Like a Fish Takes to Water: Difference between revisions

 

See also [[The Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]]. Can also be a [[Mighty Whitey]] (if a European does this in a non-European society) or a case of [[Villains Blend in Better]] (if a villain does this when a hero becomes a [[Fish Out of Water]]). Compare [[Never Accepted in His Hometown]]. Contrast [[Fish Out of Water]].

 

== [[Comic Books]] ==

* Both Travis Morgan and later Mariah make the changing to living in the [[Lost World]] of Skataris very easily in ''[[The Warlord]]''. Mariah's easy adjustment catches Morgan by surprise as he did not suspect that the archaeologist was also a champion sabre fencer.

 

* ''[[Evil Dead]]'''s Ashley J Williams is an aversion. {{spoiler|He could have been a king, but he decides to go back and become a clerk at S-Mart again.}}

* In ''[[Film/The Incredible Mr Limpet|The Incredible Mr Limpet]]'', Mr. Limpet [a human played by Don Knotts] is fascinated by fish, and at one point says, "I wish, I wish I was a fish." He gets his wish, and acclimates very quickly.

* Several of the historical personalities in ''[[Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure]]''. In particular, Ludwig van Beethoven immediately masters the use of synthesizers at a music store.

 

* [[H. Beam Piper]]'s ''Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen''. He quickly goes from State Trooper to Great King.

* [[John Carter of Mars]] gains superstrength on Mars, thanks to Earth's higher gravity. When he arrives on Mars he's an ordinary warrior (albeit with exceptional fighting skills). By the end of the third book, he's Jeddak of Jeddaks, Warlord of Barsoom, and in charge of the Twin Cities of Helium and Lesser Helium. In later books he conquers even more cities/civilizations.

** Not to mention Carrot. Raised by dwarves, knew the city like the back of his hand within weeks of his arrival.

* Lampshaded in ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]''. Cao Cao is referred to by a man known for evaluating people thus: "You would be a capable minister in peaceful times and an unscrupulous hero in chaotic times." Cao Cao bears it out: before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he's a loyal, if minor, magistrate. As the land descends to chaos, he comes out on top of the feudal lords of central and northern China. His line would eventually supplant the Han.

** This is fairly common in the book. The civil war offered opportunity to minor nobility to go far farther than they would have normally, assuming they had the talent to survive the turmoil. Of the other two emperors of the titular Three Kingdoms, one was the son of a merchant. The other was distantly related to the emperor, and starts the novel selling shoes and weaving straw mats.

* In the ''[[Guardians of the Flame]]'' series, a group of college students is transported into a fantasy world and end up using their modern knowledge to establish a kingdom dedicated to liberty and equality - and defended with gunpowder and machinery.

 

* Lisa Douglas from ''[[Green Acres]]'' complains from day one about moving to Hooterville, but eventually adapts better to the local ways than her husband. Perhaps it's due to her being a [[Cloudcuckoolander]] and Hooterville being prime Cloudcuckooland territory.

* Said in the ''[[Community]]'' episode "[[Community/Recap/S2/E09 Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design|Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design]]":

{{quote|'''Jeff:''' Annie took to deception like Abed took to ''[[Cougar Town]]''.}}

 

* In ''[[Brutal Legend]]'', Eddie has no problem getting used to his new surroundings, and even picks up battle-axe usage [[Instant Expert|oddly quickly]]. {{spoiler|It's foreshadowing, of course. Both his mother and father were from that world; his dad was a human hero, while his mother was the queen of demons.}}

* Olimar becomes a [[Pikmin]]-chucking badass pretty quickly for a humble space freighter.

* The [[Player Character]] in [[Knights of the Old Republic]] takes quite well to Jedi training for a junior Republic Navy crewman. Of course, the [[Tomato Surprise]] arguably subverts this.

 

* Fry from ''[[Futurama]]'' makes several comments throughout the series about how he fits in better in the future. While he's still a delivery boy, he is much happier with his life. Leela thinks this is because he ''didn't'' fit in during his own time. {{spoiler|He eventually is the most important person in the universe. [[The Chosen One|For more than]] [[Futurama/Heartwarming|one reason.]]}}

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Characterization Tropes]]