History Main / WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys

* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'': In-universe, this is an all-consuming question for all the intelligence services of the Inner Sphere after the arrival of Wolf's Dragoons from out of nowhere. Any unit showing up out of the blue with five regiments of pristine [=BattleMechs=], some of them designs that either haven't existed in centuries or that as far as the Inner Sphere is concerned never existed at all, along with high-tech orbital stations and state-of-the-art factory facilities, is going to spark way more than just a few questions. It got so bad that [=ComStar=] actually instigated a civil war in the Free Worlds League just to get the Dragoons so mauled that they'd have to go back to whatever supply base they had, with [=ComStar=] following along secretly. That plan didn't pan out[[note]]neither did a more direct plan by the Draconis Combine to take over the Dragoons and in that way force them into giving up their secrets[[/note]], and the Inner Sphere would have to wait until 3052 to get the truth: [[spoiler: They were an advance scouting party for Clan Wolf (hence the name) who were originally intended to keep the Clans apprised of the state of the Inner Sphere. They were getting resupplied from Clan sources from stocks of Star-League-vintage equipment.]]

** A song with this trope's title actually appears in the demo recording of Jim Steinman's Batman musical.

* Again with the Joker in ''[[VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame LEGO Batman 2]]'', after Batman defeats him in the beginning. {{Subverted|Trope}} somewhat as the wonderful toy in question (the Batwing) was not used to defeat him as soon as they entered the parking lot.

* ''Literature/TheSaint'' and ''The Literature/DominoLady'' often "confiscated" funds from criminals who preyed on the public. The Arrow and the Avenger did much the same.
* Wealthy men funded the Hawker and the Expeditor.

* In ''Film/Ghostbusters1984'', it's established early on that Egon is an inventive genius, but it's also established that buying the firehouse in its worn-out condition used up most of their money. So where did they get everything needed to build the proton packs and containment unit?

* In ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAndHisAmazingFriends'', the heroes' [[ExecutiveMeddling executive-mandated]] [[BeepingComputers supercomputer]] was initially taken for granted. However, by the third season, so many fans had sent letters asking where it had come from that the writers went and wrote an episode surrounding not only the origin of the team itself, but their computer. (As it turned out, it was a gift from [[Comicbook/IronMan Tony Stark]].)
* In ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan'', all of the gadgets and vehicles used by Spidey and his team were designed and provided by ComicBook/{{SHIELD}}. Spider-Man does start off using web-shooters of his own design like in the comics, but switches to more advanced SHIELD-issued models after ComicBook/NickFury assures him that the new ones are much more efficient and versatile.

'''Stewie:''' Batman, Batman - they built a Lazy Susan for your nuclear car. That's something they consider conversation-worthy.

* Elinalise of ''LightNovel/MushokuTensei'' has a very large supply of rare and valuable magic stones despite not visiting labyrinths much recently. It is eventually explained that part of her curse is giving "birth" to a magic stone during her period, and has been doing so for two centuries.

* The Magdalan Order in ''Manga/ChronoCrusade'' has its own R&D department to make wonderful toys for them. The only named member of this unit is Edgar Hamilton, more commonly known as The Elder.
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' - Where does [[ColonelBadass Roy Mustang]] get an armored truck full of wonderful toys in the middle of a locked-down city? [[spoiler: Why, from [[HandicappedBadass Jean Havoc]].]]
* The titular character of ''Anime/SerialExperimentsLain''. Where does an eighth-grader get thousands of dollars worth of computer equipment ([[EveryoneOwnsAMac all Mac]]) indeed? It's implied to be from her father, who works with computers, but it's not like her parents are incredibly wealthy or anything.
* Subverted with ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': local [[TheGunslinger lead dealer]] Homura fills her arsenal to the brim first by cooking up her own bombs, then steals guns from the Yakuza and [[spoiler:in late timelines]] from military arsenals.

* In ''Anime/SDGundamForce'', the Dark Axis tends to use mind control devices on local robots for a MonsterOfTheWeek scenario. The Zako Zako Hour explains that they do this because the Dark Axis aren't very good at making their own stuff, which begs the question, where did they get the weapons they already have? The Zakos conclude that everything they have must have been stolen from somewhere else. [[spoiler: the final episode hints that this is true, as far as the Zakurello Gate is concerned.]]

* Subverted in ''Manga/MissionYozakuraFamily''. the Yozakuras use their supergeniuses and the money they make from their jobs to make all of their own equipment, from software that converts operating systems into video games, [[GrapplingHookPistol belts with built-in grappling hooks]], or [[MySuitIsAlsoSuper bulletproof pajamas]], they're never wanting for anything.

* ''Comicbook/SpiderMan''

* ''Fanfic/DungeonKeeperAmi'': All of the [[VideoGame/DungeonKeeper villains]], and most of the heroes wonder on a regular basis where [[TrappedInAnotherWorld Empress Mercury]] gets all of her awesome equipment and magic from. Where ''does'' she come up with these remote battle drones? The Airships, the Dominate Undead Spell? Attempts to steal/emulate it is the subject of several subplots.

* ''FanFic/ShinraHighSOLDIER'': Julia has some of the most powerful materia in the world, including maxed out heal/cure materia, all three Bahamuts, and Knights of the Round. No mention is ever made to where she got them.
* In ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'', the Prowler's new equipment comes from the [[Franchise/MarvelComics Marvel Universe]] through Mysterio. It's far more advanced than anything available to the authorities in Izuku's world, including a self-driving motorcycle, gas that dissolve Peter's webbing, and a collapsible metal shinai that can electrify itself for added damage.

* ''Film/DeathWish3'' had Paul Kersey using all manner of weapons with not a hint of explanation of where he got them or how he afforded them (remember, Kersey worked as a middle-class architect, not possessing great wealth, emphasized in the next film in which he sees a mansion and says "This place alone costs more than I could make if I worked for the rest of my life").
* In ''Film/DeathWish4TheCrackdown'', a man who discovered that Kersey operated as the vigilante agrees to fund his struggle with narcotics dealers and gives him the name of someone to provide him weapons.

* In ''Film/{{Mallrats}}'', Jay says this after Silent Bob saves them both with his grappling hook.

* ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan'':
** Peter's web-shooters are shown to be made from two wristwatches, with the webbing itself being an Oscorp product called "biocable."
** Pretty much all his villains get their powers, tech, or costumes from Oscorp. The Lizard and Electro were both Oscorp employees who got their powers from experiments there, while the Green Goblin got his armor, glider, venom, and pumpkin bombs from a vault containing a bunch of classified weapons. Even the Rhino is reimagined as a guy in a MiniMecha Harry stole for him from the same Oscorp vault.

* Like the ''Film/BatmanBegins'' example, ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' justifies the presence of ComicBook/TheFalcon's winged exo-suit by stating that it was developed for the military by [[Film/IronMan Stark Industries]]. Sam's suit is stated to be the last one in existence, as the others were apparently destroyed during combat in [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror the Middle East]].
* ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2014'': One has to wonder how mutated lab animals who spent years underground managed to find so many ninja weapons. Not to mention the equipment Donatello has, including but not limited to: retinal scanners, thermal goggles, and a wrist-mounted computer with a holographic display.
* ''Film/{{Blade}}'' is explicitly shown stealing the watch off a vampire familiar's wrist in his first film, and points out that his operation doesn't finance itself. Presumably he just steals from vampires and their human familiars whenever possible. Considering how much silver he goes through, it makes sense.
* ''Film/TheGreenHornet'': The protagonist owns the controlling stock in a multi-billion dollar news corporation, and even has the same personality as his alter ego The Hornet. What would throw people off is ''how freaking advanced his stuff is'', as he doesn't own an R&D facility, is too big of a socialite to purchase his gadgets from the black market without everyone watching him, and has no background in mechanics or engineering. Or anything unrelated to screwing interns into screwing him. While yelling his intentions. Instead, Kato builds all of his gadgets ''by himself''.
* In ''Film/Ghostbusters1984'', it's established early on that Egon is an inventive genius, but it's also established that buying the firehouse in its worn-out condition used up most of their money. So where did they get everything needed to build the proton packs and containment unit?

* Averted right from the start on undercover cop show Series/Fastlane: the 'Candy Store' base of operations is stocked by the seizure of assets from criminals: all the best cars/weapons/designer clothes/etc that would normally go up for auction is sent to the Candy Store instead. It's motto is "Everything we seize, we keep. Everything we keep, we use."

* In the pilot of ''Series/{{Arrow}}'', Oliver Queen is rescued from the hellish island of Lian Yu, which has somehow caused him to become a badass vigilante. His bow and several other items he carries in a wooden box he brought with him, but the fact that he also uses a sophisticated electronic [[TrickArrow bugging arrow]] throws doubt on his story of having been marooned alone for five years. It's only in Season Three that we get answers to this.
** This becomes a more relevant question when Oliver loses his fortune in Season 2, leading to the question of where he's getting the money to feed and finance Team Arrow.

->''"Where does Chicago get all that meat?''\\

* ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'' gives you the Bloom and Doom Seed Co. as the provider of your lawn defense plants

* WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot: How does Jenny keep all those weapons inside her body?

* Averted in ''[[http://nequ.deviantart.com/art/Sonny-Gets-Mad-Scienced-144594113 Sonny Gets Mad Scienced]]'', where the titular main character asks a minion where his MadScientist captor funds his base and the mercenary employees.

* Gizmoduck from ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'' is easy enough to explain--he's the bodyguard of the world's richest person. WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck from the same 'verse (though with his own show) doesn't seem to have the same setup--he's shown as having many gadgets and gizmos even before the series starts. After breaking a (not the) FourthWall he's asked about this, and promptly shushes the inquisitive fan. Darkwing worked on occasion for the government group S.H.U.S.H. a parody of ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} from the Marvel Universe and may have received both his salary and access to technology from there. The continuation comic from Creator/BOOMComics revealed that, yes, S.H.U.S.H. did pay Darkwing and when he gave up crimefighting, things got ''hard'' money-wise.

* Played with in the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse, specifically the Rogue and Wraith Squadron novels. One of the Rogues was a officer for Corellian Security; his astromech droid had special programming and hardware used to deal with issues thrown at them. A Wraith, on the other hand, had an "interesting childhood" as the daughter of a Old Republic security officer not even Vader could track down.

* In the ''Comicbook/TeenTitans'' comics, [[Comicbook/RobinSeries Robin]] was able to get a [[CoolCar Batmobile]] shipped to San Francisco by [[http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l5sg9qiFAv1qbqx4xo1_500.jpg hiding it in the Batarang budget]]. (It's bigger than you'd think.) And he would've gotten away with it too if not for Kid Flash...

* ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'': Where exactly did Dexter (and no, not that ''Series/{{Dexter}}'') get all the stuff for his lab? For that matter, where did Mandark, whose lab is above ground? Well according to ''VideoGame/FusionFall'', they both sell inventions (or at least the patents to their inventions). Then again, Fusion Fall is set about five years after the series.

** A deleted scene would have explained that Ziggy, the guy Helen borrows a jet from, used to act as a transport service for supers who lacked {{Flight}} or SuperSpeed.

* Where the ''hell'' do the various police departments in the various ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' series games get their [[HammerspacePoliceForce infinite supplies]] of [[CoolCar Exotic and Supercars]] to throw at the street racers (eg. [[NeedForSpeedMostWanted Need for Speed: Most Wanted]] use of the Chevy Corvettes at the ''FEDERAL'' Heat Level in both versions of the game) You'd think at some point the taxpayer funding would run dry after procuring fleets of $100K sports cars. And, in the same vein, in the games where Cops are playable, where do they even get all the same rare, expensive-as-shit (like the Pagani Zonda Cinque, of which only five were ever made, being somehow available as a police unit) hypercars as the racers?

** A deleted scene would have explained that Ziggy, the guy Helen borrows a jet from, used to act as a transport service for supers who lacked {=Flight=} or SuperSpeed.

* Who built the Tracy Island base in ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}''?
** There ''was'' a handwave provided in the episode "Terror In New York City" for how the eponymous Thunderbird vehicles are kept in service; components are bought from a variety of different manufacturers -presumably through various shell companies- and no one part was significant enough to clue someone in as to who and what it was going towards, even when they needed to carry out extensive repairs on Thunderbird 2 after some trigger-happy warship captain tried to blow her out of the sky with surface-to-air missiles. Of course, this only explains where International Rescue gets the parts without attracting attention. It doesn't explain how they ever build their vehicles, or their base of operations.

* Where the ''hell'' do the various police departments in the ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' series get their [[HammerspacePoliceForce infinite supplies]] of [[CoolCar Z06 Corvettes]] to throw at the street racers? You'd think at some point the taxpayer funding would run dry after procuring fleets of $100K sports cars. And, in the same vein, in the games where Cops are playable, where do they even get all the same rare, expensive-as-shit (like the Pagani Zonda Cinque, of which only five were ever made, being somehow available as a police unit) hypercars as the racers?
** seized and confiscated from the racers they previously arrested?

* Averted in ''[[http://nequ.deviantart.com/art/Sonny-Gets-Mad-Scienced-144594113 Sonny Gets Mad Scienced]]'', where the titular main character a minion asks where his MadScientist captor funds his base and the mercenary employees.

* During ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirlsMovie'', there is a scene where a veritable legion of mutated monkeys start to ape Mojo Jojo's style and unleash a variety of evil plans and doomsday weapons on Townsville, while Mojo stands there dully protesting. While it didn't make it into the final product, according to the DVD commentary, these protests originally included a befuddled "Where are you guys ''getting'' all this stuff?!"

* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': Lelouch Geasses people into making/storing/etc. his stuff. Since part of his MagicalEye is that they forget his orders, it's a fairly good deal. Anything he can't get with his Geass, he gets with his silver tongue.

* [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits Space Angels]] in ''Manga/{{Gunnm}}: Last Order'' should've realistically survived only because they're {{Cyborg}}s — they often don't have money for ''food'', but they still maintain a competitive [[TournamentArc Z.O.T.T. team]], and most of their fighters have state-of-the-art bodies (or, in case of [[BadassNormal Zazie]], equipment). It's somewhat justified by the fact that [[MadScientist Desty Nova]] and [[GadgeteerGenius Yani]], who are quite well-off, use them as testbeds for their theories and prototypes, and they receive donations from [[FanOfTheUnderdog their fans]]. They have also gotten the support of the [[TheGoodKingdom Martian Kingdom]], which, however poor, still amounts for something.