History Main / SymbolicallyBrokenObject

* In a picture drama of ''Anime/CodeGeass'' after Nuannally reminisces about a plate that she, Lelouch and Euphemia looked at, Euphemia is heard on the radio, suddenly the radio is cut off and after that, the plate drops and breaks on the floor.

** [[spoiler:The broken pictureframe of Sunny and her father, which is then fixed by the three leaders of the pony tribes.]]

** Literature/TheFourGospels: When Jesus dies during his crucifixion, the veil in the Temple that separate the priests from their parishioners was torn from top to bottom, symbolizing that the priests were no longer the only ones who could pray to God.

* The Canadian military burned all medals, uniform and the commission scroll of convicted murderer/rapist [[https://web.archive.org/web/20101121101901/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/11/19/russell-williams-uniform.html Russell Williams]].

[[folder:Films - Animated]]
* Happens twice in ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'': the tapestry Merida slices in anger explicitly represents the broken bond between her and her mother, the cut going between depictions of the two. Later, we see a carving of the four princes that has been similarly broken, after one of them, seeking greater power, [[spoiler:got turned into the demon bear Mor'du]].
* Disney's adaptation of Creator/EdgarRiceBurroughs' ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}'' has Kala the ape lead Tarzan to the treehouse where Tarzan was found as an infant. On the floor, Tarzan finds a photograph in a broken frame with cracked glass of three humans: himself as an infant, his father, and his mother. The vicious leopard Sabor had killed Tarzan's parents, leaving only himself for Kala to rescue and adopt.
* At the beginning of ''WesternAnimation/GulliversTravels'', The kings of Lilliput and Blefuscu are celebrating the upcoming wedding between their respective children, which would unite the two kingdoms. An argument over which nation's anthem should play at the ceremony results in King Bombo of Blefuscu declaring war, and -- to drive the point home -- he smashes the wedding cake, knocking down the cake toppers representing the prince and princess.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Wolfwalkers}}'', this is done by Mebh when [[spoiler:Robyn tells her to leave the forest with the wolves before the Lord Protector burns it all down, which she sees as Robyn breaking her promise to help her find her mother. She furiously grabs the flower in her hair that Robyn gave her and crushes it in her clenched hand before throwing it away and storming off]].

** When Adric dies in ''Earthshock'', the Doctor has to use his star badge to kill a Cyberman, destroying it in the process. Then they run the SilentCredits over the image of the broken star.

* ''VideoGame/{{Arknights}}'': The Doctor notices a broken picture frame of two young familiar-looking Lung girls together. You later find out that [[spoiler:they're [[Deuteragonist Ch'en]] and [[BigBad Tallulah]], and also learn that they're half-sisters]].

* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'': Near the start of the Season 1 finale, Fred accidentally drops his dad's framed photo of Fred's MissingMom, who was implied to be his father's LostLenore... [[spoiler:and discovers that it's actually a snipping of a model from a magazine — she isn't Fred's mother]]. The episode builds up to Fred discovering that [[spoiler:his "father" is actually his kidnapper]].

* When [[spoiler:Asuma]] dies in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', his girlfriend [[spoiler:Kurenai's]] teacup breaks.

** Literature/TheFourGospels: When Jesus dies during his crucifixion, the veils in the temples that separate the priests from their parishioners tore from top to bottom, symbolizing that the priests were no longer the only ones who could pray to God.

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* When a knight was stripped of his knighthood, this was done by symbolically destroying the symbols of his status. His spurs were cast away, his belt cut, his sword broken over his head, and he was declared "no longer knight, but knave."

* Disney's adaptation of Creator/EdgarRiceBurroughs' ''Disney/{{Tarzan}}'' has Kala the ape lead Tarzan to the treehouse where Tarzan was found as an infant. On the floor, Tarzan finds a photograph in a broken frame with cracked glass of three humans: himself as an infant, his father, and his mother. The vicious leopard Sabor had killed Tarzan's parents, leaving only himself for Kala to rescue and adopt.

* ''Disney/RalphBreaksTheInternet'': [[spoiler: After Vanellope learns that Ralph unleashed a virus into ''Slaughter Race'' out of jealousy, she declares they're not friends anymore and throws the "You're My Hero" medal she gave him into the depths of the Internet, and Ralph finds it broken in half when he goes down to retrieve it. By the end, it's still broken, but now Ralph and Vanellope wear each half as a reminder that they're still friends even though they're apart.]]

* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. In "Year of Hell", Captain Janeway finds her lucky coffee cup has survived the destruction of the Ready Room. Just then the Krenim attack and the cup is [[PortentOfDoom knocked off the table and smashes]].

Frequently overlaps with LoadBearingBoss, InsigniaRipOffRitual, and WreckedWeapon. Supertrope to BreakUpBonfire and LetThePastBurn. SisterTrope to DyingCandle.

See also TatteredFlag, CrushTheKeepsake, RippingOffTheStringOfPearls, EmpathyDollShot, and DeadHatShot.

The extent of the damage to the Symbolically Broken Object frequently indicates the extent of the damage to the thing it symbolizes. If the object has been destroyed beyond repair, there's a good chance that the same is true of whatever else was broken. If the object can be repaired, so can the thing it smbolizes.

Frequently overlaps with LoadBearingBoss, InsigniaRipOffRitual, and WreckedWeapon. Supertrope to BreakUpBonfire and LetThePastBurn. SisterTrope to DyingCandle

* In ''TheParentTrap'', both girls have half of a ripped picture of their divorced parents.

* In a picture drama of ''Anime/CodeGeass'' after Nuannally reminisce about a plate that she, Lelouch and Euphemia looked at, Euphemia is heard on the radio, suddenly the radio is cut off and after that, the plate drops and breaks on the floor.
* ''Anime/{{Macross}}'': the protagonist is sitting in hospital amusing himself with a miniature biplane, when told his friend/squadron leader is dead. Cue dramatic slow-mo shot of the biplane falling to the floor and breaking.

* Disney's adaptation of Creator/EdgarRiceBurroughs' ''Disney/{{Tarzan}}'' has Kala the ape lead Tarzan to the treehouse where Tarzan was found as an infant. On the floor, Tarzan finds a photograph in a broken frame with cracked glass of three humans: himself as an infant, his father and his mother. The vicious leopard Sabor had killed Tarzan's parents, leaving only himself for Kala to rescue and adopt.
* At the beginning of ''WesternAnimation/GulliversTravels'', The kings of Lilliput and Blefuscu are celebrating the upcoming wedding between their respective children, which would unite the two kingdoms. An argument over which nation's anthem should play at the ceremony results in King Bombo of Blefuscu declaring war, and to drive the point home, he smashes the wedding cake, knocking down the cake toppers representing the prince and princess.

* In Creator/TadWilliams's ''Literature/TheWarOfTheFlowers'', Mud [[spoiler:Bug]] Button shows up on television and breaks a small stick. The goblin underclass of TheCity immediately begin rioting and revolting against their Faerie overlords because that stick was the physical manifestation of the treaty that kept them in subjugation.

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* Fate's HeroicBSOD in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' is marked by [[WreckedWeapon her weapon shattering]] after [[DramaticDrop she drops it]]. Conversely, her jump staring his self-repair function marked the beginning of her recovery.

* Fate's HeroicBSOD in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' is marked by [[WreckedWeapon her weapon shattering]] after [[DramaticDrop she drops it]]. In turn, it's self repair function is activated when she recovers.

* Fate's HeroicBSOD in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' is marked by [[WreckedWeapon her weapon shattering]] after [[DramaticDrop she drops it]]. In turn, it's repaired when she recovers.