The Cake Is a Lie: Difference between revisions

{{quote|''" ...the virtue of [[Rags to Riches|the cake]] was that [[Blatant Lies|it was never to be consumed,]] [[Failure Is the Only Option|neither by you nor by your children after you."]]''|'''John Maynard Keynes''', [[World War One|calling out]] [[Upperclass Twit|the cake]] [[Older Than They Think|back in 1919]]}}

 

 

A character, usually an antagonist, promises another character, usually the hero, a reward if they can complete some task for them. This can be anything from fame, to riches, to women, to baked desserts, or pretty much anything generally considered desirable.

 

Only overlaps with [[I Was Told There Would Be Cake]] when the reward the villain promises is actually cake.

 

== Anime ==

* In ''[[Baldurs Gate]] 2'', the player is offered a quest with a 10,000 gp reward - big money [[Money for Nothing|at that point in the game]] - by {{spoiler|Jierdan Firkragg}}. Once you reach the quest area, however, you're manipulated into {{spoiler|killing several knights, and you find out that Firkragg is A) a dragon in disguise, and B) trying to destroy your reputation as payback for some half-explained slight}}.

** Several other characters do this as well, {{spoiler|Kangaxx the Demi-Lich}} and {{spoiler|the Chromatic Demon from Watcher's Keep}} come to mind.

** As a rule of thumb, almost every evil guy who gives you a quest in the Baldur's Gate series will end up fighting you. Which doesn't mean you shouldn't do the quest, since you will find the reward they promised you over their dead body anyway.

*** And valuable loot that's probably more useful than the money.

* The tutorial in ''[[Mercenaries]] 2'' is basically one of these.

* In the episode ''The Tomb of Sammun-Mak'' of ''[[Sam and Max]]'', the great-grandpas of Sam and Max (Sameth and Maximus) are entrusted by M. Papierwaite to find and [[MacGuffin Delivery Service|deliver]] an artifact called The Devil's Toybox. Having done so, they find out the promised reward is {{spoiler|to have Maximus sacrificed in a [[Summoning Ritual]]}}

* In [[The Seventh Guest]], Stauf promises that the guest who {{spoiler|brings Tad to him}} will have their wish granted. This is not quite what happens...

* In ''[[Red Dead Redemption]]'', this happens twice. First, {{spoiler|1=Captain DeSanta promises to give Javier Escuela and Bill Williamson to Marston in exchange for helping him fight the rebels. Instead, he tries to have him executed.}} Later, {{spoiler|Agent Ross reneges on his promise to leave Marston and his family alone after his old gang are dead by sending the US army to kill them.}}

 

== Web Original ==

{{quote| '''Marik''': Shut up! What we came here to do is defeat Yugi Muto, once and for all!<br />

'''Bonz''': Brains. [I came here for the free tacos.]<br />

{{quote| '''Duel Robot''': Welcome to the Aperture Science Duel Monsters Training Programme. If you win this children's card game, [[There Will Be Cake|there will be cake]].<br />

''(Some time later, after Kaiba trounces the Duel Robot with Obelisk)''<br />

* [[Touhou Project|Walfas]] shorts have this...apparently, the only way to get Yukari out of bed to do anything is to promise her waffles. There are never any waffles.

{{quote| '''Yukari''': I'm not falling for that again.<br />

** An episode of the ''[[Where's Waldo|Where's Waldo?]]'' animated series did the same joke.

* In an episode of ''[[He Man and The Masters of The Universe (Animation)|He Man and The Masters of The Universe]]'', Mech-a-neck is [[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart Anyway|tired of just having an extendo-neck as a special ability]], and a wizened little man says he can give him better powers if he retrieves a [[MacGuffin]] for him. Once he gets the [[MacGuffin]] he just runs off and uses it to transform back into a handsome and powerful mage, after being turned into an old man by the Sorceress.

* In ''[[South Park]]: [[The Movie|Bigger Longer and Uncut]]'', Cartman suggests bringing in potential members to [[La Résistance]] by promising punch and pie. When the meeting starts ...

{{quote| '''Kid:''' Uh, we were to understand there'd be pie and punch?<br />

[[Category:Plots]]

[[Category:The Cake Is A Lie]]