History Main / SelfOffense

* In a likely homage, Creator/SamRaimi used this gag in both ''Film/EvilDead2'' and the prototype short film ''Within the Woods''.

* ''Film/SlaughterHigh'': Thinking she is [[FinalGirl the last survivor]], Carol hears someone approaching on the other side of the curtain and assumed it is Marty coming to finish her off. She blindly swing a hatchet at the figure only to discover [[spoiler:she has buried the axe in Steve's skull]].

[[folder:Anime And Manga]]

* In a crossover between ComicBook/SpiderMan and ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, a friend of Wolverine's uses this [[SuicideByCop to get Spider-Man to kill her]]: he's just fought off Wolverine and, when his Spider-Sense goes off, Spidey thinks he's back for round 2 and strikes...

[[folder:Film]]

* Played hilariously straight in ''Film/AFishCalledWanda'' by Kevin Kline's character to John Cleese's.

-->'''Henry Jones Sr.''': I thought you were one of them!
-->'''Indiana Jones''': They come through the door!
-->'''Henry Jones Sr.''': Good point!

* Another Non-humorous example pretty much sets up the entire plot of ''Film/BladeTrinity''.
** Although in that case it ''was'' a bad guy, deliberately tricking Blade into making the mistake.

** In a likely homage, Creator/SamRaimi used this gag in both ''Film/EvilDead2'' and the prototype short film ''Within the Woods''.

* In ''Film/JohnnyEnglish'', Johnny performs this, then pins it all on a mysterious "aggressor".
** He then goes on to stage a fight between himself and himself... the "aggressor" in the next room.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

-->'''Hogan''': Watch it! I'm an American--and a veteran.
-->'''Prisoner''': I thought you were one of the guards!
-->'''Hogan''': Germans come through the door; Americans come through the floor.
* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' episode "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street".
* Semi-common spot in ProfessionalWrestling, between friends, allies, and tag teams; a series of these can herald a breakup, either because the attacker does it so often it's really not an accident..or the attacker really is just that incompetent and means well but the victim snaps.

* When pigs launch HostileShowTakeover of ''Series/TheMuppetShow'', Kermit and Fozzie are locked into the boiler. Fozzie decides to club the pig guard to escape, but when the door opens its actually Gonzo, the latest hostage who gets conked!
-->'''Fozzie:''' Oh Gonzo, I'm sorry. I thought you were a pig.
-->'''Gonzo:''' Terrific, terrific. First he clobbers me then he insults me!

* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'': PlayedForLaughs in "S.O.S.". Skye manages to convince Lincoln to make a HeelFaceTurn. Seconds later, Mack enters the room and, not knowing this, immediately clubs Lincoln on the back of the head and knocks him out.

[[folder:Theater]]
* Non-humorous example: The death of Polonius in ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}''.
** Hamlet thought it was pretty funny.
*** And many who had Polonius's advice quoted at them as wisdom for years would agree.

* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'': This can happen to Batman in Arkham City while in the Joker's warehouse. One of the medics is hiding from thugs and when she hears Batman approach she jumps out from behind some boxes and takes a swing at his head with a 2x4. Being Batman, you can [[MadeOfIron stand there and take it with no ill effects whatsoever]].
** Repeated in the prequel, Arkham Origins, this time with a corrupt Warden.

[[folder:Web Video]]

Compare FriendOrFoe. Sister trope of CatScare where approaching danger turns out to be a harmless critter. See also DontSneakUpOnMeLikeThat and TrappedTheWrongTarget. If a villain sets someone up to do this, see DisguisedHostageGambit. Not to be confused with SelfHarm.

Compare FriendOrFoe. Sister trope of CatScare where approaching danger turns out to be a harmless critter. See also DontSneakUpOnMeLikeThat. If a villain sets someone up to do this, see DisguisedHostageGambit. Not to be confused with SelfHarm.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'', Daphne mistakenly clobbered Shaggy with a vase in this context.

* One episode of ''Series/LawandOrder'' had Ed Green approaching a witness they wanted to question only to get punched in the stomach when she mistook him for a mugger. (He and Lennie then leverage the incident to get the information they need.

%%* Done in ''AbbottAndCostello Join The Foreign Legion''.

* In the ''Series/BlakesSeven'' episode "Redemption", Vila opens the lock on Avon's cell, steps through and is punched in the stomach. On the plus side, [[{{Jerkass}} Avon]] actually ''apologised'' to him.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In "The Romans", Barbara hits Ian over the head with an urn while trying to attack the intruders in the villa.

* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''. When the house is broken into, Peter arms himself with a baseball bat and goes to investigate. He comes across Meg in the hall and stares at her while she asks several questions about what is going on. He then whacks her and says, unconvincingly "Sorry, Meg, you startled me." She was not amused.

** He then goes on to stage a fight between himself and himsel... the "aggressor" in the next room.

* In ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', Maya, somehow managing to keep hold of a baseball bat and an IdiotBall at the same time, does this to Mohinder once. Because the superpowered SerialKiller a) would totally jangle the lock on the front door in broad daylight, and b) would be far more damaged by a baseball bat than by Maya's own superpowers.

* ''Series/TheNewAvengers'': In "To Catch a Rat", Purdey and Cromwell end up attacking each other when they both have the same idea of searching Cledge's appartment in the dark.

Compare FriendOrFoe. Sister trope of CatScare where approaching danger turns out to be a harmless critter. See also DontSneakUpOnMeLikeThat. If a villain sets someone up to do this, see DisguisedHostageGambit.

* Mickey Marcus. The guy whom Kirk Douglas portrayed in "Cast a Giant Shadow". The exact circumstances of his death were slightly different (and just a bit more understandable) than those in the movie.

* Non-humorous example: In ''Film/TheDeparted'', [[spoiler:Matt Damon's character stabs some random restaurant worker in the chest, believing him to be Leonardo Di Caprio's character.]]