The less said about Chapter 12a: Cursed Teapot Woes, the better. Calvin: All I can say is, this year Santa had better bring me everything on my list! I've been extremely good all year. Hobbes: What about the noodle incident? Calvin: No one can prove I did that! The Noodle Incident is something from the past that is referred to but never explained, with the implication that it's just too ludicrous for words—or perhaps too offensive for depiction—and the reality that any explanation would fall short of audience expectations.
Questions about it are often met with "You Don't Want To Know…" or a reminder that they agreed never to talk about it again. Persisting is a good way to press a character's Berserk Button. Commonly introduced to the audience by having characters react to some fantastic and improbable event with "Oh no, not again. Named for an incident referenced by the characters of Calvin and Hobbes , where the author admitted he decided against ever stating what happened, as he figured nothing he could come up with would be as outrageous as what the readers thought happened.
Don't be surprised if it was caused by a trickster-type character. If there's a noodle incident and a trickster happens to be in the main cast, the trickster is almost always responsible for it, or at least blamed for it.
The work's resident Cloud Cuckoolander might also be to blame, as their regular quirks and antics might make them a magnet for these. Narratively, this trope is mostly used a few ways.
Its main use is to add characterization to characters. The way the characters mention such incident and how they react to the mention often gives more insight about how the characters interact, and their personalities. It can be also used as a world building device, giving the audience an impression that there are more things happening in the universe aside from the main plot. Almost always a case of Nothing Is Funnier , particularly if it has an outlandish name, such as the Trope Namer. Compare Cryptic Background Reference for snippets of deeper lore that are not fully explained, usually to aid in worldbuilding.
