History Main / SparkOfTheRebellion

** Ironically, the speaker of the page quote, an Imperial agent, [[spoiler:ends up joining the rebellion in Season 3]].

* ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'': The entire Repliforce revolt snowballs from the Repliforce Colonel politely refusing to disarm and follow X or Zero for questioning when he's seen at the scene of a terrorist attack. The entire Repliforce is declared mavericks (Reploid criminals) as a result. This sparks Repliforce operatives to start committing their own attacks on humanity.

->''"When the Empire's operations are targeted on an ongoing basis, it could signify more than the theft of a few crates; it could signify the spark of rebellion and inspires LaResistance. Next time they make a move, we'll be waiting for them -- to snuff out that spark before it catches fire."''

When a relatively minor act of defying the authority (such as a DefiantStoneThrow) or a similarly minor act of oppression by said authority (e.g. accidentally [[DontCreateAMartyr shooting a future martyr]]) serves as a catalyst for a massive rebellion against it. Sometimes, the two options are rolled into one (defiance followed by crackdown), in which case the ur-rebel may experience a DyingMomentOfAwesome. If they survive, on the other hand, they have a good chance of becoming a RebelLeader. May also go hand-in-hand with HopeBringer if the rebellion was seen as futile prior to this act.

->''"When the Empire's operations are targeted on an ongoing basis, it could signify more than the theft of a few crates; it could signify the spark of rebellion. Next time they make a move, we'll be waiting for them -- to snuff out that spark before it catches fire."''

** Following the Wano arc, we learned that Dragon's Rebellion has kicked off in earnest with a moment like this. [[spoiler: Sabo and several other high ranking Rebels led an attack on the Reverie, a meeting of the many kings and queens of the One Piece world in the "Holy Land" of Marejois where those who control the world live. The Rebels shattered the Hoof of the Celestial Dragon, the ultimate symbol of the World Government's authority, in their own untouchable base of operations and successfully escaped with their lives. This show of both defiance and power according to the narration inspired multiple World Government aligned kingdoms to denounce the WG and join with Dragon.]]

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': Diana teaming up with other women and breaking out of a Sangtee Empire prison leads to a large scale revolt against the Empire's oppressive policies. Diana herself leads a faction that refuses to kill Sangtee personnel, but they're not the only ones rebelling.

* In ''Film/{{Yellowbeard}}'', Dan attempts to stand up to Mr. Crisp, which [[PunchPunchPunchUhOh goes as well as you'd expect]], resulting in him being knocked out. Crisp is about to finish the job, when [[HeroicComedicSociopath Yellowbeard]] comes out of hiding, headbutts Mr. Crisp, and throws him overboard. On finding out, Captain Hughes, thinking Dan did it, exposes him as Yellowbeard's son, and is about to punish him, when the crew, inspired by Dan's example, mutiny, surrounding the captain, and hanging him upside down.

** However it's also been argued that Rue's death is the true spark, as her young age and friendliness results in a non-malicious alliance between Katniss (from District 12) and herself (District 11), with Katniss helping her find peace in death when she gets mortally wounded. [[spoiler:This causes a riot in District 11 (in the film adaptation, it is implied her father was the first to lash out).]]

** In the latter half of the season, Cassian ends up in a six year prison sentence on Narkina 5 [[DisproportionateRetribution for loitering]], forced into hard slave labor on an imperial construction project. Eventually, he and his shift manager Kino learn that [[spoiler: their sentence doesn't matter - it expires and the Empire just shunts them off to a different block to be worked to death]]. This causes Cassian and several of his allies to lead a riot and overthrow the guards, which eventually leads to the escape of all five thousand prisoners, one of which is Melshi, who will become a Rebel sergeant by the time of ''Rogue One''.

* ''VideoGame/TalesOfArise'': Played with somewhat. While there was a rebellion group already going, it's Shionne's Blazing Sword and Alphen's ability to wield it that gives them them the muscle they need to go straight for the local lord's throat. Despite this being a team effort, everyone is happy to give Alphen all the credit, even though he was mostly the RightManInTheWrongPlace and then along for the ride and Shionne is [[FantasticRacism Renan]] and refuses to tell anyone her actual motives for turning on her own kind.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': In one episode, Katara wants to save the earthbenders from a Fire Nation's prison barge but finds trouble due to the lack of something for them to bend, so she has Aang blowing up a lot of coals from the barge’s furnace, through the vents, onto the upper deck. At first, the warden stands there and gloats about how broken they are. It's not until one of the earthbenders throw a lump of coal at the alerted prison warden that the big riot starts. In the end, the earthbenders manage to escape with the Gaang.

* According to most histories, the Stonewall Riots began as a routine police raid of a Greenwich Village gay bar, the mafia-controlled Stonewall Inn. Shakedowns like these were commonplace; the [[TheBigRottenApple notoriously corrupt NYPD]] would get their payoff, the patrons who had been rounded up would be released, and the bar would be back in business quickly, sometimes even the same night. On June 28, 1969, however, the raid was taking much longer than usual, possibly due to a number of people there who were not used to the procedure[[note]]Judy Garland, figurehead and vocal supporter of the gay community, had died June 22nd, and in the wake of her death the community gathered together, including a large number of people who normally didn't participate[[/note]]. This allowed time for a [[PowderKegCrowd crowd]] to gather, many of them taunting the police with accusations of taking bribes. As the crowd grew rowdier, the police dragged a small, butch-dressing woman from the bar, her face [[WouldHitAGirl already marked from a baton strike]]. A hush came over the spectators, and the woman yelled something to the effect of "Aren't you going to do anything?" The police then roughly tossed her into a paddy wagon. Immediately, the crowd surged forward, throwing bottles and attacking the cops. The rioting would last off and on for several days. These events are usually credited with starting the modern gay rights movement.

* The Congo Crisis started when Emile Janssens, commandant of the Force Publique[[note]]Belgian officials were allowed to stay as functionnaries in the UsefulNotes/DemocraticRepublicOfTheCongo due to the lack of trained natives[[/note]], replied to soldiers asking for promotions they were denied under colonial regime by writing on a blackboard "After Independence = Before Independence."

** Finally, the final episode of the first season has things all come to a head. [[spoiler: The Imperials are exerting their presence on a funeral procession for Maarva, already making the people of Ferix just barely hold back their contempt for them. When Maarva's final will and testament turns towards inspiring Rebel sentiment, one of the Imperial officers [[KickTheDog kicks B2EMO]], who most of the city treats as a pet, to stop the hologram from playing and it quickly devolves into an open riot, which escalates into a bloody war zone when one of the rioters throws a dirty bomb into the Imperial's garrison and causes a violent chain reaction. Between Nemik's manifesto, Maarva's final words and his experiences on Narkina 5, Cassian finally becomes a true believer in the cause of the Rebellion.]]

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': While the Thunder Soldier, the LivingToy soldier, has been trying to undermine Donquixote Doflamingo's rule over Dressrosa for 10 years by the present, and the dwarves whom Thunder Soldier allied with had an even longer beef (for centuries) with the Donquixote Family, it takes Doffy organizing a tournament in Dressrosa, then most of the participants being turned into toys for losing, and the arrival of the Straw Hats and Trafalgar Law, for the rebellion to really start moving; starting from Usopp being directed by Thunder Soldier to go after Sugar, the Donquixote Family member responsible for the LivingToys, and then knock her out, causing all toys that she "made" over 10 years to turn normal and cause massive chaos in Dressrosa. From there, the Dressrosan resistance movement starts making their big move, aided by the Straw Hats and the tournament participants.

* ''Series/{{Andor}}'' tells the story of the very, very early formation of the rebellion in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' universe, so of course you have multiple moments of this.
** In the wake of the Aldhani heist, where Cassian and several other rebels-to-be raid an imperial garrison and make off with an absurd amount of credits, the Empire begins to tighten its chokehold on the galaxy, which Luthen was counting on because the harder the Empire cracks down, the closer the people get to finding their final straw.

** In the latter half of the season, Cassian ends up on in a six year prison sentence on Narkina 5 [[DisproportionateRetribution for loitering]], forced into hard slave labor on an imperial construction project. Eventually, he and his shift manager Kino learn that [[spoiler: their sentence doesn't matter - it expires and the empire just shunts them off to a different block to be worked to death]]. This causes Cassian and several of his allies to lead a riot and overthrow the facility and eventually leads to the escape of all five-thousand prisoners, one of which is Melshi, who will become a rebel sergeant by the time of ''Rogue One''.
** And finally, the final episode of the first season has things all come to a head. [[spoiler: The Imperials are exerting their presence on a funeral procession for Maarva, already making the people of Ferix just barely hold back their contempt for them. When Maarva's final will and testament turns towards inspiring rebel sentiment one of the Imperial officers [[KickTheDog kicks B2EMO]], who most of the city treats as a pet, to stop the hologram from playing and it quickly devolves into an open riot, which escalates into a bloody war zone when one of the rioters throws a dirty bomb into the Imperial's garrison and causes a violent chain reaction. Between Nemik's manifesto, Maarva's final words and his experiences on Narkina 5, Cassian finally becomes a true believer in the cause of the Rebellion.]]

** In the latter half of the season, Cassian ends up on in a six year prison sentence on Narkina 5 [[DisproportionateRetribution for loitering]], forced into hard slave labor on an imperial construction project. Eventually, He and his shift manager Kino learn that [[spoiler: their sentence doesn't matter - it expires and the empire just shunts them off to a a different block to be worked to death]]. This causes Cassian and several of his allies to lead a riot and overthrow the facility and eventually leads to the escape of all five-thousand prisoners, one of which is Melshi, who will become a rebel sergeant by the time of ''Rogue One''.
** And finally, the final episode of the first season has things all come to a head. [[spoiler: The Imperials are exerting their presence on a funeral procession for Maarva, already making the people of Ferix just barely hold back their contempt for them. When Maarva's final will and testament turns towards inspiring rebel sentiment one of the Imperial officers [[KickTheDog kicks B2EMO]] to stop the hologram from playing, who most of the city treats as a pet and it quickly devolves into an open riot, which escalates into a bloody war zone when one of the rioters throws a dirty bomb into the Imperial's garrison and causes a violent chain reaction. Between Nemik's manifesto, Maarva's final words and his experiences on Narkina 5, Cassian finally becomes a true believer in the cause of the Rebellion.]]

** In the latter half of the season, Cassian ends up on in a six year prison sentence on Narkina 5 [[DisproportionateRetribution for loitering]], forced into hard slave labor on an imperial construction project. Eventually, they learn that [[spoiler: their sentence doesn't matter - it expires and the empire just shunts them off to a less pleasant block to be worked to death]]. This causes Cassian and several of his allies to lead a riot and overthrow the facility and eventually leads to the escape of all five-thousand prisoners, one of which is Melshi, who will become a rebel sergeant by the time of ''Rogue One''.
** And finally, the final episode of the first season has things all come to a head. [[spoiler: The Imperials are exerting their presence on a funeral procession for Maarva, already making the people of Ferix just barely hold back their contempt for them. When Maarva's final will and testament turns towards inspiring rebel sentiment one of the imperial commanders [[KickTheDog kicks B2Emo]], who most of the city treats as a pet and it quickly devolves into an open riot, which escalates into a bloody war zone when one of the rioters throws a dirty bomb into the Imperial's garrison and causes a violent chain reaction. Between Nemik's manifesto, Maarva's final words and his experiences on Narkina 5, Cassian finally becomes a true believer in the cause of the Rebellion.]]

* In ''Film/TheLastJedi'', after the events of ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' had effectively demolished the New Republic thanks to the First Order, the Resistance--a military formed by Leia but not authorized by the New Republic--is all that's left to continue fighting the good fight. Poe Dameron says at one point that "We [the Resistance] are the spark that will light the fire that will burn the First Order down!" This is also a CallBack to TropeNamer ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'', as described later in this page.

* The mutiny in ''Film/TheBattleshipPotemkin'' starts over rotten meat being served to the sailors.

* In ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments'' in the Thule Universe, Sebastian was informed Lily, New York's Second in Command vampire, was sending information to the rebels, so she is killed mercilessly. The seemingly emotionless Head vampire, Raphael, led thousands of Downworlders out of the peace talks with Sebastian, sparking the rebellion, and almost succeeded in killing him.

* In ''The Final Empire,'' the first book of Creator/BrandonSanderson's [[Literature/MistbornTheOriginalTrilogy original Mistborn trilogy,]] [[spoiler:Kelsier planned out the entire heist plot of the book, including his own place as a religious figure and eventual death, to serve as this for the enslaved Skaa people of the Empire.]]

* ''Literature/TheMoonIsAHarshMistress'', the revolutionaries are planning an uprising, but the security from Earth precipitates it by raping and killing a woman, who Manny notes could have been a 'slot-machine sheila' (prostitute), but on the Moon, you don't touch a woman without her consent.

* ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'': The entire Repliforce revolt snowballs from the Repliforce Colonel politely refusing to disarm and follow X or Zero for questioning when he's seen at the scene of a terrorist attack. The entire Repliforce is declared mavericks (Reploid criminals) as a result. This sparks Repliforce operatives to start committing their own attacks on humanity.

* Referenced in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' episode "A Better World", where in the [[BadFuture Justice Lords timeline]], Lord Green Lantern and Lord Hawkgirl go to intimidate a protest against their rule despite the police already being there to handle it, with Lantern stating that "it only takes a spark to light a fire", although it's implied that the Lords [[VictoryIsBoring are bored and just need an excuse to get out]].

* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', the Reachmen, the primitive in [[FurBikini dress]] and [[RockBeatsLaser technology]] [[BarbarianTribe tribal]] inhabitants of the Reach in western Skyrim, have been [[OccupiersOutOfOurCountry resisting any and all groups]] who attempt to claim the Reach dating all the way back to the ''First'' Tamriellic Empire thousands of years ago. During the 3rd Era Septim Empire and into the early 4th Era, they begrudgingly accepted [[HornyVikings Nord]] rule rather than risk the wrath of the Empire. When the [[VestigialEmpire crumbling Empire]] was preoccupied with the [[GreatOffscreenWar Great War]], the Reachmen rose up and captured the city of Markarth. Though the Nords would drive them out, they reformed as the [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters Forsworn]] and hold strong in the countryside of the Reach with their numbers swelling. In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', the Forsworn take the place of bandits as generic {{Mooks}} in and around the Reach. A sidequest offers the opportunity to help their RebelLeader escape from a Nordic prison.

* ''VideoGame/TalesOfArise'': Played with somewhat. While there was a rebellion group already going, it's Shionne's Blazing Sword and Iron Mask's ability to wield it that give them them muscle they need to go straight for the local lord's throat. Despite this being a team effort, everyone is happy to give Iron Mask all the credit, even though he was mostly TheRightManInTheWrongPlace and then along for the ride: Shionne is [[FantasticRacism Renan]] and refuses to tell anyone her actual motives for turning on her own kind.

* According to most histories, the Stonewall Riots began as a routine police raid of a Greenwich Village gay bar, the mafia-controlled Stonewall Inn. Shakedowns like these were commonplace; the [[TheBigRottenApple notoriously corrupt NYPD]] would get their payoff, the patrons who had been rounded up would be released, and the bar would be back in business quickly, sometimes even the same night. On June 28, 1969, however, the raid was taking much longer than usual, possibly due to a number of people there who were not used to the procedure. This allowed time for a [[PowderKegCrowd crowd]] to gather, many of them taunting the police with accusations of taking bribes. As the crowd grew rowdier, the police dragged a small, butch-dressing woman from the bar, her face [[WouldHitAGirl already marked from a baton strike]]. A hush came over the spectators, and the woman yelled something to the effect of "Aren't you going to do anything?" The police then roughly tossed her into a paddy wagon. Immediately, the crowd surged forward, throwing bottles and attacking the cops. The rioting would last off and on for several days. These events are usually credited with starting the modern gay rights movement.

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': While the Thunder Soldier, the LivingToy soldier, has been trying to undermine Donquixote Doflamingo's rule over Dressrosa 10 years from the present, and the dwarves whom Thunder Soldier allied with had an even longer beef (for centuries) with Donquixote Family. But it takes Doffy organizing a tournament in Dressrosa, then most of the participants being turned into toys for losing, and the arrival of the Straw Hats and Trafalgar Law there, for the rebellion to really start moving; starting from Usopp being directed by Thunder Soldier to go after Sugar, the Donquixote Family member responsible for the LivingToys, and then knock her out, causing all toys that she "made" over 10 years to turn normal and cause massive chaos in Dressrosa. From there, the Dressrosan resistance movement starts making their big move, aided by the Straw Hats and the tournament participants.

* ''Film/VForVendetta'': At the end of the movie, a girl is shot for graffiting the Anarchy symbol on a wall, causing the neighborhood to revolt, which spreads to the rest of the country.

Compare ButterflyOfDoom and PowderKegCrowd.

* Tiny kitten Edmund from Creator/DonBluth's ''WesternAnimation/RockADoodle'' dares to blare the name Chanticleer in front of the Grand Duke, and gets swatted down hard for it. Edmund's close friend Patou takes up the chant, followed by the multitude of small creatures oppressed by the Duke. Despite TheVillain's efforts to silence them, their chanting awakens Chanticleer's memory of his purpose in life, triggering a HeroicSecondWind that sunders the Duke.

* In December 2010, a frustrated UsefulNotes/{{Tunisia}}n fruit vendor named [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Bouazizi Mohamed Bouazizi]] [[SelfImmolation lit himself on fire]] in protest of the unjust Tunisian government in general and its stupid street vendor laws in particular. Not three months later, [[UsefulNotes/TheArabSpring nearly the whole Arab World was on fire]]...

* In December 2010, a frustrated UsefulNotes/{{Tunisia}}n fruit vendor named [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Bouazizi Mohamed Bouazizi]] [[SelfImmolation lit himself on fire]] in protest of the unjust Tunisian government in general and its stupid street vendor laws in particular. Not three months later, [[UsefulNotes/TheArabSpring the whole Arab World was on fire]]...

* In December 2010, a frustrated UsefulNotes/{{Tunisia}}n fruit vendor named [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Bouazizi Mohamed Bouazizi]] [[SelfImmolation lit himself on fire]] in protest of the unjust Tunisian government in general and its stupid street vendor laws in particular. Not six months later, [[UsefulNotes/TheArabSpring the whole Arab World was on fire]]...

* The immediate causes of the [[UsefulNotes/RomanovsAndrevolutions February Revolution]] was Putilov Factory strikers being joined by women demonstrating against food rationing