History Main / ConfessionDeferred

* ''Film/ThePrincessBride'':
** Inigo tries to convince Miracle Max to revive Westley for cheap. He first tries telling him a sob story about how Westley's wife is crippled and his children on the brink of starvation. Miracle Max, of course, spots the lie immediately, which forces Inigo to be sincere--he needs Westley's help to avenge his father. {{Subverted}} because that doesn't work either.
** When Westley and Inigo storm the castle, they demand that the guard give them the key. The captain denies having it in his possession until Inigo orders Fezzik to tear the captain's arms off. He quickly acquiesces to prevent that from happening.

Compare ImmediateSelfContradiction, when a character says or does something that goes against what they just said or did. Contrast ConfirmBeforeReveal, when a character asks a quick question about something they're about to reveal before revealing it. See also OpinionFlipFlop, when a character continually agrees with another despite the latter changing their mind, and BlatantLies, for lies so obvious they lack even a shred of plausibility. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused]] with FalseStart, which is when something prevents a long-awaited love confession from happening.

* ''Series/StargateSG1'': {{Inverted}} when Vala tries to make Dr. Jackson believe that she acquired the kor mak bracelets through legal means. She forgot she's already told him she stole them.

'''Vala''': How dare you assume that I acquired those bracelets through anything but honest means! I may have a less-than-perfect reputation--\\

* ''Series/StargateSG1'': {{Inverted}} when Vala tries to make Dr. Jackson believe that she acquired the bracelets through legal means. She forgot she's already told him she stole them.

'''Vala''': How dare you assume that I acquired those bracelets through anything but honest means! I may have a less-than perfect reputation -\\

Compare OpinionFlipFlop, when a character continually agrees with another despite the latter changing their mind, and BlatantLies, for lies so obvious they lack even a shred of plausibility. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused]] with FalseStart, which is when something prevents a long-awaited love confession from happening.

%%[[AC:Live-Action TV]]

%%* ''Series/StargateSG1'': {{Inverted}} when Vala tries to make Dr. Jackson believe that she acquired the bracelets through legal means. She forgot she's already told him she stole them.

%%* Boiled down by ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' to its bare bones in the repeated line "No! No! No! Yes..." (usually delivered by Eric Idle).
%%* A variant from ''Series/StargateSG1'':
%%-->'''Dr. Jackson''': He's the guy you stole the bracelets from, right?\\
%%'''Vala''': How dare you assume that I acquired those bracelets through anything but honest means! I may have a less-than-perfect reputation -\\
%%'''Dr. Jackson''': You ''told'' me you stole them!\\
%%'''Vala''': I did?\\
%%'''Dr. Jackson''': Yes!

A common SitCom trope--although not restricted to that genre--in which a character denies their involvement in some event until it's convenient to admit the truth because the asker either has benevolent intent or benefited greatly from the outcome. Or it could be that the character realizes that continued denial is just going to get them into a worse situation, whereupon they instantly confess.

%%[[AC:Jokes]]
%%* This joke:
%%-->'''X:''' Are you Mr. Brown? I have a bill...\\
%%'''Mr. Brown:''' Sorry, Mr. Brown is on holiday.\\
%%'''X:''' ...I wanted to pay.\\
%%'''Mr. Brown:''' Oh, Mr. Brown just came back.

* ''Film/ThePrincessBride'': Inigo tries to convince Miracle Max to revive Westley for cheap. He first tries telling him a sob story about how Westley's wife is crippled and his children on the brink of starvation. Miracle Max, of course, spots the lie immediately, which forces Inigo to be sincere--he needs Westley's help to avenge his father. {{Subverted}} because that doesn't work either.
-->'''Inigo''': This is noble, sir. His wife is... crippled. His children are on the brink of starvation.\\
'''Miracle Max''': Are you a rotten liar.\\
'''Inigo''': I need him to help avenge my father, murdered these twenty years.\\
'''Miracle Max''': [[CassandraTruth Your first story was better]].
%%** When Westley and Inigo storm the castle, they demand that the guard give them the key.
%%-->'''Westley''': Give us the gate key.\\
%%'''Yellin:''' ''(guarding the gate)'' I have no gate key.\\
%%'''Inigo Montoya''': Fezzik, tear his arms off!\\
%%'''Yellin''': Oh, you mean this gate key.
%%* Similar to Princess Bride, this exchange from ''Film/UnderworldEvolution'':
%%-->'''Marcus''': Victor struck two keys. Where are they?\\
%%'''Tannis''': Keys? I know of no keys.\\
%%''(Marcus skewers him with his RazorWings and drags him across the table)''\\
%%'''Tannis''': Oh...oh yes, those keys.

A common SitCom trope--although not restricted to that genre--in which a character denies their involvement in some event until it's convenient to admit the truth because the asker either has benevolent intent or benefited greatly from the outcome. Alternatively, the character realizes that continued denial is just going to get them into a worse situation, whereupon they instantly confess.

%%[[AC:Films -- Live-Action]]
%%* In ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', when storming the castle:

%%** Also:
%%--->'''Inigo''': This is noble, sir. His wife is... crippled. His children are on the brink of starvation.\\
%%'''Miracle Max''': Are you a rotten liar.\\
%%'''Inigo''': I need him to help avenge my father, murdered these twenty years.\\
%%'''Miracle Max''': [[CassandraTruth Your first story was better]].

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]

[[AC:Films -- Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', when storming the castle:
-->'''Westley''': Give us the gate key.\\
'''Yellin:''' ''(guarding the gate)'' I have no gate key.\\
'''Inigo Montoya''': Fezzik, tear his arms off!\\
'''Yellin''': Oh, you mean this gate key.
** Also:
--->'''Inigo''': This is noble, sir. His wife is... crippled. His children are on the brink of starvation.\\
'''Miracle Max''': Are you a rotten liar.\\
'''Inigo''': I need him to help avenge my father, murdered these twenty years.\\
'''Miracle Max''': [[CassandraTruth Your first story was better]].
* Similar to Princess Bride, this exchange from ''Film/UnderworldEvolution'':
-->'''Marcus''': Victor struck two keys. Where are they?\\
'''Tannis''': Keys? I know of no keys.\\
''(Marcus skewers him with his RazorWings and drags him across the table)''\\
'''Tannis''': Oh...oh yes, those keys.

[[AC:Jokes]]
* This joke:
-->'''X:''' Are you Mr. Brown? I have a bill...\\
'''Mr. Brown:''' Sorry, Mr. Brown is on holiday.\\
'''X:''' ...I wanted to pay.\\
'''Mr. Brown:''' Oh, Mr. Brown just came back.

* Boiled down by ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' to its bare bones in the repeated line "No! No! No! Yes..." (usually delivered by Eric Idle).
* A variant from ''Series/StargateSG1'':
-->'''Dr. Jackson''': He's the guy you stole the bracelets from, right?\\
'''Vala''': How dare you assume that I acquired those bracelets through anything but honest means! I may have a less than perfect reputation -\\
'''Dr. Jackson''': You ''told'' me you stole them!\\
'''Vala''': I did?\\
'''Dr. Jackson''': Yes!

Compare OpinionFlipFlop and BlatantLies. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused]] with FalseStart.

A common SitCom trope. When asked if they did something the character vigorously denies it until they discover the asker has benevolent intent (or that continued denial is just going to get them into a worse situation), whereupon they instantly confess.

Like so:

->'''Character A:''' Did you take the $20 off my dresser?\\
'''Character B:''' I'm shocked you would ask. I'm your oldest friend, I would never touch anything of yours without permission. I wasn't even...\\
'''Character A:''' Because I was going to use it to buy you lunch.\\
'''Character B:''' Oh. Here.

!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Film]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Jokes]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]

[[/folder]]

-->'''Character A:''' Did you take the $20 off my dresser?\\

[[folder:Other]]
* This joke:
-->'''X:''' Are you Mr. Brown? I have a bill...\\
'''Mr. Brown:''' Sorry, Mr. Brown is on holiday.\\
'''X:''' ...I wanted to pay.\\
'''Mr. Brown:''' Oh, Mr. Brown just came back.
[[/folder]]

'''Yellin:''' ''(guarding the gate)'' I have no gate key.
'''Inigo Montoya''': Fezzik, tear his arms off!

-->'''Westley''': Give us the gate key.
-->'''Yellin''' (guarding the gate): I have no gate key.
-->'''Inigo Montoya''': Fezzik, tear his arms off!
-->'''Yellin''': Oh, you mean this gate key.

'''Miracle Max''': Are you a rotten liar. \\

-->'''Marcus''': Victor struck two keys. Where are they?
-->'''Tannis''': Keys? I know of no keys.\\
(Marcus skewers him with his RazorWings and drags him across the table)\\

A common SitCom trope. When asked if they did something the character vigorously denies it, until they discover the asker has benevolent intent (or that continued denial is just going to get them into a worse situation), whereupon they instantly confess.

->'''Character A:''' Did you take the $20 off my dresser?\\

[[folder: Film ]]

-->'''Inigo''': This is noble, sir. His wife is... crippled. His children are on the brink of starvation.\\

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Other ]]

-->X: Are you Mr. Brown? I have a bill...\\
Mr. Brown: Sorry, Mr. Brown is on holiday.\\
X: ...I wanted to pay.\\
Mr. Brown: Oh, Mr. Brown just came back.

Compare OpinionFlipFlop. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused]] with FalseStart.

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused]] with FalseStart.

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] FalseStart.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

-->'''Tannis''': Keys? I know of no keys.
-->(Marcus skewers him with his RazorWings and drags him across the table)
-->'''Tannis''': Oh...oh yes, those keys.

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

-->'''Dr. Jackson''': He's the guy you stole the bracelets from, right?
-->'''Vala''': How dare you assume that I acquired those bracelets through anything but honest means! I may have a less than perfect reputation -
-->'''Dr. Jackson''': You ''told'' me you stole them!
-->'''Vala''': I did?
-->'''Dr. Jackson''': Yes!

[[AC:Other]]

-->X: Are you Mr. Brown? I have a bill...
-->Mr. Brown: Sorry, Mr. Brown is on holiday.
-->X: ...I wanted to pay.
-->Mr. Brown: Oh, Mr. Brown just came back.

[[IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] FalseStart.

* Similar to Princess Bride, this exchange from ''Film/{{Underworld}}: Evolution'':

---

* A variant from ''Series/{{Stargate SG-1}}'':

* Similar to Princess Bride, this exchange from ''Film/Underworld: Evolution'':