History Main / TheWindowOrTheStairs

* ''Film/ImGonnaGitYouSucka'', as described above. The trope is subverted at the end of the film when the protagonist says "There's two ways outta here..." at which point Wayans screams and jumps out the window. This prompts one of the heroes to say, "Didn't he know about the elevator?"
* Subverted and then completely lampshaded in ''Film/GalaxyQuest''. Captain Taggert sees the path between himself and the Berylium Sphere he needed for his ship is clear. [[GenreSavvy Suspecting this trope is in play]], he begins taking the 'window' by dodging from boulder to boulder and [[UnnecessaryCombatRoll rolling behind cover]]. Meanwhile the other characters simply stroll unmolested up the path. Gwen [=DeMarco=] looks over at him as they do and comments, "Does the rolling help, actually?" Capt. Taggerty stands up and dusts himself off. Unwilling to admit defeat, he says, "Uh huh. It helps." Then she points out that during his somersaults he actually dropped his raygun.

* One ''[[Literature/TheBerenstainBears Berenstain Bears]]'' book had the kids go camping à la [[ScoutOut cub scouts]]. At one point their map tells them to take a long and winding mountain path around a deadly culvert, while their leader insists on taking the shortcut right over said culvert (ignoring the blank spot on the map). He takes the shortcut and promptly falls into the culvert because the bridge was out.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Wish|2023}}'' Everyone in Rosa is led to believe Magnifico method may be the easier way to grant their wish, even though no one has any idea whose wish Magnifico will grant or when, with Sabino waiting for decades. Meanwhile, the Star methods are harder as while Star does help you, you still have to put the work into it, but ultimately the wish does get granted.

* In ''WesternAnimation//{{Wish|2023}}'' Everyone in Rosa is led to believe Magnifico method may be the easier way to grant their wish, even though no one has any idea whose wish Magnifico will grant or when, with Sabino waiting for decades. Meanwhile, the Star methods are harder as while Star does help you, you still have to put the work into it, but ultimately the wish does get granted.

* This trope is subverted in the ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' episode [[Recap/AdventureTimeS3E23AnotherWay "Another Way"]]. Throughout the episode, Finn keeps being presented with situations that seem to only have one (or two equally bad) options; he insists on finding another way each time, generally resulting in much more distress than necessary.

* A borderline-literal example happens in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' where Cloud is asked if he wants to [[BigDamnHeroes storm into the heavily-guarded Shinra HQ]], or sneak in. Storming the building involves a handful of easy battles, a couple of floors to climb and a lot of fun things to see and do on the way, including a car advert FMV. Sneaking in involves climbing up 60 stories of identical staircases, [[LeaveTheCameraRunning in real time]] (there's some amusing party banter, though).

* ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' has a very literal example of this trope, though which also reverses the conditions. At one point, TheMenInBlack storm your brother's apartment building to apprehend him, and you'll be faced with a choice. You can either take the safer option, which in this case will be to escape through the window, evading the attackers completely, or you can stay behind and fight them, clearing all of them out of the front door and in the downstairs lobby. Doing the former will result in your brother dying, but doing the more dangerous latter will save him.

* In ''Literature/TheWorstWitch'', the hapless trainee witch Mildred Hubble tends to make unfortunate journeys through windows, usually on a broomstick, instead of the much simpler ways of using the stairs.

* In the Series/SaturdayNightLive game show parody "What Have You Become?", each of the contestants realize that they had taken the fun, easy way throughout their lives (depicted as something that everyone does from time to time and then their horror exaggerated for comedic effect) and in doing so had sabotaged their chances to become so much more (in contrast to their oldest living relatives, who had instead become war heroes or known Eleanor Roosevelt).

* Episode 3 of ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead: Season Two'' ends with your group wandering through a horde of zombies, using the classic zombie disguise. However, some zombies see through it, and one woman in your group gets bitten on the hand. You then have two choices; kill the zombie with your hatchet, or chop the woman's arm off. Over 80% of players chopped it off, because they had recently found out that chopping off the infected area just after someone is bitten can stop the infection spreading. Unfortunately, doing so results in said woman [[spoiler:letting out a scream that attracts several zombies which kill her immediately.]]
* A very minor example happens in ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'': When Sans implies that crosswords are tough, his brother Papyrus immediately says that Junior Jumble is much harder, and asks the player to settle the argument. As Sans is more likable (and crosswords do tend to be tougher), players have a tendency to agree with him. However, Sans is a laid back guy. The only thing he cares about is his brother, so he is actually grateful if you agree with Papyrus, because he likes it when he's happy.

* A very minor example happens in ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'': When Sans implies that crosswords are tough, his brother Papyrus immediately says that Junior Jumble is much harder, and asks the player to settle the argument. As Sans is more likable (and crosswords do tend to be tougher), players have a tendency to agree with him. However, Sans is a laid back guy. The only thing he cares about is his brother, so he is actually grateful if you agree with Papyrus, because he likes it when he's happy.

* In the Series/SaturdayNightLive game show parody "What Have You Become?", each of the contestants realize that they had taken the fun, easy way throughout their lives (depicted as something that everyone does from time to time and then their horror exaggerated for comedic effect) and in doing so had sabotaged their chances to become so much more (in contrast to their oldest living relatives, who had instead become war heroes or known Eleanor Roosevelt).

* In ''Literature/TheWorstWitch'', the hapless trainee witch Mildred Hubble tends to make unfortunate journeys through windows, usually on a broomstick, instead of the much simpler ways of using the stairs.

* There is a famous joke where three men have been caught by a tribe of natives and get to choose their sentences. The two options are "Death" and "Nugoba"[[note]]or whatever word AsLongAsItSoundsForeign, other popular choices include "Tchi-Tchi", "Poontah", "Unga-Bunga", and "[[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Snu-snu]]"[[/note]]. The first man says "Nugoba", thinking that whatever it is has to be better than death. He is immediately raped by all of the men in the village, then released. The second man chooses the same fate, knowing he will at least live after it is over. The third man, too proud to subject himself to such treatment, chooses death. The chief then says "Death... [[OutWithABang by Nugoba!]]".

* Subverted in ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMegaseries''. Optimus Prime and Ironhide were reminiscing about old battles in one issue, remembering one in which there were two ways to advance. One route turned out to be a minefield, so Ironhide had suggested going the other way. Optimus sensed that something was up and [[TakeAThirdOption instead ordered a retreat]]. Ironhide started to argue when suddenly [[HumongousMecha Trypticon]] revealed himself on the un-mined route.