History Main / SoMuchForStealth

* Han Solo steps on a stick when he tries sneaking up on a Stormtrooper in ''ReturnOfTheJedi''.

* In one episode of ''{{Benson}}'', Benson discovers a crime in progress. He happens to have a camera with him, so he takes a photo through a window. Unfortunately, the flash is on.

* Mocked in the FistfulOfYen sketch of ''TheKentuckyFriedMovie'' when the protagonist is sneaking in a dark room around the guard while knocking over various shelves, glass objects, and so on. [[TheGuardsMustBeCrazy The guard barely notices]] and sometime looking as if he might have heard a curious sound.

* On ''ToyStory2'', Woody tries to get his arm from Al, who is asleep on the couch. The first step he takes, he steps on a cheese puff, one of many strewn on the floor. Al doesnt' wake up, so Woody goes ahead more carefully now, but then he hears another crunch, this time from Bullseye, who was following him. Again, Al doesn't wake up. Woody is about to get his arm when suddenly the TV turns on, waking up Al. Later we find out the TV was turned on on purpose by [[spoiler:Stinky Pete, who places the remote in front of Jesse to frame her.]]

* The Genesis game ''[=~ToeJam & Earl~=]'': when you tiptoe past a sleeping enemy you would occasionally sneeze and awaken it.

* Scorch of {{Republic Commando}} will occaisionally say this after an explosive charge is detonated.
* Really can happen in any game where sneaking is optional. If a guard notices you, or you trigger an alarm, it's usually time to either SaveScum or go guns blazing.

* In ''{{SpongeBob SquarePants}}'' [=SpongeBob=] is sneaking through Patrick's house, but every step he makes a very loud (and unrelated) noise. Fortunately even after he causes a ruckus Patrick is still asleep... until [=SpongeBob=] comments on how sleepy he must be.
* In ''OnePiece'', it's a ''rooster''.

* Scorch of {{Republic Commando}} will occaisionally say this after an explosive charge is detonated

* In ''[[JohnCarterOfMars A Princess of Mars]]'', John Carter is slipping stealthily through a room full of sleeping Tharks when his weapons harness makes a small noise. For a moment it seems like nothing will happen, until a green warrior jumps to his feet and mayhem ensues.

** Similarly, where both of them are trying to bomb each other out in their house, and John accidentally knocks over a China pot, catching the pot but not on the end with the lid, which falls to the ground (cue John's OhCrap face) and reveals where he is to his wife.

** Similarly, where both of them are trying to bomb each other out in their house, and John accidentally makes the photo frame fall, revealing where he is to his wife.

...oh shit. SoMuchForStealth.

-->-- MarkTwain, ''[[http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/projects/rissetto/offense.html The Further Literary Offenses]] of [[TheLeatherstockingTales James Fenimore Cooper]]''

* In ''TheIncredibles'', Mr. Incredible uses the pebble tossing trick to lure guards away so he can sneak into Syndrome's lair.
* In ''TheIronGiant'', Hogart throws a penny into the kitchen to divert mom's attention away while he sneaks out one of the Giant's hands, which has detached and is wandering around the house. The penny knocks over the spice rack by accident.

As a result, GenreSavvy sneaker-uppers will toss a stone[[hottip:*:or a dry twig, if one can be readily obtained]] so that it lands with a "plunk" in the direction opposite their position to make the guards go investigate - {{ninja}}s call this "throwing the toothpick." The guards, even seasoned BorderPatrol, will ''always'' go for this [[UndeadHorseTrope old chestnut]]. If nobody notices when they ''really'' should have, see ItsProbablyNothing and TheGuardsMustBeCrazy. If the attempt at stealth is laughably inept, see WithCatlikeTread.

* In the ''{{Rifftrax}}'' for ''Star Wars'' Episodes I and II, the riffers note that this really should happen to Qui-Gon ("How can you sneak around when you're ''six foot six''?) and Anakin ("Hey, who's that up on the cliff? He's just bending over slightly." "Yeah, hi, we can see you!") - but naturally, it doesn't, since logic doesn't exist in these movies.