Armor-Piercing Question in Animated Films.
- Aladdin has two examples, both involving the main character asking Jasmine the same question. The first is before they leap from the building while Jasmine's "undercover", and the second segues into "A Whole New World":Aladdin: Do you trust me?
- The Bad Guys (2022): Mr. Snake takes some of the wind out of Mr. Wolf's argument about being seen as more than scary villains by asking why everyone threw them into prison for supposedly stealing the Love Crater meteorite. This causes Mr. Wolf to briefly hesitate, and calls back to earlier moment when Mr. Wolf had lamented no one would believe them if they changed for real.
- Big Hero 6:
- After discovering the identity of the villain who indirectly killed his brother, Hiro tries to order Baymax to kill him. After his teammates stop Baymax, allowing the villain to get away, Hiro takes Baymax back to his lab to fix his sensors and track the villain down. Baymax manages to subdue the furious Hiro with a simple question:Baymax: Is this what Tadashi would have wanted?
- Later on, Hiro tries to turn this around on Callaghan, asking him, "Is this what Abigail would have wanted?"
- After discovering the identity of the villain who indirectly killed his brother, Hiro tries to order Baymax to kill him. After his teammates stop Baymax, allowing the villain to get away, Hiro takes Baymax back to his lab to fix his sensors and track the villain down. Baymax manages to subdue the furious Hiro with a simple question:
- Cars does this thrice, all involving Doc.
- Doc lays out one of these to Lightning after laying out his backstory. It's enough to make Lightning go through a Jerkass Realization, but in the process ends up coming up with one himself to throw back at him:Lightning: Look, Doc, I'm not them.
Doc: Oh yeah?
Lightning: No I'm not!
Doc: When's the last time you cared about someone except yourself, hot rod? You name me one time, and I'll take it all back. (Lightning stays silent and slumps) Mmhmm, I didn't think so. These are good folk around here, who care about one another. I don't want 'em depending on someone they can't count on.
Lightning: Oh, like you? You've been here how long and your friends don't even know who you are? (Doc revs backward) Who's caring about only himself?
Doc: Just finish that road and get outta here! - Later on, Doc calls up the news to let them know where Lightning is (after Lightning pushed one too many buttons relating to Doc's past career as a racer), right as he was able to settle in. When Sally realizes this, she confronts him and, like Lightning, Doc can't respond even as everyone goes home.Sally: You called them?
Doc: It's best for everyone, Sally.
Sally: Best for everyone? Or best for you?
- Doc lays out one of these to Lightning after laying out his backstory. It's enough to make Lightning go through a Jerkass Realization, but in the process ends up coming up with one himself to throw back at him:
- In Cats Don't Dance, Danny and Sawyer take their friends backstage right before a big number. As they protest, Danny attempts to explain his motives, telling them that if they're prepared to accept what others think of them, they can leave, admitting that he nearly did. As the animals protest, he asks a question to which they won't admit the answer, which he exposes thereafter. When the animals complain that Hollywood sucks for them, Danny asks "Then why are you still here?" Everyone else lapses into Stunned Silence for a moment, which allows Danny to give them a Dare to Be Badass speech to rouse them into performing.
- Cinderella III: A Twist in Time has Cinderella give one to Anastasia, who is disguised as a fake Cinderella to fool the Prince into marrying her. Cinderella asks if Anastasia will be happy with this, and Anastasia returns that she wants what Cinderella has.Cinderella: Do you even love him?
- In Frozen, Anna asks her older sister Elsa, who has isolated herself for the last 13 years, "What did I ever DO to you?! (...) Why do you shut me out?! Why do you shut the world out?! What are you so afraid of?!" Unfortunately for Anna, she doesn't know that what Elsa's afraid of is harming others with her powers, specifically Anna (like she had 13 years ago), and this question causes Elsa to snap and accidentally reveal her powers to everyone in the ballroom.
- In How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Astrid does this when she asks Hiccup why he spared Toothless the dragon when killing him would have seemed better. When he is forced to finally answer honestly, that creates a personal epiphany that makes him realize his own self-worth as a worthy viking warrior in his own way.
- In The Incredibles, Edna gives one to Helen about Bob, increasing her fear that Bob may be cheating on her, especially after she asks her the second time.Edna: Do you know where he is?
Helen: [uncertainly] Of course-
Edna: [spins to face her] Do you KNOW where he is? - Joseph in Joseph: King of Dreams throws a deliberate one as a Secret Test of Character, after framing Benjamin and threatening to sell him into slavery. It hits hard given that it's exactly what the recipients did to their last younger brother.Joseph: Why should you care if I lock him up, beat him, make him a slave?
- Koati: Amaya insists on going with Nachi and Pako to protect them, but Nachi asks who will take care of the other animals if she leaves. She agrees to let Nachi and Pako go on their own.
- It's the Darkest Hour of Kung Fu Panda: Tai Lung has escaped prison and is on his way to claim the Dragon Scroll, the Furious Five and the entire village is in danger, Oogway has Ascended to a Higher Plane of Existence, Shifu isn't any closer to turning Po into the Dragon Warrior expected to stop their new threat, and Po himself — realizing all of the above — panics and tries to book it. Shifu manages to stop him, but the resulting confrontation only highlights just how badly hurt Po is from enduring Shifu's cynicism, with Po managing to genuinely get to Shifu in making him realize just how badly he's handled the situation.Po: I stayed because I thought if anyone could change me... could make me not me, it was you! The greatest kung-fu teacher in all of China!
Shifu: But I can change you! I can turn you into the Dragon Warrior! And I WILL!
Po: Come on! Tai Lung is on his way here right now! And even if it takes him a hundred years to get here, how are you going to change THIS into the Dragon Warrior?! HUH?!
Shifu: (stunned silence)
Po: How? How?! How?!
Shifu: I DON'T KNOW!!... I don't know... - In Lady and the Tramp, after the titular characters fall in love with each other, and spend the night on a hill, the next morning, Lady wakes up and realizes she should’ve been home hours ago. The Tramp tries to convince her that a life with no humans means freedom.Tramp: There's a great big hunk of world out there with no fence around it. Where two dogs like us can find adventure and excitement. And beyond those distant hills, who knows what wonderful experiences? And it's all ours for the taking, Pidge. It's all ours.
Lady: It sounds wonderful... But who will watch over the baby?
Tramp: (realizes he shouldn't take away from her family, and sighs in resignation) You win. Come on, I'll take you home. - Kovu from The Lion King II: Simba's Pride delivers a pretty good one to Simba when he asks to join the pride, a question that hits close to home.Kovu: I have left the Outsiders. I am a rogue. Judge me now for what I am... or am I to be blamed for a crime I didn't commit?
- In The Little Mermaid, Sebastian tries to stop Ariel from striking a deal with Ursula, knowing she's an evil witch, but Ariel, still pretty sore at him for inadvertently causing King Triton to destroy her collection of human treasures, delivers one to guilt him.Ariel: Why don't you just tell my father?! You're good at that.
- Later when Scuttle discovers that Vanessa, the woman that Eric is about to marry, is actually Ursula in disguise, he rushes back to alert Ariel, Sebastian and Flounder of this. Given his track record of being a rather goofy Know-Nothing Know-It-All, they realize that this time he must be right, when Sebastian questions if he's sure about it, and Scuttle replies "Have I ever been wrong? I mean, when it's important?!"
- In Monsters University, while Oozma Kappa has so far stayed in the school tournament, Dean Hardscrabble still doubts Mike's potential, prompting Sully to try to defend him. Sully attempts to dodge the question until she asks him firmly.Hardscrabble: Do you think he's scary?
Sully: He's the heart and soul of the team!
Hardscrabble: Do you think he's scary?
Sully: [silent] - My Little Pony:
- My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks: Former Alpha Bitch Sunset Shimmer tells current Alpha Bitch Adagio Dazzle that she and the Sirens will never get away with trying to take over the school. Adagio's response is "Why? Because you didn't?" Not only does this throw off Sunset, but Adagio and the Sirens proceed to tear into Sunset about how no one trusts her, even if she's sincere about wanting to be better. That Sunset falls silent long before the conversation's over and can't even look the Sirens in the eye when it's done are clear signs of just how badly the Sirens got to her.
- My Little Pony: A New Generation: Hitch holds onto his old prejudices and suspicions for a while after meeting Izzy, Pipp, and Zipp, even as he grudgingly allows the group to get on with their mission. His turning point is when, as the group is settling in to camp for the night, Sunny asks him whether the other ponies they've been traveling with really seem like enemies, and he's forced to reply that he doesn't know. Shortly after this exchange, he offers to join in the quest.
- Pocahontas: After Pocahontas stops her father from executing John Smith by shielding him with her own body and declaring her love for him, she throws her father one such question to convince him and the English to stand down. It works.Pocahontas: Look around you! This is where the path of hatred has brought us! This is the path I choose, father. What will yours be?
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish: Puss ends up asking himself one during his Jerkass Realization and realizing how much his reckless adventuring has made him waste his nine lives and secretly alone, complete with a shot of him overlooking a church where he and Kitty were supposed to get married. Said lives mocking his self-reflection is what causes him to angrily leave to find Kitty and Perrito (until The Wolf pops up).Puss: Yeah... Puss in Boots works... alone. But was the legend so big... there was no room for anyone else?
- Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs: Upon discovering that Snow White has been using her stepmother's magic shoes to alter her appearance, Merlin suggests that she return them...only to find himself unable to answer when Snow White asks him if he would have agreed to help her find her father if she had given up their magic earlier.Snow White: If I had given up their magic, you wouldn't have helped me find my father, would you?
Merlin: Well...
Snow White: Would you? - The Rugrats Movie: Chuckie, Phil, and Lil become fed up with Tommy favoring his brother Dil over them and abandon him. Chuckie eventually becomes concerned about Tommy not finding his way back home. Phil and Lil brush off his concerns and remind him of the trouble he's caused him when paying more attention to Dil, but Chuckie delivers a comeback that eventually turns their attitudes toward Dil around.Chuckie: I don't know, guys. If we find the lizardnote and Tommy doesn't, how's he ever gonna get home?
Phil: What are you worried about him for? He's the one who almost let you get eaten by a fish!
Lil: All he cares about now is Baby Dil!
Chuckie: Yeah, well somebody has to! Don't they? - In South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Kyle delivers one to his mother in an attempt to stop her plan to destroy Canada with a war. Sadly, it doesn't work.Kyle: What about Ike? Huh, Mom? Did you forget your own adopted son is Canadian!?
[all the soldiers gasp] - Space Jam: After Michael Jordan and the Toon Squad manage to defeat the Monstars in their basketball game, Swackhammer starts berating and abusing them, just as he always does. But this time...Michael Jordan: Why do you take it from this guy?Bumpus: Because he's bigger!Pound: He's... bigger?Bang: Than we... used to be.(Cue the No-Holds-Barred Beatdown and Heel–Face Turn)
- In The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, Spongebob eventually realises that Mr. Krabs was right about his childish nature, and given the current situation, it's enough to send him over the Despair Event Horizon. When Patrick tries to reassure him, Spongebob shoots back thusly:Spongebob: Open your eyes, Patrick! We blow bubbles, we eat ice cream... we worship a dancing peanut, for corn's sake! We don't belong out here!
Patrick: We do not "worship" him!
Spongebob: Patrick... [pulls down Patrick's shorts] You've been wearing the same Goofy Goober "Peanut Party" underpants for three years straight! What do you call that?!
[Patrick wells up]
Patrick: ...Worship? [starts crying] You're right, Spongebob! We are kids! - In Storks, Junior's elated with the prospect of becoming the boss of Cornerstore.com, talking proudly about how "cool" and "awesome" it will be, but when Tulip asks him why he wants to be the boss so badly and what kind of changes he would make to the company with his new power, he can only brush her off with sarcastic remarks since he has never actually thought about it. He later tries to throw the question back in her face, but she calmly replies with the sorts of policies she would institute if she were the boss, leaving him speechless.
- The Suicide Shop has a client asking Lucrèce how would she kill herself, which makes her think about her inability of committing suicide. This just after telling her kids that they have a responsibility, and can't commit suicide.
- Toy Story 2 has Woody end up on the receiving end of two armor-piercing questions, one from the villains and one from the heroes, both of which are framed as what Woody thinks things will be like on his chosen course.
- The first question is from the villains, where Stinky Pete asks Woody how long Woody thinks he'll be Andy's toy as Woody tries to leave. After Jessie just told Woody that her previous owner named Emily dropped Jessie off and left her on the side of the road, Woody attempts to leave for Andy's house anyways. Stinky Pete then asks Woody if he really thinks that his time with Andy will last forever, which convinces Woody to stay and head for the toy museum in Tokyo.Stinky Pete: How long will it last, Woody? Do you really think Andy is going to take you to college? Or on his honeymoon? Andy's growing up, and there's nothing you can do about it.
- The second question comes from the heroes in response to Woody's statement that he's going to the toy museum. The statement prompts Buzz to ask what Woody thinks things will be like once he gets there, which makes Woody realize what he almost did and turn back around to go back to Andy's house.Woody: I don't have a choice, Buzz. This is my only chance.
Buzz: To do what, Woody? Watch kids from behind glass, and never be loved again? Some life.
- The first question is from the villains, where Stinky Pete asks Woody how long Woody thinks he'll be Andy's toy as Woody tries to leave. After Jessie just told Woody that her previous owner named Emily dropped Jessie off and left her on the side of the road, Woody attempts to leave for Andy's house anyways. Stinky Pete then asks Woody if he really thinks that his time with Andy will last forever, which convinces Woody to stay and head for the toy museum in Tokyo.
- Toy Story 3: After hearing about Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear's original owner and how he came to power in Sunnyside Daycare, Woody delivers this armor-piercing question.Woody: Wait! What about Daisy?
Lotso: [beat] I don't know what you're talkin' about. - Trolls World Tour: Riff winds up giving one to Barb in pointing out how her plan may unite all the troll tribes under Rock, but in doing so will rob her own tribe of their individuality and what makes them unique.Riff: If we all look the same, act the same, dress the same, how will anyone know we're cool... or something?
(Barb and the Rock trolls begin to look unsure as the realization sets in) - In Turning Red, Miriam asks Mei what if she didn't do the ritual and kept the panda form. This (along with a talk with her dad) gets Mei to begin to reconsider going through with the ritual.
- In Wreck-It Ralph, after Ralph gets to see the Sugar Rush game cabinet from the outside, he learns something rather important. He then uses what he learned as a question to Sour Bill. When asked said question, Bill's only response is to try and run for it.Ralph: Hey cough drop! Explain something to me. If Vanellope was never meant to exist, then why is her picture on the side of the game console?
- Zootopia:
- After Judy makes her remarks about predators at the press conference, Nick calls her out with a series of these like "Are you afraid of me?", "Do you think I might go savage?", and "Do you think I might try to eat you?!", all of which begin forcing her to confront her unconscious prejudice as she slowly realizes that Nick, as a predator, falls under her statement that predators "seem to be reverting back to their primitive savage ways", leaving her speechless.
- Later when Judy and Nick are cutting through the Natural History Museum to deliver the suitcase with the night howler gun to the ZPD, Bellwether appears to commend Judy on a job well done. Judy is about to give her the suitcase as asked, but then she stops and asks, "How did you know where to find us?", realizing Bellwether is the true culprit behind the savage animal cases.
