Chewbacca Defense: Difference between revisions

|''[[Baccano!]]''}}

 

 

The sad part? ''It works''. Not just in media, but in [[Real Life]], too. In fact, most political systems are ''based'' on doing this.

 

{{examples|art=the}}

* Isaac and Miria from ''[[Baccano!]]''. The argument referenced in the quote? ''It wasn't even an argument at all'', but rather a [[Shrinking Violet]] trying to introduce himself to them.

* In ''[[Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex]]'', The [[Amoral Attorney]] tries to get his cyborg client off for murdering his girlfriend by trying to have the trial focus on the supposed (read: completely fabricated) technophobic beliefs of the officer who shot him.

 

* Parodied in ''[[Asterix]] and the Laurel Wreath'', where both opposing lawyers on a case attempt to use the ''same'' Chewbacca Defence.

 

== [[Fan Works]] ==

'''Vinyl:''' ''Hurray, that means I win by default!'' }}

 

* ''[[Thank You for Smoking]]'' provides an excellent example of this trope when the protagonist, a pro-tobacco lobbyist, demonstrates this debate technique to his son.

{{quote|'''Nick:''' Okay, let's say that you're defending chocolate, and I'm defending vanilla. Now if I were to say to you: 'Vanilla is the best flavor of ice cream', you'd say:

* Surprisingly enough, it actually happened to ''[[Star Wars]]'' with Chewbacca himself. It's in the special features of the DVD set. When [[George Lucas]] proved too difficult for [[Executive Meddling|the executives to meddle with]] (thanks to Alan Ladd, Jr.), they turned to a different approach: "But the Wookiee has no pants!" knowing that changing that would require re-shooting a ''lot'' of scenes, which would put Lucas severely over budget. Thankfully, that didn't work either.

 

* The entire purpose of Newspeak grammar B in ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]'' was to make a Chewbacca Defense easier - that is, to throw so many arguments at the opponent that he won't be able to answer, and leave people with no words to use anyway.

* In ''[[Gormenghast]]'', Steerpike uses this method to manipulate two mentally retarded sisters into doing his bidding and keeping quiet about it- after all, he must know what he's talking about if he uses so many long words...

{{quote|Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC) set the record for longest filibuster with his 24-hour, 18-minute speech railing against a civil rights bill. Thurmond's oration obliterated the previous filibuster record, a 13-hour description by Daniel Webster of the massive dump he just took.}}

 

* On ''[[Community]]'' this is [[Amoral Attorney]] Jeff Winger's go to strategy as a lawyer. He particularly seems to like invoking 9/11. Subverted when he {{spoiler|uses it in Debate: his team loses, 50-8 (and the 8 were to Annie).}}

* The "Chosen" episode of ''[[Law & Order]]''.

* ''The [[Blackadder]]'' episode "Witchsmeller Pursivent". The evidence that Edmund is a witch includes that he was heard speaking to his cat, and that he feeds his horse carrots. [[It Makes Just As Much Sense in Context]].

 

* From ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' (original radio show):

{{quote|'''Zaphod:''' What are they? Clinically thick?

'''Aunt Eller:''' Maybe not, but you’ll sure feel funny when I tell your wife you are. }}

 

* ''[[Sengoku Basara]]'': "[[Memetic Mutation|'My horse is a motorbike. Your argument is invalid.']]"

* ''[[Phoenix Wright]]'' is accused of doing this in the second game's final case by {{spoiler|his long lost rival, Edgeworth.}} It's arguable that Phoenix did so in that case to [[We Need a Distraction|stall for time]], as well as in the third case of the third game {{spoiler|in order to make the guilty party point out a detail of a piece of incriminating evidence introduced for the first time a few minutes ago, when he was out of the room - [[I Never Said It Was Poison|something he couldn't have known unless he was the killer]].}}

* Not even used for any real purpose, but effective nonetheless in [http://www.vexxarr.com/archive.php?seldate=012312 this] ''[[Vexxarr]]'' comic.

 

* [[The Nostalgia Critic]] review of ''[[Suburban Commando]]'' suggests using the line "I was '''FROZEN''' today!" randomly in an argument to "watch what happens". He demonstrates it by acting out an argument with himself, in which the person who is yelled at with the line stares with a confused and slightly horrified look before slowly backing out of the room.

* Most of the examples [https://web.archive.org/web/20130913133026/http://godlessgeeks.com/LINKS/GodProof.htm here] are spoofs of the Chewbacca Defense.

* ''[[Cracked.com]]''{{'}}s take on [http://www.cracked.com/video_18297_stuff-that-must-have-happened-pitching-mt.-rushmore.html how Mt. Rushmore got approval] had the proponent of carving three President's heads (Lincoln was added to seal the deal) using this to leverage his position.

 

* The trope name comes from the ''[[South Park]]'' episode "Chef Aid". In this episode, there was a parody of Johnnie Cochran who - bah, [http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/103454/the-chewbacca-defense just see for yourself]. It makes even less sense if you consider the Chewbacca doesn't live on Endor, which isn't even a planet, but a moon.

* In an episode of ''[[Justice League]]'', when the [[Green Lantern]] is accused of a crime, [[The Flash]] becomes his attorney. He doesn't have a clue what to use to turn the case around, so he uses a Chewbacca defense. He ends his speech with "If the ring wasn't lit, you must acquit!" The result being both of them getting sentenced to death.

* A recent episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' involved Lisa joining the school's debate team. In her first debate, her opponent, a brunette girl, immediately circumvents the subject for debate in favor of breaking down Lisa's argument [[Completely Missing the Point|on the grounds that Lisa is a]] [[Dumb Blonde]]. Much to the chagrin of anyone with half a brain, [[Insane Troll Logic|it works]].

 

* [[wikipedia:Sophism|The Sophists of Ancient Greece]], making this [[Older Than Feudalism]].

** [[Straw Man|As described by their main opponents in Greek Philosophy]]. [[Missing Episode|What they actually thought is gone]].

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Absurdity Ascendant]]

[[Category:The Courtroom Index]]

[[Category:Dirty Social Tricks]]

[[Category:Logical Fallacies]]

[[Category:Word Salad Tropes]]