History Main / BerserkButton

If a person seems to have a long list of Berserk Buttons, they have a HairTriggerTemper. For the trope's opposite, see KindnessButton. See also TraumaButton. Compare and contrast RageBreakingPoint, where a character snaps either over a legitimate reason, or a series of events that causes them to no longer be able to hold back anymore.

Compare and contrast RageBreakingPoint, where a character snaps either over a legitimate reason, or a series of events that causes them to no longer be able to hold back anymore.

If a person seems to have a long list of Berserk Buttons, they have a HairTriggerTemper. For the trope's opposite, see KindnessButton. See also TraumaButton.

Say you're dealing with a character who seems perfectly normal. They're a [[NiceGuy nice persone]]; friendly, sociable, and well-adjusted, saving stray kittens and helping old ladies cross the street on the way to thier day job of working at a soup kitchen.

Say you're dealing with a character who seems perfectly normal. He's a {{nice guy}}; friendly, sociable, and well-adjusted, saving stray kittens and helping old ladies cross the street on the way to his day job of working at a soup kitchen.

But then you make a mistake. You happen to mention in passing what you think is a fairly innocuous observation, maybe pointing out that he could stand to lose a little weight, or is [[HeightAngst a little on the short side]], or maybe could use a girlfriend, or you do something that you think is no big deal in their presence, like question WhoNamesTheirKidDude. And the character instantly goes ''ballistic'', flying into a screaming, frothing, sometimes [[BerserkerTears tearful]] UnstoppableRage, from which you will be lucky to escape with your life.

In comedic works, the Berserk Button tends to be a physical feature that the character is insecure or in denial about, like his {{height|Angst}}. Animals also don't seem to like having their [[IAmNotWeasel species misidentified]]. Comedic Berserk Buttons are often used to make an otherwise unflappable character lose his or her cool and go off on a hilarious rant. In cartoons, you can usually tell when a Berserk Button has been hit when the character who has it turns bright red and [[BurningWithAnger steam starts shooting out their ears]].

But then you make a mistake. You happen to mention in passing what you think is a fairly innocuous observation, maybe pointing out that he could stand to lose a little weight, or is [[TheNapoleon a little on the short side]], or maybe could use a girlfriend, or you do something that you think is no big deal in their presence, like question WhoNamesTheirKidDude. And the character instantly goes ''ballistic'', flying into a screaming, frothing, sometimes [[BerserkerTears tearful]] UnstoppableRage, from which you will be lucky to escape with your life.

In comedic works, the Berserk Button tends to be a physical feature that the character is insecure or in denial about, like his [[TheNapoleon height]]. Animals also don't seem to like having their [[IAmNotWeasel species misidentified]]. Comedic Berserk Buttons are often used to make an otherwise unflappable character lose his or her cool and go off on a hilarious rant. In cartoons, you can usually tell when a Berserk Button has been hit when the character who has it turns bright red and [[BurningWithAnger steam starts shooting out their ears]].

If a person seems to have a long list of [[BerserkButton Berserk Buttons]], they have a HairTriggerTemper. For the trope's opposite, see KindnessButton. See also TraumaButton.

If a person seems to have a long list of [[BerserkButton Berserk Buttons]], they have a HairTriggerTemper. For the trope's opposite, see KindnessButton.

[[SelfDemonstratingArticle What's that? You mean to say someone just put in]] '''''[[Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE?!]]''''' [[SelfDemonstratingArticle WHOEVER IT WAS, HE'S GOING DOWN!]]

If nearly everything seems to be a person's Berserk Button, they have a HairTriggerTemper. For the trope's opposite, see KindnessButton.

** BerserkButton/EdEddNEddy

->''"[[DoNotCallMePaul Anyone who calls me by that name dies]]. That is the policy."''

** BerserkButton/BlazBlue

** BerserkButton/{{Ed Edd N Eddy}}
** BerserkButton/{{The Simpsons}}

** BerserkButton/{{Bleach}}
** BerserkButton/DogsBulletsAndCarnage
** BerserkButton/DragonBall
** BerserkButton/FullmetalAlchemist
** BerserkButton/{{Naruto}}
** BerserkButton/NeonGenesisEvangelion
** BerserkButton/OnePiece
** BerserkButton/{{Pokemon}}

''[[DescribeTopicHere Describe Berserk Button Here, unless describing tropes always pisses you off.]]''

The Berserk Button is one type of UsefulNotes/{{Trigger}}, where the response is one of extreme anger.

If nearly everything seems to be a person's BerserkButton, they have a HairTriggerTemper. For the trope's opposite, see KindnessButton.

[[SelfDemonstratingArticle What's that? You mean to say someone just put in]] '''''[[Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE!?!?!?]]''''' [[SelfDemonstratingArticle WHOEVER IT WAS, HE'S GOING DOWN!]]

''[[DescribeTopicHere Describe Berserk Button Here.]]''

''How '''dare''' you say the word "here"! I HATE IT when people say that word! I'm gonna kick your ass!''

[[SelfDemonstratingArticle What's that? You mean to say someone just put in]] '''''[[NoRealLifeExamplesPlease A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE!?!?!?]]''''' [[SelfDemonstratingArticle WHOEVER IT WAS, HE'S GOING DOWN!]]

[[SelfDemonstratingArticle What's that? He WHAT!?!?!?]] [[NoRealLifeExamplesPlease You mean to say he put in a REAL LIFE EXAMPLE!?!?!?]]

Here are some related tropes:
* AngerBornOfWorry: What makes a character angry is when another character has put himself into danger, just before crying about how much they're glad they aren't hurt.
* AppleOfDiscord: Someone uses a Berserk Button to cause division among a group of friends.
* TheBerserker: What you get when you push the Button. (TropeNamer.)
* BerserkerTears: What the pissed-off character may very well cry as he or she is handing you your ass.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Trying to [[BreakTheCutie break a cutie]] sometimes causes them to ''snap'' instead.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Don't mess with this character's little brother or sister (or anyone who would represent such).
* BullyHunter: Bullying sets this character off in a big way.
* CantTakeCriticism: This character hates it when you point out his/her mistakes, especially if it's in a harsh manner.
* ComicalOverreacting: The common result of hitting a Berserk Button in comedy.
* ComplimentBackfire: Some characters react with utmost anger when others say nice things about them, especially if they take them as an insult.
* ConflictBall: Why's he so angry about ''that'' all of a sudden? No reason; we just needed some conflict in this plot.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: You thought the person was harmless, didn't you? You shouldn't have pissed him off.
* DeathGlare: If a character is giving you an unsettling stare, then that means you've pressed his Berserk Button.
* DontSaySuchStupidThings: Putting yourself down can make the character enraged to the point of [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan physically attacking you to get you out of your cynicism]].
* DontYouDarePityMe: Sometimes, characters don't take kindly of being pitied by others.
* DrivenByEnvy: Some characters will NOT take it well when [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter someone else surpasses them]] in various talents.
* EnragedByIdiocy: Nothing pisses off some characters worse than someone saying or doing something stupid.
* FandomBerserkButton: A misconception about a particular work enrages all its fans.
* FelonyMisdemeanor: Characters will get angry if someone does something they see as heinous, although it really isn't that much of a big deal.
* FlameBait / FlameWar: There are some things [[BanOnPolitics you just can't even mention]] without igniting an InternetBackdraft.
* HatesBeingTouched: This character will get angry if you touch him.
* HowDareYouDieOnMe: What makes a character angry is when another character dies in front of them.
* InsultedAwake: When getting someone angry is the only way to snap them out of something.
* InternetBackdraft: What happens when you push an online community's Berserk Button.
* ItsPersonal: You've hurt someone a character cares about, and now he or she has a bit of extra incentive in hunting you down and making you pay.
* LawOfDisproportionateResponse: Berserk Buttons have a tendency to be rather minor in comedy, and the response to them to be rather extreme.
* [[LetsGetDangerous Let's Get Dangerous]]: You thought that normal guy wouldn't be a threat if you pissed them off? Think again.
* MamaBear and PapaWolf: Don't mess with their kids if you know what's good for you!
* MinorInjuryOverreaction: Some characters are set off by injuries to their person that aren't really that severe. This is ''especially'' common with vain and narcissistic characters who will fly off the handle if they receive a cut on the face or some other form of marring to their "perfect" features.
* MinorInsultMeltdown: When a character is hurt more than the person who snapped at them really intended to with their choice of words, often brought on by this.
* TheNapoleon: It's not polite to mock this character's short stature.
* NobodyCallsMeChicken: This character really does not like having his courage called into question.
* NotGoodWithRejection: If this character is in love with you, it's not a good idea to tell him/her that you're not romantically interested.
** IfICantHaveYou: Especially if he or she would rather see you dead than with anyone else but them.
* PervertRevengeMode: Looking at women in a perverted manner is not a good thing whatsoever. Especially if the woman is a {{Tsundere}}.
* RageBreakingPoint: Sometimes, there's only so much a character can take before going ballistic.
** RantInducingSlight: And, sometimes, something relatively minor will be that thing that sets the character over the edge.
* SeriousBusiness: Sometimes, a character will get angry at those who don't take a certain activity seriously like he does.
* SingleIssueWonk: Some characters will not let go of a certain issue that pisses them off to no end.
* ThisIsUnforgivable: When somebody does something that pisses the character off in a certain way, s/he lets them know of this in no uncertain terms that this is [[MoralEventHorizon beyond redemption]] and/or even vows to make them pay for what they've done.
* TranquilFury: It looks as though you didn't press this character's Berserk Button. ''You have''.
* {{Tsundere}}: Type B variant: The character is nice unless if you do something that will get them pissed in the slightest way possible.
* UnstoppableRage: Once the Berserk Button is pushed, there's no off switch.
* ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend: She's quite devoted to her boyfriend/girlfriend and if any harm comes to them, she ''will'' make you regret it.
* WifeBasherBasher: Do not beat on women around this guy. You WILL regret it.
* WomanScorned: If you're this woman's boyfriend (or girlfriend), doing her wrong is a ''very'' bad idea.

A TriggerPhrase can produce externally similar results if a seemingly innocent word or phrase makes the character go berserk. The key difference is that a BerserkButton is a personality trait, often with a specific HollywoodPsych cause, while a TriggerPhrase is a result of hypnotism, brain programming or another kind of MindControl.

For a villainous character, pressing his/her BerserkButton once, twice, or especially way too many times, can result in a murderous fit of rage - in simple words, a VillainousBreakdown.

If nearly everything seems to be a person's BerserkButton, they have a HairTriggerTemper. A MotivationalLie may involve pushing this intentionally in order to produce UnstoppableRage. For the trope's opposite, see KindnessButton.

!!Examples of where Berserk Button shows up:

* BerserkButton/RealLife