History Main / FlatWhat

** Perhaps best demonstrated in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y0yolPv7tU Blackadder teaching Baldrick how to count]]:

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Lisa Simpson is fond of this expression. Notably, the episode "Bart's Inner Child" and motivational speaker Brad Goodman:

** In the later seasons, the boys' FunctionalGenreSavvy (especially Stan) has reduced many of their reactions (to ever-increasingly improbable events) to "what." Sometimes they upgrade it to a deadpan "Dude, what the fuck?".

** It's important to note that Sarda (Barring [[spoiler: Chaos. Who he turns into.]]) is the most powerful character in the comic and downright omnipotent as well as [[spoiler:only about 30 seconds younger than the universe itself and due to a StableTimeLoop has already experienced this same event from his younger self's perspective]]. He just had his mind broke by a character who managed to [[BeyondTheImpossible Dual Wield longbows with two arms]] ''twice'' resulting in wielding four bows, each with three arrows apiece loaded.

-->'''Roland:''' We thought Jack was going to open a vault and use it to wipe us off Pandora, but thanks to some intel I stole from a Hyperion convoy, I found out we were wrong.
-->'''Lilith:''' What.
-->'''Roland:''' He's not going to ''open'' a vault. He's going to ''control'' it.
-->'''Lilith:''' I'll just go ahead and repeat myself: what.

-->'''Angel:''' You'll definitely want to hear this. She's a siren.
-->'''Jack:''' What.

-->'''Stark''': ''({{Beat}})'' ...I got nothin'.

** ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'': A rather more dramatic case from Quill, when Ego reveals [[spoiler: he placed a tumor inside Quill's mother's head]]. It's enough to snap Star-Lord out of what is essentially brainwashing. The accentuation made by the sudden [[VertigoEffect Dolly Zoom]] and the change in Quill's [[MindControlEyes eyes]] immediately followed by few blaster's shots as his [[BerserkButton Berserk Button has been pressed]] make this scene even more awesome.

-->'''Mahoney:''' In a previous life I served with Her Majesty's forces in India.

* Brief but beautiful example in [[https://youtu.be/QtwCrILPDXw?t=292 this video]] where former Marine LetsPlay/MikeBurnFire and Army vet Zach "Zank" Moreland are [[ArmedFarces exchanging amusing stories about gross incompetence in the military]], when Mike brings the conversation to a ''screeching'' halt by mentioning what happens when a Marine runs out of toilet paper.

* ''Machinima/FreemansMind'':
** Freeman says this when he is confronted with [[spoiler:an elevator that finally goes up, but is blocked by boxes of explosives.]]
** Adrian Shephard in ''Shephard's Mind'' does this ''twelve times'' in response to unleashing a swarm of snarks.[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKVha8YqKWo And again:]]
--->'''Jon:''' I'd be down with a cool black star like that.\\
'''Emile:''' Actually, it's official name is [[{{Pun}} Ztar]].\\
'''Jon:''' ... What.
* In ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'', at the start of Season 10 Church finds out that while he's been in the Memory Unit (Which makes up most of Season 9's plot), Washington has replaced him fully. His reaction is hilarious:

** Some videos use the Spy as a StraightMan and chop the "What" from his response lines into a short statement of incredulous disbelief. Showcased nicely by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-knIFuPrXoc this]] ''Machinima/TeamServiceAnnouncement''.

* In issue 46 of ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye,'' the Scavengers are being arrested by Fortress Maximus, as the Duly Appointed Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord, but the quick-thinking Misfire bluffs Fort Max by claiming that he was a distraction, and that Spinister might just be sneaking up behind Fort Max to whack him with his propeller blades.[[note]]A truth ''and'' a lie, Misfire really ''was'' a distraction... for Crankcase to shoot Fortress Maximus with his double cannons.[[/note]] Fort Max instantly turns his blaster on Spinister... [[CloudCuckoolander who spent the entire exchange looking through a piece of old piping like a telescope]] and is naturally unaware of why he now has a photon rifle pointed at his face. [[https://i.imgur.com/lmtxcAo.jpg His only response is this trope]].

--> Her eyes traced over every new, magically-enhanced feature of Trixie’s mirror, staring at disbelief at what she beheld. From the brightly shining doorway, to the now ethereal constellations in the place of paint, to the almost holographic ring of magic sparkling around the rightmost star of Orion’s Belt. All of the imperfections in the wooden frame had vanished. Even the glue seams which used to conjoin the fancier pieces of trim had melded together into solid wood. None of it made any sense to the logical portion of her mind.\\
Twilight deadpanned, “...What.” The single word all she could manage to strangle out.
* In ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'', Izuku gives this response when the Caucasian man he'd electrocuted by accident introduces himself as [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker]], who is [[ComicBooksAreReal supposed to be fictional]].

* Given the frequency of positively bizarre crap that happens in the Pokémon fic ''Fanfic/BraveNewWorld'', one can hardly blame [[OnlySaneMan Pikachu]] for reacting this way often. You know it's approaching critical mass when [[CloudCuckoolander Leo]] does it though.

-->'''[[Series/{{Supernatural}} Sam Winchester]]:''' "This isn't my reality."
-->'''[[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden]]:''' "What."

* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:

* A now [[MemeticMutation infamous]] recent example stems from a RAW where Wrestling/MichaelCole, after Wrestling/JerryLawler was driven through a table by a rampaging Wrestling/MarkHenry, announcing that Lawler had several injuries and, "with all due respect... anal bleeding." Wrestling/BookerT 's expression for a split-second is priceless. It's one part "[[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon they]] actually cleared that line?" Another part, "[[Wrestling/MichaelCole he]] actually ''said'' that?", yet another part "WhoWritesThisCrap?", and yet another part "[[CatchPhrase Tell me...they didn't just say that.]]" Booker's thrown off so badly in he beginning that he could only utter one word. "What."

* Happens fairly often in the ''Anime/YuGiOh'' fanfic ''Fanfic/{{Skin}}'', more often than not followed by a BigWhat when the weirdness factor hits critical mass.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' give a flat "say what?" in "Him Diddle Riddle" when they find that they have gone through white heat solving Him's riddles only to fail the last one, and now the Professor will ''pay''... full price for a pancake breakfast. Even the ''narrator'' can't finish his [[OncePerEpisode "once again the day is saved" bit]].

* ''Film/EndersGame'': During the final test, while the team are in a Curb Stomp Battle, Ender try a last move. [[spoiler: They will shoot the Dr. Device directly to the Formic’s planet, to destroy all the Hive Queen’s starships]]. The reaction of Petra to this is to completely incredulity.

** It's important to note that Sarda (Barring [[spoiler: Chaos. Who he turns into.]]) is the most powerful character in the comic and downright omnipotent as well as [[spoiler:only about 30 seconds younger than the universe itself and due to a StableTimeLoop has already experienced this same event from his younger self's perspective]]. He just had his mind broke by a character who managed to [[BeyondTheImpossible Dual Wield longbows with two arms]] ''[[UpToEleven twice]]'' resulting in wielding four bows, each with three arrows apiece loaded.

* Elizabeth in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd'', when Jack uses his vote to [[spoiler:make her the Pirate King]].
* General Bethlehem from ''Film/ThePostman'' pulls one of these when a village refuses to open its gates to his army. He doesn't take it well.
* The best Flat What in history belongs to Kevin Spacey in ''Film/LAConfidential'' when Guy Pearce expresses doubts about the Nite Owl case.
* Somehow, Creator/BusterKeaton manages to pull out one in ''Film/TheGeneral'', a silent film. His deadpan face is like a physical Flat What.
* [[Creator/RobertRedford Joe Turner]] in ''Film/ThreeDaysOfTheCondor'' drops [[ClusterFBomb a few]] after [[spoiler: [[Creator/MaxVonSydow Joubert]] shoots CIA Deputy Director Atwood]] when Turner [[spoiler: confronts him in his home]].
* ''Film/TheFifthElement'': Zorg's response when he learns one of his lackeys failed to take Korben Dallas' spot on the plane.
* ''Film/{{EndersGame}}'': During the final test, while the team are in a Curb Stomp Battle, Ender try a last move. [[spoiler: They will shoot the Dr. Device directly to the Formic’s planet, to destroy all the Hive Queen’s starships]]. The reaction of Petra to this is to completely incredulity.

* Trinity says this to Neo in ''Film/TheMatrix'' when he says that Morpheus thinks he's something he's not.
* In ''Film/NationalTreasure'', Ben responds with this when his dad tells him he doesn't have the Silence Dogood letters.

* ''Film/{{Equilibrium}}'': The Nethers squad commander, after Preston kills two of his men. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrJOF7jhgAQ With their own shotguns.]] ''[[GunsAkimbo simultaneously.]]''
* There's a fantastic example in '' Film/TeamAmericaWorldPolice'' after Spottswoode tells Gary that he will have regained his trust if he performs oral sex on him. ItMakesSenseInContext... kinda.
** Another example comes earlier on, when Gary, in 'disguise' as Ahmed, is sat in a fleeing jeep with some terrorists, who have turned around and started driving towards Gary's teammates:
-->'''Gary:''' Uh, what are we doing?
-->'''Chechen Leader:''' This jeep is filled with explosives! We're going to take their lives, and our own!
-->'''Gary:''' We're, we're gonna what?
* This is the mall Santa's reaction in ''Film/{{Shazam 2019}}'' when Darla in her adult form tells him very earnestly that she's been a very good girl this year.
* ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'': The first evil-ex "boss battle" is already beyond absurd to everyone present in the scene, from Matthew Patel's crashing-in appearance to Scott surprisingly fending him off in fantastical fashion, but when Patel breaks out into a Bollywood-esque number (with demon hipster chicks) in the middle of the fight, a disbelieving Stacy Pilgrim can only manage a "what."
* Toward the end of ''Film/{{Super 8}}'' after [[spoiler:Joe is speaking with the Alien, and the Alien sets Joe down very nicely and starts to leave]] Cary delivers an extremely confounded Flat What.
* In ''Film/FullMetalJacket'', an officious TheNeidermeyer type Colonel confronts Pvt. Joker about his peace sign necklace and helmet which reads "Born to Kill".
-->'''Joker''': I'm trying to suggest something about the duality of man, ''sir!''\\
'''Colonel''': What.
* In ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers'', Aragorn does this when Gimli asks him to toss him to the stone bridge leading to the gate of Helm's Deep, claiming that he "cannot jump the distance".

* In ''Film/PoliceAcademy'', when Lt. Harris is asking who has prior military experience and Mahoney raises his hand:
-->'''Harris:''' You have had prior military training, Mahoney?
-->'''Mahoney:''' Yes, sir, but not in this life.
-->'''Harris:''' What.
-->'''Mahoney:''' In a previous life I served with Her Majesty's forces in India.
* ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'': Eddie does this when he hears that Marvin Acme has been murdered.
* In ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'', this is Ronan's reaction when Quill interrupts his epic final speech by [[spoiler: singing and dancing to "Ooh Child" and then challenging Ronan to a dance-off]].
-->'''Ronan''': ''(completely, totally flabbergasted)''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaaJyAjvajo ....what are you doing.]]
* A rather more dramatic case from Quill in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'', when Ego reveals [[spoiler: he placed a tumor inside Quill's mother's head]]. It's enough to snap Star-Lord out of what is essentially brainwashing.
** The accentuation made by the sudden [[VertigoEffect Dolly Zoom]] and the change in Quill's [[MindControlEyes eyes]] immediately followed by few blaster's shots as his [[BerserkButton Berserk Button has been pressed]] make this scene even more awesome.

* In the 2013 movie adaption of Literature/{{Carrie}}, when Tommy asks Carrie to the prom, after a moment of stunned silence this is the only reaction she is able to produce.
--> '''Tommy:''' So you know the prom is next week? I was wondering, if you don't have a date already, maybe you want to go with me?\\
''({{Beat}})''\\
'''Carrie:''' What.
* ''Film/AntMan1'' features two 'tip montages' narrated by Luis, whose [[MotorMouth mouth moves so fast]] that the only thing Scott has to say by the end is "...What."
* ''Film/{{Trainspotting}}'': When Begbie goes picking a fight in a restaurant just for fun and a massive BarBrawl suddenly erupts, the rest of his fellow drug addicts just stand on the balcony overlooking all this mayhem with this reaction on their faces.
* In ''Film/IronMan3'', Tony Stark is getting his ass kicked by the BigBad until [[spoiler:a superpowered ''Pepper Potts'' comes crashing OutOfTheInferno and [[BigDamnHeroes rescues him]]]].

* ''Series/{{Life}}'''s Captain Tidwell reverses the usual scenario by using the Flat What as his go-to response to other people's reactions to ''his'' odd comments.

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10413116/27/Starfall Starfall]]'':
-->'''Harry:''' Sirius was in prison for years, and he was the last heir to the house. His mum--Walburga--died sometime in the eighties, I think. And when he was here, he didn't have much motivation to keep the place up.\\
'''Draco:''' The house-elf should have.\\
'''Harry:''' Kreacher was depressed, and didn't want to serve Sirius, and mostly wanted to be dead and have his head chopped off so it could be put on the wall like all the other house-elf heads.\\
'''Draco:''' ''What.''
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13135713/45/Certain-Dark-Things Certain Dark Things]]'' Snape says it when he learns that Harriet hasn't been seen in Little Whinging since the previous August.
* ''Fanfic/ACertainMagicalFriendship'': ''Context_SHIFT''[[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/287615/6/a-certain-magical-friendship-context-shift/round-up-the-stragglers-resurgence-part-two "Round up the stragglers - RESURGENCE_part_two"]]: After plain dirt, well, loamy earth, is used to attack her. Which is the most basic weapon used against her in a battle between magical groups:
--> Nightmare Moon opened her mouth, paused for a second, then said a word in the flattest tone Applejack had ever heard, even flatter than when she had said this word earlier tonight.\\
“What.”
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12794332/8/Scars-in-the-Moonlight Scars in the Moonlight]]'' Kitty says this when Fred and George nickname her "Rin" after she introduces herself as "Catherine".
* ''Fanfic/RubyPair'': This is Tenn's reaction in "My Fair Tenn", upon hearing that [[spoiler: GIR, who isn't even a contestant, [[DarkHorseVictory is taking first place in the beauty pageant]] rather than her]].

--> Petra: What am I aimed for?
--> Ender: [[spoiler: The Planet]]
-->''({{beat}})''
--> Petra: What.
* ''Film/FightClub'': After Jack explains to Marla Singer that [[spoiler: Tyler Durden is a separate personality that he's only just been made aware of]], she delivers one that manages to be both flat and epic at the same time.
** In response to "I want you to hit me as hard as you can."

* Princess Celestia gives a ''terrifying'' icy rendition of this in "A Royal Problem" after Starlight switches her and Princess Luna's cutie marks and very nervously explains that she can't switch them back till the spell wears off.

* It's become [=NothingNow=]'s defacto CatchPhrase in [[Script/TheCreepyTeenYears AH.Com: The Creepy Teen Years.]]

** [[OnlySaneMan Karkat]] says this several times in conversations with [[TheFool John]], [[TheHyena Terezi]], and [[TheStoner Gamzee]]. Also, [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=009279 this gem]]:

** [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=009933 Another gem]]:

* Uttered by Ironyuppie in ''Script/AHDotComTheSeries'' "Casino Imperiale", after she finds out that Landshark beat her nemesis before she could.

'''Unless it is being listed as a trope, DO NOT''' '''{{Pothole}}''' '''this trope on other pages.'''

* ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/16267331/chapters/42084791#workskin Black Hole Heart]]'': Team 7 gets a mission to protect a runner in a race that will determine which of two gangs will run a town (a mission from [[FanNickname Filler Hell]]). Sakura's reaction to the briefing combines this with PunctuatedForEmphasis.