History Main / CowerPower

* The book and movie of ''Literature/TheDeadZone'' use this to let the world know its villain is a bad man. Or at least this is what ruins him. [[RuleOfPerception We, the readers/audience]], know from early on that the bad guy is really bad. But this is what [[spoiler:destroys his image to the [in-story] public. We mean, '''NO ONE''' would vote for someone for president of the USA who used ''[[EatsBabies a baby]]'' to shield himself from an assassin]].

* ''WebComic/AxisPowersHetalia'': [[ShrinkingViolet Poland]] does this after trying to tell off [[FaceOfAThug Sweden]].

* In ''WebVideo/DeathNoteTheAbridgedSeriesKpts4tv Death Note: The Abridged Series (kpts4tv)'', Near after Mello kills most of his agents:

* In ''Literature/ABoyMadeOfBlocks'', Alex is shy around his aunt Emma and hides behind Jody's legs. He warms to her after she gives him a bag of toy airplanes.

* Crane does this in ''Film/SleepyHollow'' when he approaches a particularly creepy hovel, using Young Masbeth as a shield and aiming his pistol over the boy's shoulder.

* ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' has a hilarious moment in the fourth season where Sheppard and [=McKay=] are rewarded with a portrait that features them and a young princess who they'd just saved from the Genii and her treacherous older sister. Sheppard, who the princess grew to dislike, is depicted cowering fearfully behind the little girl, while Rodney stands out front firing his gun and (presumably) letting out a war cry. [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Very amusing]].

-->-- '''Mega Man''', ''WebComic/BobAndGeorge''

[[folder:Pinball]]

* In ''WebVideo/DeathNoteTheAbridgedSeriesKpts4tv Death Note: The Abridged Series (kpts4tv)'', Near after Mello kills most of his agents:
-->'''Near:''' [[EverybodysDeadDave Light, everyone's dead... at my Clubhouse, everyone's dead.]]\\
'''Light:''' What do you expect me to do about it?\\
'''Near:''' I need an adult.\\
'''Light:''' I'm hanging up now.

* A parody cover for the sci-fi magazine ''Andromedea Spaceways'' had an astronaut cowering in fear behind a raygun-wielding babe in a gold bikini who was fearlessly fending off a tentacled monster.

* ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' has Wimpod, a wimpy little isopod and its special ability "Wimp Out" where "The Pokémon cowardly switches out when its HP becomes half or less" and lets one of its stronger teammates take the heat for it. Wimpods's evolution, Golisopod, a massive samurai isopod, [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial does not "Wimp Out"]]. Rather it makes a [[TacticalWithdrawal "Emergency Exit"]] when its [[HypocriticalHumor HP becomes half or less]].

* ''Manga/DetectiveConan's'' Ai Haibara fulfills the DistressedDamsel version of this trope. She can often sense the presence of a member of the Organization close by. When she gets this feeling she will frequenly cling to and hide behind the closest person available. This is most often Conan and Professor Agasa, but have on occasion also been Ran or Mitsuhiko.
* ''WebComic/AxisPowersHetalia'': [[ShrinkingViolet Poland]] does this after trying to tell off [[FaceOfAThug Sweden]].

* In ''WebVideo/DeathNoteTheAbridgedSeriesKpts4tv Death Note: The Abridged Series (kpts4tv)'', Near after Mello kills most of his agents:
-->'''Near:''' [[EverybodysDeadDave Light, everyone's dead... at my Clubhouse, everyone's dead.]]\\
'''Light:''' What do you expect me to do about it?\\
'''Near:''' I need an adult.\\
'''Light:''' I'm hanging up now.

* In Creator/RobertEHoward's ''Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian'' story "Literature/ThePoolOfTheBlackOne" Sancha grovels after being thrown to the ground.
* In the second book of the ''Literature/{{Gone}}'' series, Hunter cowers behind Astrid, who is protecting him from Zil's lynch mob.

* A parody cover for the sci-fi magazine ''Andromedea Spaceways'' had an astronaut cowering in fear behind a raygun-wielding babe in a gold bikini who was fearlessly fending off a tentacled monster.

* Doctor Smith from ''Series/LostInSpace'' would cower behind Will Robinson ''at least'' {{once an episode}}. Sometimes the Robot, for variety.
* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'s'' River Tam does this occasionally, because the mental trauma she suffered, her uncontrolled PsychicPowers, and her inability to control her own emotions render her unable to handle the terror she feels when threatened.
* ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' has a hilarious moment in the fourth season where Sheppard and [=McKay=] are rewarded with a portrait that features them and a young princess who they'd just saved from the Genii and her treacherous older sister. Sheppard, who the princess grew to dislike, is depicted cowering fearfully behind the little girl, while Rodney stands out front firing his gun and (presumably) letting out a war cry. [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Very amusing]].

[[folder:Pinballs]]

* Natalya does this with James Bond on the ''Pinball/GoldenEye'' playfield.

* A calling card of Wrestling/TheMidnightExpress and Wrestling/JimCornette. It's one of the leading reasons why fans thought the latter was gay.

* The Best Friends Chuck Taylor and Trent Barreta did so multiple times during the Global Force Wrestling debut against the Tate Twins.

* ''VideoGame/AmnesiaTheDarkDescent'' has this trope as the player's only means of defense. You are given no weapons of any kind and any time you're attacked, the only thing you can do is run and hide in the dark, usually behind crates, until the monster gets bored and leaves.
* From one standpoint, '''any''' StealthBasedGame or game with a StealthBasedMission could be seen as utilizing this. You need to hide from enemies, often by crouching in dark corners, because you can't take them on. Certain Horror-genre games will have the character give indications that they're afraid, like Amnesia listed above, or ''VideoGame/CallOfCthulhuDarkCornersOfTheEarth''.
* In the online game ''Sissyfight'', cowering protects you from the first Scratch or Grab move or from any damage from a Tattle, but cannot protect you from a successful Tease. While the game's rules are such that the goal is to survive rather than do as much damage as possible to your enemies, "cowerbotting" is frowned on.
* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', during the Spirit Kings encounter, Meng the Demented, during his Cowardice phase, runs away from players while reflecting damage onto them. He still periodically uses his Maddening Shout ability, though. Lei Shi, a water spirit corrupted by the Sha of Fear, will hide at certain points, and must be forced out into the open through area of effect damage.

-->'''MadScientist:''' It's the spy! [hides behind SS officer] You must protect me!
-->'''SS Officer:''' No, HerrDoktor, you are the one who will protect me! [throws him through the portal, only for scientist to come back as a mutant monster [[GoneHorriblyRight and kill him]]]
* In ''Videogame/SuperSmashBros Ultimate'', Peach's special move in which she uses Toad as a shield has been altered so that rather than holding him in front of her, she cowers behind him while he stands defiantly against the enemy.

* In ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'', VideoGame/{{Mega Man|Classic}} [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/001222c threatens Bob, then hides behind George]], saying he'll carry out the threat.

* PlayedForLaughs ''and'' played straight in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''; both examples feature teams of males hiding behind their female leader. In the humorous version, The Titans East hides behind Bumblebee when Control Freak drops in unexpectedly; the serious one features the H.I.V.E. five hiding behind Jinx in nervous anticipation for Madam Rouge's verbal abuse.
* Used in every ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' episode '''[[OncePerEpisode EVER]]'''
* Fluttershy's default reaction to anything unexpected in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''.

* In ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' 5th Edition, Kobold PCs get a racial special ability called ''Grovel, Cower, and Beg''. Once per fight, they can cower and grovel, distracting nearby enemies so that the Kobold's allies gain Advantage on any attacks made against them for a round.

* ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' has a hilarious moment in the fourth season where Sheppard and [=McKay=] are rewarded with a portrait that features them and a young princess who they'd just saved from the Genii and her treacherous older sister. Sheppard, who the princess grew to dislike, is depicted cowering fearfully behind the little girl, while Rodney stands out front firing his gun and (presumably) letting out a war cry. [[CrowningMomentOfFunny Very amusing]].

-->'''SS Officer:''' No, HerrDocktor, you are the one who will protect me! [throws him through the portal, only for scientist to come back as a mutant monster [[GoneHorriblyRight and kill him]]]

[[folder: Anime & Manga ]]

[[folder: Comic Books ]]
* Played with in volume 3 of ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim''. When [[ActionGirl Ramona]] is fighting against [[TheVamp Envy Adams]], she's only able to get a hit in when Envy is distracted by Wallace's [[IShallTauntYou taunts]]. Envy accuses Ramona of hiding behind Wallace, which she denies [[HypocriticalHumor while suddenly standing behind Wallace]] (who then runs off to the restroom while Ramona protests that she enjoys his company).

[[folder: Fan Fiction ]]

* ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero'': After Haruhi's reaction to Tsuruya's report on what she and Kyon did to disband a illegal photographic ring (which included sleeping with him and bathing together -- ItMakesSenseInContext), Mikuru automatically hides behind Tsuruya. [[OCStandIn Kanae]], noting that hiding behind Tsuruya isn't the best idea in this circumstances, decided not to follow this trope and only hide behind the table.

[[folder: Film ]]

* Crane does this in ''Film/SleepyHollow'' when he approaches a particularly creepy hovel, using Young Masbeth as a shield and aiming his pistol over the boy's shoulder.

[[folder: Literature ]]
* The book and movie of ''Literature/TheDeadZone'' use this to let the world know its villain is a bad man. Or at least this is what ruins him. [[RuleOfPerception We, the readers/audience]], know from early on that the bad guy is really bad. But this is what [[spoiler:destroys his image to the [in-story] public. I mean, '''NO ONE''' would vote for someone for president of the USA who used ''[[EatsBabies a baby]]'' to shield himself from an assassin]].

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

-->'''Xander''': Where'd you get that accent, ''Series/SesameStreet''? 1, 2, 3 victims, nyahaha!
-->'''Buffy''': Xander, I'm pretty sure that's {{Dracula}}.
-->'''Xander''' (jumping behind Buffy): Hey, sorry, man.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}''
** In the episode [[Recap/SupernaturalS02E21AllHellBreaksLoosePartOne "All Hell Breaks Loose, Part One" (S02, Ep21)]] when they find Lily's body, Ava covers mouth as if she is going to be sick, and Andy hugs his arms around himself. They both have trouble looking at the body. While Jake and Sam are unflinching and seem to stand taller.

[[folder: Pinball ]]

[[folder: Professional Wrestling ]]

[[folder: Stand Up Comedy ]]

* Rich Hall's ''Otis Lee Crenshaw'' character has a song called "Do Anything You Want To The Girl (Just Don't Hurt Me)".
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* In ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'', [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Porky/Pokey]] Minch does this as one of the many useless actions he's capable of performing in battle while accompanying Ness at the start of the game.
** ''VideoGame/{{Mother3}}:'' When traveling with [[TheWoobie Salsa]], [[JerkAss Fassad]] will occasionally do this in battle, despite the fact that (as an NPC) monsters don't target him anyway, ''and'' he's easily several times stronger than Salsa.

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* In ''WebComic/BobAndGeorge'', VideoGame/{{Mega Man|Classic}} [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/001222c threatens Bob, then hides behind George]], saying he'll carry out the threat.

[[folder: Web Original ]]

* In ''[[WebVideo/DeathNoteTheAbridgedSeriesKpts4tv Death Note: The Abridged Series (kpts4tv)]]'' Near after Mello kills most of his agents:
-->'''Near:''' [[EverybodysDeadDave Light, everyone's dead... at my Clubhouse, everyone's dead.]]\\
'''Light:''' What do you expect me to do about it?\\
'''Near:''' I need an adult.\\
'''Light:''' I'm hanging up now.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* In the online game ''VideoGame/{{Sissyfight}}'', cowering protects you from the first Scratch or Grab move or from any damage from a Tattle, but cannot protect you from a successful Tease. While the game's rules are such that the goal is to survive rather than do as much damage as possible to your enemies, "cowerbotting" is frowned on.

* In ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'', all the player is able to do once the power runs out is cower in their control room and hope that the 6am timer will cross over before Freddy himself breaks into the room to kill them.

* In the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode [[Recap/SupernaturalS02E21AllHellBreaksLoosePartOne "All Hell Breaks Loose, Part One" (S02, Ep21)]] when they find Lily's body, Ava covers mouth as if she is going to be sick, and Andy hugs his arms around himself. They both have trouble looking at the body. While Jake and Sam are unflinching and seem to stand taller.