Dialogue Reversal

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    A character says something to another character, and the second character has some sort of snarky retort. Later on the second character says (or paraphrases) what the first character said, and the first character knows what to say back.

    A subtrope of Ironic Echo. See also Meaningful Echo.

    Examples of Dialogue Reversal include:

    Comic Books

    Rice Boy: "Are you following me?"
    Personage: "No. I am going where you are going."
    Rice Boy: "I see. Where will I go next?"
    Personage: "Into Skortch."

      • Later, lost in the mountains:

    Personage:"Are you following me?"
    Rice Boy: "No. I am going where you are going."
    Personage: "I see. Where will I go next?"
    Rice Boy: "To the home of Parod."

    Film

    Batman: Mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it.
    Catwoman: But a kiss can be even deadlier if you mean it.
    [Later out of costume]
    Selina Kyle: A kiss under the mistletoe. You know, mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it.
    Bruce Wayne: But a kiss can be even deadlier... if you mean it.
    [pregnant pause]
    Selina Kyle: Oh my God. Does this mean we have to start fighting?

    • Toy Story: Buzz thinks he can fly, but Woody calls it "falling with style." Then at the end, Buzz glides and saves Woody with spectacular style, and they switch up their roles.
      • Also, between the two Toy Story films, "You're not a [space ranger/collector's item], you're a child's plaything. You. Are. A. TOY!"
        • Between the second and third ones: "You have saved our lives, we are eternally grateful"
    • In Fern Gully there is this exchange.

    Batty: Are you sure?
    Zach: Positive.
    Batty: Only fools are positive.
    Zach: Are you sure?
    Batty: Positive. [beat] OOOH!! I fell for it!

    • In the film Take the Lead:

    "I've never seen anyone move like that."
    "I'm sure."

    • Don't forget the Back to The Future trilogy, where Doc is constantly confused by Marty's use of the term "heavy," while Doc is always exclaiming "Great Scott!" In the third film, when Marty realizes he could be shot by Buford Tannen instead of Doc, Marty instead exclaims "Great Scott!" and Doc falls right into place, saying the situation is "heavy."
    • In the made-for-TV movie El Diablo:

    "You shot him in the back!"
    "His back was to me."

    • Atlantis the Lost Empire has at the end Helga Sinclair and Lyle Rourke escaping in a hot air balloon with a priceless treasure they stole. In a bid to go faster, they start tossing stuff they don't need off the edge to decrease weight, and Lyle throws Helga off the balloon with the line "Nothing personal." She survives the fall, and with one last effort she takes a signal flare (or a hand cannon, but the former is more implied) and shoots a hole right in the balloon in revenge. "Nothing Personal."
    • How does the kitty cat go?
    • In The Princess Bride, during Inigo's duel with the Man in Black:

    Inigo: You are wonderful.
    Man in Black: Thank you; I've worked hard to become so.
    Inigo: I admit it, you are better than I am.
    Man in Black: Then why are you smiling?
    Inigo: Because I know something you don't know.
    Man in Black: And what is that?
    Inigo: I Am Not Left-Handed. *switches hands and gains an advantage*
    Man in Black: You are amazing.
    Inigo: I ought to be after 20 years.
    Man in Black: Oh, there's something I ought to tell you.
    Inigo: Tell me.
    Man in Black: I'm not left-handed either.

    Holmes: I must say, Watson, that sometimes you behave just like a child.
    Watson: And sometimes you behave just like an ass.

      • Later, Holmes injures his leg and yelps in pain when Watson touches it.

    Watson: Don't be a child, Holmes.
    Holmes: Don't be an ass!

    Literature

    • Appears in the Sword of Truth novel Stone of Tears between Richard and Sister Verna

    Live Action Television

    "Hammond will find us."
    "I'm confident."
    "Me too."
    "As am I."

    Theatre

    ("I'll Know")
    Sky (sings): Mine I leave to chance and chemistry.
    Sarah (spoken): Chemistry?
    Sky (spoken): Yeah, chemistry.
    ("If I Were A Bell")
    Sarah (sings): Ask me how do I feel, from this chemistry lesson I'm learning...
    Sky (spoken): Chemistry?
    Sarah (spoken): Yeah, chemistry.

    Video Games

    • In Mass Effect 2, when Shepard finds out Cerberus has revived him/her, s/he can respond "I don't care what they did, or what you say, I am not working with terrorists," which is marked 'I'll never work for Cerberus!' on the dialogue wheel. Shepard quickly discovers that, like it or not, Cerberus is the only group trying to find out why human colonies are disappearing. Eventually, Shepard meets up with one of his/her crew, who is thoroughly disturbed at Shepard's new employer. If you ask them to come with you, they say, "I'll never work for Cerberus!"
    • Happens in Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World with the whole "Light frog"/"Nazdrovie" thing.
    • In Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker, when Kaz informs Snake that Amanda is demanding to fight despite needing crutches:

    Big Boss: If that’s what she wants, let her go.
    Kazuhira: I’m really not in the mood for jokes, Snake.
    Big Boss: I’m serious. Let her go.
    Kazuhira: Why? So she can come back in a body bag?
    Big Boss: (Beat) I’m really not in the mood for jokes, Kaz...

    Western Animation

    Silverbolt / Blackarachnia : "Are you damaged?"
    Blackarachnia / Silverbolt : "Just enough to make me...interesting."

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