History Main / ItsALongStory

* [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker]], the original [[ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan Spider-Man]] in the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe, died fighting against the Sinister Six. ComicBook/MilesMorales became the new Spider-Man after that. He got powers from a experimental spider that his uncle stole, but only used them when Parker died and got a "ItsAllMyFault" angst because he may have helped if he was a super hero. When Miles, alongside the ComicBook/AllNewUltimates, fought against Diamondback, she could not understand how could there be a new Spider-Man. He simply said that it was a long story.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' episode "The Bare Facts", the Mayor thanks the girls for saving him from Mojo Jojo but asks why they were laughing at the time. They say it is a long story, while the Mayor has time to listen. The three explain the events in RashomonStyle but leave just before revealing what was so funny. [[NakedPeopleAreFunny While it is shown that it is because the Mayor is naked, that means the girls must have returned him to his office without letting him put his clothes on first]].
* In the ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'' episode "[[Recap/ReadyJetGoS2E19AstronautEllenOchoa Astronaut Ellen Ochoa]]"Dr. Bergs says this word for word when Ellen finds his mug with her face on it.

** The same could be said for the entire series' plot in general.

** In the Epilogue of ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'', when the Fortellers ask [[spoiler:Luxu, who is Xigbar]] what his role was during the saga, he responds "I hope you like long stories."

** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS37E4ArachnidsInTheUK "Arachnids in the UK"]], Yasmin Khan's mother demands to know how the Doctor knows her daughter.
-->'''Yaz:''' Oh, not now.
-->'''Najia:''' Yes, now! It's not a difficult question.
-->'''The Doctor:''' It is a bit of a long answer.
-->'''Najia:''' Well, I've got time.
-->'''The Doctor:''' [[KindaBusyHere But I haven't.]] Not right now.

** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS39E4FluxChapterFourVillageOfTheAngels "Village of the Angels"]], several people get thrown back in time and it looks like they'll end up taking TheSlowPath to where they came from. When someone demands an explanation Dan Lewis quips, "Mate, it's a long story. Unfortunately, you've got enough time to hear it."

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS37E4ArachnidsInTheUK "Arachnids in the UK"]]: This is Yaz's response when her mother asks her how she knows the Doctor.

* This is Captain Susano's response in ''Script/AHDotComTheSeries'' upon being asked why his [[NoSwastikas Cyborg Robots With Green Blood]] have started acting like Film/TheThreeStooges.

** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS37E1TheWomanWhoFellToEarth "The Woman Who Fell To Earth"]], the Doctor gives this to explain how she just smashed though a train roof. She might have mentioned it was a long fall too.

* Both teased with and waved off in ''Film/BrideOfChucky'', when Chucky and Tiffany are asked how they became dolls.

This is a phrase typically used when a character has finished an adventure isolated from the others. Since it is redundant to have them explain the events we just saw ourselves, the typical move to have the character answer the others' questions of what happened is with, "It's a long story" with the assumption that they tell it to them later, off-screen.

Compare ItMakesSenseInContext where this trope is used but not invoked, or ToMakeALongStoryShort, where the events are quickly recapped. Often overlaps with NoTimeToExplain, DontAsk and YouDoNOTWantToKnow, often simultaneously.

* In ''Manga/RosarioToVampire'' (the anime adaptation, at least), after her introductory arc and a few other episodes, the role of Ruby the witch is basically to appear with a NewJobAsThePlotDemands, the other characters ask what she's doing there, and she says "It's a long story" before going off into a monologue with a [[ShoujoDemographic sparkly-bubbly background]]--[[RuleOfFunny which is even shown around just her when the camera shows her from further away]]--while everyone ignores her. When she's preempted in the ski trip episode, she becomes upset since [[MediumAwareness it's pretty much the only thing she gets to do in each episode]].

** Ray Palmer quotes this verbatim as to [[NoodleIncident how exactly he's a minister]]. In another episode when Felicity Smoak gives this trope, he quips, "Why am I under the impression that you have a lot of stories, all of which are long?"

[[folder:Theatre]]
* Inverted at the conclusion of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'', where Friar Lawrence begins his explanation of what happened with "I will be brief" and then goes on for about forty lines.
[[/folder]]

* Peter Parker, the original [[ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan Spider-Man]] in the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe, died fighting against the Sinister Six. ComicBook/MilesMorales became the new Spider-Man after that. He got powers from a experimental spider that his uncle stole, but only used them when Parker died and got a "ItsAllMyFault" angst because he may have helped if he was a super hero. When Miles, alongside the ComicBook/AllNewUltimates, fought against Diamondback, she could not understand how could there be a new Spider-Man. He simply said that it was a long story.

* In ''Fanfic/{{Luminosity}}'', Bella (now a vampire) is called in to help the werewolf pack she activated earlier. When she gets there, she finds the pack in an uproar.

* Played with in episode 8 of ''WebVideo/{{Chroma}}'', when Jeremy holds the Loony Moustached Operator at gunpoint and Karim asks him how the hell he got his hands on a Beretta. When Jeremy says the stock phrase, Karim just tells him to continue. Jérémy proceeds [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTM6GDEHY9o to recite his whole colorful life]], getting sidetracked for so long the Moustached Operator escaped under their noses.

* Played with in episode 8 of WebVideo/{{Chroma}}, when Jeremy holds the Loony Moustached Operator at gunpoint and Karim asks him how the hell he got his hands on a Beretta. When Jeremy says the stock phrase, Karim just tells him to continue. Jérémy proceeds [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTM6GDEHY9o to recite his whole colorful life]], getting sidetracked for so long the Moustached Operator escaped under their noses.

** Ray Palmer quotes this verbatim as to how exactly he's a minister.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':