History Main / BrokenLeverOfDoom

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "SB-129", Squidward panics while using his TimeMachine to escape from the prehistoric age and snaps the lever indicating the "Past" and "Future" options. Once the machine goes haywire, he suddenly ends up finding himself in [[BlankWhiteVoid an endless white void]], seemingly [[TimeCrash divorced from time and space as he knows it.]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "SB-129", Squidward panics while using his TimeMachine to escape from the prehistoric age and snaps the lever indicating the "Past" and "Future" options. Once the machine goes haywire, he suddenly ends up finding himself in [[WhiteVoidRoom an endless white void]], seemingly [[TimeCrash divorced from time and space as he knows it.]]

-->-- ''Film/{{Armageddon}}''

* In ''Film/{{Armageddon}}'', while aboard the Russian space station AJ is told to keep an eye on the fuel pressure and pull a lever if it gets too strong. When the pressure spikes, AJ tries to pull the lever and has it snap off in his hand. Cue StuffBlowingUp.

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/{{Incredibles 2}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/incredibles_lever.png]]]]

%%[[folder:Anime]]
%%* James of TeamRocket accidentally breaks the brake lever in the ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries episode "The Island of the Giant Pokémon".

-->'''Max:''' You should have put the brake on!
-->'''Goofy:''' Why don't you just put it on yourself?!
-->''(he pulls on the shift and removes it)''
-->'''Max:''' See? You ruin ''everything''.

* In the black comedy ''Film/UndertakingBetty'', Creator/ChristopherWalken's character is a progressive funeral director arranging for a Star Trek-themed funeral. But HilarityEnsues when a machine that is supposed to lift the coffin a couple of feet up goes out of control after its lever breaks off resulting in the coffin breaking through the churches' ceiling. Watch the scene [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r7EmZNQ10E&t=179 here]].
* In the HorrorComedy remake ''Film/LittleShopOfHorrors'', the sadist dentist Orin Scrivello puts on a gas mask that allows him to take in large amounts of laughing gas from tanks on his back. After a while he wants to take off the mask but accidentally breaks the valve controlling the flow of gas, and he slowly begins to asphyxiate. Watch the scene [[https://youtu.be/DsqN83TxsAE?t=143 here]].
* ''Film/SpiderMan2'': During the train scene, Doc Ock hijacks the train, then pushes the gear lever up until it breaks, so that no one can stop the train easily. Spider-Man has to resort to [[TrainStopping physically stop the speeding train with his powers]].

* ''WesternAnimation/PontoffelPockWhereAreYou'': On his first day working at a pickle factory, Pontoffel blows it by [[EpicFail pushing on the pullem and pulling on the pushum]]. By pulling, he ends up breaking the lever off the pushum, causing everything to go haywire. This also results in him getting instantly fired.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' episode "SB-129", Squidward panics while using his TimeMachine to escape from the prehistoric age and snaps the lever indicating the "Past" and "Future" options. Once the machine goes haywire, he suddenly ends up finding himself in [[WhiteVoidRoom an endless white void]], seemingly [[TimeCrash divorced from time and space as he knows it.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/AGoofyMovie'': While Goofy and Max try to stop their runaway car, arguing all the while, Goofy accidentally pulls out the shifter when he tries to stop it.

-->''(he pulls on the shifter and removes it)

* ''Literature/TheFamousFive'': In ''Five on Kirrin Island Again'', the villains set up Uncle Quentin's equipment to cause a massive explosion, and have altered the mechanism to the dungeon entrance so that it cannot be opened from the inside.

* The Honey Nut Cheerios ad [[https://youtu.be/lVGR_PrYDNU "Honeyway Train"]] has Buzz encounter a broken brake lever on a runaway train. He uses his honey dipper as a substitute handle to stop the RunawayTrain.

* The Honey Nut Cheerios ad [[https://youtu.be/lVGR_PrYDNU "Honeyway Train"]] has Buzz encounter a broken brake lever on a runaway train. He uses his honey dipper as a substitute handle to stop the train.

Someone breaks a lever, so whatever was controlled by it can't be turned off and it goes into overdrive. The culprit and/or witnesses will usually react with OhCrap Usually PlayedForLaughs as we watch the character trying to stop the runaway machine from wreaking havoc. This task is harder with NoOffButton. Sometimes someone who DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength will break at least one lever.

-->--''Film/{{Armageddon}}''

* Happens in ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2'', when Mr. Incredible tries to stop the Underminer. They have a struggle inside the Tunneler vehicle during which Mr. Incredible throws the Underminer on a control panel, bending a lever in the process. When Mr. Incredible later tries to stop the vehicle by pulling the lever, it breaks off and he watches helplessly as the machine digs its way up to the surface where it causes extensive collateral damage to the city before it can stopped by a concentrated efforts of the superheroes. Watch the lever breaking [[https://youtu.be/3FblaeYxj6o?t=109 here]].

* In the black comedy ''Film/UndertakingBetty'', Creator/ChristopherWalken's character is an progressive funeral director arranging for a Star Trek-themed funeral. But HilarityEnsues when a machine that is supposed to lift the coffin a couple of feet up goes out of control after its lever breaks off resulting in the coffin breaking through the churches' ceiling. Watch the scene [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r7EmZNQ10E&t=179 here]].

* Happens in ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2'', when Mr. Incredible tries to stop the Underminer. They have a struggle inside the Tunneler vehicle during which Mr. Incredible throws the Underminer on a control panel, bending a lever in the process. When Mr. Incredible later tries to stop the vehicle by pulling the lever, it breaks off and he watches helplessly as the machine digs its way up to the surface where it causes extensive collateral damage to the city before it can stopped by a concerted efforts of the superheroes. Watch the lever breaking [[https://youtu.be/3FblaeYxj6o?t=109 here]].

->'''Lev:''' Pull the lever!^^

->'''Lev''': Pull the lever!
->'''AJ''': ''(waving it in his face)'' THIS IS THE LEVER!!!

[[AC: Films -- Animated]]
* Happens in ''WesternAnimation/{{Incredibles 2}}'', when Mr. Incredible tries to stop the Underminer. They have a struggle inside the Tunneler vehicle during which Mr. Incredible throws the Underminer on a control panel, bending a lever in the process. When Mr. Incredible later tries to stop the vehicle by pulling the lever, it breaks off and he watches helplessly as the machine digs its way up to the surface where it causes extensive collateral damage to the city before it can stopped by a concerted efforts of the superheroes. Watch the lever breaking [[https://youtu.be/3FblaeYxj6o?t=109 here]].

[[AC: Films -- Live-Action]]

-->'''Lev''': Pull the lever!
-->'''AJ''': ''(waving it in his face)'' THIS IS THE LEVER!!!

[[AC: Live-Action TV]]

[[AC:Video Games]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Textbook example of OhCrap.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:It was at this moment that Mr. Incredible knew: he fucked up.]]

* Happens in ''WesternAnimation/{{Incredibles 2}}'', when Mr. Incredible tries to stop the Underminer. They have a struggle inside the Tunneler vehicle during which Mr. Incredible throws the Underminer on a control panel, bending a level in the process. When Mr. Incredible later tries to stop the vehicle by pulling the level, it breaks off and he watches helplessly as the machine digs its way up to the surface where it causes extensive collateral damage to the city before it can stopped by a concerted efforts of the superheroes. Watch the lever breaking [[https://youtu.be/3FblaeYxj6o?t=109 here]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePerilsOfPenelopePitstop'' episode "The Diabolical Department Store Danger", the elevator brake lever snaps when Penelope pulls it.

Someone breaks a lever, so whatever was controlled by it can't be turned off and it goes into overdrive. The culprit and/or witnesses will usually react with OhCrap Usually PlayedForLaughs as we watch the character trying to stop the runaway machine from wrecking havoc. This task is harder with NoOffButton. Sometimes someone who DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength will break at least one lever.

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Indexes:
* BreakingAndDestructionTropes
* DoomyDoomsOfDoom