History Main / GangInitiationFight

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The second variant is the real life version outlined above, and it may be used to underscore a theme about the violence and cruelty inherent in gang life. This generally tends to be confined to either realistic shows or those planted firmly on the cynical side of the sliding scale, because there's somewhat less of a market for watching a hero being stomped by a dozen guys, or showing why a main or sympathetic character would want to join such a group so badly. This variant is also more likely to end with the would-be initiate dying as a result, resulting in a DeadlyHazing.

A subtrope of InitiationCeremony, RiteOfPassage, and TestOfPain, while the guy(s) being fought is a version of a ThresholdGuardian. Compare and contrast IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten, which may involve being initiated with some other test of resolve and commitment. This trope usually tends to be used by street level GangBangers, as organized crime groups like TheMafia tends to favor slightly less crude means of initiation.

Since criminal gangs tend to engage in ''criminal'' activities, they don't tend to let just anyone in. To make sure a newcomer is serious, won't fold under pressure, and can handle themselves, they have to be put into a fight in order to join [[TheTeam the gang]].

* Done in the game ''VideoGame/SleepingDogs'', where Wei Shen must fight some of the strongest in the Sun On Yee in order to prove himself worthy of joining them.

* There's an episode of ''Series/{{OZ}}'' where mafia [[TheDon Don]] Antonio Nappa has a bad GutFeeling about one of the new members of the black gang he's allied with, and tells its current leader to put the guy through whatever sort of InitiationCeremony they have (so that the guy proves himself) or to kick him out. They initiate through one of these, the variation where everyone in the gang attacks the new member and the new guy has to try to survive it. [[spoiler:As the guy in question was an undercover cop, Nappa was entirely right to be worried.]]

* Hinted at in ''Film/TheDarkKnight''. After killing a rival mob boss, the Joker tells his underlings that he's willing to take in some of them, but not ''all'' of them... so he'll have to hold tryouts. Then he throws some sharpened sticks to them. Draw your own conclusions.

A subtrope of InitiationCeremony, RiteOfPassage, and TestOfPain, while the guy(s) being fought is a subtrope of ThresholdGuardian. Compare and contrast IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten, which may involve being initiated with some other test of resolve and commitment. This trope usually tends to be used by street level GangBangers, as organized crime groups like TheMafia tends to favor slightly less crude means of initiation.

A subtrope of InitiationCeremony and RiteOfPassage, while the guy(s) being fought is a subtrope of ThresholdGuardian. Compare and contrast IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten, which may involve being initiated with some other test of resolve and commitment. This trope usually tends to be used by street level GangBangers, as organized crime groups like TheMafia tends to favor slightly less crude means of initiation.

In fiction there are several common variants to this. The first is that whoever is trying to get into a gang has to fight one on one with one of the biggest, most badass, and/or scariest members currently in the gang, as a sort of ThresholdGuardian. (This variant ''should'' lead to some major FridgeLogic, since the gang usually has plenty of members that are less impressive than the ThresholdGuardian in question and it makes you wonder why they're suddenly so picky about new members.) Generally the newcomer is expected to win in order to earn a spot, but other times [[HiddenPurposeTest it's revealed]], (generally after the fight) that the bout was just an excuse to see how they would do, or if they would simply ''survive''. Very similar to this is a [[FirstRuleOfTheYard prison specific version]] that involves fighting the meanest, toughest looking guy around in order to earn respect, and (either explicitly or implicitly) to avoid being a target for PrisonRape.

* Played with in ''Film/FightClub'', where to join the club, new members are expected to fight on their first day. However, subverted in that it really doesn't seem to matter whether they win. It's all about the fight.

The second variant is the real life version outlined above, and it may be used to underscore a theme about the violence and cruelty inherent in gang life. This generally tends to be confined to either realistic shows or those planted firmly on the cynical side of the sliding scale, because there's somewhat less of a market for watching a hero being stomped by a dozen guys, or showing why a main or sympathetic character would want to join such a group so badly. This variant is also more likely to end with the would-be initiate dying as a result.

The second variant is the real life version outlined above, and it may be used to underscore a theme about the violence and cruelty inherent in gang life. This generally tends to be confined to either realistic shows or those planted firmly on the cynical side of the sliding scale, because there's somewhat less of a market for watching a hero being stomped by a dozen guys, or showing why a main or sympathetic character would want to join such a group so badly.

* Everyone who joined Wrestling/AcesAndEights had to take a beat down from the rest of the club. President of the Wrestling/{{TNA}} branch, [[Wrestling/TheDudleyBoys Bully Ray]], even took one to lead by example.

* In ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'', Firo has a ritualised knife fight with [[BigBrotherMentor Maiza]] to get into the Camorrista. The winner only has to [[VictoryByFirstBlood draw blood]] (attempting to kill their opponent will mean that they're shot). When he takes a hit, Maiza enthusiastically shows it to the don to confirm that Firo's won. [[spoiler:Partly because it would have healed a few moments later and made it seem like he was still in the game]].

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* Everyone who joined Wrestling/AcesAndEights had to take a beat down from the rest of the club. President of the Wrestling/{{TNA}} branch, [[Wrestling/TheDudleyBoys Bully Ray]], even took one to lead by example.[[/folder]]