History Main / PullTheTriggerProvocation

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''WebComic/EnsignSueMustDie:'' Spock resolves to kill Sue, and has a phaser set to "Pocket Death Star" pointed at her, but is wavering, with his hand shaking. When she starts bragging about being a perfect marksman, he scowls and blasts her full-force. (But she turns out to be immune to phasers.}

[[folder:Film -- Animation]]

-->'''Clayton:''' Go ahead. Shoot me. ''(he laughs as Tarzan hesitates)'' [[ARealManIsAKiller Be a man]].\\
''(Tarzan presses the barrels right to Clayton's throat...and mimics the sound of a loud gunshot)''\\
'''Tarzan:''' [[ShutUpHannibal Not a man like YOU!]] ''(he smashes the gun into a million pieces)''

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
* ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi:'' In the climax, Luke is hiding from Vader, refusing to fight him or be goaded anymore. When Vader susses out his sister's existence and brags that they can just turn her instead, Luke flies into a rage, starts channeling TheDarkSide (which Yoda and Kenobi both told him was a point of no return,) and brutally curb stomps Vader. Fortunately, after cutting off Vader's hand, Luke manages to regain control of himself and pull back to the light side.
* ''Film/DeathBecomesHer'': During a tense confrontation at the top of the stairs with a rejuvenated Madeline, Ernest snaps when she insults him and nearly strangles her, before leaving her tottering on the top step. She begs Ernest to pull her up and he begins to... Until she shouts "Hurry up, you wimp!" Ernest responds by poking her shoulder and sending Madeline down the marble stairs in a bone-shattering tumble (she gets better... Sort of.)

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration:'' ''Probably'' happens, but left slightly ambiguous in the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E22TheMostToys The Most Toys]]". Data has been captured by a rich {{jerkass}} that intends to keep him as a collectors item, and spends the episode trying to break him into submission. Near the end, Data has turned the tables and has a very deadly, ''extremely'' painful weapon pointed at the guy, who starts taunting him for not being able to summon the rage necessary to kill. Data then calmly says "I cannot permit this to continue" and aims the weapon...and gets beamed up by O'Brien, who sees that the weapon is discharging and is able to dissipate it harmlessly. Data claims it must have malfunctioned during the teleport.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Tyrion has a crossbow trained on his father Tywin for [[spoiler:sleeping with Shae and for a lifetime of abuse.]] But he's wavering and Tywin doesn't believe he'll do it. And he really seems like he might not, especially after Tywin restrains himself from calling Shae a whore. Despite everything, Tywin seems to be winning Tyrion over...until Tyrion refuses to go back into the bedroom where he killed [[spoiler:Shae]] and Tywin says, and promptly [[spoiler:gets killed]]:
-->'''Tywin''': Are you afraid of a dead whore?

[[folder:Webcomics]]

** When Roy gets into a fight with a vampire who was raised from the corpse of one of his friends, the vampire attempts to demoralise Roy with an underhanded taunt about [[MockingTheMourner the accident that killed his baby brother Eric]]. This convinces Roy that the vampire isn't actually his friend, but a monster that has hijacked their corpse, and he starts fighting more fiercely as a result.

* It is alleged that Tsar Nicholas of Russia was once agonising over signing a particularly controversial order, when an aide de camp approached him and tried to comfort him with the words "Majesty, we know how difficult it must be for you to decide"... not realising that the one thing the Tsar hated above all else was the idea that others perceived him as a [[TheDitherer weak, indecisive leader]]. If true, it was likely hearing these words that convinced him that he needed to sign the order... the year was 1914, and the order was the declaration of war on Germany that triggered UsefulNotes/WorldWarOne.

''(Tarzan presses the barrels right to Clayton's throat...and mimics the sound o fa loud gunshot)''\\

* It is alleged that in 1914, when Tsar Nicholas was agonising over signing an order to declare war on Germany, an aide de camp approached him and tried to comfort him with the words "Majesty, we know how difficult it must be for you to decide"... not realising that the one thing the Tsar hated above all else was the idea that others perceived him as a [[TheDitherer weak, indecisive leader]]. If true, it was likely hearing these words that convinced him that he needed to sign the declaration of war that began UsefulNotes/WorldWarOne.

%% Image chosen via crowner in the Image Suggestions thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/ImagePickin/ImageSuggestions147

[[folder:{{Anime}} & {{Manga}}]]

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration:'' ''Probably'' happens, but left slightly ambiguous in the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E22TheMostToys The Most Toys]]". Data has been captured by a rich {{jerkass}} that intends to keep him as a collectors item, and spends the episode trying to break him into submission. Near the end, Data has turned the tables and has a very deadly, ''extremely'' painful weapon pointed at the guy, who starts taunting him for not being able to summon the rage necessary to kill. Data then calmly says "I cannot permit this to continue" and aims the weapon...and gets beamed up by O'Brien, who sees that the weapon is discharging and is able to dissipate it harmlessly. Data claims it must have malfunctioned during the teleport.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Tyrion has a crossbow trained on his father Tywin for [[spoiler:sleeping with Shae and for a lifetime of abuse.]] But he's wavering and Tywin doesn't believe he'll do it. And he really seems like he might not, especially after Tywin restrains himself from calling Shae a whore. Despite everything, Tywin seems to be winning Tyrion over...until Tyrion refuses to go back into the bedroom where he killed [[spoiler:Shae]] and Tywin says, and promptly [[spoiler:gets killed]]:
-->'''Tywin''': Are you afraid of a dead whore?
* In the ''Series/ColdCase'' episode "Justice", [[spoiler:William]] holds a gun to the rapist of [[spoiler:his]] sister, and shoots when the latter brags that all his victims loved it.
* ''Series/TheMagicians'': In the episode "[[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/TheMagicians2016S02E04 The Flying Forest]]", Penny ends up needing to get his hands sliced off as a result of them getting subjected to a curse. Quentin is reluctant to do so, but eventually proceeds to chop them off in rage after getting goaded into it by Penny.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{Film}} -- Animation]]

[[folder:{{Film}} -- Live Action]]

[[folder:{{Theatre}}]]
* In ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'', Burr is enjoined in a duel with Hamilton, but is hesitant to shoot at his former friend-turned-rival, and is strongly considering wasting his shot in the air, confident that Hamilton will do likewise. But then he sees Hamilton putting on his glasses. Convinced that the only reason Hamilton would don glasses is to improve his aim, and refusing to let his children be orphans, Burr shoots Hamilton, killing him.

[[folder:WebComics]]
* ''WebComic/EnsignSueMustDie:'' Spock resolves to kill Sue, and has a phaser set to "Pocket Death Star" pointed at her, but is wavering, with his hand shaking. When she starts bragging about being a perfect marksman, he scowls and blasts her full-force. (But she turns out to be immune to phasers.}
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'':
** In [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0603.html one strip]], Haley gets cornered in a basement by the members of her former ThievesGuild, under orders from the guildmaster to kill her. She starts talking about how difficult it's going to be knowing the names of all the former friends and comrades she's going to fight... but when she sees Toby, who runs the guild's [[BeastlyBloodSports dog-fighting ring]], she remembers that most of the people in the guild are assholes, stops feeling guilty about hurting them and sinks two arrows into his chest.
** When Roy gets into a fight with a vampire who was raised from the corpse of one of his friends, the vampire attempts to demoralise Roy with an underhanded taunt about [[MockingTheMourner the accident that killed his baby brother Eric]]. This convinces Roy that the vampire isn't actually his friend, but a monster that has hijacked their corpse, and he starts fighting more fiercely as a result.
* One ''Sev Space'' comic (made before the release of ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'') has Yoda telling Obi-Wan that he has foreseen that Anakin will turn to the dark side. Obi-Wan asks if it is due to a Sith Lord or emotional scars from losing his mother, and Yoda says it's worse than that, leaving Obi-Wan wondering what hideous evil could produce such anger... as it turns out, [[TheScrappy Jar Jar Binks]] is back.

[[folder:VideoGames]]

[[folder:RealLife]]

[[/folder]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Blacksad}}'': Blacksad is about to kill Ivo Statoc, the rich businessman who raped and murdered his former girlfriend, but still has his doubts whether he can really go through with a VigilanteExecution even after he already put Statoc's bodyguards in the hospital to get to him. Fortunately, Statoc's arrogant gloating about [[VirtueIsWeakness his own coldblooded nature]] and flashing a [[SmugSmiler confident smirk]] angers Blacksad enough to pull the trigger.

'''Tarzan:''' [[ShutUpHannibal Not a man like YOU!]] ''(he smashes the gun into million pieces)''

-->'''Clayton:''' Go ahead. Shoot me. ''[he laughs as Tarzan hesitates]'' [[ARealManIsAKiller Be a man]].
-->'''Tarzan:''' [[ShutUpHannibal Not a man like you!]] ''[he throws the gun away]''

* ''Manga/{{Trigun}}: [[MartialPacifist Vash the Stampede]] has had this forced upon him in hopes of breaking his pacifist spirit, indirectly or directly, by Knives, the most notable example being [[TheDragon Legato]] who has the townspeople [[PeoplePuppets under his control]]. The only way for Vash to save them is to kill Legato, [[ThanatosGambit which is just what he wants]], sending the former into a HeroicBSOD that lasts through the subsequent episode.

-->'''Clayton:''' Go ahead. Shoot me. ''[he laughs as Tarzan hesitates]'' [[HumansAreBastards Be a man]].

If a protagonist does this and it's a more idealistic work (or StatusQuoIsGod), it'll turn out not to be so irrevocable after all, or a third party will intervene to prevent them from actually crossing the line. If not, this is often a StartOfDarkness, or at least GainingTheWillToKill. Do not press the BerserkButton lightly.

See also YouWouldntShootMe, which specifically applies to guns, and usually ''doesn't'' have the holder carrying through. GetItIverWith, StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred and PleaseKillMeIfItSatisfiesYou have the target trying to invoke this.

See also YouWouldntShootMe, which specifically applies to guns, and usually ''doesn't'' have the holder carrying through. StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred and PleaseKillMeIfItSatisfiesYou have the target trying to invoke this.

* ''{{WesternAnimation/Tarzan}}'': A failed example during the final showdown, when Tarzan gets his hands on Clayton's gun.

For instance, TheHero has a gun to the head of his ArchEnemy, but is held back by his ThouShaltNotKill principles. As he struggles internally, his foe brags about [[StuffedIntoTheFridge stuffing his girlfriend into the fridge]], and it's TheLastStraw that makes him pull the trigger.

** In [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0603.html one strip]], Haley gets cornered in a basement by the members of her former ThievesGuild, under orders from the guildmaster to kill her. She starts talking about how difficult it's going to be knowing the names of all the former friends and comrades she's going to fight... but when she sees Toby, who runs the guild's [[BeastlyBloodSport dog-fighting ring]], she remembers that most of the people in the guild are assholes, stops feeling guilty about hurting them and sinks two arrows into his chest.

** In [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0603.html one strip]], Haley learns that her former guildmaster, Bozzok, has ordered the Greysky Thieves' Guild to hunt her down and kill her. She starts talking about how difficult it's going to be knowing the names of all the former friends and comrades she's going to fight... but when she sees Toby, who runs the guild's [[BloodSport dog-fighting ring]], she remembers that most of the people in the guild are assholes and stops feeling guilty about hurting them.

If a protagonist does this and it's a more idealistic work (or StatusQuoIsGod,) it'll turn out not to be so irrevocable after all, or a third party will intervene to prevent them from actually crossing the line. If not, this is often a StartOfDarkness, or at least GainingTheWillToKill. Do not press the BerserkButton lightly.

* ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs:'' In the opening cinematic (in an alternate universe,) the Joker has {{Mind Rape}}d Superman into destroying Metropolis, and killing Lois and their unborn child. When Batman is interrogating the Joker, Supes shows up, enraged. He grabs the Joker in a chokehold and is wavering over what to do, when the Joker makes a tasteless joke about killing his family. It pushes him into tearing the Joker's heart out of his body and making himself an EvilOverlord of the Earth.

* It is alleged that in 1914, when Tsar Nicholas was agonising over signing an order to declare war on Germany, an aide de camp approached him and tried to comfort him with the words "Majesty, we know how difficult it must be for you to decide"... not realising that the one thing the Tsar hated above all else was the idea that others perceived him as a weak, indecisive leader. If true, it was likely hearing these words that convinced him that he needed to sign the declaration of war that began UsefulNotes/WorldWarOne.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration:'' ''Probably'' happens, but left slightly ambiguous in the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E22TheMostToys The Most Toys]]". Data has been captured by a rich {{jerkass}} that intends to keep him as a collectors item, and spends the episode trying to break him into submission. Near the end, Data has turned the tables and has a very deadly, ''extremely'' painful weapon pointed at the guy, who begs for his life, then starts taunting him for being merciful. At that moment, they get beamed up by O'Brien, who sees that the weapon is discharging and is able to dissipate it harmlessly. Data claims it must have malfunctioned during the teleport.