You Can't Make an Omelette: Difference between revisions

 

Compare [[I Did What I Had to Do]] or [[Utopia Justifies the Means]]. [[Antonyms|Antonym]] of [[Never Hurt an Innocent]].

 

== [[Advertising]] ==

* Invoked, probably unintentionally, by an 80s PSA. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FtNm9CgA6U This is your brain.]

 

 

== [[Comic Books]] ==

 

== [[Film]] ==

** The line actually has darker implications, as it basically tells us that Joker may have murdered Alicia in order to free himself for Vicki.

* ''Naked''

'''Mrs. Peacock:''' But look what happened to the cook! ''(To elaborate, the cook was killed)'' }}

 

* Jack Kroll in ''Newsweek'' once reviewed a production of a certain [[Shakespeare]] play, pointing out "You can't make a Hamlet without breaking eggs."

* ''[[Vorkosigan Saga|Falling Free]]'': [[Jerkass|Van Atta]] uses this to justify killing some of the quaddies, to Dr. Yei's irritation:

'''Yei''': I've been wondering when you were going to say that. I should have put a side bet on it--run a pool-- }}

 

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

'''Leroy Jethro Gibbs''': Well, you know what they say, Jen. Can't make an omelet unless you break a few eggs. }}

** [[Blunt Metaphors Trauma|Mangled]] by Ziva in "Knockout".

'''Tony''': You're never making me breakfast. }}

* ''[[Neverwhere]]'' (1996)

'''Mr. Vandemaar:''' ...without killing a few people. }}

** In Vandemaar's case, this is probably completely true.

'''Romana:''' If you made an omelette, I'd expect to find a pile of broken crockery, a cooker in flames, and an unconscious chef. }}

* ''[[Parks and Recreation]]'': "If you want an omelette, you've got to break a few eggs. What's the alternative, no omelettes at all? Who wants to live in that kind of world? Maybe birds. Then all of their babies would live."

** The trouble starts when he suffers [[Blunt Metaphors Trauma]] and thinks his actual omelette-making skills are being maligned: okay, maybe he ''can't'' make an omelette without breaking eggs, but he's been concentrating on other things!

* Featured in Nathan's [[Patrick Stewart Speech]] from the first series finale of ''[[Misfits]]''.

** Then again, he could just be commenting on how unlikely it is that the deceased's head could have been so thoroughly crushed without turning the brain ''entirely'' to applesauce.

 

== [[Video Games]] ==

* In ''[[Day of the Tentacle]]'', one character uses the equivalent, "If you want to save the world, you got to push a few old ladies down the stairs." ...[[Metaphorgotten|having done just that]].

* ''[[Heavy Rain]]'' has Captain Perry saying this line to Norman Jayden when he complains of Blake's behavior.

'''Captain Perry''': Which is more important, Norman? Finding little Shaun Mars or sparing that lowlife a few bruises? You can't make omelettes without breaking a few eggs. }}

 

== [[Web Comics]] ==

** This is another gem.

* In ''[[The Last Days of Foxhound]]'', Big Boss {{spoiler|in Liquid's body}} says this of [[Super Soldier|Null/Frank Jager/Cyborg Ninja]].

* One letter to ''[[Ask Dr Eldritch]]'' was from a shady government operative who very clinically explained how they had murdered some of their agents ("transitioned to a metabolically inert state") in order to create spectral superspies, and now needed expert advice on how to properly control them, as the ghosts seemed to have lost much motivation and commitment for some reason. Dr Eldritch replied by really tearing into the guy and calling him out on the act, and made a point that the people who say the "you can't make an omelette" line are never the ones who expect to be the eggs.

* [[Erfworld]] has one in the Summer Updates between books 1 and 2:

'''Parson:''' Blowing up a city full of people. }}

 

== [[Web Original]] ==

* ''[[Vision of Escaflowne Abridged]]'':

'''Folken''': No my lord, I think you just need a better metaphor. }}

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

'''Ned Tucker:''' You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs, sir! }}

* ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]'', "Patriot Act".

'''General Wade Eiling:''' Haven't you heard of "acceptable losses"? You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. }}

'''Vangus''': Omelette... Eggs... Good one! }}

* A lighter example is done in ''[[Static Shock]]'' where Richie uses this line to convince Virgil into breaking into the school to use the microscopes inside to study a part of the [[Mega Microbes|Mega Microbe]] [[Monster of the Week|monster terrorizing the week]].

[[Category:Stock Phrases]]

[[Category:You Cant Make An Omelette]]