Verbal Judo: Difference between revisions

When a character is in a situation that's just about to explode into a fight -- probablyfight—probably in a physical sense, but a severe verbal confrontation would count too -- buttoo—but manages to deflate the aggression and tension through communication and to avert the unpleasantness. Communication is, of course, most obviously verbal, but these kind of situations are usually a good example of how important nonverbal aspects are as well, so the trope is not limited to talking.

Ways in which this can be achieved include but are not limited to confusing the aggressive party with something completely unexpected, [[Non Sequitur]] or otherwise, which tends to deflate the aggression; or calmly persuading them to look at the situation from an objective point of view and make them realise starting the fight is not in their interests. The important thing is not to continue in the normal track that would lead to confrontation, but to turn its course around to a different direction. Note that though "Judo" in the name specifically implies a "soft" self-defence approach, being meek in face of aggression isn't automatically Verbal Judo -- inJudo—in some cases, showing fear may only provoke further. And techniques used for Verbal Judo as here defined can involve a certain degree of controlled aggressive assertiveness, as long as it comes from a surprising angle that leaves the other party off-balance rather than stoking their own aggression.

The trope name comes from the [[Real Life]] technique and book by George Thompson, which are basically about how to achieve this trope. Thompson contrasted it with "verbal karate", where you respond to hostility with hostility and only escalate the situation -- thissituation—this being the way people are more often naturally inclined to react. "Verbal Judo" or [http[wikipedia://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbal_self_defenseVerbal self defense|"verbal self-defence"]] is defined more broadly in real-life usage, but the trope is defined only as stated above.

Compare [[Talking the Monster Toto Death]]. Has only a little in common with [[Politeness Judo]]. Contrast [[Break Them Byby Talking]], a less nice technique, though it ''could'' theoretically overlap with this. Situations where this might be needed could involve [[Hair-Trigger Temper]] or [[Berserk Button]]; if it involves a [[Powder Keg Crowd]] or other mob, it's probably also an instance of [[Shaming the Mob]]. This makes a good technique for the [[Badass Pacifist]].

* On the [[Discworld]], Sam Vimes is canny and experienced enough to have pulled this off a couple of times.:

** In ''[[Discworld (Literature)/Night Watch (Discworld)|Night Watch]]'', Vimes finds himself in Ankh-Morpork of the past and commanding a Watch house at a time when there's widespread dissent and angry mobs are starting to coalesce around all Watch houses. Knowing a riot is just waiting to happen, he tells his men to not carry weapons but instead visibly do ordinary harmless things in the yard to avoid their looking to the surrounding people like [[Faceless Goons]]. When he himself confronts the mob, it's calmly and while lighting a smoke, and he makes sure that when a drunken troublemaker tries to break a bottle in his hand and only ends up hurting himself, the scene everyone sees is Vimes harmlessly standing at a distance lighting a smoke, with no possibility for even a mob to mistake him as having attacked. Then he takes the man in to be treated for the wound. His Watch house ends up being the only one that doesn't suffer a riot that night.

** In ''[[Discworld (Literature)/Snuff|Snuff]]'', Vimes does this ''after'' deliberately accepting the challenge to a fight from an aggressive local blacksmith in the countryside who's taking issue with his noble status. Even before the fight starts, he makes the man uncertain about whether he's getting in over his head, and once it does start, he only needs to show his street fighting skills with a few moves before quietly suggesting they stop the fight there before it gets real so that the other can at least save his face... both socially and literally.

* One of [[Jeeves and Wooster (Literaturenovel)|Jeeves]]' many superpowers. Just when things look blackest, he'll often settle everything by coming out of nowhere and politely making a brilliant suggestion or giving everyone the wrong impression.

== [[Live -Action TV]] ==

{{quote| '''Reid:''' [[Crowning Moment of Funny|I dunno,]] [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|maybe.]]}}

* Delia of ''[[In Plain Sight]]'' pulls off one of these brilliantly when a Neo-Nazi potential witness tries to pick a fight with her.

{{quote| '''Delia''': You don't have to sign a thing. You can rant, and spew your hate, take a swing at me for all I care. I'd like that, actually. I'd like to see this entire office pin your cheek to the cold, hard floor and before you can get up from under my shoe, your deal's blown, and you're locked up where no one can protect your sorry ass. (steps closer) So, please, Ms. Owens, I'm begging you: don't sign.}}

* In ''[[Justified (TV series)|Justified]]'', Donovan storms into Duffy's trailer and threatens to kill Quarles for murdering his friend Brady. Quarles talks down Donovan by telling him about how {{spoiler|his father forced him into prostitution as a young man, and how Theo Tonin adopted him. Donovan lowers his gun, and a tearful Quarles embraces him as he starts crying. Unfortunately, we see Donovan bound and gagged in Quarles' bathroom at the end of the episode, suggesting that Quarles plans to torture and kill him just as he did Brady.}}

* Fluttershy from ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'':

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