It's a Long Story: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

This is a phrase typically used when a character has finished an adventure isolated from the others. Since it is redundant to have him/her explain the events we just saw ourselves, the typical move to have the character answer the others' questions of what happened is with, "It's a long story" with the assumption that he tells it to them later, off-screen.

 

Compare [[It Makes Sense in Context]] where this trope is used but not invoked.

{{examples}}

* ''[[Kanon]]'' Ayu tells Yuuichi several times that the reason she's stole Taiyaki is a really long story. He keeps pestering her about it until she gives up and tells him ''I was hungry.''

 

== [[Comic Books]] ==

* In the introduction of ''[[Empowered]]'', why the lily-white Ninjette has a Japanese name.

 

* In ''[[Kyon: Big Damn Hero]]'' after Kyon returns to the clubroom with a little cut in the head, a faint line of blood trickling down one cheek:

'''Kyon:''' Long story. }}

* In ''[[Luminosity]]'', Bella (now a vampire) is called in to help the werewolf pack she activated earlier. When she gets there, she finds the pack in an uproar.

"I'm immortal," I said. }}

 

== [[Film]] ==

* Spoofed in ''[[Dirty Work]]'':

'''Mitch''': Okay, it's a short story. }}

* Near the beginning of the German movie ''Im Juli'', Daniel attempts to use this as an excuse not to tell the guy he's hitchhiking what happened. The guy then points out they're going to be in a very long car trip anyway, so he might as well start. Then we go to the actual plot of the movie.

* Played uncomfortably straight in the [[Polly Wants a Microphone|appropriately-titled]] ''Paulie'' as he is talking to the janitor.

''Paulie'': Okay, Chekov, sit down. }}

* From ''[[The Wicker Man]]'', "Do sit down, Sergeant. Shocks are so much better absorbed with the knees bent."

* Awesomely spoofed in ''[[The Muppet Movie]]'' when Fozzie starts to reiterate the whole plot so far to the Electric Mayhem. Kermit decides to save time by letting them read the script.

'''Geordi:''' I'll explain later. }}

 

== [[Literature]] ==

** Later, when Eorache asks how he escaped: "It is a long tale," said Goodgulf, taking a deep breath. "Then save it," interrupted Eorache."

 

* Spoofed in (what else?) ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'':

'''Buffy''': Apparently not that long. }}

'''Buffy''': Apparently not that long. }}

'''Angel''': Okay, maybe not that long. }}

* Functional equivalent: In ''[[Star Trek]]: [[Deep Space Nine]]'', Dr. Julian Bashir awakens from a coma (in which he has had a vivid dream about his crewmates and battling through the station to save his own life) with the words "You will never believe where I've been."

* In ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]'', Will's "family" spend the evening with an associate who indulges in unending tedious anecdotes, boring them all. So when Will explains that his recent hijinks are "a long story" they just decide not to probe him on it.

* ''[[Farscape]]'':

'''D'Argo''': Well, the restaurant, it, uh, sort of burned down - I don't want to talk about it, it's a long story. }}

* Played with somewhat in ''[[Eureka]]'' where Sheriff Carter is stuck in a time-loop, but every time the loop resets the energy effect injures him. At first it's minor, but after one of the later resets he comes out of his bathroom covered in cuts and scratches and tells his daughter it's a long story and he'll explain later.

* In an episode of ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'', Arizona and Mark hem and haw about why they're with Callie on her ob/gyn visit, until:

'''Dr. Fields:''' Aaand everyone's a little wigged out. }}

* On the ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'' series finale, Peter rescues Sylar from a nightmare prison inside Sylar's head. When Parkman, who had put Sylar in the prison, demanded how they escaped, the two of them curtly reply that it's a long story.

* The scene in the ''[[Firefly]]'' episode "Heart of Gold" where Nandi kisses Mal, doubling as a [[Call Back]] to "Our Mrs. Reynolds":

'''Mal:''' Just waitin' to see if I pass out. Long story. }}

 

== [[Radio]] ==

* ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy|The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'', Fit the Eleventh:

'''Hurtenflirst:''' That's ''neat!'' }}

 

== [[Toys]] ==

* ''[[Bionicle]]'':

 

== [[Video Games]] ==

* Conker says this in at the intro to ''[[Conkers Bad Fur Day]]'', when he begins to explain to the viewer how he became a king and who all the strange people surrounding his throne are. The rest of the game takes place during the previous day.

* In ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]'', when the gang are in Christmastown, <s> Sandy Claws</s> [[Santa Claus]] asks [[Idiot Hero|Jack]] "What trouble did you bring ''this'' time?" Sora asks Jack about it, and Jack replies, "[[The Nightmare Before Christmas|It's a long story!]]"

 

== [[Web Comics]] ==

* Served with a bit of [[Lampshade Hanging]] in [http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff500/fv00431.htm this] strip from ''[[Freefall]].''

* In ''[[Schlock Mercenary]]'', after the battle with diamond beetles on the Princess Tyola:

'''Schlock''': Did I say long? I meant disturbing. }}

'''Agatha''': Robin's father slept around. }}

 

== [[Web Original]] ==

* This is how [[Bum Reviews|Chester A. Bum]] handwaves some of his more... ''esoteric'' claims.

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* In the episode "War Dawn" from ''[[The Transformers (animation)|The Transformers]]'' the Aerialbots go back in time and meet Optimus Prime nine million years in the past. When they return, Optimus remembers the incident. Ratchet asks what they're talking about, and Prime says, "Well, it all started about nine million years ago," prompting Ratchet to quip, "Oh great, it's gonna be one of those ''long'' stories..."

* In one ''[[Danger Mouse]]'' episode, Penfold basically turns his back for a moment and then sees that D.M. has escaped from the trap he was just in, and fixed their car as well. Penfold asks how he did it, and D.M. says, "I'll explain... later, Penfold." Penfold: "But how did you fix the car?" D.M.: [[Lampshade|"I'll explain later, Penfold!"]]

{{reflist}}

[[Category:This Index Happened Offscreen]]

[[Category:Stock Phrases]]