History Main / AudienceWhatAudience

Contrast NoFourthWall; compare TheCuckoolanderWasRight and CassandraTruth.

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]

-->'''Lola:''' But Brandy, this isn't a TV show! This is real life!

-->'''Tedd:''' "Comics? What comics?"
-->'''Matt:''' "Oh, I'm sorry; [[GenreSavvy you're in the middle of some over-hyped, overly complex storyline and couldn't possibly acknowledge the fact that this is a comic.]]"

* Page quote comes from ''ElGoonishShive'' where filler strips have NoFourthWall, but story arcs do. When Matt and Rat, two discarded characters, tried to complain to Ted about not being protagonists, he didn't knew what they meant. Matt quickly deducted that it means a story arc started, so Ted is no longer aware he is in comics. And then he [[SubvertedTrope forced him to break the fourth wall]] so they could have an argument.

* In ''ImAMarvelAndImADC'', where there is NoFourthWall, [[spoiler:{{Darkseid}} does not know he is a fictional character and gets [[{{Understatement}} very mad]] when TheJoker tries to tell him what he really is]].

If you have a character with MediumAwareness or capable of BreakingTheFourthWall, it's quite common to observe his interactions with characters who don't know they're fictional. Any time our medium-aware friend will directly address the audience or mention some boundaries of the medium, everybody else will either ignore him or react surprised and find themselves unable to understand what he's talking about. Eventually the other person will either think he's joking or [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} has a few screws loose]]. Usually, no matter what he will do his efforts to make them realize they're all fictional characters will be meaningless - nobody will believe or even understand him.

Most of the time this trope is played in the same way MediumAwareness is in said work of fiction. If it's {{played for laughs}}, so is everybody's ignorance. If medium awareness is {{played for drama}}, this trope may add a little to it - our hero has to deal with being a fictional character ''and'' everybody else thinking he's crazy.

Contrast NoFourthWall, compare TheCuckoolanderWasRight and CassandraTruth.

-Oh, [[MutuallyFictional just an]] '''[[MutuallyFictional imaginawy figuwe.]]'''

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:Theater]]

* Common in ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'', where exposition dumps and tutorials will often make reference to the player sitting in front of the screen, much to the confusion of Mario and co.

[[AC: {{Webcomics}}]]

* Every time {{Mindmistress}} meets medium-aware characters she tries to explain why it's impossible for them to be comics characters. It never works.
* When the [[{{Crossoverkill}} Doppleganger Gang]] confronts the [[{{Magellan}} Master Assassin]] - leader the Character Assassins, a killer cult that believes they can break the fourth wall and [[RageAgainstTheAuthor enslave their creator]] by killing the "Alpha Character" - we can see how him breaking the fourth wall and addressing the reader looks from their perspective.

[[AC: WebOriginal]]
* In ImAMarvelAndImADC, where there is NoFourthWall, [[spoiler: {{Darkseid}} does not know he is a fictional character and gets [[{{Understatement}} very mad]] when {{Joker}} tries to tell him what he really is.]]

* In the ''DuckDodgers'' episode parodying 70's anime, Marvin the Martian explains his motives in villainous monologue directly to the viewers and one of his robot minions ask who he's talking to. Marvin tries to explain but fails and the robots spend the rest of the episode laughing at him.
* The ''KimPossible'' episode ''Grand Size Me'' ended with Ron addressing the audience about genetic mutation. Nobody knew who he was talking to and he was sent to the teacher's office.

-->'''Brandy''': It works all the time in TV shows!
-->'''Lola''': But Brandy, this isn't a TV show! This is real life!
-->'''Brandy''': ''(AsideGlance) I haven't had the heart to tell her.

* Common in ''Super PaperMario'', where exposition dumps and tutorials will often make reference to the player sitting in front of the screen, much to the confusion of Mario and co.

* In ''{{Spamalot}}'', one of the quests King Arthur has been assigned (in addition to finding the {{Holy Grail}}, but also to put on a Broadway musical. Later on in the show, [[spoiler: The Lady of the Lake graciously points out to him that "You already are on Broadway!"]]. King Arthur is rather surprised.

* When [[{{Crossoverkill}} Doppleganger Gang]] confronts [[{{Magellan}} Master Assassin]] - ledaer of killer cult who belive they can break the fourth wall and [[RageAgainstTheAuthor enslave their creator]] via killing "Alpha Character" - we can see how him breaking the fourth wall looks from their perspective.

-->'''Syoko Suki:''' Dunno.

-->'''Matt:''' "Oh, I'm sory; [[GenreSavvy you're in the middle of some over-hyped, overly complex storyline and couldn't possibly acknowledge the fact that this is a comic.]]"

* In ImAMarvelImADC, where there is NoFourthWall, [[spoiler: {{Darkseid}} does not know he is a fictional character and gets [[{{Understatement}} very mad]] when {{Joker}} tries to tell him what he really is.]]

--> Hun: Why do you keep doing that? Who are you talking to?! THERE'S NO ONE THERE!!!

* Played for drama in ''Charlie the Purple Giraffe Was Acting Strangely'' by David D. Levine.

-->'''Ted:''' "Comics? What comics?"

-->'''Matt:''' "Oh, I'm sory; [[GenreSavvy you're in the middle of some over-hyped, overly complex storyline and couldn't possibly acknowledge the fact that this is a comics.]]"

If you have a character with MediumAwareness or capable of BreakingTheFourthWall, it's quite common to observe his interactions with characters who don't know they're fictional. Any time our medium aware friend will directly address the audience or mention some boundaries of the medium, everybody else will either ignore him or react surprised and find themselves unable to understand what is he talking about. Eventually they can think he's joking or [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean doesn't have all screws right]]. Usually, no matter what he will do his efforts to make them realize they're all fictional characters will be meaningless - nobody will believe or even understand him.

Most of time this trope is played in the same way MediumAwareness is in said work of fiction. If it's played for laughs, so is everybody's ignorance. If medium awareness is played for drama, this trope may add a little of it - not only our hero has to deal with the fact of being a fictional character but also everybody thinks he's crazy.

Contrast NoFourthWall, compare to TheCuckoolanderWasRight and CassandraTruth.

* In last episode of ''{{FLCL}}'' Kamon explains why manga-like scenes from the first episode vanished in laters ("It takes time and lot of work") and why they reappeared in last one (creator were "acussed of being lazy"). Naota has no idea what is he talking about.

* This happens to {{Deadpool}} a lot. Every time he breaks the fouth wall or indicates he knows he is in comics in presence of other character, they nave absolutely no idea what he means. Most common reactions are FlatWhat and assuming he's crazy. Which isn't so far from the truth.
* An issue of ''DamageControl'' had the characters meeting SheHulk, and showed what her MediumAwareness looked like from the outside. Played for laughs.
* One time when SheHulk guest starred in [[{{Hulk}} her cousin]]'s book (or possibly vise versa), at the end she addressed the audience; Hulk (who was intelligent at the time) called her on it.
-->Hulk: Who are you talking to?
-->She Hulk: The people on the other side of the fourth wall.
-->Hulk: Uh, Jen? There's no wall there. ''waves hand to demonstrate'' Just air.

*** Note that this storyline isn't [[CanonDiscontinuity canonical]] (and for good reason- imagine the FridgeLogic and FridgeHorror that would affect the DCUniverse if it were) though Morrison has dragged MetaFiction elements into other stories such as FinalCrisis.

* Every time {{Mindmistress}} meets medium aware characters she tries to explain why it's impossible for them to be comics characters. It never works.
* The sprite comic ''Kidd Radd'' uses this trope - it's about video game characters being rescued from their games and living in the internet. Sometimes it takes a while for them to adjust.

* In the ''DuckDodgers'' episode parodying 70's anime, Martian Commander explains his motives in villainous monologue directly to the viewers and one of robots ask who is he talking to. Commander tries to explain but fails and the robots spends the rest of the episode laughing that he apparently thinks he has an audience.
* The ''KimPossible'' episode ''Grand Size Me'' ended with Ron adressing audience about genetic mutation. Nobody knew who he is talking to and he ended in the teacher's office.

--

---> ElGoonishShive, [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2002-05-31 here]]

Most of time this trope is played in the same way MediumAwareness is in said work of fiction. If it's played for laughs, so is everybody;s ignorance. If medium awareness is played for drama, this trope may add a little of it - not only our hero has to deal with the fact of being fictional character but also everybody thinks he's crazy.

[[AC: Anime And Manga:]]
* In last episode of {{FLCL}} Kamon explains why manga-like scenes from the first episode vanished in laters ("It takes time and lot of work") and why they reappeared in last one (creator were "acussed of being lazy"). Naota has no idea what is he talking about.

[[AC: ComicBooks:]]

->Hulk: Who are you talking to?
->She Hulk: The people on the other side of the fourth wall.
->Hulk: Uh, Jen? There's no wall there. ''waves hand to demonstrate'' Just air.
* Played for drama in "Charlie the Purple Giraffe Was Acting Strangely" by David D. Levine.
* Played straight in GrantMorrison's run on AnimalMan. His arc featured the main character gradually becoming aware that he is a comic character.

[[AC: Film:]]
* The main character in Woody Allen's ''WhateverWorks'' does this all the time.

[[AC: VideoGames]]

[[AC: Webcomics:]]
* Page quote comes from ElGoonishShive where filler strips have NoFourthWall, but story arcs do. When Matt and Rat, two discarded characters, tried to complain to Ted about not being protagonists, he didn't knew what they meant. Matt quickly deducted that it means a story arc started, so Ted is no longer aware he is in comics. And then he [[SubvertedTrope forced him to break the fourth wall]] so they could have an argument.

* The sprite comic KiddRadd uses this trope - it's about video game characters being rescued from their games and living in the internet. Sometimes it takes a while for them to adjust

[[AC: WesternAnimation:]]
* In DuckDodgers episode parodying 70's anime, Martian Commander explains his motives in villainous monologue directly to the viewers and one of robots ask who is he talking to. Commander tries to explain but fails and robots spends rest of the episode laughing that he apparently thinks he has an audience.
* KimPossible episode ''Grand Size Me'' ended with Ron adressing audience about genetic mutation. Nobody knew who is he talking to and he ended in teacher's office.
* In TurtlesForever, The 1987 Turtles keep breaking the fourth wall to make comments to the audience. This confounds the 2003 characters, and eventually Hun outright flips out over it.

* Common in ''Super PaperMario''.

* Played straight in GrantMorrison's run on AnimalMan. His arc featured the main character gradually becomming aware that he is a comic character.

** In one issue, several DC characters wiped out during the CrisisOnInfiniteEarths event reappeared. One character fully realized he was in a comic and pointed at the reader, claiming that [[ParanoiaFuel "they" are enjoying the suffering of the characters and that the characters will be doomed to repeat these traumatic events everytime someone reads that issue.]] Ayt first, the other characters believe he's insane but they gradually see it too, eventually realizing that he was right. [[GoMadFromTheRevelation They don't react well.]]

* In TurtlesForever, The 1987 Turtles keep breaking the fourth wall to make comments to the audience. This confounds the 2003 characters.

An issue of ''DamageControl'' had the characters meeting SheHulk, and showed what her MediumAwareness looked like from the outside. Played for laughs.