History Main / BerserkButton

[-[[caption-width-right:330:"[[ComicalOverreacting Who are you calling so short that he drowned when he stepped into the creek]]?!"]]-]

If a person seems to get angry over anything and everything, they have a HairTriggerTemper. For the negative effects of hitting the Berserk Button, see YouWouldntLikeMeWhenImAngry. For the trope's opposite, see KindnessButton. See also TraumaButton. Compare and contrast RantInducingSlight and RageBreakingPoint, where it's a series of events that causes them to no longer be able to hold back anymore. If a person gets angry that other people aren't taking a (very unimportant) thing seriously, see SeriousBusiness.

[[quoteright:330:[[Anime/FullmetalAlchemistBrotherhood http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/berserk_button_FMA_3_3156.png]]]]

In short, some characters almost always get enraged when given a certain trigger.

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

[[BewareTheNiceOnes But then you make a mistake]]. You happen to mention in passing what you think is a fairly innocuous observation, maybe pointing out that they could stand to lose a little weight, or is [[HeightAngst a little on the short side]], or maybe could use a girlfriend or boyfriend, 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.

You have just pressed the Berserk Button.

The Berserk Button is one type of UsefulNotes/{{Trigger}}, where the response is one of extreme anger. That is, engaging the trigger turns an ordinary character into TheBerserker.

In comedic works, the Berserk Button tends to be a physical feature that the character is insecure or in denial about, like their {{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 their 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]].

[[folder:Mythology and Religion]]
* Literature/TheFourGospels see [[UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} Christ]] advocate for love for enemies repeatedly, but Christ's love can be tough, as seen when he finds Pharisees making a marketplace out of God's temple. Christ is furious at the worship of money, the selfishness of the Pharisses, and most of all, their hypocrisy for doing this while claiming the moral high ground. The messiah proceeds to flips the tables in the Temple and chases the Pharisees from the Temple.
-->''"My house shall be a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves."''
[[/folder]]

'''This trope is not about anger in response to something that would reasonably enrage someone, like being hurt or threatened, having a loved one hurt or threatened, being seriously insulted and disrespected, etc -- anger in those situations is a reasonable response. ([[DisproportionateRetribution Extreme reactions to minor provocations]] may still qualify, however.) Also, Berserk Button does not apply if the worst that happens is if the character scowls or frowns at the provocation. It's "''Berserk'' Button", not "Mildly Put Out Button".''' If you see such an example on the page, or were link here by such an example, '''please remove it'''.

->''"My house shall be a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves."''

If a person seems to get angry over anything and everything, they have a HairTriggerTemper. For the negative effects of hitting the Berserk Button, see YouWouldntLikeMeWhenImAngry. For the trope's opposite, see KindnessButton. See also TraumaButton. Compare and contrast RantInducingSlight and RageBreakingPoint, where it's a series of events that causes them to no longer be able to hold back anymore.

In short, some characters almost always get enraged when given a certain {{trigger}}.

[[quoteright:330:[[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/berserk_button_FMA_3_3156.png]]]]

'''This trope is not about anger in response to something that would reasonably enrage someone, like a loved one being hurt or threatened, being personally insulted, or otherwise treated in a way that's disrespecting, because that is a reasonable response. Also, Berserk Button does not apply if the worst that happens is if the character scowls or frowns at the provocation. It's "''Berserk'' Button", not "Mildly Put Out Button".''' If you see such an example on the page, or were link here by such an example, '''please remove it'''.

'''This trope is not about anger in response to something that would reasonably enrage someone, like a loved one being hurt or threatened, being personally insulted, or otherwise treated in a way that's disrespecting, because that is a reasonable response. Also, BerserkButton does not apply if the worst that happens is if the character scowls or frowns at the provocation. It's "''Berserk'' Button", not "Mildly Put Out Button".''' If you see such an example on the page, or were link here by such an example, '''please remove it'''.

In short, some characters almost always get enraged when given a certain trigger.

In dramatic works, the Berserk Button is often tied to something important about a character; a particularly hated enemy, or a painful failure that hits too CloseToHome. Insulting the memory of a dead family member, for example, or pitying someone who insists "DontYouDarePityMe." If you're unfortunate enough to hit someone's Berserk Button in a dramatic work, being on the receiving end of a rant is the ''very'' least of your worries depending on the situation and the character.

'''This trope is not about anger in response to something that would reasonably enrage someone, like a loved one being hurt or threatened, being personally insulted, or otherwise treated in a way that's disrespecting, because that is a reasonable response. Also, BerserkButton does not apply if the worst that happens is if the character scowls or frowns at the provocation. It's "''Berserk'' Button", not "Mildly Put Out Button"''' If you see such an example on the page, or were link here by such an example, '''please remove it'''.

'''This trope is not about anger in response to something that would reasonably enrage someone, like a loved one being hurt or threatened, being personally insulted, or otherwise treated in a way that's disrespecting, because that is a reasonable response.''' If you see such an example on the page, or were link here by such an example, '''please remove it'''.

If a person seems to get angry over anything and everything, they have a HairTriggerTemper. For the trope's opposite, see KindnessButton. See also TraumaButton. Compare and contrast RantInducingSlight and RageBreakingPoint, where it's a series of events that causes them to no longer be able to hold back anymore.

'''This trope is not about anger in response to a loved one being hurt or threatened, because that is a reasonable response.'''

In dramatic works, the Berserk Button is often tied to something important about a character; a particularly hated enemy, or a painful failure that hits too CloseToHome. Insulting the memory of a dead family member, for example, or pitying someone who insists "DontYouDarePityMe." Many characters, particularly heroes, have a Berserk Button over someone messing with or threatening [[{{Protectorate}} people they care about]]. If you're unfortunate enough to hit someone's Berserk Button in a dramatic work, being on the receiving end of a rant is the ''very'' least of your worries depending on the situation and the character.

->''Anyone who calls me by that name dies. That is the policy.''
-->--'''Touko Aozaki''', ''LightNovel/KaraNoKyoukai''

But then you make a mistake. You happen to mention in passing what you think is a fairly innocuous observation, maybe pointing out that they could stand to lose a little weight, or is [[HeightAngst a little on the short side]], or maybe could use a girlfriend or boyfriend, 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.

* BerserkButton/RealLife

->''"Anyone who calls me by that name dies. That is the policy."''
-->-- '''Touko Aozaki''', ''LightNovel/KaraNoKyoukai''

Say you're dealing with a character who seems perfectly normal. They're a [[NiceGuy nice person]]; 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.

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