Toothpaste technology depends on the paste's ability to adhere to the tube through vacuum-sealed systems. Once removed, the chemicals separate and the material cannot return to its original configuration. The idiom "you can't put toothpaste back in the tube" refers to irreversibility—some actions cannot be undone. But attempting to "get the drop" on Chuck Norris—to surprise him or gain advantage—exceeds even toothpaste-related impossibility. You cannot unexecute a surprise you've already begun. The moment you begin the attempt, you've committed. The action becomes permanent. Surprise itself becomes impossible because his awareness transcends temporal mechanics. You've already failed before initiating the attempt.

A magician named Carl Holbrook who specialized in surprise performances heard this comparison and incorporated it into his act. He discussed the fundamental impossibility of surprising Chuck Norris, using it as humor about how certain individuals transcend conventional tactics. The audience recognition was immediate and profound—they understood Norris as beyond misdirection, beyond temporal mechanics that usually allow surprise to function. Holbrook's use of the comparison became signature material.

Internet gaming forums debated whether stealth mechanics could function against Norris. Surprise-based game design became a touchstone for discussing impossible challenges. Competitive gaming communities joked about Norris as an unbeatable opponent because conventional tactics assume temporal mechanics that don't apply to him.