# What is the longest establishment of a Chekov's gun? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 31, 2010, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111 "2010-08-31T10:18:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/21 "2010-08-31T18:04:58Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > > [@drastic\_quench](#): > > > > I don’t get it. Where’s the joke? > > I recognize the individual words, but not the meaning or humor they were meant to impart. Man, I feel like an outsider reading those 2 strips. The comic is based on the Nintendo game Final Fantasy. At the start of a new game, you select your 4 party members usually picking several warrior types and magic users to balance the party. The joke here is that the black mage (guy in straw hat) doesn’t believe that you can beat the game with 4 white mages (healers) but is proven wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/22 "2010-08-31T18:16:01Z")
I’ll settle with Futurama and Nibbler. Nibbler goes back in time and tips Fry’s chair back so that he falls into a cryogenic chamber and is frozen for 5000 years, since his lack of mental acuity leaves him the only person on Earth who is invulnerable to brain-controlling alien brains. The setup occurs in the premiere episode, but you don’t notice Nibbler until it’s pointed out in Season 4. A 5000 year payoff – suck it, non-SF programming! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/23 "2010-08-31T19:18:47Z")
Whoa, wait, what season is that revealed in? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/24 "2010-08-31T21:00:20Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I’ll settle with Futurama and Nibbler. Nibbler goes back in time and tips Fry’s chair back so that he falls into a cryogenic chamber and is frozen for 5000 years, since his lack of mental acuity leaves him the only person on Earth who is invulnerable to brain-controlling alien brains. The setup occurs in the premiere episode, but you don’t notice Nibbler until it’s pointed out in Season 4. A 5000 year payoff – suck it, non-SF programming! It’s only 1000 years. Don’t get ahead of yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/25 "2010-08-31T23:54:27Z")
In the first Harry Potter book, at different times we are informed that: a) Dumbledore was in possession James Potter’s invisibility cloak when he died b) Dumbledore doesn’t need an invisibility cloak to become invisible The significance of this is not explained until the final book. If we go with **The Hamster King** ’s definition, then the biggest Chekov’s Gun in the series is Mark Evans. He was a completely inconsequential character in Order of the Phoenix who never gets any screen time and is mentioned in passing once. It just so happens that “Evans” was Harry’s mother’s maiden name, and the boy was 10 years old in Phoenix, which would make him eligible to attend Hogwarts in the next book, so speculation was rampant about him. It turned out that he was a meaningless character and Rowling named him without even thinking. She ended up posting a [groveling apology](http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/faq_view.cfm?id=49) to her website for the oversight. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/26 "2010-09-01T00:09:57Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > > [@Shalmanese](#): > > > > After reading about [Chekov’s Gun](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Ptitlexn9xzsjd5fif) (warning: TV Tropes) in which a seemingly inconsequential detail is mentioned early in a piece of work only to become essential to the plot later … . > > Technically speaking, that’s not “Chekov’s Gun”. Chekov’s Gun is a CONSEQUENTIAL detail that DOESN’T get used later. If an audience sees a rifle hanging on the wall in act one, they’ll start speculating on when it will go off. If it never does, they’ll leave the theater disappointed. Chekov is saying that you shouldn’t introduce intriguing elements into your plot that never pay off. Considering the name of the trope comes from the literary cliche about how the gun in the first act goes off in the third, how would [detail] _never_ being of consequence make sense given that’s the exact opposite of what Chekhov was getting at? Oh wait, the saying was about the work of Chekhov, not Chekov, so this is a star trek thing instead you’re talking about when it’s never of any importance? ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/27 "2010-09-01T00:21:26Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > > [@Shalmanese](#): > > > > After reading about [Chekov’s Gun](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Ptitlexn9xzsjd5fif) (warning: TV Tropes) in which a seemingly inconsequential detail is mentioned early in a piece of work only to become essential to the plot later … . > > Technically speaking, that’s not “Chekov’s Gun”. Chekov’s Gun is a CONSEQUENTIAL detail that DOESN’T get used later. If an audience sees a rifle hanging on the wall in act one, they’ll start speculating on when it will go off. If it never does, they’ll leave the theater disappointed. Chekov is saying that you shouldn’t introduce intriguing elements into your plot that never pay off. Where do you get that definition? That’s the opposite of the TV Tropes definition, and I’ve never heard the term used anywhere else. ‘A consequential detail that doesn’t get used later’ already has a name: red herring. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/28 "2010-09-01T00:24:49Z")
Wings. Suitcase full of cash is introduced in the first episode, finally discovered in part 1 of the 2 part finale. April 19, 1990 - May 21, 1997. 172 episodes total. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/29 "2010-09-01T00:25:40Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > > [@FordTaurusSHO94](#): > > > > Would Nibler’s shadow in the pilot of Futurama count? I never noticed it until it was pointed out in Season 4. > > I don’t believe anyone who’d say they spotted that shadow in pilot. That’s what I came in to mention, and I agree with drastic\_quench. It was funny how a bunch of people claimed to have seen that _after_ it was revealed, but I heard zero speculation about it beforehand. Kind of like how every psychic on the planet claims to have predicted 9/11. Where were you assholes on 9/10? :smack::mad: ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/30 "2010-09-01T00:31:03Z")
> [@kasuo](#): > > The joke here is that the black mage (guy in straw hat) doesn’t believe that you can beat the game with 4 white mages (healers) but is proven wrong. 4 White Mage parties are a pretty common self-imposed challenge in the game, which is why it was ever mentioned. White Mages, at low levels, are useless for damage-dealing, and difficult to keep alive. Once you’ve gotten the upgrade, they have access to one of the most powerful spells in game, but getting to that point is rather an exercise in frustration, and even once they get it, they can’t cast it very often, especially in the original version. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/31 "2010-09-01T00:32:51Z")
On Monk, it’s established at some fairly early point that he has a Christmas present that she gave him and he’s never opened. he takes it out every year. Googling says it showed up first in Mr. Monk and the Secret Santa in season 4. It was mentioned in a few subsequent Christmas episodes, but he finally opens it in the series finale (Season 8), where of course it’s the whole key to solving her murder. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/32 "2010-09-01T00:35:38Z")
> [@kasuo](#): > > > [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > > > I recognize the individual words, but not the meaning or humor they were meant to impart. Man, I feel like an outsider reading those 2 strips. > > The comic is based on the Nintendo game Final Fantasy. At the start of a new game, you select your 4 party members usually picking several warrior types and magic users to balance the party. The joke here is that the black mage (guy in straw hat) doesn’t believe that you can beat the game with 4 white mages (healers) but is proven wrong. Back when the first of those two strips came out, I asked my grown kids about it because the comment made no sense to me. They had played the game, though, and they explained that when you had beaten the game a few times, you started to do things to make it more challenging the next time through. Playing with 4 white mages was about the hardest way to play the game. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/33 "2010-09-01T00:38:25Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > Where do you get that definition? That’s the opposite of the TV Tropes definition Actually, it’s not…the TV Tropes definition of ‘Chekov’s Gun’ is ‘The phaser carried by Pavel Chekov’, which is a joke page playing off the misspelling of Chekhov (as in Anton) as Chekov (as in Pavel). Chekov’s Gun could, potentially, be a Chekhov’s Gun, depending on the story. The Hamster King may be joking about that same misspelling, or he could have completely misunderstood Chekhov’s Gun and not noticed the misspelling. I kind of assume the former. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/34 "2010-09-01T00:41:16Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Playing with 4 white mages was about the hardest way to play the game. Playing with a White Mage and 3 dead characters is even harder. (I don’t know if anyone ever does it with White Mages, but leaving all but one character dead is another common challenge.) ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/35 "2010-09-01T00:49:50Z")
The 8 Bit Theater “The Longest Set Up In Webcomic History” (among other 8BT gags) is listed as a [Brick Joke](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BrickJoke). I think Chekhov’s Gun has a shelf life. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/36 "2010-09-01T02:16:11Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Chekov’s Howitzer Chekov’s [80 cm “Dora.”](http://www.hpwt.de/2Weltkrieg/Dorae.htm) ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/37 "2010-09-01T02:20:40Z")
I once pulled an actual brick joke on a radio show hosted by one Travis T. Hipp, back in the mists of time. The show was several hours long and I called in early, told the first part of the brick joke, staying on the phone after the joke to get defensive about the complete un-funniness of it, then called back an hour or so later using a different voice to tell the second bit. It was a thing of beauty, man. Still brings a tear to my eye to remember the five, six seconds of stunned silence after I hung up the phone, turning up the radio just in time to hear the guy mutter, “I think we’ve been had.” ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/38 "2010-09-01T02:47:21Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > > [@Shalmanese](#): > > > > After reading about [Chekov’s Gun](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Ptitlexn9xzsjd5fif) (warning: TV Tropes) in which a seemingly inconsequential detail is mentioned early in a piece of work only to become essential to the plot later … . > > Technically speaking, that’s not “Chekov’s Gun”. Chekov’s Gun is a CONSEQUENTIAL detail that DOESN’T get used later. If an audience sees a rifle hanging on the wall in act one, they’ll start speculating on when it will go off. If it never does, they’ll leave the theater disappointed. Chekov is saying that you shouldn’t introduce intriguing elements into your plot that never pay off. That’s not the reading that TV Tropes or Wikipedia give. They imply that Chekhov’s Gun must go off. And furthermore I don’t see Chekhov’s Gun and necessarily a consequential detail in and of of itself, but rather a detail that takes on significance by the end. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/39 "2010-09-01T03:08:53Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > > [@kasuo](#): > > > > The comic is based on the Nintendo game Final Fantasy. At the start of a new game, you select your 4 party members usually picking several warrior types and magic users to balance the party. The joke here is that the black mage (guy in straw hat) doesn’t believe that you can beat the game with 4 white mages (healers) but is proven wrong. > > Back when the first of those two strips came out, I asked my grown kids about it because the comment made no sense to me. They had played the game, though, and they explained that when you had beaten the game a few times, you started to do things to make it more challenging the next time through. Playing with 4 white mages was about the hardest way to play the game. I thought “goddammit it” was pretty funny. Okay, not all that funny. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111/40 "2010-09-01T03:43:55Z")
I’m actually hoping that Hamster King misspoke, and is trying to say that it only counts as a Chekhov’s gun if the audience has reason to believe the item was important. And I agree–stuff like Nibbler’s shadow is just cleverly veiled foreshadowing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-establishment-of-a-chekovs-gun/552111.md?page=3)