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* This was the plan by [[NGOSuperpower ComStar]] in the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' setting, when the Clan invaders came knocking. Upon finding out that the ultimate target of the Clans was Earth itself--a planet held in exclusive neutrality by [=ComStar=]--their Precentor Martial, Anastasius Focht, offered up a proxy battle for the planet instead. In lieu of fighting on and possibly ruining Earth, he deliberately set up the proxy battle to greatly resemble the Clans' Trial structure, specifically a Trial of Possession. Knowing that the Clans and their [[DidntThinkThisThrough impulsive]], [[HonorBeforeReason honor-obsessed]] warriors would never be able to resist the opportunity to take part and presumably win in a single battle, Focht instead set it up so that he could maneuver the Clans into fighting as a series of separate engagements (rather than facing all of the invaders simultaneously) and then [[RulesLawyer brutally bent the spirit of the rules of the engagement while remaining perfectly true to their letter]]. The end result was a devastating Clan defeat across nearly a month of continuous fighting rather than the brief, sharp battles the Clans favored--Focht had correctly deduced that the Clans' armies fielded frightening power, but no stamina to speak of, and ultimately won the Inner Sphere 15 precious years of truce to try and catch up to the invaders' technological strength.

to:

* This was the plan by [[NGOSuperpower ComStar]] in the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' setting, when the Clan invaders came knocking. Upon finding out that the ultimate target of the Clans was Earth itself--a planet held in exclusive neutrality by [=ComStar=]--their Precentor Martial, Anastasius Focht, offered up a proxy battle for the planet instead. In lieu of fighting on and possibly ruining Earth, he deliberately set up the proxy battle to greatly resemble the Clans' Trial structure, specifically a Trial of Possession. Knowing that the Clans and their [[DidntThinkThisThrough impulsive]], [[HonorBeforeReason honor-obsessed]] warriors would never be able to resist the opportunity to take part and presumably win in a single battle, Focht instead set it up so that he could maneuver the Clans into fighting as a series of separate engagements (rather than facing all of the invaders simultaneously) and then [[RulesLawyer brutally bent the spirit of the rules of the engagement while remaining perfectly true to their letter]]. The end result was a [[ShockingDefeatLegacy devastating Clan defeat defeat]] across nearly a month of continuous fighting rather than the brief, sharp battles the Clans favored--Focht had correctly deduced that the Clans' armies fielded frightening power, but no stamina to speak of, and ultimately won the Inner Sphere 15 precious years of truce to try and catch up to the invaders' technological strength.
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** On the Nov. 5, 2018 episode of ''Wrestling/WWERaw'', McIntyre used the Angle Slam on Wrestling/KurtAngle and then made him tap out with the Ankle Lock.
** At ''Clash of Champions 2020'', McIntyre defeated Wrestling/RandyOrton after punting him in the head, which is usually what Orton does.

to:

** On the Nov. 5, 2018 episode of ''Wrestling/WWERaw'', McIntyre [=McIntyre=] used the Angle Slam on Wrestling/KurtAngle and then made him tap out with the Ankle Lock.
** At ''Clash of Champions 2020'', McIntyre [=McIntyre=] defeated Wrestling/RandyOrton after punting him in the head, which is usually what Orton does.

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[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]

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[[folder:Pro [[folder:Professional Wrestling]]



* At some point in [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]]'s career, he began to make a habit out of hitting his opponents with their own finishers. This included giving Wrestling/TripleH a Pedigree onto a table, giving the Undertaker a chokeslam, spearing Wrestling/{{Goldberg}}, putting Wrestling/KurtAngle in the ankle lock and giving Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin lots and LOTS of Stunners. While he usually tried to pick up a pin after this, they pretty much always kicked out. Also, this usually meant that eventually the other wrestler would give him the Rock Bottom. At ''Vengeance 2002'', July 21, 2002, in the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-h.html WWE World Heavyweight Title]] Triple Threat Match between the Undertaker (c), the Rock and Kurt Angle, Rock chokeslammed Taker, Angle gave Rock the Rock Bottom, and Taker gave Angle the Angle Slam.

to:

* At some point in [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]]'s career, he began to make a habit out of hitting his opponents with their own finishers. This included giving Wrestling/TripleH a Pedigree onto a table, giving the Undertaker a chokeslam, spearing Wrestling/{{Goldberg}}, putting Wrestling/KurtAngle in the ankle lock and giving Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin lots and LOTS of Stunners. While he usually tried to pick up a pin after this, however, they pretty much always kicked out. Also, this usually meant that eventually the other wrestler would give him the Rock Bottom. At ''Vengeance 2002'', July 21, 2002, in the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-h.html WWE World Heavyweight Title]] Triple Threat Match between the Undertaker (c), the Rock and Kurt Angle, Rock chokeslammed Taker, Angle gave Rock the Rock Bottom, and Taker gave Angle the Angle Slam.


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[[folder:Mythology and Religion]]
* In UsefulNotes/{{Hinduism}}, the god Indra becames startled that the twin sages Nara and Narayana are gaining too much spiritual power, so he sends a host of apsaras, beautiful female spirits, to seduce them into stopping meditating and such. However, the sages answer by summoning their own apsara, Urvashi, who turns out to be even more beautiful than Indra's apsaras and embarrasses them all. Nara and Narayana then assure Indra that they don't intend to challenge him, and send Urvashi to him so Indra is extra satisfied.
[[/folder]]
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* Wrestling/{{Kane}} has always been a sadistic monster (though his character can be a NobleDemon [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor depending on plot]]) that loves playing mind games and mentally tormenting his opponents. What did Wrestling/{{Edge}}, "[[RedBaron The Ultimate Opportunist]]", do when he had to beat him for the World Heavyweight Championship? Kidnapped [[Wrestling/PaulBearer Kane's dad]] and spend the next few weeks torturing Kane in all sorts of sadistic mind games and torturing his daddy. Kane tries to call him out on it, only for Edge to remind him of how he's only doing the exact same thing Kane always does. It seemed Edge one upped Kane as he won the title at TLC 2010.

to:

* Wrestling/{{Kane}} has always been a sadistic monster (though his character can be a NobleDemon [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor depending on plot]]) that loves playing mind games and mentally tormenting his opponents. What did Wrestling/{{Edge}}, Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}}, "[[RedBaron The Ultimate Opportunist]]", do when he had to beat him for the World Heavyweight Championship? Kidnapped [[Wrestling/PaulBearer Kane's dad]] and spend the next few weeks torturing Kane in all sorts of sadistic mind games and torturing his daddy. Kane tries to call him out on it, only for Edge to remind him of how he's only doing the exact same thing Kane always does. It seemed Edge one upped Kane as he won the title at TLC 2010.
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* ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'': Whenever [[BigBad Freddy Krueger]] is defeated, it's usually by exceptionally lucid dreamers who can shift the reality and fabric of their dreams just as much as he can. His underestimation of this doesn't help either.
* In ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'', [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] acts as a seductress that lures her victims to their deaths by flirting with them before delivering her signature KissOfDeath. She spends a majority of the film with Robin as her main victim, seducing him, making him think she loves him and will [[HeelFaceTurn change sides to be with him]], and breaking him and Batman apart. During their final encounter in Ivy's lair though [[spoiler:Robin tricks her into [[JustBetweenYouAndMe revealing her plan]] by pretending to still be in love with her and asking for a sign of trust from her before they kiss. He also wore rubber lips to protect himself against her poison during their kiss. He successfully manipulated Ivy into revealing her secrets and that her love was a lie by pretending to love her like she pretended to love him, and managed to steal a kiss from her, making her signature kiss useless. Downplayed slightly by Ivy shoving Robin into her pond to drown him, ultimately getting the last laugh in their "relationship" before "breaking up with him" but she is still beaten by Batgirl shortly afterwards and is trapped in the same Rose Throne she had just shoved Robin from]].



* ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'': Whenever [[BigBad Freddy Krueger]] is defeated, it's usually by exceptionally lucid dreamers who can shift the reality and fabric of their dreams just as much as he can. His underestimation of this doesn't help either.



* In ''Film/TronLegacy'', Rinzler, [[spoiler:a re-purposed Tron controlled by Clu]], [[DualWielding uses two light discs]] in combat, and is considered nearly unstoppable. Sam Flynn finally defeats him by using his father's disc in conjunction with his own.
* In ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'', [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] acts as a seductress that lures her victims to their deaths by flirting with them before delivering her signature KissOfDeath. She spends a majority of the film with Robin as her main victim, seducing him, making him think she loves him and will [[HeelFaceTurn change sides to be with him]], and breaking him and Batman apart. During their final encounter in Ivy's lair though [[spoiler:Robin tricks her into [[JustBetweenYouAndMe revealing her plan]] by pretending to still be in love with her and asking for a sign of trust from her before they kiss. He also wore rubber lips to protect himself against her poison during their kiss. He successfully manipulated Ivy into revealing her secrets and that her love was a lie by pretending to love her like she pretended to love him, and managed to steal a kiss from her, making her signature kiss useless. Downplayed slightly by Ivy shoving Robin into her pond to drown him, ultimately getting the last laugh in their "relationship" before "breaking up with him" but she is still beaten by Batgirl shortly afterwards and is trapped in the same Rose Throne she had just shoved Robin from]].



* In ''Film/TronLegacy'', Rinzler, [[spoiler:a re-purposed Tron controlled by Clu]], [[DualWielding uses two light discs]] in combat, and is considered nearly unstoppable. Sam Flynn finally defeats him by using his father's disc in conjunction with his own.



* Wrestling/GorillaMonsoon frequently would point out – "Turnabout is fair play" – that a heel lost by his own illegal tactics backfiring on him (e.g., his manager accidentally hits him with a signature weapon) or the face is able to use the same illegal tactic to turn the tables on his villainous foe.
* Wrestling/HulkHogan's final match before he moved to Wrestling/{{WCW}} had Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}} pin him with a leg drop.



* At some point in [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]]'s career, he began to make a habit out of hitting his opponents with their own finishers. This included giving Wrestling/TripleH a Pedigree onto a table, giving the Undertaker a chokeslam, spearing Wrestling/{{Goldberg}}, putting Wrestling/KurtAngle in the ankle lock and giving Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin lots and LOTS of Stunners. While he usually tried to pick up a pin after this, they pretty much always kicked out. Also, this usually meant that eventually the other wrestler would give him the Rock Bottom. At ''Vengeance 2002'', July 21, 2002, in the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-h.html WWE World Heavyweight Title]] Triple Threat Match between the Undertaker (c), the Rock and Kurt Angle, Rock chokeslammed Taker, Angle gave Rock the Rock Bottom, and Taker gave Angle the Angle Slam.
* At ''Wrestling/SummerSlam 2008'', The Undertaker hit Edge with the Spear, hit him in the head with a camera (which Edge had done to Undertaker several times in the past), then hit him with the Con-Chair-To before finally finishing him off with his own finisher, The Tombstone.
* At ''[[Wrestling/ImpactWrestling Hard Justice 2008]]'', Kurt Angle tried to use the Styles Clash on Wrestling/AJStyles himself, only for Styles to turn it into the Angle Lock in midair and force Angle to tap out to his own finisher.

to:

* At some {{Exploited|trope}} and {{subverted|trope}} during Cedric Alexander's feud with Decade, where he made a point in [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]]'s career, he began to make a habit out of hitting his opponents with take up Wrestling/RoderickStrong's moves. When it came time for their own finishers. This included giving Wrestling/TripleH a Pedigree onto a table, giving the Undertaker a chokeslam, spearing Wrestling/{{Goldberg}}, putting Wrestling/KurtAngle in the ankle lock and giving Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin lots and LOTS of Stunners. While he usually tried to pick up a pin after this, they pretty much always kicked out. Also, this usually meant that eventually the other wrestler would give him the Rock Bottom. At ''Vengeance 2002'', July 21, 2002, in the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-h.html WWE World Heavyweight Title]] Triple Threat Match between the Undertaker (c), the Rock and Kurt Angle, Rock chokeslammed Taker, Angle gave Rock the Rock Bottom, and Taker gave Angle the Angle Slam.
* At ''Wrestling/SummerSlam 2008'',
"Battle Of The Undertaker hit Edge with the Spear, hit him in the head Back Breakers" though, Alexander instead caught Strong off guard with a camera (which Edge roll up.
* Wrestling/ChrisHero defeated Equinox with The Wrestling/{{Chikara}} Special after he himself
had done to Undertaker several been defeated by the hold no less than seven times in the past), then hit him with the Con-Chair-To before finally finishing him off with his own finisher, The Tombstone.
* At ''[[Wrestling/ImpactWrestling Hard Justice 2008]]'', Kurt Angle tried to use the Styles Clash on Wrestling/AJStyles himself, only for Styles to turn it into the Angle Lock
a single season, once by Equinox in midair and force Angle to tap out to his own finisher.fact.



* Wrestling/{{Kane}} has always been a sadistic monster (though his character can be a NobleDemon [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor depending on plot]]) that loves playing mind games and mentally tormenting his opponents. What did Wrestling/{{Edge}}, "[[RedBaron The Ultimate Opportunist]]", do when he had to beat him for the World Heavyweight Championship? Kidnapped [[Wrestling/PaulBearer Kane's dad]] and spend the next few weeks torturing Kane in all sorts of sadistic mind games and torturing his daddy. Kane tries to call him out on it, only for Edge to remind him of how he's only doing the exact same thing Kane always does. It seemed Edge one upped Kane as he won the title at TLC 2010.
* Wrestling/RingOfHonor attempted to get rid of it's unwanted Wrestling/{{CZW}} trespassers for good by beating five representatives from their roster in their own Cage Of Death. The five from CZW were this in turn, as Necro Butcher was the only GarbageWrestler, for which the promotion is best known for. Wrestling/ChrisHero, Wrestling/ClaudioCastagnoli, Wrestling/EddieKingston and Super Dragon were the best "pure" wrestlers CZW had at the time and from a purely in ring perspective would have fit in ROH just fine.

to:

* Wrestling/{{Kane}} has always been a sadistic monster (though his character can be a NobleDemon [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor depending Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre:
** On the Nov. 5, 2018 episode of ''Wrestling/WWERaw'', McIntyre used the Angle Slam
on plot]]) that loves playing mind games Wrestling/KurtAngle and mentally tormenting his opponents. What did Wrestling/{{Edge}}, "[[RedBaron The Ultimate Opportunist]]", do when he had to beat then made him for tap out with the World Heavyweight Championship? Kidnapped [[Wrestling/PaulBearer Kane's dad]] and spend Ankle Lock.
** At ''Clash of Champions 2020'', McIntyre defeated Wrestling/RandyOrton after punting him in
the next few weeks torturing Kane in all sorts of sadistic mind games and torturing his daddy. Kane tries to call him out on it, only for Edge to remind him of how he's only doing the exact same thing Kane always does. It seemed Edge one upped Kane as he won the title at TLC 2010.
* Wrestling/RingOfHonor attempted to get rid of it's unwanted Wrestling/{{CZW}} trespassers for good by beating five representatives from their roster in their own Cage Of Death. The five from CZW were this in turn, as Necro Butcher was the only GarbageWrestler, for
head, which the promotion is best known for. Wrestling/ChrisHero, Wrestling/ClaudioCastagnoli, Wrestling/EddieKingston usually what Orton does.
* At ''Crown Jewel 2021'', Edge defeated Wrestling/SethRollins after hitting him with Rollins' Superkick
and Super Dragon were the best "pure" wrestlers CZW had at the time and from a purely in ring perspective then Curbstomp.
* Wrestling/GorillaMonsoon frequently
would have fit in ROH just fine.point out – "Turnabout is fair play" – that a heel lost by his own illegal tactics backfiring on him (e.g., his manager accidentally hits him with a signature weapon) or the face is able to use the same illegal tactic to turn the tables on his villainous foe.
* Wrestling/HulkHogan's final match before he moved to Wrestling/{{WCW}} had Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}} pin him with a leg drop.



* Subverted hilariously when Wrestling/VickieGuerrero attempted to Spear [=Edge=]. She comically bounces off him like he was a brick wall.

to:

* Subverted hilariously when Wrestling/VickieGuerrero attempted to Spear [=Edge=]. She comically bounces off him like he was a brick wall.Wrestling/JohnCena once made Chris Masters tap out with the Masterlock.



* Wrestling/{{Kane}} has always been a sadistic monster (though his character can be a NobleDemon [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor depending on plot]]) that loves playing mind games and mentally tormenting his opponents. What did Wrestling/{{Edge}}, "[[RedBaron The Ultimate Opportunist]]", do when he had to beat him for the World Heavyweight Championship? Kidnapped [[Wrestling/PaulBearer Kane's dad]] and spend the next few weeks torturing Kane in all sorts of sadistic mind games and torturing his daddy. Kane tries to call him out on it, only for Edge to remind him of how he's only doing the exact same thing Kane always does. It seemed Edge one upped Kane as he won the title at TLC 2010.
* At ''[[Wrestling/ImpactWrestling Hard Justice 2008]]'', Wrestling/KurtAngle tried to use the Styles Clash on Wrestling/AJStyles himself, only for Styles to turn it into the Angle Lock in midair and force Angle to tap out to his own finisher.
* At ''[=SummerSlam=] 2022'', Creator/LoganPaul defeated Wrestling/TheMiz with his Skull-Crushing Finale. In the main event, Wrestling/BrockLesnar used Wrestling/RomanReigns' Guillotine Choke on him, but it wasn't enough to finish the match.
* Wrestling/RingOfHonor attempted to get rid of it's unwanted Wrestling/{{CZW}} trespassers for good by beating five representatives from their roster in their own Cage Of Death. The five from CZW were this in turn, as Necro Butcher was the only GarbageWrestler, for which the promotion is best known for. Wrestling/ChrisHero, Wrestling/ClaudioCastagnoli, Wrestling/EddieKingston and Super Dragon were the best "pure" wrestlers CZW had at the time and from a purely in ring perspective would have fit in ROH just fine.
* At some point in [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]]'s career, he began to make a habit out of hitting his opponents with their own finishers. This included giving Wrestling/TripleH a Pedigree onto a table, giving the Undertaker a chokeslam, spearing Wrestling/{{Goldberg}}, putting Wrestling/KurtAngle in the ankle lock and giving Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin lots and LOTS of Stunners. While he usually tried to pick up a pin after this, they pretty much always kicked out. Also, this usually meant that eventually the other wrestler would give him the Rock Bottom. At ''Vengeance 2002'', July 21, 2002, in the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-h.html WWE World Heavyweight Title]] Triple Threat Match between the Undertaker (c), the Rock and Kurt Angle, Rock chokeslammed Taker, Angle gave Rock the Rock Bottom, and Taker gave Angle the Angle Slam.
* Roderick Strong apparently had a good plan going into his television title defense against CHAOS wrestler Wrestling/TomohiroIshii at ''Honor Rising Japan'' but after some taunting from Bobby Fish, he took up the very uncharacteristic approach of trying to beat Ishii using Ishii's own style. It didn't workout so well for Strong.



* Wrestling/ChrisHero defeated Equinox with The Wrestling/{{Chikara}} Special after he himself had been defeated by the hold no less than seven times in a single season, once by Equinox in fact.
* {{Exploited|trope}} and {{subverted|trope}} during Cedric Alexander's feud with Decade, where he made a point to take up Wrestling/RoderickStrong's moves. When it came time for their "Battle Of The Back Breakers" though, Alexander instead caught Strong off guard with a roll up.



* Roderick Strong apparently had a good plan going into his television title defense against CHAOS wrestler Wrestling/TomohiroIshii at ''Honor Rising Japan'' but after some taunting from Bobby Fish, he took up the very uncharacteristic approach of trying to beat Ishii using Ishii's own style. It didn't workout so well for Strong.
* On the Nov. 5, 2018 episode of ''Wrestling/WWERaw'', Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre used the Angle Slam on Wrestling/KurtAngle and then made him tap out with the Ankle Lock.
* Wrestling/JohnCena once made Chris Masters tap out with the Masterlock.
* At ''Clash of Champions 2020'', Drew [=McIntyre=] defeated Wrestling/RandyOrton after punting him in the head, which is usually what Orton does.
* At ''Crown Jewel 2021'', Edge defeated Wrestling/SethRollins after hitting him with Rollins' Superkick and then Curbstomp.
* At ''[=SummerSlam=] 2022'', Creator/LoganPaul defeated Wrestling/TheMiz with his Skull-Crushing Finale. In the main event, Wrestling/BrockLesnar used Wrestling/RomanReigns' Guillotine Choke on him, but it wasn't enough to finish the match.

to:

* Roderick Strong apparently had a good plan going into his television title defense against CHAOS wrestler Wrestling/TomohiroIshii at ''Honor Rising Japan'' but after some taunting from Bobby Fish, he took up the very uncharacteristic approach of trying to beat Ishii using Ishii's own style. It didn't workout so well for Strong.
* On the Nov. 5, 2018 episode of ''Wrestling/WWERaw'', Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre used the Angle Slam on Wrestling/KurtAngle and then made him tap out
At ''Wrestling/SummerSlam 2008'', The Undertaker hit Edge with the Ankle Lock.
* Wrestling/JohnCena once made Chris Masters tap out with the Masterlock.
* At ''Clash of Champions 2020'', Drew [=McIntyre=] defeated Wrestling/RandyOrton after punting
Spear, hit him in the head, which is usually what Orton does.
* At ''Crown Jewel 2021'',
head with a camera (which Edge defeated Wrestling/SethRollins after hitting had done to Undertaker several times in the past), then hit him with Rollins' Superkick and then Curbstomp.
* At ''[=SummerSlam=] 2022'', Creator/LoganPaul defeated Wrestling/TheMiz
the Con-Chair-To before finally finishing him off with his Skull-Crushing Finale. In the main event, Wrestling/BrockLesnar used Wrestling/RomanReigns' Guillotine Choke on him, but it wasn't enough own finisher, The Tombstone.
* Subverted hilariously when Wrestling/VickieGuerrero attempted
to finish the match.Spear [=Edge=]. She comically bounces off him like he was a brick wall.



* This was the plan by [[NGOSuperpower ComStar]] in the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' setting, when the Clan invaders came knocking. Upon finding out that the ultimate target of the Clans was Earth itself--a planet held in exclusive neutrality by [=ComStar=]--their Precentor Martial, Anastasius Focht, offered up a proxy battle for the planet instead. In lieu of fighting on and possibly ruining Earth, he deliberately set up the proxy battle to greatly resemble the Clans' Trial structure, specifically a Trial of Possession. Knowing that the Clans and their [[DidntThinkThisThrough impulsive]], [[HonorBeforeReason honor-obsessed]] warriors would never be able to resist the opportunity to take part and presumably win in a single battle, Focht instead set it up so that he could maneuver the Clans into fighting as a series of separate engagements (rather than facing all of the invaders simultaneously) and then [[RulesLawyer brutally bent the spirit of the rules of the engagement while remaining perfectly true to their letter]]. The end result was a devastating Clan defeat across nearly a month of continuous fighting rather than the brief, sharp battles the Clans favored--Focht had correctly deduced that the Clans' armies fielded frightening power, but no stamina to speak of, and ultimately won the Inner Sphere 15 precious years of truce to try and catch up to the invaders' technological strength.



* At the end of Amonkhet block in ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', Bolas takes great pleasure in thrashing the primary members of the Gatewatch at their own specialties: he subjects telepath Jace to a MindRape so serious Jace can't even remember his own ''name'' when he regains consciousness on Ixalan, beats elementalist Nissa by using the plane's ley lines against her, manipulates FemmeFatale Liliana into switching sides, takes down pyromancer Chandra in a contest of power, and rips right through heiromancer Gideon's protective shield. Represented mechanically by the X's Defeat cycle, which has each planeswalker's defeat in their own primary colour.



* At the end of Amonkhet block in ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', Bolas takes great pleasure in thrashing the primary members of the Gatewatch at their own specialties: he subjects telepath Jace to a MindRape so serious Jace can't even remember his own ''name'' when he regains consciousness on Ixalan, beats elementalist Nissa by using the plane's ley lines against her, manipulates FemmeFatale Liliana into switching sides, takes down pyromancer Chandra in a contest of power, and rips right through heiromancer Gideon's protective shield. Represented mechanically by the X's Defeat cycle, which has each planeswalker's defeat in their own primary colour.
* This was the plan by [[NGOSuperpower ComStar]] in the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' setting, when the Clan invaders came knocking. Upon finding out that the ultimate target of the Clans was Earth itself--a planet held in exclusive neutrality by [=ComStar=]--their Precentor Martial, Anastasius Focht, offered up a proxy battle for the planet instead. In lieu of fighting on and possibly ruining Earth, he deliberately set up the proxy battle to greatly resemble the Clans' Trial structure, specifically a Trial of Possession. Knowing that the Clans and their [[DidntThinkThisThrough impulsive]], [[HonorBeforeReason honor-obsessed]] warriors would never be able to resist the opportunity to take part and presumably win in a single battle, Focht instead set it up so that he could maneuver the Clans into fighting as a series of separate engagements (rather than facing all of the invaders simultaneously) and then [[RulesLawyer brutally bent the spirit of the rules of the engagement while remaining perfectly true to their letter]]. The end result was a devastating Clan defeat across nearly a month of continuous fighting rather than the brief, sharp battles the Clans favored--Focht had correctly deduced that the Clans' armies fielded frightening power, but no stamina to speak of, and ultimately won the Inner Sphere 15 precious years of truce to try and catch up to the invaders' technological strength.



* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameStop_short_squeeze 2021 GameStop Short Squeeze]] straddles the line between this and ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine, depending on why any one individual is participating. The [[Website/{{Reddit}} Reddit]] board [=r/WallStreetBets=] noticed that Billion Dollar Hedge Funds and Short Sellers were shorting stocks of brick & mortar video game retailer [=GameStop=]. "Short Selling" refers to when an investor borrows stocks in a company from another investor, and sells them immediately, expecting to buy them back at a lower price and pocket the difference as the company fails (in [=GameStop=]'s case, a prediction based on rising digital sales and the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic). Individual Investors from Reddit, fueled by a distaste for Wall Street's corruption, a desire to break out of poverty, and a semi-ironic affection for [=GameStop=], initiated a Short Squeeze, buying the shorted stock [[ZergRush in droves]] and causing the stock price to skyrocket by as much as ''19,000%'', which by the end of the month had allowed some of the Redditors who bought in early to become Millionaires in their own right; while costing Wall Street Billionaires, Hedge Funds, and Short Sellers a collective '''''$20,000,000,000+''''' from having to buy the stock back at a much higher price.



* To combat Website/YouTube's Content ID system, which means companies can monetise videos with as little as 15 seconds of their content, even if it falls under Fair Use, [[WebVideo/{{Jimquisition}} Jim Sterling]] purposely included copyrighted material from multiple companies who had claimed their content before, as they had accidentally discovered that when multiple people claim a video, and at least one of them chooses not to monetise it, nobody gets the money.



* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameStop_short_squeeze 2021 GameStop Short Squeeze]] straddles the line between this and ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine, depending on why any one individual is participating. The [[Website/{{Reddit}} Reddit]] board [=r/WallStreetBets=] noticed that Billion Dollar Hedge Funds and Short Sellers were shorting stocks of brick & mortar video game retailer [=GameStop=]. "Short Selling" refers to when an investor borrows stocks in a company from another investor, and sells them immediately, expecting to buy them back at a lower price and pocket the difference as the company fails (in [=GameStop=]'s case, a prediction based on rising digital sales and the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic). Individual Investors from Reddit, fueled by a distaste for Wall Street's corruption, a desire to break out of poverty, and a semi-ironic affection for [=GameStop=], initiated a Short Squeeze, buying the shorted stock [[ZergRush in droves]] and causing the stock price to skyrocket by as much as ''19,000%'', which by the end of the month had allowed some of the Redditors who bought in early to become Millionaires in their own right; while costing Wall Street Billionaires, Hedge Funds, and Short Sellers a collective '''''$20,000,000,000+''''' from having to buy the stock back at a much higher price.
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* At ''[=SummerSlam=] 2022'', Creator/LoganPaul defeated Wrestling/TheMiz with his Skull-Crushing Finale. In the main event, Wrestling/BrockLesnar used Wrestling/RomanReigns' Guillotine Choke on him, but it wasn't enough to finish the match.
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* [[WorldWarII/WarInAsiaAndThePacific The Battle of Midway]] was a second attempt by the [[UsefulNotes/KatanasOfTheRisingSun Japanese Navy]] to trap and destroy the US Pacific Carrier Fleet. The plan called for drawing the US Carrier fleet out into a battle by capturing the strategically important Midway Island. First, a Carrier strike force (Kido Butai, lit. "''Striking Force''") would launch air attacks to neutralize the Midway airfield before waiting far northwest; then a landing force would assault and capture the island. In response, the American Carrier group was expected to deploy to Midway to stop the Japanese landing force, where Kido Butai would be waiting to ambush. On paper, it seemed to be an elegant and well-thought out plan, if [[ComplexityAddiction a bit too complex]]. What the Japanese didn't know is that the Americans had broken their codes, forewarning them about the attack and allowing them to set up their own ambush. When Kido Butai approached Midway, they were ambushed by dozens of US Fighters and Bombers from the same carrier group they intended to destroy, which resulted in all their carriers sunk. Midway has since gone down as [[{{DecisiveBattle}} one of the most important naval battles in history.]]

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* [[WorldWarII/WarInAsiaAndThePacific The Battle of Midway]] was a second attempt by the [[UsefulNotes/KatanasOfTheRisingSun Japanese Navy]] to trap and destroy the US Pacific Carrier Fleet. The plan called for drawing the US Carrier fleet out into a battle by capturing the strategically important Midway Island. First, a Carrier strike force (Kido Butai, lit. "''Striking Force''") would launch air attacks to neutralize the Midway airfield before waiting far northwest; then a landing force would assault and capture the island. In response, the American Carrier group was expected to deploy to Midway to stop the Japanese landing force, where Kido Butai would be waiting to ambush. On paper, it seemed to be an elegant and well-thought out plan, if [[ComplexityAddiction a bit too complex]]. What the Japanese didn't know is that the Americans had broken their codes, forewarning them about the attack and allowing them to set up their own ambush. When Kido Butai approached Midway, they were ambushed by dozens of US Fighters and Bombers from the same carrier group they intended to destroy, which resulted in all their own carriers sunk. Midway has since gone down as [[{{DecisiveBattle}} one of the most important naval battles in history.]]
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* [[WorldWarII/WarInAsiaAndThePacific The Battle of Midway]] was a second attempt by the [[UsefulNotes/KatanasOfTheRisingSun Japanese Navy]] to trap and destroy the US Pacific Carrier Fleet. The plan called for drawing the US Carrier fleet out into a battle by capturing the strategically important Midway Island with a landing force. Meanwhile, a separate Carrier strike force (Kido Butai, lit. "''Striking Force''") would Wait far behind to provide air cover. In response, the American Carrier group was expected to send out to Midway to stop the Japanese landing force, where Kido Butai would be waiting to ambush. On paper, it seemed to be an elegant and well-thought out plan, if [[ComplexityAddiction a bit too complex]]. What the Japanese didn't know is that the Americans had broken their codes, forewarning them about the attack and allowing them to set up their own ambush. When Kido Butai approached Midway, they were ambushed by dozens of US Fighters and Bombers from the same carrier group they were trying to take out. [[DecisiveBattle midway would be the battle where the war would permanently turn against the Japanese.]]

to:

* [[WorldWarII/WarInAsiaAndThePacific The Battle of Midway]] was a second attempt by the [[UsefulNotes/KatanasOfTheRisingSun Japanese Navy]] to trap and destroy the US Pacific Carrier Fleet. The plan called for drawing the US Carrier fleet out into a battle by capturing the strategically important Midway Island with Island. First, a landing force. Meanwhile, a separate Carrier strike force (Kido Butai, lit. "''Striking Force''") would Wait launch air attacks to neutralize the Midway airfield before waiting far behind to provide air cover. northwest; then a landing force would assault and capture the island. In response, the American Carrier group was expected to send out deploy to Midway to stop the Japanese landing force, where Kido Butai would be waiting to ambush. On paper, it seemed to be an elegant and well-thought out plan, if [[ComplexityAddiction a bit too complex]]. What the Japanese didn't know is that the Americans had broken their codes, forewarning them about the attack and allowing them to set up their own ambush. When Kido Butai approached Midway, they were ambushed by dozens of US Fighters and Bombers from the same carrier group they were trying intended to take out. [[DecisiveBattle midway would be destroy, which resulted in all their carriers sunk. Midway has since gone down as [[{{DecisiveBattle}} one of the battle where the war would permanently turn against the Japanese.most important naval battles in history.]]
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Historical correction


* [[WorldWarII/WarInAsiaAndThePacific The Battle of Midway]] was a second attempt by the [[UsefulNotes/KatanasOfTheRisingSun Japanese Navy]] to trap and neutralize the US Pacific Fleet. The plan called for drawing the US Carrier Forces North by sending the Fifth Fleet towards the Aleutian Islands. Meanwhile, a separate strike force (Kido Butai, lit. "''Striking Force''") would seize the airfield on Midway Island to neutralize that threat. In response, the Carrier group was expected to turn back south to retake Midway, where Kido Butai would be waiting. On paper, it seemed to be an elegant and well-thought out plan, if [[ComplexityAddiction a bit too complex]]. What the Japanese didn't know is that the Americans had broken their codes, forewarning them about the attack and allowing them to set up their own trap. When Kido Butai approached Midway, they got ambushed by dozens of US Fighters and Bombers from the same carrier group they were trying to take out. [[DecisiveBattle And the rest is history.]]

to:

* [[WorldWarII/WarInAsiaAndThePacific The Battle of Midway]] was a second attempt by the [[UsefulNotes/KatanasOfTheRisingSun Japanese Navy]] to trap and neutralize destroy the US Pacific Carrier Fleet. The plan called for drawing the US Carrier Forces North fleet out into a battle by sending capturing the Fifth Fleet towards the Aleutian Islands. strategically important Midway Island with a landing force. Meanwhile, a separate Carrier strike force (Kido Butai, lit. "''Striking Force''") would seize the airfield on Midway Island Wait far behind to neutralize that threat. provide air cover. In response, the American Carrier group was expected to turn back south send out to retake Midway, Midway to stop the Japanese landing force, where Kido Butai would be waiting.waiting to ambush. On paper, it seemed to be an elegant and well-thought out plan, if [[ComplexityAddiction a bit too complex]]. What the Japanese didn't know is that the Americans had broken their codes, forewarning them about the attack and allowing them to set up their own trap. ambush. When Kido Butai approached Midway, they got were ambushed by dozens of US Fighters and Bombers from the same carrier group they were trying to take out. [[DecisiveBattle And midway would be the rest is history.battle where the war would permanently turn against the Japanese.]]
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* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', during the Yellow Trailer, this is how Yang Xiao Long defeats Melanie and Miltia; Miltia, who fights with WolverineClaws, is taken out of the fight with a massive punch, while Yang downs KickChick Melanie with a nasty kick to the forehead.

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* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', during the Yellow Trailer, this is how Yang Xiao Long defeats Melanie and Miltia; Miltia, who fights with WolverineClaws, is taken out of the fight with a massive punch, while Yang downs KickChick Melanie with a nasty kick to the forehead. [[spoiler: She later uses it to defeat Adam by wearing him down until she has enough energy stored up to break his Aura in one shot]]

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[[index]]
* BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame/AnimeAndManga
* BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame/FanWorks
* BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame/{{Literature}}
* BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame/LiveActionTV
* BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame/VideoGames
* BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame/WesternAnimation
[[/index]]



[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* A variation in ''Anime/AldnoahZero'': while trying to take back New Orleans, Inaho and his team face off against the occupying Martian Knight's [[HumongousMecha Solis Kataphrakt]]. The Solis uses ''terrifyingly'' powerful [[EnergyWeapon Frickin' Laser Beams]], allowing it to blast opponents and even missiles to slag before they even get close. Inaho's solution to this long-ranged opponent is even ''longer''-ranged combat: [[spoiler:he relays the exact position of the Solis to the [[CoolShip Deucalion]], allowing them to lob shells at it from behind the safety of the horizon]].
* In ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'', in the battle between Karma and Nagisa, Nagisa deliberately decides to not use his superior assassination skills and instead defeat Karma in hand-to-hand combat, despite the fact that he clearly was a better fighter. Nagisa did this because he understood that rest of the class would think that he tried to use his superior natural talent to force them on his side, and only fighting on Karma's terms would be considered "fair" by others. Karma understood this as well and decided to surrender, even though he had the opportunity to win.
* ''Manga/BeetTheVandelBuster'' could fight effectively against the gun-wielding Frausky only after he had learned how to properly use his own gunlike EmpathicWeapon, as opposed to his other four {{Empathic Weapon}}s, which are all melee.
%%* ''Manga/BoboboboBobobo'' is quite fond of using parodies of his enemies' attacks.
* In ''LightNovel/TheCircumstancesLeadingToWaltrautesMarriage'', Waltraute manages to beat Thor in a fight using lightning. He didn't take it well.
* ''Manga/DontMeddleWithMyDaughter'': In chapter 11, [[BigBad Zenovia]] uses Athena's own libido [[SexSlave to enslave her]] by subjecting her to increasing amounts of sexual pleasure, 'til her mind breaks. Then puts her in [[BattleBikini plugsuit]] with [[spoiler:a butt plug and dildo]] harness, to keep her in heat. But in chapter 12, Point Blank uses the same ploy to free Athena. Thanks to the suit she was wearing, he knew she'd be too horny to resist him. So he strips down to his underwear and challenges her in the sack. It works. Athena removes the harness without hesitation to let him bang her, and reverts to normal afterward.
* In the first TournamentArc of ''Manga/DragonBall'', Goku uses this against his far more experience opponent, "[[Creator/JackieChan Jackie]] [[{{Expy}} Chun]]" (Actually his mentor Master Roshi in disguise). Whenever Roshi uses a new technique, Goku comes up with something similar to counter it: for instance, Roshi uses DrunkenBoxing, a style that relies on [[ConfusionFu unpredictability]], so Goku invents "Mad Dog style" where he pretends to be a rabid dog and is similarly unpredictable. As time goes on, Roshi pulls out ever more esoteric and bizarre techniques, and Goku develops increasingly esoteric and bizarre counters, until they end it all with [[FearfulSymmetry a perfectly symmetrical kick]]. Unfortunately, Roshi is taller than Goku, so his kick hit harder... As the series progresses, quickly inventing techniques similar to those used against him becomes Goku's signature method, and it wins him a lot of fights... especially after he gets taller.
* When Erza's Requip armor and weapons prove utterly useless against Ikaruga in ''Manga/FairyTail'', an assassin with ImplausibleFencingPowers, Erza decides to fight her using an outfit with no magic and ordinary swords. [[spoiler:She wins.]]
* ''Manga/FoodWars'': Protagonist Soma Yukihira often challenges other chefs in their own specialty fields, and manages to beat them through his creativity, and often uses techniques he learned from his opponents (either against them or to beat new rivals) to give his dishes unexpected twists.
* ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'':
** When Kenshiro fights Shu he managed to defeat him through a secret Hokuto Shinken technique that allows him to emulate Nanto Seiken.
** During his battle with Raoh, Toki artificially increases his strength to use his opponent's fighting style. Unfortunately he doesn't succeed.
* In an episode of ''Anime/FullMetalPanicFumoffu'', Kaname is kidnapped by a gang of thugs. Sosuke's answer is to kidnap the gang leader's younger brother, and threaten her to kill him if she doesn't release Kaname. Not only that, but he also reveals that he knows a whole awful lot about the other gang members' personal belonging and loved ones, and declares it would be a ShameIfSomethingHappened to them. This does the trick marvelously well: the gang members run away in terror, and Kaname is freed. [[spoiler:Then Sosuke reveals that it was all just a trick: he actually formed this plan together with the leader's brother, saying it was an emergency. This doesn't stop the scene from being tense, as Sosuke and the kid were both damn convincing.]]
* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
** The favored method of the D'arby Bros. is to force the heroes to play an innocuous game (poker, a video game, or RockPaperScissors) and then cheat like hell at it to win (since, according to them, it isn't cheating if you don't get caught). Naturally, the heroes have to cheat right back while catching the D'arbys in the midst of their own cheating. The results were... [[VillainousBreakdown memorable.]]
** In final fight of part 3, [[BigBad DIO]] is able to [[spoiler: stop time, giving him a huge advantage. Until Jotaro, in the midst of battle, discovers he has the same ability, and turns it against DIO]].
* In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'' Nanoha defeats Teana using her own attack, Crossfire, specifically to teach her a lesson about how effective it could be when used properly. She gets even in ''[[Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaVivid ViVid]]'': during a 5-on-5 mock battle Nanoha and Teana use Starlight Breaker against each other, defeating most of their opponents in the process; in the end, Nanoha is shot down by her own trademark spell, while Teana (barely) remains standing.
* ''Manga/MedakaBox'': Ajimu Najimi points out that this is typically how Kurokami Medaka operates; whenever an enemy appears, Medaka habitually engages them in their own specialty in order to truly win against them. To wit, Najimi, despite being the antagonist of that arc, insisted on not directly engaging Medaka in a straight battle, convinced that there was no way even a PhysicalGod like her could defeat a "Main Character" like Medaka. In response, Medaka naturally elected to oppose Najimi indirectly as well.
* In an episode of ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'', the SOS Brigade are challenged by the Computer Society at a video game of the latter's own design to keep their computer (and their EmotionlessGirl, thanks to Haruhi's tendency to treat brigade members like property.) The SOS Brigade ends up winning in spite of only having a week of practice, having a strategic moron for a leader, and rampant cheating on the part of the Computer Society. In the light novel Nagato [[ScrewTheRulesTheyBrokeThemFirst ended up cheating even more blatantly than the club to win]], but in the anime the only thing she did that wasn't within the rules of the game was to turn off the computer club's cheat.
* Attempted during the final battle between [[BigBad All For One]] and [[BigGood All Might]] in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''; All For One decides to finish his nemesis with a MegatonPunch rather than blasting All Might from afar with some of his other Quirks, in a perverse mockery of All Might's signature Smashes. Unfortunately for All For One, All Might gains a HeroicSecondWind and dodges, leaving All For One helpless to counter All Might's [[FinishingMove United States of Smash]].
* The ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' character Kakashi Hatake is known as the "Copy-Ninja" for his ability to flawlessly copy an enemy's moves, using his Sharingan eye, ''even as they are performing them''. In one instance, the ninja he was copying was so surprised by Kakashi's perfect move for move copy that he stopped cold in the middle of his sharingan. ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Kakashi continued anyway and completed it despite having never seen it.]]'' This actually involved a bit of trickery: [[spoiler:Kakashi hypnotized the other ninja to complete the moveset and then forget he had done so, allowing Kakashi to learn it. But he still used the technique without ever having seen it fully performed]].
%%* The whole premise of ''LightNovel/NoGameNoLife''.
* The main crew of ''Manga/OnePiece'' tend to fight against similarly skilled members of every QuirkyMinibossSquad they encounter: Zoro fights other swordsmen, Sanji fights martial artists and Usopp fights projectile users, while Luffy inevitably ends up going after the BigBad for that group.
** Lampshaded in one fight where Sanji matches up with a swordsman while Zoro finds himself squaring off with a martial artist.
*** Typically they fight similar opponents intentionally. Zoro for example wants to be the greatest swordsmen in the world, so fighting other swordsmen is a bit important for that goal.
** The Straw Hat crew was challenged to a Davy Back Fight, where a pirate crew challenges another crew to a series of games with crew members as the prize. The Foxy Pirates used several underhand tricks to get the advantage but the Straw Hats naturally beat them.
** The [=CP9=], confident in their abilities, made a game out of rescuing Robin where they divided five keys among them (one which unlocked Robin's cuffs) and had the Straw Hats scramble to defeat them and find the right one before Robin was permanently taken away.
* Frequently used in ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', but notably subverted and then averted when Ryoga learns the Shi Shi Hokodan technique. After being devastated by the technique, Ranma attempts to master it, but this proves impossible, as the Shi Shi Hokodan is powered by depression, and Ranma (despite all circumstances) is a pretty happy fellow compared to Ryoga, and certainly can't hope to match his misfortunes. Instead, he resorts to mastering a variant powered by his ''confidence''. This works for a time, but Ryouga -- helped along by the depression of having his technique thwarted -- then uses the ''Perfect'' Shi Shi Hokodan. It's fueled by a level of absolute depression for which Ranma can't muster an equal amount of confidence, especially once Ranma starts losing. In the end, Ranma achieves victory by finding a way to turn Ryouga's own attack against him.
* During the Kyoto StoryArc in ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'', Saitou challenges Sanosuke to hand-to-hand combat (the latter's specialty), even going so far as to suspend [[CombatPragmatist fighting dirty]], in order to prove that Sano isn't on his or Kenshin's level (and consequently, a liability in the coming battles). Needless to say, it was a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown, and not in Sano's favor.
* In ''Anime/SevenMortalSins'', Lucifer challenges the titular Sins on their own turf, because she believes in establishing her superiority as "the best in Hell". This leads to her using sex appeal to ''embarrass'' the Sin of Lust, beating Melancholy as an IdolSinger, challenging Gluttony to an eating contest, and out-playing Sloth at an MMO.
* This is the tactic employed by the [[AntiVillain Anti-Spiral]] in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' - whenever the protagonists get a bigger mecha, they field an equally big one to try and instill despair into the protagonists in order to dampen their [[HotBlooded hot blood]] powered Spiral Energy.
* ''Manga/{{Toriko}}'':
** Heroes are forced to play a [[AbsurdlyHighStakesGame high stakes memory game]] against casino owner Livebearer. In said game they must pick two matching cards with the ingredients on them and then cook and eat said ingredient in a limited amount of time. Of course, not all ingredients are safe -- some of them are poisonous, addictive or even explosive, and you have to eat what you pick, or you lose. Both sides are cheating, but heroes can only see faint outline of what on the cards, while Livebearer knows exactly which ingredient on which card and [[spoiler:made sure, that all ingredients in the game is something, that he can cook and eat, without harming himself]]. Heroes seemingly fall into unwinnable situation, until Coco reveals, that [[spoiler: [[TheChessmaster he manipulated Livebearer entire game]], making him pick ingredients that will decrease his resistance to poison, contained in the last remaining ingredient, putting villain in the situation, where he can either refuse to eat last ingredient and lose the game, or eat it and die from poisoning]]. Naturally, [[SoreLoser he doesn't take it's very well and tries to kill them,]] [[CurbStompBattle only to be easily defeated offscreen.]]
** Midora in his first fight with [[TheDragon Joie]] gets defeated, due to Joie's [[WindsofDestinyChange unnatural luck]]. However, Midora was able to [[PowerCopying copy said luck]]. In their second fight, he actively uses it to counter his luck, which allows him to [[NoSell take all his attacks without getting as much as a couple of scratches]] and then [[CurbStompBattle easily defeat him.]]
** Villainous example comes from the battle between Toriko and Starjun. In this battle, Toriko uses his new technique, which allows him to increase his power and use new moves, just by believing, that he can do it. At first, Starjun seems to be hopelessly outclassed, but after a few attacks, he manages to [[PowerCopying learn said technique and starts using in himself]], which allows him to fight with Toriko on equal terms and defeat him.
* Practically [[TheHero Yugi's]] M.O. in ''Anime/YuGiOh'':
** Against the [[TagTeamTwins Paradox Brothers]], [[TheLancer Joey]] uses the trope name word-for-word.
** The Virtual Nightmare Arc in ''Anime/YuGiOh'' was nearly an entire storyline devoted to this Trope. The Big 5 thought to defeat the heroes by dueling them with the Deckmaster System, a special set of HouseRules that they thought would give them an advantage. To their dismay - and horror - the heroes adjusted to this system ''very'' quickly, and in every duel the Deckmasters played a role in the villain's defeat. Even in Yugi's duel against Noah, where Yugi was using Kaiba's Deckmaster, which wasn't of any use to him, Yugi nearly defeated Noah after the villain carelessly summoned ''his'' Deckmaster. Noah only escaped defeat (''that'' turn) because [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem he could pretty much give Shinato any effect he wanted]] ''whenever'' he wanted.
** Yugi was also able to beat Duke Devlin at ''Dungeon Dice Monsters'' by adapting to Duke's game rather easily, but a lot of that [[HoistByHisOwnPetard was Duke's fault]]; he had made the DDM version of Dark Magician, [[TheAce Yugi's favorite card]], ''very'' powerful and very similar to the one Yugi was familiar with. Yugi couldn't help but ''thank'' him for creating such a faithful adaptation of his best card before scoring the winning move.
*** It's worth noting, however, that in the original version of the latter case, Pegasus himself decided to expand the DDM game adding new monsters and abilities(including the aforementioned Dark Magician), and Duke failed to check out which additions he had made. When Yugi managed to summon the Dark Magician, Duke had no idea of what abilities he had, which played a major factor in his defeat. Still, seeing that he (Duke) had created the game, he should have double-checked it beforehand.
** Joey pulls off a double dose of this on Valon in their duel during the "Waking The Dragons" arc. Valon uses an "Armor" deck where the monsters he summons are equipped to his own body as a futuristic suit of PoweredArmor. Joey decided to "fight armor with armor" first with his Aura Armor trap card which he then sacrifices along with his Red-Eyes Black Dragon to create his "Lord of the Red" armor. When that alone fails to get him a victory, Joey wins the duel by fusing his Claws of Hermos with a monster that was in Valon's graveyard in retaliation for a move Valon had used earlier in which he made a copy of an equip monster Joey had.
** Joey also used this in his match against Bandit Keith. Keith used a spell card called Pillager which allowed him to take a spell card from Joey's hand. Joey responded with Graverobber which allowed him to take a spell card from Kieth's graveyard.
* In ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'', Judai manages to defeat a deck destruction expert by deck out. He also beats a guy using a quiz deck with a quiz of his own.
* In ''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL'', Tron's entire strategy revolved around this. His two Numbers (Number 8: Heraldic King Genom-Heritage and the even stronger Number 69: Heraldry God - Coat of Arms) could both steal the effects and even the names of opposing monsters, using them themselves and leaving the opposing monsters powerless. (Thankfully, the RealLife versions of these cards are ''far'' less potent.)
[[/folder]]



* In ''[[ComicBook/{{Asterix}} The Twelve Tasks of Asterix]]'' they face a trial that the magic potion has no effect on... bureaucracy! However, Asterix is smart enough to play the system against itself, causing enough chaos for the head of the place to just hand him the item to make him go away.



%%* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'': In an early issue, the main cast has an all-out brawl with their MirrorUniverse {{Evil Twin}}s. The heroes start out fighting their own counterparts and neither side can gain an advantage, but after they switch partners the goodies handily tromp the baddies.%%ZCE. Doesn't describe how this trope is used.



[[folder:Fan Works]]
* Subverted in ''Fanfic/AmbienceAFleetSymphony''. [[spoiler:Shoukaku's attempt to use Abyssal energy to destroy the Abyssals trying to capture her fails.]] One of the enemies even lampshades the absurdity of trying to do so.
* ''Fanfic/FeralnetteAUBigFatBreak'': One tactic Marinette employs against Lila is sarcastically agreeing with her lies and making them sound even more implausible. For instance, she responses to Lila trying to spread rumors about her starting fights by [[DeadpanSnarker nonchalantly declaring]] that she took on Hawkmoth behind the bakery.
* ''[[Fanfic/TheHighRoadMiraculousLadybug the high road]]'': [[BitchInSheepsClothing Lila]] loves PlayingTheVictimCard whenever she's called out on her various deceptions. Marinette flips this around by pretending to be taken in, [[BotheringByTheBook catering to her in ways that inconvenience the rest of their class]] until they're motivated to investigate themselves and realize that Lila's a ConsummateLiar. When they finally confront her, Marinette acts as though she had no ''idea'', letting them turn against Lila ''en masse'' in her defense.
* In ''An Impractical Guide to the Force'' (a ''Franchise/StarWars'' crossover with ''Literature/APracticalGuideToEvil'' by [=Antony444=]) during the middle of Palpatine's bid to discredit Supreme Chancellor Valorum over the Naboo Crisis, Valorum displays force sensitivity, mind-controlling the Trade Federation Senator into confessing to the plot. Valorum then proposes a bold series of punishments which will have the side effect of enhancing Valorum's power. Palpatine is left seething at Valorum both manipulating and mind-controlling the senate before he himself could, and hypocritically wondering where the Jedi are to stop this when he needs them.
* In ''Joe's New Look'', Big John tries to roast Joe by throwing flames at him. But, Joe leaps in the air and Big John's own men get burned instead.
* In ''Fanfic/TheLegendOfTotalDramaIsland'', the Eagles copy the Muskies' mass barrage tactics in the dodgeball match. It doesn't work especially well, thereby subverting the trope, because the Eagles don't realize that the Muskies are throwing [[AttackPatternAlpha organized patterns]].
* ''FanFic/MarinetteDupainChengsSpitePlaylist'': One of Lila's favorite tactics is making up stories about supposedly participating at various benefits and charitable acts in order to pass herself off as an activist. Marinette and her allies turn the tables on her with ''real'' charity work, [[{{Defictionalization}} defictionalizing]] the movements she claims to have been involved with... only Marinette and her friends are ''actually'' making those things happen.
* In ''Fanfic/{{Origins}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Borderlands=]''[=/=]''[=Halo=]'']] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, the heroes are faced with an AlienInvasion that's destroyed every attempt to stop it so far. It spreads like TheVirus by consuming any organic tissue it finds in order to create more of itself. What do they do? Build starships that need no organic crew, are run by artificial intelligence, and are [[MilitaryMashupMachine mobile factories]] capable of self-upgrade, self-repair, and deploying their own smaller ships while drawing power from [[EatingMachine consuming dead alien tissue]].
* In the ''Fanfic/PonyPOVSeries'', Twilight from the [[BadFuture Dark World]], does this twice. First, during the Duel of Tears against [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Traitor Dash]], she transforms into a pegasus and matches TD move-for-move. Then, during the FinalBattle, [[spoiler: she tricks [[TrueFinalBoss Nightmare Paradox]] into using her TimeMaster abilities so that Twilight can [[PowerCopying copy them]] and use them to take advantage of how much Paradox's GroundhogDayLoop plan has screwed up the timeline as part of a move to defeat her for good]].
[[/folder]]



[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' [[FriendToAllLivingThings kind-hearted]] [[TheHeart Cassie]] is the one who comes up with this strategy as the way to defeat SixthRangerTraitor [[spoiler:David]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}: Legion'' it is speculated (and the third game confirms) that the NYC Ceph [[ContinuityDrift look different from the Lingshan Ceph]] because of trying to imitate human equipment and tactics. They do pretty well until Alcatraz returns the favour.
* ''Literature/TheHeartstrikers'': There are only ever three dragon seers at a time; two normal seers and the Black Reach, the Death of Seers, an artificial construct created by the hundreds of dragon seers on their previous plane, trying to find a way to keep their descendants from repeating their mistakes. When, inevitably, a seer commits that sin that led to the destruction of their old plane, the Black Reach sets things up perfectly to kill them; it's been thousands of years since he had to personally get his claws dirty. Every seer tries to avert their death, but fails. Bob had a revelation when he realized he ''couldn't'' beat the Black Reach at its own game. No seer can ever out-seer the anti-seer precognitive dragon construct supercomputer. [[spoiler:Instead, he found a way to create a future that the Black Reach would not want destroyed, and which all relied on Julius. And since Julius refuses to let Bob die, that means Bob has to live for this good future to come to pass]].
* In the ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' books, after repeatedly suffering losses due to Havenite deep raids, Manticore's reconstituted Eighth Fleet is tasked with doing the same right back.
* In the Literature/LeftBehind book ''Kingdom Come'', Kenny Williams suggests this as a recruiting tactic for The Other Light that they should use against those who are evangelizing for the cause of Christ -- that they should become upstanding citizens who simply don't agree with what the other side believes rather than try using drugs and wild parties. Of course, Kenny is also fully aware that [[BecauseDestinySaysSo The Other Light is destined to lose]] [[YouCantFightFate regardless of what they do]].
* In the Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian story ''Literature/ManEatersOfZamboula'', Conan kills Baal-pteor "The Strangler", a giant of a man from Kush, by breaking his neck. The barbarian badboy even gets in a short speech about how he was breaking the necks of Cimmerian bulls before he was a grown man, [[PreMortemOneLiner and then uses the unwilling Kushman to demonstrate the method]].
* ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'': MasterSwordsman Inigo Montoya faces off against the Man in Black in a sword duel initially fighting with his off-hand, hoping to make the fight last longer. He soon realizes the Man in Black is actually more than a match for him, so he switches his sword to his right hand to gain the edge he needs... only for the Man in Black to ''also'' switch to his right hand and disarm him.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Starfire}}:'' In ''Insurrection'' [[CorruptPolitician Francois Fouchet]] orders the murder of his political rival Fionna [=MacTaggart=], confident that his immunity from prosecution as a member of the Legislative Assembly will protect him. One of Fionna's political allies [[ConspicuouslyPublicAssassination breaks Fouchet's neck in the middle of the next session]], taking advantage of his own immunity as a member of the Assembly.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* When Creator/CraigKilborn hosted ''Series/TheDailyShow'' and ''Series/WinBenSteinsMoney'' was in its prime, [[Creator/BenStein Stein]] was given a set of five questions to answer after an interview. The questions were outrageously difficult and based on very obscure facts. (Stein, to his credit, managed to answer one correctly.)
* A case where the incident in question prompted a rule change occurred in ''Extreme Dodgeball'', where one player would abuse the 5-second rule regarding delay of game, by placing the balls on the opposing half of the court. Since this forced the opponents to act, and in doing so got them knocked out by the offending player, it was considered a cheap, yet highly effective tactic. Later that game, an opposing player used the very tactic against them, even taking out the original user as the final shot. Afterwards, the rules reflected this unfair tactic, naming it ''The Benedetto Amendment''.
* A non violent version of this occurs in one episode of ''Series/{{Friends}}''. After Joey moves out of Chandler's apartment, Chandler gets a new roommate that is [[SanitySlippage a bit off the loose end]] and conveniently forgets Chandler's many requests to move out. Chandler then decides to beat the guy at his own game by changing the locks on the door and having Joey move back in while pretending the crazy guy was never his roommate at all. The nut job actually falls for this and leaves.
* On ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', this is now Peter's new strategy thanks to the DiscardAndDraw ability that he regains after losing his original ability and taking the ability-granting formula.
* In a championship round of ''Series/JunkyardWars'', the Turbines stole an entire car from the Pit Crew's lot, and foiled the Crew's attempt to steal it back. This could be karma in action, as the Pit Crew had stolen some motorcycles (yes, ''several'' motorcycles) from their opponents in a previous round of the championship.
* ''Series/KaiketsuZubat'' frequently abused this trope. OncePerEpisode, [[TheHero Ken Hayakawa]] would encounter a crime boss's [[TheDragon dragon]] who believed himself to be the top authority on their field of MartialArtsAndCrafts. Ken would proceed to show said dragon that no matter what it was, [[BadassBoast they were only second-best in Japan.]]
* Pretty common on ''Series/{{Leverage}}'' as many of the team's cons involve using the mark's own tricks and behavior to bring them down. In "The Snow Job", a family of contractors use loopholes to con people into losing their homes so they can buy them out. The team end up using their own loopholes in contracts to take control of the company, send the father to jail and legally kick the sons out of their own home.
* In an old ''Series/SesameStreet'' skit, Ernie has a big sign that says "NO" in big letters. He approaches Kermit and says "I'll bet I can make you say ''this'' word." Kermit replies "Oh, no you can't," unaware he just did. Ernie pulls the joke on Grover next, but then he tries it on Bert, who's more clever. Bert tells him, "Okay, make me say it," not falling for it. As Ernie wonders what to do now, Bert says, "I'll bet ''I'' can make ''you'' say that word." Causing Ernie to say, [[SchmuckBait "Oh no you can't."]]
* Since July 2005, when the first UsefulNotes/FormulaOne driver was a guest on ''Series/TopGear'', none had cracked [[BadassDriver the Stig's]] record in the Suzuki Liana, and notably, only one actually took the same line the Stig takes going around the track (though it's speculated that the rainy weather was what handicapped him). Then Rubens Barrichello comes on the show, takes the same line as the Stig, and ''beats his record by a tenth of a second''.
* In the Maquis arc of ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', Michael Eddington takes to using biogenic weapons on Cardassian colonies in the disputed territory, which forces the Cardassians to evacuate so the Maquis can move in, and at one point he gives Sisko the SadisticChoice of capturing him or rescuing a civilian ship about to crash (Sisko chooses the latter). Eventually Sisko decides to indulge Eddington's fantasy of being a latter-day [[Literature/LesMiserables Jean Valjean]] by using Eddington's own tactics, launching an anti-''human'' weapon at a Maquis planet and forcing him to surrender.
* A non-action example, from the March 22, 1996 episode of ''Creator/DennisMiller Live''. Guest Creator/JaneaneGarofalo was talking about doing a photo shoot and wanting to look like [[Music/ThePixies Kim]] [[Music/TheBreeders Deal]], and ''Dennis Miller'', the king of all kinds of odd and obscure references, didn't know who she was. He could only say, "I've never felt older," and a sarcastic, "Yeah, Kim Deal, she's my favorite too."
* The MO of the Doctor of ''Series/DoctorWho.'' [[MonsterOfTheWeek Villain of the Week]] raises an EldritchAbomination? The Doctor will get it to turn on its master. Villain of the Week has a super-awesome machine of doom? The Doctor will blow it up. In general, (s)he excels at getting them [[HoistByHisOwnPetard hoist by their own petard]]. Since the Doctor doesn't have much in the way of superpowers, they use whatever their enemy gives them.
* In ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'', once Decade gets [[SuperMode Complete Form]], whenever he faces a Rider or monster from a certain world, his go-to tactic becomes summoning that world's rider in its own SuperMode. This goes as well for the other guy as you would expect.
* In episode 17 of ''Series/TokusouSentaiDekaranger'', the [[MonsterOfTheWeek Alienizer of the Week]] was a DrunkenMaster practitioner. To beat him, Dekapink made it a point to get herself drunk to cause this trope. [[MakeMyMonsterGrow After he grew giant]], [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Dekapink couldn't pilot her vehicle because she was passed out]] [[AnAesop forcing Dekamaster to pilot it instead and give a PSA against drunk driving.]]
* ''Series/{{Columbo}}'' would do this:
** In the episode [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS03E04 "Double Exposure"]], the killer, a marketing specialist, uses single frames spliced into a film (and other things) to subliminally suggest thirst to the victim as part of his plan. Columbo uses single frames spliced into a film to subliminally suggest to the killer that [[spoiler: Columbo may find an important piece of evidence, so the killer will check the hiding place, leading Columbo to it]].
** In the episode [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS08E02 "Murder, Smoke and Shadows"]], the killer, a director, uses actors working off a script to mislead Columbo. Columbo uses [[spoiler: an actress and undercover cops]].
[[/folder]]



[[folder:Video Games]]
* In many competitive and online games where MirrorMatch is possible, sometimes a player is able to defeat his opponent by simply being the same character and using their abilities against their opponent in a more skilled fashion. Similarly, sometimes certain set ups, abilities, or the like can be countered by simply using the same thing against that player.
* ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'':
** The Prowler from ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'', with his hooded robe and retractable switchblade, appears to be a Templar attempt to fight the Assassins with their own methods. In fact, the Multiplayer itself is this, being a training program used by the Templars in order to replicate Assassin techniques.
** This is solidified in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'': One of the new enemy types is the Stalker, who can be dressed in white, appears out of friggin' nowhere and tries to shank you... just like you've been doing to countless Templars.
** ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedFreedomCry Freedom Cry]]'' gives the player the chance to kill a slaver with his own branding iron.
* According to the Strategy Guide, it is almost impossible to defeat the final boss in ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'' without temporarily giving into your evil nature and turning into the Slayer, which the final boss also starts the fight as. It should be noted that this is rubbish, all you really need is a strong character. They seem to like the idea of you turning into the Slayer for the final boss fight though, and the game drops hints to that near the end of the game.
* Topo in ''VideoGame/BraveFencerMusashi''. When Musashi attempts to start a boss fight, she is aghast that he would consider [[WouldntHitAGirl hitting a girl]] and challenges him to a dance contest instead. Failing to copy her moves in the resulting rhythm minigame will result in being blown into an electric fence.
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyModernWarfare2'' features this as a perk in its multiplayer, called Copycat. The idea is that if a player has died four times in a row without scoring a kill of their own, this perk allows them to clone the loadout of the last player that killed them, including any perks, weapons, or equipment they personally might not have unlocked yet. The idea here is that if you're doing that badly in-game, you might as well try to beat your opponents with their own kit, since they've proven it works. Successfully enacting this trope on the person who killed you [[CosmeticAward rewards you with a special title and emblem]].
* In ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow]]'', you encounter Dmitrii Blinov who can copy powers and will strike back with whatever soul ability you last hit him with. This is ultimately a weakness, as you can hit him with an an easily dodged ability. He also only gets the ability at Level 1. So you can use a Level 9 Cave Troll soul to strike with a screen-long tongue attack, and he'll counter with one that barely gets past his own lips.
* In ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', one of the fights against Magus invokes this trope; whatever magic is used against you is the only way to successfully fight back, and it changes every few rounds. This can be confusing if you're used to playing ElementalRockPaperScissors, though the DS version helps clear it up. For all but one party combination (and that one only works after a fair bit of LevelGrinding to get Crono, Frog, and Lucca's Triple Tech), you won't be able to match one (or two) of the elements, depending on your party; hitting him physically with anyone but Frog makes him manually cycle the elements, solving that problem.
* Reverse example in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'': Dante goes the whole game with his broadsword Rebellion and his brother Vergil with a {{katana|sAreJustBetter}} called Yamato. [[FinalBoss In the final mission]], Vergil gains a similar sword (Force Edge, the [[SealedBadassInACan sealed version]] of their father's namesake sword) and starts fighting almost exactly like ''you'', going from a GlassCannon Ken to a full-fledged PerfectPlayAI Badass as it was in the boss fight, the cutscenes make it evident that Dante was far superior with broadswords.
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'', as the rocket-firing Cyberdemon actually takes less than normal damage from the rocket launcher, making it rather ineffective. [[note]]To be specific, the rocket deals damage from both the impact and the explosion itself. The Cyberdemon is immune to splash damage, which means it only takes damage from the impact itself.[[/note]]
* In ''Franchise/DotHack'' video games you can use Data Drain against the enemies. The same skill the 8 Phases use against people to put them into comas. In fact, Data Drain is the only way to defeat most of them.
* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', dragons have the natural ability to use "[[WordsCanBreakMyBones shouts]]". When humanity learned how to use shouts (which the dragonborn can do as easily as a dragon) from [[spoiler: [[DefectorFromDecadence the dragon Paarthurnax]]]] they developed [[spoiler: a shout called "dragonrend", which was basically made of the draconic words for "mortal", "finite" and "temporary". As they were basically a race of TimeAbyss near-gods, the mere concept of relative time (particularly something ending) screwed with them so much [[WeaksauceWeakness it could be weaponised]] against them]].
* ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'''s final boss involves you [[spoiler:summoning ''another'' final boss that beats it in the ElementalRockPaperScissors circle, and letting it loose. While the two gods fight, you tackle the other dude that summoned the first one]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Evolva}}'', you're forced to do this, as you must mutate to get the defeated enemies' attacks and use them against the enemies, if you don't want to complete the game only with your fists. It's still not recommended to use an attack against the enemy that gave you the attack in the first place.
* In ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', Vault 21, in which all disputes were required to be settled through games of chance, is shown to have been one of the few Vault experiments that actually works. Enter Mr. House. (The Vault is situated right below the New Vegas Strip, which he owns.) How does he decide to take over the vault? In a game of cards, of course! [[BornLucky Naturally, he wins.]]
* Black Waltz No. 3 in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX''. As his name implies, he fights with black magic, and your party includes a black mage of your own, Vivi. Black Waltz also has the ability to fly into the air, making him virtually impossible to hit with short-ranged physical attacks but still easy prey for Vivi's magic. And Vivi automatically begins the battle in [[LimitBreak Trance]] mode, allowing him to cast two spells per turn. It's obvious what you were meant to do (not that you ''have'' to, but...) Black Waltz No. 2, however, is a subversion. If you use Vivi's spells against him, he will taunt you and counter with a higher-level spell, handily discouraging you from "fighting fire with fire". And if you're wondering about Black Waltz No. 1... Vivi isn't in your party then.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance'' is a good example of a game where you can [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard cheat just as much as the computer]]... [[GameBreaker and possibly even more than that]]. In the story, Marche often gets attacked by various groups of people, including bounty hunters, that [[spoiler:his brother Doned]] tells about him when he goes out on missions. Marche, wanting to lure [[spoiler:Doned]] out to talk with him, takes an especially promising job. He's able to defeat his foes and [[spoiler:reconcile with his brother]].
* More generally in the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series, there's Blue Magic, which allows a character to learn enemy-exclusive skills, usually via getting ''hit with it''. This includes the instant-death skills.
* [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]] pulls this on [[spoiler:Hades]] in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarIII''. [[spoiler:The God of the Underworld tries to steal his soul. Kratos takes his soul-stealing weapons, then uses them on Hades.]]
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' has a scene where you can fight a Vietnamese gang boss sword vs sword (he tosses one to you to duel). Of course, if by then you've picked up a shotgun, [[CombatPragmatist you're still more than free to use it]].
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/HypeTheTimeQuest'', the Final Boss, Barnak, has a "Smart Tornado" that follows the character. You can use this to your advantage by getting Barnak in between you and the tornado. It isn't very effective, though, and is absolutely not necessary, but fun.
* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'':
** [[BonusBoss Kurt Zisa]] in [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI the first game]] alternates between three distinct phases in a 1-2-3-2 pattern. In its first phase, it only uses physical attacks, after locking the magic abilities of Sora and his teammates; the target is the orbs in its hands that appear after it performs the seal. The second phase has it collapse in the sand, where its own HP bar is vulnerable. Then its third phase uses only magic based attacks, after creating a barrier around itself; the only effect physical attacks have on the barrier is to drop MP-restoring orbs.
** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', many of Sora's Reaction Commands involve him copying the enemy's signature moves. For example, he can copy the aerial dive attack of Xaldin, and against Demyx he can challenge him to a musical duel.
** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep:'' the FinalBoss of Ventus' story is Vanitas, [[spoiler:his EnemyWithout-turned-EnemyWithin]]. During the second phase of the final battle, Ven acquires and triggers a D-Link of Vanitas, which lets him use Vanitas' own attacks and shotlock against him.
* ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'':
** Meta Knight, the recurring sword-wielding WorthyOpponent, usually leaves a sword in the boss arena for you to take and use against him. Originally, in ''VideoGame/KirbysAdventure'', he refused to start the fight until you took it, but in ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'', he will fight you if you wait several seconds without taking it, which isn't advisable outside of the Arena due to the time limit you're given, plus the extremely low amount of ammo he creates makes defeating him without an ability extremely difficult (Though future games and remakes remedy this by making him generate stars after most attacks).
** King Dedede does the same with the Hammer power in the 'Revenge of the King' section of ''[[UpdatedRerelease Kirby Super Star Ultra]]''.
** Miracle Matter, from ''[[VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards Kirby 64]]'', uses attacks based on the 7 abilities Kirby can copy. It can only be harmed by whatever ability it is copying at the moment (or by inhaling the power-granting things it drops and spitting them out at it); its immobile default form is completely invulnerable.
** In the final battle of ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand'', [[spoiler:Magolor's second form and Soul form imitates the various [[LimitBreak Super Abilities]] used by Kirby as attacks after he TurnsRed]].
** During the fight with [[spoiler:Hyness]] from ''VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies'', he [[spoiler:will use the friend circle after a certain point]].
* While most ''VideoGame/{{Klonoa}}'' series bosses require you to throw enemies into them, the King of Sorrow from ''Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil'' attacks you with spiked orbs which he controls with chains of energy. To defeat him, you have to steal one of his orbs and throw it at him; conveniently, it can be used multiple times, as it returns to you on a chain of energy after you throw it.
* A literal example: a team of ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' developers was beaten at ''League of Legends'' by a team of ''VideoGame/HeroesOfNewerth'' developers, their [[DuelingGames chief competitors]] in the market, which is doubly ironic because ''[=HoN=]'' is considered by many to have a higher skill cap, which ''[=LoL=]'' fans often vehemently deny.
* The ''VideoGame/LEGOStarWars'' games have the player Force-pushing objects, thrown by the boss, back at the boss. Fighting Dooku even lets you do it with [[ShockAndAwe Force Lightning]] (but not in the PSP bonus level version or in ''Complete Saga'').
* In ''VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo'', ''Film/TheMatrix'''s example (see the Film — Live-Action section) is at the start of the extended roof-top level.
* In ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'' games, the titular character gains the abilities of the Robot Masters that he defeats, which are typically useful against another Robot Master. However, in ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'', Metal Man is particularly weak to his own weapon; two shots on Difficult mode (or [[OneHitKill one]] on Normal mode) will take him out. This is even more prominent in ''VideoGame/MegaMan3'', where ''every'' Robot Master is weak against his own weapon.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'':
** In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', Solid Snake has to find a sniper rifle in order to fight Sniper Wolf, who is a HopelessBossFight until you run back to find it, and you fight Revolver Ocelot early in the game when you don't have any guns heavier than a pistol. Inverted when Cyborg {{Ninja}} willingly drops his sword in order to fight you [[FisticuffsBoss hand-to-hand]], should you remove your own weapons during the fight with him.
** And ''VideoGame/{{Metal Gear Solid 2|SonsOfLiberty}}'''s final fight makes you battle Solidus with swords only. Here any use of guns is not possible.
** ''VideoGame/{{Metal Gear Solid 4|GunsOfThePatriots}}'' had a sequence where you get to [[spoiler:pilot Metal Gear REX and battle Liquid Ocelot in a Metal Gear RAY]]. And it's awesome.
** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'' has PoweredArmor that has weaker versions of the same superpowers of the QuirkyMinibossSquad (which equates to 75% of the bosses of the entire game). It's [[AwesomeButImpractical impractical]] and you have to fulton a few minibosses to get Parasite Charges for the suit, but you can beat your opponents by using these powers more effectively than they can.
** This is entirely optional for the most part, as there are several ways to beat each boss or situation. When you fight Sniper Wolf [[spoiler:again]] you can take cover behind an embankment and spam Nikita missiles at her. With ''[=MGS3=]'''s The End, you ''could'' fight fire with fire by sniping him, or you could sneak around and make the fight up close and personal. Or just run out the clock (although this takes several days without cheating). You can even kill him and prevent his boss fight later on; when he is being wheeled out at the docks, you can snipe him down easily.
** Inverted in the fight with Laughing Octopus in ''[=MGS4=]'', where [[spoiler:she will occasionally hide in a cardboard box]].
* ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'':
** ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'':
*** Enemies in the Phazon Mines include Space Pirates who wield copies of one of your weapons and are only vulnerable to the same weapon they use.
*** The fight with Metroid Prime's exoskeleton form can only be damaged by attacking it with the weapon that corresponds to its current colour and attack pattern. What's more, Metroid Prime's true form always needs Phazon weaponry to finish it off, which it always gives you in some way or another, be it via puddles, projectiles, or injecting you with the crap.
** ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' both feature this trope. The final boss changes the color of its [[AttackItsWeakPoint obvious weak point]] and its own weapon to match one of the six weapons you have at your disposal. ''Corruption'' features enemies that can enter [[QuadDamage Hyper Mode]] -- the best counter being to do that yourself.
* Several entries in the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' series involve the protagonist Guybrush using a knockoff version of the very same voodoo trinket the villain has been using against him:
** ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland2LeChucksRevenge'' ends with [=LeChuck=] stalking Guybrush with a VoodooDoll. Guybrush's salvation lies in finding the materials to make his own doll. They're evenly matched in power, but Guybrush is a lot more creative in the execution.
** ''VideoGame/EscapeFromMonkeyIsland'' codifies the trope with the phrase, "The easiest way to defeat a voodoo curse is with an even ''bigger'' voodoo curse", and the game takes this extremely literally. The way to stop a madman with a powerful voodoo trinket is to make a much larger copy of the same trinket.
** The final chapter of ''VideoGame/TalesOfMonkeyIsland'' has Guybrush trapped in the Crossroads, the pirate afterlife, after being [[spoiler: killed by [=LeChuck=]]]. To escape and undo his arch-enemy's plan, he has to harness the same spell [=LeChuck=] used to become a ghost pirate in the first place.
* Not about fighting, but in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2: Mask of the Betrayer'' you can help a guy from DealWithTheDevil by beating the devil with its own contract.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'', the kitsune lord Ninetails has a Celestial Brush of its own on each of its tails. Trying to use your own Celestial Brush will make Ninetails bring up a Brush to match and disrupt your Technique, forcing you to finish the pattern as soon as possible before the enemy crosses it out. It can also perform techniques similar to your own. In the sequel ''VideoGame/{{Okamiden}}'', the final boss can strike out your Celestial Brush techniques until you manage to make the sun re-appear, at which point he will start attempting to use Brush techs of his own...which you can, of course, strike through and interrupt yourself.
* ''VideoGame/{{Painkiller}}'' has a demon morph SuperMode which is devastatingly effective against the game's demonic enemies.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Pickory}}'', [[UnexpectedGameplayChange one of the boss fights is actually a clone of [=KSpaceDuel=]]]. You get a ship which is identical to the boss in every way.
* Averted in ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'': a mage duel with the final boss is impossible to win even if you cheat to get so high level the XP meter refuses to register more. Instead, you can defeat him by: beating him with something, having your buddies beat him, talking him into surrendering, talking him into suicide, nullifying him out of existence with sheer force of will, or even killing yourself.
* In ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', several types are weak to themselves, and in some cases, that is the only thing that is super effective. As an example, Dragon-type Pokémon are weak to Ice- and Dragon-type attacks. However, later games in the series introduce two Water/Dragon-type Pokémon, Palkia and Kingdra. The Water type cancels out the Ice-type weakness, and the Dragon type cancels all of Water-type's weaknesses, meaning that the only easy way to take one of these down is to beat them at their own game with a Dragon-type attack. (This only applies up until [[VideoGame/PokemonXAndY Generation VI]], which introduced a new type strong against them.)
** The move Mirror Move allows the user to use the move just used by the opponent, and the move Transform literally allows Pokémon to beat the opponent at their own game, as the [[DittoFighter Transforming]] Pokémon gains access to the target's typing, stats, and moves. To a lesser extent, the move Role Play can change the user's ability to that of the target.
* The original, 2D platformer ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia1'' forces the player to leap through a mirror at one point, creating a "shadow twin" who bedevils the player in later levels. When the hero finally confronts his twin, the player discovers that striking the twin damages the hero, and killing the twin results in the hero's death. The only way to defeat the twin is to [[spoiler: sheathe your sword and run into the twin, causing the hero's dark side to be re-absorbed]].
* In ''[[VideoGame/PsiOpsTheMindgateConspiracy Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy]]'' telekinesis is one of the best ways to deal damage to Edgar Barret, a much stronger telekinetic specialist (how much stronger? You can throw boxes, he can throw trains!).
* Don Flamenco in ''VideoGame/PunchOut'' uses this against you. For most opponents, you have to block or dodge their attacks and then counterattack. Don does the same trick against you, refusing to land a blow on you unless you strike first so he can counter. Of course, you can counter his counterattack.
* In ''VideoGame/RedSteel'' (the first), your character proceeds through each level with the usual assortment of FPS firearms. The BossBattle of each level, however, is inevitably a swordfight, requiring you to put away your guns and use your blade instead.
* When you kill TheDragon in ''VideoGame/{{Rune}}'', he falls into a pit of green goo, accidentally transforming into a [[OneWingedAngel super zombie]]. He realizes that he has basically beaten you and jumps over the InsurmountableWaistHeightFence you're now trapped behind; you then commit suicide by jumping into the goo and becoming a super zombie yourself.
* ''VideoGame/SaintsRow 2'' has a similar scene where you fight a rival gang's (A yakuza style gang who fight with swords) enforcer and his men with samurai swords, although unlike in GTA you can't use any other weapon during this part of the game.
* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'':
** In ''VideoGame/SonicColors'', the FinalBoss uses Wisp powers against Sonic, who had been using them up to this point, complete with even having the same announcer. However, once it takes enough damage, it will begin to [[MyRulesAreNotYourRules combine and use two Wisp powers at once]].
** Done in a literal way in ''VideoGame/SonicMania''. The boss of [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 Chemical Plant Zone]] Act 2 is [[spoiler:Dr. Eggman challenging the player to a round of [[VideoGame/DrRobotniksMeanBeanMachine Mean Bean Machine]] (or ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo'')]].
*** In the same game, the mini-boss of [[UnderwaterRuins Hydrocity Zone]] Act 1 has [[spoiler:Sonic piloting the original Act 2 boss machine, attempting to suck up Eggman in the propeller blades as Eggman did to him in ''[[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Sonic 3]]'']].
* In ''[[Franchise/SpongeBobSquarePants SpongeBob's]] Truth or Square'', all of Plankton's [[MechaMooks robots]] fight using the same 3 attacks [=SpongeBob=] can do in the game: wielding an item they can slam ([=SpongeBob=] can turn into a spatula or hammer, and the robots often wield the latter), [[SpinAttack spinning]] ([=SpongeBob=] by turning into a ship wheel or fan, the robots with anchors attached to their arms), or shooting projectiles (cannonballs in their various forms, usually).
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/{{Summoner}}'', when the WhiteMagicianGirl and TheLancer go two-on-two against the evil queen and dark prince. The queen is a powerful magician, but totally immune to magic, while the prince is a powerful swordsman, but totally immune to physical damage.
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'' has the final boss invoke the trope against the players. [[spoiler:Bowser uses a Super Bell to gain the same scratching and wall climbing abilities the players can use. Bowser then uses Double Cherries to create up to 4 clones of himself with all of them attacking the players at the same time]].
** In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins'', the final boss, Wario, does this. Hit him enough in his first phase and he uses a carrot on himself to give him the same flying bunny-ears power that Mario could use in the game; hit him enough ''then'' and he swaps the carrot for a Fire Flower and starts chucking fireballs at Mario instead.
** Villainous version in ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'': [[spoiler:The giant Bowser robot that King Boo uses has a vacuum-like weapon of its own that it can use to swallow Luigi and do a ''lot'' of damage]].
** ''VideoGame/WarioLand'':
*** The final boss of ''VideoGame/WarioLandShakeIt'', the Shake King, uses the same techniques as Wario for the first stage of the battle, which includes charging and ground-pounding. Wario, who is smaller and faster, can take advantage of certain things, like jumping on the Shake King while charging to disrupt him and run headfirst into a wall.
*** There's also B Bunny, a rabbit type boss in ''VideoGame/WarioLandII'' and ''VideoGame/WarioLand3'' that has to be beaten at a variant of either basketball or football (soccer in the US), by using the boss as the ball. While the boss is trying to use Wario as the ball instead. (In case that was difficult to explain, see the end of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpp59VRwhZE this video.]])
** In ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'', Chapter 3-1 has a Koopa Troopa running away from Mario, hitting a ? Block, and snagging a Mega Star to grow into a [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever giant 8-bit version of itself]] that proceeds to try and crush Mario. This is more of a joke rather than a dangerous mook since running to the left snags you your own Mega Star, allowing you to thwart the Koopa with your own giant 8-bit self. (Additionally, unlike Mario and friends, the Koopa can be stomped out of your way as always. You simply need to gain enough height to reach his head.)
* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'' has a boss named Duon that has a melee-attacking side and a projectile-throwing side. The blog notes that it's best to match him and fight close to it when the melee side is facing you, and keep your distance from the projectile-throwing side.
* In ''VideoGame/TakAndThePowerOfJuju'', Tak defeats Tlaloc by turning Tlaloc's sheep curse back on him. In ''VideoGame/Tak2TheStaffOfDreams'', Tlaloc uses half of the Staff of Dreams to turn into a huge purple monster with tiny bat wings. Tak counters by using his half of the staff to... turn into a huge '''blue''' monster with tiny bat wings.
* If you kill another player enough times in any class-based multiplayer (like ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'') expect him to eventually switch to the same class in an attempt to balance the playing field.
* ''VideoGame/{{Tyranny}}'': In the game, you are supposed to be an arbitrator of Kyras's laws. However, you will invariably find yourself interpreting them more flexibly. At the end of the game, [[spoiler:you are summoned by the highest court to be held responsible for your actions throughout the game. Even though he is supposed to be the highest authority on Kyras's laws, you can still beat Tunon, the Archon of Justice himself, in his own court]].
* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', this is often reversed, with boss fights designed to use players' abilities against them. [[http://www.wowwiki.com/Herald_Volazj Herald Volazj]] in Anh'Kahet is one such boss, who splits the party and forces each player to fight clones of the others. A similar effect is used by Valkyr Heralds in Icecrown Citadel, who spawn copies of randomly chosen raid members that everyone must fight. Perhaps the most literal use of this, however, is in the Trial of the Crusader, whose third boss fight consists of a group of [=PvP=] opponents that behave as much like opposing players as it's possible for the game's AI to simulate. For example, crowd control abilities, normally useless on bosses, suddenly become mandatory.
* Some of the Wrestling/{{WWE}} {{Wrestling Game}}s allow players to "steal" their opponent's finisher with a special combination of buttons. This can get rather hilarious if, for example, the player is playing as Wrestling/BigShow (who measures 213 cm and weighs an even 200 kg), and borrows Wrestling/JeffHardy's signature Swanton Bomb (which involves leaping off the top turnbuckle, flipping forward 270 degrees, and landing back-first across a prone opponent).
** Swanton Bomb nothing. Have Show or Wrestling/AndreTheGiant steal Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio|Jr}}'s finisher--swinging kick through the ropes, land on the apron, spring to the top rope, then fly off and land sitting on the victim's shoulders, then backflip into a pin. Tell me there isn't anything more frightening than seeing a 500-pound wrestler flying groin-first at your face.
** Or on the other side of the gamut, playing Rey Mysterio and having him do a Tombstone Piledriver on the Undertaker.
** ''WWE 2K15'' added a bit to this by making a successful move steal [[HumiliationConga humiliate]] the opponent, and reduce their stamina a bit as a result.
* Vitally important in both the ''VideoGame/{{XCOM}}'' series and ''VideoGame/UFOAfterblank'' series. Humanity only stands a chance against the alien invaders by stealing and reverse-engineering all of their technology as quickly as possible, as well as capturing the aliens themselves, dead or alive, for dissection or interrogation respectively.
** ''X-COM'' ''loves'' this. Aliens with psionic powers are the bane of your squaddies... Until you get a psionics lab and train your gifted soldiers to use their powers back. Nothing better than watching a fully leveled psionic trooper take on an Ethereal in a mind war and ''win''. In the new Firaxis game, there's also achievements for killing a [[TheBrute Muton Berserker]] with an [[TheBigGuy MEC Trooper's]] PowerFist, or defeating an [[TheQuisling EXALT]] sniper with [[SniperDuel one of your own]].
* Much of ''VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEnders: The 2nd Runner'''s plot involves acquiring the [[FlashStep Zero Shift technique]] so that the player's HumongousMecha Jehuty will be able to fight on equal footing with its EvilCounterpart, Anubis.
[[/folder]]



[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Said word for word by Long Feng, but denied by Azula.
-->'''Long Feng:''' You've beaten me at my own [[TheChessmaster game]].\\
'''Azula:''' [[MagnificentBastard Don't flatter yourself]]. [[XanatosSpeedChess You were never even a player]].
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': In "Read My Lips", the first appearance of Scarface in the cartoon, Batman is able to fool Scarface into arguing with Wesker by using his own skills in {{ventriloquism}}.
* ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' uses this in most episodes with Professor Nimnul as the villain. Most times that the Rescue Rangers go up against Nimnul, they end up turning his own inventions against him.
* Utilized by both sides in ''WesternAnimation/TheDreamstone'' in which the villains constantly try to steal the heroes' MacGuffin to spread nightmares. The two roles are reversed whenever [[EvilCounterpart the Nightmare Stone]] is discovered by the villains, leading the heroes to try to steal it from them. While the Urpneys do get to dish a little payback fending them off as they were before, [[TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin for obvious reasons]] the heroes usually handily succeed at the same task the villains failed throughout the series within the course of one episode.
* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
** WesternAnimation/BugsBunny has done this a few times, such as turning Count Bloodcount's [[ByThePowerOfGrayskull magic words]] against him, transforming him into different things.
** Cecil Turtle is not only one of the few characters able to outsmart Bugs Bunny, he did it ''three times'', (in "WesternAnimation/TortoiseBeatsHare", "WesternAnimation/TortoiseWinsByAHare", and "Rabbit Transit".) This trope clearly applied each time, the third time Cecil closing out the cartoon by [[BorrowedCatchphrase saying Bugs' own line]], "Ain't I a...um...stinker?".
* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "Magic Duel", Trixie was able to beat Twilight Sparkle in their first duel by using the [[AmplifierArtifact Alicorn Amulet]] to have more powerful and advanced spells than her. In the rematch, Twilight won by using stage magic, Trixie's specialty, to make her think Twilight was more powerful.
* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'':
** "[[Recap/SamuraiJackS1E7JackAndTheThreeBlindArchers Jack and the Three Blind Archers]]": Jack uses his own skills in blind-fighting to defeat them.
** "[[Recap/SamuraiJackS1E8JackVsMadJack Jack vs. Mad Jack]]": Inverted. After Aku grows tired of sending wave after wave of bounty hunters against Jack, he decides to solve the issue by creating an EvilTwin of Jack [[EnemyWithout from his hatred and anger]]. True enough, Jack could not defeat it in combat; instead, [[SheatheYourSword he defeated the clone by meditating and reaching inner peace]].
** "[[Recap/SamuraiJackS4E1SamuraiVsNinja Samurai vs. Ninja]]": Jack becomes a ninja to fight a ninja.
* Played with in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Bart Carny". When Homer and Bart work at a CrappyCarnival, one of their jobs is temporarily covering for a father and son who run an impossible ring-toss. Chief Wiggum threatens to close down the game since it's rigged and does so when Homer remains oblivious to Wiggum's attempts to be bribed. Homer lets the two stay at their home and the father and son ended up locking the Simpsons out of their house when the family are away. Homer bet the house on being able to throw a hula-hoop around their chimney and the carny agreed. [[spoiler:When Homer seemed about to throw the thing, the family run back into the house and lock the door. So they ''really'' beat them at their own game: cheating.]]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Franchise Prequel" Professor Chaos and his minions slander the Coon and Friends on Website/{{Facebook}}. Even when the heroes try to tell other people the truth, everyone believes what is posted on Facebook. This makes them pariahs in the town, which among other things causes them to lose out on the opportunity to make shitloads of money from Creator/{{Netflix}}. Knowing that physically stopping Chaos is illegal, they realize that Mark Zuckerberg is the key to putting an end to the problem and the Coon mentions this trope by name. They ZergRush him but he easily throws them aside. The Coon wails that Tupperware (Token), Fastpass (Jimmy), and the Human Kite (Kyle) were simply standing up for black, handicapped, and Jewish people, respectively, and wonders why Zuckerburg would be so cruel to them. Zuckerberg says that isn't true but the Coon points out that Super Craig has filmed the whole fight on Facebook Live and now Facebook says its true. Zuckerberg has no choice but to shut his site down.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': In "[[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS1E5Rookies Rookies]]", the Separatist droids try to convince Rex and Cody to leave by disguising their faces with clone helmets. Later, Rex fools them into opening the door by using the torn-off head of one of the commando droids.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Teen Titans|2003}}'': Inverted in an episode where the demon Trigon forces Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire to fight the evil side of themselves -- a black-and-white, evil copy of each Titan. After a long while of trying (and failing miserably) to beat themselves, they figure out that the copies can be defeated by each Titan taking down a copy other than their own.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'': Superman is having problems taking down his evil clone, prompting Wonder Woman to fly in and suggest they switch dance partners. Green Lantern and Hawkgirl end up doing the same thing. The Flash and Batman easily beat their own doubles, the Flash with a particularly effective ShutUpHannibal and Batman by virtue of the fact that he didn't give his double a chance to start messing with his head.%%ZCE. Doesn't describe how this trope is used.
%%* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'': In an early issue, the main cast has an all-out brawl with their MirrorUniverse {{Evil Twin}}s. The heroes start out fighting their own counterparts and neither side can gain an advantage, but after they switch partners the goodies handily tromp the baddies.%%ZCE. Doesn't describe how this trope is used.
* In ''[[ComicBook/{{Asterix}} The Twelve Tasks of Asterix]]'' they face a trial that the magic potion has no effect on... bureaucracy! However, Asterix is smart enough to play the system against itself, causing enough chaos for the head of the place to just hand him the item to make him go away.
* ''WesternAnimation/YogisGang'': Yogi and his friends defeat Hilarious P. Prankster by trying to see if he can take as much as he gives.
[[/folder]]
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* ''Literature/TheHeartstrikers'': There are only ever three dragon seers at a time; two normal seers and the Black Reach, the Death of Seers, an artificial construct created by the hundreds of dragon seers on their previous plane, trying to find a way to keep their descendents from repeating their mistakes. When, inevitably, a seer commits that sin that led to the destruction of their old plane, the Black Reach sets things up perfectly to kill them; it's been thousands of years since he had to personally get his claws dirty. Every seer tries to avert their death, but fails. Bob had a revelation when he realized he ''couldn't'' beat the Black Reach at its own game. No seer can ever out-seer the anti-seer precognitive dragon construct supercomputer. [[spoiler:Instead, he found a way to create a future that the Black Reach would not want destroyed, and which all relied on Julius. And since Julius refuses to let Bob die, that means Bob has to live for this good future to come to pass]].

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* ''Literature/TheHeartstrikers'': There are only ever three dragon seers at a time; two normal seers and the Black Reach, the Death of Seers, an artificial construct created by the hundreds of dragon seers on their previous plane, trying to find a way to keep their descendents descendants from repeating their mistakes. When, inevitably, a seer commits that sin that led to the destruction of their old plane, the Black Reach sets things up perfectly to kill them; it's been thousands of years since he had to personally get his claws dirty. Every seer tries to avert their death, but fails. Bob had a revelation when he realized he ''couldn't'' beat the Black Reach at its own game. No seer can ever out-seer the anti-seer precognitive dragon construct supercomputer. [[spoiler:Instead, he found a way to create a future that the Black Reach would not want destroyed, and which all relied on Julius. And since Julius refuses to let Bob die, that means Bob has to live for this good future to come to pass]].
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* ''Literature/TheHeartstrikers'': There are only ever three dragon seers at a time; two normal seers and the Black Reach, the Death of Seers, an artificial construct created by the hundreds of dragon seers on their previous plane, trying to find a way to keep their descendents from repeating their mistakes. When, inevitably, a seer commits that sin that led to the destruction of their old plane, the Black Reach sets things up perfectly to kill them; it's been thousands of years since he had to personally get his claws dirty. Every seer tries to avert their death, but fails. Bob had a revelation when he realized he ''couldn't'' beat the Black Reach at its own game. No seer can ever out-seer the anti-seer precognitive dragon construct supercomputer. [[spoiler:Instead, he found a way to create a future that the Black Reach would not want destroyed, and which all relied on Julius. And since Julius refuses to let Bob die, that means Bob has to live for this good future to come to pass]].
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* At ''Crown Jewel 2021'', Edge defeated Wrestling/SethRollins after hitting him with Rollins' Superkick and then Curbstomp.
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drawing power is already obviously Power Source and Eating Machine implies it.


* In ''Fanfic/{{Origins}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Borderlands=]''[=/=]''[=Halo=]'']] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, the heroes are faced with an AlienInvasion that's destroyed every attempt to stop it so far. It spreads like TheVirus by consuming any organic tissue it finds in order to create more of itself. What do they do? Build starships that need no organic crew, are run by artificial intelligence, and are [[MilitaryMashupMachine mobile factories]] capable of self-upgrade, self-repair, and deploying their own smaller ships while drawing power from [[EatingMachine consuming dead alien tissue]] as a PowerSource.
* In the ''FanFic/PonyPOVSeries'', [[BadFuture Dark World]]!Twilight does this twice. First, during the Duel of Tears against [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Traitor Dash]], she transforms into a pegasus and matches TD move-for-move. Then, during the FinalBattle, [[spoiler: she tricks [[TrueFinalBoss Nightmare Paradox]] into using her TimeMaster abilities so that Twilight can [[PowerCopying copy them]] and use them to take advantage of how much Paradox's GroundhogDayLoop plan has screwed up the timeline as part of a move to defeat her for good]].

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* In ''Fanfic/{{Origins}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Borderlands=]''[=/=]''[=Halo=]'']] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, the heroes are faced with an AlienInvasion that's destroyed every attempt to stop it so far. It spreads like TheVirus by consuming any organic tissue it finds in order to create more of itself. What do they do? Build starships that need no organic crew, are run by artificial intelligence, and are [[MilitaryMashupMachine mobile factories]] capable of self-upgrade, self-repair, and deploying their own smaller ships while drawing power from [[EatingMachine consuming dead alien tissue]] as a PowerSource.
tissue]].
* In the ''FanFic/PonyPOVSeries'', ''Fanfic/PonyPOVSeries'', Twilight from the [[BadFuture Dark World]]!Twilight World]], does this twice. First, during the Duel of Tears against [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Traitor Dash]], she transforms into a pegasus and matches TD move-for-move. Then, during the FinalBattle, [[spoiler: she tricks [[TrueFinalBoss Nightmare Paradox]] into using her TimeMaster abilities so that Twilight can [[PowerCopying copy them]] and use them to take advantage of how much Paradox's GroundhogDayLoop plan has screwed up the timeline as part of a move to defeat her for good]].
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* ''Film/ThePrincessBride'': MasterSwordsman Inigo Montoya faces off against the Man in Black in a sword duel initially fighting with his off-hand, hoping to make the fight last longer. He soon realizes the Man in Black is actually more than a match for him, so he switches his sword to his right hand to gain the edge he needs... only for the Man in Black to ''also'' switch to his right hand and disarm him.


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* ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'': MasterSwordsman Inigo Montoya faces off against the Man in Black in a sword duel initially fighting with his off-hand, hoping to make the fight last longer. He soon realizes the Man in Black is actually more than a match for him, so he switches his sword to his right hand to gain the edge he needs... only for the Man in Black to ''also'' switch to his right hand and disarm him.
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* ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/32687698 the high road]]'': [[BitchInSheepsClothing Lila]] loves PlayingTheVictimCard whenever she's called out on her various deceptions. Marinette flips this around by pretending to be taken in, [[BotheringByTheBook catering to her in ways that inconvenience the rest of their class]] until they're motivated to investigate themselves and realize that Lila's a ConsummateLiar. When they finally confront her, Marinette acts as though she had no ''idea'', letting them turn against Lila ''en masse'' in her defense.

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* ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/32687698 ''[[Fanfic/TheHighRoadMiraculousLadybug the high road]]'': [[BitchInSheepsClothing Lila]] loves PlayingTheVictimCard whenever she's called out on her various deceptions. Marinette flips this around by pretending to be taken in, [[BotheringByTheBook catering to her in ways that inconvenience the rest of their class]] until they're motivated to investigate themselves and realize that Lila's a ConsummateLiar. When they finally confront her, Marinette acts as though she had no ''idea'', letting them turn against Lila ''en masse'' in her defense.
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* In ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'' games, the titular character gains the abilities of the Robot Masters that he defeats, which are typically useful against another Robot Master. However, in ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'', Metal Man is particularly weak to his own weapon; two shots on Hard Mode will take him out. This is even more prominent in ''VideoGame/MegaMan3'', where ''every'' Robot Master is weak against his own weapon.

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* In ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'' games, the titular character gains the abilities of the Robot Masters that he defeats, which are typically useful against another Robot Master. However, in ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'', Metal Man is particularly weak to his own weapon; two shots on Hard Mode Difficult mode (or [[OneHitKill one]] on Normal mode) will take him out. This is even more prominent in ''VideoGame/MegaMan3'', where ''every'' Robot Master is weak against his own weapon.



* Don Flaminco in ''VideoGame/PunchOut'' uses this against you. For most opponents, you have to block or dodge their attacks and then counterattack. Don does the same trick against you, refusing to land a blow on you unless you strike first so he can counter. Of course, you can counter his counterattack.

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* Don Flaminco Flamenco in ''VideoGame/PunchOut'' uses this against you. For most opponents, you have to block or dodge their attacks and then counterattack. Don does the same trick against you, refusing to land a blow on you unless you strike first so he can counter. Of course, you can counter his counterattack.
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* To combat Website/YouTube's Content ID system, which means companies can monetise videos with as little as 15 seconds of their content, even if it falls under Fair Use, [[WebVideo/Jimquisition Jim Sterling]] purposely included copyrighted material from multiple companies who had claimed their content before, as they had accidentally discovered that when multiple people claim a video, and at least one of them chooses not to monetise it, nobody gets the money.

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* To combat Website/YouTube's Content ID system, which means companies can monetise videos with as little as 15 seconds of their content, even if it falls under Fair Use, [[WebVideo/Jimquisition [[WebVideo/{{Jimquisition}} Jim Sterling]] purposely included copyrighted material from multiple companies who had claimed their content before, as they had accidentally discovered that when multiple people claim a video, and at least one of them chooses not to monetise it, nobody gets the money.
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Jim Sterling is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns


* To combat Website/YouTube's Content ID system, which means companies can monetise videos with as little as 15 seconds of their content, even if it falls under Fair Use, Jim Sterling purposely included copyrighted material from multiple companies who had claimed his content before, as he had accidentally discovered that when multiple people claim a video, and at least one of them chooses not to monetise it, nobody gets the money.

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* To combat Website/YouTube's Content ID system, which means companies can monetise videos with as little as 15 seconds of their content, even if it falls under Fair Use, [[WebVideo/Jimquisition Jim Sterling Sterling]] purposely included copyrighted material from multiple companies who had claimed his their content before, as he they had accidentally discovered that when multiple people claim a video, and at least one of them chooses not to monetise it, nobody gets the money.

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Alphabetized several examples.


* A variation in ''Anime/AldnoahZero'': while trying to take back New Orleans, Inaho and his team face off against the occupying Martian Knight's [[HumongousMecha Solis Kataphrakt]]. The Solis uses ''terrifyingly'' powerful [[EnergyWeapon Frickin' Laser Beams]], allowing it to blast opponents and even missiles to slag before they even get close. Inaho's solution to this long-ranged opponent is even ''longer''-ranged combat: [[spoiler:he relays the exact position of the Solis to the [[CoolShip Deucalion]], allowing them to lob shells at it from behind the safety of the horizon]].
* In ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'', in the battle between Karma and Nagisa, Nagisa deliberately decides to not use his superior assassination skills and instead defeat Karma in hand-to-hand combat, despite the fact that he clearly was a better fighter. Nagisa did this because he understood that rest of the class would think that he tried to use his superior natural talent to force them on his side, and only fighting on Karma's terms would be considered "fair" by others. Karma understood this as well and decided to surrender, even though he had the opportunity to win.



* The main crew of ''Manga/OnePiece'' tend to fight against similarly skilled members of every QuirkyMinibossSquad they encounter: Zoro fights other swordsmen, Sanji fights martial artists and Usopp fights projectile users, while Luffy inevitably ends up going after the BigBad for that group.
** Lampshaded in one fight where Sanji matches up with a swordsman while Zoro finds himself squaring off with a martial artist.
*** Typically they fight similar opponents intentionally. Zoro for example wants to be the greatest swordsmen in the world, so fighting other swordsmen is a bit important for that goal.
** The Straw Hat crew was challenged to a Davy Back Fight, where a pirate crew challenges another crew to a series of games with crew members as the prize. The Foxy Pirates used several underhand tricks to get the advantage but the Straw Hats naturally beat them.
** The [=CP9=], confident in their abilities, made a game out of rescuing Robin where they divided five keys among them (one which unlocked Robin's cuffs) and had the Straw Hats scramble to defeat them and find the right one before Robin was permanently taken away.
* Frequently used in ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', but notably subverted and then averted when Ryoga learns the Shi Shi Hokodan technique. After being devastated by the technique, Ranma attempts to master it, but this proves impossible, as the Shi Shi Hokodan is powered by depression, and Ranma (despite all circumstances) is a pretty happy fellow compared to Ryoga, and certainly can't hope to match his misfortunes. Instead, he resorts to mastering a variant powered by his ''confidence''. This works for a time, but Ryouga -- helped along by the depression of having his technique thwarted -- then uses the ''Perfect'' Shi Shi Hokodan. It's fueled by a level of absolute depression for which Ranma can't muster an equal amount of confidence, especially once Ranma starts losing. In the end, Ranma achieves victory by finding a way to turn Ryouga's own attack against him.



* In the first TournamentArc of ''Manga/DragonBall'', Goku uses this against his far more experience opponent, "[[Creator/JackieChan Jackie]] [[{{Expy}} Chun]]" (Actually his mentor Master Roshi in disguise). Whenever Roshi uses a new technique, Goku comes up with something similar to counter it: for instance, Roshi uses DrunkenBoxing, a style that relies on [[ConfusionFu unpredictability]], so Goku invents "Mad Dog style" where he pretends to be a rabid dog and is similarly unpredictable. As time goes on, Roshi pulls out ever more esoteric and bizarre techniques, and Goku develops increasingly esoteric and bizarre counters, until they end it all with [[FearfulSymmetry a perfectly symmetrical kick]]. Unfortunately, Roshi is taller than Goku, so his kick hit harder... As the series progresses, quickly inventing techniques similar to those used against him becomes Goku's signature method, and it wins him a lot of fights... especially after he gets taller.
* The ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' character Kakashi Hatake is known as the "Copy-Ninja" for his ability to flawlessly copy an enemy's moves, using his Sharingan eye, ''even as they are performing them''. In one instance, the ninja he was copying was so surprised by Kakashi's perfect move for move copy that he stopped cold in the middle of his sharingan. ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Kakashi continued anyway and completed it despite having never seen it.]]'' This actually involved a bit of trickery: [[spoiler: Kakashi hypnotized the other ninja to complete the moveset and then forget he had done so, allowing Kakashi to learn it. But he still used the technique without ever having seen it fully performed]].
* In an episode of ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'', the SOS Brigade are challenged by the Computer Society at a video game of the latter's own design to keep their computer (and their EmotionlessGirl, thanks to Haruhi's tendency to treat brigade members like property.) The SOS Brigade ends up winning in spite of only having a week of practice, having a strategic moron for a leader, and rampant cheating on the part of the Computer Society. In the light novel Nagato [[ScrewTheRulesTheyBrokeThemFirst ended up cheating even more blatantly than the club to win]], but in the anime the only thing she did that wasn't within the rules of the game was to turn off the computer club's cheat.
* During the Kyoto StoryArc in ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'', Saitou challenges Sanosuke to hand-to-hand combat (the latter's specialty), even going so far as to suspend [[CombatPragmatist fighting dirty]], in order to prove that Sano isn't on his or Kenshin's level (and consequently, a liability in the coming battles). Needless to say, it was a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown, and not in Sano's favor.

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* In ''LightNovel/TheCircumstancesLeadingToWaltrautesMarriage'', Waltraute manages to beat Thor in a fight using lightning. He didn't take it well.
* ''Manga/DontMeddleWithMyDaughter'': In chapter 11, [[BigBad Zenovia]] uses Athena's own libido [[SexSlave to enslave her]] by subjecting her to increasing amounts of sexual pleasure, 'til her mind breaks. Then puts her in [[BattleBikini plugsuit]] with [[spoiler:a butt plug and dildo]] harness, to keep her in heat. But in chapter 12, Point Blank uses the same ploy to free Athena. Thanks to the suit she was wearing, he knew she'd be too horny to resist him. So he strips down to his underwear and challenges her in the sack. It works. Athena removes the harness without hesitation to let him bang her, and reverts to normal afterward.
* In the first TournamentArc of ''Manga/DragonBall'', Goku uses this against his far more experience opponent, "[[Creator/JackieChan Jackie]] [[{{Expy}} Chun]]" (Actually his mentor Master Roshi in disguise). Whenever Roshi uses a new technique, Goku comes up with something similar to counter it: for instance, Roshi uses DrunkenBoxing, a style that relies on [[ConfusionFu unpredictability]], so Goku invents "Mad Dog style" where he pretends to be a rabid dog and is similarly unpredictable. As time goes on, Roshi pulls out ever more esoteric and bizarre techniques, and Goku develops increasingly esoteric and bizarre counters, until they end it all with [[FearfulSymmetry a perfectly symmetrical kick]]. Unfortunately, Roshi is taller than Goku, so his kick hit harder... As the series progresses, quickly inventing techniques similar to those used against him becomes Goku's signature method, and it wins him a lot of fights... especially after he gets taller.
taller.
* The ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' character Kakashi Hatake is known as the "Copy-Ninja" for his ability When Erza's Requip armor and weapons prove utterly useless against Ikaruga in ''Manga/FairyTail'', an assassin with ImplausibleFencingPowers, Erza decides to flawlessly copy an enemy's moves, fight her using his Sharingan eye, ''even as they are performing them''. In one instance, the ninja he was copying was so surprised by Kakashi's perfect move for move copy that he stopped cold in the middle of his sharingan. ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Kakashi continued anyway an outfit with no magic and completed it despite having never seen it.]]'' This actually involved a bit of trickery: [[spoiler: Kakashi hypnotized the ordinary swords. [[spoiler:She wins.]]
* ''Manga/FoodWars'': Protagonist Soma Yukihira often challenges
other ninja to complete the moveset chefs in their own specialty fields, and then forget manages to beat them through his creativity, and often uses techniques he had done so, allowing Kakashi learned from his opponents (either against them or to learn it. But beat new rivals) to give his dishes unexpected twists.
* ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'':
** When Kenshiro fights Shu
he still used the managed to defeat him through a secret Hokuto Shinken technique without ever having seen it fully performed]].
that allows him to emulate Nanto Seiken.
** During his battle with Raoh, Toki artificially increases his strength to use his opponent's fighting style. Unfortunately he doesn't succeed.
* In an episode of ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy ''Anime/FullMetalPanicFumoffu'', Kaname is kidnapped by a gang of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'', thugs. Sosuke's answer is to kidnap the SOS Brigade are challenged by gang leader's younger brother, and threaten her to kill him if she doesn't release Kaname. Not only that, but he also reveals that he knows a whole awful lot about the Computer Society at other gang members' personal belonging and loved ones, and declares it would be a video game of ShameIfSomethingHappened to them. This does the latter's own design to keep their computer (and their EmotionlessGirl, thanks to Haruhi's tendency to treat brigade trick marvelously well: the gang members like property.) The SOS Brigade ends up winning run away in spite of only having a week of practice, having a strategic moron for a leader, terror, and rampant cheating on the part of the Computer Society. In the light novel Nagato [[ScrewTheRulesTheyBrokeThemFirst ended up cheating even more blatantly than the club to win]], but in the anime the only thing she did Kaname is freed. [[spoiler:Then Sosuke reveals that wasn't within the rules of the game was to turn off the computer club's cheat.
* During the Kyoto StoryArc in ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'', Saitou challenges Sanosuke to hand-to-hand combat (the latter's specialty), even going so far as to suspend [[CombatPragmatist fighting dirty]], in order to prove that Sano isn't on his or Kenshin's level (and consequently, a liability in the coming battles). Needless to say,
it was all just a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown, trick: he actually formed this plan together with the leader's brother, saying it was an emergency. This doesn't stop the scene from being tense, as Sosuke and not in Sano's favor.the kid were both damn convincing.]]



* Practically [[TheHero Yugi's]] M.O. in ''Anime/YuGiOh'':
** Against the [[TagTeamTwins Paradox Brothers]], [[TheLancer Joey]] uses the trope name word-for-word.
** The Virtual Nightmare Arc in ''Anime/YuGiOh'' was nearly an entire storyline devoted to this Trope. The Big 5 thought to defeat the heroes by dueling them with the Deckmaster System, a special set of HouseRules that they thought would give them an advantage. To their dismay - and horror - the heroes adjusted to this system ''very'' quickly, and in every duel the Deckmasters played a role in the villain's defeat. Even in Yugi's duel against Noah, where Yugi was using Kaiba's Deckmaster, which wasn't of any use to him, Yugi nearly defeated Noah after the villain carelessly summoned ''his'' Deckmaster. Noah only escaped defeat (''that'' turn) because [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem he could pretty much give Shinato any effect he wanted]] ''whenever'' he wanted.
** Yugi was also able to beat Duke Devlin at ''Dungeon Dice Monsters'' by adapting to Duke's game rather easily, but a lot of that [[HoistByHisOwnPetard was Duke's fault]]; he had made the DDM version of Dark Magician, [[TheAce Yugi's favorite card]], ''very'' powerful and very similar to the one Yugi was familiar with. Yugi couldn't help but ''thank'' him for creating such a faithful adaptation of his best card before scoring the winning move.
*** It's worth noting, however, that in the original version of the latter case, Pegasus himself decided to expand the DDM game adding new monsters and abilities(including the aforementioned Dark Magician), and Duke failed to check out which additions he had made. When Yugi managed to summon the Dark Magician, Duke had no idea of what abilities he had, which played a major factor in his defeat. Still, seeing that he (Duke) had created the game, he should have double-checked it beforehand.
** Joey pulls off a double dose of this on Valon in their duel during the "Waking The Dragons" arc. Valon uses an "Armor" deck where the monsters he summons are equipped to his own body as a futuristic suit of PoweredArmor. Joey decided to "fight armor with armor" first with his Aura Armor trap card which he then sacrifices along with his Red-Eyes Black Dragon to create his "Lord of the Red" armor. When that alone fails to get him a victory, Joey wins the duel by fusing his Claws of Hermos with a monster that was in Valon's graveyard in retaliation for a move Valon had used earlier in which he made a copy of an equip monster Joey had.
** Joey also used this in his match against Bandit Keith. Keith used a spell card called Pillager which allowed him to take a spell card from Joey's hand. Joey responded with Graverobber which allowed him to take a spell card from Kieth's graveyard.
* In ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'', Judai manages to defeat a deck destruction expert by deck out. He also beats a guy using a quiz deck with a quiz of his own.
* In ''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL'', Tron's entire strategy revolved around this. His two Numbers (Number 8: Heraldic King Genom-Heritage and the even stronger Number 69: Heraldry God - Coat of Arms) could both steal the effects and even the names of opposing monsters, using them themselves and leaving the opposing monsters powerless. (Thankfully, the RealLife versions of these cards are ''far'' less potent.)
* This is the tactic employed by the [[AntiVillain Anti-Spiral]] in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' - whenever the protagonists get a bigger mecha, they field an equally big one to try and instill despair into the protagonists in order to dampen their [[HotBlooded hot blood]] powered Spiral Energy.
* ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'':
** When Kenshiro fights Shu he managed to defeat him through a secret Hokuto Shinken technique that allows him to emulate Nanto Seiken.
** During his battle with Raoh, Toki artificially increases his strength to use his opponent's fighting style. Unfortunately he doesn't succeed.



* In ''LightNovel/TheCircumstancesLeadingToWaltrautesMarriage'', Waltraute manages to beat Thor in a fight using lightning. He didn't take it well.
* In an episode of ''Anime/FullMetalPanicFumoffu'', Kaname is kidnapped by a gang of thugs. Sosuke's answer is to kidnap the gang leader's younger brother, and threaten her to kill him if she doesn't release Kaname. Not only that, but he also reveals that he knows a whole awful lot about the other gang members' personal belonging and loved ones, and declares it would be a ShameIfSomethingHappened to them. This does the trick marvelously well: the gang members run away in terror, and Kaname is freed. [[spoiler:Then Sosuke reveals that it was all just a trick: he actually formed this plan together with the leader's brother, saying it was an emergency. This doesn't stop the scene from being tense, as Sosuke and the kid were both damn convincing.]]

to:

* In ''LightNovel/TheCircumstancesLeadingToWaltrautesMarriage'', Waltraute manages ''Manga/MedakaBox'': Ajimu Najimi points out that this is typically how Kurokami Medaka operates; whenever an enemy appears, Medaka habitually engages them in their own specialty in order to beat Thor truly win against them. To wit, Najimi, despite being the antagonist of that arc, insisted on not directly engaging Medaka in a fight using lightning. He didn't take it straight battle, convinced that there was no way even a PhysicalGod like her could defeat a "Main Character" like Medaka. In response, Medaka naturally elected to oppose Najimi indirectly as well.
* In an episode of ''Anime/FullMetalPanicFumoffu'', Kaname is kidnapped by a gang ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of thugs. Sosuke's answer is to kidnap Haruhi Suzumiya]]'', the gang leader's younger brother, and threaten her SOS Brigade are challenged by the Computer Society at a video game of the latter's own design to kill him if she doesn't release Kaname. Not keep their computer (and their EmotionlessGirl, thanks to Haruhi's tendency to treat brigade members like property.) The SOS Brigade ends up winning in spite of only that, having a week of practice, having a strategic moron for a leader, and rampant cheating on the part of the Computer Society. In the light novel Nagato [[ScrewTheRulesTheyBrokeThemFirst ended up cheating even more blatantly than the club to win]], but in the anime the only thing she did that wasn't within the rules of the game was to turn off the computer club's cheat.
* Attempted during the final battle between [[BigBad All For One]] and [[BigGood All Might]] in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''; All For One decides to finish his nemesis with a MegatonPunch rather than blasting All Might from afar with some of his other Quirks, in a perverse mockery of All Might's signature Smashes. Unfortunately for All For One, All Might gains a HeroicSecondWind and dodges, leaving All For One helpless to counter All Might's [[FinishingMove United States of Smash]].
* The ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' character Kakashi Hatake is known as the "Copy-Ninja" for his ability to flawlessly copy an enemy's moves, using his Sharingan eye, ''even as they are performing them''. In one instance, the ninja
he also reveals was copying was so surprised by Kakashi's perfect move for move copy that he knows stopped cold in the middle of his sharingan. ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Kakashi continued anyway and completed it despite having never seen it.]]'' This actually involved a whole awful lot about bit of trickery: [[spoiler:Kakashi hypnotized the other gang members' personal belonging ninja to complete the moveset and loved ones, and declares it would be a ShameIfSomethingHappened then forget he had done so, allowing Kakashi to them. This does learn it. But he still used the trick marvelously well: the gang members run away in terror, and Kaname is freed. [[spoiler:Then Sosuke reveals that technique without ever having seen it was all just a trick: he actually formed this plan together with the leader's brother, saying it was an emergency. This doesn't stop the scene from being tense, as Sosuke and the kid were both damn convincing.]]fully performed]].



* A variation in ''Anime/AldnoahZero'': while trying to take back New Orleans, Inaho and his team face off against the occupying Martian Knight's [[HumongousMecha Solis Kataphrakt]]. The Solis uses ''terrifyingly'' powerful [[EnergyWeapon Frickin' Laser Beams]], allowing it to blast opponents and even missiles to slag before they even get close. Inaho's solution to this long-ranged opponent is even ''longer''-ranged combat: [[spoiler:he relays the exact position of the Solis to the [[CoolShip Deucalion]], allowing them to lob shells at it from behind the safety of the horizon]].
* When Erza's Requip armor and weapons prove utterly useless against Ikaruga in ''Manga/FairyTail'', an assassin with ImplausibleFencingPowers, Erza decides to fight her using an outfit with no magic and ordinary swords. [[spoiler:She wins.]]

to:

* A variation in ''Anime/AldnoahZero'': while trying The main crew of ''Manga/OnePiece'' tend to take back New Orleans, Inaho and his team face off fight against similarly skilled members of every QuirkyMinibossSquad they encounter: Zoro fights other swordsmen, Sanji fights martial artists and Usopp fights projectile users, while Luffy inevitably ends up going after the occupying Martian Knight's [[HumongousMecha Solis Kataphrakt]]. The Solis uses ''terrifyingly'' powerful [[EnergyWeapon Frickin' Laser Beams]], allowing it to blast BigBad for that group.
** Lampshaded in one fight where Sanji matches up with a swordsman while Zoro finds himself squaring off with a martial artist.
*** Typically they fight similar
opponents intentionally. Zoro for example wants to be the greatest swordsmen in the world, so fighting other swordsmen is a bit important for that goal.
** The Straw Hat crew was challenged to a Davy Back Fight, where a pirate crew challenges another crew to a series of games with crew members as the prize. The Foxy Pirates used several underhand tricks to get the advantage but the Straw Hats naturally beat them.
** The [=CP9=], confident in their abilities, made a game out of rescuing Robin where they divided five keys among them (one which unlocked Robin's cuffs)
and even missiles had the Straw Hats scramble to slag defeat them and find the right one before they even get close. Inaho's solution Robin was permanently taken away.
* Frequently used in ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', but notably subverted and then averted when Ryoga learns the Shi Shi Hokodan technique. After being devastated by the technique, Ranma attempts
to master it, but this long-ranged opponent is even ''longer''-ranged combat: [[spoiler:he relays proves impossible, as the exact position of Shi Shi Hokodan is powered by depression, and Ranma (despite all circumstances) is a pretty happy fellow compared to Ryoga, and certainly can't hope to match his misfortunes. Instead, he resorts to mastering a variant powered by his ''confidence''. This works for a time, but Ryouga -- helped along by the Solis to depression of having his technique thwarted -- then uses the [[CoolShip Deucalion]], allowing them to lob shells at it from behind ''Perfect'' Shi Shi Hokodan. It's fueled by a level of absolute depression for which Ranma can't muster an equal amount of confidence, especially once Ranma starts losing. In the safety of the horizon]].
* When Erza's Requip armor and weapons prove utterly useless
end, Ranma achieves victory by finding a way to turn Ryouga's own attack against Ikaruga him.
* During the Kyoto StoryArc
in ''Manga/FairyTail'', an assassin with ImplausibleFencingPowers, Erza decides ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'', Saitou challenges Sanosuke to fight hand-to-hand combat (the latter's specialty), even going so far as to suspend [[CombatPragmatist fighting dirty]], in order to prove that Sano isn't on his or Kenshin's level (and consequently, a liability in the coming battles). Needless to say, it was a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown, and not in Sano's favor.
* In ''Anime/SevenMortalSins'', Lucifer challenges the titular Sins on their own turf, because she believes in establishing her superiority as "the best in Hell". This leads to
her using sex appeal to ''embarrass'' the Sin of Lust, beating Melancholy as an outfit with no magic IdolSinger, challenging Gluttony to an eating contest, and ordinary swords. [[spoiler:She wins.]]out-playing Sloth at an MMO.
* This is the tactic employed by the [[AntiVillain Anti-Spiral]] in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' - whenever the protagonists get a bigger mecha, they field an equally big one to try and instill despair into the protagonists in order to dampen their [[HotBlooded hot blood]] powered Spiral Energy.



* In ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'', in the battle between Karma and Nagisa, Nagisa deliberately decides to not use his superior assassination skills and instead defeat Karma in hand-to-hand combat, despite the fact that he clearly was a better fighter. Nagisa did this because he understood that rest of the class would think that he tried to use his superior natural talent to force them on his side, and only fighting on Karma's terms would be considered "fair" by others. Karma understood this as well and decided to surrender, even though he had the opportunity to win.
* ''Manga/DontMeddleWithMyDaughter'': In chapter 11, [[BigBad Zenovia]] uses Athena's own libido [[SexSlave to enslave her]] by subjecting her to increasing amounts of sexual pleasure, 'til her mind breaks. Then puts her in [[BattleBikini plugsuit]] with [[spoiler: a butt plug and dildo]] harness, to keep her in heat. But in chapter 12, Point Blank uses the same ploy to free Athena. Thanks to the suit she was wearing, he knew she'd be too horny to resist him. So he strips down to his underwear and challenges her in the sac. It works. Athena removes the harness without hesitation to let him bang her, and reverts to normal afterward.
* In ''Anime/SevenMortalSins'', Lucifer challenges the titular Sins on their own turf, because she believes in establishing her superiority as "the best in Hell". This leads to her using sex appeal to ''embarrass'' the Sin of Lust, beating Melancholy as an IdolSinger, challenging Gluttony to an eating contest, and out-playing Sloth at an MMO.
* Attempted during the final battle between [[BigBad All For One]] and [[BigGood All Might]] in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''; All For One decides to finish his nemesis with a MegatonPunch rather than blasting All Might from afar with some of his other Quirks, in a perverse mockery of All Might's signature Smashes. Unfortunately for All For One, All Might gains a HeroicSecondWind and dodges, leaving All For One helpless to counter All Might's [[FinishingMove United States of Smash]].
* ''Manga/FoodWars'': Protagonist Soma Yukihira often challenges other chefs in their own specialty fields, and manages to beat them through his creativity, and often uses techniques he learned from his opponents (either against them or to beat new rivals) to give his dishes unexpected twists.
* ''Manga/MedakaBox'': Ajimu Najimi points out that this is typically how Kurokami Medaka operates; whenever an enemy appears, Medaka habitually engages them in their own specialty in order to truly win against them. To wit, Najimi, despite being the antagonist of that arc, insisted on not directly engaging Medaka in a straight battle, convinced that there was no way even a PhysicalGod like her could defeat a "Main Character" like Medaka. In response, Medaka naturally elected to oppose Najimi indirectly as well.

to:

* In ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'', Practically [[TheHero Yugi's]] M.O. in ''Anime/YuGiOh'':
** Against
the battle between Karma and Nagisa, Nagisa deliberately decides to not use his superior assassination skills and instead defeat Karma in hand-to-hand combat, despite the fact that he clearly was a better fighter. Nagisa did this because he understood that rest of the class would think that he tried to use his superior natural talent to force them on his side, and only fighting on Karma's terms would be considered "fair" by others. Karma understood this as well and decided to surrender, even though he had the opportunity to win.
* ''Manga/DontMeddleWithMyDaughter'': In chapter 11, [[BigBad Zenovia]] uses Athena's own libido [[SexSlave to enslave her]] by subjecting her to increasing amounts of sexual pleasure, 'til her mind breaks. Then puts her in [[BattleBikini plugsuit]] with [[spoiler: a butt plug and dildo]] harness, to keep her in heat. But in chapter 12, Point Blank
[[TagTeamTwins Paradox Brothers]], [[TheLancer Joey]] uses the same ploy trope name word-for-word.
** The Virtual Nightmare Arc in ''Anime/YuGiOh'' was nearly an entire storyline devoted
to free Athena. Thanks this Trope. The Big 5 thought to defeat the suit she was wearing, he knew she'd be too horny to resist him. So he strips down to his underwear heroes by dueling them with the Deckmaster System, a special set of HouseRules that they thought would give them an advantage. To their dismay - and challenges her horror - the heroes adjusted to this system ''very'' quickly, and in every duel the Deckmasters played a role in the sac. It works. Athena removes villain's defeat. Even in Yugi's duel against Noah, where Yugi was using Kaiba's Deckmaster, which wasn't of any use to him, Yugi nearly defeated Noah after the harness without hesitation to let him bang her, and reverts to normal afterward.
* In ''Anime/SevenMortalSins'', Lucifer challenges the titular Sins on their own turf,
villain carelessly summoned ''his'' Deckmaster. Noah only escaped defeat (''that'' turn) because she believes in establishing her superiority as "the best in Hell". This leads to her using sex appeal to ''embarrass'' the Sin of Lust, beating Melancholy as an IdolSinger, challenging Gluttony to an eating contest, and out-playing Sloth at an MMO.[[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem he could pretty much give Shinato any effect he wanted]] ''whenever'' he wanted.
* Attempted ** Yugi was also able to beat Duke Devlin at ''Dungeon Dice Monsters'' by adapting to Duke's game rather easily, but a lot of that [[HoistByHisOwnPetard was Duke's fault]]; he had made the DDM version of Dark Magician, [[TheAce Yugi's favorite card]], ''very'' powerful and very similar to the one Yugi was familiar with. Yugi couldn't help but ''thank'' him for creating such a faithful adaptation of his best card before scoring the winning move.
*** It's worth noting, however, that in the original version of the latter case, Pegasus himself decided to expand the DDM game adding new monsters and abilities(including the aforementioned Dark Magician), and Duke failed to check out which additions he had made. When Yugi managed to summon the Dark Magician, Duke had no idea of what abilities he had, which played a major factor in his defeat. Still, seeing that he (Duke) had created the game, he should have double-checked it beforehand.
** Joey pulls off a double dose of this on Valon in their duel
during the final battle between [[BigBad All For One]] and [[BigGood All Might]] in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''; All For One decides "Waking The Dragons" arc. Valon uses an "Armor" deck where the monsters he summons are equipped to finish his nemesis own body as a futuristic suit of PoweredArmor. Joey decided to "fight armor with armor" first with his Aura Armor trap card which he then sacrifices along with his Red-Eyes Black Dragon to create his "Lord of the Red" armor. When that alone fails to get him a victory, Joey wins the duel by fusing his Claws of Hermos with a MegatonPunch rather than blasting All Might monster that was in Valon's graveyard in retaliation for a move Valon had used earlier in which he made a copy of an equip monster Joey had.
** Joey also used this in his match against Bandit Keith. Keith used a spell card called Pillager which allowed him to take a spell card
from afar Joey's hand. Joey responded with some of his other Quirks, in a perverse mockery of All Might's signature Smashes. Unfortunately for All For One, All Might gains a HeroicSecondWind and dodges, leaving All For One helpless Graverobber which allowed him to counter All Might's [[FinishingMove United States of Smash]].
take a spell card from Kieth's graveyard.
* ''Manga/FoodWars'': Protagonist Soma Yukihira often challenges other chefs in their own specialty fields, and In ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'', Judai manages to beat them through his creativity, and often uses techniques he learned from his opponents (either against them or to beat new rivals) to give his dishes unexpected twists.
* ''Manga/MedakaBox'': Ajimu Najimi points out that this is typically how Kurokami Medaka operates; whenever an enemy appears, Medaka habitually engages them in their own specialty in order to truly win against them. To wit, Najimi, despite being the antagonist of that arc, insisted on not directly engaging Medaka in a straight battle, convinced that there was no way even a PhysicalGod like her could
defeat a "Main Character" like Medaka. deck destruction expert by deck out. He also beats a guy using a quiz deck with a quiz of his own.
*
In response, Medaka naturally elected to oppose Najimi indirectly as well.''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL'', Tron's entire strategy revolved around this. His two Numbers (Number 8: Heraldic King Genom-Heritage and the even stronger Number 69: Heraldry God - Coat of Arms) could both steal the effects and even the names of opposing monsters, using them themselves and leaving the opposing monsters powerless. (Thankfully, the RealLife versions of these cards are ''far'' less potent.)



* ''Fanfic/FeralnetteAUBigFatBreak'': One tactic Marinette employs against Lila is sarcastically agreeing with her lies and making them sound even more implausible. For instance, she responses to Lila trying to spread rumors about her starting fights by [[DeadpanSnarker nonchalantly declaring]] that she took on Hawkmoth behind the bakery.



* In ''Fanfic/AnImpracticalGuideToTheForce'' (a Franchise/StarWars crossover with Literature/APracticalGuideToEvil by [=Antony444=]) during the middle of Palpatine's bid to discredit Supreme Chancellor Valorum over the Naboo Crisis, Valorum displays force sensitivity, mind-controlling the Trade Federation Senator into confessing to the plot. Valorum then proposes a bold series of punishments which will have the side effect of enhancing Valorum's power. Palpatine is left seething at Valorum both manipulating and mind-controlling the senate before he himself could, and hypocritically wondering where the Jedi are to stop this when he needs them.

to:

* In ''Fanfic/AnImpracticalGuideToTheForce'' ''An Impractical Guide to the Force'' (a Franchise/StarWars ''Franchise/StarWars'' crossover with Literature/APracticalGuideToEvil ''Literature/APracticalGuideToEvil'' by [=Antony444=]) during the middle of Palpatine's bid to discredit Supreme Chancellor Valorum over the Naboo Crisis, Valorum displays force sensitivity, mind-controlling the Trade Federation Senator into confessing to the plot. Valorum then proposes a bold series of punishments which will have the side effect of enhancing Valorum's power. Palpatine is left seething at Valorum both manipulating and mind-controlling the senate before he himself could, and hypocritically wondering where the Jedi are to stop this when he needs them.

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* In one story during UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}}, ComicBook/TheJoker tried this, figuring that if a UtilityBelt works so well for Franchise/{{Batman}}, it could work well for him too, and built his own. (Unfortunately, Batman was a little ''too'' good at his own game, and managed to [[HoistByHisOwnPetard use Joker's belt to his own advantage.]])
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2006'': The master of disguise Nemisis falls for ComicBook/{{Circe}}'s disguise as Wonder Woman, which she lampshades and which nearly gets him killed.

to:

* In one story during UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}}, ComicBook/TheJoker [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker The Joker]] tried this, figuring that if a UtilityBelt works so well for Franchise/{{Batman}}, it could work well for him too, and built his own. (Unfortunately, Batman was a little ''too'' good at his own game, and managed to [[HoistByHisOwnPetard use Joker's belt to his own advantage.]])
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2006'': The master of disguise Nemisis falls for ComicBook/{{Circe}}'s [[Characters/WonderWomanVillains Circe]]'s disguise as Wonder Woman, which she lampshades and which nearly gets him killed.



* In ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'', ComicBook/PoisonIvy acts as a seductress that lures her victims to their deaths by flirting with them before delivering her signature KissOfDeath. She spends a majority of the film with Robin as her main victim, seducing him, making him think she loves him and will [[HeelFaceTurn change sides to be with him]], and breaking him and Batman apart. During their final encounter in Ivy's lair though [[spoiler:Robin tricks her into [[JustBetweenYouAndMe revealing her plan]] by pretending to still be in love with her and asking for a sign of trust from her before they kiss. He also wore rubber lips to protect himself against her poison during their kiss. He successfully manipulated Ivy into revealing her secrets and that her love was a lie by pretending to love her like she pretended to love him, and managed to steal a kiss from her, making her signature kiss useless. Downplayed slightly by Ivy shoving Robin into her pond to drown him, ultimately getting the last laugh in their "relationship" before "breaking up with him" but she is still beaten by Batgirl shortly afterwards and is trapped in the same Rose Throne she had just shoved Robin from]].

to:

* In ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'', ComicBook/PoisonIvy [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] acts as a seductress that lures her victims to their deaths by flirting with them before delivering her signature KissOfDeath. She spends a majority of the film with Robin as her main victim, seducing him, making him think she loves him and will [[HeelFaceTurn change sides to be with him]], and breaking him and Batman apart. During their final encounter in Ivy's lair though [[spoiler:Robin tricks her into [[JustBetweenYouAndMe revealing her plan]] by pretending to still be in love with her and asking for a sign of trust from her before they kiss. He also wore rubber lips to protect himself against her poison during their kiss. He successfully manipulated Ivy into revealing her secrets and that her love was a lie by pretending to love her like she pretended to love him, and managed to steal a kiss from her, making her signature kiss useless. Downplayed slightly by Ivy shoving Robin into her pond to drown him, ultimately getting the last laugh in their "relationship" before "breaking up with him" but she is still beaten by Batgirl shortly afterwards and is trapped in the same Rose Throne she had just shoved Robin from]].



** In the episode [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS03E04 "Double Exposure"]], the killer, a marketing specialist, uses single frames spliced into a film (and other things) to subliminally suggest thirst to the victim as part of his plan. Columbo uses single frames spliced into a film to subliminally suggest to the killer that [[spoiler: Columbo may find an important piece of evidence, so the killer will check the hiding place, leading Columbo to it ]].

to:

** In the episode [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS03E04 "Double Exposure"]], the killer, a marketing specialist, uses single frames spliced into a film (and other things) to subliminally suggest thirst to the victim as part of his plan. Columbo uses single frames spliced into a film to subliminally suggest to the killer that [[spoiler: Columbo may find an important piece of evidence, so the killer will check the hiding place, leading Columbo to it ]].it]].



** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'' has PowerArmor that has weaker versions of the same superpowers of the QuirkyMinibossSquad (which equates to 75% of the bosses of the entire game). It's [[AwesomeButImpractical impractical]] and you have to fulton a few minibosses to get Parasite Charges for the suit, but you can beat your opponents by using these powers more effectively than they can.

to:

** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'' has PowerArmor PoweredArmor that has weaker versions of the same superpowers of the QuirkyMinibossSquad (which equates to 75% of the bosses of the entire game). It's [[AwesomeButImpractical impractical]] and you have to fulton a few minibosses to get Parasite Charges for the suit, but you can beat your opponents by using these powers more effectively than they can.



* In the ''WebVideo/YoutubePoop'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYCHwl_5R8M IM Gay 3]], King Harkinian is being tormented by [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Navi]], but he successfully out-annoys her by repeating his own catchphrases.

to:

* In the ''WebVideo/YoutubePoop'' ''WebAnimation/YouTubePoop'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYCHwl_5R8M IM Gay 3]], King Harkinian is being tormented by [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Navi]], but he successfully out-annoys her by repeating his own catchphrases.



* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Said word for word by Long Feng, but denied by Azula.
-->'''Long Feng:''' You've beaten me at my own [[TheChessmaster game]].\\
'''Azula:''' [[MagnificentBastard Don't flatter yourself]]. [[XanatosSpeedChess You were never even a player]].



* Utilized by both sides in ''WesternAnimation/TheDreamstone'' in which the villains constantly try to steal the heroes' MacGuffin to spread nightmares. The two roles are reversed whenever [[EvilCounterpart the Nightmare Stone]] is discovered by the villains, leading the heroes to try to steal it from them. While the Urpneys do get to dish a little payback fending them off as they were before, [[TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin for obvious reasons]] the heroes usually handily succeed at the same task the villains failed throughout the series within the course of one episode.
* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
** WesternAnimation/BugsBunny has done this a few times, such as turning Count Bloodcount's [[ByThePowerOfGrayskull magic words]] against him, transforming him into different things.
** Cecil Turtle is not only one of the few characters able to outsmart Bugs Bunny, he did it ''three times'', (in "WesternAnimation/TortoiseBeatsHare", "WesternAnimation/TortoiseWinsByAHare", and "Rabbit Transit".) This trope clearly applied each time, the third time Cecil closing out the cartoon by [[BorrowedCatchphrase saying Bugs' own line]], "Ain't I a...um...stinker?".
* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "Magic Duel", Trixie was able to beat Twilight Sparkle in their first duel by using the [[AmplifierArtifact Alicorn Amulet]] to have more powerful and advanced spells than her. In the rematch, Twilight won by using stage magic, Trixie's specialty, to make her think Twilight was more powerful.



* Played with in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Bart Carny". When Homer and Bart work at a CrappyCarnival, one of their jobs is temporarily covering for a father and son who run an impossible ring-toss. Chief Wiggum threatens to close down the game since it's rigged and does so when Homer remains oblivious to Wiggum's attempts to be bribed. Homer lets the two stay at their home and the father and son ended up locking the Simpsons out of their house when the family are away. Homer bet the house on being able to throw a hula-hoop around their chimney and the carny agreed. [[spoiler:When Homer seemed about to throw the thing, the family run back into the house and lock the door. So they ''really'' beat them at their own game: cheating.]]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Franchise Prequel" Professor Chaos and his minions slander the Coon and Friends on Website/{{Facebook}}. Even when the heroes try to tell other people the truth, everyone believes what is posted on Facebook. This makes them pariahs in the town, which among other things causes them to lose out on the opportunity to make shitloads of money from Creator/{{Netflix}}. Knowing that physically stopping Chaos is illegal, they realize that Mark Zuckerberg is the key to putting an end to the problem and the Coon mentions this trope by name. They ZergRush him but he easily throws them aside. The Coon wails that Tupperware (Token), Fastpass (Jimmy), and the Human Kite (Kyle) were simply standing up for black, handicapped, and Jewish people, respectively, and wonders why Zuckerburg would be so cruel to them. Zuckerberg says that isn't true but the Coon points out that Super Craig has filmed the whole fight on Facebook Live and now Facebook says its true. Zuckerberg has no choice but to shut his site down.



* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'': Inverted in an episode where the demon Trigon forces Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire to fight the evil side of themselves -- a black-and-white, evil copy of each Titan. After a long while of trying (and failing miserably) to beat themselves, they figure out that the copies can be defeated by each Titan taking down a copy other than their own.

to:

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'': ''WesternAnimation/{{Teen Titans|2003}}'': Inverted in an episode where the demon Trigon forces Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire to fight the evil side of themselves -- a black-and-white, evil copy of each Titan. After a long while of trying (and failing miserably) to beat themselves, they figure out that the copies can be defeated by each Titan taking down a copy other than their own.



* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Said word for word by Long Feng, but denied by Azula.
-->'''Long Feng:''' You've beaten me at my own [[TheChessmaster game]].\\
'''Azula:''' [[MagnificentBastard Don't flatter yourself]]. [[XanatosSpeedChess You were never even a player]].
* Utilized by both sides in ''WesternAnimation/TheDreamstone'' in which the villains constantly try to steal the heroes' MacGuffin to spread nightmares. The two roles are reversed whenever [[EvilCounterpart the Nightmare Stone]] is discovered by the villains, leading the heroes to try to steal it from them. While the Urpneys do get to dish a little payback fending them off as they were before, [[TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin for obvious reasons]] the heroes usually handily succeed at the same task the villains failed throughout the series within the course of one episode.
* Played with in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Bart Carny". When Homer and Bart work at a CrappyCarnival, one of their jobs is temporarily covering for a father and son who run an impossible ring-toss. Chief Wiggum threatens to close down the game since it's rigged and does so when Homer remains oblivious to Wiggum's attempts to be bribed. Homer lets the two stay at their home and the father and son ended up locking the Simpsons out of their house when the family are away. Homer bet the house on being able to throw a hula-hoop around their chimney and the carny agreed. [[spoiler:When Homer seemed about to throw the thing, the family run back into the house and lock the door. So they ''really'' beat them at their own game: cheating.]]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "Magic Duel", Trixie was able to beat Twilight Sparkle in their first duel by using the [[AmplifierArtifact Alicorn Amulet]] to have more powerful and advanced spells than her. In the rematch, Twilight won by using stage magic, Trixie's specialty, to make her think Twilight was more powerful.
* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
** WesternAnimation/BugsBunny has done this a few times, such as turning Count Bloodcount's [[ByThePowerOfGrayskull magic words]] against him, transforming him into different things.
** Cecil Turtle is not only one of the few characters able to outsmart Bugs Bunny, he did it ''three times'', (in "WesternAnimation/TortoiseBeatsHare", "WesternAnimation/TortoiseWinsByAHare", and "Rabbit Transit".) This trope clearly applied each time, the third time Cecil closing out the cartoon by saying Bugs' own line, "Ain't I a...um...stinker?".



* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Franchise Prequel" Professor Chaos and his minions slander the Coon and Friends on Website/{{Facebook}}. Even when the heroes try to tell other people the truth, everyone believes what is posted on Facebook. This makes them pariahs in the town, which among other things causes them to lose out on the opportunity to make shitloads of money from Creator/{{Netflix}}. Knowing that physically stopping Chaos is illegal, they realize that Mark Zuckerberg is the key to putting an end to the problem and the Coon mentions this trope by name. They ZergRush him but he easily throws them aside. The Coon wails that Tupperware (Token), Fastpass (Jimmy), and the Human Kite (Kyle) were simply standing up for black, handicapped, and Jewish people, respectively, and wonders why Zuckerburg would be so cruel to them. Zuckerberg says that isn't true but the Coon points out that Super Craig has filmed the whole fight on Facebook Live and now Facebook says its true. Zuckerberg has no choice but to shut his site down.
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* At ''Wrestling/SummerSlam 2008'', The Undertaker hit Edge with the Spear, hit him in the head with a camera (which Edge had done to Undertaker several times in the past), then hit him with the Con-Chair-To before finally finishing him off with his own finisher, The Tombstone.
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** Joey also used this in his match against Bandit Keith. Keith used a spell card called Pillager which allowed him to take a spell card from Joey's hand. Joey responded with Graverobber which allowed him to take a spell card from Kieth's graveyard.
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** In the episode [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS08E02 "Smoke, Muder, and Mirrors"]], the killer, a director, uses actors working off a script to mislead Columbo. Columbo uses [[spoiler: an actress and undercover cops]].

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** In the episode [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS08E02 "Smoke, Muder, "Murder, Smoke and Mirrors"]], Shadows"]], the killer, a director, uses actors working off a script to mislead Columbo. Columbo uses [[spoiler: an actress and undercover cops]].

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Changed: 3

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** In the episode [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS03E04 "Double Exposure"]], the killer, a marketing specialist, uses single frames spliced into a film (and other things) to subliminally suggest thirst to the victim as part of his plan. Columbo uses single frames spliced into a film to subliminally suggest to the killer that [[spoiler: Columbo may find an important piece of evidence, so the killer will check the hiding place, leading Columbo to it. ]]

to:

** In the episode [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS03E04 "Double Exposure"]], the killer, a marketing specialist, uses single frames spliced into a film (and other things) to subliminally suggest thirst to the victim as part of his plan. Columbo uses single frames spliced into a film to subliminally suggest to the killer that [[spoiler: Columbo may find an important piece of evidence, so the killer will check the hiding place, leading Columbo to it. ]] it ]].
** In the episode [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS08E02 "Smoke, Muder, and Mirrors"]], the killer, a director, uses actors working off a script to mislead Columbo. Columbo uses [[spoiler: an actress and undercover cops]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** In the episode {{https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS03E04 "Double Exposure"]], the killer, a marketing specialist, uses single frames spliced into a film (and other things) to subliminally suggest thirst to the victim as part of his plan. Columbo uses single frames spliced into a film to subliminally suggest to the killer that [[spoiler: Columbo may find an important piece of evidence, so the killer will check the hiding place, leading Columbo to it. ]]

to:

** In the episode {{https://tvtropes.[[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS03E04 "Double Exposure"]], the killer, a marketing specialist, uses single frames spliced into a film (and other things) to subliminally suggest thirst to the victim as part of his plan. Columbo uses single frames spliced into a film to subliminally suggest to the killer that [[spoiler: Columbo may find an important piece of evidence, so the killer will check the hiding place, leading Columbo to it. ]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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** In the episode "Double Exposure", the killer uses single frames spliced into a film (and other things) to subliminally suggest thirst to the victim as part of his plan. Columbo uses single frames spliced into a film to subliminally suggest to the killer that [[spoiler: Columbo may find an important piece of evidence, so the killer will check the hiding place, leading Columbo to it. ]]

to:

** In the episode {{https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/ColumboS03E04 "Double Exposure", Exposure"]], the killer killer, a marketing specialist, uses single frames spliced into a film (and other things) to subliminally suggest thirst to the victim as part of his plan. Columbo uses single frames spliced into a film to subliminally suggest to the killer that [[spoiler: Columbo may find an important piece of evidence, so the killer will check the hiding place, leading Columbo to it. ]]
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* ''Series/Columbo'' would do this:

to:

* ''Series/Columbo'' ''Series/{{Columbo}}'' would do this:

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