History Main / PreExplosionGlow

* The second Death Star in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' flashes lights, minor explosions and gouts of flame all over before it blows up.
** The Seismic Charge in Episode II may count, though it's more of a "Pre-shockwave glow."
* The hangar-sized bomb in ''Film/{{Sunshine}}''.
* The death of Tom Riddle's memory in ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'', though it's less "light escaping from cracks" and more "big glowy wounds before disappearing in a flash of light".
* The witches from ''Film/HocusPocus'' after being touched by sunlight.

* TheDragon of ''Disney/LiloAndStitch'', Gantu, loses his first ship this way.

* In Bill Baldwin's ''Mercenaries'', an enemy space fort goes up in this manner.

* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'': When [[spoiler:Bizarro]] explodes.

* Ted Sprague, the radioactive man from ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' as well as [[spoiler: Peter (illustrated atop the page) and Sylar after they both gain Ted's power.]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Nearly all of [[the Doctor's]] regenerations involve him glowing, but the Tenth Doctor's is the one that truly qualifies for this. His entire body begins to glow until he finally explodes with enough force to destroy the entire room around him. Nine does the same glowy explosion, the only difference is that he doesn't blow up half the TARDIS.

* In ''Series/{{The Flash|2014}}'' episode "Plastique", things touched by the eponymous metahuman glow before turning into explosives. This include [[spoiler:Plastique herself when she is killed and her power goes awry. Flash has to relocate her at sea (by running on the water) and to get away fast, because the ensuing ka-boom is huge.]]

* The Beast in Disney's ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast'' gets all kinds of PreExplosionGlow when [[spoiler:turning back into a human]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' episode 23. This happens to Demongo after Jack releases the spirits trapped inside him, leaving him a burned out husk.
* This happens in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' and its SequelSeries ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfKorra'' whenever [[StuffBlowingUp Combustion]][[MagicByAnyOtherName bending]] appears.
** There are also specific instances where [[BadassNormal Sokka]] makes [[spoiler:Combustion Man]] explode, and [[spoiler: P´li blows up herself]] thanks to [[ExtraOreDinary Suyin]].

[[folder:Film]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* Nearly all of [[Series/DoctorWho the Doctor's]] regenerations involve him glowing, but the Tenth Doctor's is the one that truly qualifies for this. His entire body begins to glow until he finally explodes with enough force to destroy the entire room around him.
** Nine does the same glowy explosion, the only difference is that he doesn't blow up half the TARDIS.

* Happens with some monsters in ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' on occasion. Examples from the ''[[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers Mighty Morphin]]'' era include Cyclopsis when it's destroyed the second time and Rito Revolto after getting his bony butt kicked by the Ninja Megafalconzord. He lived (although [[SparedByTheAdaptation his Super Sentai counterpart did not).]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]

In one distinctive variant it meets the PillarOfLight in a "lighthouse meltdown" effect. Series of beams or lines of light spring out from the object, either from obvious locations, such as the eyes/mouth/other orifices for a creature, or they can simply shine randomly through the surface before it all gives up, often appear one at a time in rapid succession. The actual explosion may take the form of a giant burst of light.

* The Saint's Cradle's [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas crystalline]] engine in ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' goes out in this manner. First came the cracks, then the brilliant beams of light, then the big boom.

* A number of targets destroyed by the heroines of ''VideoGame/SakuraTaisen''.

* Wing Gundam, from ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam Wing'', emits these when it self destructs. If this one is remembering correctly, and he sincerely believes that he is, so does Gundam Sandrock before it also self destructs. Additionally, in the movie/three episode post-series OVA, all mobile suits self-destructed seem to exhibit this glow. Y'know what? I could've made this shorter by simply saying "In Gundam, if it self destructs, it glows like a Christmas tree."

* ''DragonballZ'' has a number of these with almost all of the main characters.

** This actually occurs almost ANY time Team Rocket's Meowth balloon explodes, or if it's one of their other huge robots (like the ArboTank) or whenever any building blows up.

* In an episode of ''YakitateJapan,'' Mokoyama tests one of his bread creations by forcing it down a subordinate's throat. Beams of light shoot out of his eyes and ears before the scene cuts to the exterior of the bakery as he shouts "DELICIOUS!"

* ''{{Smallville}}'': When [[spoiler:Bizarro]] explodes.
* Series/BabylonFive: The destruction of Earth Force One.

* Happens with some monsters in ''PowerRangers'' on occasion. Examples from the ''[[MightyMorphinPowerRangers Mighty Morphin]]'' era include Cyclopsis when it's destroyed the second time and Rito Revolto after getting his bony butt kicked by the Ninja Megafalconzord. He lived (although [[SparedByTheAdaptation his Super Sentai counterpart did not).]]
** Every monster in ''PowerRangersDinoThunder'' flashes green just before going kaboom for ''good.''

* A number of targets destroyed by the heroines of ''SakuraTaisen''.

* Most bosses in ''VideoGame/MegaManX 4'' onwards, as well every boss in the ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' and ''[[VideoGame/MegaManZX ZX]]'' series. ''ZX'' ups the bar by having the screen go dark except for the exploding robots.

* Bowser's Galaxy Reactor goes out this way at the end of ''[[SuperMarioBros Super Mario Galaxy]].''

* Dark Samus in ''{{Metroid}} Prime 2: Echoes''.
** And again in ''Corruption''. [[spoiler: That, and her planet too.]]

** Also [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment also]] happens with Samus' Bombs and Power Bombs in the Prime series.
* Hitting certain enemy ships in ''[[RType R-Type Delta]]'' with a ChargedAttack causes their midsection to glow for a moment before they are torn in half by the explosion.
* In the Adventure Mode of ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'', [[{{Metroid}} Planet Zebes]] does this.

* The Volatile Dweevils in ''[[{{Pikmin}} Pikmin 2]]''.
* The move animations for [[ActionBomb Selfdestruct and Explosion]] (especially Explosion) in {{Pokemon}} games begin suggesting this since the 4th generation.
* A couple of bosses in ''SeikenDensetsu3'' die this way, including the first boss, Full Metal Hugger.

* Happens in ''BillyHatcher'' when you lose or break a golden egg.

* Happens whenever a boss dies/gets defeated in the MarioAndLuigi series.
* The explosive abilities Blow Up and Meltdown in ''FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance''.
* Some bosses in the ''SuperMarioGalaxy'' games die this way.

* In [[http://www.dragon-tails.com/comics/archive.php?date=040703 this]] ''DragonTails'' strip, they parody the trope (like everything else really).

* This happens in ''[[AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' and it´s SequelSeries ''[[TheLegendOfKorra The Legend of Korra]]'' whenever [[StuffBlowingUp Combustion]][[MagicByAnyOtherName bending]] appears.

* Destroyed Strains in ''SoukouNoStrain''.

* In ''{{Minecraft}}'', Creepers glow slightly when they prime themselves to explode. Also, the Ender Dragon releases beams of light as it dies before it explodes.

In one distinctive variant it [[XMeetsY meets]] the PillarOfLight in a "lighthouse meltdown" effect. Series of beams or lines of light spring out from the object, either from obvious locations, such as the eyes/mouth/other orifices for a creature, or they can simply shine randomly through the surface before it all gives up, often appear one at a time in rapid succession. The actual explosion may take the form of a giant burst of light.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in ''StarshipOperators'' when the [[spoiler:Amaterasu explodes, as the ship's armor converts heat to light.]]

* The destruction of [[AnotherDimension closed space]] in ''SuzumiyaHaruhi'', as demonstrated to [[UnreliableNarrator Kyon]] by [[HoYay Itsuki]].

** Happens a lot with exploding planets in video games. Zebes, Phaaze, [[{{Gradius}} Bacterion]]... I guess video games really like having an extra glow before the EarthShatteringKaboom.

* This happens in [[AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar: The Last Airbender]] and it´s SequelSeries [[TheLegendOfKorra The Legend of Korra]] whenever [[StuffBlowingUp Combustion]][[MagicByAnyOtherName bending]] appears.
** There is also specific instances where [[BadassNormal Sokka]] makes [[spoiler:Combustion Man]] explode, and [[spoiler: P´li blows up herself]] thanks to [[ExtraOreDinary Suyin]].

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' entitled "Sir Yaksalot", when their fake comedy club explodes. It could be because a Japanese studio animated this episode (TokyoMovieShinsha, to be precise.)

* In the '90s ''WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}}'' cartoon, whatever object Cable shot would glow like this before it exploded. Probably to [[MediaWatchdog give anyone enough time to escape before it exploded.]] Naturally, no ''person'' ever took a direct hit from this weapon.

* If memory serves, the high tech grenades in ''UnderworldEvolution'' put out white light and gas/steam before they explode. Alexander Corvinus activates one and sets it on a case of others to kill himself and destroy his ship.

* Ctuchik of DavidEddings' ''{{Belgariad}}'' series bites the dust this way when he tries and fails to will an object out of existence.

* With the sheer amount of StuffBlowingUp in the ''{{Disgaea}}'' series, it's only natural that some of the explosions include this. Examples include Kurtis' Solidus Arm in ''{{Disgaea 3}}'', and the God Scraper axe skill in ''VideoGame/{{Disgaea 4|A Promise Unforgotten}}''.

* When Mr. Fujisawa is dogpiled by Bugrom in the first episode of ''ElHazardTheMagnificentWorld'', the pile emits a PreExplosionGlow before he bursts out of it.

* ''ChzoMythos'', in 6 days a sacrifice [[spoiler: when the bomb is going off in the underground complex, you first see rays of light breaking through the ground before the explosion erupts.]]

* Agent Smith goes out this way twice, at the end of both ''Film/TheMatrix'' and ''TheMatrixRevolutions''.

* In the '90s ''WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}}'' cartoon, whatever object Cable shot would glow like this before it exploded. Probably to [[MediaWatchdog give anyone enough time to escape before it exploded.]]

* This happens when you delete a saved game in ''VideoGame/{{Spore}}'', since each saved game is represented [[EarthShatteringKaboom as a planet]]

* Played for laughs in VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker; once Link uses all the goddess pearls, the three statues he placed them in give off a glow and explode, revealing the inner statues. Link sees the last statue as it begins glowing and [[GenreSavvy runs away to avoid the imminent blast]]. [[WrongGenreSavvy Nothing happens.]] He gets back up to see what's going on... and the statue explodes, [[ButtMonkey sending him flying.]]

* In the Adventure Mode of SuperSmashBrosMelee, [[{{Metroid}} Planet Zebes]] does this.

* [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Sephiroth]] undergoes a variation: After the unlosable final battle against him in Cloud's mind, Sephiroth emits a glow and then dissipates into the Life Stream.