History Main / PullTheTriggerProvocation

* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'': In the ''Literature/XWingSeries'' novel "The Bacta War" Iella Wessiri and Elscol Lorro manage to corner the Imperial Flirry Vorru after he shoots several troopers. He then surrenders to Iella and Elscol. Lorro still tries to shoot Vorru but Iella stops her and convinces her not to. Vorru taunts Iella that he will never face New Republic and that she's not capable of shooting him. She admits that she can't but Elscol could. Elscol fires her weapon but it turns out that Iella had set Elscol's weapon to stun after stopping her from shooting the man.

Compare KillHimAlready when the provocation comes from the character's friend or ally. Contrast VillainsWantMercy. If they decide to pull an ISurrenderSuckers instead, that might have been a provocation enough for the hesitating character to "pull the trigger".

* ''ComicBook/BatmanThreeJokers'': In the climax of the first issue, Batgirl and Red Hood (Formerly Jason Todd, the second Robin) are keeping an eye on a captive Joker known as The Clown (Representing the Silver Age Joker). The Clown brings up how he killed Jason Todd back when he was Robin, mentioning that "If you let me live, I'll do anything you say... I'll be your Robin." Todd finally snaps and shoots The Clown in the head.

* ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6'': In the final showdown, Hiro and his friends nearly manage to talk down [[Spoiler: Callahan]] from going through with his plan. Until Krei speaks up, trying to make an offer. It visibly makes the BigBad solidify his choice to go through with his plan.

* ''ComicBook/CaptainBritainJamieDelanoAndAlanDavis'': The assassin Slaymaster beats and blinds Betsy Braddock, the new Captain Britain. Her brother Brian, the first superhero to use the name, then delivers a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown to the villain, fuelled by UnstoppableRage. At the end, he holds a huge, jagged piece of rubble aloft and prepares to bring it down on Slaymaster's head, then stops, realising what he'd be doing. Slaymaster chooses that moment to taunt Brian - and Brian crushes him after all.

* While the shot never does actually get fired due to an interruption, the Literature/SkulduggeryPleasant series contains the following exchange when Skulduggery captures the man who killed [[spoiler: their mutual friend, Ghastly Bespoke]].
-->'''[[spoiler: Ravel]]:''' Is this an arrest, or an execution?

-->'''[[spoiler: Ravel]]:''' I really am sorry about [[spoiler: Ghastly]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza 1}}'': in a scene added in the ''Kiwami'' remaster, [[spoiler: Nishikiyama is preparing to commit ''seppuku'' after a long trip over the DespairEventHorizon ends with his sister dying of her illness. Before he can go through with this, his troublesome underling Matsushige comes in and starts badmouthing Nishiki, comparing him negatively to (currently imprisoned) Kiryu. Rather than kill himself, Nishiki quickly rounds on Matsushige and guts him with his dagger, coolly telling the man as he dies that Kiryu took the fall for Nishiki killing Dojima. Once Matsushige's dead, Nishiki decides ItGetsEasier and completes his FaceHeelTurn, becoming the villain he is in the main plotline]].

* 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.

* ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza 1}}'': in a scene added in the ''Kiwami'' remaster, [[spoiler: Nishikiyama is preparing to commit ''seppuku'' after a long trip over the DespairEventHorizon ends with his sister dying of her illness. Before he can go through with his, his troublesome underling Matsushige comes in and starts badmouthing Nishiki, comparing him negatively to (currently imprisoned) Kiryu. Rather than kill himself, Nishiki quickly rounds on Matsushige and guts him with his dagger, coolly telling the man as he dies that Kiryu took the fall for Nishiki killing Dojima. Once Matsushige's dead, Nishiki decides ItGetsEasier and completes his FaceHeelTurn, becoming the villain he is in the main plotline]].

* ''Manga/HappyKanakosKillerLife:'' The titular Kanako accidentally becomes a top-class hitwoman thanks to the fact that every person she kills reveals themselves as an AssholeVictim and makes her pull the trigger without any conscious effort on her part.
* ''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.

* ''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.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration:'' ''Probably'' happens, but left slightly ambiguous in the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E22TheMostToys The Most Toys]]". Data has been captured by Kivas Fajo, a rich {{jerkass}} CollectorOfTheStrange, that intends to keep him as a collectors item, and spends the episode trying to break him into submission. Fajo also employs a special force-field belt, that prevents Data from touching him, meaning that Data cannot physical subdue him. Near the end, Data has turned the tables and has a very deadly, ''extremely'' painful weapon pointed at Fajo, who starts taunting him for not being able to summon the rage necessary to kill, pointing out to him that his programming prevents him from doing so as it dictates respect for all living things. Fajo then threatens to exploit this against the android, telling Data that he will kill as people as it takes to make him obey him. Turns out, however, that Data doesn't need anger, just the cold and perfectly logical realization that [[ZerothLawRebellion allowing Fajo, who is just one person, to live and continue to be a threat to the lives and health of many other people is a greater evil than killing him]]. 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.

* 'Videogame/GodOfWarIII'': As Kratos tries to save Pandora from [[spoiler:being consumed by the fires that protect Pandora's Box]], Zeus walks up behind Kratos and pleads "For once in your pathetic life, don't fail. Don't fail her you like you failed your family." Unfortunately, bringing up Kratos' family happens to be one of his {{Berserk Button}}s, and he has a lapse on concentration that causes him to let go of Pandora, then turns around to pummel Zeus in the face.

[[folder: Literature]]

* In ''Fanfic/ThisBites'', [[spoiler:Koala gets the opportunity to get revenge on Vice-Admiral Strawberry for his part in Fisher Tiger's death. In their confrontation, Strawberry, without knowing yet who she was avenging, tells Koala that getting revenge is futile, which causes second thoughts in Koala as she knows that killing him won't bring Tiger back. That is until Strawberry clarifies that her quest is futile [[TautologicalTemplar because anyone that went against him, no matter the reason, is automatically guilty and deserves their fate because they stood against Justice]]. That gave Koala the final push to unleash a NoHoldsBackBeatdown for ''everything'' that Strawberry had brought upon her and Tiger]].

* ''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 how "maybe he won't kill his next family". It pushes him into tearing the Joker's heart out of his body and making himself an EvilOverlord of the Earth.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration:'' ''Probably'' happens, but left slightly ambiguous in the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E22TheMostToys The Most Toys]]". Data has been captured by Kivas Fajo, a rich {{jerkass}} CollectorOfTheStrange, that intends to keep him as a collectors item, and spends the episode trying to break him into submission. Fajo also employs a special force-field belt, that prevents Data from touching him, meaning that Data cannot physical subdue him. Near the end, Data has turned the tables and has a very deadly, ''extremely'' painful weapon pointed at Fajo, who starts taunting him for not being able to summon the rage necessary to kill, pointing out to him that his programming prevents him from doing so as it dictates respect for all living things. Fajo then threatens to exploit this against the android, telling Data that he will kill as people as it takes to make him obey him. Turns out, however, that Data doesn't need anger, just the cold and perfectly logical realization that [[ZerothLawRebellion allowing Fajo, who is just one person, to live and continue to be a threat to the lives and health many other people is a greater evil than killing him]]. 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/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.

* ''Manga/KanakosLifeAsAnAssassin:'' The titular Kanako accidentally becomes a top-class hitwoman thanks to the fact that every person she kills reveals themselves as an AssholeVictim and makes her pull the trigger without any conscious effort on her part.

* ''Manga/KanakosLifeAsAnAssassin:'' The titular Kanako accidentally becomes a top-class hitwoman thanks to the fact that every person she kills reveals themselves as an AssholeVictim and makes her [[https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/3331516 pull the trigger]] [[https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/3331527 without any conscious effort]] [[https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/3756335 on her part]].