History Main / NotAfraidOfYouAnymore

** ''[[WesternAnimation/SouthParkPostCovidTheReturnOfCovid Post Covid The Return Of Covid]]'': Butters apparently lost any fear he had towards Cartman when he became an adult, where not only is he unsympathetic to Cartman being a CrazyHomelessPerson, but he's unafraid to cuss back at him when Cartman tries flipping him off.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Put It Down", Heidi gets back together with Cartman after breaking up with him in the last episode because Cartman threatened to kill himself and Heidi was afraid for his life. Cartman pulls this stunt again in "Splatty Tomato", only for it to fall flat this time because Heidi knows that this is just a feeble attempt to have her take him back and follows through with dumping Cartman for good.

* Pulled by Josh in ''Film/{{Insidious}}'' against the demonic old lady who had been stalking him and trying to take over his body since childhood. [[spoiler: It doesn't work.]] To go into specifics, he [[spoiler: [[WhatAnIdiot stays behind for several minutes in the Further]] so he can [[IShallTauntYou taunt her about it]], which leads to her simply hijacking his real-world body while he's distracted and ''very nearly'' leads to a separate demon possessing his son.]]

** After being freed from her own mind and witnessing the death of [[CoolUncle Mr. Penguin]] in a HeroicSacrifice, young Rosy Dreams finally gathers up the courage to stand up to '[[HumanoidAbomination The Chaser]]', who frequently trapped, terrorized, and abused her since his creation, and kills him with a burst of psychic energy.

The powerfully telekinetic girl in

--> '''Prince Healing Song:''' ''(roaring)'' I am not weak! I am not a cripple! I am ''PRINCE HEALING SONG!'' And I won't be your victim '''''ANYMORE!'''''

* In the ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' series, Anthy's walking out on [[spoiler:her brother Akio]] is one of these.
* There is a supernatural variety of this in ''Anime/{{Mnemosyne}}'': the protagonist Rin is an immortal, and immortals fall into uncontrollable sexual drive when a creature called "angel" is nearby. The villain, who is an angel himself, uses this many times throughout the series to humiliate Rin but in the very end, [[spoiler:Rin evolves into an immortal angelic being herself and sends the villain himself into uncontrollable sexual lust for her in their final confrontation]].
* In ''[[VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni Kai]]'', Satoko, with support from Keiichi, Rika, and oh yeah ''the entire village'', [[CallingTheOldManOut confronting her]] [[EvilUncle abusive uncle Teppei]], screaming that she hates him and for him to "GET OUT!!", despite being beaten while doing so. Just when he goes to attack again, [[BigDamnHeroes the police bust in and capture him]].

* Sora of ''LightNovel/{{Sukisho}}'' does this to Aizawa in the last episode, the guy who was responsible for torturing him and Sunao throughout their childhood, after being terrified of him for so long.
* In ''Manga/NurseAngelRirikaSOS'', [[spoiler:Dewey]] still refers to Baros as "Baros-sama" even after taking a HeelFaceTurn and is still intimated by him. It takes a while for him to drop the honorific and shake his fear and servility towards his BigBad ex-boss. When he [[FaceYourFears confronts his fear]] he [[TookALevelInBadass becomes a bigger threat than before]].
* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'': After Dio Brando killed his pet dog, Jonathan Joestar spent the next twelve years too afraid to stand up to Dio about anything. Once he learns that Dio has been trying to poison his father, Jonathan confronts him. Dio tries to cow him into submission again, but Jonathan will not let Dio intimidate him any longer.
* In ''Manga/FruitsBasket'', when [[IceKing Yuki]] tells [[RoyallyScrewedUp Akito]] that he forgives him. Although Akito still gets mad and injures Yuki, it's obvious that Yuki doesn't fear him anymore, and since Akito controls the Zodiac through fear, it becomes clear that his power is waning.
* ''LightNovel/TheAsteriskWar'': [[BadassAdorable Kirin Toudou]] allows herself to be pushed around and used as a tool by her EvilUncle Koichiro to become the top-ranked student at Seidoukan Academy and also to rescue her father until she learns from [[TheHero Ayato]] that she can find her own way. Kirin finally stands up for herself, stunning Koichiro in the process. And when Koichiro attempts to control Kirin again, [[StudentCouncilPresident Claudia]] threatens to ruin his career, giving him an extra incentive to leave Kirin alone.
* In ''Anime/DotHackSign'' Tsukasa says he's no longer afraid of Morgana or his [[AbusiveParents father]].

* In ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'', protagonist Izuku Midoriya undergoes a class trial wherein he must fight his childhood bully Katsuki Bakugou. Having gone through [[RenownedSelectiveMentor All Might's]] training, Izuku now has the confidence to tell Katsuki that he's not afraid of him any more during their forced confrontation.

* Ella says this to her stepmother in ''WesternAnimation/HappilyNEverAfter''.

* The powerfully telekinetic girl in ''Series/{{Angel}}'' broke down when confronted with her abusive father, but she then managed to overcome her fear and [[spoiler: throw him out a window and catch him a few feet from the pavement.]]
** In an early season one episode, Angel is sent to help a woman who has been stalked, for months, by an obsessive doctor who [[spoiler: has found a metaphysical way of pulling his body parts so they can move around, under his control, even when they aren't attached to his body]]. In the climax, this woman, previously nervous and fearful as a result of paranoia, finally stands up to the man, realising that his stalking makes him feel better about himself and helps him gratify his own lack of self-worth. He loses his edge as a result and is defeated by a newly arrived Angel. Earlier in the episode Kate comments on this, noting that this is the only such victims can actually heal:
-->"This guy could go to jail tomorrow, Angel, and still kill her in her dreams every night. I’ve put a few of these creeps away and the hardest thing is to know that he is still winning. She’s still afraid. He took her power away and no one can get it back for her but her."

** In an early season one episode, Angel is sent to help a woman who has been stalked, for months, by an obsessive doctor who [[spoiler: has found a metaphysical way of pulling his body parts so they can move around, under his control, even when they aren't attached to his body]]. In the climax, this woman, previously nervous and fearful as a result of paranoia, finally stands up to the man, realising that his stalking makes him feel better about himself and helps him gratify his own lack of self-worth. He loses his edge as a result and is defeated by a newly arrived Angel.

Compare FaceYourFears and ChallengingTheBully. See also CallingTheOldManOut for a parent-specific variant of this. Not to be confused with ImNotAfraidOfYou, when a threat loses its power (or [[PuffOfLogic disappears entirely]]) once a character is no longer afraid of it, and GrewASpine where it's more about making one's choices and acting on it than standing up to oneself.

Compare FaceYourFears and ChallengingTheBully. See also CallingTheOldManOut for a parent-specific variant of this. Not to be confused with ImNotAfraidOfYou, when a threat loses its power (or [[PuffOfLogic disappears entirely]]) once a character is no longer afraid of it.

** In ''[[Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows – Part 2]]'', prior to the Battle of Hogwarts, Professor [=McGonagall=] suggests to Professor Flitwick to refer Voldermort by his name instead of You-Know-Who because "he (Voldermort) is going to kill them either way".

** Surprisingly, Hordak has his moment, too. In the end of Season 4, Horde Prime grabbed him by his neck and screamed at him for the audacity of having a name and showing initiative. [[spoiler: But, in Heart 2, Hordak gets his memory back when Prime tells him to kill Entrapta. Hordak not only shoots him, instead, but also grabs him by his neck and tosses Prime’s words back at him, saying that yes, he gave himself a name and a life, and he wasn’t ashamed of that.]]

** Surprisingly, Hordak has his moment, too. In the end of Season 4, Horde Prime grabbed him by his neck and screamed at him for the audacity of having a name and showing initiative. [[spoiler: But, in Heart 2, Hordak gets his memory back when Prime tells him to kill Entrapta. Hordak not only shoots him, instead, but also grabs him by his neck and tosses Prime’s words back at him, saying that yes, he gave himself a name and a life, and he wasn’t ashamed of that.

-->'''Arthas:''' "Now I stand, the lion before the lambs, and they do not fear. They cannot fear."

-->'''Gheb''': "Y-you wench... You're that recruit, aren't you? Do you think you can betray me and get away with it?"
-->'''Amelia''': "Your threats no longer hold any power over me. I-I am not your pawn!"

* Invoked by Kevin's stepfather in ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien'': He stands up to the [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity mutated, out of his mind]] Kevin, declaring, "I'm not afraid of you anymore, Kevin."
** Also with School Bullies Cash and J.T. After they try to bully teenage Ben, he simply rolls his eyes at their lame attempts at bullying and calls them pathetic losers, remarking that he's shocked that he was ''ever'' afraid of them in the first place.

* ''Franchise/Ben10'': [[TheBully Cash and JT]] spent most of the [[WesternAnimation/Ben10 original series]] tormenting and bullying Ben, a ten-year-old they were physically stronger than. Come ''[[WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce Alien Force]]'' five years later, they still do it, but come "[[Recap/Ben10AlienForceS1E09TheGauntlet The Gauntlet]]", it's more of an inconvenience to anything; Ben spells it out to them that they've been pulling the same routine since the second grade, and rather than find their antics funny or intimidating, everyone just finds it pathetic and sad that they still have to resort to childish jokes and torment others just to make themselves feel big, Ben himself included.
-->'''Ben''': I can't believe I used to be afraid of you.

* The sequel to [[WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse]] fic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13674619/1/The-Lard-House The Lard House]] titled...[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13829929/1/The-Loud-House The Loud House]] takes place 10 years ahead of canon. While meeting Luan again for the first time in years, Hank and Hawk stumble upon the two and try to both hit on Luan and resume picking on Lincoln again. However, Lincoln didn't stop aging over those ten years and has grown to be 6'2 and built like a brick house. When they try to beat him up again he easily manhandles them and tells them he's not the little boy half their size anymore.

-->''Senna: "So much for 'maybe.' "''

* The subversion happens in ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongebobSquarePantsMovie'' tired of running, Patrick Star decides to confront Dennis, the vicious bounty hunter that has been chasing them during the movie...only to be smacked by him.

'''Mrs. Tweedy:''' ''(not paying attention)'' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Finally, something we agree on.

* When Elizabeth first meets the cursed Jack the Monkey in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'', she's rightly terrified of the skeletonized monkey as it pops up in her face. The second time she encounters him, however, she initially jumps due to being startled by his sudden appearance, but then gives him a DeathGlare. The monkey's face visibly falls in an OhCrap expression, and when we next see him, he's landing crotch-first on one of the cannons, having apparently been thrown over the rail by Elizabeth.

* When Elizabeth first meets the cursed Jack the Monkey in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCarribeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'', she's rightly terrified of the skeletonized monkey as it pops up in her face. The second time she encounters him, however, she initially jumps due to being startled by his sudden appearance, but then gives him a DeathGlare. The monkey's face visibly falls in an OhCrap expression, and when we next see him, he's landing crotch-first on one of the cannons, having apparently been thrown over the rail by Elizabeth.

* Which nicely foreshadows ''Film/ItChapterTwo'' [[spoiler:and how they finally defeat the titular creature. Figuring out that the creature draws power from fear and is bound to the rules of the form it takes, they manage to reduce it to a weak, helpless, half-melted infant-like clown by repeatedly telling it (and themselves) that it's "nothing but a stupid fucking clown" that they're not afraid of and ultimately rip its heart out, killing it for good, while it weakly tries to convince them (and itself) that it's "the eater of worlds"]].

* ''Manga/RosarioToVampire'': In Season II of the manga, Tsukune is not very effective against Kuyou during their rematch, and Ruby realizes it's because Tsukune recalls how Kuyou nearly killed him before, so he's subconsciously retreating in fear. But then Ruby jumps into the way of his final blow, and Kuyou gleefully tells him that Fang-Fang and Yukari had been killed by Gairen, another subdivision leader, and actively taunts him over his weaknesses and how much he wants him to suffer in fear and despair before he kills him. At this, Tsukune manages to overcome his fear, effortlessly repelling Kuyou's attack before turning the tables on him.

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'': after Dio Brando killed his pet dog, Jonathan Joestar spent the next twelve years too afraid to stand up to Dio about anything. Once he learns that Dio has been trying to poison his father, Jonathan confronts him. Dio tries to cow him into submission again, but Jonathan will not be let Dio intimidate him any longer.

---> "She's not afraid of you anymore. Looks like you're out of a job."

--> '''Sarah:''' Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City. [[BadassBoast For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great]]... You have no power over me.

--->''Senna: "So much for 'maybe.' "''

--->''He was a pitiful thing. He had always been a pitiful thing. Why had she never seen that before? There was a hollow place inside her where her fear had been.''

--->'''Jon Stewart''': Let me tell you why I'll eat it: ''Karl Rove can't hurt me anymore.'' [eats cookie]

--->'''Arthas:''' "Now I stand, the lion before the lambs, and they do not fear. They cannot fear."

--->'''Gheb''': "Y-you wench... You're that recruit, aren't you? Do you think you can betray me and get away with it?"
--->'''Amelia''': "Your threats no longer hold any power over me. I-I am not your pawn!"