There was a neat stack of paper on the table frame, which proved to be the history essay that the Earl of Demise had been assigned to write for him. Even a cursory skim was enough to confirm that it wasn't going to go over any better than the literature essay had. Apparently the most important lesson from the French Revolution was that the guillotine took all the artistry out of decapitation.
Characters Comically Missing the Point in Fan Works.
Crossovers
- Fate/Stay Night: Ultimate Master has a quite good one when Avenger decides that, seeing how Ben got injured last time she left him alone, it's better if she sleeps in the same bed with him. Ben, already shocked and embarrassed by the sight of her getting out of her bath, understandably tries to express his disagreement. Avenger's answer?Avenger: It is no difficulty. The beds are quite large so they can comfortably hold us both.
- Fates Collide: Astolfo steps out of the shower and happily greets Ruby Rose, oblivious to her getting embarrassed. He walks over to his clothes and drops his towel to put them on, and Ruby faints. He assumes she was just tired from her trip and carries her to bed.
- Infinity Crisis: In Powers and Marvels, Rito apparently assumes that the Mandarin talking about 'breaking the seal' refers to the animal, as he comments that he "[loves] those guys".
- J-WITCH Series: When Cornelia tries to tell the Dark Hand that the priceless artifact they're trying to steal might be booby-trapped, she asks if they haven't watched Raiders of the Lost Ark. MC Cobra replies that he has and goes on to praise Harrison Ford along with Hay Lin.
- In Kyon: Big Damn Hero, after Kyon is greeted by a pillow in his face, thrown by Haruhi:Kyon: Haruhi? Was that you?
Haruhi: Wah! Seriously? You can tell it's me because of how the pillow hit you?
Kyon: I can tell it's you because you hit me with a pillow at all. - In Mixed Spirits
, the Doctor is trying to convince some shinigami that he and Gin had body swapped, but they're understandably wary of this explanation. Matsumoto decides the best way to test it is to tackle him to the ground and start making out with him.Hitsugaya: I don't believe it.
Renji: Nor do I. Holy shit. He's still able to talk and his eyes aren't crossing. - Not the intended use (Zantetsuken Reverse): In Chapter 22, teleporters and studies are mixed up:"I stopped going into the Study because it didn't have a teleporter, and Celia's castle didn't have anything like it."
"Teleporters?"
"No, a big room full of books. But that's not important right now." - At one point in Only a Boy, Merlin is having a dour conversation with Draco and tells him about a huge fight he and Ron had when he was studying in the library. Then Draco blurts out, "Wait, you were studying?"Merlin: Out of everything I just said, that's what caught your attention, seriously?
- Paper Mario: The Land of Harmony: The group had just been informed that Mario and Spike had survived the Colts of Nocturne's attack on them before. However, the first thing on Sirius's mind was that a Goomba could cosplay as Daring Do.
- Beat has his moments in Playing for Keeps:Sora: There's only one thing left for me to do now," he said. "Do any of you know where the keyhole is?
Beat: It's on the door.
(Points to door with his thumb)
Neku: Not that keyhole, the keyhole to Shibuya itself.
(Beat's eyes widen)
Beat: You mean Shibuya's in some giant room? - In Polygraph Calibration for Beginners, a crossover fic between Once Upon a Time and Warehouse 13, Emma reacts this way when she learns Helena's full name. The others are quick to call her on it.Helena: Well, my name is Helena George Wells. H. G. Wells for short.
Emma: Your parents called you George?
(beat)
Regina: Really, Ms. Swan? - In Ponyfall: Leather and Lace, Will shows Rarity the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode "Suited For Success". Her first response is to start angsting about how an entire planet saw the horrible outfits she was asked to make, and that her reputation is now tarnished on two worlds.
- A Possible Encounter for a Phantom: Even when Monique and Rufus figure it out quickly, Ron can't piece together the obvious that Danny Fenton is Danny Phantom, even when Kim and Danny's friends drop clear hints. This is the same person who thought Josh Mankey was a monkey in canon because his last name sounded too similar.
- In the Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Black Lagoon crossover Road Trip Gone... Huh, when Xander's friends learn he spent his summer in Roanapur "taking out the garbage", they're relieved he didn't do anything worse. Except Buffy who honestly thinks Xander was a garbageman.
- Shadows over Meridian: When some of Phobos' loyalists loot a noble's tent in the abandoned camp of the rebels' northern army, Tyrian tries to make them hand over the valuables as tribute to Jade despite not being ordered to do so. When Captain Ymir, aware Jade doesn't want to be worshipped as a goddess by Tyrian, tells the crazy fanatic that Jade is not the type to covet after jewels, Tyrian facepalms, says it was stupid of him to think that material riches would interest a goddess and decides he must show his devotion through other means like a Human Sacrifice.
- Spiders and Magic: Rise of Spider-Mane has Tony Stark doing this when Peter passes out, after Tony laundered Peter's stipend as a Knight of Equestria into American currency, and ends up with up with over three hundred million dollars.Tony: What, three hundred not enough for you? Fine, I'll give you five hundred million if it'll keep you from dying on Stephen's table.
- In one of the follow up stories to Super RWBY Sisters Summer begins to explain that since Ruby briefly took Dark Ruby's scythe from her, she could use this tactic on anyone with a weapon to use against them. What is Ruby's response?Ruby: I can slay monsters with Link's Master Sword and go on a master quest to defeat the darkness in Hyrule and-
Summer: Whoa! Slow down now! That's not what I meant at all! - In Walking in the Shadows, Xander mentions all of Clark's superpowers and that in the future he'd be known as "The Man of Steel", Lex thinks Clark becomes a porn star.
- During the college part of Through the Years, Phoenix freaks out before an important exam, leading to this exchange:Iris: Phoenix Wright! Stop thinking poorly about yourself! (...) You're the best in your class, you know this stuff like the back of your hand!
Phoenix: That's the problem! Last night I found a vein on the back of my hand that I never knew was there!
Iris: (facepalm)
- The Plantar Family Pet: When Sprig suggests finding a partner for Anne, she manages to shout "No!" Rather than realizing she's actually a person rather than some kind of rare animal, Sprig thinks this means she can mimic words like a parrot.
- In The Stalking Zuko Series, during the first installment, Katara stalks Zuko because she doesn't fully trust him (and also because she has a crush on him that she doesn't realize yet). When Katara finds The Duke stalking Zuko, out of a desire to get Zuko to train him, Katara warns The Duke that it's not safe to hide near where others practice firebending, or for him to train with bladed weapons. The Duke then points out that he knows Katara's stalking Zuko, and believing she's doing it for the same reason that he is, says she should ask Zuko for training.
- In Bleach: Fan Works, the authors of Bleach fanfiction typically don't take criticism well... when, that is, they actually understand the point the reviewers are trying to make. See this exchange between Dark Kuroda and Animus Rover, regarding how Animus's Original Character Culth killed over four million Hollows with a single sword attack.Dark Kuroda: You do realize you wrote a Gary Stu, right? [Culth] is overly powerful.
Animus Rover: Could you explain what a Gary Stu is?
Dark Kuroda: A Gary Stu is an unbelievable male character. Culth's power is not believable.
Animus Rover: Then what you said is a compliment. Ichigo is uber powerful too. I made a character that is just like him.
Dark Kuroda: No... you made a character that is ten times more unbelievable then him.
Animus Rover: (does not respond) - Ichigo, Meet Ichigo has a Story Within A Story that has this exchange.Shiro: Renji and Rukia are hiding something from us. I heard 'em talking about it on the way back, when you were busy sulking.
Ichigo: I don't sulk.
Shiro: That's what you focus on, King? Really?
- Calvin & Hobbes: The Series:
- After Calvin spends all episode pining for a VideoNow, Hobbes tells him that there's more to life than handheld TVs. Calvin realizes that he's right - there are bathtubTVs now!
- When told to put some words in order by the school psychologist, Calvin puts them in the shape of a velociraptor.
- Later on, when Calvin sees a horribly-painted house:Hobbes: Oh my gosh, that's horrible!
Calvin: I'll say! What kind of sicko paints their house pink?
- In Joys of the Parenthood - The Țepeș Edition, when Lisa explains how a human pregnancy works to Liliana, Liliana compares it to a parasite.
- A Certain Droll Hivemind:
- Misaka-11111 meets a girl wearing black and white makeup, and assumes she is trying to look like a panda. Throughout the fight, she looks less and less like a panda, so 11111 continuously refers to her as "the girl who is not good at looking like a panda."
- Mikoto explains away Misaka-11111, a girl who looks exactly like her and has an identical power, by claiming that she can make duplicates out of electricity. 11111 did not know she had that power, and is very impressed.
- In Adoption Nightmare, Brina's responses are made up of these half the time. She does not understand things like keeping Secret Identity and prefers being more honest, not realizing just how much danger she would be putting herself in by casually dropping the fact she half-ghost in conversations or transforming where people can see her.Brina: What does an operating table have to do with anything? I don't have appendicitis, a deadly tumor, or any other nasty stuff like that!
- The rewrite changes "deadly tumor" to "cancer"...
- In Good Company, the Digidestineds are wondering what would it be like if Jun Motomiya went after the other guys instead of Yamato, and at one point reimagined her as a girl around Iori's age. Daisuke then protests that Iori can't date his little sister, forgetting that he doesn't have a little sister in the first place.
- Clowning is a Serious Business has this dialogue between Assassins Joan Sanderson-Reeves and Miss Alice Band. Joan has just finished demonstrating a fire-breathing act.Joan stroked Brandi behind the ear, and asked if there was any water available.
"The inside of my mouth tastes like a wretched gnoll's loincloth." she explained, taking a deep appreciative swig.
"I didn't realise you'd ever eaten one." Alice said, thoughtfully.- Later, there is a dialogue which depends on the idiosyncracies of a Rimwards Howondalandian ("South African") accent:-"If they ever were." said Joan. "What was that bloody heckling about, anyway?"
"Oh, it sorted itself out" Johanna said, dismissively. "This bleddy jester got dregged out by the bells."
"Ouch." said Joan, after making the necessary adjustments for a Howondalandian accent. "The Jolly Good Pals don't mess about, do they?"
Johanna giggled.
"No, Joan. He was dregged out by the bells. You know, the metel things a jester hes on his het thet jingle".
- Later, there is a dialogue which depends on the idiosyncracies of a Rimwards Howondalandian ("South African") accent:-
- The Bolt Chronicles: Frequently happens with Bolt, but occasionally occurs with other characters.
- In "The Makeover," Bolt misunderstands what Mittens means when she refers to "doggy lipstick," resulting in the dog giving himself a hideously garish makeover. His thinking is that if Mittens enjoys doggy lipstick, she’ll like him even better if he's wearing several other kinds of makeup as well.
- In "The Wedding Reception," Bolt misconstrues a joke by Mittens regarding "Pachelbel's Canon" and steps all over the punch line. He thinks Mittens's parodied title, "Taco Bell Canon," was the work's title all along after her quip.
- In "The Cameo," Bolt misunderstands Blaze's The Empire Strikes Back I-am-your-father quote (wondering instead why he just called him Luke), as well as misconstruing his father's description of his girlfriend as a "two-bagger" by thinking this means she plays baseball. Earlier, Bolt is thoroughly confused by the suggestive teasing from Penny and her friend in connection with a smut fic featuring him and his master.
- In "The Coffee Shop," Bolt expresses concern that the still-single Penny is never going to get married and that he won't have grandchildren, as well as thinking the word "kvetch" is "kwetch." Mittens goes to a lot of trouble to correct him.
- In "The Gift," Bolt misconstrues Mittens's question “How about sex?” as a come-on rather than an inquiry about whether beings in Nirvana have sex or not.
- In "The Seven," young Bolt misunderstands when one of his friends says that "even 'Citizen Kane' is no 'Citizen Kane'." His reaction is to ask "How can 'Citizen Kane' not be 'Citizen Kane' if that's what it is?"
- In "The Cakes," Bolt misconstrues Mittens's evasiveness regarding her having gone to use the litter box, taking her "making a cake" euphemism literally.
- In "The Spaceship," Bolt misunderstands the meaning of the word "innuendo" when Mittens uses it, thinking it refers to a particular sex act.
- In "The Service Dog," Bolt misunderstands Ulgine Barrows (who runs a charity program named "Little Cherry Blossoms") when she asks him if he wants to be a "little cherry blossom" today. He thinks she literally wants him to transform from a dog into the flower and doesn't think he can do so, though he's willing to try if it helps. Later in the story, Bolt misunderstands Mittens and Rhino's teasing references to Alvin and the Chipmunks when the dog misremembers the name of the private detective Penny consulted as "Adrian Chipmunk."
- In "The Protection Payment," Bobby the pigeon misunderstands his friend Vinny when the latter refers to the Italian painter Caravaggio, thinking he's referring to a character from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.Bobby: Caravaggio? What's the Mutant Ninja Teenage Turtles got to do with anything?
- Frozen Hearts (Sakume):
- After Hans gets home from Arendelle, his brother Heins asks "Is it true? It is true!" He's not asking about the much more pressing matter that's under discussion, but the fact that the suit that he designed for Hans is in tatters. Interestingly enough, Heins, in spite of his ignorance-induced Skewed Priorities here, cares much more for Hans than any of their other brothers do.
- A darker than usual example happens when they're discussing what to do with Hans, after finding out what he's done.Harken: I could whip him. I've only just procured the most marvelous cat of nine tails. Glass shards imbedded in the leather, guaranteed to cleave flesh with each stroke. (gets a Slasher Smile)
Helm: That is not an option.
Harken: Why not? Would you rather perform the honor?
Horatio: The last man father placed you in charge of whipping died the next day.
Harken: Exactly. That should tell you how much I need the practice.
- Return to Krocodile Isle: When asked about a big green scaly villain (obviously meant to be K. Rool), Donkey Kong mistakenly thinks that the interviewer is asking about Bowser or Kraid.
- Dragon Ball Z Elsewhere: On the planet where deceased female warriors train, without seeing a male for century, and therefore horny as hell, Gorga, their leader, declares that Goku and Yamcha might stay only if they beat the ladies in a fight. Apparently the ladies were only trying to find an excuse to wrestle with a hot male, but they fight Goku and Goku, being Goku, remains completely oblivious and instead points out that if "they all aim for the groin", they become too predictable and easy to defeat.
- In the Alternate Tail Series, Wally claimed that Lily was a cat because he can talk, so Lily argues that one, he is an Exceed, and two, that logic would mean that Wally and Millianna are cats as well. Millianna, still referring to Lily as a cat, is ecstatic that he thinks she's a cat.
- In this Fate/Grand Order fan comic, Ritsuka laments to Moriarty about wanting to marry Mash but not knowing how to get her father Lancelot's approval. Moriarty tells him that Lancelot is a Knight of Honor, and will respect Ritsuka's deedsnote and that it only takes one simple stepnote . Ritsuka happily agrees, and goes out to kill a dragonnote since he thinks it would be a deed Lancelot would approve off.
- In Foxy and Fritz, after several attempts by the animatronics to prove to BB that the titular characters are NOT one and the same are all thwarted through incredible luck on the part of the security guards, BB suggests that that Foxy (As Fritz) is pulling the strings to help the guards.Chica: Don't even suggest it.
BB: Well, who else could feed them information?
Chica: BB. No.
Freddy: BB, Fritz is not psychic! - Springaling: Springtrap's attempt to let the Puppet figure out on his own that the Funtime animatronics were designed to kill kids backfires because the Puppet keeps drawing unexpected conclusions from the blueprints. When asked if he notices anything unusual about Freddy, the Puppet comments on the Bonnie hand puppet. Springtrap then specifically points out the kid inside of Freddy in the fetal position, which the Puppet interprets as Freddy being pregnant. Springtrap's response is to facepalm, then spell out directly what's going on.
- Son of the Desert:
- Hohenheim tries to explain to Trisha that he's immortal.Hohenheim: I am not a man.
Trisha: (grabs his crotch to disprove his claim) - Then he tries to explain it a different way:Hohenheim: My darling, my love, have I aged, since you've known me, all ten of those years have I changed at all?
Trisha: Yes. When you first came to our village you did not love me. Now you do.
- Hohenheim tries to explain to Trisha that he's immortal.
- In Echoes of Green, right after Harry's heart-rending confession that he remembered his past life as a German Resistance activist who died gassed in Auschwitz, Fred focuses more on the fact his past lover was a dude.Ginny: Of all things - he just admitted to being a reincarnated Resistance fighter from World War Two and you focus on the fact he might have been gay?!
- Harry Potter and the Copyright Fiasco was a parody skit performed at a charity fund raiser for Free the Children at Zionsville High School in April 2011. Cho, trying to get Harry to take her back:Cho: I know you're more famous and admired now than ever before... but that's not why I'm here. I just like you for you! You know what, I don't even remember why we broke up.
Harry: Um, we didn't break up. I broke up with you because you kept crying over your last boyfriend, because you kept accusing me of cheating on you with Hermione... and because you stood by your friend when she betrayed every single person in Dumbledore's Army.
Cho: No no no, it's all right dear, you've forgotten. I forgave you for breaking up with me a long time ago.
Harry: Uh, you're kind of missing the point Cho. - In Seventh Horcrux, Hermione is repeatedly called out on taking unnecessarily vicious or amoral actions, which eventually culminates in a Heel Realization on her part. Harry attempts to resolve her worries about being evil so that they can get back to the task of killing Voldemort. Which leads to this exchange:Harry: Hermione, much like you, my nature is also somewhat evil. But I channel that evil into constructive aims, like murdering the Dark Lord. We should probably get back to that, by the way. It’s been a few weeks.
Hermione: But what if I’m the next Dark Lord?
Harry: I don’t think You-Know-Who will like that very much. You’ll have to kill him anyway. - Sham:Ernie: According to Ragnok, Lord Potter will be making a statement which...
Ron: You mean he's coming back to England?
Ernie: I don't know Ron as Ragnok only mentioned the statement. You can make a "statement" sitting in your home in Timbuktu and send it to Britain for a press release and...
Ron: Why would Potter want to live in Timbuktu – isn't that in China or Alaska?
Ernie: No it is in Africa somewhere and I didn't say he lived there just that he could be living there and...
Ron: Then why did you say it?
(Percy whacks Ron on the side of his head.)
- Here and Now: Russia is having horrible nightmares and America asks England to help him get into his dreams to stop them. He gets attacked while in the 'corridor' where the nightmares shouldn't get to him."I was in the corridor damn it! I thought you said the dreams were supposed to be sequestered behind those doors? They’re not!"
America looked up from his hands that he had laced together in his lap and tilted his head at England's odd look. The suit he was wearing felt tight and he shrugged his shoulders in an attempt to get more comfortable. "What?" he finally asked.
"You used sequestered correctly."
- Hivefled; Lieutenant Gritch is under the impression that the round-robin fanfic his students are writing that involves him dying in various painful ways is a sign they like him, and added some to it himself. The students aren't sure if he's trying to be funny or if he really is that oblivious.
- Meanwhile, on Earth, Karkat is shocked by the idea of a species who spend so much time on their "concupiscent couches" (a.k.a. beds) that they often fall asleep on them.
- I Ain't a Doll, This Ain't a Dollhouse: When Polnareff finds out that Josuke Higashikata, from 1999, is Joseph Joestar's illegitimate son, he's initially more shocked that Joseph got more action in his 60s while Polnareff hasn't managed to get a date.
- Passione speedrun any percent (world record): The only thing that Giorno found most memorable from his conversation with Polnareff is that the latter had sex with his father DIO.
- No Living in the Past has Kim's dad respond thusly when she comes out to her parents:"Well," Dr. Possible finally said as his eyes settled once again on Kim. Her eyes didn't even blink in response. "You're dating Shego here."
"Yes."
"A girl. Not a boy."
She nodded.
"And you don't plan on dating any boys in the near future."
"Mm-hm."
Dr. Possible glanced at his wife, who still appeared a little stunned. "Well, if this means I don't have to worry about you chasing any boys, that's good enough for me."
- In The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time:
- Saria tells Link: "Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me!" in response to Link threatening to flatten Mido because of a snarky comment by the latter. Link promptly nails Mido in the head with a twig from his slingshot, misinterpreting her idiom as "Don't threaten him, that doesn't do anything! Hit him with something!"
- Sakon steals a hat from a drunken passerbyer who is attempting to get to a tavern, entering an inn by accident. He loudly slams a red rupee on the front desk, leading to this exchange:Drunk: ONE TEKTITE LAGER, PLEASE!
Innkeeper: Excuse me, sir, this is a lodging inn!
Drunk: Oops, sorry! (Quietly) One Tektite Lager, please! - Impa tells a squad of guards to fall in a line. What do they do? They all get into a line and then fall to the floor.
- Used extensively in an added scene where Link is interrogated for entering the Gerudo Fortress without permission by two detectives. For example, the slim one asks for Link's sentence and the fat one quotes the insult Link just made about him.
- Fury of all people does this in The Many Doors of Niu Heimar.Fury: Let Me Get This Straight.... We nearly had an intergalactic incident on our hands because one of the Avengers ran off on a date with an alien Prince, and it wasn't Stark?
- In Merlin crackfic A Very Hairy Situation, Merlin assumes that the new (male) object of Arthur's affections is a girl, and earns himself a whack over the head. Merlin hastily apologizes.Merlin: Ah, sorry, sorry... a woman.
- Occurs in Why Do Fools Fall in Love?, another Merlin fic in which Arthur is enchanted.Merlin: I walked into Arthur's room this morning and he was awake and standing there completely naked.
Gaius: I suppose that is unusual.
Merlin: Yes. Arthur's never awake that early. - This occurs in the crackfic With Sufficient Thrust, Pigs Fly Just Fine after Merlin has spent a few weeks in a jail cell for using magic.Arthur: Don't lie to me! I saw Sir Leon disappear into your cell. Literally! He disappeared when he walked in. With mead.
Merlin: Don’t be ridiculous. Gwaine brought mead. Sir Leon brought wine.
- Leave for Mendeleiev:
- When Adrien wonders why Ladybug seemed so offended by the suggestion that her Secret Identity could be Chloe, Plagg sarcastically comments that somebody as self-centered and spoiled as her could be Ladybug "when cheese is gross". Despite knowing that cheese is Plagg's Trademark Favorite Food, Adrien immediately responds "But cheese is gross." In addition to showing how he's missed the point, this highlights one of Adrien's biggest flaws: only his own opinions matter to him, and he refuses to listen to anyone else's point of view.
- After several attempts to break through Adrien's ignorance of her crush, Aurore confesses outright and asks him out... only for him to ask her what her name is. When she relates this to Marinette, Mari wonders whether they actually forgot to introduce her.
- In Marigami Stories, when Alya offhandedly calls Kagami "the ice queen", she thinks she is being compared to Weiss from RWBY when really she prefers Ruby.
- Waiting for a Miracle: In Paying for Your Mistakes, Zoe switches back to her native English to curse out her mother since she doesn't know any swear words in French. Audrey is more offended by the fact she's not speaking French than by anything else.
- Phoenix's Tear: Reignition: Hare possesses a magical pendant of his own, which, among other things, gives him the ability to craft tangible illusions — a power he used to disguise himself as a full-grown monster. When the other Searchers find out, Suezo immediately questions if that means Tiger was beaten by a kid when they first met. Tiger... does not appreciate him pointing that out.
- Izuku in Izuku Midoriya the Rabbit suffers from this frequently. Justified by the fact that he's a rabbit with a bit of a Blue-and-Orange Morality. A good example is when he thinks the reason people keep on staring at him while at the UA Entrance Exams is because he has green fur, not understanding that the reason they're staring is because he's a literal rabbit (albeit a sapient one) that is trying to become a student at hero school.
- In When Reason Fails, when Aizawa being a terrible teacher is brought up, Himiko tries to defend him by mentioning her prey once asked him for help in front of her before cutting her story short when Izuku, Katsuki and Yagi just stare at her.
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
- As in canon, Scootaloo does this in Cutie Mark Crusaders Alpha Pack Leader, getting through the following dialogue with no awareness of irony whatsoever:Scootaloo: Get what? That you wind up with a mark because you do perfectly ordinary things you're already good at and love doing, instead of trying cool stuff which nopony's ever done before? (pauses) That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!
- Earth and Sky: When Big Macintosh notices that Applejack and Apple Bloom are respectively developing crushes on Soarin' and Pipsqueak, he takes the latter two aside to subtly let them know what will happen if they ever do anything to his sisters. Soarin' gets the point, but it goes completely over Pip's head — Word of God is that he's such a gentlecolt that the concept of intentionally hurting a mare is beyond his comprehension. Pip doesn't get it until about twenty-eight chapters later.
- Frequently occurs with the hapless narrator in Equestria: A History Revealed, who ignores obvious information right in front of her, to go off on a tangent on some minuscule, trivial thing.
- On the few times she does manage to potentially discover some kind of conspiracy in Equestrian history, she instead overanalyzes something meaningless, such as when she was convinced that word choice in a certain quotation was suspicious, and spent three paragraphs analyzing of the use of the word, "hellfire". She figures out that the word was used to describe an evil fire.
- Escape from the Moon: In the sequel The Mare From the Moon, Pinkie does this in chapter 12, resulting in a pun:Rainbow Dash: Just let me get down first. As in, off of the cloud she's sitting on.
Pinkie Pie: (looks around in confusion) Where are you going to get it from? I don't see any ducks around here! - The Great Alicorn Hunt: While Mach One is ranting about how there are groups that will complain about just about anything, convincing stupid politicians to pass laws just to make these groups happy, Rainbow Dash gets sidetracked by one of the examples he gives: that Mayor Fussbudget outlawed the sale of jumbo hay-burgers in Windy City.
- RainbowDoubleDash's Lunaverse: Cheerilee takes a sarcastic comment of Bon-Bon's (that Raindrops is enjoying the weather meaning Trixie has "learnt about the birds and the bees") and becomes convinced this means Trixie has never had The Talk. She then decides to set that right, and marches over to Trixie's, whereupon she finds said pony arguing with Raindrops about something, and somehow comes around to the conclusion Raindrops was about to take advantage of Trixie. Much embarrassment follows.
- In Sweetie Belle: Blackjack Dealer. Yay!, Sweetie Belle gets hired by a casino manager who hopes to use her undiluted adorableness to deter mobsters and other unsavory elements from ruining his new place (because he really wants to run a genuinely family-friendly establishment). When two mob enforcers show up, he directs them to her and this exchange happens:Nunzio: Now you see, we's here to make sure nothing bad happens to this here casino.
Sweetie Belle: Oh, that's very nice of you.
Mugsy: What my partner means to say is that it would be a shame if something bad was to happen, and we can make sure that it doesn't.
Sweetie Belle: Well don't let me stop you, unless you need me to do something? Should I move my table? Is it in the way? - In Twillight Sparkle's awesome adventure, ADMIRAL Awesome's response to learning that he failed to save the world was to be horrified... that he wasn't getting any money or medals.
- Naru-Hina Chronicles:
- Naruto asks Sai to think about the similarities between the various girls he dated. This is followed by a panel showing eight girls with ponytails (one of them being Ino) all slapping Sai in the exact same way. The black-haired young man wonders if that means he likes being slapped, only for Naruto to be exasperated and say that his friend has a thing for girls with ponytails instead.
- Naru-Hina Chronicles Mini-sodes:
- When Hiashi decides to have a talk with Naruto regarding the latter's perverted reputation, the young ninja constantly misses the point of what the Hyuga Clan Head is asking:Hiashi: With such a reputation, I am sure you know much about the habits of... romantically involved adults. So... Umm... Please tell me... *Ahem* what it is you know.
Naruto: Wow, I thought you would know. But OK... When a man and a woman...
Hiashi: No, no. I know about it. I just want to know what you know. And if you are looking into wanting sex.
Naruto: M-Mr. Hyuga, I'm not sure I'm your type.
Hiashi: (making a Comical Angry Face) N-Not with me, you idiot!
Naruto: (smiling and blushing) That's a relief. Then with who?
Hiashi: With Hinata!
Naruto: Wow, you're really giving me permission? You're not as mean as I thought, you're pretty awesome!
Hiashi: (making an even bigger comical angry face) I'm not giving you permission! You're not touching my daughter!
Naruto: (making a comical angry face himself) Then why were you asking if I wanted to?!
Hiashi: I wasn't! - Hinago's mother orders her son to invite Naruko so she can judge the Uzumaki girl. When Hinago meets Naruko to tell her about it:Hinago: (with tears in his eyes) Mother wants you to come to dinner. *Sniff* If you do not come, she may not let me see you anymore!
Naruko: Wow... Mealtimes sound pretty important at your place!
- When Hiashi decides to have a talk with Naruto regarding the latter's perverted reputation, the young ninja constantly misses the point of what the Hyuga Clan Head is asking:
- In Sakura's Glasses, Iruka invites Sakura over for ramen after she comes late to classes, and uses it to explain Naruto's orphan status and how his antics are his way of getting acknowledgment. While he intended it for Sakura to become Naruto's friend (since she's starting to develop similar habits as him), Sakura takes it to mean that Naruto needs a parental figure: hence volunteering herself to do that.
- In Vapors, socially inhibited geniuses are a thing in Konoha and this is the number sign of one. Aiko is no exception, although she hides it better than most. On a date, she misses the significance of being taken to an isolated part of the park at night, lying next to each other on the grass with their arms touching, and her date eating a mint suggestively. It takes the blunt "So, are we going to make-out?" to get the point across.
- The World's Greatest Chunin Exam Team revolves around Naruto, Gaara and B taking the Chuunin Exam together while trying to pretend that they're not already S-class shinobi. When a team from Kiri confronts them, Naruto's more concerned about the idea that they're "ruining their performance" than the fact that the Kiri-nin want to kill them. Nor does he pick up on the fact that nobody was fooled in the first place.
- OSMU: Fanfiction Friction:
- While visiting Precinct 13579 and using their Shower Room to clean up after a messy blob-finding mission, Oswald, along with Oscar, Owen and Oren (who are also taking showers), are teleported to the Lab in full view of everyone. Omar, Oona, Opal, Orla and Olympia all take notice, and it's then that Omar tries to bring a positive to the table.Omar: Well, at least they're all facing the other way.
Oona: How is that good? Oren, Owen, your friend Oswald and my old boss Oscar are all mooning Headquarters and half of them don't even realize it!
Omar: Well, at least they're not flashing Headquarters...I think. Are flashing and mooning the same thing?
(Opal moans) - In Chapter 14, Oswald is watching the Hotter and Sexier revival of Bizarre Brigade (a show with an adult cast instead of a kid cast, only the revival has teenagers) and sees a hotter and sexier version of himself named Byron. Instead of being disgusted, he remarks how his hair doesn't look like that.
- While visiting Precinct 13579 and using their Shower Room to clean up after a messy blob-finding mission, Oswald, along with Oscar, Owen and Oren (who are also taking showers), are teleported to the Lab in full view of everyone. Omar, Oona, Opal, Orla and Olympia all take notice, and it's then that Omar tries to bring a positive to the table.
- In Marie D. Suesse and the Mystery New Pirate Age!, the main villain is Monkey D. Madelyn, who mind-controlled Trafalgar Law and many other canon characters into loving her. One war and many years later, her past crimes are exposed via a long and dramatic flashback to her present-day husband. It gets this reaction:Trafalgar Law: Did you get all that, Suesse?
Mr. Suesse: Yeah... You're my wife's ex.
Trafalgar Law: I can see you focused on the important details. - This Bites!:
- After Alabasta is out of sight, Nami looks back with tears based on what was yet to come. Cross tries to console her...Nami: No, Cross, it's not that... It's just... looking back... I... I think that the crocodile on top of Rain Dinners might have been solid gold.Cross: ...WHAT IS YOUR MALFUNCTION, WOMAN?!
- So much so, that it's Vivi that gives her the Dope Slap.
- While listening to Vivi talk on the SBS about how a ruler's anger needs to be cold, controlled and legendary, Hancock concludes that her anger isn't legendary enough.
- When a doctor declares that during Enies Lobby, Luffy took "48 hours of Olympic-grade fatigue in a sixth the time" and should, by all right, be dead, Cross is surprised they have the Olympics.
- When Apis suggests the Barto Club play a game of strip poker, she thinks their shocked stares are because she said it wrong. She did not, of course; she's simply too ill-informed from Miss Goldenweek to understand the meaning of the game.
- After Alabasta is out of sight, Nami looks back with tears based on what was yet to come. Cross tries to console her...
- In Ashes of the Past, Johanna asks why the legendary Pokémon Mesprit is making tea in her kitchen. Mesprit's response:
- In Asumi's Love Letter, Manatsu presents Asumi with a tray of different eyeshadow shades, and asks her to pick her favourite. She obviously intended her to pick the shade she liked, however Asumi instead fixates on the names of the shades and picks the one with her favourite name.
- In Glitter Force: Into the Glitterverse, after being infected with the Glitter Force, Tsubomi/Suzie, Erika/Erica, and Itsuki/Dez all believe Cologne is waiting for them by the Heart Tree instead of being dead, which greatly upsets Yuri. When Yuri storms off, Suzie and Erica think she's embarrassed over forgetting Dez's name.
- As is par for the course with parodies of The McLaughlin Group, this is guaranteed to get the moderator of The Pretty Cure McLaughlin Club to yelp "Wrong!" at the offending party.Moderator: We're talking about late penalties at Noble Academy.
Komachi: For bringing in library books late?
Moderator: Wrong!
- Rosario Vampire: Brightest Darkness Act II: When Kurumu regains her memories of Rason and confirms her friends' story, Ageha is initially more concerned that Kurumu lost her virginity to Rason instead of Tsukune rather than the fact that her daughter was recently murdered and brought Back from the Dead.
- Children of Remnant: After Jaune gets wasted at the party, Cinder threatens retribution for "poisoning" him. It takes Summer giving him her miracle hangover cure for her to realize that he really was just hungover.
- In But You Won't Have to Do It Alone the rest of the Senshi try to come out to Usagi about how none of them are straight. Usagi, being Usagi, misses the point completely:Minako: When you heard us talking, we were talking about going out the night before. To a gay club.
Usagi:''' That's so rude. I know gay guys are really cute, but they're gay, guys. They don't like girls.
- In the doujin Captain Half, Mihoko splits into two people as a result of her wish that there were two of her so that she could make dinner for 80 people- unfortunately, her counterpart turns out to be a Jerkass. After she tells Bundou, the following exchange occurs.Bundou: If you'd told us, we'd all help!
Mihoko: Please don't say that. I want everyone to be able to play mahjong. I can't trouble you over something like this when you're all trying to further yourselves.
Bundou: (thinks) But the current situation's become really troubling already?!
- In one Persona 5 fan comic, Futaba sees Ryuji reading a manga series and asks him which is his favorite ship (AKA couple) from the series. Ryuji then starts listing several of his favorite boats (including the Adventure Galley and aircraft carriers), though he wonders why did Futaba made such a sudden topic change.Futaba: What? That's not... why do you know so much about boats?
- In A Better Fate, when Ser Harwyn Plumm warns them about the dragon who laid waste to the Freys and commands them to release Edmure Tully, the Small Council is more focused on the fact he called the beast a female.Ser Redwyne: How does one distinguish a she-dragon? Was she wearing a skirt?
Garth Tyrell: No. You look beneath her skirt! - In Let the Galaxy Burn, after the second Sparrow attack Varys finally explodes at the Small Council and denounces them as the useless Not-So-Omniscient Council of Bickering they are, finally saying an ostrich could run the kingdom better than them. Once he's gone...Hand of the King Walter Whent: What's an ostrich?
- The rewrite of Sonic X: Dark Chaos Episode 68 gives us this gem when Jesus starts angsting about all the people killed in the Angel invasion of the galaxy. Two of his fellow Angel leaders try to reassure him;al-Walim: Look on the bright side, at least they weren't aborted.
Tobit: And you got rid of the gays. I mean, you know how much Allysion hates fags.
- In The Portal, Alex's response to Thomas asking him what he thinks about his new draconic body is that he's not wearing any pants.
- In To Absent Friends, Chief Hospital Corpsman Anoeza Watkins does this to yank her captain's chain.Capt. Kanril Eleya: Doc? Care to explain the piano?
HMC. Anoeza Watkins: Fairly simple, ma’am. You press one of these keys and—
Cdr. Tess Phohl: Ha ha. She meant how did you get it on board and where have you been keeping it.
- In the adult Steven Universe Palcomix story "Rose's Memories":Amethyst: Relax and let Dr. Amethyst handle this.
Pearl: Amethyst, in no possible alternate dimension could you ever be a doctor!
- The Bag Enders episode Strider: Scoutmaster features this exchange:"Let me get this right. You have become a Scoutmaster in order to try and become respectable? Were there no openings for gigolos?"
"What do you mean? It's a well respected youth organisation."
"I've met Baden Powell," said Legolas very darkly.
"Wow! Could you come and give a talk?" - In A Boy, a Girl and a Dog: The Leithian Script, two characters misunderstand Beren when he explains he's become more enlightened after climbing up the mountain Taniquetil and talking to Manwe and Varda.Finrod: Beren, what— what's happened to you?
Beren:I— Saw it. The World. Without the veils. (shakes his head) I can't — it was — there aren't words to tell of it, the view from Taniquetil—
Ranger: (confused) But that's not hard to describe. The hills look like slabs of jade, with silver for the rivers and lakes.
Third Guard: And one can see all the way to the coast, just as if it were a map.
Luthien: (but smiling) Shh!
Soldier: (understanding) Oh, he's being metaphorical, that's all.
- Total Drama World Tour Deluxe: When Cody gets annoyed about how Sierra has been sexually harassing him, Gwen tries to see if he realizes how similar it is back when he constantly hit on her back during Island. Instead, all it reminds Cody of is the Eds from Ed, Edd n Eddy and how they were constantly sexually harassed by the Kanker Sisters, with him saying he finally understands why they hated it so much.
- In Tales of the Emperasque Bjorn delivers an angry "The Reason You Suck" Speech to Space Wolves' Chapter Master about their increasing wolfication of everything, pointing it with "I'd rather they painted me pink and call me a Pretty Marine!". Said Chapter Master's reaction?Lorgar Grimnar: I wonder what a Pretty Marine Chaplain would look like...
- In Loaded Bones, The Earl of Demise gets assigned to write Ryou's history report, and the only thing he took out of the French Revolution was that the guillotine took all the artistry out of decapitation.
