Speak of the Devil: Difference between revisions

''(the JSSDF begins a [[Macross Missile Massacre]] on the Geofront)'' }}

** "It would be disastrous if an Angel turned up right now."

 

== [[Comic Books]] ==

* In Brazilian comic [[Monica's Gang]], two characters have it: [[Grim Reaper|Lady]] [[Don't Fear the Reaper|McDeath]] appears whenever someone says "death" or something related to the verb "die"; and whenever something absurd occurs and someone asks "who would be nutty enough..." Nutty Ned appears.

* A more down-to-earth version of this is used for humor and to get around a real-world problem in [[G.I. Joe|the G.I. Joe comics]]. Hasbro created a character named Ghostrider, who is a stealth pilot. Nobody noticed that there was already a character in Marvel Comics with [[Ghost Rider|almost the exact same name]] before the figure went into production. Larry Hama worked around the issue by writing the character as being so stealthy that even his own teammates ''could never remember his codename''.

 

== [[Film]] ==

''Ghostly hauntings now turn loose''

''Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!'' }}

** ''Community'' used this for a [http://youtu.be/19FMU3M7Jtk stealth gag] that ran over the course of three years. Watch behind Annie at the end of the clip.

* The ''[[Candyman]]'' horror films: A tortured murderous spirit is summoned by saying "Candyman" five times in front of a mirror.

** This hearkens back to the childhood myth of Bloody Mary.

* In the [[V for Vendetta]] film, {{spoiler|Lewis Prothero}} is listening to a recording in which he talks about V (specifically about how he wishes he could fight him man to man) only for a [[Mirror Scare]] to reveal V standing there. Just for clarification, there is nothing magical in this case, and it is just a coincidence (or possibly the ever-theatrical V was waiting for the perfect moment,) but [[Oh Crap|the look on the man's face suggests it might as well have been this trope.]]

 

== [[Literature]] ==

** In a more benign case, house elves automatically Apparate to the location of their owner when their name is called, regardless of any curses or protective magic that should prevent them.

* In the ''[[Young Wizards]]'' series, speaking any of the Lone Power's nicknames has the danger of drawing Its attention. Even ''thinking'' its [[I Know Your True Name|true name]] is ''guaranteed'' to get Its attention unless something is keeping It distracted.

*** Although if you're close enough to a portal even these pseudonyms will draw them.

*** This is actually based on old folk beliefs; there's a reason the trope's called [[The Fair Folk]].

** Another [[Discworld]] example is Igor (any Igor). When the master calls him, Igor will appear directly behind to answer. Makes no difference if Igor was in the basement or on the roof at the time, somehow he will also be out of sight behind his master when the master calls. Just part of the Igor service package.

** Inverted with the Auditors, which are [[Too Dumb to Live|instantly destroyed]] if they refer to ''themselves'' in the first-person singular.

** Wizards are forbidden from saying the number eight because it draws the attention of the [[Eldritch Abomination]] Bel-Shamharoth, the Sender of Eight.

* In The ''[[Griffin's Daughter]] Trilogy'', the Nameless One's true name had been stricken from elven records and lore, to keep others from trying to invoke [[I Know Your True Name]] and claim the Nameless One's power, either becoming as big a threat as The Nameless One or inadvertently resurrecting him.

 

* The [[Monty Python's Flying Circus|Spanish Inquisition]], whom nobody expects.

* "Say my name and I appear. Why have you summoned [[Power Rangers|Quagmire]] here?"

* ''[[The Muppet Show]]'':

** Mentioning any word associated with bombs and explosions will cause [[Mad Bomber|Crazy Harry]] to appear, detonation plunger in hand and BOOM! Kermit once had the misfortune of causing this ''three times in a row'' on the [[Ben Vereen]] episode.

 

== [[Music]] ==

cuz I'm the-*GUNSHOT*"

 

* As mentioned above, [[Satan]] is the [[Trope Namer]].

** Depending on how strict their adherence to the 3rd Commandment is, some people refrain from saying God's name as well, though that's less out of fear of summoning Him (seeing as He's already, you know, omnipresent) and more because to do otherwise is seen as blasphemous.

* [[Everybody Hates Hades|Hades]] of [[Classical Mythology|Greek Mythology]] is a good example. The Greeks believed saying his name drew his attention, so they called him by all sorts of nicknames and titles, like "The Wealthy One" or "The Host of Many."

 

** 3.5 has Truenaming, which around level 18 gives a feat that allows a character to do this with a use-name of their choice. Speaking the use-name, afterward, allows the character to know where you are, what the general situation is, and lets them decide whether or not to be teleported into the area. Depending on the character in question, this can either be an example of this trope, or [[Call on Me]]. Or, in some cases, both at once.

** Also from ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'': any good or neutral creature that speaks Pazuzu's name three times will catch his attention. He sometimes offers to aid such a creature if they're in trouble... but accepting a boon from a demon lord [[The Dark Side|is guaranteed to pull you into evil]].

** Although its been referenced in several other tropes, the legend of the Serpent's Coil still (sort of) counts. A 2nd edition myth that made it into 3.0 before being retconned out at the end of 3.5, the myth went that Asmodeus, the king of Hell, was actually a very advanced illusion or perhaps an avatar of some sort; his ''true'' shape was a [[Eldritch Abomination|miles-long monstrosity of utter, incomprehensible evil]]. When he was hurled from the celestial planes into Hell, this form crashed through the dimension's reality - creating the nine levels of Hell - and came to rest in a deep, spiraling crater at the very bottom of The Pit. In an aversion of this trope however, telling someone this story didn't summon Asmodeus: it simply caused the storyteller to die within 24 hours (by unspecified means). Which is about on par for drawing the attention of overwhelmingly powerful evil uberdeities.

** [[Points of Light]] has an interesting reversal. The god that Asmodeus rebelled against in this setting is known only as "He Who Was". This is because Asmodeus literally [[Unperson|erased all record and memory]] of the deity's name from history, fearing that if it was spoken just once, the slain god would regain his powers.

* [[Kibo]], mentioned below in the [[Real Life]] section, was used by ''[[Mage: The Ascension]]''. In the digital web, he set up magic tracers so whenever anyone said his name, he would instantly be able to appear, as a real person, in front of them.

* The Antediluvians in ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'' are like this, or at least their vampiric descendants are afraid that they might be. At various points, it comes up that the names we have for them aren't their real names, just pseudonyms that are used to refer to them without the possibility of drawing their attention via Speak of the Devil.

** And Stef manages to avoid being shredded by an angry Indian god by calling upon Hastur, and letting the two duke it out.

* [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110223 This] [[Girl Genius]] comic averts it. Not ''subverts'', but ''averts''. This is a trope-heavy world with [[Genre Savvy]] people (as a survival trait), and the named individual is a genuine [[Hero]].

 

== Web Original ==

* The Makeover Fairy from [[The Nostalgia Chick]] can do this, appearing in a puff of sparkleswhenever somebody says her name. Either it's a new ability or the others didn't know about it yet, since at one point Chick comments that she wasn't sure if it would work.

** Earlier in the show's run, [[The Nostalgia Critic]] appeared to bitch her out for reviewing ''[[Transformers]]'' when she said the word "manchild".

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* In ''[[Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law]]'', saying Mentok the Mind Taker's real name, Mufti, summons powerful magical winds.

* Said by one of the [[Ruthless Modern Pirates|bad guys]] in ''[[Jonny Quest]]'' episode "Skull and Double Crossbones," after his captain referred to the possibility of the Coast Guard showing up ... and they promptly did.

 

== [[Real Life]] ==

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Narrative Devices]]

[[Category:Naming Conventions]]

[[Category:Be Careful What You Say]]

[[Category:Entrance Tropes]]