# Didn't see that one coming! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102 "2011-01-26T21:45:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/21 "2011-01-28T07:18:54Z")
It’s not as effective now but there was a shock in the climax of Watchmen back when it came out as a comic book. It’s the scene where the heroes have broken into Ozymandius’ lair and fought him. He finally reveals what his secret plan has been of the entire series - that he’s going to blow up the middle of New York City. Nightowl says “You know we’ll have stop you before you do that.” And Ozymandius replies something like “Before I do it? Do you think I would have told you about my plan if there was any possibility of you stopping me? I did it thirty minutes ago.” ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/22 "2011-01-28T08:30:04Z")
The unusual weather in the movie _Magnolia_, not to mention the revelation concerning Tom Cruise’s character. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/23 "2011-01-28T09:55:19Z")
In Die Hard when Mr. Nakatomi told Snape he didn’t have the codes to the vault and “so you’ll just have to shoot me” “OK” _shoots him_ I was not expecting that. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/24 "2011-01-28T11:21:17Z")
From Zombieland: Tallahassee has his last stand… and _survives_. Actually, all of the characters, save for the celebrity cameo, surviving to the end of the film. Stardust: Septimus, clearly one of the more villainous characters, and after the gem that Yvaine is carrying, is obviously on a collision course with the hero, Tristain… only for the two to agree to work together immediately upon meeting. Of course, if you were paying attention, the two were never after the same thing. They were after two _separate_ goals that happened to coincide with each other because Yvaine had been carrying the gem since she ran into it. And from Harry Brown: The friendly neighborhood bartender being the Big Bad, and the cops saving the day. And not the cops who we had seen through the whole movie either, but rather the cops who came to save _those_ cops after they nearly got killed during the riot. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/25 "2011-01-28T12:14:56Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > In retrospect, imo the City of Angels car crash (when she got hit on her bike) was the worst-ever movie crash. Of course it was magnified by the fact that I was 14 years old and totally in love with the movie at that point. I haven’t rewatched it from an adult perspective though, I have a feeling I’d find it cheesy and my good memories of it would be ruined. Consider watching, then, the film that it was based on - [Wings of Desire](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093191/). No trucks, I promise. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/26 "2011-01-28T12:48:36Z")
The [cutscene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP1-1PL2e2E&feature=related) (warning, sound) in the game _Parasite Eve 2_ where the heroine is cornered by a mob of these plasma sword wielding GOLEM creatures and out of ammo. Just as she’s about to get slaughtered, BAM!, the US Army shows up and onesidedly slaughters them, demonstrating why melee weapons have gone out of style. Since until now this has been your classic one-heroine-against-the horde FPS game it was surprising for _anyone_ to show up, much less the army. And even more surprising for them to win so easily - it isn’t exactly video game convention for the nameless grunts to stomp flat the monsters. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/27 "2011-01-28T13:04:07Z")
The Spanish Inquisition . . . was definitely a surprise! ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/28 "2011-01-28T14:33:26Z")
Spanish pornos. I really didn’t see that Juan coming. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/29 "2011-01-28T15:08:45Z")
More a case of dramatic irony: Homer: “That’s it – I’m going to clown college!” Bart: “I don’t think any of us expected him to say that.” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/30 "2011-01-28T15:12:08Z")
That Jump in _Wait Until Dark_ ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/31 "2011-01-28T15:13:46Z")
Indiana Jones shooting the Arab with the sword in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/32 "2011-01-28T15:36:29Z")
**Chinatown** “She’s my sister AND my daughter!” Too easy? ---
**Author:** ![Slade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/33 "2011-01-28T16:43:51Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > Didn’t see that coming? I was a little surprised by who actually did it but saw the inevitable coming way ahead of time as I would have assumed most people would. I’ve seen it a few times so maybe I was more surprised the first time and am not remembering. The second _after_ Silvio attacked Janice, it suddenly seemed like the most obvious thing in the world, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it coming. But the second _before_? I had no clue. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/34 "2011-01-29T05:23:37Z")
On Lost, Keamy holding Alex hostage to induce Ben to surrender. Ben, thinking he’s bluffing, tells him to go ahead and shoot her. And Keamy does, almost before he’s done speaking. Totally stunned, did not see that coming. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/35 "2011-01-29T06:10:36Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > I’ll give you the actual car crash, but there was no car crash in Joe Black. There was man gets hit by a car. Which let’s be frank, how could anyone not see coming? Any time a character stands in the street and faces the camera, they always get hit, usually by a bus.. Yea, but the character is the male lead in the first twenty minutes of the movie. Granted if you knew the premise of the movie it was probably a lot less effective, but I went in thinking it was a generic romance so it was pretty suprising when the male lead not only gets hit by a car, but they go out of their way to make it pretty clear he’s dead. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/36 "2011-01-29T06:34:29Z")
As I think more about this question, I come back to **Pulp Fiction**. That movie was one huge series of “I didn’t see that one coming!” moments. Being a film buff, I’m not often surprised by a movie and am thrilled when it actually happens. PF was such a great film because it didn’t obey a formula, and continually went in directions you couldn’t predict. Examples: [spoiler] - Ringo and Honey Bunny deciding to rob the restaurant on impulse. - “Would you give a guy a foot massage?” That whole conversation was just so unusual, it was the moment I realized I was watching a unique film. - Marvin getting shot in the head - Is that really John Travolta dancing?! And they’re getting away with it?! - Marcellus walking across the street in front of Butch’s car. “Mother-FUCKER!” For years I thought this was totally random, and was a little disappointed to find that there was a good reason for it to happen. But still a big surprise moment. - The whole dungeon scene. - When the movie wrapped around on itself and we find ourselves watching the diner robbery scene all over again. [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/37 "2011-01-29T07:12:00Z")
In Children of Men when Julianne Moore was killed it completely surprised me. The same is true of Brad Pitt in Burn Before Reading. Big name stars like that getting taken out like that just doesn’t happen in many movies. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/38 "2011-01-29T16:39:36Z")
In the original THE THING (the 1953 film with James Arness as the “intellectual carrot from outer space”), the scientists have heard that the thing has disembowled several crewman and hung them up to suck their blood. They go to the room to see it, and the unexpected shock cut makes me jump, no matter that I’ve seen it half a dozen times. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/39 "2011-01-29T17:55:51Z")
> [@Slade](#): > > The second _after_ Silvio attacked Janice, it suddenly seemed like the most obvious thing in the world, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it coming. But the second _before_? I had no clue. Adrianna. Janice was Tony’s sister. I guess there were times that I thought the stress of being an informant might cause Adrianna to crack and confess to Tony and I envisioned a scenario where Tony could use her to feed false info to the FBI or something and thus spare her life but in my heart I knew the second she cooperated with the FBI agent…she was doomed. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102/40 "2011-01-29T20:56:18Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > On Lost, Keamy holding Alex hostage to induce Ben to surrender. Ben, thinking he’s bluffing, tells him to go ahead and shoot her. And Keamy does, almost before he’s done speaking. Totally stunned, did not see that coming. I think that’s one of the main reasons I loved “Lost” so much, it was a whole LOTTA “didn’t see THAT one coming”! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/didnt-see-that-one-coming/569102.md?page=1)