History Main / ICantLookGesture

* In ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2021'', InnocentBystander Justine is so nausiated by the sight of [[spoiler:undead snake men being melted down into pure [[TheDarkSide Havoc energy]] that she grabs the flying MindControlDevice Tri-Klops and forces it on her head so the robot can control her and she won't be conscious to watch the horror.

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'': Rex wants to cover his eyes but his arms are too short. He asks if anyone else can [[CoverInnocentEyesAndEars oblige him]].

* The singer 2-D of the band Music/{{Gorillaz}} is seen doing this via his clown mask (and occasionally his hands) throughout the majority of the music video for [[SanitySlippageSong "Stylo."]] Considering that he's just been kidnapped by the band's bassist [[TokenEvilTeammate Murdoc,]] been forced to spend time around both him and [[spoiler:the robot replica of his seemingly-dead friend,]] and forced to undergo a car chase that's included both the police and [[spoiler:Creator/BruceWillis]], ''[[UpToEleven all while being in the midst of a breakdown,]]'' [[TraumaCongaLine this reaction is rather understandable.]]

* In ''ComicBook/SupermansGirlfriendLoisLane'' #67, Lois turns her back on seeing Clark "hurtling to his doom."

* In ''ComicBook/LoisLane'' #67, Lois turns her back on seeing Clark "hurtling to his doom."

See also IgnoringBySinging. Compare DiscretionShot if the viewer doesn't see what the person is reacting to or CoverInnocentEyesAndEars if they're keeping another person from seeing, FacePalm if the motion is in response to a WhatAnIdiot moment, or DontLookBack, where looking behind you is forbidden for a (often) potentially deadly reason.

* One infamous NSPCC advert has objects that people would usually associate with children (E.G. An Action Man figure or a teddy bear wallpaper) covering their eyes at the sight of a [[AbusiveParents Women yelling at her baby for crying]] ([[OffingTheOffspring and presumably killing said baby]], [[RapeAsDrama a man molesting a child,]] [[AbusiveParents another man yelling at his son]] and telling said son that [[IHaveNoSon He's no child of his]],[[ParentalNeglect a boy crying for his Mom who's likely a neglectful parent]] and a [[RapeAsDrama man molesting a little girl and telling her not to tell anybody.]]

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[[quoteright:350:[[Series/BabylonFive https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/londovir_7828.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Vir can't look. Londo can.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': Against all instructions, Leshawna dances during the fundraiser in "[[Recap/TotalDramaAftermathIIRevengeOfTheTelethon Aftermath II: Revenge of the Telethon]]". She's terrible at it and Beth covers her eyes with her hands so as not to see it.

-> ''What do you have, shit for brains? What a gullible idiot, I can't watch!''

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresFromTheBookOfVirtues'' episode "Wisdom", Aristotle does this near the end just as Socrates was about to take the honey from the beehive.

* In ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "Demolition Doofus", Mrs. Puffs is among the audience during demolition derby while Spongebob participates in it. When the derby is about to start, she covers her eyes and says "I can't look". However, since she talked Spongebob into it with the intention of getting him killed, she quickly changes her mind, uncovers her eyes and says "Wait... yes I can!"
** In an easy-to-miss moment in ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater Sponge Out of Water]]'', Plankton looks away when it looks like [=SpongeBob=] is about to be sacrificed.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': When Master Eeth Koth is captured by General Grievous, he sends a transmission to the Jedi in which he tortures Koth with an electrostaff, causing a pair of younglings to turn away.
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Iroh turns away as Zuko is burned, and scarred, across his eye by his own father. Notably, Zuko's sister Azula does ''not'' look away; instead she [[EstablishingCharacterMoment beams in delight.]]
** Used again in the final episode where after being defeated and detained by Zuko and Katara, Azula suffers a complete [[VillainousBreakdown mental and emotional breakdown]] and can only sob uncontrollably. Even if she was one of their most dangerous enemies, neither Zuko or Katara could stand to see her like that.
* Parodied in ''{{WesternAnimation/Breadwinners}}'' when Sway Sway and Buhduce are stuck in space, while Ketta watches, via satellite.
-->'''Ketta:''' Oh I can't watch... [[PassThePopcorn without popcorn]].
* ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead'' have been known to cover their eyes at the sight of a particularly disliked music video.
* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' in "The Problem with Popplers." When Bender realizes that [[spoiler:Leela is about to be eaten,]] he says "I can't look!" He then unscrews his eye bulbs, puts them in his chest compartment, then turns to face her anyway.
** In another episode as a man who was trying to hunt Bender is about to be killed, Bender covers his eyes and comments, "I can't watch...enough!" and enhances his eyes.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'':
** Invoked and subverted. In "Let's Play Simon Says", [[CatsAreMean Mr. Cat]] puts Quack Quack in a very humiliating situation and covers his eyes, saying "I can't look..." but then uncovers them and says "Or maybe I can."
** Played straight in "Let's Play Treasure Hunt", when [[NiceGirl Kaeloo]] covers her eyes and says "I can't watch this!" when [[EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor Mr. Cat]] pranks [[TheDitz Stumpy]] and [[DitzyGenius Quack Quack]] into jumping off a cliff.
* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
** Bugs Bunny does this in "WesternAnimation/TheUnrulyHare" in jest when Elmer tells him that "he just put a cwazy wabbit out of his misewy!"
--->'''Bugs:''' ''[looking in the tree stump Elmer shot in, then whispering to Elmer]'' Don't look now, Doc, but you missed me!
** Daffy Duck does this in "WesternAnimation/TheGreatPiggyBankRobbery" reading a ''Dick Tracy'' comic book, unable to stand the suspense over whether or not Tracy survived an attempt on his life.
* In the WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}} cartoon, "Goonland", a tied to the ground Popeye about to be crushed by a boulder, digs a hole with the pipe in his mouth and [[OstrichHeadHiding hides his head in it]] while saying, "I can't look!"
* The ''WesternAnimation/RoadRovers'' episode "Storm Over the Pacific" combines this with GoryDiscretionShot after Hunter siccs AxeCrazy Muzzle on the VillainOfTheWeek and his cronies. Blitz lasts the longest in terms of watching the mayhem, initially cheering Muzzle on and telling him to "make sauerbraten out of them!" Shortly afterwards, he makes a face, covers it with one hand, and turns away while pointing with the other hand, remarking, "Ach... Now THAT is sick..."

* In ''Series/AtMidnight'', Creator/GregProops covers his face in fright when the subject of a weird Deviantart account dedicated to the Scooby Doo gang comes up.

* ''Series/AreYouBeingServed'': Mrs Slocumb, upon seeing Captain Peacock crossdressing (for a fancy dress party), covers her eyes, then peeks out between her fingers.

* In ''Series/AtMidnight'', Creator/GregProops covers his face in fright when the subject of a weird Deviantart account dedicated to the Scooby Doo gang comes up.

* The singer 2-D of the band ''Music/{{Gorillaz}}'' is seen doing this via his clown mask (and occasionally his hands) throughout the majority of the music video for [[SanitySlippageSong "Stylo."]] Considering that he's just been kidnapped by the band's bassist [[TokenEvilTeammate Murdoc,]] been forced to spend time around both him and [[spoiler:the robot replica of his seemingly-dead friend,]] and forced to undergo a car chase that's included both the police and [[spoiler:Creator/BruceWillis]], ''[[UpToEleven all while being in the midst of a breakdown,]]'' [[TraumaCongaLine this reaction is rather understandable.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/SinbadLegendOfTheSevenSeas'', King Dymas of Syracuse averts his gaze as his son Proteus is about to be executed.

* Any scary film (or even a scary portion of one) may cause eye-covering or hiding behind the couch.

* The singer 2-D of the band ''Music/{{Gorillaz}}'' is seen doing this via his clown mask (and occasionally his hands) throughout the majority of the music video for [[SanitySlippageSong "Stylo."]] Considering that he's just been kidnapped by the band's bassist [[TokenEvilTeammate Murdoc,]] been forced to spend time around both him and [[spoiler:the robot replica of his seemingly-dead friend,]] and forced to undergo a car chase that's included both the police and [[spoiler:Creator/BruceWillis]], ''[[UpToEleven all while being in the midst of a bit of a breakdown,]]'' [[TraumaCongaLine this reaction is rather understandable.]]

* The singer 2-D of the band Music/{{Gorillaz}} is seen doing this via his clown mask (and occasionally his hands) throughout the majority of the music video for [[SanitySlippageSong "Stylo."]] Considering that he's just been kidnapped by the band's bassist [[TokenEvilTeammate Murdoc,]] been forced to spend time around both him and [[spoiler:the robot replica of his seemingly-dead friend,]] and forced to undergo a car chase that's included both the police and [[spoiler:Creator/BruceWillis]], ''[[UpToEleven all while being in the midst of a bit of a breakdown,]]'' [[TraumaCongaLine this reaction is rather understandable.]]

* The singer 2-D of the band Music/{{Gorillaz}} is seen doing this via his clown mask (and occasionally his hands) throughout the majority of the music video for [[SanitySlippageSong "Stylo."]] Considering that he's just been kidnapped by the band's bassist [[TokenEvilTeammate Murdoc,]] been forced to spend time around both him and [[spoiler:the robot replica of his seemingly-dead friend,]] and forced to undergo a car chase that's included both the police and [[spoiler:Creator/BruceWillis]], ''[[UpToEleven all while being in the midst of a bit of a breakdown,'']] [[TraumaCongaLine this reaction is rather understandable.]]

* The singer 2-D of the band Music/{{Gorillaz}} is seen doing this via his clown mask (and occasionally his hands) throughout the majority of the music video for [[SanitySlippageSong "Stylo."]] Considering that he's just been kidnapped by the band's bassist [[TokenEvilTeammate Murdoc,]] been forced to spend time around both him and [[spoiler:the robot replica of his seemingly-dead friend,]] and forced to undergo a car chase that's included both the police and [[spoiler:Creator/BruceWillis]], all while being in the midst of a bit of a breakdown, [[TraumaCongaLine this reaction is rather understandable.]]