History Main / IgnoredEnemy

-->'''Black Mage:''' This is the most pathetic battle ever. [[LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain Let's never, never, NEVER talk about it again.]]

* In ''[[Manhwa/{{Yureka}} iD_Entity]]'', the main character ignores TheDragon to pick a fight with the MightyGlacier. HilarityEnsues.

** In ''Anime/YuGiOh'', Bakura (and Marik's good side) are dueling Dark Marik. Partway through the duel, Bakura and Marik's good side get into an argument. When Dark Marik interrupts to try and get them to focus on the duel, Bakura and Marik turn to glare at him, and Bakura tells him something along the lines of "I'm aware of that. Go ahead and make your move while you still can." That argument does stop soon after, but Bakura and Marik don't get along very well for the rest of the duel.

'''Hinjo:''' Gentlemen, Gentlemen! As the only neutral party who doesn't care which of you gets the kill, I think I have a fair compromise. I call my proposal, "[[DropTheHammer Giant Dwarf with a Hammer.]]"\\

* In a Marvel vs. DC crossover, Franchise/{{Superman}} comes across the ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk fighting Metallo. Superman stops to thank him, but as they're talking Metallo charges... only to get a double OffhandBackhand for the trouble.
* Inverted in one issue of ''The Amazing Franchise/SpiderMan''. Venom, Anti-Venom, and Spider-Man are in a three-way fight when Spider-Man manages to simultaneously piss off both Venom and Anti-Venom. They proceed to hit him with the same attack at the same time, then briefly forget that they are enemies and brag about how far away they sent him to each other. Following a BeatPanel, they resume fighting.
* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'': In ''Recap/AsterixAndTheRomanAgent'', the titular troublemaker Tortuous Convolvulus, who causes discord by his mere presence, is being transported by sea to sow discord inside the indomitable Gaulish village. The man in the crow's nest warns of approaching pirates, but the captain, insulted by his malicious rumours, ignores him. The pirates, seeing no Gauls on the Roman ship, decide it's safe to board it... but when they try, they find the Roman crew too busy fighting each other to pay attention to the pirates. When the Romans finally notice them, [[spoiler:it takes ''one'' lie from Convolvulus to make them collapse into infighting as well, among which Baba the lookout scuttles the ship]].

In some cases, the enemy becomes livid about being ignored and lashes out by attacking in anger. In others, frightened by their vehemence (or maybe just eyeing an easy opportunity to escape), the enemy may even slink away quietly. In others again, he might stop altogether fighting too as he comes to find the argument more important and is drawn into it, whether it is by picking a side or even outright trying to mediate between the two heroes.

* Inverted in one issue of Amazing Franchise/SpiderMan. Venom, Anti-Venom, and Spider-Man are in a three-way fight when Spider-Man manages to simultaneously piss off both Venom and Anti-Venom. They proceed to hit him with the same attack at the same time, then briefly forget that they are enemies and brag about how far away they sent him to each other. Following a BeatPanel, they resume fighting.
* In ''Recap/AsterixAndTheRomanAgent'', the titular troublemaker Tortuous Convolvulus, who causes discord by his mere presence, is being transported by sea to sow discord inside the indomitable Gaulish village. The man in the crow's nest warns of approaching pirates, but the captain, insulted by his malicious rumours, ignores him. The pirates, seeing no Gauls on the Roman ship, decide it's safe to board it... but when they try, they find the Roman crew too busy fighting each other to pay attention to the pirates. When the Romans finally notice them, [[spoiler:it takes ''one'' lie from Convolvulus to make them collapse into infighting as well, among which Baba the lookout scuttles the ship]].

---> '''Dr. Gero:''' 19, forget about Son Goku. We can finish him at our leisure. Instead focus on... Who are you again?

* This is a favorite tactic of Martin Lawrence and Creator/WillSmith's characters in the 'Film/BadBoys1995'' movie. They do a variant of it at least ''three'' times.

* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': During the GrandFinale Ron Stoppable discussed his fears of graduation and life after high school with the BigBad [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Scary Dogmatic Alien]] instead of fighting him, being more worried about Kim leaving him behind than the AlienInvasion. The alien was not pleased.

* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'': Graham Spectre gets subject to this when Claire Stanfield decides that he'd rather ask Chane out than deal with a wrench-wielding TalkativeLoon, to the point that he's sent into the CornerOfWoe. He finally gets their attention by literally [[ChewingTheScenery destroying the scenery]].

* In the eighth episode of the third season of ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD'', Rias and Akeno are fighting a powerful and well-equipped Queen whose two Bishops heal her far faster than their attacks can damage her. Then Issei offers a date to Akeno for beating them, and her power shoots through the roof. Akeno and Rias argue for a while, with power increasing exponentially in anger, and when the Queen yells at them to pay attention to the fight, they OneHitKill her for interrupting their argument.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'':

* ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' plays a variant of this trope in "Cowboy Funk". Spike and his {{Foil}} one-shot rival Andy get into a fight during their joint run-ins, while the villain (the Teddybear Bomber), who ends up caught in the verbal crossfire, attempts to kill them both for the indignity of ignoring him. Twice. And the second time, Andy is late and Spike tells the mad bomber ''to his face'' that he didn't even come for him.

In some cases, the enemy becomes livid about being ignored and lashes out by attacking in anger. In others, frightened by their vehemence (or maybe just eyeing an easy opportunity to escape), the enemy may even slink away quietly.

** In an episode, Luffy and Zoro end up defeating the real enemies (Mr. 5 and Ms. Valentine, two agents of Baroque Works) during such a fight.

* This is a favorite tactic of Martin Lawrence and Creator/WillSmith's characters in the first ''Film/BadBoys'' movie. They do a variant of it at least ''three'' times.