History Main / ArmorPiercingQuestion

[[TruthInTelevision This is a real technique]] used in psychotherapy, education, religious groups, and [[FlameWar debates]]; the Socratic method taken to its extreme, it's occasionally known as the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synanon "Synanon Game"]]. Note that it's usually not as effective as it is in fiction, especially when pointing out {{doublethink}}; one common reaction is to [[AdHominem verbally attack the person]] causing the cognitive dissonance. Or the person may simply [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere leave the discussion]], or rationalize away the point, etc.

* In ''Podcast/TheAdventureZoneBalance'', Merle's final question to [[spoiler: John, the avatar of the Hunger]]: "Are you my friend?"

** The final and most impactful one is near the end of the show, [[spoiler: after Jason dies]], where Peter confronts the priest about his actions towards Jason.

*** "The handbook you're holding right now... is it really yours?" [[spoiler: Part of the argument was that Mondo was the one to break Chihiro's E-Handbook, and he knew how to do it because he'd actually broken his own, and as such would be using a handbook from one of the three dead students.]]
*** "What's your real last name?" [[spoiler: Celestia Ludenberg's true name is Taeko Yasuhiro, which a) she hates for not being special, and b) would implicate her as Hifumi's murderer.]]
*** "How did you create the [[LockedRoomMystery locked room]]?" [[spoiler: Aoi had been claiming to have murdered Sakura- but the thing is, Sakura was found in a room barred from the inside. Aoi getting defensive and claiming she doesn't have to tell them is a clear tip-off that she doesn't actually ''have'' an answer, because she isn't the culprit and didn't lock the room.]]

'''Lennox''': (''to Galloway'') That's a good question.

* The Literature/BookOfJob features a famous example from God Himself. The premise of the book: Satan is having a chat with God in Heaven after the former has been out and about in the human world. God points out Job, His faithful servant, and Satan argues that Job is only faithful because God has blessed him with wealth, health, and many children; if he lost all of that, he would surely turn against the Divine. God accepts the challenge and tells Satan that he's free to hurt Job however he likes, [[ThouShallNotKill as long as he doesn't murder him]]. Soon after, Job's sons and daughters are killed, he loses everything he has, and he's struck with festering boils and illness. At the end of the book, Job, who's been TheStoic throughout, finally asks God why he's being punished. God replies as such: "Where were ''you'' when I laid the foundations of the earth?" In other words, TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow, and God is so beyond mortal comprehension that humans can't even ''begin'' to grasp His workings. Job repents, acknowledges God's mastery, and admits his own limited wisdom; this pleases God, who rewards Job with more prosperity and children.

* Music/BoBurnham's "Repeat Stuff" has a form of this in the bridge, in which it is stated that parents will always cater to the corporately-engineered celebrity crushes of their children without hesitation or consideration of their actions out of a desire to not question their children's "love", before this perception is called into question. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt9c0UeYhFc music video]] illustrates this by showing a mother happily giving her daughter money after being shown a tabloid magazine, but having her mood quickly change from one of cheer to one of [[ThousandYardStare stark reflection]] after her daughter leaves the scene and the question is asked.

* Bo Burnham has another one in "From God's Perspective" which asks if maybe it could be worth making life on Earth better, rather than praying to go to Heaven.

'''Optimus Prime:''' Freedom is your right. If you make that request, we will honor it. But before your president decides, please ask him this: What if we leave, and ''[[AlwaysNeedWhatYouGaveUp you're wrong?]]''\\

* In ''VisualNovel/CafeEnchante'', Kotone's former boss continues to call her and demand that she help with things in the company despite the fact she had quit months ago. Kotone wonders why her former boss would keep harassing someone like her who was just hired right out of school. Finally, after having enough, she realizes why.
--> '''Kotone''': Can it be ... that your business isn't able to run without me?

** In September, Matsuri and Miyu, the captain and vice-captain of the track team, get into an argument over their SecretRelationship. They end up dragging their mutual friend and [[SempaiKohai kohai]] Hina into their dispute by having a competition over who can give Hina the better date at the SchoolFestival, and Hina's ChildhoodFriend Yuna becomes very anxious about the result of the competition and who Hina will pick. Sachi then asks Yuna this question. Yuna says it doesn't matter- [[spoiler:she doesn't want Hina to go out with either one]]- and eventually has to confront the fact that [[spoiler:she's in love with Hina.]]

May involve, but is not necessarily related to, ArmorPiercingSlap.

* ''Theatre/TheCrucible'': "Is your husband a lecher?" Repeated a few times to Mary Procter in the trial of a literal WitchHunt. It's a SecretTestOfCharacter by the judge, since he already knows the answer is "yes", Mary's husband John is a lecher. Mary is on the verge of tears the entire time, since she doesn't want to admit it to herself. When she answers "no", she's removed from the court after being told that John already confessed, which makes her breakdown even worse.

* Music/{{Sabaton}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S73YQITKl5Q "What's the price of a mile?"]] Secondary, "What is the purpose of it all?"

* ''VisualNovel/KindredSpiritsOnTheRoof''
In the days after Seina [[DudeShesLikeInAComa kisses a sleeping Miki]], Hina notices that Seina is troubled. Seina tells Hina that she hurt someone close to her and is afraid of how that person will react. Hina urges Seina to go see that person, asking her, "She's precious to you, isn't she? Is she someone you can't stand being near?". This question forces Seina to confront the fact that she misses Miki and doesn't want to be parted from her, resulting in her apologizing to Miki and the two reconciling.

'''Optimus Prime:''' Freedom is your right. If you make that request, we will honor it. But before your president decides, please ask him this: What if we leave and you're ''wrong?''\\

* "Now tell me, how do you take religion?" Asked by Gretchen to Theatre/{{Faust}}, in Creator/JohannWolfgangVonGoethe's version. Having made a DealWithTheDevil, he has a hard time answering it. Became so influential that "Gretchenfrage" [[TropeNamer entered the German vocabulary]].

Compare ''and'' contrast ArmorPiercingResponse, when it's a response (instead of a question) that brings the other guy to a shock. It can be used to counter an Armor-Piercing Question, but it's just as likely to be used against an entirely innocent remark.

** After Miyu and Matsuri's date competition over Hina ends, Hina notes that they really love each other, since each one kept talking about the other one while they were showing Hina around the festival. She then asks this question that forces Matsuri and Miyu to admit how stubborn they've been, and admit that they were in a relationship.

[[quoteright:230:[[Webcomic/SlightlyDamned https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Piercing_question_1206.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:230: The injury [[VisualPun is imaginary]],\\

* At the Heat before Bad Blood 2003, Chris Nowinski asks Wrestling/DVonDudley two that he can't answer:
-->'''Nowinski:''' Why is [[Wrestling/BubbaRayDudley your white brother]] always telling ''you'' what to do? Why is your white brother always telling ''you'' to [[{{Catchphrase}} get the tables?]]

* In ''{{Theatre/Six}}'', Catherine of Aragon spends most of "No Way" giving Henry a thorough tongue-lashing for trying to divorce her for Anne Boleyn, when she's spent years biting her tongue about his many affairs. Towards, the end, she calms down and sincerely asks him, does he have a good reason for not wanting her around anymore?

--->'''PETER:''' Don't go.\\
'''JASON:''' Peter, stop.\\
'''PETER:''' God, but the rave--\\
'''JASON:''' Was different. We don't live at a rave. Look, you have to stop acting like this.\\
'''PETER:''' Like what? Your boyfriend?

--->'''PRIEST:''' People come to the church in times like these for answers, but I have none... Most words seem to fall empty, but I'll try. It's a horrible thing that no one should have to go through, losing...a friend, at such a young age. You know, or you should know, that he's in a better place. We'll always ask ourselves if there was something more that could've been done, that's natural.\\
'''PETER:''' Do you ask yourself that, Father?

* During their 2010 feud in [[Wrestling/DragonGate DGUSA]], Wrestling/JimmyJacobs (at the time an atoning for his past sins) confronted [[Wrestling/DeanAmbrose Jon Moxley]] and tried laying one of these on him combined with NotSoDifferent: "When I look at you, I just see myself in the mirror... Whole life's a struggle, isn't it? Keep fighting. Keep fighting, then what? Then what?"