You Do NOT Want to Know: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

Some secret about Character A is mentioned, either by the character himself, or by somebody else. When queried, someone replies "You ''don't'' want to know. [[Take Our Word for It|Just trust me on this]]." Or words to that effect. Whether ''we'' actually find out what it is varies - if we don't, it can turn into a [[Noodle Incident]], and might be set up for one or more [[The Un-Reveal|un-reveals]]. The characters who ''do'' know will usually try to avoid talking about it. More often than not, this phrase can just end up as [[Schmuck Bait]].

See also [[Take Our Word for It]], [[I Have My Ways]].

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* In ''[[One Piece]]''. the closest the Straw Hats came to learning what Gol D. Roger's eponymous treasure was or where it is came during the Sabaody Archipelago Arc when Usopp tried to ask Silvers Rayleigh about it. Luffy angrily interrupted, indicating that he ''did not'' under ''any'' circumstances want to simply be told about it, stating that such knowledge would defeat their purpose. It seems likely that someone will ''eventually'' find out what One Piece is, but it won't be that easy.

* ''[[The Man With No Name (fanfic)|The Man With No Name]]'' has this:

'''Kaylee''': He and I can–

'''Mal''': I don't want to know. Some things I really, really don't need to hear, little Kaylee.

'''George''': Stanley, you don't want to know.

'''Stanley''': (Scratches head in confusion) Then why'd I ask? }}

{{quote|'''Young Robert:''' Well... it was something he said.

'''William Shatner:''' What'd he say?

== Literature ==

* The novelisation of ''[[V (TV series)||V: The Final Battle]]'' doesn't have the scene where the [[Les Collaborateurs|nasty young human collaborator]] Daniel Bernstein gets dragged off to "[[To Serve Man|serve us better]]" after being framed by [[La Résistance]], but it does have Eleanor Dupres asking what happened to him and being told by a Visitor: "Believe me, you wouldn't want to know!"

{{quote|"I could say twelve words, and when I was done, the least you'd do is turn away and leave me alone forever."

He could tell that she was speaking the truth, and the fact that she had the power to do this, to send him away, dismayed him. "Then don't say them." }}

** Repeated with the medical pinwheel thing. Apparently they have recreational uses. Molly used to hang out with a ''weird'' crowd. Harry decides to not pursue that line of reasoning.

** Harry tells a bunch of his friends this about the magical world. Eventually, he gives them the option to learn anyway and stand with him. They each take it.

== Live Action TV ==

** Similarly, in "Mr. Monk Is On The Run: Part 1", after Monk arrives back at Natalie's house with a strange overcoat, he said a homeless person gave it to him in exchange for something else in return. When questioned by Natalie about what that thing was that Monk had to do, Monk can only respond with "I'd rather not talk about it..."

* ''[[Person of Interest]]:'' in the episode "Cura Te Ipsum"

'''Finch:''' What do you mean, "erase"?

'''Reese:''' Eight pounds of lye, heated to 300 degrees. Body will dissolve in three hours, give or take.

{{quote|'''Liz:''' Where'd he get the bucket of cherry syrup?

'''Jon:''' Some things are better left unknown... }}

'''Guybrush:''' Okay, then...

}}

== Webcomics ==

* [http://sluggy.com/daily.php?date=020419 Toyed with] by fan favorite Sasha in ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'': "Part of me wants to say 'I don't want to know', but I ''do''! I really, ''really do''!"

{{quote|

'''Spike''': How did you get a Sacagawea dollar to penetrate your front grill and lodge itself in your carburetor?

"Yeah, see?" }}

* In the ''[[Ben 10]]'' episode "Ken 10" Ken rejects adding an alien called 'Toepick' to the Omnitrix, saying "He even grosses me out!". The pop-up edition plays this up by having the pop-up say "You don't want to know".

* In ''[[The Real Ghostbusters]]'', the episode 'Knock, Knock' has Egon look into the room that holds the door to Doomsday. When asks what he sees, he replies 'you don't want to know' in his usual calm, dull tone of voice.

* ''[[Kim Possible]]'', in a scene involving a "gravy ghost" spelling words in the high-school cafeteria gravy;

}}

* In the ''[[Strawberry Shortcake]] Berryfest Princess Movie'', Blueberry Muffin walks in on Strawberry Shortcake [[It Makes Sense in Context|doing a bunnyhop and sorting mixed nuts]] with Plum Pudding at Orange Blossom's general store and comments, "Do I wanna know?" A little while later, after reading a map has been added to Strawberry's tasks, Orange returns, also commenting, "Do I wanna know?" "That's what I said," Blueberry tells her.

** Also Rainbow Dash says it after Twilight wonders what Dash meant by "At least I haven't been replaced by turnips"

{{quote|

'''Lisa:''' But what if he wants to hold hands?

'''Bart:''' You don't want to know how far I'll go.

}}

** Another episode had Bart rubbing his ear industriously and acting sick so that when Marge took his temperature (through his ear) it would come out to 103 F and he could stay home. She says the only way to be sure was to use the rectal thermometer. It still came out to 103. When Lisa asked, Bart says she doesn't want to know.

* In an episode of the ongoing ''[[Hercules (1997 film)|Hercules]]'' series, the water of the Spring of Canathus turns Hercules, Icarus, Pegasus, Adonis, and Hades' minion Pain into infants, which results in Cassandra and Hades other minion Panic becoming [[Badly Battered Babysitter]]s for the rest of the episode. When the curse is finally undone, Hades shows up, and at first, he asks why everyone is wearing diapers, but then he changes his mind and says he doesn't ''want'' to know, and leaves with his two servants. However, Hercules and his friends ''do'' want to know what happened, and after Cassandra tells them, they all beg and plead with her not to tell anyone.