You and What Army?/Playing With

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Basic Trope: A character challenges another with the phrase, or some variation of the phrase, "You and what army?"

  • Straight: The opposing character summons an army to back him up.
  • Exaggerated: In addition to soldiers, tanks, helicopters, and all the bells and whistles also arrive.
  • Downplayed: Only a small group arrives.
  • Justified: The character being challenged is a general, or leader of a gang, and has a small army at his disposal.
  • Inverted: The army retreats.
  • Subverted: The army doesn't arrive.
  • Double Subverted: At least not immediately.
  • Parodied: A good number of gun barrels/blades are put up to the characters' neck almost as soon as the taunt is made.
  • Zig Zagged: The army doesn't arrive... but then it actually does, after a fair bit of time. But then, the newly-arrived soldiers realise it's lunch time and call a break.
  • Averted: The army showed up before the phrase could be said.
  • Lampshaded: "Where were you hiding all these guys?!"
  • Discussed: "Dude, you probably should have told me he was an army general before you let me say that."

So you wanna go back, huh? You and what back button?