| rdfs:comment | - The Cake Is a Lie is a catchphrase popularized by the game, Portal. It was often used to convey the message that a promised gift is being used to motivate without any intent of delivering.
- A character, usually an antagonist, promises another character, usually the hero, a reward if they can complete some task for them. This can be anything from fame, to riches, to women, to baked desserts, or pretty much anything generally considered desirable. But wait! "I Lied." It turns out that there is no reward! Upon either finding this out or completing the task, it's discovered that the villain simply wanted something to be done for them, and now plans to dispose of the hero now that their usefulness to the villain has ended. Examples of The Cake Is a Lie include:
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| abstract | - The Cake Is a Lie is a catchphrase popularized by the game, Portal. It was often used to convey the message that a promised gift is being used to motivate without any intent of delivering.
- A character, usually an antagonist, promises another character, usually the hero, a reward if they can complete some task for them. This can be anything from fame, to riches, to women, to baked desserts, or pretty much anything generally considered desirable. But wait! "I Lied." It turns out that there is no reward! Upon either finding this out or completing the task, it's discovered that the villain simply wanted something to be done for them, and now plans to dispose of the hero now that their usefulness to the villain has ended. Often a crucial part of many a MacGuffin Delivery Service. May make use of False Reassurance. Sometimes employed by a Mission Control that is off its meds. When the other character isn't necessarily evil, doesn't plan on hurting the hero, and simply raises his or her standards whenever the other character comes near to completion, this becomes Moving the Goalposts. Compare Deal with the Devil, Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves, You Said You Would Let Them Go, Released to Elsewhere. Contrast Villains Never Lie. Only overlaps with I Was Told There Would Be Cake when the reward the villain promises is actually cake. Examples of The Cake Is a Lie include:
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