| 1 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1637694407026152300 |
| 2 | %% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 3 | %% |
| 4 | [[quoteright:194:[[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cant_watch_9.png]]]] |
| 5 | %% |
| 6 | -> ''"What do you have, shit for brains? What a gullible idiot, I can't watch!"'' |
| 7 | -->-- '''Diddy''', WebVideo/UncleAl's ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mUOymWLCqE Donkey Kong Country Abridged - Episode 1 - Big Dumb Day]]'' |
| 8 | |
| 9 | Some things are just too horrible to look at. Maybe it's the guy next door plowing into your new car. Maybe it's your LoveInterest falling to her death. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Maybe it's your sister taking the last cookie from the plate.]] In any case, it's simply unbearable to watch, so you don't. [[ForcedToWatch Forcing someone to watch]] at this point is usually a KickTheDog moment. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | This gesture can take a number of different styles. Popular ones include looking away, closing your eyes, covering your eyes, ignoring a person who is [[HollywoodHomely physically unattractive]] or, for that extra dramatic punch, turning your back. Depending on the situation, you may also cover your ears to avoid hearing whatever it is. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | This motion can be used to convey a number of different emotions. A person may use it out of fear if they are in terrible danger, or if a loved one is, or out of grief or disgust. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | One of the most common subversions of this trope is for a character to cover their eyes, but peek through their fingers. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | As you may guess, this can also be accompanied by the phrase, "I can't look!" |
| 18 | |
| 19 | See also IgnoringBySinging. Compare DiscretionShot if the viewer doesn't see what the person is reacting to, CoverInnocentEyesAndEars if they're keeping another person from seeing, and SympatheticWince. FacePalm if the motion is in response to a DontLookBack moment, where looking behind you is forbidden for a (often) potentially deadly reason. |
| 20 | |
| 21 | ---- |
| 22 | !!Examples: |
| 23 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 24 | |
| 25 | [[folder:Advertising]] |
| 26 | * One infamous NSPCC advert has objects that people would usually associate with children (E.G. An Action Man figure, ComicStrip/RupertBear or a teddy bear wallpaper) covering their eyes at the sight of a [[AbusiveParents woman yelling at her baby for crying]] ([[OffingTheOffspring and presumably killing said baby]]), [[RapeAsDrama a man molesting a child,]] [[AbusiveParents another man yelling at his son]] and telling said son that [[IHaveNoSon he's no child of his]],[[ParentalNeglect a boy crying for his mom who's likely a neglectful parent that locked him in a closet]] and a [[RapeAsDrama man molesting a little girl and telling her not to tell anybody.]] |
| 27 | [[/folder]] |
| 28 | |
| 29 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 30 | * Maya Ibuki, a BridgeBunny in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', often has to avert her gaze during the bloodier and gorier battles, often while fighting back the urge to vomit. |
| 31 | * Ami Mizuno from ''Anime/SailorMoon'' is shown to cover or at least avert her eyes when seeing something indecent. (Usagi and Mamoru kissing, a nearly naked Seiya about to lose his towel.) She often allows herself a tiny peek, however. |
| 32 | * In a scene from ''Anime/YuGiOh'', [[http://yugieh.tumblr.com/post/87644715143 Bakura would rather not watch Jounochi plummet to his death]]. |
| 33 | [[/folder]] |
| 34 | |
| 35 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 36 | * ''ComicBook/DuckTales'': |
| 37 | ** In the story "The Curse of Flabbergé", Scrooge covers his eyes and Launchpad turns his back when the Beagle Boys set off an electrical trap. |
| 38 | ** In an early segment of ''The Gold Odyssey'', one of the nephews covers his eyes when a group of poachers throw Launchpad out of an airplane. |
| 39 | * In ''ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard'', [[spoiler:Old Loki]] covers their eyes and proclaim that they can't bear to watch, when Loki attempts to lift Mjölnir. This is [[SubvertedTrope obviously an act]] as they're still looking through their fingers, not to mention laughing their ass off. |
| 40 | * ''ComicBook/NintendoComicsSystem'': In the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' story "Magic Carpet Madness, Mario and Luigi do this when Princess Toadstool is plummeting to her apparent doom and they're too far away to save her. |
| 41 | -->'''Mario & Luigi:''' We can't look! |
| 42 | * In ''ComicBook/SupermansGirlFriendLoisLane'' #67, Lois turns her back on seeing Clark "hurtling to his doom." |
| 43 | * ''ComicBook/WonderWomanTheOnceAndFutureStory'': Theseus' drinking buddies look away uncomfortably as he beats a slave girl to death for resisting his attempt to rape her. |
| 44 | [[/folder]] |
| 45 | |
| 46 | [[folder:Comic Strips]] |
| 47 | * ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' |
| 48 | ** In one strip, Calvin hides his face as he and Hobbes go plunging off a cliff in their wagon. |
| 49 | --->'''Hobbes:''' We're headed for that cliff!\ |
| 50 | '''Calvin:''' I don't want to know about it! |
| 51 | ** Calvin tries to push the family car out of the garage by himself and the car rolls away from him. He and Hobbes cover their faces and scream "I can't watch!" just before the car winds up in a ditch. |
| 52 | ** In yet another strip, the duo are on another sled ride. Calvin keeps trying to ask Hobbes whether humanity is good, bad, or crazy, but Hobbes is more focused on the dangers Calvin is narrowly avoiding with the sled. Finally, just before a crash, he hides his face, yelling that he can't look. |
| 53 | [[/folder]] |
| 54 | |
| 55 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 56 | * ''Fanfic/AenrhienVailiuri'': Jaleh Khoroushi gasps and flinches away when [[spoiler:Morgan t'Thavrau [[NeckSnap snaps the neck]] of the Kazon prisoner she's {{Neck Lift}}ing]]. |
| 57 | * ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'': |
| 58 | ** In the 6th chapter, [[TheBrute Commander Hildread]] gives Shining Armor a beating in his cell. While the other imprisoned heroes watch in horror, [[MinionWithAnFInEvil Lieutenant Shackle]] turns her pitying eyes away. |
| 59 | ** In the 11th chapter, Hildread [[ATasteOfTheLash publicly flogs]] Shining Armor. [[CorruptTheCutie Twilight Sparkle]] is among the spectators, but even though she [[IHaveNoSon disowned her big brother]] the previous night, [[PetTheDog she doesn't enjoy his suffering at all]] and mostly averts her eyes from it. By contrast, [[TheUsurper King Jewelius]] watches with a smile that grows bigger with each scream of pain from Shining Armor, while his assistant [[EmotionlessGirl Vivian]] watches without any sign of sadism or pity. |
| 60 | ** During the final battle, all the heroes look away as [[spoiler:Jewelius is [[DevouredByTheHorde gruesomely eaten alive]] by the vengeful Changelings]]. |
| 61 | * ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': After rescuing a group of nuns in the Feoh dungeons from their PrisonRape, Kyril's gaze avoids the victims, noting in his P.O.V. that he couldn't bear looking at them due to their current state. {{Subverted}} later as the leader of the nuns, Lily, limps her way towards him to thank him. [[TranquilFury Calm, yet furious]], Kyril regards her with a blank look, and asks for Beasley's location so he can take care of him personally. |
| 62 | * At the [[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition Well of Sorrows]] in ''[[Fanfic/TwiceUponAnAge All This Sh*t is Twice as Weird]]'', the Lady Inquisitor hides her face in Dorian's chest rather than watch [[spoiler:her best friend, the Lord Inquisitor, die after submerging himself in the Well. He doesn't, but she thinks that's what's about to happen.]] |
| 63 | [[/folder]] |
| 64 | |
| 65 | [[folder:Films — Animation]] |
| 66 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'': Jafar has stolen the lamp from Aladdin and forced Genie to grant his wish to be the world's most powerful sorcerer. As he sends Aladdin to the ends of the earth to freeze, Genie turns his face away, unable to look. |
| 67 | * In ''WesternAnimation/AnimalFarm1954'', Moses the raven can only look away as he watches [[spoiler: Napoleon send falsely accused animals off to a PublicExecution.]] |
| 68 | * ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'': Despite everything Hopper has done to their people, Flik and Atta can't bring themselves to watch him be devoured by the bird's chicks. |
| 69 | * ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'': Deb can't bring herself to watch Nemo swim through the "Ring of Fire", and [[CoverInnocentEyesAndEars does the same to her "sister, Flo."]] |
| 70 | * In ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameII'', Phoebus has to look away when Sarousch forces him to let him sail away with ''La Fidèle'', on penalty of Sarousch harming his son. |
| 71 | * The common subversion happens in ''WesternAnimation/PeterPan'' when Wendy covers her eyes as Peter crosses blades with Captain Hook, only to peek between her fingers and watch anyway. |
| 72 | * In ''WesternAnimation/SinbadLegendOfTheSevenSeas'', King Dymas of Syracuse averts his gaze as his son Proteus is about to be executed. Sinbad arrives just in time, but then takes Proteus' sentence. Marina and Spike avert their eyes just as the sword comes down...[[spoiler: then suddenly the sword shatters to a million pieces. And a furious Eris emerges from the sea, and [[IGaveMyWord bound by her word]], she reluctantly returns the Book.]] |
| 73 | * ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'': Rex wants to cover his eyes but his arms are too short. He asks if anyone else can [[CoverInnocentEyesAndEars oblige him]]. |
| 74 | * In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', when Mei is in the middle of the street, about to be hit by a car, she braces for impact and covers her eyes. Fortunately for her, the car stops just short of hitting her. |
| 75 | [[/folder]] |
| 76 | |
| 77 | [[folder:Films — Live-Action]] |
| 78 | * ''Film/TheAdventuresOfElmoInGrouchland'': Big Bird covers his eyes mere seconds before Elmo, Telly, and Super Grover crash into each other and land in a heap on the sidewalk. |
| 79 | ** During Ernie and Bert's second pause of the film, Bert does the same thing after he glances at the Huxo-copter flying off with Elmo's blanket. |
| 80 | * During the opening stages of the the final battle in ''Film/DestroyAllMonsters'', [[CuteGiant Minya]] has this reaction when [[BigBad King Ghidorah]] drops [[TheLancer Anguirus]] from a tremendous height. |
| 81 | * ''Film/FreeSolo'' is a documentary about the mountaineer Alex Honnold climbing El Capitan (a 3200 foot granite cliff) without ropes or assistance. When Honnold is negotiating "Boulder Problem," one of the most difficult stages, the ground level camera man turns away after leaving the camera pointing in the right direction. The camera crew are stated to all be experienced climbers, so he would know better than the audience how great Honnold's risk of falling to his death was at that point. |
| 82 | * In ''Film/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'' Hermione covers her face and turns to the wall when she thinks Sirius Black is about to kill Peter Pettigrew. |
| 83 | * Bit, the smallest of the three Pink Berets from Illumination Entertainment's ''Film/{{Hop}}'', turns away from the sight of a partially thawed turkey dressed in a flannel shirt that Patch levers from a boiling pot. The Pink Berets presume that this is the horrible fate of E.B., the renegade son and heir of the Easter Bunny. How an elite commando unit could confuse a frozen turkey for a rabbit carcass is never explained. |
| 84 | * ''Film/TheNameOfTheRose''. When Inquisitor Bernado Gui catches a peasant girl inside the monastery, he declares her a witch and rips open her clothing to expose her breasts, causing the monks to avert their gaze in horror or cover their eyes. One monk does both, covering an eye and closing the other, [[CovertPervert which he quickly opens again for a peek]]. |
| 85 | * Cheryl does this in ''Film/RememberTheTitans'' when the climactic game comes DownToTheLastPlay. |
| 86 | * During the climax of ''Film/SawI,'' as soon as [[spoiler: Adam starts smashing Zep's skull in with the toilet lid to stop him from killing Lawrence, Lawrence immediately puts his head down and averts his eyes.]] |
| 87 | ** In the opening of ''Film/Saw3D'', after [[spoiler:choosing to kill Dina rather than each other]], Brad and Ryan are horrified by the actual results (death by [[spoiler:circular saw to the midsection]] is ''not'' clean) and shove their heads into their arms (not being able to physically look away). |
| 88 | ** Despite Hoffman seeming pleased with the whole situation, he looks away at the last minute [[spoiler: as Strahm is crushed to death]] in ''Film/SawV''. |
| 89 | ** Subverted in ''Film/SawVI'', as William looks away when the coworker he decided not to save in favor of two others is about to be shot, only for the man to demand he look at him, because "when you're killing me, you ''look at me''!" William subsequently forces himself to watch. |
| 90 | * In ''Film/Serenity2005'', the [[ApocalypticLog recording]] explaining the origin of the Reavers ends with them breaking in and overpowering the speaker before she can shoot herself. As [[ScreamDiscretionShot her screams hint at her offscreen fate]], tough-guy Jayne is the first one to say "Turn it off". |
| 91 | * In ''Film/{{Soldier}}'', during the opening montage one of the child soldiers turns his head away from the dog killing the boar. His head is forced back, [[ForcedToWatch making him watch.]] |
| 92 | * ''Franchise/StarTrek:'' |
| 93 | ** During the [[NightmareFuel infamous]] transporter room scene of ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'', Chief Rand mutters a horrified "Oh, no, they're forming!" and turns away when the two [[TeleporterAccident doomed]] crew members start to materialize on ''Enterprise''[='s=] transporter pad. Everyone else in the room is [[HeroicBSOD frozen in stunned horror]] at what they just witnessed. |
| 94 | --->'''Starfleet Transporter Tech.:''' ''Enterprise'', [[BodyHorror what we got back]] didn't live long.. .''[[TakeOurWordForIt Fortunately.]]'' |
| 95 | ** ''Film/StarTrekInsurrection'': During one of Ru'afo's flesh-stretching sessions, Admiral Dougherty keeps wincing and glancing aside during the procedure. |
| 96 | * ''Franchise/StarWars'': |
| 97 | ** In ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', as Anakin is preparing to start the podrace, Jar-Jar says it's going to be nasty and that he's not watching before covering his eyes. |
| 98 | ** In ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'': Obi-Wan Kenobi, [[spoiler:having incapacitated his former friend and padawan Anakin]], tries to look away [[spoiler:as Anakin is burned by Mustafar's lava]]. |
| 99 | ** A variant: In ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' When Leia is captured by Jabba we cut to C-3PO turning away ''and'' saying "I can't bear to watch". What exactly he can't bear to watch is unknown as the film [[DiscretionShot cuts away at this point]]. According to an old EU novel it was Leia [[ShamefulStrip being stripped naked in front of all his minions and being made to put on the slave bikini]], though whether this remains canon is unknown. |
| 100 | * The 1962 version of ''State Fair'' opens with the mother finishing her mincemeat recipe to be judged at the fair. Despite her family's urging, she refuses to add any cooking brandy to the mix, considering it cheating. At the last minute, she gives in and puts her arm across her eyes as she dumps the entire bottle of brandy into the mincemeat. |
| 101 | * In ''Film/WalkingWithDinosaurs: The Movie'', Alex the ''Alexornis'' looks away when he sees Patchi and Juniper sneaking past the sleeping pack of ''Gorgosaurus''. He says "I can't watch!", but he peeks over his wing after that, saying, "But I will." |
| 102 | * Detective Eddie Valiant from Touchstone Pictures' ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' watches as most of [[BigBad Judge Doom]] succumbs to the driverless steamroller, but averts his gaze as Doom's head meets the roller. It takes Roger Rabbit to point out to Eddie that Judge Doom is not finished yet, despite being rolled flat. |
| 103 | [[/folder]] |
| 104 | |
| 105 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 106 | * In ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain: The High King'', Eilonwy cries out and turns away rather than watch [[spoiler:as the Iron Crown of Annuvin burns through Magg's skull and kills him]]. |
| 107 | * ''Literature/EarthsChildren'': When Broud orders Ayla cursed with death at the end of ''The Clan of the Cave Bear'', Creb finds it so unbearable to watch he turns away and walks into the cave. This ends up [[spoiler:causing his death]], as he's still inside the cave when [[spoiler:it collapses during an earthquake]]. |
| 108 | * ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' has a variant with its "peril sensitive sunglasses" that instantly turn completely opaque if anything dangerous or threatening appears to spare you the sight of it. |
| 109 | * In ''Literature/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe'', Lucy and Susan cannot bear to look when Aslan is killed. |
| 110 | --> The girls did not see the actual moment of the killing. They could not bear to look, and had covered their eyes. |
| 111 | * In ''Literature/{{Matilda}}'': When Miss Trunchbull is holding Rupert by his hair, one of the children illustrated is seen covering his eyes. |
| 112 | * ''Literature/SheilaRaeTheBrave'': Louise covers her eyes when Sheila Rae rides her bicycle with her eyes shut and no-handed. |
| 113 | [[/folder]] |
| 114 | |
| 115 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 116 | * In ''Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperman'' episode "[[Recap/TheAdventuresOfSupermanS1E21TheHumanBomb The Human Bomb]]", Lois covers her face and turns her back when ComicBook/JimmyOlsen falls off the ''Planet'' building's ledge. |
| 117 | * ''Series/AreYouBeingServed'': Mrs Slocombe, upon seeing Captain Peacock crossdressing (for a fancy dress party), covers her eyes, then peeks out between her fingers. |
| 118 | * In ''Series/AtMidnight'', Creator/GregProops covers his face in fright when the subject of a weird Deviantart account dedicated to the Scooby Doo gang comes up. |
| 119 | ** The SequelSeries, ''Series/AfterMidnight,'' has an epic one where Taylor Tomlinson asks the panelists to do a household chore in the least effective way possible, and Rob Huebel is tasked to clean spilled ketchup off a table. Rob unrolls paper towel right off the stage, and proceeds to dab the ketchup on his fingers and ''lick them off.'' Taylor recoils away from him in utter horror, because... |
| 120 | --->'''Taylor:''' ''[looking ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED]'' Oh, Rob, that ketchup's been there all day! \ |
| 121 | '''Rob:''' ''[[BigWhat What?]]'' \ |
| 122 | '''Taylor:''' We ''rehearsed'' with that ketchup! Oh my god! |
| 123 | * ''Series/AverageJoe'': In "Looks vs. Charm", the Joes face off against the Hunks in a 3 on 3 pick-up basketball game with [[ChickMagnet Melana Scantlin]] as the referee, who announces that the game would be [[ShirtlessScene shirts vs. skins]]. Melana assigned the Hunks as the skins team because she already saw the Joes shirtless and indicates that [[BrainBleach she didn't like what she saw by closing her eyes]] before [[EatingTheEyeCandy asking the Hunks to disrobe]]: |
| 124 | -->'''Melana:''' All right, guys, you got 20 minutes on the clock. We're gonna play shirts and skins. [[GeekPhysique I've seen you guys in your skins.]] It's your turn. |
| 125 | * ''Series/BabylonFive'': When Emperor Cartagia brings Londo and Vir to see G'Kar be tortured by an electro-whip, Vir hides behind Londo, looking at the floor or to the side, seeming about to throw up. |
| 126 | * ''Series/{{Chernobyl}}'': When Ulana Khomyuk is interviewing Aleksandr Akimov about his involvement in the disaster, she does so while heavily fixated on her notepad, only occasionally peeking at him through the corner of her eyes (the whole time, only his legs are visible to the camera). We soon learn why, as she reveals that his radiation poisoning has gotten so bad that his face has rotted off. |
| 127 | * ''Series/{{Community}}'': Abed looks away in shame when he and Troy sell their best friend handshake to Pierce in "Applied Anthropology and Culinary Arts". |
| 128 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E7AmysChoice "Amy's Choice"]], the Dream Lord does one mockingly as the Doctor is nearly cornered by EvilOldFolks in the butcher's shop. |
| 129 | * In the ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' episode "[[Recap/FireflyE08OutOfGas Out of Gas]]" the injured Zoe goes into cardiac arrest and Simon has to deliver a ShotToTheHeart. Inara flinches away as he slams the needle into Zoe's chest. |
| 130 | * In the first episode of ''Series/GameOfThrones'', Bran tags along with his father and brothers to witness his father execute the Night's Watch deserter. Bran makes a slight movement to turn his head and Jon Snow tells him not to look away because his father would know. |
| 131 | * ''Series/LawAndOrderUK''. When reviewing the tape of CP Alesha Philips rape, DS Matt Devlin stands as far away from the TV as possible and turns his back. Her colleague CP James Steel watches it, but repeatedly averts his eyes. Later, when the tape is played at her rapist's trial, ''both'' men turn their faces away. Overall, it becomes painfully obvious to the audience that they're both in love with her. |
| 132 | * ''Series/TheMandalorian'': In "Redemption", Din Djarin's flashback of nearly getting killed by a Separatist droid shows young Din shutting his eyes in fear, only opening them when a Death Watch Mandalorian shoots the droid and rescues him. In Season 2, Din repeats this [[spoiler:as an adult, when someone else catches him not wearing his helmet; this demonstrates that when his armor doesn't cover him from head to toe, he feels as nervous and vulnerable in public as a frightened child would]]. |
| 133 | * In the ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' episode "The Egg and I", Al yells "I'm blind! My eyes, my eyes!" when Marcie takes off her nightie and reveals her [[LingerieScene negligee]]. Then Steve [[IntimateOpenShirt rips open his shirt]] ans shows his [[GeekPhysique scrawny chest]], Peg screams "WAAAAHH! Now I'm blind too!" |
| 134 | * In the ''Series/MurderSheWrote'' episode "[[Recap/MurderSheWroteS3E17NoLaughingMurder No Laughing Murder]]", Norma turns her face away when she comes down after Jessica and sees Phil's body. |
| 135 | * In the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "Space Seed", Uhura turns off the viewing screen [[ForcedToWatch on which Khan is showing them Kirk suffocating.]] |
| 136 | * In the ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt'' episode "Yellow", General Calthrop has promised his son Martin, who has been sentenced to death by firing squad for cowardice, that the squad's rifles will be loaded with blanks and that a pack will be placed in the trench behind his execution site so that he can leave the Army, which he only joined to please the general. However, when firing squad leader Captain Milligan gives the order "Aim!", the general closes his eyes and looks away, as he knows [[spoiler:the rifles are loaded with live ammunition, and even though the whole scheme was his idea, he still can't bring himself to ''watch'' his son's execution]]. |
| 137 | * The ''Franchise/UltraSeries'' ClipShow, ''Ultraman Retsuden'' have it's episodes hosted by various alien guests reviewing older shows in the franchise. One notable episode has an Alien Valky showcasing ''Series/UltramanAce''; when reaching the infamous FamilyUnfriendlyDeath moment where Doragoris graphically [[JawBreaker ripped off Muruchi's lower jaw]], said alien covers his own eyes in panic (and ScreamsLikeALittleGirl for good measure!). |
| 138 | * Many of the clips on ''Series/WorldsDumbest'' are so disturbing (such as particularly gory and bloody injuries) that the commentators admit that they can't watch the videos. |
| 139 | * ''Series/{{Yellowjackets}}'': In "[[Recap/YellowjacketsS2E9Storytelling Storytelling]], before [[spoiler:Shauna]] can bring herself to butcher [[spoiler:young Javi]]’s body, she has to lower her headband so that it covers her eyes. As a result, she has to rely on touch to find where to cut. |
| 140 | [[/folder]] |
| 141 | |
| 142 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 143 | * The singer 2-D of the band Music/{{Gorillaz}} is seen doing this via his clown mask (and occasionally his hands) throughout the majority of the music video for [[SanitySlippageSong "Stylo."]] Considering that he's just been kidnapped by the band's bassist [[TokenEvilTeammate Murdoc,]] been forced to spend time around both him and [[spoiler:the robot replica of his seemingly-dead friend,]] and forced to undergo a car chase that's included both the police and [[spoiler:Creator/BruceWillis]], ''all while being in the midst of a breakdown,'' [[TraumaCongaLine this reaction is rather understandable.]] |
| 144 | [[/folder]] |
| 145 | |
| 146 | [[folder:Mythology & Religion]] |
| 147 | * In ''Literature/TheBible'' when Jesus is being crucified, God the Father is so forlorn at seeing His son be put through so much suffering that He turns away until after Jesus has died. As God doesn't have a corporeal form, this is symbolized by the [[TotalEclipseOfThePlot sun being eclipsed]]. |
| 148 | [[/folder]] |
| 149 | |
| 150 | [[folder:Professional Wrestling]] |
| 151 | * On the November 3rd, 2007 edition of ''Raw'', Wrestling/{{Edge}} covers his eyes and turns away right before Wrestling/TheUndertaker gives a tombstone pile driver to Wrestling/VickieGuerrero. |
| 152 | [[/folder]] |
| 153 | |
| 154 | [[folder:Radio]] |
| 155 | * ''Radio/TheHowardSternShow'': While playing [[StripPoker the Strip Homeless Game]], Cindy Margolis [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJNKMPIx8rg#t=11m19s cringes and screws her up her face]] when she watches Ba Ba Booey [[ShirtlessScene take his shirt off]] and later, she [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJNKMPIx8rg#t=32m36 looks away in disgust]] when he takes his pants off. |
| 156 | [[/folder]] |
| 157 | |
| 158 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 159 | * ''Theatre/BloodyBloodyAndrewJackson'' decides the best thing for the American settlers is to betray Black Fox and order troops to destroy the Native American tribes, but is too overcome with guilt to watch as his friend is dragged away. |
| 160 | * In ''Theatre/JasperInDeadland'', Gretchen turns away in shock when Jasper jumps into the Great Gulf [[spoiler:and onto the glass bridge in between the two cliffs]]. |
| 161 | [[/folder]] |
| 162 | |
| 163 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 164 | * While riding some vehicles in ''VideoGame/LegoDimensions'', Scooby-Doo may lie down and cover his eyes with his paws. |
| 165 | * At the beginning of ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', when Shepard is escaping from Vancouver during the beginning of the Reapers' invasion of Earth, they watch as a young child climbs aboard an evacuation shuttle, only to have to avert their gaze when a Reaper shoots it down. |
| 166 | * In one particular cutscene of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'', [[spoiler:when Sonic is found out to be dead, ''Shadow'' of all characters closes his eyes and refuses to look at Sonic's body. He even slowly unfolds his arms when no one is looking as if to say... "we may not have been friends, but you were a [[WorthyOpponent worthy opponent]], Sonic."]] |
| 167 | * In ''VideoGame/TriangleStrategy'', Cordelia covers her face when Gustadolph has her father, King Regna, beheaded on [[PretextForWar false charges]]. |
| 168 | [[/folder]] |
| 169 | |
| 170 | [[folder:Visual Novels]] |
| 171 | * In ''VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward'', one group inside the GAULEM Bay notices a deactivated (and skeletal) [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots GAULEM]] wearing boxer shorts for whatever reason. Thinking this hints to something much racier, the group wonders over whether taking them off to help solve the puzzle is a good idea. When Sigma was about to take on the task (ForScience, as he says), he notices Luna was covering her eyes just in case, and he pointed out that she was clearly peering through her fingers anyway. |
| 172 | [[/folder]] |
| 173 | |
| 174 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 175 | * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzVz68XZt3o This]] fan animation for ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' shows France unable to watch the beheading of Marie Antoinette. |
| 176 | [[/folder]] |
| 177 | |
| 178 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 179 | * ''Webcomic/{{Digger}}'': Played for laughs. Digger turns away as [[spoiler:the Cold Ones are being pummeled by the vampire squash.]] |
| 180 | -->'''Digger:''' I can't look.\ |
| 181 | '''Surka:''' ''[watching eagerly]'' I can! |
| 182 | * ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'': One of Ricker's squad turns away when his squadmates grab an already dying [[spoiler:Masek]] and yank him around trying to demand answers out of him after they cut him open when he'd offered them aid. As he didn't attack any children, and seemed not to be one of those responsible for attacking the inak on the other side of the door this made him the least morally reprehensible member of the squad. |
| 183 | [[/folder]] |
| 184 | |
| 185 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 186 | * ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresFromTheBookOfVirtues'': In "Wisdom", Aristotle does this near the end just as Socrates was about to take the honey from the beehive. |
| 187 | * ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'': When a series of booby traps in the Sultan's treasury, Iago gets caught in one intended to behead its victim, and Jasmine covers her eyes moments before the blade strikes. Fortunately, [[PlotArmor in addition to being one of the main characters]], Iago's much smaller than a human and the blade only removes the feathers on the top of his head. |
| 188 | * ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': |
| 189 | ** Iroh turns away as Zuko is burned, and scarred, across his eye [[AbusiveParents by his own father]]. Notably, Zuko's sister Azula does ''not'' look away; instead she [[EstablishingCharacterMoment beams in delight.]] |
| 190 | ** Used again in the final episode where after being defeated and detained by Zuko and Katara, Azula suffers a complete [[VillainousBreakdown mental and emotional breakdown]] and can only sob uncontrollably. Even if she was one of their most dangerous enemies, neither Zuko or Katara could stand to see her like that. |
| 191 | * ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead'' have been known to cover their eyes at the sight of a particularly disliked music video. |
| 192 | * Parodied in ''{{WesternAnimation/Breadwinners}}'' when Sway Sway and Buhduce are stuck in space, while Ketta watches, via satellite. |
| 193 | -->'''Ketta:''' Oh I can't watch... [[PassThePopcorn without popcorn]]. |
| 194 | * ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'': In "[[Recap/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteersS2E5ThePredator The Predator]]", when Gaia shows three of the team members a scene of Bleak cutting off a still-living shark's fins, Linka shuts her eyes and turns her head so she won't have to see it. |
| 195 | * In the FiveEpisodePilot of ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'', Scrooge and Donald say that they can't look and cover their eyes during one of [[CaptainCrash Launchpad's]] landings. Launchpad says ''he'' can't look either and covers ''his'' eyes. |
| 196 | * Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' in "The Problem with Popplers." When Bender realizes that [[spoiler:Leela is about to be eaten,]] he says "I can't look!" He then unscrews his eye bulbs, puts them in his chest compartment, then turns to face her anyway. |
| 197 | ** In another episode as a man who was trying to hunt Bender is about to be killed, Bender covers his eyes and comments, "I can't watch...enough!" and enhances his eyes. |
| 198 | * In the WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}} cartoon, "Goonland", a tied to the ground Popeye about to be crushed by a boulder, digs a hole with the pipe in his mouth and [[OstrichHeadHiding hides his head in it]] while saying, "I can't look!" |
| 199 | * In ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2021'', InnocentBystander Justine is so nauseated by the sight of [[spoiler:undead snake men being melted down into pure [[TheDarkSide Havoc energy]]]] that she grabs the flying MindControlDevice Tri-Klops and forces it on her head so the robot can control her and she won't be conscious to watch the horror. |
| 200 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': |
| 201 | ** Invoked and subverted. In "Let's Play Simon Says", [[CatsAreMean Mr. Cat]] puts Quack Quack in a very humiliating situation and covers his eyes, saying "I can't look..." but then uncovers them and says "Or maybe I can." |
| 202 | ** Played straight in "Let's Play Treasure Hunt", when [[NiceGirl Kaeloo]] covers her eyes and says "I can't watch this!" when [[EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor Mr. Cat]] pranks [[TheDitz Stumpy]] and [[DitzyGenius Quack Quack]] into jumping off a cliff. |
| 203 | * ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': |
| 204 | ** Bugs Bunny does this in "WesternAnimation/TheUnrulyHare" in jest when Elmer tells him that "he just put a cwazy wabbit out of his misewy!" |
| 205 | --->'''Bugs:''' ''[looking in the tree stump Elmer shot in, then whispering to Elmer]'' Don't look now, Doc, but you missed me! |
| 206 | ** Daffy Duck does this in "WesternAnimation/TheGreatPiggyBankRobbery" reading a ''Dick Tracy'' comic book, unable to stand the suspense over whether or not Tracy survived an attempt on his life. |
| 207 | ** In "A Star is Bored," Daffy is Bugs' stunt double and takes the brunt of punishment meant for Bugs. In the finale sequence, Bugs is directed to put the jet he's flying into a power dive. Daffy gleefully covers his eyes...until he's called upon to replace Bugs just before impact. |
| 208 | * ''WesternAnimation/OscarsOrchestra'': Oscar and his orchestra do one in the season 3 premier “Lost Chords”. |
| 209 | * ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': Near the end of "Greece Lightning", Ferb covers his eyes in fear of being turned to stone by Candace, after Norm deactivates before her moments earlier. [[NotSoStoic He was so frightened]] that he doesn't bother to look even after Candace leaves. |
| 210 | * The ''WesternAnimation/RoadRovers'' episode "Storm Over the Pacific" combines this with GoryDiscretionShot after Hunter siccs AxeCrazy Muzzle on the VillainOfTheWeek and his cronies. Blitz lasts the longest in terms of watching the mayhem, initially cheering Muzzle on and telling him to "make sauerbraten out of them!" Shortly afterwards, he makes a face, covers it with one hand, and turns away while pointing with the other hand, remarking, "Ach... Now THAT is sick..." |
| 211 | * Invoked then subverted in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}''. Angelica tricks Tommy and Chuckie into going and getting a cake from the kitchen right under the adults' noses using "invisibility creme". As she watches them, certain they're about to be caught, she chuckles then turns away, saying, "I can't watch...yes I can." |
| 212 | * ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' |
| 213 | ** In the episode "Go Away Ghost Ship", Velma and Daphne shut their eyes (Fred covers his) to avoid seeing Shaggy and Scooby [[ItMakesSenseInContext crashing into a pile of tires.]] |
| 214 | ** In "Mystery Mask Mix-Up", Fred drives the Mystery Machine off a high-rise during a chase scene with the ghouls of the week. The camera pans across the van to show everyone covering their eyes, including Fred. |
| 215 | * ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': |
| 216 | ** In "Demolition Doofus", Mrs. Puffs is among the audience during demolition derby while Spongebob participates in it. When the derby is about to start, she covers her eyes and says "I can't look". However, since she talked [=SpongeBob=] into it with the intention of getting him killed, she quickly changes her mind, uncovers her eyes and says "Wait... yes I can!" That was but mere moments before [=SpongeBob=] ironically defeats the first competitor with his NighInvulnerability. |
| 217 | ** In ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater Sponge Out of Water]]'', Plankton looks away when it looks like [=SpongeBob=] is about to be sacrificed. |
| 218 | * ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': When Master Eeth Koth is captured by General Grievous, he sends a transmission to the Jedi in which he tortures Koth with an electrostaff, causing a pair of younglings to turn away. |
| 219 | * ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': |
| 220 | ** Against all instructions, Leshawna dances during the fundraiser in "[[Recap/TotalDramaAftermathIIRevengeOfTheTelethon Aftermath II: Revenge of the Telethon]]". She's terrible at it and Beth covers her eyes with her hands so as not to see it. |
| 221 | ** Jerd covers his eyes in "[[Recap/TotalDramaNewfKidsOnTheRock Newf Kids on the Rock]]" when Tyler and DJ each kiss a fish for the challenge and get a little too into it. |
| 222 | * ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces'': The announcer exclaims "I can't look!" in "Race Rally to Raleigh." Dick Dastardly has diverted the racers onto a farm; the Compact Pussycat and the Army Surplus Special are headed toward a collision approaching a haystack. Neither vehicle collides, coming out of each side of the haystack but Penelope Pitstop and Sgt. Blast wind up in each other's car. |
| 223 | [[/folder]] |
| 224 | |
| 225 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 226 | * A classic AudienceReaction to ''Series/DoctorWho'' villains, especially Daleks, is to hide behind the duvet. |
| 227 | ** In ''The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot'' Creator/PeterDavison and his young sons are watching the 2012 Christmas episode; one of them is behind the sofa. |
| 228 | ** ''Series/ChildrenInNeed'' presenters often warn people to get behind the duvet just before showing the ''Doctor Who'' specials made for them. |
| 229 | * Any scary film, or even a scary portion of one, may cause eye-covering or hiding behind the couch. |
| 230 | [[/folder]] |
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