting a head start on the next day's workload. Dithers notices and asks if he's feeling okay; Dagwood says that actually, he thinks he ''does'' have some sort of bug. So Dithers brings him out into the common room - where ''everyone else'' is goofing off - and tells him to spread it around.
== [[Oral Tradition]], [[Folklore]], Myths and Legends ==
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== [[Professional Wrestling]] ==
* Since wrestling announcers are supposed to be loud and talking all the time, it was always a pretty safe bet that when they went completely silent, it was a sign that someone was ''legitimately'' hurt (instead of when they kept talking, which showed it was part of the show). However, that's not quite as accurate now, since the people behind the scenes have caught on to this, and have started to use dead air when trying to sell a Kayfabe injury.
** When an announcer drops the kayfabe and explain about an incident
== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
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*** The key word in both of these examples is "mistake." Mordin is never insensitive to the consequences of his actions, but his tremendous intelligence and pride make it difficult for him to acknowledge when he's made a bad decision, {{spoiler|which means he'll defend the genophage modification as [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|distasteful but necessary]] every time you confront him about it up until you reach the Shroud.}} His explanation for why he's participating in [[Mass Effect 3]] isn't even that he feels guilty; it's the condescending, at best neutral, "Someone else might have gotten it wrong."
* In [[Tales of the Abyss]], [[Deadpan Snarker|Jade]] says, after weighing the possible benefits of Luke {{spoiler|sacrificing himself}}, tells Luke that "as (his) friend" he feels compelled to stop him, prompting Luke to point out that he never called him his friend before. Jade then apologizes, something that's equally uncharacteristic of him. Earlier, Jade gets visibly angry when he realizes that the villains are using fomicry.
* ''[[Lollipop Chainsaw]]''; Cordelia's biggest defining trait is that [[Drives Like Crazy|she is a terrible driver]]; in one part of chapter 3, she gives Juliet and Nick a ride and, after managing to go three full minutes with getting in or causing an accident, Juliet realizes [[Spot the Impostor|something is wrong.]]
=== [[Visual Novels]] ===
* In [[Katawa Shoujo]],
** Similarly, the single time when {{spoiler|Kenji}} calms down enough to speak reasonably and offer {{spoiler|Hisao}} emotional support, you ''know'' it's gonna bring up a [[Tear Jerker]].
** In Emi's route, when Emi and Hisao {{spoiler|meet after throws Hisao out of her house}}, [[Cloudcuckoolander|Rin]] becomes surprisingly direct and to-the-point.
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* ''[[Homestuck]]''
** Dave Strider is normally an [[The Stoic|unflappable]] [[Badass]], so when he [[Heroic BSOD|stares at his blood-stained hands for ten minutes]] {{spoiler|after throwing the corpse of an [[Alternate Timeline]] version of himself out of a window}}, the audience knows that the [[Cerebus Syndrome]] has kicked into high gear.
** The trolls all have a characteristic quirk or two when it comes to communicating through their messaging system. When
{{quote|<span style{{=}}"color
<span style{{=}}"color
* ''[[This Is the Worst Idea You've Ever Had]]''
{{quote|"Oh my God! She's letting him drive her car!"}}
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'''Kiki''': Bun-Bun doesn't say 'uh-oh!'
'''Aylee''': Uh-oh... }}
* ''[[The
** [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0141.html The first time] [[Spoony Bard|Elan]] proves he can actually be useful, it comes as a shock to his teammates. Belkar, naturally, also takes advantage of this to trick Roy.
** [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0591.html Vaarsuvius passing on a perfect opportunity] to say "[[I Told You So]]" can get Durkon really worried.
** Belkar is a [[Heroic Sociopath]] [[Blood Knight]] at all times, so when he suddenly starts [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0620.html advocating the most peaceful solution to a conflict] to reduce the bloodshed... it seriously freaks out Haley and Celia. ([[Genre Savvy|Which was of course his intention all along.]])
** [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0796.html Thog gets mean and nasty].
* ''[[8-
* From ''[[Head Trip]]'', Mal is an unapologetic [[Chaotic Neutral]] [[Comedic Sociopath]]. But when [http://headtrip.keenspot.com/d/20080505.html confronted with] ''[[Twilight (novel)|Twilight]]'', she breaks down crying and ''begs'' a priest to come over and exorcise the book.
* In an arc of ''[[The Adventures of
{{quote|'''Dan McNinja''': (Returning with a method to cure his wife) How is she?
'''Sean''': Well... She gave me the "I'm sorry I was a horrible mother" speech.
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== [[Real Life]] ==
* [[Stephen Colbert]] testified to Congress, in character, about the terrible and paradoxical treatment of migrant workers in the US. When asked why he felt that this issue, as opposed to others, was so important, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu9SSxe5bz0 he displays this trope in such a subtle yet beautiful way.]
* A soldier from the [[Second World War]] managed to invoke this trope unintentionally; he was well known for having a very poor grasp of punctuation, and once joked with his wife that if he ever sent her a perfectly punctuated letter, she should underline the first word of every sentence and it would reveal a coded message.
* In [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0Vyr1TylTE 1985]: the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) had gotten the United States Congress to pay attention to their concerns over music and wanted to produce a parental warning system on all music albums. Dee Snider of [[Twisted Sister]] was among the musicians who testified against censorship and the proposed warning system. What made Snider unusual was he didn’t have has usual make-up on - and it meant business. He had his sleeve-less shirt along with denim vest and jeans, but no makeup. He also gave a [[Real Men Wear Pink|straightforward speech]], which including his Christian upbringing, having a family of his own, and his straight-edge lifestyle.
* [http://www.ktre.com/story/14079358/pizza-saves-life-of/ A rather heartwarming story:] An 82
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