History Main / LateToTheRealization

[[folder: Anime And Manga ]]

* Gourry from ''Anime/{{Slayers}}'' becomes known for doing this a few times across the series. It'll take him numerous ''episodes'' for him to make the connection that someone is the bad guy. This length of time almost crosses into BrickJoke territory for taking so long.
** Though it's amusingly inverted in one specific case: When the group first met Xellos, Gourry instantly realized he was a Mazoku, and was in fact the only member to figure it out on his own. When asked why he didn't say anything, Gourry explained that [[CaptainObvious it was so obvious he thought they'd call him stupid for pointing it out]].

* In ''Manga/OnePiece''

** Surprisingly both played straight, subverted, and averted within the span of a few minutes during the halfway point of Luffy and Foxy's match during the Groggy Boxing round of the Davy Back Fight. While hunting down Foxy in his own cabin, who (Foxy) had just used his Foxy Face Transformation in an attempt to throw Luffy off. Luffy runs into a random room where he crosses paths with Foxy, who is donning a ridiculously-oversized PaperThinDisguise of a woman's mask. Luffy, being the IdiotHero that he is, actually falls for it, only to walk out for a few seconds and then put the connection that the "woman" had the same chin as Foxy, bringing his own train of thought to the conclusion that the "woman" that he just encountered was Foxy's sister. Luffy still holds on to this belief, even after Foxy launches a surprise attack and makes a break for it right in front of his face,believing that Foxy's "sister" was purposely distracting Luffy from Foxy's "true whereabouts.".

[[folder: Fan Works ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* In ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd'':

--->'''Scarlet:''' Is that it? The Black Pearl. Not very big.
--->'''Jack Sparrow:''' Love, that is a dinghy. My vessel is magnificent and fierce and huge-ish... And gone. Why is it gone?
* Done dramatically in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', as [[spoiler: Gamora needs Red Skull to all-but spell out for her that there ''is'' [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes someone Thanos has love for]].]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* Happens OnceAnEpisode in ''Literature/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents''.

[[folder: Live-Action TV ]]

* Very common on ''{{Series/Friends}}'' with [[TheDitz Joey]], complete with the other five watching him work through the concept they all got two minutes ago.
* ''Series/DoctorWho''

* ''Series/FatherTed'': [[NotDistractedByTheSexy "THOSE WOMEN WERE IN THE NIP!!!"]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

-->'''Karla''': ''Zhat is correct, paladin. But zhat is not even zhe peculiar zhing. After zhat, zhe man stood up and valked avay.''
-->'''Anebriate''': ''Wait, wait wait... did you just say "valked?"''
-->'''Karla''': ''... Yes, he valked avay. Zhat is vhat I zaid.'''
-->'''Anebriate''': ''HOW DID I JUST NOTICE YOUR ACCENT?''

--> '''Asbel''': HOLY CRAP!
--> '''Malik''': I think your brother has finally figured it out. What do you think Asbel?
--> ([[{{Beat}} Dramatic pause]])
--> '''Asbel''': Hubert's in love with-
--> '''Hubert''': That's enough! We're done talking about this!
** For those curious, the women in question is [[spoiler: [[DitzyGenius Pas]][[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} cal]]]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* [[http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=176 This]] ''Webcomic/VGCats'' comic has Cloud!Leo realizing a bit late that Vincent is gone.

[[folder: Web Animation ]]

* In ''WebAnimation/{{Eddsworld}}'', this is said almost word for word by Tom, who in Hammer and Fail 2 states "Aaaaaaand the last horse finishes the crossing line."
* Vegeta is prone to being the last horse in ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged''.
-->'''Piccolo:''' Trunks? What are you doing here?
-->'''Vegeta:''' Ha! That's a girl's name.
-->'''Krillin:''' Isn't that the name of your kid?
-->'''Vegeta:''' What, are you trying to imply that this wannabe Super Saiyan [[KidFromTheFuture from the future]] is my s''aaaaaahhhhh''...
** It's really bad cause even ''[[IdiotHero Goku]]'' had realized that Vegeta [[TheUnfought had never actually fought Piccolo]] before Vegeta did.
* Caboose of ''Machinima/RedVsBlue''. Heck, [[MeaningfulName just look at his name]].

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* In a third-season episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', Lois Griffin stumbles upon VillainProtagonist Stewie's hidden lair while cleaning. It takes her a while for her to realize that her son is an evil genius bent on world domination, to which Stewie [[SarcasticClapping slowly claps his hands]] and says something to the effect of "And the last horse crosses the finish line", executing her. Too bad it was [[spoiler: AllJustADream]].[[note]]This scene is the former TropeNamer.[[/note]]
** [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuyPresentsLaughItUpFuzzball "Wait a minute" (Fires blaster, cave rumbles), "Hang on a second" (Fires blaster again, cave rumbles slightly louder) "What's going on here?" (Fires blaster a third time) "Something dosen't add up..." (Fires blaster a fourth time) "Just a minute." (Fires blaster a fifth time) "Time out!" (Fires Blaster a sixth time) "This ain't quite right" (Fires blaster a seventh time, cave rumbles violently) "Oh now I get it, we should run!" ]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' 's Stan Smith is subject to this trope. One noteworthy example is the episode "Deacon Stan, Jesus Man", in which Roger had just revealed that the delicious ingredient to Francine's potato salad was [[spoiler: breast milk from his reproductive cycle]]. Despite Roger giving a rather {{Squick}}-worthy demonstration, followed by several VomitIndiscretionShot from the Smith family, Stan was completely oblivious to what was in the salad until the next commercial break. An even bigger example is Stan didn't realize Greg and Terry were gay until it was spelled out to him ''over a season later''.

** Every so often there is an episode where the universe itself seems hell-bent on beating Dale over the head with his wife's infidelity to finally make him realize it, only for him to [[ComicallyMissingThePoint miss the point entirely]]. For instance, he once realized that nine months before Joseph was born, he was off in the desert chasing a UFO sighting. He ended up coming to the conclusion that Nancy was impregnated by the aliens he was chasing, and therefore Joseph is half-alien. Later he changes this theory to include the aliens abducting him and using his own sperm to impregnate Nancy, mostly because Joseph believed Dale's alien theory and was feeling bummed about it.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'': Timmy would've been able to fix the messes he caused as a result of his wishes if he stopped TemptingFate as well as stopped constantly thinking everything was going [[JustAsPlanned just as he planned]] as soon as things went south.

* ''KappaMikey'': The episode "Big Brozu" featured Ozu's Elder twin brother Brozu. Gonard spends most of the episode wondering how "Ozu" managed to be in two places at the same time.

* [[http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=176 This]] ''VGCats'' comic has Cloud!Leo realizing a bit late that Vincent is gone.

* In ''{{Eddsworld}}'', this is said almost word for word by Tom, who in Hammer and Fail 2 states "Aaaaaaand the last horse finishes the crossing line."

* At one point during the "''Future''" arc in ''TalesOfGraces'' it's revealed that Hubert has an ArrangedMarriage he doesn't really want to go through with. While Malik and Richard quickly figure out the reason for this (and use the opportunity to [[TheGadfly tease the hell out of him]]), his brother [[TheHero Asbel]] spends the entire conversation [[ObliviousToLove wondering what everyone's talking about]]... Until he finally gets it at the end.

--> ([[{{Beat}} Dramatic pause]]

[[folder: Theme Parks ]]

* In the pre-show for ''WesternAnimation/ShrekFourD'', when one of The Three Little Pigs questions why the audience are in the Dungeon, Pinocchio responds, "What are WE still doing in here?!" Upon realizing that they're trapped, the pause for a moment, and then promptly freak out.

[[/folder]]

* ''KappaMikey'': The episode "Big Brozu" featured Ozu's Elder twin brother Brozu. One of the characters spent most of the episode wondering how "Ozu" managed to be in two places at the same time.

* ''WesternAnimation/HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw'', [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Phil Ken Sebben]] was the last one to figure out Birdgirl was his daughter Judy. Birdman was the second to last one to figure it out.

** [[FamilyGuyPresentsLaughItUpFuzzball "Wait a minute" (Fires blaster, cave rumbles), "Hang on a second" (Fires blaster again, cave rumbles slightly louder) "What's going on here?" (Fires blaster a third time) "Something dosen't add up..." (Fires blaster a fourth time) "Just a minute." (Fires blaster a fifth time) "Time out!" (Fires Blaster a sixth time) "This ain't quite right" (Fires blaster a seventh time, cave rumbles violently) "Oh now I get it, we should run!" ]]

* Happens OnceAnEpisode in ''ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents''.

* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' has Dale, a ConspiracyTheorist who's too busy fixating on aliens and shadow governments to realize that his wife Nancy has been cheating on him for years with the hunky John Redcorn and that his son Joseph [[ChocolateBaby is biologically Redcorn's]]. In this case, however, the Last Horse isn't Dale but Peggy, who was the last person to learn of the affair and has to be convinced not to tell Dale (for fear that the betrayal would send him off the deep end). Later on, when Hank tries to subtly tell Dale the truth, he comes to the conclusion that [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Nancy was impregnated by aliens...using Dale's sperm]].

* Caboose of ''Main/RedVsBlue''. Heck, [[MeaningfulName just look at his name]].

In any form of comedy and/or drama, whether it be Eastern or Western, important characters will be [[TooDumbToLive painfully oblivious]] to the events that are occurring right in front of him or her. Usually but not always happens to main characters, it is up to the rest of the cast, way before the revelation is necessary, to figure out the painfully obvious characteristic of the new personality, or find out a clue so shocking, that it can’t refuse to be overlooked. Instinctively, said support will try any which way to get the information known to the leading man/woman, with [[TemptingFate unsuccessful]] results. When the main character eventually ''does'' find out what the others have been trying to tell him/her, one of the two outcomes will happen, depending on the situation:

# If in a comedy, the [[IdiotHero character]] will step back, stunned, and contemplate the news before properly freaking out.

** [[FamilyGuyPresentsLaughItUpFuzzball "Hold on a second..." (Fires blaster, cave rumbles), "Wait just a minute..." (Fires blaster again, cave rumbles slightly louder) "Something isn't right here..." (Fires blaster third time, cave rumbles violently) "Oh, right, lets go."]]

* [[WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents Timmy]] would've been able to fix the messes he caused as a result of his wishes if he stopped TemptingFate as well as stopped constantly thinking everything was going [[JustAsPlanned just as he planned]] as soon as things went south.

* In ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbean: At World's End'':

* In the Season Five episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' "Deep Space Homer", it takes a full THIRTY YEARS and a few seconds to reflect on what he just said for Homer to realize the final plot twist of the original ''PlanetOfTheApes'', and that said planet was [[spoiler: EarthAllAlong]]. Of course, being the [[SarcasmMode brilliant]] man that he is, he winds up breaking down into tears at a NASA press conference, [[CrowningMomentOfFunny reenacting the exact same scene from the film,]] making the NASA officials look like complete idiots.

[[folder: Mythology and Religion ]]

* In [[Literature/TheBible the book of Numbers]], Baalam's donkey sees an angel of the Lord well before Baalam (who is supposed to be a prophet) does.

[[/folder]]

* In a third-season episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', Lois Griffin stumbles upon VillainProtagonist Stewie's hidden lair while cleaning. It takes her a while for her to realize that her son is an evil genius bent on world domination, to which Stewie [[SarcasticClapping slowly claps his hands]] and says something to the effect of "And the last horse crosses the finish line", executing her. Too bad it was [[spoiler: AllJustADream]].

* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' 's Stan Smith is subject to this trope. One noteworthy example is the episode "Deacon Stan, Jesus Man", in which Roger had just revealed that the delicious ingredient to Francine's potato salad was [[spoiler: breast milk from his reproductive cycle]]. Despite Roger giving a rather {{Squick}}-worthy demonstration, followed by several VomitIndiscretionShot from the Smith family, Stan was completely oblivious to what was in the salad until the next commercial break.

In any form of comedy and/or drama, whether it be Eastern or Western, characters will be [[TooDumbToLive painfully oblivious]] to the events that are occurring right in front of him or her. Usually but not always happens to main characters, it is up to the rest of the cast, way before the revelation is necessary, to figure out the painfully obvious characteristic of the new personality, or find out a clue so shocking, that it can’t refuse to be overlooked. Instinctively, said support will try any which way to get the information known to the leading man/woman, with [[TemptingFate unsuccessful]] results. When the main character eventually ''does'' find out what the others have been trying to tell him/her, one of the two outcomes will happen, depending on the situation:

In any form of comedy and/or drama, whether it be Eastern or Western, the main character will be [[TooDumbToLive painfully oblivious]] to the events that are occurring right in front of him or her. Typically, it is up to the supporting cast, way before the revelation is necessary, to figure out the painfully obvious characteristic of the new personality, or find out a clue so shocking, that it can’t refuse to be overlooked. Instinctively, said support will try any which way to get the information known to the leading man/woman, with [[TemptingFate unsuccessful]] results. When the main character eventually ''does'' find out what the others have been trying to tell him/her, one of the two outcomes will happen, depending on the situation:

# If in a comedy, the [[IdiotHero main character]] will step back, stunned, and contemplate the news before properly freaking out.

* [[http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=176 This]] ''VGCats'' comics.

* The TropeNamer comes from ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', where, in a third-season episode, Lois Griffin stumbles upon VillainProtagonist Stewie's hidden lair while cleaning. It takes her a while for her to realize that her son is an evil genius bent on world domination, to which Stewie [[SarcasticClapping slowly claps his hands]] and says something to the effect of [[TropeNamer "And the last horse crosses the finish line"]], executing her. Too bad it was [[spoiler: AllJustADream]].

[[redirect:TheLastHorseCrossesTheFinishLine]]