Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Fumbling the Gauntlet

 Fumbling the Gauntlet
type
FeatureClass
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
label
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
page
FumblingTheGauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
comment
In an unfamiliar social environment, a character does something that he thinks is mostly innocuous, either intentionally or by accident. Unfortunately, in this society, said act constitutes Throwing Down the Gauntlet, and will result in him engaging in a Duel to the Death, possibly on the spot. Oddly enough, the people from the local culture never seem to grasp the concept that different cultures do things differently, so they never understand the poor foreigner's plight, and he does not get a free pass for not understanding the gravity of what he just did. Sometimes this is justified by them being Jerk Asses who do this sort of thing deliberately.
See also Accidental Marriage for other results of innocuous gestures. For a less Life-or-Death version, see Fee Fi Faux Pas.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
fetched
2023-10-01T12:00:55Z
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
parsed
2023-10-01T12:00:55Z
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
processingComment
Dropped link to BerserkButton: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
processingComment
Dropped link to FlameWar: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
processingComment
Dropped link to PoorCommunicationKills: Not an Item - CAT
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
processingComment
Dropped link to ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
processingComment
Dropped link to Samurai: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
processingComment
Dropped link to Starfire: Not an Item - UNKNOWN
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
processingUnknown
Starfire
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_135e421d
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_135e421d
comment
The Final War of the Bolo continuum was begun in part due to standard Melconian First Contact procedure: Enact a Non-Intercourse Edict until the governing body has come to a conclusion. The Concordiat saw this as a sign of aggression and the situation deteriorated from there.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_135e421d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_135e421d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Bolo
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_135e421d
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_135f4195
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_135f4195
comment
Dune: In their meeting, Stilgar walks up to Duke Leto Atreides, gives an appraising look, and spits on the floor in front of him. Gurney Halleck, with his Undying Loyalty to Duke Leto, is immediately ready to slay Stilgar on the spot for such a brazen insult. Fortunately, Duncan Idaho quickly intervenes and explains that Stilgar's gesture was courteous. On Arrakis, a planet where water is so rare and precious, shedding a few drops of moisture at someone's feet is a sign of respect.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_135f4195
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_135f4195
featureConfidence
1.0
 Dune
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_135f4195
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_1b386512
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_1b386512
comment
In Ranma ½, Girl-Ranma does this in Shampoo's village by eating the prize that Shampoo was to win. Shampoo challenges "her"; Ranma defeats Shampoo, and winds up earning a Kiss of Death. It eventually turns out that if Ranma had fought Shampoo in his true male form and won, he would have successfully proposed marriage to her instead... a pity he didn't learn this until after he'd beaten her a second time.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_1b386512
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_1b386512
featureConfidence
1.0
 Ranma ½ (Manga)
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_1b386512
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_2250e67e
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_2250e67e
comment
Star Trek: Enterprise has a group of aliens storm out of a diplomatic meeting in rage, with the crew having no idea what pissed them off. Ultimately, they have to go track them down to figure out how to get rid of some Alien Kudzu; it turns out that their offense was eating where the aliens could see it, something that is extremely private in their culture. Hoshi is able to gain their forgiveness and assistance in the end.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_2250e67e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_2250e67e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Star Trek: Enterprise
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_2250e67e
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_261c8d3f
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_261c8d3f
comment
Inverted in The Simpsons, when Homer discovers that he can get his way in all sorts of situations simply by Throwing Down the Gauntlet, and starts Glove Slapping people left, right and centre not expecting it to be picked up. Then he tries it with a Southern Gentleman...
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_261c8d3f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_261c8d3f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Simpsons
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_261c8d3f
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_267cbfa
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_267cbfa
comment
In Dominic Deegan, Serk Brakkis insults Lars Sturtz's son, Szark, to Lars' face, mocking his (by then in-the-past) penchant for loving duels to the death... and implying that Szark gets off to it. Donovan Deegan then slashes his initials into Serk's pants in response. As it turns out, slicing someone's clothes with a sword constitutes Throwing Down the Gauntlet thanks to Serk's rule-lawyering.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_267cbfa
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_267cbfa
featureConfidence
1.0
 Dominic Deegan (Webcomic)
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_267cbfa
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_2d316bc0
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_2d316bc0
comment
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012): In "The Moons of Thalos 3", Leonardo is negotiating a tentative truce with the Salamandarians to allow them to work together to escape the moon. Just as it seems he has succeeded, he extends his hand to shake hands with the Salamandarian commander, only to discover that the extension of a open hand is tantamount to a declaration of war in Salamandarian society.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_2d316bc0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_2d316bc0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012)
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_2d316bc0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_5999b1ec
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_5999b1ec
comment
In a Xanth story by Piers Anthony, Dor meets a giant spider, and tries a "hug" gesture to show friendship. The spider thinks he is readying his fangs.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_5999b1ec
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_5999b1ec
featureConfidence
1.0
 Xanth
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_5999b1ec
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_5ec72b29
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_5ec72b29
comment
In the Consul's tale in Hyperion, he recalls his friend having an altercation with a group of locals on a foreign planet. The locals interpret his behavior as grounds for a duel. They toss him a sword, and he simply watches it fall to the ground, not understanding. Not picking up the sword doesn't cancel out the challenge, unfortunately.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_5ec72b29
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_5ec72b29
featureConfidence
1.0
 Hyperion
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_5ec72b29
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_630755ab
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_630755ab
comment
Codex Alera:
When Tavi first encounters Ambassador Varg of the Cane in Academ's Fury he sees a guard dealing with the frustrated 9-foot tall wolfman being hesitant and trying to defuse the situation calmly. While normally acceptable action for dealing with humans, Tavi realizes if this wolfman is like predators back in his home valley then it is the wrong move. He moves forward, ordering the guards and stares down Varg who is about 4 feet taller and could rip him apart with ease going so far to put a knife to Varg's throat and while terrified won't back down. He also deduces that bowing would be equally dangerous as prostrating could be seen as being prey-like. Instead, he copies Varg's raising of the neck just slightly. Varg is impressed enough to leave until a later time.
This is discussed in Princeps' Fury when the Princeps of the realm is leading with Ambassador Varg two fleets back to the Cane homelands. The Princeps is having Alerans tutor Cane in their language and the Cane tutor Alerans in their customs and language. He figures if there is to be more fighting between them, it best be for good reasons and not a miscommunication.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_630755ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_630755ab
featureConfidence
1.0
 Codex Alera
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_630755ab
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_73549409
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_73549409
comment
Storm Hawks: At one point they take the Sky Knights to Junko's home, where Piper accidentally bumps into someone. She raises her hands placatingly — and Junko hastens to intervene, because this is how his people challenge each other to a fight.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_73549409
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_73549409
featureConfidence
1.0
 Storm Hawks
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_73549409
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_73d7930f
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_73d7930f
comment
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: In episode "Apocalypse Rising", Sisko is pretending to be a Klingon, and as part of the effort, strikes Worf with the back of his hand. Worf then asks if he meant to challenge him to a battle to the death and suggests to simply strike him with his fist instead. Thankfully, this was part of the rehearsal; it did not actually come up when it had to be done for real.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_73d7930f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_73d7930f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_73d7930f
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_7d27041f
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_7d27041f
comment
In Karateka, don't approach Princess Mariko in fighting stance. Just don't.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_7d27041f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_7d27041f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Karateka (Video Game)
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_7d27041f
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_944191c6
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_944191c6
comment
In Kyo Kara Maoh!, Yuri accidentally proposes to Wolfram by striking him across the left cheek. Wolfram is so embarrassed and furious that he throws the tableware to the floor- resulting in Yuri accidentally accepting Wolfram's duel challenge by picking up a knife.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_944191c6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_944191c6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kyo Kara Maoh!
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_944191c6
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_afc86b0a
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_afc86b0a
comment
The war with the Formics in Ender's Game started because of this. It is not uncommon for them to kill another queen's drones to send a message; as they are a Hive Mind, the life of any one individual drone is meaningless to them. When they first made contact with a human spaceship, they killed everyone on board, under the same reasoning. Humans, of course, took this as an act of murder. Once the Formics figured out that humanity were individuals and they had slaughtered intelligent, thinking people, they were horrified to their cores and nearly gave up all hope of ever calming humanity's wrath toward them.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_afc86b0a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_afc86b0a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Ender's Game
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_afc86b0a
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_bb1b8e8c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_bb1b8e8c
comment
Critical Role: In Campaign 3, during the masquerade ball in episode 13, Ashton gets spotted by an antagonist they'd met a few days earlier, thanks to Ashton wearing a mask of the Nightmare King (whom the antagonist had been working with), and then gets confronted by the antagonist's bodyguard, General Ratanish. Ratanish rips the mask off Ashton, who promptly slaps him in the face. The general just slaps him back, and after some more intense (but polite) escalation, takes him outside.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_bb1b8e8c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_bb1b8e8c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Critical Role (Web Video)
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_bb1b8e8c
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_c6f7e804
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_c6f7e804
comment
Blake's 7. In "Power", Avon is captured by the leader of a primitive society, and grabs his arm to stop him hitting his wife. As their society is based on Asskicking Leads to Leadership as well as misogyny, he assumes that Avon is challenging him for leadership.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_c6f7e804
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_c6f7e804
featureConfidence
1.0
 Blake's 7
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_c6f7e804
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_d46cc708
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_d46cc708
comment
Ed, Edd n Eddy: In the episode "Dueling Eds", Eddy inadvertently disgraces Rolf's customs and family honor by throwing one of his cucumber balls at a fence. Double D forces him to give Rolf a flower as an apology... but it turns out that said plant is "the Potted Shrub of Ridicule" and an even greater insult in Rolf's country. Rolf is so pissed at this that he challenges Eddy to a duel.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_d46cc708
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_d46cc708
featureConfidence
1.0
 Ed, Edd n Eddy
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_d46cc708
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_e7e37776
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_e7e37776
comment
Firefly episode "Shindig": Mal hauls off and decks Atherton Wing after the latter hits the former's Berserk Button by implying that Inara is a whore (Mal may not respect her job, but Atherton disrespected her). Turns out that punching someone in a social function on that planet is considered a formal challenge, and Mal ends up having to fight a sword duel over her honor.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_e7e37776
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_e7e37776
featureConfidence
1.0
 Firefly
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_e7e37776
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_e9d04d4e
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_e9d04d4e
comment
One of the characters in Timeline does the opposite. An opponent throws down the gauntlet to show his contempt, but our hero apparently didn't know that picking it back up meant he accepted.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_e9d04d4e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_e9d04d4e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Timeline
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_e9d04d4e
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_ef076a36
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_ef076a36
comment
Star Trek: Voyager: One episode has Janeway insult an alien race by putting her hands on her hips, provoking a conflict due to the "obscene gesture". Things get smoothed out in the end, though; even as Neelix was defusing the immediate diplomatic situation before it could turn violent, the Emergency Medical Hologram had developed the cure for a serious plague.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_ef076a36
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_ef076a36
featureConfidence
1.0
 Star Trek: Voyager
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_ef076a36
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_f5c28dbb
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_f5c28dbb
comment
In 1632 high school Jerk Jock Chip Jenkins, angry at what he sees as someone moving in on his girl, punches Alex MacKay in the teethnote For bonus points, Alex had just endured dental work sans anesthetics that day at the Thuringan Gardens. MacKay, being the product of his times, views this act as the prelude to a duel and announces that his choice of weapon will be cavalry sabres. For bonus points, Alex is a professional soldier with significant combat experience. It's fortunate for Chip that authorities Alex will defer to intervene.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_f5c28dbb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_f5c28dbb
featureConfidence
1.0
 1632
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_f5c28dbb
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_f74b5f80
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_f74b5f80
comment
Babylon 5:
"There All the Honor Lies" narrowly averts this when Sheridan accuses a Minbari of lying, but Delenn vehemently explains that the accusation would have called for an immediate and fatal response if the Minbari had been present.
The Earth-Minbari War started because of this trope. The Minbari ships approached with gunports open but weapons powered off; to the Minbari warrior caste, this was a gesture of respect (and symbolic of "my hands are empty"), while to the humans it looked like the ship was about to fire, compounded by the mess Minbari electronic warfare was (unintentionally) making of EarthForce sensors, so they couldn't tell whether the weapons were armed or not. At least one Minbari realized it was a bad move; Dukhat attempted to order the gunports closed once he realized it had been done, but too late.
On one occasion, a visiting Minbari battle cruiser greeted Babylon 5 in the same manner, and was almost fired upon. It didn't help that the commander in charge of the vessel, Alyt Neroon, refused to explain himself. It took the intervention of Ambassador Delenn to avoid hostilities.
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_f74b5f80
featureApplicability
1.0
 Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_f74b5f80
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon 5
hasFeature
Fumbling the Gauntlet / int_f74b5f80

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Fumbling the Gauntlet
processingCategory2
Combat Tropes
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
processingCategory2
Dueling Tropes
 Fumbling the Gauntlet
processingCategory2
Plots
 Batgirl (2009) (Comic Book) / int_8225b12c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Codex Alera / int_8225b12c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Dune / int_8225b12c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 1632 / int_8225b12c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 The Assassination Of Brangwain Spurge / int_8225b12c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Wayfarers / int_8225b12c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Psycho Staff (Manga) / int_8225b12c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Dorothy of Oz (Manhwa) / int_8225b12c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Firefly / int_8225b12c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Storm Hawks / int_8225b12c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet
 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) / int_8225b12c
type
Fumbling the Gauntlet